One

Aria’s POV

“Let’s stay focused,” I reminded Mason, flipping open my notebook

The red light blinks on.

“Rolling?” I glanced at my cameraman.

“Rolling,” he confirmed.

“Captain Mason,” I looked at him trying to maintain my composure. “Your team is a few games from the championship. What changed this season?”

Mason leaned back slightly.

“Discipline,” he muttered. “Consistency and practice.”

I noticed he wasn’t really looking at the camera, his attention was focused on me but I ignored it.

“Last season, critics said your leadership was… inconsistent,” I continued. “What do you say to that now?”

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

“Critics talk,” he said proudly. “We win.”

A few quiet chuckles were heard behind the camera.

I tapped the pen against my notebook nervously.

“Your line has the highest scoring rate in the league right now,” I pressed further with my questions. “But there are reports of tension among your teammates, especially after last week’s game. Isn’t that going to affect your team performance?”

This time, I noticed his gaze sharpened.

“Who told you that?”

My expression didn’t change, I tried masking it with seriousness. “I’m asking the questions.”

“Next question,” he refused to give an answer to that.

My jaw tightened slightly, but I didn't react.

I dived into another question. “Your performance personally,twenty-two goals this season, leading the league. But some analysts say you’ve been playing more aggressively than usual. Taking risks you didn’t before.”

I tilted my head slightly. “Why now?”

He chuckled but not in an amused way. “Why did you leave?” 

This time he looked at me intensely.

I went completely still for a moment.

The cameraman shifted behind me.

That wasn’t on the list.

“That’s not relevant to this interview,” I whispered nervously.

Mason leans back in his chair, eyes never leaving mine.

“Five years,” he murmured, pretending like he didn’t hear what I had said. “And that’s what you open with? Hockey?”

My pulse quickened. “Please,” I inhaled, trying to keep calm. “Can we come back to the important part?”

His gaze darkens. “Exactly,” he murmured. “The important part.”

Behind the camera, someone clears their throat.

I flipped my page.

“Final question,” I rushed out, wanting to leave.

“You’re heading into the biggest games of your career. Pressure, expectations, everything is on you.” I meet his eyes fully now.

“What happens if you lose?”

He reached forward, not to touch me, but to adjust the mic clipped too close to my collar.

His fingers brush my skin.

My breath hitched just for a second, my thoughts running wild.

He noticed it.

Before I could say a word he began.

“I can’t lose and-“

But he got cut off by someone, who rushed to him, whispering something in his ears.

I didn’t know what was being said but from the expression I saw on Mason’s face it wasn’t good.

“We are done here.” He stood up immediately, rushing out before I could say anything.

————————

After the interview, I stopped by the café to see my friend, Brielle.

The café was loud and warm.

I stirred my drink slowly, but my mind wasn’t there.

Across me, Brielle leaned forward immediately.

“So?” she said, eyes wide. “Tell me everything. How did it go?”

I hesitated. That alone made Brielle lean in more.

“Don’t tell me you saw him,” she said slowly.

I nodded. “…I did.”

The table went silent for half a second.

Then she squealed loudly.

“Brielle!” I gave her a sharp glance, feeling ashamed.   

“I’m sorry.” She pouted her mouth. “ But wait—wait—Mason? Like Mason Mason?” Brielle blinked. “After five years?”

I gave a small, tired breath. “Yes.”

“Oh my God,” she leaned back, hand on her chest. “Okay, how did it go? Like… is he still—”

I cut in quietly. “I don’t know.”

Brielle frowned immediately. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

My fingers tightened slightly around my cup, I briefly thought back to the interview I had an hour ago. “I didn’t really look at him, nor made any personal conversation with him.” I admitted.

“Girl…”

I shook my head quickly, like it could erase the moment.

“I was working. I had the camera, the questions, everything—just… doing my job.”

“You’re dodging.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

I sighed tiredly.

“…Are you okay?” Brielle's tone was calmer this time.

“I didn’t have a choice,” I murmured in a low tone. “It’s my assignment. That’s what my work requires.”

Brielle leaned forward again.

“But after everything? You’re just… fine standing in front of him like that?”

I pressed my lips together.

Nothing about it had felt fine, not his voice, not his eyes but I said nothing.

“Okay… but be honest with me,” Brielle stared at me closely. “You feel something, don’t you?”

I immediately shook my head. “No.”

“Five years…” she murmured. “And the first time you see him again is as your assignment. That’s insane.”

I looked down at my cup.

“Yeah.”

Insane was one word for it.

————————————-

The moment I got to the newsroom, I knew I was in for a lot today.

The newsroom was louder than usual.

Phones ringing. Keyboards clicking. Headlines flashing across screens.

I stood in front of the glass office, my fingers curled around the folder.

My name was already called. “Aria, come in.”

I stepped inside.

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

My editor, Mr. Daniels, didn’t look up from his screen. Two senior journalists sat nearby watching.

That was never a good sign.

“Sit,” Daniels said flatly.

I sat immediately.

“You’ve been here for how long?” he asked.

“Four years,” I replied.

He finally looked at me. “And you’re still stuck in the same position.”

My jaw tightened slightly. “I’ve been waiting for the promotion cycle.”

One of the senior journalists scoffed lightly. “Everyone is.”

Daniels leaned back. “Let me be honest with you, Aria.”

That made me straighten.

“We’re not seeing growth in your recent work.”

My grip tightened on my folder.

“That’s not true,” I interrupted. “My last pieces performed well—”

“We’re not talking about performance,” he cut in. “We’re talking about impact.”

That word hit differently.

He tapped the table. “Do you want to move up in this industry or not?”

I didn’t answer immediately because I already knew where this was going.

Daniels slid a file toward me. “Captain Mason Rossi.”

My stomach dropped slightly but I didn’t react.

“You interviewed him,” he continued. “But that wasn’t an interview.”

He leaned forward. “That was surface-level reporting. You sat in front of one of the biggest athletes in the league and gave us nothing new.”

One of the journalists added, “No insight. No exclusives. No angle.”

I swallowed. “I asked professional questions.”

“And he gave you professional answers,” Daniels replied. “Which means you didn’t push far enough.”

“He left in a hurry.” I added.

“We need more.”

My pulse slowed, I already knew what “more” meant.

Daniels slid another paper forward. “This is your new assignment.”

I looked down. “…What is this?”

Daniels didn’t hesitate. “We want full coverage on him. Everything,” he said. “Training updates. Off-field behavior. Team dynamics. Public rumors. Private inconsistencies.”

One of the journalists added casually, “And if there’s anything he’s hiding, we find it.”

My expression tightened. “That’s not journalism,” I said quietly.

Daniels raised a brow. “No?” he asked. “Then what is it?”

No one answered.

He continued. “You want a promotion, Aria? Then earn it. From today, you’re leading this.”

My breath caught slightly. “…Leading what?”

“The Mason Rossi coverage unit.”

Now all eyes were on me.

Daniels’ voice dropped slightly. “And listen carefully. If you get close to him good, if he trusts you—better and if you uncover something no one else has?” He smiled brightly.“Then you finally move forward in this company.”

I slowly stood up and turned to leave.

Then Daniels added one last thing. “Oh—and Aria?”

I paused.

“You don’t get to fail this one, especially if you love your job.”