The sound of his hand hitting the locker door leaves you with no choice but to lift your head and stare into his eyes. You are partly unfazed and partly curious as to why the infamous setter decided to corner you so early in the morning. It is something you have been getting quite used to: him showing up out of nowhere, acting silly or cool, his intent clear as dayâto get closer to you. Usually, it happens when his brother is close by to watch.
But today is different. Osamu isnât around. You two didn't walk to school together today, due to the fact that you woke up much later than planned.
So here you are at the shoe lockers, switching your footwear, when the blond-haired twin arrives.
âMorning, Atsumu?â you greet him, with about as much motivation as you generally have for your least favorite subject.
âQuit it. I've told you before, Y/n-chan, it's Sumu~â
âRight,â you answer, rolling your eyes lightly. You briefly catch the gaze of a student changing shoes in the next row. She is obviously peeking at you two, but she immediately shuts her locker door and scurries off when she meets your eyes.
A small frown forms on your brow.
I hope she doesn't decide to go off and share weird rumors. My friends have already been digging for info, asking whether I have something going on with the Miya twins or if I am considering becoming the manager for the volleyball club.
A slightly irritated expression crosses Atsumu's face. The girl he's staring down at, trapped against the lockers, obviously isn't paying him her full attention.
âHey, Y/n,â he calls. His hand reaches forward to touch your cheek, but before his skin can even make contact, your sharp reflexes swat his hand away like an annoying fly.
Then again, that's probably how she sees me. I wouldn't be surprised.
The frown on your face deepens as you look back up at Atsumu. âI've told you before, I don't like being touched so randomly.â
âBut you let my brother do that.â he replies with a smirk that bears no hint of annoyance.
âWell, you're not your brother. Plus, I'm friends with Samu.â
Whom I missed walking with him this morning. I haven't seen his face all weekend. Save for the photos I have of him on my phone, of course, but still. Photos don't beat the real thing. He's much more fun to see in person. Well⊠I guess I can't really complain, since we spent all weekend texting each other.
âHey, food lab rat,â Atsumu calls, drawing your full attention with the nickname.
âWhat?â you snap, your eyes already narrowed in irritation. You can't even really complain when they use that name. You were the one who proudly proclaimed it, and now it has stuck.
âYou like my brother, don't you?â
Quite some time passes between you two. It is a locked silence with an unbroken line of eye contact from two people, each unwilling to back down.
âYou don't need to deny it. I have eyes, you know. I know you're not just friends, but don't worry, I won't snitch on you or anythinââ
Atsumu trails off when something clicks in his head. The smug grin on his face fades, and he takes his hand off the locker wall. He straightens himself to his full height to stare down at you, arms crossed over his chest. âWait, did you just admit it?â
âAre you deaf? I said yeah. I have a crush on your brother, Osamu. What are you going to do about it?â you declare loud and clear and patiently wait for his response as his expression shifts from confusion to surprise, and then to slight panic.
âI mean, who just admits something like that? You're supposed to deny it! Say something along the lines of, âNo, that's not true. We⊠we're just friends.â Really!â
You raise an eyebrow at the sudden switch in his expression and tone, amused by how perfectly he mimics a tsundere with the almost comical line. A light chuckle escapes your lips.
âWhat's so funny?â he questions with a slight frown.
âYou were⊠a little bit too good at that. Have you considered a career in voice acting?â
âDon't change the subject, Y/n.â
âI'm not changing the subject. I do have a crush on your brother, but the thing is, that information has nothing to do with you.â
âHow sure are you? I could use that information to blackmail you, or⊠I could just walk over to his class right now and tell him.â Atsumu answers, narrowing his eyes down at you, pure mischief glinting in them.
âYou could, but you won't, because you enjoy messing with him using me.â you answer calmly, turning your back to him to properly place your outdoor shoes in your locker.
I could deny it, sure. But one specific search through my phone's photo foldersâalong with the passwordâwould reveal all there is to know.
âOh⊠I guess you're not as naive as I thought.â Atsumu remarks aloud behind you.
You shut your door, locking it in place with the key before turning back to face him. âYeah. So, bye.â you reply, taking a step forward to head to class before the morning bell rings.
âWait, you can't just leave like this!â
âWhy?â you inquire curiously, with a slight turn of your head.
He pouts back at you. âIt's⊠it's⊠dull and anticlimactic!â
âSo, in other words, you didn't get what you wanted. Poor Sumu. See you at the gym.â you remark, smirking at his expression before turning away and walking down the hall.
âTch.â Atsumu mutters, staring at your retreating form. âHow annoying.â
He was hoping to get a reaction out of you today. He had already planned this ambush when he caught his brother staring down at his phone with a dumb, pitiful look on his face while preparing for school this morning. Which he immediately connected to something involving you. His intuition was further proven when Samu snapped at him over a missing pair of socks that Atsumu had borrowed and never returned. Osamu had been quite lenient with him recently; it was almost peaceful. Plus, it had been a while since they last walked to school together in the morning.
But wait. Now I know Y/n-chan likes Samu, and Samu likes Y/n-chan back⊠but⊠do they know they like each other?
Before he can think about it further, the bell rings through the hallway, signifying the beginning of classes.
~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~.
Osamu has been feeling off all day. And by all day, he means just the few hours of the morning, since it's barely even noon yet. He had been looking forward to seeing you again after the weekend break, but then he got that text this morning:
Y/n: Samu⊠Really sorry, but you'll have to head to school without me today. I slept past my alarm đ€§
Samu: Thatâs okay⊠I can just wait for you.
Y/n: No, I'm still feeling a little bit groggy. My preparations will be slow. You don't have to be late with me.
Although he wanted to argue, he didn't want to push it any further, so he agreed.
He texted it back, wondering if you could telepathically sense the brooding disappointment behind the simple four letters. And then, to make things worse, he found out his planned pair of socks was missingâcourtesy of his twin, of course, at whose head he promptly threw a folded pair of laundry while demanding the missing socks instantly.
He lets out a short sigh. He taps his pen against his notebook as he blankly stares at the board, only partly listening to the teacher explain the Sengoku period of Japan.
Time has just been moving annoyingly slow since last Friday. Lunchtime should just hurry up and arrive already.
~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~. ~~~~.
You lean back in your seat, listening to your friends share stories of how their weekends went. Some are exciting, some boring, and others somewhere right in between.
âTa-daaa!!â one of your friends announces, bringing out a box. She presents it on her desk to the shared âWows~â of the group.
âNo way, you really got it?â another friend inquires.
She smiles proudly. âI told you I would, didn't I?â
âI heard the line there is crazy, though.â you chirp in, staring at the box in impressed wonder.
What is so special about a box of chocolates? The popularity of the place, of course. It's a newly opened bakery that has been all the rage lately because of how good their treats are.
She leans over her desk with bright eyes. âIt was totally crazy. I felt like I was fighting for my life under the baking hot sun, but⊠I still got three boxes. I already shared one with my family, saved one to share with my boyfriend, and brought this one to share with you guys.â
You put a hand to your mouth, showing how touched you are. âAww, just for us? That's so sweet, Yumeko.â
She shakes her head at your words. âI felt bad. You share the snacks your mom makes with us all the time, Y/n, and they're so good. It's the least I could do.â
âYeah, they're amazing, Y/n!â
âSeriously, is your mom a baker or something?â
âWhen are you going to share her recipes with us? I'm begging you!â
The rest of them chime in, and you chuckle nervously, feeling a sharp pang of guilt.
Sorry, Samu. You're the one who deserves all this praise, but I don't want to go around sharing your interests without your consent, so I used my mom as a cover.
You apologize to him internally.
You really want to tell the truth, but at the same time, you know how much cooking means to him and don't want to cause any issues. It is obviously something he prefers keeping to himself⊠for now. Even his confidence in his cooking isn't quite as high as his confidence in volleyball.
âHmph, my mom's recipes don't come free, you know. It's gourmet-level stuff,â you puff out proudly.
âGatekeeping is a crime punishable by death!â
âSay no to gatekeeping!â
âAlright then, I guess you can forget about sharing the snacks I bring from now on.â you counter, receiving an instant 180-degree turn from the group.
âWe're sorry, Your Highness.â
âHow dare we demand to see the Holy Grail for free?â
âWe spoke out of turn. Please don't deny us your blessed generosity, Your Highness.â
âFine, fine. I get it.â you answer with a wide smile.
You all gather around the box to share the chocolates. Each hand drops down to grab a pretty piece.
âY/n⊠here, say âAhhh.â You get the biggest one,â Yumeko announces, holding a chocolate piece out to you.
You smile and lean in from your seat, closing your eyes in anticipation. âAhhh.â
Huh? Wait, why isn't it in my mouth yet? Did someone snatch it away? My precious chocolate!
You snap your eyes open, ready to demand your chocolate back, only to find it right in front of you. It is held between Yumekoâs fingers, but her wrist is being gripped by someone else.
Your eyes slowly track up the hand.
The veins on the back look a little familiar, but whoâŠ
Your eyes stop when they meet a familiar gray pair staring down at you. His hand, still clamped tightly around Yumeko's wrist.
Wait, why is he here? It's not lunchtime yet. No way. Did that idiot Atsumu really run his big mouth to him?!
You force an awkward smile onto your face. âSamu, why are you hereâ?â you begin over the heavy silence that has fallen upon your table. The whispering in the background is fully audible, accompanied by curious stares. Though, most of the attention is directed at the spiker standing right in front of you.
âY/n,â he begins firmly, and you immediately know something troublesome is coming. âYou eat too much.â
He remarks bluntly, leaving you to blink up at him in surprise.
Did he really just say that? The person who I am pretty sure has a hidden agenda to fatten me up just to sell my organs?
You question internally, temporarily speechless but immediately feeling defensive.
âNo, I don't! I think I justââ You stop halfway when his eyes leave your face to fall on the box sitting on Yumeko's desk. A disapproving scowl appears on his face.
âChocolates? Didn't you say you're fed up with those?â
âWell, yeah, but not exactlyââ
âYou said you wanted to go on a diet.â
âYou did. Just yesterday, too.â he reminds you firmly.
Right, right. I did say that over text. Well, that was just because summer is coming up and stuff. I don't actually need to go on a diet; I was just considering it. Why is he making me feel guilty about what I said, anyway? It's all his fault.
âWell⊠what's one piece of chocolate going to do? Besides, I planned on starting the diet next week.â
âYou won't last anyway.â
âSays who?â you snap back.
âSays me.â he declares with the confidence of someone who knows he just needs a single plate of food to make you go back on your word like a pathological liar.
He takes a step forward, finally letting go of Yumekoâs wrist to place the back of his hand against your forehead, leaning down toward your seat to check your temperature.
âYou were complaining of an upset stomach last night. Having chocolates is bad for you in such cases.â he murmurs seriously, focusing entirely on his hand against your skin.
âIs it?â you question blankly, completely locked onto his face, which is now mere inches from yours.
His eyes drop from your forehead to meet yours.
Sheâs not sweating, at least, and her body temperature doesn't feel hot. I guess she's not down with anything,
Osamu ponders as he holds your gaze. His hand still rests on your forehead.
Still, she should take better care of herself, seriously. After complaining on the phone about indigestion last night, she jumps at snacks first thing in the morning. Regardless of who offers it to her, too. Did she even have breakfast? And on top of that, she was having 'someone else' feed it to her. Seriously.
You keep staring at him, wondering why he is suddenly frowning.
What is he thinking about? He looks so serious, too. It's always attractive when he looks serious like that. I kind of wish I could take a picture...
Your thoughts are interrupted when he opens his mouth to speak.
âYou idiot. If you wanted chocolates that bad, you could have just asked me to maââ
Your heart beats loudly against your chest as you stare up at him, wide-eyed. He stares back, narrow-eyed and confused as to why your hand is suddenly covering his mouth while his is still on your forehead.
Suddenly, you leap to your feet, almost cracking your forehead against his.
âSorry! I have⊠a notebook to exchange with him. I'll be right back!â you apologize to your friends, tearing your hand away from his mouth to grab his wrist instead, dragging him swiftly out of the classroom.
Osamu quietly lets you pull him along, but not before glancing back to glare at Yumeko, who stares at the two of you in utter shock, just like the rest of the class.
âI'm not the only one who thinks they're dating, right?â
âYep. They always hang out together at lunch.â
âI once saw them walking to school together in the morning, too.â
âWhat a terrible liar. She didn't even take a book with her.â
âI think they look cute. I totally ship them.â
âBut what was he about to say that made her stop him like that?â
âI don't know. Maybe something personal.â
âLike confessing his love for her?â
The others sigh at Yumeko's optimistically delusional suggestion, but then they pause to think about it.
âI still think they look cute together, you know.â
Miya Osamu, calmly stares down at you as you pin him against the wall in an empty hallway. Both of your hands are flattened beside his shoulders, trapping him in place while you glare up at him.
For some reason⊠she seems⊠pissed. AlthoughâŠ
He shifts his weight from one foot to another, feeling his stomach contract in a nervous heat.
Isnât she standing too close right now? This position⊠it's almost like she wants to confess her feelings to me. Like those mangas where the bold, popular girl traps the quiet, nerdy boy and proclaims her love, and he's just too surprised to know what to say. Is this what it feels like? I feel so anxious. My heart is beating really loudly right now. I kind of want to run awayâ
âAre you even listening to me?â
âHuh?â he answers, staring down at you.
When did your face suddenly get so close? If he leans his head forward just a fraction more, you guys are going to kiss.
âI⊠I'm not ready.â he murmurs, dropping his eyes to your neck instead as a burning heat quickly flushes his cheeks.
You stare up at him in sheer confusion, failing to catch his full sentence.
What's not ready? And why is his face red? It's almost like he's having dirty thoughtsâŠ
A mirrored heat quickly spreads through you as well, warming up your face. You suddenly take a massive step back, turning your gaze to the side.
Oh my god!!! I was so focused on chiding him about almost exposing the cover story I made up for him in class that I didn't realize I was standing so close. His lips, though⊠they looked really soft. And that natural shade of pink, too. Should I just haveâNo, Y/n! It's bad enough that you secretly have a specific folder of pictures dedicated just to him. Now you're going to resort to physical harassment?!!! Where is your dignity!
You loudly clear your throat. âI, um⊠I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was standing so close. I apologize for making you uncomfortable.â you announce, unable to meet his eyes directly. Though, he's not any better.
âNo, it's fine. It's nothing.â
'I wasn't uncomfortable,' he thinks to himself, his hands idly fiddling with the hem of his jacket. Suddenly, he lifts his head to fix his eyes on you and adds firmly, his voice lower than his usual tone but still completely audible,
âI⊠wasn't uncomfortable. Don't apologize.â
You also look up to stare at him, surprised by his words. Your heart suddenly thumps hard against your ribs while his races in tandem.
âOh⊠I see.â you answer awkwardly, barely meeting his gaze.
Ahhh, maybe I shouldn't have said that. No, I definitely shouldn't have said that. Now she probably thinks I'm a creep or something. Should I apologize? Is it too late to say I'm joking? Wouldn't that just make her uncomfortable, though? I wish I could just run away!!!
Huh, why did he say that? While looking at me like that, too. For a second, I could swear my heart skipped a beat. Damn, he's completely unaware of the natural charm he has. How dangerous. I wonder how many other girls he just attacks like that, and so casually, too.
âA-Anyways, back to what I was saying. You can't just say things like that back there! What if they find out? Do you know how hard I worked to keep your cover?â you snap, your seriousness returning as you quickly regain your composure.
âAhem!â someone coughs.
Neither you nor Osamu expected company. You both spin around to find Aran standing in the hallway, surprise and awkwardness clearly written all over his face.
âI'm sorry. I think I'll take the other way. I apologize for interrupting. Please continue.â
Your eyes widen in shock for the second time this morning.
How long has he been standing there???!!! He saw everything, didn't he? He totally saw everything! He looks so embarrassed. Now I feel embarrassed, too!!
âAh, no, it's nothââ
âBye.â Aran interrupts, turning around to leave as silently as he came.
âAran, no! Please wait! Don't misunderstand! It's totally not what you think!â you cry out, quickly chasing after him. You pause to turn back to Osamu. âLet's skip lunch today. I'll see you later.â you inform him, before running around the corner to pursue the third-year Ace. âAran, wait! Really, it's not what you think!â
He shakes his head in understanding, not stopping his pace but willing to converse with you. âNo, it's on me. I didn't know you had it in you, Y/n. To be so bold with Osamu. In broad daylight, too. Right in the middle of the hallway. Though, I'd advise an empty classroom for privacy next time. That way you wouldn't get people like me suddenly interrupting you. Once again, I apologize.â
What is he saying?!!! Ah, I just want to die. He completely misunderstood. Painfully, it's kind of true and yet kind of not.
âI mean, I know what it looked like, but it's seriously not like that! I was just⊠telling him something important.â
âRight, I believe you.â he answers back as he heads down the stairs.
âSeriously, Aran! Arannnnnn!!!! Wait a second! I'm serious!â
Damn volleyball aces and their long legs. He's so fast!
You think jealously, taking a mini break before running down the stairs after him, bent on convincing him to clear up the misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, back in the hallway, Miya Osamu slides down, his back still pressed against the wall. His heart thobs wildly in his chest. The body temperature that he was checking on someone else just moments earlier now deserves to be checked on him instead. He squats down to the ground, burying his flushed face in his palms.
My stomach feels tingly. My heart feels like it's about to burst. I'm probably sweating right now, too.
âY/n...â he murmurs lightly into his hands, feeling his heartbeat quicken at the mere sound of your name as his stomach ties itself up in even more knots. He completes his quiet confession to the ghost of your presence: