LOVE:ZERO

As if a thin film covering her eyelids had peeled away, Hunter’s image was freshly engraved onto her corneas.

Tall stature, broad shoulders, long legs.

Each time he swung his racket with precise angles, his muscles moved as if creating ripples across his body. She, too, had been the one to witness up close the daily effort it took for him to reach this level.

Hunter, knees slightly bent, fixed his deep lapis lazuli-blue eyes on his opponent and wiped the sweat dripping down his jaw with his wristband.

‘Was his profile always like this?’

His sweat-drenched brown hair was half-tucked under his headband, revealing a smooth forehead. Above his slightly arched, thick eyebrows, the space between them dipped like a groove, leading to a sharp, elegant nose bridge that rose gracefully.

Thunk!—

A forehand slice shot landed in the far-left corner of the court, then bounced unpredictably just like Hunter’s temperament. Dimitry slid desperately, stretching his arm, but missed the ball by a hair’s breadth. Hunter clenched his fist and grinned as he secured the game point.

Jiyu felt an inexplicable sense of defeat.

‘…He really is good-looking.’

After knowing him for nearly nine years, she reluctantly admitted it.

Why hadn’t she noticed before? Was it because she saw his face every day? Or because she had never stared at Hunter this long without distraction?

Dazed, she kept staring at him until the sudden applause startled her, making her glance around.

Set 1 score: 6-3.

Hunter had taken the first set with aggressive plays.

Before switching courts, a three-minute break was given. Hunter, approaching the bench, snatched the drink handed to him without even wiping his sweat, twisting the cap open. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped down the sports drink its salty-sweet taste barely masking its weirdness.

Even though she wasn’t the one playing, Jiyu’s throat felt parched just watching him. She swallowed dryly before fishing out her water bottle and taking a sip.

As the break ended, Hunter rose from the bench and locked eyes with her as he passed the sideline. Then, he pointed at himself again with his finger a command to keep watching.

Jiyu averted her gaze, bowing her head. She couldn’t keep looking at him. A sense of impending danger, as if something beyond her control would happen, crept over her.

It felt familiar.

Like that rainy day in the treehouse, when Hunter had stared intently at her lips, making her want to flee.

—

Set 2 began.

Jiyu forced her wandering eyes to stay fixed on Dimitry.

With a fierce glare, Dimitry resorted to every dirty trick to provoke Hunter. When Hunter double-faulted from wavering focus, Dimitry yelled “Yes!” and punched the air. Every time he returned a shot, he let out pig-like grunts, grating on the audience’s nerves. After long rallies, he’d leap up, laughing loudly, and even egged the crowd to applaud.

Jiyu frowned.

She’d heard of players like this but had never seen one in person. At the junior level, where sportsmanship mattered more than winning, such blatant rudeness was rare.

Stealing a nervous glance, she saw Hunter’s anger rising to his scalp. But the fact that he suppressed his temper not retaliating with the same dirty tactics was remarkable growth.

Dimitry tied the set 4-4, then reversed it to 6-4, taking the second set.

Now, with one set each, the final set would decide the match. Before it began, a three-minute break and coaching were allowed. As soon as the set ended, Jake rushed to Hunter’s bench.

—

Hunter, already battling a tough opponent, now had to endure mental warfare. Drenched in sweat, he nodded absently at Jake’s rapid-fire advice while swapping his soaked wristband and headband for fresh ones. Then, he glared at Jiyu and wiggled his index finger.

Her heart pounded. Was he really summoning her? Hesitating, she glanced around but the seats beside her were empty. When she dawdled, Hunter scowled and jerked his chin: Hurry up.

Timidly, she scurried to the bench. Why was he calling her at such a crucial moment? She had no idea but she couldn’t ignore him.

The second she got close, Hunter, breathing harshly, snapped:

“What the hell are you looking at?!”

“Huh…?”

Sweat dripped from his hair like rain.

“I told you to focus on me.”

He’d noticed her deliberately avoiding his gaze the entire second set.

Had that distracted him?

No way… That can’t be.

Flustered, Jiyu shook her head.

“O-Okay. I’ll focus.”

Hunter stared at her before rummaging through his bag and thrusting something at her.

“Put this on. Quick.”

A dampener.

Was he joking? But when he shoved his racket at her, she took it in a daze.

Jake yanked Hunter’s attention back, drilling strategies into him.

Jiyu’s hands trembled as she peeled off the blue dampener. Hunter half-listened to Jake while side-eyeing her.

If he was this desperate to use her dampener, he must see this as an emergency. The thought made her rush.

Fumbling with the packaging, she nicked her finger on the sharp plastic. Blood welled, but she ignored it.

Once the lip-printed pink dampener was secured on the last string, she exhaled sharply.

“Here.”

She handed the racket back then, impulsively, pressed two fingers to her lips and lightly touched them to the dampener’s kiss mark.

Instantly, her face burned.

Hunter froze, his gaze dropping to the dampener, then slowly rising to her lips. His blatant stare made her cover her mouth and duck her head.

The umpire announced the match’s resumption. Hunter finally took the racket, still staring.

It was time to return to her seat.

Biting her lip, Jiyu mustered courage and met his eyes. Hunter’s piercing blue gaze locked onto her, his broad shoulders heaving with ragged breaths.

Backing away, she shouted just loud enough for him to hear:

“Hunter! You have to win!”

Surprisingly, she meant it. Seeing him so desperate even using a silly pink dampener made her realize she didn’t want him to lose.

His dark expression softened. A smirk flickered as he gave a short nod.

“Obviously.”

The anger and frustration faded, replaced by reckless confidence.

Finally, he looked like the Hunter she knew.