[shiionz]

⌗ ₍ 🌼 ₎ ── L𝕚nks◌ (,,>﹏<,,) ㅤ

✿𓏼 O1. 𝗋𝗎𝗅𝕖𝗌 O2. arta𝕔c O3. 𝕡𝗋𝗈𝖿𝗂𝗅𝖾。

TRAC𝕂 OO1 . . . 煤原 of 𝖣𝖨𝖮𝖭𝖸𝖲𝖨𝖠 : BF HCS! FT : [𝕐OU]

₍ not𝕖𓈒 s ₎ 𝖨 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗂𝖼 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗌 , 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖻𝖻𝗅𝖾𝗌 , 𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗎 , 𝗁𝖼𝗌 , 𝗈/𝗌 [&&] 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿 , 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍 . 𝗆𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗇 rules . 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 cl𝕠sed .ᐟ⠀ 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇 light mode. happily married to @miiosu <3

ㅤㅤ𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 @shiionz. 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒/𝗋𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍/𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗌𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾.

[mikavyn]

──── 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐚𝐲 .ᐟ

Ft; Nagi, Sae, Barou, and Hugo

Part 1 < Part 2

2026 @mikavyn — 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗶 !

Dividen cred: @/cursed-carmine, @/feimingo

Taglist: @kumasakka, @xsterlly, @arisu79

[shiionz]

Ily vivi 🤤🤤🤤 u feed me da best smau

[dottoremybbg]

dottore nation, how are we feeling? personally I cried 3 hours before work but yeah, how are we feeling?

[danieyells]

and here're all the shots of MC and her dress from Season 2 Episode 5(Waves of Love(Part 1))!

[danieyells]

The Season 2 Episode 5(Waves Of Love (Part 1)) suitor intro CGs, as requested!

[tokutaiseichan]

Taiga: *breaks the camera*

Game Master: *hastily* New rule一no breaking properties at all time.

Taiga: This flower shit takes too long. Make it five seconds.

Game Master: ......................... Fine.

Taiga: There's not enough food!!!!

Game Master: ...... I'll replenish them semi-permanently. Feel free to use whatever you need.

Taiga: Pass. You guys go play with that Masked Pervert. I'm gonna take a nap.

Elias: Well, he's here and asking for zero feather is technically still participating in the game, so.

Game Master: ..........

Haku: By the way, what counts as being "looked at"? What if someone else is in her field of vision?  If there's a risk of someone accidentally turning into stone, your rules don't really work, you know?

Elias: He has a point. Please be more specific with your explanations.

Game Master:

[kill4ill]

bro is so friggin pretty #DONTLETTHATFACECARDDECLINE

[emmzybear512]

heyyy 💞 I love your writing! thank you for helping keep the tumblr side of the tkdb fandom well-fed <3 your work is much appreciated

could I request a dionysia fic where a pda-disliking mc gets very affectionate cuddling them after a long day? Playing with their hair and pecking them and telling them how much she loves them.

thank you once again 💞

I’m so glad you like my writing!! Of course! I did something like this with Alan and Suba so I’m making this a little part 2. I hope you like it!

Just This Once Pt2

Featured house: Dionysia

🎪 ————————————————— 🎪

Jo Kongoza:

Everyone at Darkwick knew you disliked PDA.

Not in a cold way, exactly. You just weren’t naturally touchy in public. While other couples clung to each other between classes or exchanged dramatic affection in crowded hallways, you usually kept your hands to yourself, offering Jo small smiles instead of kisses and quiet shoulder bumps instead of clinging to his arm.

Jo never minded.

If anything, he found it sweet.

Because every private gesture meant more that way.

Still, it meant the entire Dionysia dorm nearly had heart attacks the first time they saw you curl yourself directly into Jo’s lap after a long day.

Jo had just returned from dealing with yet another disaster involving Shion, broken stage equipment, and what sounded suspiciously like an unauthorized fire-breathing contest. He looked exhausted beneath his usual easygoing smile, shoulders heavy as he sank onto the couch in the common room.

You took one look at him and immediately walked over.

No hesitation.

No embarrassment.

You simply climbed onto the couch beside him, tucked yourself against his chest, and wrapped your arms around his waist like you belonged there.

The entire room went silent.

Jo blinked slowly. “…Honey?”

“You’re tired,” you mumbled into his shoulder.

“…I am.”

Your fingers slipped gently into his hair, slowly scratching against his scalp while pressing soft little kisses along his jaw absentmindedly.

Jo completely stopped functioning.

Because this—this was rare.

You were affectionate in private, yes, but even then your tenderness usually came in quieter forms. Sitting close together. Holding hands under blankets. Leaning against him while studying.

This?

This was openly needy affection, soft and clinging and full of unspoken concern.

“You worked hard today,” you murmured softly against his skin. “I missed you.”

Jo’s expression melted instantly.

Behind you, Mio silently grabbed Shion by the collar before he could start making things weird.

Meanwhile Jo just held you carefully, like you were something precious placed directly into his hands.

“…You’re gonna kill me one day,” he said weakly.

You looked up immediately, worried. “What? Why?”

“You can’t just cuddle me like this outta nowhere.”

“But you looked sad.”

That answer hit him so hard emotionally it was genuinely unfair.

Jo laughed quietly under his breath before pulling you closer, burying his face into your hair while the corners of his ears turned pink.

“You’re too sweet,” he murmured.

You smiled immediately against his shoulder. “I love you.”

Mio Susuhara:

Mio was used to affection in theory.

In practice, though, you were surprisingly shy about it.

You sat close beside him while he worked, brought him tea during late-night repairs, and listened patiently whenever he rambled about clockwork mechanisms for twenty uninterrupted minutes—but public affection? Rare. Very rare.

Which was why Mio nearly dropped an entire tray of mechanical parts when you suddenly wrapped your arms around him from behind in the workshop one evening.

He stiffened immediately, setting the tray down.

“…MC?”

“You’ve been working since noon,” you mumbled.

Your cheek pressed against the center of his back while your arms tightened around his waist gently, and Mio could physically feel the exhaustion draining from his body just from the warmth of you.

The workshop was quiet except for the ticking of unfinished clockwork creations scattered across the tables.

“…You usually don’t do this,” Mio said carefully.

“I know.”

“Then why now?”

You were quiet for a moment before speaking softly.

“Because you forget to take care of yourself when you’re focused.”

Mio froze.

Then slowly looked down at your hands curled against his stomach.

“And I think you deserve someone who takes care of you too.”

His entire face warmed slowly while he stood there motionless, screwdriver still hanging uselessly from one hand.

“You’re unfair sometimes,” he murmured finally.

You blinked up at him innocently when he turned around. “Why?”

“Because now I can’t focus anymore.”

“Good.”

Before he could respond, you turned him around and pressed a tiny kiss against the corner of his mouth.

Mio’s brain immediately blue-screened.

Somewhere nearby, one of his clockworks whirred loudly before exploding from neglected maintenance.

Neither of you noticed.

Shion Genkai:

Shion loved provoking reactions.

Fear, embarrassment, irritation—it didn’t matter. If he could make someone squirm, he considered it a successful interaction.

You, unfortunately for him, had adapted to his nonsense weeks ago.

Which meant Shion spent most of his time draped dramatically over furniture complaining that you were “no fun anymore.”

So naturally, he assumed you disliked physical affection too.

Until the night he came back injured.

It wasn’t serious. Just burns across his hands from another reckless stunt that absolutely should not have involved fireworks indoors. But Shion looked strangely subdued afterward, sprawled across your bed with his usual manic energy dulled around the edges.

You sat beside him quietly.

Shion eyed you suspiciously. “Why are you staring?”

“You’re hurt.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“I know.”

Carefully, gently, you reached for his bandaged hand.

Shion went still immediately.

Normally he would’ve made some weird joke by now. Teased you. Bitten your fingers probably.

Instead he just watched silently while you rubbed slow circles against his knuckles.

“…You hate PDA,” he said eventually.

“I hate people watching.”

“Oh.”

Your thumb brushed carefully over the edge of his bandages.

“But nobody’s here right now.”

The look Shion gave you afterward was strange.

Soft.

Almost startled.

Then suddenly he dropped sideways into your lap with absolutely zero warning, wrapping both arms around your waist dramatically.

“I’m dying,” he announced.

“You burned your hand.”

“I’m suffering.”

“You lit a firecracker indoors.”

“It was art.”

You snorted softly while combing your fingers through his hair, untangling the messy strands carefully.

Shion immediately melted. Actually melted.

His eyes fluttered shut while you scratched lightly against his scalp, and a pleased little sound escaped him before he could stop it.

You froze.

Shion froze.

Slowly, his eyes opened and he turned to look up at you.

“…Don’t,” he said immediately.

Your mouth twitched. “Don’t what?”

“Mention that noise.”

“It was cute.”

“I’ll throw myself into traffic.”

You laughed quietly before leaning down to press tiny kisses across his forehead one after another.

Shion stared up at you in complete silence.

Then, very slowly, his entire face turned red.

“…Oh,” you said softly, delighted. “You’re shy.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

“…No,” Shion admitted weakly, turning away from you and curling tighter around your waist while hiding his burning face against your stomach. “I really, really don’t.”

Elias Pratt:

Dating Elias meant enduring constant flirting.

Not aggressive flirting, exactly. More like a permanent state of amused charm that followed him everywhere. An arm slung around your shoulders. A teasing comment whispered in your ear. That smug little grin whenever he managed to make you flustered in public.

Which was why Elias almost fell over the first time you initiated affection yourself.

The two of you had been walking back from dinner when he noticed you were unusually quiet.

“Tired, sweetheart?” he asked lightly.

You nodded once.

Then, without warning, you grabbed his hand and tugged him into the nearest empty lounge.

Elias blinked. “Mysterious.”

“Sit down.”

“…Yes ma’am.”

Still amused, Elias dropped onto the couch.

You immediately climbed into his lap.

His entire sentence died halfway out of his mouth.

Because you never did this first.

Ever.

Before he could recover, you buried your face into the crook of his neck and wrapped your arms around him tightly.

“I missed you today,” you mumbled.

Elias stared at the ceiling like he was being tested by a higher power.

“…Baby,” he said carefully, voice noticeably weaker than usual, “you can’t just attack me like this.”

“You flirt with me constantly.”

“That’s different. I’m emotionally prepared for my own behavior.”

You laughed softly against his shoulder, and Elias swore internally because that sound combined with your arms around him might actually kill him.

“You looked tired too,” you murmured.

That wiped the teasing expression off his face immediately.

Your fingers slid through his hair slowly, carefully combing through the strands while pressing lazy kisses against his jaw between sentences.

“You work really hard,” you whispered. “And I love you a lot.”

Elias went completely still.

There it was.

The dangerous thing about you.

You weren’t loudly affectionate often—but when you were, it was devastatingly sincere.

Every word came out soft and wholehearted enough to crack straight through his defenses.

“…C’mere,” Elias muttered suddenly, pulling you impossibly closer until you practically melted against his chest.

“I already am.”

“Closer.”

You laughed again.

And Elias, holding you quietly in the dim lounge with your fingers still playing gently through his hair, realized he would probably spend the rest of his life hopelessly addicted to these rare moments of softness you trusted only him to see.

~~~~

Tag list: @genevathekitty @sh0jun @elfes-materia @edwardhartenjoyer @mylovelycinema @glamorousspoon @cleverthylacine @ox-ren-xo @bao-yu-sarah-morningstar-wang-9 @innocent-and-angelic @ajade19 @ziyeriah-png @ghostfox9249 @dailyvahine @shion-genkai @hizashiismydad

Want to be added or removed? Let me know!

[miyoooki]

Pre-Relationship Texts with Miyuki ☆

— miyuki kazuya x manager!reader (college au, crack, swearing, stewpid banter)

a/n - pls ignore the time. i was too lazy to change it lol

Serious question but why am I kicking my feet and giggling at the last one…

miyoooki 2024 | do not copy, repost, translate !

[miyoooki]

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: He finds out that you’ve been drawing him way too much

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: Miyuki Kazuya x artist!reader, short fluffy drabble, no y/n, Kazuya is annoying, not proofread

a/n - This one is for you @bunndemia

He wonders what could be so damn important on that iPad of yours that you haven’t so much as talked to him this morning. Every time your eyes would meet, you’d quickly look back down at your device, seemingly avoiding him.

Kazuya huffs out, sucks in his pride, and marches over to the bed where you’ve been sitting for an hour or so.

“What’cha got there?”

You failed to notice how quickly he got close to you, practically talking into your ear. It was too late before you could clutch the screen against your chest. You knew he had seen it all with the growing smirk on his face.

“It’s nothing,” you blatantly lie to his face. It only served to make that shit eating grin wider.

He hums. “Pretty sure I saw something there… maybe even a drawing of me?” Kazuya chuckles a bit. “No, I meant to say drawings of me.”

“You’re imagining things.”

As much as you try to gaslight him. There was no escape knowing that you’d been doodling the same person with the same fluffy shaded hair, same black rimmed glasses, and the same charming pout.

“Show it to me then—what you’ve been so busy with.”

You narrow your eyes at him, sensing your impending doom—that doom being relentless teasing coming from none other than your menace of a boyfriend.

But you clutch the device tighter. “I know you’re gonna make fun of me.”

“I won’t.”

“You will though.”

“When have I lied?”

“Are you saying I don’t know you that well?”

“Are you saying I’m a liar?”

“Fine.”

You let him take it from you, not daring to look at this reaction. But curiosity gets the best of you and you slowly pan your gaze to him.

A small smile graced his features. It wasn’t his usual I’m-gonna-annoy-the-heck-out-of-you smile; it was a genuine one.

“Wow… you are obsessed with me huh?”

That makes your brows furrow. “Oh please.”

“Don’t worry,” he reassures you. “I’m obsessed with you too, aren’t I?”

Kazuya looks up at you momentarily with the kind of smile that makes his eyes disappear and small dips form on his cheeks.

Okay. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to show him your stuff.

…

Until he scrolled the canvas.

“Why are there so many sketches of me shirtless?”

Oh. You’ve drawn him so much this morning you forgot about the short period of time your mind strayed to that place…

…

…

“Um… for science?”

miyoooki 2024 | do not copy, repost, translate

[mothdino]

when you find a good creator but they last wrote years ago and their requests are closed

especially for dead or dying fandoms HELP

[windveissive]

Unwanted Jealousy

request: how KnB characters would act when they’re jealous | request by: @cleverlykineticminotaur

pairing: GoM + Kagami x Female reader

warnings: none, all fluff, hehe. but obviously there will be a lot of possessive acts here and there but nothing crazy! 

note: in this AU all the characters are “just friends” with the reader because i love bestfriends to lovers🤧🩵

———

Kuroko Tetsuya

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

It was an unusually pleasant day outside, the kind where the sunlight felt warm rather than overwhelming and the breeze carried just enough coolness to make everything feel comfortable. Because of that, you had spontaneously decided that you and Kuroko should spend the day together.

After all, the two of you were close friends, yet somehow, between school and basketball, you hadn’t properly hung out in quite a while.

And honestly?

You missed him.

The two of you casually walked side by side through the streets, though unsurprisingly, you were the one doing most of the talking while Kuroko quietly listened beside you with his usual calm expression.

“And then he said—”

Your sentence was abruptly interrupted the moment you accidentally collided with someone much taller than yourself, a soft “oof!” escaping your lips from the impact.

Before you could stumble backward, however, a hand quickly reached out and steadied you.

“Hey, you alright?”

You froze.

That voice was unmistakably masculine…

And painfully familiar.

Slowly lifting your head, your eyes widened almost instantly upon recognizing the person standing before you.

Someone you hadn’t seen in years.

Someone you’d known since childhood.

“Oh my God!”

The surprise in your voice was impossible to miss as your face immediately lit up with excitement. Without even thinking, you practically launched yourself at him, throwing your arms around his neck in an enthusiastic hug.

“Where have you been all these years?!”

The man laughed warmly before wrapping his arms around you in return, clearly just as surprised to see you.

To anyone passing by, the two of you genuinely looked like a reunited couple.

Meanwhile, only a short distance away, Kuroko stood silently where he was.

Waiting patiently.

As always.

Naturally, the man you’d bumped into hadn’t even noticed Kuroko’s presence. Most people didn’t. So instead, Kuroko simply remained there, quietly watching the interaction unfold before him with his usual unreadable expression.

At least…that was how he appeared outwardly.

Because internally—something unpleasant had begun festering within him.

A sharp, uncomfortable irritation slowly twisted in his chest each time his gaze drifted toward the two of you. The way you laughed so openly around him. The way you clung to him so naturally. The way your entire demeanor brightened in his presence.

It bothered him far more than it should have.

Kuroko had known you for a relatively short amount of time compared to that man.

And for the first time in a long while, Kuroko found himself genuinely wishing he had met you sooner.

He hated watching someone else stand so comfortably beside you.

Hated seeing someone else make you smile like that.

Hated how naturally touchy the two of you seemed together.

The irritation building within him became so unfamiliar, so unusually intense, that Kuroko found himself quietly clicking his tongue under his breath.

Kuroko Tetsuya never clicked his tongue at people.

Eventually, after finishing your conversation, you finally parted ways with your old friend before returning to Kuroko’s side.

Almost immediately, you noticed something seemed…off.

“Tetsu, you okay?”

“Yeah,” Kuroko replied flatly. “Let’s go.”

And with that, he simply began walking ahead without even waiting for you to catch up beside him.

You blinked in confusion before quickly following after him, a slight frown forming on your face.

Something was clearly bothering him.

The problem was…you genuinely had no idea what you did wrong.

Eventually, the two of you ended up at a nearby restaurant. You ordered a small meal while Kuroko, unsurprisingly, ordered a milkshake.

The atmosphere between you felt strangely tense.

Quiet.

Almost awkward.

You occasionally tried glancing at him throughout the meal, but Kuroko remained characteristically unreadable as he calmly sipped from his straw.

Then suddenly—

“That guy from earlier,” Kuroko spoke up at last, effortlessly breaking the silence between you. “Were you romantically involved with him before?”

His tone remained completely monotone and blunt as usual.

However, having known Kuroko for this long, you could immediately tell something beneath his calm exterior was irritated.

You blinked in surprise at the sudden question before quickly shaking your head.

“Nope,” you answered honestly. “He’s just an old friend. Why?”

Kuroko slowly lifted his gaze from his milkshake, his pale blue eyes locking directly onto yours.

For a brief moment, neither of you spoke.

Then—

“I’m glad,” Kuroko replied calmly. “Because I can already tell he’s not good for you.”

Your eyes widened slightly.

“You deserve someone better,” he continued nonchalantly before taking another sip of his milkshake.

“…Like me.”

The words were delivered so casually—so absurdly matter-of-fact—that your brain genuinely stopped functioning for a moment.

You nearly choked on your food.

“Tetsu—what?!”

Meanwhile, Kuroko merely continued drinking his milkshake as if he hadn’t just altered the trajectory of your entire emotional state within the span of five seconds.

“…Nothing,” he answered smoothly.

———

Kagami Taiga

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

Kagami had invited you to watch Seirin’s match against Yōsen, insisting that you absolutely had to come see it in person. And somehow, by the end of the game, the invitation had unexpectedly led to you meeting someone Kagami considered family—Himuro Tatsuya.

The moment you met Himuro, you found yourself instantly drawn toward his calm and composed demeanor. He carried himself with a level of effortless maturity that made speaking to him feel strangely easy, and before long, the two of you had already slipped into comfortable conversation as though you’d known each other for far longer than just a few minutes.

And honestly, you got along with him alarmingly well.

Kagami noticed that immediately.

At first, he tried convincing himself that he was happy about it. After all, Himuro was important to him, and you were important to him too. The fact that the two of you connected so naturally should’ve made him happy.

But instead—a bitter feeling quietly settled inside his chest.

And Kagami hated it.

The feeling only worsened over time.

Whenever the two of you hung out together afterward, Himuro’s name somehow always found its way into the conversation.

“Tatsuya said this.”

“Tatsuya recommended that.”

“Oh, Tatsuya told me about that already!”

Every casual mention of Himuro made something unpleasant twist deeper inside Kagami’s stomach, even though he knew how irrational he was being.

It wasn’t like you were doing anything wrong.

Still…

Kagami couldn’t stop the jealousy from creeping up on him anyway.

Eventually, after hearing Himuro’s name for what felt like the hundredth time that day, Kagami let out a quiet scoff before he could stop himself.

“You sure got close to Tatsuya pretty fast…” he muttered under his breath, unsuccessfully trying to mask the jealousy laced throughout his tone.

You blinked at him in surprise.

The comment sounded strangely bitter coming from him.

“…Taiga?” you asked hesitantly, your brows knitting together in concern. “What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?”

The moment those words left your lips, Kagami’s eyes widened.

Immediately, guilt crashed over him.

That wasn’t what he meant at all.

You weren’t the problem here.

He was.

It wasn’t your fault for befriending someone important to him. You’d done absolutely nothing wrong, and yet here he was acting weirdly possessive over something you didn’t even realize was bothering him.

Kagami internally cursed himself.

“What? N-No!” he immediately blurted out, waving his hands frantically in denial. “Of course not!”

Your visibly worried expression softened slightly at his reassurance, relief flickering across your face almost instantly.

Then you smiled at him.

And just like that, Kagami felt his heart stutter painfully inside his chest.

That smile seriously wasn’t fair.

Before he could properly think things through—before common sense could stop him—Kagami suddenly found himself blurting out words he probably should’ve kept to himself.

“Y/N…” he started quietly.

His voice had lowered significantly, soft enough that only you could hear him now.

“…You’re still mine, right?”

Silence.

The second the words left his mouth, Kagami’s entire body froze.

What the hell did I just say?!

His face turned violently red almost immediately as realization finally caught up to him. Panicking, Kagami quickly stumbled backward, looking absolutely horrified with himself.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that!” he sputtered out rapidly. “I mean—I did, but not—I mean—AH, damn it—!”

Kagami practically short-circuited trying to recover from his own words while you simply stared at him, visibly caught off guard by the sudden outburst.

For a brief moment, neither of you spoke.

Then slowly—

A warm smile spread across your face.

Without breaking eye contact, you stepped closer toward him, gradually closing the distance between the two of you inch by inch.

Kagami’s breath caught in his throat.

“Yeah…” you whispered softly.

“…I’m yours.”

Kagami’s eyes widened instantly.

For a moment, he genuinely forgot how to function.

You actually answered him.

Not teasingly.

Not sarcastically.

Seriously.

A rush of overwhelming affection crashed into him all at once, so intense it almost made his chest ache. Before he could even think about it, Kagami’s hand instinctively moved to your waist, pulling you flush against him until there wasn’t even an inch of distance left between your bodies.

He didn’t say anything afterward.

Didn’t trust himself to.

Instead, he simply held you there against him, his arm securely wrapped around your waist as though reassuring himself you were really there.

And somehow…the jealousy that had been eating away at him all this time suddenly didn’t feel nearly as unbearable anymore.

———

Aomine Daiki

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

You were currently seated on the bench alongside Momoi, casually observing Aomine as he went through practice. Yes—Aomine Daiki, actively participating in training. A sight so rare it almost felt unreal.

Somehow, you had managed to convince him to show up today. Just this once. And somehow, even more unbelievably, he had actually listened.

You stayed mostly quiet, simply watching the game unfold, until Wakamatsu—one of Aomine’s teammates—executed a remarkably powerful dunk that echoed sharply through the court.

You couldn’t help yourself.

“That was amazing!” you blurted out in genuine awe, your eyes still fixed on the court.

Unfortunately, the words barely left your mouth before Aomine’s head snapped in your direction with immediate disbelief written all over his face.

You…praising Wakamatsu?

Of all people?

Aomine couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“…What did you just say?” he cut in sharply, already walking toward the bench with unmistakable irritation in his stride.

You tilted your head up at him, confused by the sudden shift in his tone.

“Uh… I said Wakamatsu’s dunk was amazing…?” you repeated honestly.

Aomine clicked his tongue in clear annoyance, his expression darkening as he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned away.

“Tch. Whatever.”

You frowned slightly at his unusually dismissive reaction, but ultimately chose not to press him—at least, not yet.

After practice ended, you made your way toward Wakamatsu, intending to properly compliment him again for his performance earlier.

Wakamatsu responded with an arrogant grin, patting his chest with obvious pride.

“Hah, of course it was! I already know I’m great,” he boasted confidently, completely unbothered by his own ego.

Despite everything, you let out a soft, amused laugh at his reaction.

Unfortunately for both of you—

Aomine happened to be passing by at that exact moment.

And he saw everything.

The conversation.

The laughter.

The way you were talking to him so easily.

A faint irritation immediately sparked in his chest.

Why were you still talking to that guy?

Without even thinking it through properly, Aomine stepped in.

“Hey,” he called out casually, appearing suddenly right behind you. “Can I steal you for a sec?”

You blinked in surprise before turning around, immediately meeting his piercing blue gaze.

“…Uh?” you managed, clearly caught off guard.

But before you could even process what was happening, Aomine had already taken hold of your wrist—firm enough to guide you, but not enough to hurt—pulling you away from Wakamatsu and toward a quieter corner of the gym.

Wakamatsu was left standing there in complete confusion, watching the sudden scene unfold without any explanation.

Once you were out of earshot, you immediately pulled your wrist back.

“Daiki…? What the hell was that?!” you snapped, frustration and confusion mixing in your voice as you stared up at him.

Aomine avoided your gaze almost instantly.

He shrugged.

That was it.

No explanation. No apology. Just a shrug, as if nothing about what he just did required justification.

You frowned deeper, clearly unimpressed, and began lecturing him without hesitation—words spilling out as you scolded him for being immature and completely unreasonable.

Aomine said nothing.

He just stood there, silently taking it in while you vented, his expression unreadable.

But the more you talked…

The more something inside him tightened.

Eventually, he’d had enough.

Before you could even finish your sentence, Aomine stepped forward and suddenly pinned you against the nearby wall, one arm braced beside you as he leaned in close enough to cut off your words entirely.

The gym noise faded into the background.

Your breath hitched.

And just like that—you stopped talking.

“Ah—can’t you take a damn hint for once?” Aomine muttered lowly near your ear, his voice quieter now, laced with irritation… and something far more vulnerable underneath it.

Jealousy.

He pulled back almost immediately afterward, releasing you as if nothing had happened, shoving his hands back into his pockets with casual nonchalance.

As though he hadn’t just completely disrupted your entire thought process.

You stood frozen in place, still trying to process what had just occurred.

Aomine turned to leave.

But just before he walked away completely, he glanced back over his shoulder.

“…Next time,” he added flatly, though his ears were faintly red.

“Praise me instead of him.”

———

Midorima Shintaro 

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

When Midorima entered the cafeteria during lunchtime, his gaze immediately landed on you conversing with a male upperclassman—specifically a second-year student known for his academic intelligence and consistently high performance.

As Midorima approached the area where you and the second-year were seated, fragments of your conversation drifted into his ears. The upperclassman was offering you advice, and to Midorima’s mild surprise, you were listening attentively without interruption or contradiction.

That alone should have meant nothing.

And yet—Midorima found himself remembering, almost involuntarily, the way you usually responded to him.

“That’s logically inaccurate.”

“You’re approaching the conclusion incorrectly.”

“It would be more efficient if you considered—”

You never simply accepted what he said without adding your own perspective. You always challenged it, refined it, engaged with it. And Midorima knew—without any doubt—that you weren’t the type to agree with someone merely because they were an upperclassman.

You were never like that.

So why, then, did the sight of you quietly accepting someone else’s words feel so…disquieting?

By the time Midorima reached his usual seat, a faint sense of discomfort had already settled in his chest. It was subtle at first—easily ignorable—but it gradually deepened into something far more irritating than he cared to admit.

Why did it bother him so much?

Why did he care at all?

A sharp click of his tongue escaped before he could restrain it, the sound cutting through his own thoughts as his irritation steadily intensified. To anyone else, Midorima’s expression remained composed and unreadable—but Takao, sitting directly beside him, noticed immediately.

Takao followed Midorima’s line of sight with casual curiosity… only to grin the moment he understood exactly what—or rather, who—he was looking at.

“Oh-ho?” Takao drawled, amusement instantly lighting up his face as he leaned back in his chair. “Could it be… our very stoic Midorima is jealous?”

Midorima did not respond.

He simply adjusted his glasses, refusing to acknowledge the comment, though his gaze remained fixed—far too pointedly—on you and the second-year upperclassman.

Takao, of course, only laughed harder.

When the lunch bell finally rang, signaling the end of the break, Midorima had already risen from his seat.

He and you typically walked to class together after lunch. It had become a routine—consistent, predictable, familiar.

Today should have been no different.

At least… that was what Midorima had assumed.

As he approached you, you looked up at him and offered a small, slightly awkward smile—one that immediately put him on alert.

“Oh! Hey, Shin…sorry, I don’t think I’ll be able to walk to class with you today,” you explained, gesturing lightly toward the second-year beside you. “I’ll be busy with Ren!”

At the mention of the name, Midorima’s eyes widened just slightly—an almost imperceptible reaction.

Something unpleasant flickered through his chest.

Betrayal? Irritation? He couldn’t properly define it.

But outwardly, he remained still.

He gave a short, controlled nod, said nothing, and simply turned away.

And yet, as he walked off, his grip on his bag tightened ever so slightly.

Why did it feel like that name lingered longer than it should have?

After school ended, as students filtered out of the classroom, you stepped into the hallway only to find yourself abruptly colliding with a familiar figure.

Midorima.

You looked up immediately, your expression brightening at the sight of him. “Shin!”

But your smile faltered slightly the moment you noticed his expression.

He looked… off. More restrained than usual. Slightly tense.

“Shin?” you asked softly, concern creeping into your voice. “Is something wrong?”

At the sound of your worried tone, Midorima’s expression softened almost imperceptibly. Just enough for only someone like you to notice.

“…No,” he replied after a brief pause. “I am fine. Shall we walk home together now? Or do you intend to accompany Ren again?”

The last word carried a subtle edge—so faint it could have been mistaken for nothing more than his usual bluntness.

But you noticed.

You always did.

You frowned slightly, then reached out and gently took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Shin…”

The way you said his name—quiet, warm, and close—made something in him shift instantly.

Midorima immediately looked away.

“…Let’s go,” he muttered quickly, as though trying to regain control of himself.

You wanted to press further, to understand what was truly bothering him, but ultimately decided to let the moment pass.

The two of you began walking home together in relative silence.

It wasn’t comfortable silence.

It was heavy.

After a while, you finally broke it.

“Shin… do you have a grudge against Ren?” you asked curiously.

Midorima blinked once, clearly taken aback by the question.

“…No,” he answered honestly.

You studied his expression carefully.

He wasn’t lying.

Which only deepened your confusion.

“Then why don’t you like it when I talk to him?” you asked.

The question landed more directly than either of you expected.

Midorima stopped walking.

For a moment, he said nothing.

And then, in a tone quieter—and far more unguarded—than usual, he answered:

“I do not like seeing you with anyone other than me.”

The words hung in the air like something irreversible.

Your eyes widened slightly.

And just like that, everything clicked into place.

The distance.

The irritation.

The subtle shifts in his expression.

You felt heat rise to your cheeks almost instantly.

“…Oh, Shin…”

“Do not,” he interrupted immediately, turning his head away. “Do not say my name like that.”

But it was too late.

His ears were already faintly red.

And so were yours.

When you finally reached your home, you turned to face him one last time, still visibly flustered but smiling nonetheless.

Before Midorima could properly say goodbye, you suddenly stepped forward, rose onto your toes, and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

When you pulled away, you were smiling brightly at him.

“Goodbye, Shin,” you said softly. “No one could ever replace you.”

Then you slipped inside, closing the door behind you.

Midorima remained completely still.

For a long time.

Long enough that the world around him seemed to fade into background noise.

Eventually, he lifted a hand to the spot you had kissed, expression unreadable—though his ears remained unmistakably red.

“…Foolish woman,” he murmured under his breath.

But he did not move.

Not even after five full minutes had passed.

Because despite everything—he had no intention of leaving just yet.

God, he loved you so much.

———

Kise Ryota

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

It was a bright Monday morning, the kind where sunlight poured generously through the classroom windows and illuminated the entire room in warm gold. Students gradually filtered into the classroom one after another, conversations overlapping noisily as everyone settled into the start of another school week.

As usual, Kise entered the classroom with an easygoing grin already plastered across his face.

And as usual, the very first thing he did was look for you.

His gaze instinctively drifted toward your desk, fully expecting you to greet him the second your eyes met his.

But instead—Kise stopped mid-step.

Because you were already talking to someone else.

Not just talking, either.

You were laughing, actually laughing.

Brightly, Comfortably.

And sitting beside you was some random guy Kise had never seen before in his life.

The unfamiliar boy was animatedly saying something while you covered your mouth with a laugh, your shoulders shaking slightly in amusement.

Kise’s smile slowly twitched.

Then faded.

…Who the hell was that?

A strange irritation immediately curled in his chest before he could stop it.

You laughed with Kise all the time, sure—but this felt different somehow. Too natural. Too easy. And honestly?

Kise didn’t like it.

Not even a little.

How did some random guy he’d never even heard of manage to capture your attention this quickly?

And more importantly—

Why were you smiling at him like that?

Kise clicked his tongue quietly under his breath before immediately making his way toward your desk.

Naturally.

Because if there was one thing Kise absolutely wasn’t, it was subtle.

“Well, good morning, Y/N-chan!” Kise greeted loudly the moment he arrived beside your desk, slipping effortlessly into his usual cheerful persona.

At first glance, his smile looked perfectly normal.

But to you? There was something slightly strained underneath it.

You immediately noticed.

Your conversation halted as you looked up at him in confusion.

“Uh… Ryota?” you started cautiously, sensing something oddly tense in his demeanor.

Meanwhile, the guy sitting beside you blinked awkwardly at Kise’s sudden interruption.

“Oh, hey, Kise-kun—”

“So!” Kise interrupted almost immediately, not even letting the poor guy finish speaking. “Who’s your new friend, Y/N-chan?”

His tone remained lighthearted.

Too lighthearted.

You narrowed your eyes slightly.

“Oh, this is Nakamura-kun,” you explained slowly. “He transferred here recently.”

The boy beside you offered a polite nod.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Mmhm,” Kise hummed with a smile that looked far too sharp to be genuine.

The atmosphere instantly became uncomfortable.

You stared at Kise suspiciously.

Kise stared at Nakamura.

Nakamura looked increasingly nervous.

“…Ryota,” you said slowly, “why are you glaring at him?”

“I’m not glaring,” Kise replied immediately.

“You are.”

“I’m literally smiling.”

“Yeah, and it doesn’t look charming.”

Kise pouted dramatically at your accusation, though the expression only lasted a second before his gaze drifted back toward Nakamura again.

And there it was.

That ugly feeling in his chest.

Still there.

Still growing.

Because now that he was standing closer, he could hear the remnants of your conversation.

Inside jokes.

Comfortable teasing.

The kind of easy interaction Kise usually had with you.

And for some reason, that bothered him far more than it should have.

Before he fully realized what he was doing, Kise suddenly reached down and grabbed your wrist. Firmly.

“Ryota—?!”

“Can I borrow Y/N-chan for a second?” Kise asked brightly.

Except it clearly wasn’t a question.

Before either you or Nakamura could properly respond, Kise had already begun dragging you out of the classroom.

“W-Wait, Ryota!”

The classroom door slid shut behind you as Kise continued leading you down the hallway until the two of you reached a quieter corner away from everyone else.

The second he stopped moving, you immediately pulled your wrist back from his grasp.

Your eyes widened in disbelief.

“Ryota, what the hell was that?!” you snapped, genuinely shocked by his behavior.

Kise stayed silent for a moment.

His usual cheerful expression slowly weakened, the forced smile fading from his face bit by bit until something noticeably more vulnerable settled underneath it.

“…Why were you having so much fun with him?” he asked quietly.

The question came out so soft it was almost inaudible.

Almost.

But you still heard it perfectly.

And suddenly—everything made sense.

The interruption.

The attitude.

The clinginess.

He was jealous.

Kise was jealous.

Honestly, you probably should’ve been annoyed. Any normal person would’ve been irritated after getting dragged out of class because their best friend got jealous over another guy like some possessive boyfriend. 

But instead?

Your heart was fluttering so hard it was genuinely becoming difficult to think properly.

Still…

A tiny part of you wanted to see just how far this jealousy went.

So you pretended not to understand.

“…Ryota?” you asked, feigning innocence. “What do you mean?”

Kise’s head immediately snapped upward.

And there it was.

That unmistakable jealousy burning in his golden eyes.

“You know exactly what I mean,” he muttered.

“No, I don’t.”

“You were laughing with him way too much.”

You blinked innocently. “So?”

“So?!” Kise repeated incredulously, looking personally offended by your response. “Y/N-chan, you were literally smiling at him the whole time!”

“I smile at everyone.”

“Not like that.”

The answer came out far too quickly.

Both of you froze slightly afterward.

Kise himself looked momentarily caught off guard by how honest that sounded.

You stared at him quietly.

And unfortunately for Kise, your silence only made him more frustrated.

Unlike most guys, Kise’s jealousy wasn’t explosive or aggressive.

Instead, it became clingy.

Needy.

Almost painfully affectionate.

As if the only thing he wanted was reassurance that your attention still belonged to him.

Without saying another word, Kise slowly reached for your hand again—this time far gentler than before.

His fingers slid carefully between yours until your hands naturally intertwined.

Then he stepped closer.

And closer.

Until your back lightly touched the wall behind you.

Your breath caught slightly in your throat.

Kise lowered his voice, his expression softer now—serious in a way you rarely ever saw from him.

“I don’t want you laughing like that with anyone else,” he admitted quietly.

Your heartbeat stuttered violently.

Because he sounded genuine.

Not playful.

Not teasing.

Genuine.

Kise leaned down slightly, his forehead nearly brushing yours as his thumb absentmindedly stroked over your knuckles.

“I know it’s selfish,” he continued softly, avoiding your gaze now as if embarrassed by his own honesty. “But every time I see someone else getting your attention like that… I get annoyed.”

His grip on your hand tightened faintly.

“…I hate it.”

The vulnerability in his voice hit you far harder than you expected.

This wasn’t Kise flirting for fun.

This wasn’t him joking around to get a reaction.

He truly meant every word.

“Ryota…” you whispered quietly.

Kise laughed softly under his breath, though it sounded more awkward than amused.

“I know, I know,” he muttered. “I’m acting super lame right now.”

“…No,” you replied honestly.

Kise blinked.

Slowly, you lifted your free hand and rested it lightly against his cheek, causing his eyes to widen almost immediately.

“I think it’s kinda cute.”

Silence.

Then—Kise’s entire face turned red.

“Eh?!”

The sudden reaction was so dramatic that you nearly laughed.

“You can’t just say stuff like that so casually!” Kise whined, immediately burying half his face into your shoulder out of embarrassment.

And somehow, that reaction only made him more adorable.

“You were acting all confident a second ago,” you teased softly.

“That was before you started attacking me emotionally!”

You laughed quietly at his dramatic complaint, your fingers absentmindedly brushing through his blond hair.

The moment you did, Kise completely melted against you.

“…You spoil me too much,” he mumbled.

“And whose fault is that?”

“Definitely yours.”

You smiled warmly before lightly squeezing his hand.

“For the record,” you said quietly, “I’d still rather spend time with you than anyone else.”

Kise froze.

Then very, very slowly, he lifted his head from your shoulder.

“…Really?”

“Really.”

For a moment, he simply stared at you.

Then suddenly, his usual bright grin returned full force—except this time, it looked far softer than before.

And much more genuine.

“Okay,” Kise declared proudly, immediately wrapping both arms around you now. “Then I forgive Nakamura-kun.”

“…You say that like he committed a crime.”

“He did. He made you laugh too much.”

You rolled your eyes affectionately while Kise shamelessly clung to you.

And honestly—neither of you noticed the warning bell ringing in the distance or the fact that class had already started.

Because at that moment, Kise only cared about one thing.

The fact that you were still looking at him like he was your favorite person in the world.

———

Murasakibara Atsushi

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

It was supposed to be a peaceful afternoon.

The basketball team had just finished practice, and naturally, Murasakibara had already claimed his usual spot on the gym floor near the benches, lazily sprawled out while munching on a bag of snacks he’d somehow managed to finish halfway through in less than five minutes.

You sat nearby beside him, occasionally talking while organizing water bottles and towels for the team.

Everything had been perfectly normal.

Until he showed up.

Some third-year student from another club.

Tall, friendly, and apparently far too comfortable talking to you.

At first, Murasakibara didn’t pay much attention. He only lazily glanced over while continuing to eat his snacks, half-listening to your conversation in the background.

But then—you laughed.

Not just a small laugh either.

A genuine one.

Bright enough that the upperclassman visibly smiled wider in response.

Murasakibara paused mid-chew. And slowly, his eyes drifted toward the two of you again.

The guy was standing way too close.

And why was he talking to you for this long anyway?

“…Who’s that?” Murasakibara suddenly asked flatly.

You looked over at him, blinking in slight surprise.

“Hm? Oh, that’s Tanaka-senpai,” you explained casually. “He’s from the volleyball club.”

The upperclassman smiled politely toward Murasakibara.

“Ah, you’re Murasakibara-kun, right? Y/N talks about you sometimes.”

Murasakibara stared at him silently while slowly crunching another chip between his teeth.

“…Mm.”

That was all he said.

But something about the atmosphere suddenly felt…heavy.

You noticed it immediately.

Murasakibara’s expression hadn’t changed much—he still looked lazy and half-asleep as usual—but after knowing him for this long, you could tell when something was bothering him.

And right now?

He was definitely bothered.

Still, you continued your conversation with Tanaka for another few minutes, completely unaware that Murasakibara was steadily becoming more and more irritated beside you.

The worst part that you looked like you were genuinely enjoying yourself.

You kept smiling. Laughing. Looking up at that guy so attentively.

Each time you did, something unpleasant twisted deeper inside Murasakibara’s chest.

He didn’t like it. At all.

Eventually, Tanaka laughed at something you said and casually reached out to pat your shoulder.

That was the final straw.

Crunch.

The snack bag in Murasakibara’s hand crumpled instantly.

Both you and Tanaka looked toward him in surprise.

Murasakibara slowly stood up to his full height, towering over both of you almost immediately. His expression remained lazy-looking as always, but his violet eyes had noticeably darkened.

“…You’re talking too much,” he muttered.

“Huh?” you blinked.

Before you could properly react, Murasakibara suddenly reached down and grabbed the sleeve of your jacket.

“C’mon.”

And just like that, he began dragging you away.

“M-Murasakibara?!”

Tanaka looked completely bewildered. “Uh… did I do something wrong?”

“You exist,” Murasakibara replied bluntly before continuing to walk away with you.

“ATSUSHI!”

Once the two of you finally reached a quieter hallway outside the gym, you immediately pulled your sleeve back from his grasp.

“What was that about?!” you exclaimed, staring at him in disbelief.

Murasakibara looked down at you lazily.

“…He was annoying.”

“No, you were annoying!”

“Tch.”

You frowned harder.

Normally, Murasakibara wasn’t the type to care about things like this. He usually acted uninterested in practically everything besides snacks and basketball.

Which made his current behavior feel even stranger.

“…Atsushi,” you said more carefully this time, “are you jealous?”

Silence.

Murasakibara immediately looked away.

And somehow, that answered your question perfectly.

Your eyes widened slightly.

“…Wait. You actually are?”

“…Maybe,” he muttered stubbornly.

The admission came so reluctantly that your heart nearly exploded on the spot.

You honestly didn’t expect Murasakibara of all people to get jealous.

And yet here he was.

Pouting.

Avoiding eye contact.

Acting clingy.

It was weirdly adorable.

“Atsushi,” you laughed softly, “you got jealous because I was talking to someone?”

“You were laughing with him too much,” he grumbled.

“You sound real possessive right now.”

“…Maybe I am.”

The answer came out so casually that you froze.

Murasakibara finally looked back down at you, his expression quieter now.

“I didn’t like seeing him touch you,” he admitted bluntly. “Or looking at you like that.”

Your heartbeat immediately sped up.

Unlike other people, Murasakibara didn’t dance around his feelings much once he actually decided to voice them.

If something bothered him, he simply said it.

And somehow, that straightforward honesty affected you more than you wanted to admit.

“…You know he wasn’t flirting with me, right?” you said softly.

“I don’t care,” Murasakibara replied instantly.

Then slowly—

He stepped closer.

And because of his height, the movement alone felt overwhelmingly intimidating.

Your back instinctively pressed lightly against the wall behind you as Murasakibara leaned down slightly, trapping you effortlessly in his space without even trying.

“You’re supposed to pay attention to me,” he mumbled quietly.

The words were childish.

Petty, even.

But hearing them in Murasakibara’s deep, sleepy voice made your stomach erupt with butterflies anyway.

“Atsushi…”

Murasakibara suddenly rested his forehead against the top of your head with a low sigh.

“…I know it’s dumb,” he muttered. “But I don’t like sharing.”

Your face grew warm almost instantly.

And unfortunately for you, Murasakibara noticed.

“…You’re blushing.”

“N-No I’m not.”

“You are.”

“You’re one to talk!”

“Hm?” Murasakibara blinked lazily. “I’m not embarrassed.”

“…Your ears are red.”

Immediately, Murasakibara went quiet.

Then he clicked his tongue softly.

“…Shut up.”

You burst into laughter.

And for a brief moment, Murasakibara simply stared at you silently, watching your smile with an oddly softened expression.

Then suddenly—his large hand gently grabbed yours.

“Let’s go get snacks,” he said casually, intertwining your fingers together like it was the most natural thing in the world.

You blinked.

“…That’s your solution to everything.”

“Mm.”

“And what if another guy talks to me again?”

Murasakibara narrowed his eyes slightly.

“…Then I’ll steal you again.”

Your heart nearly stopped.

Meanwhile, Murasakibara merely squeezed your hand once before lazily leading you down the hallway beside him.

As though he fully expected you to stay there.

Right where he wanted you. 

———

Akashi Seijuro

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡

It was quiet inside the student council room, save for the faint scratching of pens against paper and the distant sounds of club activities echoing from outside the windows.

You sat comfortably across from Akashi, originally intending to simply keep him company while he finished his student council duties. Somehow, however, the situation had evolved into you helping organize paperwork alongside him.

Not that Akashi minded.

In fact, he found your presence oddly relaxing.

Every now and then, he would glance up from his documents only to find you completely focused on your own work, brows slightly furrowed in concentration as sunlight filtered softly across your features.

It was…nice. Comfortable. Peaceful.

Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last very long.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door.

“Come in,” Akashi answered calmly without looking up.

The door slid open moments later, revealing another student council member—a male upperclassman from the third year.

“Ah, Akashi-kun,” the upperclassman greeted politely before his gaze shifted toward you. “Oh? I didn’t realize Y/N-san was here too.”

You immediately smiled warmly.

“Hello!”

The upperclassman returned the smile just as easily before walking further into the room. “Perfect timing, actually. I needed someone’s opinion on something.”

Akashi barely paid attention at first, assuming the conversation would remain brief.

But then the upperclassman walked over toward your side of the table instead of his. And stayed there.

The two of you quickly fell into casual conversation while discussing whatever paperwork he had brought with him. Before long, you were smiling, laughing softly, and offering suggestions while the upperclassman listened with clear interest.

Akashi’s pen paused. Just slightly.

His expression remained perfectly composed as always, but his crimson eyes slowly lifted from the documents in front of him.

And settled on the two of you.

The upperclassman was standing far too close.

Even worse—

You looked comfortable around him.

Akashi quietly observed the interaction without saying a word, though something cold and unfamiliar had begun coiling itself neatly inside his chest.

Jealousy was not an emotion Akashi experienced often.

Mostly because there had rarely ever been a situation where he felt genuinely threatened by someone else’s presence.

But now? Watching another person effortlessly occupy your attention while you smiled at them so naturally…

It irritated him more than he expected.

Still, outwardly, nothing about him changed.

His posture remained elegant.

His expression remained calm.

His voice, when he finally spoke, remained perfectly polite.

“Y/N.”

You immediately turned toward him at the sound of your name.

“Yes?”

Akashi offered you a small smile.

“Come sit beside me.”

The request sounded innocent enough.

But something about the tone beneath it made the upperclassman visibly stiffen.

You blinked in confusion.

“Huh? Why?”

“Because I asked you to,” Akashi replied simply.

The smile on his face never wavered.

And somehow, that only made the atmosphere more intimidating.

The upperclassman awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Ah… I should probably get going anyway.”

Akashi’s gaze shifted toward him instantly.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The words were polite.

Yet the message underneath them was unmistakably clear.

Leave.

The upperclassman laughed nervously before quickly excusing himself from the room.

The moment the door closed behind him, silence settled once more.

You stared at Akashi suspiciously.

“…Seijuro.”

“Yes?”

“…What was that?”

Akashi calmly resumed organizing his papers as though nothing unusual had occurred.

“What do you mean?”

“You basically chased him out.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You absolutely did.”

Akashi merely hummed in quiet amusement, refusing to acknowledge the accusation properly.

Which only made you narrow your eyes further.

Then suddenly—

A realization hit you.

“…Wait.”

Akashi finally glanced up at you.

“…Were you jealous?”

The room fell silent.

For the first time since you’d known him, Akashi visibly paused.

Only for a moment.

But it happened.

And that alone answered your question perfectly.

Your eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

“Seijuro,” you whispered, almost amused. “You were actually jealous?”

Akashi slowly set his pen down onto the table.

Then, with complete composure, he folded his hands neatly beneath his chin and looked directly at you.

“…I dislike seeing other people grow too comfortable around you,” he admitted calmly.

Your heartbeat instantly sped up.

The frightening part was how collected he still sounded while saying something so openly possessive.

“You make it sound so serious,” you muttered.

“It is serious.”

You froze.

Akashi rose smoothly from his chair before walking toward you with slow, deliberate steps. Every movement was controlled. Elegant.

Dangerous.

By the time he stopped in front of you, your pulse had become embarrassingly uneven.

“Y/N,” Akashi said softly, gently lifting your chin between his fingers so you were forced to meet his gaze properly. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to tolerate situations like that quietly?”

Your breath caught slightly.

Because despite the softness in his tone—

There was something undeniably intense hiding underneath it.

“I trust you,” he continued calmly. “Completely.”

“…But?”

Akashi’s eyes softened faintly.

“But I do not particularly enjoy watching someone else attempt to monopolize your attention.”

Your face immediately grew warm.

“You’re being possessive again,” you whispered.

“I know.”

“And you’re admitting it way too easily.”

“That is because denying it would be dishonest.”

The straightforward response made your stomach flip violently.

God, Akashi was unfair.

You tried looking away, unable to properly handle the intensity of his gaze anymore, but Akashi’s fingers lightly tightened beneath your chin.

“Look at me,” he murmured softly.

And instinctively—

You obeyed.

The moment your eyes met his again, Akashi smiled faintly.

“There you are.”

Your heart nearly stopped.

“You do realize you’re ridiculously overwhelming sometimes, right?” you muttered weakly.

Akashi chuckled quietly under his breath.

“Yes,” he answered effortlessly. “And yet you continue staying beside me regardless.”

You opened your mouth to respond—

Only for Akashi to suddenly lean down and press a gentle kiss against your forehead.

The action completely short-circuited your brain.

When he pulled away, he looked entirely satisfied with himself.

“…Now then,” he said smoothly, returning to his seat as though nothing had happened. “I believe the issue has been resolved.”

You stared at him in disbelief, face burning.

“…You can’t just do that to me and go back to paperwork!”

Akashi simply smiled.

“But I already have.” 

[lastseraphicsoul]

when my kids are complaining about their undereye dark circles, dark blue eyes but mommy had a type.

[semisutopia]

MAEM I AM IN NEED OF SOMETHING WHERE IMAYOSHI AND READER ARE FRENEMIES, LIKE THEY HATE EACH OTHER FOR ONE UPPING THE OTHER, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH SMART, THEY OFTEN CHOOSE TO WORK TOGETHER IN GROUP PROJECTS, LIKE A FRENEMIES SLOWBURN, YK YK

frenemies to flovers

imayoshi shoichi x fem!reader

a/n: i guess i completely missed the 'slow burn' part but uhhhhhhhhhhh

all rights go to @semisutopia on tumblr. please don't copy or plagiarise my work. that's really lame of you.

[kinarchivist]

𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 <-AO3

Pairing: Aomine Daiki x F!Volleyball Player!Reader Tags: Crushes, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Romantic Tension, Mild Slow Burn, Developing Relationship etc. Masterlist <Previous chapter> - <Next chapter>

“Good work today, everybody. Gather up, and we will return to school.”

Your captain says as everybody cheers in excitement, all of them giving each other high fives.

Why is everybody so excited? Well, because your team just won the Inter-High preliminaries. Even though it was pretty much expected, since your team has trained so hard, your captain never once let anyone slack off or underestimate the other team.

As people gather to leave the stadium, the air outside is a bit humid while the sun is still high. Everybody is already groaning about how hot the temperature is as your captain urges them to move quickly to the bus.

But as you are walking, you notice that Yuki, who was next to you, is nowhere to be seen. You look around in confusion, trying to find her because, well, she has this tendency to always wander off whenever nobody is paying attention to her, and you do not want any more trouble from having to search for her later on.

But soon, you spot her standing in the distance, talking to some people she seems pretty familiar with. They are wearing uniforms, so you assume they are high schoolers like you too.

“Hey, Yuki! Stop wandering off.”

A tall girl on your team shouts out to Yuki as she briefly turns around.

She pauses her conversation with the others before skittering back toward your team.

“Were those your friends?” your captain asks as Yuki nods her head.

Her eyes widen pleadingly as she speaks up.

“They are here to watch a basketball match. Can I join them, please?”

Your captain frowns a little at Yuki’s words as she sighs heavily.

“And if I said no?”

Yuki does not seem ready to give up as she clasps her hands together, speaking in a pouty and pleading tone while looking at your already tired captain.

“Please, please, Cap. I promise to return in time...” But seeing how your captain is not easy to convince, she suddenly hooks her arm around yours as she speaks up once again.

“If you are worried, then I will bring some company with me.”

She clings all over you as you just stand there a bit dumbfounded.

“I never agreed to-”

But her hand clasps over your mouth before you can even protest.

“So, can we go, please, Captain? It is our school team that is playing today. I am just a bit curious.”

As Yuki continues to beg your captain, the other teammates are already giggling behind her.

“Hey, Cap, just let her go. They have been training extra hard, have they not?” someone chimes in to help Yuki.

Your captain only sighs heavily before finally nodding her head.

“Okay, but Manager, you go with them too.”

She then points at the ponytailed girl beside her.

“Make sure they return in time for our meeting.”

.⋆.⋆.⋆

And that’s how Yuki ends up dragging you all the way back inside the stadium as she looks left and right to find the right path, heading straight to the basketball arena where you can see the court from high above right in front of you.

The lights are just as bright as any court you have played on. The crowd seems packed as you look around a bit. It does not seem much different from the audience at those volleyball matches you have played in and watched.

But when your gaze shifts back to the court down below, yeah, you can sense it is way different from anything else, most likely because you have never really watched a basketball match, at least not directly. Your best experience with basketball was just watching it on television or some clips the news, and even then you did not really pay attention to it.

You were wondering why Yuki is suddenly so interested in basketball. You know she has lots of friends and knows lots of people from her junior school. She also has a wide range of knowledge in sports, claiming that she is just curious about how fun they can be, which includes basketball too, but she rarely talks about it with you, mostly because you have never really been interested in it. But you always go along with whatever she has in mind, at least as long as your captain does not find out and scold the two of you.

So in some way, haha, you are both partners in crime.

“Why do you suddenly want to watch a match?”

You ask as you see Yuki place her hands over the railing in excitement.

“Uhm, I was just curious about how well the team from our school is.”

She gives you a wide smile before her eyes dart back to the court, where the match has already started for a while.

You see the tall figures on the court, the squeaking sounds of their shoes against the floor. The sound of the ball bouncing is all you can hear blending in with the cheers from the audience.

Your eyes scan the court to find whatever familiar face you suppose you must have remembered by now.

But you cannot find him anywhere.

As if he is completely absent from the match, you do not see him on the bench either.

So... where is he?

So not only does he skip practice, but he also skips matches too? Is that not a bit too much? You wonder how his seniors react, because if that ever happened in your club, your captain and vice-captain would already be throwing tantrums and increasing everyone’s training sessions.

Is he lazy, or is he just that egotistical, or something else?

You are not sure anymore.

With the little information you know about Aomine, the more you try to think, the more a simple person like him becomes more complicated.

But is that not just how the world works?

No human is simple. Everybody is complicated in their own way. It just depends on whether you know them enough to decode them, tearing away whatever layers they have, whether it is their true self or just some fabricated image.

But for some reason, even when you do not know Aomine that well, you feel like whatever he is showing others is exactly who he is.

No fabrication and no lies, as if he has nothing to hide and is afraid of no one judging him.

He does not seem to care about criticism either, because if he did, you doubt he would skip practice all the time, making Momoi run left and right across the school to find him.

You are a bit absent-minded until you feel someone’s elbow nudge your side, only to find Yuki’s eyes on you, looking skeptical and mischievous as you already know she is up to no good again.

“What? Didn’t you say you wanted to watch the match?”

You ask her as you try to redirect her attention back to the court instead of your face.

“Who are you looking for?”

The words roll out of her tongue teasingly as you roll your eyes.

It may sound like a question but it is not one at all.

That is just how Yuki is. She may seem bubbly all the time, but she has keen eyes. Her observation skills are always sharper than most people on your team. She always notices everything while somehow making it seem like she is not paying attention to anything at all.

“No one. I was just wondering where the Ace is. Shouldn’t he be in the match too?”

You ask as your manager, standing next to you, speaks up.

“Might be running late. It is not the first time he has been late for a match or practice anyway. Momoi complains about that all the time to me.”

Her answer draws your attention to her as you look at her. Her gaze is still focused on the court, or more exactly, on the scoreboard, as you follow where she is looking.

49 - 39

Touou vs Seirin

“Oh, Seirin is also very good, isn’t it? 10 points apart.”

Yuki makes a small comment as your manager just lets out a small smile.

“Might be because Aomine is not on the court, don’t you think?” the manager says, the statement sounding more like common sense as your gaze falls back to the court. “If he was here, it would not be just 10 points apart.”

“They seem... a bit out of breath…”

Your gaze falls to those Seirin jerseys as you see them all breathing heavily now.

You are not saying they are at their limit but more that your school is not going easy on them either.

“Well, they are a new team after all. Though I watched some of their matches last year, they were pretty good with that one center, but I do not see him here though.”

You listen to your manager closely as she speaks up once again.

“Ah, look! Aomine is here!”

And Yuki’s sudden voice drags your gaze right back to the court, only for you to spot that familiar tall figure.

His broad back is slightly hunched as he steps lazily onto the court, yet there is still something steady and reassuring in the way he moves.

Like he was never worried about being late in the first place.

You thought he would not even come, but apparently he is just running late.

But the way he talks to the other team is somewhat different from what you imagined.

There is something natural in the way he carries himself, as if he truly sees himself as the strongest one there, like no one can reach him whether they are playing with him or against him.

He somehow seems more amused today than his usual slacking attitude.

He casually throws his jacket to Momoi before tossing his bag onto the bench, like he is always ready to jump into the match whenever he wants.

Just showing up whenever he feels like it.

And for some reason, even though you are not a player on the court, nor are you his opponent, you still somehow feel pressured and nervous just seeing him stand there now.

The atmosphere itself feels a little different.

He moves so quickly that your eyes find it hard to follow him, even though you also play a sport that requires quick observation.

The moment the ball is in his hands, it feels like the entire pace of the game shifts.

His movements are like wind.

Passing and dashing and cutting across the court.

Like a wild animal dominating the entire court by himself.

“He is so fast!” Yuki speaks up next to you as your manager adds to that.

“That is not even his fastest speed. He is not playing with all of his abilities.”

That statement somehow feels even more ridiculous.

Because from where you are standing, this already looks absurd enough.

“Maria, you seem to know so much about Aomine. Did you watch his matches in Teiko?”

Yuki asks again, her voice laced with curiosity as your manager just shakes her head slightly.

“No, I just saw him play one-on-one with Shoichi once.”

“Shoichi?”

You ask at the unfamiliar name as Yuki lets out a small huff.

“It is the team captain. You really do not care about any other clubs, do you?”

She teases you slightly as your eyes fall back onto the court, only to realize the quarter has ended and all the players are moving to their rest rooms.

.⋆.⋆.⋆

Soon they return to the court, and the game continues.

You have noticed it before, but for some reason, you feel like Aomine’s movements and that guy with the number 10 jersey from Seirin are very different from everyone else.

You cannot quite put your finger on it, but you have briefly seen some basketball matches on television despite having zero knowledge about the sport.

But somehow, you still notice that their play styles are way different compared to everyone else.

It is almost unpredictable in some way.

Aomine’s moves are so fluid, improvisational and incredibly difficult to read.

There is barely any pause between what he thinks and what his body does.

He seems able to change speed and direction instantaneously.

One second he is moving left, and the next he is already somewhere else before anyone can properly react.

There is no obvious pattern and no rhythm that feels safe enough to predict.

His body moves almost too naturally, as if he is not thinking at all. Like the court itself belongs to him.

His style seems to not follow any specific technique, rules or even strategic methods.

Nothing about the way he moves feels proper…

Making his movement almost feel unlimited, as if no one can defend against his attacks.

Or maybe it is too advanced for you to understand.

Or maybe it is just because you do not play basketball.

You are not sure anymore.

You can sense something odd about it, but at the same time, you do not think you understand anything at all.

The more you watch him, the blurrier your thoughts become. Unsure of what is even happening anymore.

You feel a little overwhelmed just from watching him from this distance.

You cannot imagine how those on the court with him, or more specifically, on the other side of the court, must feel right now.

The way he shoots the ball is also... nasty in some way.

For you, nasty is something you consider difficult to understand.

And the way he throws the ball just somehow pisses you off because you cannot make any sense of it.

He releases the ball from bizarre, almost impossible angles, while leaning away from the hoop, even when he is off-balance, or even from behind the backboard.

Your jaw almost drops to the ground because that shit feels impossible to block.

Making him... unstoppable in some way.

.⋆.⋆.⋆

“Aomine... his way of playing is very different from others, isn’t it?” you ask instinctively as you feel your palms tighten around the railing, now all sweaty and slippery just from watching all of that.

“Hmm,” Maria lets out a small sound beside you as she speaks up. “It is just how he is. He relies on raw reflexes and instincts rather than conscious thought.”

Both you and Yuki turn to focus on her as you both listen closely, like children curious about discovering some wonderland.

She laughs at the reaction from the two of you before continuing slowly.

“It is often described as playing like a predator, moving based on the opponent’s momentum.”

Predator?

And your gaze lands on the court once again.

Watching his movements more clearly, how he is able to break through all of Seirin’s defense, and how he so effortlessly dunks into the hoop...

Maybe it is not that far-fetched, is it?

You can understand why people describe him like that.

Yuki suddenly speaks up beside you.

“That number 10 is quite good too. He almost can keep up with Aomine.”

Her comment makes you notice the guy too, his broad shoulders turned toward the stadium as you cannot see his face clearly.

“Oh, he got subbed out,” Maria chimes in as you see the boy return to his bench.

But your eyes focus more on the scoreboard.

84 - 51

93 - 53

112 - 55

And cheers erupt across the stadium once the timer rings loudly through the space, echoing and bouncing off every corner of the arena you are standing in.

Even Yuki claps her hands next to you, but you are too stunned to say anything or even move your body slightly.

“They won, they won!!”

Yuki seems to hum some soft melody as her excitement blends so naturally with the audience in the stadium.

And your manager just huffs softly.

“Happy now? Can we leave now?”

Before you can answer, your friend already chimes in.

“Not yet, let’s go congratulate the team!”

She has that childish enthusiasm in her tone as she quickly leans away from the railing and starts moving down the stairs.

“W-wait-”

Maria quickly follows after her, and you do the same, following in her footsteps while questioning her.

“Since when did you become so close to the basketball team?”

Yeah, since when?

As far as you know, Yuki has never shown any sign that she personally knows any boys from other clubs, and she has not displayed any kind of interest in them either until recently, when your two clubs had to share the gym because of practice schedules that almost matched each other.

“Since you started learning basketball with Aomine.”

She answers so casually, her steps steady in front of you.

And you, out of surprise and horror, stop dead in your tracks.

You completely short circuit as panic slowly seeps into you before you quickly regain yourself and run after her.

“W-who- h-how?!”

You keep stumbling over your words as Yuki only looks at you from the corner of her eyes, a faint smile present on her lips.

She does not even answer you.

She just ignores your panic and keeps walking ahead.

And numerous questions run through your mind, because how the fuck does she know that?

Who told her?

Definitely not you, and definitely not Aomine, at least you do not think the two know each other.

Then who else knows?

Besides you and Aomine, you are quite sure...

Ah!

You remember now.

That glasses guy who stopped by the gym that night when he caught you and Aomine together.

Is he really the type to gossip like that?

The more you think about it, the cloudier your mind becomes.

Your manager does not seem to mind at all, pretending she did not hear anything.

Well, Maria has always presented herself as someone who never pries into anyone’s business unless they need help, so she stays awfully quiet after that while you just feel awkward and stiff for the rest of the walk.

Not until you reach the gate and see Yuki quicken her pace as she waves at someone in the distance.

You cannot make out who she is waving at until you get a bit closer.

It is the basketball team.

And that glasses guy is there too.

You suddenly want to find a hole and bury yourself deep inside it to hide from all these people.

“Shoichi-senpai! Yoshinori-senpai!”

She calls out so friendly that the other teammates seem slightly caught off guard by her presence.

Yeah, at least you have never seen anyone from your club associated with this club so far.

And upon seeing your manager, Shoichi speaks up.

“Did you watch our match? Haha.”

He asks with a small smile as Maria sighs helplessly.

“Yes. Yuki kept insisting, so I am babysitting right now.”

She huffs slightly as the man just gives a faint smile.

And Yuki just keeps chirping around them.

“You all were so cool! I have never watched a basketball match before! Congrats on your win!”

She keeps showering them with praise, even high-fiving some people as if she has been friends with them for years.

And that makes you wonder how long she has been associated with this club without you knowing.

It does not seem like it has been that long, but she is already able to become this familiar with everybody?

You are honestly amazed by her social skills sometimes.

You give the seniors a polite greeting as the glasses guy has his eyes on you.

He seems to recognize you, which only makes your shoulders stiffen even more.

You just hope he will not mention anything about that night, and fortunately for you, he does not.

“Are you going back to school now?” he suddenly asks while looking at you.

You are a bit confused as to why he is even asking you that instead of someone he is more familiar with.

“Yes... we were supposed to return to school for some me-”

But before you can finish, Maria already places her hand on your shoulder to stop you as she speaks to both you and Yuki.

“No need. The meeting got moved to next week. We can go straight home now.”

Shoichi hears the answer and continues.

“Then how about we all leave together?”

You do not see Maria or Yuki object to that, and you also have no comment.

But as you look through the bunch of tall heads walking in front of you, you do not find that familiar face.

Looking around, you do not spot him at all.

“Hmm, what’s wrong?”

Yuki notices your wandering gaze and slows her pace beside you as she asks.

“Uh, nothing. I just-”

Her sudden slower pace makes you do the same, only for you to immediately feel someone bump into you from behind.

The solid impact startles you a little, making you quickly turn around to see who it is.

Only to meet those deep blue eyes that are slowly becoming so familiar to you.

Your eyes widen slightly in surprise.

Even Yuki seems surprised by his sudden appearance.

You are stunned for a moment as he just stares down at you, standing a little too close.

You can almost feel the rise and fall of his chest, and how completely unbothered and unimpressed he looks with his hands in his pockets.

For a moment, you have no idea how to react or what to say.

“Oh, it is you two.”

A pink haired girl steps out from behind him, and both you and Yuki realize it is Momoi.

“Are you two here to watch our match?”

She asks, sounding even more cheerful and enthusiastic as Yuki smiles and immediately starts chatting with her.

As for you, because of the awkwardness and how uneasy his gaze makes you feel, you just step slightly away from him.

Turning your gaze back ahead, you continue walking, your pace quickening a little as you catch up to your manager.

You walk side by side with her so closely, as if she can shield you from whatever those lingering eyes at the back of your head are doing to you.

As if staying close to her somehow makes the adrenaline running through your body settle down just a little.

.⋆.⋆.⋆

But... it becomes a bit more awkward than you expected.

Because you all end up riding the same train as his team.

The train is a bit crowded, so some of them let you girls sit down instead.

As you settle into your seat with Momoi and Maria beside you, you place your gym bag neatly on your lap.

Only to see the large black tip of someone’s shoes stepping right into your space.

Your gaze shifts upward, only to see Aomine standing right in front of you.

One of his hands grips the hanging strap above him, his bag slung lazily over one shoulder while his other hand holds onto his phone, mindlessly doing something you do not even want to know.

You try not to pay attention to him, even though it is not exactly an easy task when his tall figure keeps looming over you.

The distance between the two of you is neither far nor particularly close, but still close enough to make you feel the warmth radiating from him.

Maybe it is because of the game, but somehow you feel like his breathing has still not fully steadied, at least not as calm as you remember.

And his slacking attitude somehow seems even worse today.

Is he in a bad mood?

“I heard you guys won today. Congratulations.”

Momoi’s words pull you away from your thoughts as you turn your head slightly to look at her.

Your manager hears her too and smiles.

“Yeah, these two really owned the court today,” Maria speaks up as you feel her hand ruffle the back of your head slightly.

You almost want to groan in protest, but in the end, you just sigh internally and sit still, letting her do whatever she wants.

“It was not just us,” you speak up, but she only smiles before continuing.

“Still, your contribution was a lot. Have more confidence.”

She says it so casually, as if it is the most normal thing in the world, making you blink slowly while looking at her.

Momoi chimes in, sounding even more excited now.

“That means you are going to the quarterfinals, right?”

You swear you can almost see stars in her eyes when you look at her.

“Yeah, volleyball Inter-High started a bit earlier than basketball after all.”

Maria answers for you before turning the subject back to Momoi.

“Who is your next match against?”

And Momoi just smiles sneakily before answering.

“Kaijo High.”

“Oh, the one with that Kise guy...”

The two of them continue talking while you are stuck in between, listening to everything they have to share.

And for a moment, Shoichi suddenly speaks up.

“Will you go watch us too?”

You do not even know who the question is directed at, but Maria already sighs.

“Pass. I am not babysitting them just to watch another match. We have practice that day and exams before that too.”

She emphasizes the last part as if she is already tired just imagining next week’s and next month’s schedule.

“Fair enough.”

The glasses guy continues as you steal a glance his way.

He is standing tall, one hand gripping the hanging strap as he talks to your manager.

He always has this faint grin on his lips, as if he is constantly plotting something.

You find it a bit unsettling to stare at for too long, so you quickly shift your gaze away.

“What is so fun about watching that?”

Suddenly, a voice echoes from above you.

Your eyes follow the source, only to find Aomine speaking with clear boredom laced through his voice.

His eyes remain on his phone as if he is completely unbothered by the fact that what he just said could absolutely kill the mood.

“Oi, do not say that!”

Some other boy from his team speaks up, though you have no idea who he is.

“Am I wrong though?”

Aomine asks back in such an annoying tone that honestly makes it sound like he is begging for someone to punch him.

The other guy almost looks ready to stand up and throw a fit at him, but Yuki speaks up first, easing the atmosphere a little.

“We are on the train.”

She reminds him, and the white haired boy immediately stops whatever he was about to do before returning to his seat.

Uh... the atmosphere is horrible.

The tension is so heavy it feels like you could cut through the air with a knife.

Even Shoichi seems displeased by Aomine’s words, but he only frowns slightly without saying anything further.

And suddenly, everybody goes quiet.

It feels painfully awkward now.

As for you, being stuck in this kind of situation is also pretty bad.

You try to make your presence as blurry and nonexistent as possible while sitting stiffly in your seat.

You wonder how these people can handle Aomine.

Personality wise, and well… his way of playing on the court too.

Is basketball not supposed to be a teamwork kind of sport?

Why does he play like he is the only one on the court?

Or is it because he is just that good that the team lets him do whatever he wants because they would win faster or play more effectively that way?

You do not know.

You just sit there, your mind a little absent as you focus on listening for the station announcement.

You just want to leave this train as soon as possible.

And as if the universe hears your wish, it is soon your stop as the mechanical voice from the speaker announces it.

You immediately pick up your bag, and Maria notices.

“Oh, is it your stop?”

She asks as you nod a little too quickly.

“Yes. Then I shall take my leave first. Goodbye.”

You politely greet your seniors before giving Yuki and Momoi a small wave, planning to walk away, only to bump slightly into someone.

Fuck.

What is wrong with you today?

Why do you keep bumping into people?

And when you look up, you realize the one you bumped into is Aomine.

Mostly because he did not even bother stepping aside even slightly to let you move past more freely.

You do not even bother apologizing for bumping into him as you just walk past him and step off the train.

Oh, thank God! Fresh air!

You finally manage to leave that heavy, thick atmosphere behind as you slowly walk through the sea of people.

The station is always this packed in the evening, and you are already used to it.

But when you step outside the station, taking turns past buildings and blocks, you feel like someone is following you.

At first, you think you are imagining things because the streets you usually walk on are always crowded, so you never really feel unsafe.

But today feels different.

You almost feel like someone is right behind you, following your every movement and every corner you take.

So when you reach a less crowded area near a playground, you immediately turn around to see who the fuck is giving you this anxious, paranoid feeling.

Only to be met with a tall silhouette and those same blue eyes always filled with boredom and confidence.

“The fuck are you following me for?” you ask immediately, frustration clear in your voice.

Fucking hell.

This guy nearly gives you a heart attack because he keeps appearing out of nowhere.

And since when did he even get off the train with you?

He did not even mention that this was his stop too.

“I am not though. I am just walking the street I usually walk on.”

He sneers a little, which only looks even more annoying to you, answering with that same slacking tone.

He does not even bother explaining himself properly, and you do not bother asking anything further.

“Whatever.”

You just throw the word at him before turning around and continuing your walk home.

Only for Aomine to catch up and start walking right beside you.

You try to walk faster to create some distance from him, but every time you do, his stupidly long legs catch up with you again with barely any effort.

Eventually, you turn to look at him.

“What do you want?”

You ask while still walking, though now back at a normal pace.

He just smiles a little.

“How did it feel? Watching your first basketball match?”

His question catches you slightly off guard, and for a moment, you do not even know where to begin.

Hmm.

How do you feel?

You are not sure.

It is not enough for you to form any real criticism or feelings about it, and because you are not all that interested in basketball, at least not as much as Yuki, you do not really know what you are supposed to feel.

So you just say whatever is on your mind.

“Your playstyle is somehow very different from everyone else.”

Yeah.

That is what has been stuck in your head from earlier until now.

Because he really does move so differently from any other players you have seen so far.

He chuckles softly beside you.

“Keen eyes.”

He makes that small comment with a faint smirk tugging at his lips before continuing.

“Maybe because I was influenced a lot by streetball.”

His tone is so casual that you cannot even tell whether he is actually explaining something to you or just assuming you automatically understand what he means.

“Streetball?”

You ask in confusion as you turn your head slightly to look up at him.

And from the side, his face somehow looks even more sculpted.

His jawline is clearer from this angle, sharper in profile, while his blue eyes somehow seem deeper whenever his eyebrows move slightly.

That smirk is still visible on his lips.

“Street basketball.”

He emphasizes the term, which somehow only makes you feel even more lost.

You tilt your head slightly, even more confused.

Aomine suddenly stops walking, which instinctively makes you stop too.

You see him shift slightly before turning to face you fully.

“If you are curious, how about I show you?”

The words roll off his tongue so casually that sometimes you genuinely wonder how he can be like this.

The way he carries himself so effortlessly with that much cockiness and confidence.

Honestly, you are a little jealous of his confidence.

And his words slowly sink deeper into the back of your mind.

.⋆.⋆.⋆

And that was how you ended up following Aomine to watch street basketball on the weekend.

You really had not planned to, but your curiosity got the better of you. Tomorrow was the weekend, and you were free until next week. So you just agreed to go, and the two of you even exchanged numbers.

So what? You had assumed he would bring Momoi with him because they were basically attached at the hip. But unexpectedly, he did not bring her at all. When you arrived at the station, you only found him, standing with his hands in his pockets, leaning so lazily against the wall behind him.

And when he saw you, that same old smirk appeared on his lips again, as if he had expected you to ditch him and whatever this plan was.

But surprisingly, you actually felt a bit excited about this because you had never really taken part in any other sports, let alone any form of street sports.

The only other kind of sport you had ever tried was probably beach ball, which technically was necessary for your volleyball activities.

And Aomine just led you somewhere as he walked ahead of you. And you did not know why, but for some reason your feet just followed his steady pace, as if you trusted everything, every movement, every intention he had.

Was it really a great idea to follow someone you barely knew around like this?

Definitely not.

But hey, at least this place was crowded. If he really tried to do anything funny, you could still scream for help. But you did not think Aomine would be the type to do anything like that.

At least that was the vibe you got from how close Momoi was to him.

There must be a reason why they had been friends for that long, was there not?

So you basically followed Aomine around as he led you through the crowded streets. When you arrived at a large gate leading inside a place that looked like a spacious park, it seemed to grow even more crowded with people.

Everywhere you looked, you saw groups of people gathered in circles, chatting so lively and friendly. Everybody was in sportswear, with their gym bags and caps on. Most people had a ball in their hands as they either stood or sat around. The vast trees and grass painted more color into the scenery. Every corner seemed filled with such a youthful feeling.

It kind of reminded you of the first time you ever picked up volleyball.

It was not that you had forgotten about it, but more that the memory had somehow become a bit blurry for you to remember. Maybe growing up did that to you. It made your memories become such incoherent pieces of fragments that slowly faded away. But if there was anything to trigger it, you would still remember it so vividly and clearly as if it were just yesterday.

It made you feel a bit overwhelmed, not because there were so many people around, but more because of the upbeat and lively atmosphere surrounding you as you continued to follow the boy ahead of you deeper inside.

It was really hard to miss him when he stood taller than most people. Even in a sea of people like this, his steps were still so steady that you could use him as a focal point if you had to.

And finally, when he stopped right next to a railing area where you could see the outdoor open court, other people had also gathered around, cheering and applauding everywhere. You saw two teams already on the court, the sound of the ball dribbling and hitting the hoop every time it went in echoing loudly even in such an open space.

People somehow seemed to step aside to give you space, and you wondered why. People did not usually yield their space for others. But then you noticed Aomine standing next to you like a street lamp post, and you no longer questioned it.

His face, when he was not smiling, was really scary in some way, making people not want to come near or mess with him at all. And his build only added to that.

So your gaze shifted from the side of his face back to the ongoing game as you watched the two teams play against each other.

It was quite different from the game you had seen between Touou and Seirin. They seemed more outgoing and enthusiastic here, probably because they were playing for entertainment instead of trying to win anything serious.

You watched as one of the players had the ball. He did not pass or shoot. He just dribbled as his body moved so oddly, almost like he was dancing, as if he was making fun of his opponent. And the one in front of him did seem a bit annoyed, his eyebrows furrowing, but at the same time he let out a small helpless huff before stealing the ball. Moving forward, he shot it straight into the hoop as the audience clapped to cheer him on.

And you noticed that for most of the game, many players on the court used that same tactic with each other, making you wonder if that was the norm in street basketball.

You turned slightly to Aomine, who was now almost leaning over the railing ahead as he watched with particular disinterest and boredom.

“What are they doing exactly?” you asked out of curiosity as you had no idea what that performance on the court was.

Yes, you had absolutely zero knowledge about basketball in general, let alone street basketball. And Aomine just huffed beside you as he slowly explained.

“That? They're just toying with them. In the streets, it's not just about getting the ball in the hoop, it is about making the other guy look stupid while you do it.”

His words sounded so inconsiderate, laced with a casual and laid-back attitude, but he did take the time to explain it clearly to you even when his words came out blunt and rough.

“See that guy? He didn't have to do the extra spin move.”

Your eyes followed his gaze to see a player with the ball in his hands. His dribbling was so fast that you could barely keep up, and by the time he had already passed his opponent, the other guy fell right to the court, which made you gasp.

“That's an ankle breaker,” the boy beside you continued in his low and slow tone. “Some guys do it for the crowd, some just want to get inside their opponent's head.”

You let his words sink in as you continued to watch the game. It was clear which team would win, but they both played very well. At least that was how you felt just by watching the rhythm and flow of the game.

“Is that how you normally play?” you asked him once again as he chuckled.

“Can't on a proper court,” he said, the smirk still laced on his lips, but somewhere behind it lay a small hint of disappointment. So subtle that you almost could not catch it if you were not listening closely.

But when the game came to an end, he stood back up straight and stretched his arms a bit before stepping away. The game did not seem to amuse him one bit as you turned to look at the court one last time before moving along with him anyway.

“You didn't look that interested in what you call your influence,” you made a small comment as he only let out a slight laugh with his hands in his pockets.

“There is none that is strong enough to stir my interest,” he said with that usual cocky attitude he always had, and you did not even know what kind of answer you had expected from him anymore.

But before you could say anything else, you heard someone call your name, and your head instinctively turned back.

“It's really you.”

A tall girl approached you with a small bag in her hand.

“Mei,” you called out her name as her smile remained as bright as you remembered.

She used to play on the same volleyball team as you in junior high, though you were not sure if she was still playing. But she used to be quite a powerful player on your team.

“I recognized you from behind, didn't think you'd be here though.” Her tone was friendly as her eyes flickered over you quickly before turning to the side to look at the boy standing right next to you.

He really stood out, not just because of his appearance but also because of the atmosphere around him, and your friend hesitated for a moment before continuing her words.

“This is...” she seemed a bit caught off guard as Aomine had no intention of introducing himself, and you just wanted to sigh out loud.

Why did you keep running into your acquaintances when he was around?

“This is... my friend, Aomine Daiki.” You were not even sure if you should call him your friend, but if you did not introduce him that way, it would be even weirder.

You continued as you turned to Aomine. “This is Mei, she used to be my teammate in junior high.”

And Aomine just gave a small greeting without paying much attention.

“What are you doing here, Mei?” So you decided to turn the conversation back to your friend as she let out a soft smile.

“I was here with my cousin. He started picking up basketball. Haru is here too,” she said enthusiastically as you recalled.

Haru was her boyfriend, so they were still together even in high school.

As for her cousin...

“Oh, you mean Ren.” You remembered the boy that Mei would sometimes pick up after school. “He's in junior high now, right?”

“Yes. So since you are already here, do you want to join us for a picnic?” she suddenly offered, which you had not expected.

At least today, you did not expect to run into anyone you were familiar with because, well, you were not exactly in any position to enjoy a day out.

You were just here because you were curious about what street basketball actually was.

“Your friend can join us too.” Her tone sounded more excited than it usually was as you were about to decline her.

But before you could answer, you felt something heavy on the side of your shoulder. You turned, only to see Aomine had his arm slung right over your side. His broad figure leaned on you very slightly as he spoke up.

“I don't see any problem with that.”

He answered with a smirk as you gave him a look that clearly said, what the fuck are you talking about.

“Oh great!” Mei clapped her hands together as she spoke up. “Friends of friends are my friends too. Let’s go.”

.⋆.⋆.⋆

And that was how you somehow ended up sitting on a large mat right under a big tree, its shade shielding you from the sunlight above.

It was not as crowded in this area compared to the court, but it was still crowded enough with people sitting around, enjoying snacks and chatting.

Aomine’s long legs almost took up all the space as you sat down and met eyes with the other boy who was already there.

“Oh, hi.” Haru greeted as he recognized you, and you gave a small greeting back.

As for Ren, a round-eyed boy sitting right next to him, his hair cut short, he was eyeing the tall boy next to you with curiosity, whatever he was thinking clearly showing on his face.

“Ren, you remember my friend, right? This is her friend, Aomine. Greet others properly.”

Mei scolded the boy a bit as he snapped out of his daze and politely greeted both you and Aomine.

Though throughout the small conversation you had with your friends, they sometimes spoke to Aomine as well.

And surprisingly, this guy was not rude or anything.

You had thought he would have that laid-back attitude where he would not even bother talking to anyone, might end up ruining the atmosphere so no one would want to talk to him.

But somehow, he was getting along quite well with Haru for some reason.

And as Mei was talking to you, you noticed that Ren’s eyes had always been on Aomine, as if he was scanning and digging for something.

Then in a brief moment, you saw how his eyes widened, brightened, and lit up as if he had just discovered some treasure.

“Y-you're that Aomine!”

He suddenly spoke so loudly that Mei patted his back slightly.

“Don't point at other people, that's rude.”

Mei scolded him once again as he whined in protest.

“I- I was just... you're from Teiko.”

He continued as he shifted closer to Aomine, his eyes so bright as if he had just met his idol, and maybe he had.

“You're their ace!”

He could not help the excitement flooding through his voice as each word spilled out.

You could almost see his tail wagging if he had one every time he spoke to Aomine.

And as for Aomine, he just sat there with a faint smile on his lips, like it was just another Saturday for him.

He must have been used to being recognized as part of the Generation of Miracles by now, no longer fazed by whatever people said.

But you wondered how he would react to a kid who had just started basketball.

Would he crush their dream?

That would be a bit horrible, would it not?

And you did not even know what to expect from his character anymore as you just stared at the two of them.

“Someone is well prepared here.”

He made a small comment as Ren looked completely giddy and asked,

“Can you play a game with me, please?”

You almost spat out the water you were drinking when Ren suddenly asked that.

Looking at his still growing figure, he was probably around 170 cm or so.

And Aomine, he was built like a damn wall.

Did this kid really want a one on one with Aomine?

But well, what could you say.

Was that not how most people were when they met someone they had idolized for a while?

“I'm also a power forward, please, please.”

He looked at Aomine with such big, bright eyes that even you felt a bit moved.

But you wondered how Aomine would react.

And surprisingly, he stood up so suddenly that the boy immediately followed him.

“I will be back later.”

His hand patted your head lightly before he left the spot, and both you and Mei just sat there in disbelief.

As for Haru, he decided to follow the two to keep an eye on Ren as well. The boy could be trouble sometimes.

But you doubted he could be any more trouble than Aomine himself.

And for a moment, you just sat there, still stunned by the whole scene, as Mei noticed your absent-mindedness.

“Hey.” She called for you as you turned to face her.

“Sorry, I wasn't expecting that,” you admitted to her. “I actually haven't known Aomine for that long.”

Mei let out a small laugh.

“Why so stiff? I can tell though,” she spoke so casually that it caught your attention a bit.

“Back then, you rarely made any friends, and you were always so quiet. I sometimes doubted that you could get along with our team.”

The way she spoke did not offend you at all, as it was simply a fact. You rarely talked with anyone back in junior high. Not because you did not know how to or did not want to, but more because your mind was focused entirely on something else rather than enjoying your school life at the time. Conversations that were not necessary just became meaningless to you. In some way, you viewed yourself as a bit extreme back then.

“Was I really that bad?” you asked, a bit hesitant, as she continued to smile.

“It's not bad. I was just worried. But seeing you make new friends is really a great sight,” she spoke slowly as she looked up, small petals falling from the branches while the wind brushed softly through her hair.

“Maybe Touou suited you more than our school back then,” she added, which made you sink into your own thoughts for a while.

Was Touou suitable for you?

You could not exactly make any comment on that yet because you had not been there long enough to form a judgment.

But Touou had strong volleyball teams, and you would gladly play on a team like that, a place that could help you develop your passion and dreams. That was why, when Touou scouted you, you immediately accepted the offer. Other than that, you did not put too much thought into it.

“And it's odd to see you here as well. You never seemed interested in anything other than volleyball back then.”

Your friend continued to talk as you looked at her from the corner of your eyes.

“I guess…” you thought carefully before answering, your mind drifting back to the tall boy with dark blue hair and the smirk always filled with confidence and cockiness.

“I have been influenced in some way,” you said with a faint smile on your lips.

When Aomine returned with the boys, you saw how Ren was breathing heavily, part of his shirt damp with sweat, his hair slightly disheveled. As for Aomine,

aside from a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead from the outdoor activity, he did not seem affected at all.

And Ren, despite looking so tired, seemed even more excited than before as Mei called for him.

“It's time to go home, Ren.”

Ren wiped his sweaty face with his shirt, and Mei smacked his hand lightly as she handed him a towel.

“It's nice to meet you today.”

Before leaving, you heard Mei say that as you looked at her.

“And I'm still playing volleyball,” she added, making your eyes widen slightly at her sudden words.

“Hoping to see you in the next match.”

You gave her a small smile before answering.

“I'm looking forward to it too.”

.⋆.⋆.⋆

On the walk back, you and Aomine remained silent almost the entire time, and you were not even sure what to say anymore. The silence felt awkward, almost suffocating to continue like this.

You could somewhat sense that he had been in a bad mood since yesterday, and you wondered why. Was it because of his match against Seirin? But his team had won, so why was he still so irritated?

You were unsure if you should even bring it up because you were afraid he might act like a jerk, like how he responded to his seniors on the train yesterday.

“So… what do you think about Ren?” you asked, trying to choose a safer topic.

He seemed to enjoy playing basketball with the kid, so asking about him would not be too far-fetched.

Aomine heard your question and glanced at you from the corner of his eyes while keeping his head facing forward.

“On basketball? Not as good as me at that age, obviously.”

His answer was laced with the same old cockiness, making you wish you had not asked at all as you nearly rolled your eyes.

You did not even know what kind of answer you expected from this guy. You rarely saw him serious at all. Maybe on the court, but that did not count.

“But he's not bad,” he suddenly continued, catching your attention.

Your gaze shifted back to the side of his face as his eyes remained straight ahead while the two of you walked side by side.

“He's got decent instincts and for a kid who just started, he isn't afraid to try things.”

For a brief moment, you almost saw the corner of his lips curve slightly. Not the smirk you were used to, but a faint, almost boyish grin that disappeared the moment you blinked.

“Then he has potential, doesn't he?” you said as you shifted your eyes forward while the two of you reached the stairs.

Carefully, you both walked up each step as the twilight touched the horizon, bathing everything in a warm orange hue while a soft breeze brushed against your skin.

“You could say that,” he answered, unamused, as you continued walking.

“Why were you in such a bad mood yesterday?”

You asked as he walked up beside you. For a moment, he did not answer at all, as if he was searching for a reason, or perhaps he did not even know the reason himself.

“Did winning really mean that much to you?” you asked again, and he let out a small chuckle.

“Isn't that obvious.”

He gave you a short answer, and you let it sink in.

“Then why aren't you at practice? Doesn't wanting to win mean you should work harder?”

You asked quietly because you were genuinely confused about the way he thought and acted. You could not really understand it, as everything he did seemed to contradict what he claimed to believe in.

“Practice is meaningless when everyone is weaker than me.” He answered with that slack off attitude, the certainty in his tone making it sound like common sense he should not have to explain in the first place.

“Then why did you come to Touou?”

Yes, you had a lot of questions, but it was because the more you talked to him, the more you felt stuck in a loop. He seemed so simple, yet at the same time so complicated.

“Touou is not really that well-known for their basketball team until recently. There are many other schools that are way stronger.”

Would not going to those schools give him more chances to meet stronger teammates and rivals? Would that not benefit his way of playing more? Then why did he come to this school out of all the others?

He must have been scouted by many schools when he was still at Teiko. You really wondered why he chose Touou out of so many options.

“Because they let me do whatever I want.”

And there it was again, that smirk settling on his lips as he answered you.

You sighed heavily at his words and immediately dropped the topic, choosing not to say anything else about it.

“What about you?”

His question came out of nowhere, so sudden that you looked at him with clear confusion.

“What about me?”

His way of speaking without full sentences made you feel like you were being led in circles, ending up right where you started, only more lost and confused than before.

“Why do you play volleyball? Because it is fun?” he asked as the two of you continued walking.

The stairs felt unusually long today, as if they stretched endlessly. The more you walked, the heavier your feet became. You looked up at the sky, a velvety orange spread across the horizon. The clouds were soft and wide, floating freely across that painted canvas.

“Yes, but victory is also important to me,” you admitted as the breeze brushed against your face, slipping through your hair.

“Meeting strong opponents makes you feel thrilled, right?” you continued, though it sounded more like you were speaking to yourself.

“That is why I try harder, to be able to meet stronger ones.”

Aomine suddenly stopped walking, no longer beside you. You halted as well and turned slightly to face him, wondering what had made him stop.

“You know, it would be better if you were a dude and played basketball.”

You frowned in confusion, having no idea why he would suddenly say something like that. Aomine always said things out of nowhere, his words as unpredictable as his actions.

You gave him a strange look before asking, meeting his deep blue eyes directly. The warm glow of the sunset cast over his sharp features, making his eyes glint faintly.

“Why, so I can play with you?”

He did not answer immediately. His lips pressed into a thin line, as if he was actually considering your words.

“That would not be too bad, would it?” he replied casually, making you want to shove him off the stairs. “Everyone would want me on their team, after all.”

His cockiness and laid-back attitude somehow added to his charm in that moment. You wondered if there was anything in this world that could humble Aomine Daiki, especially when he seemed to not care about anything at all.

You looked away briefly, avoiding his piercing gaze, before letting out a quiet huff and looking back at him.

“Yeah, you are right. I should have been a dude and played basketball,” you repeated mockingly, tilting your head slightly.

“But I do not want to play with you. You are self-centered. Your way of playing is selfish and has zero team spirit.”

Each word left your mouth without making the slightest impact on him. It was as if he was used to hearing criticism like this, as if your words meant nothing more than background noise to him. You knew that, but you still wanted to make it clear that your philosophies were completely different.

“I do not play solo like you do, Aomine,” you emphasized.

“I would rather play against you.”

For a moment, you thought you saw something flicker in his eyes. Maybe it was just the warm glow of the sunset, or maybe it was your imagination, but it looked like something ignited behind that usual indifferent gaze.

“You said you wanted a strong opponent? I would rather be that than some teammate who has to put up with your antics.”

The moment you finished speaking, a low and echoing laugh reached your ears. You watched as Aomine laughed openly, as if your words amused him far more than they should have. By now, you were used to his unpredictability.

You stood there, slightly dumbfounded, unsure what exactly was so funny. Was he mocking you or did he simply not take you seriously at all?

You let him laugh, the sound grating slightly against your ears, until he finally calmed down. When he did, he looked at you with a sharp grin and stepped forward, forcing you to lean back slightly on the stairs.

Looking down at him from above felt strange. You had never really had the chance to do that before. Yet even like this, even standing lower than you, he still seemed to dominate the entire space. And somehow, you felt more vulnerable than ever.

“This is why I like you.”

He said it so casually, so effortlessly, with no weight behind his tone. As if it meant nothing at all. As if he had just asked for the time.

And before you could even process his words, before you could react, he had already continued walking up the stairs, urging you to hurry and follow.

You decided not to think too much about anything Aomine said. Maybe that was for the best.

Because you were not sure how many of his words he truly meant, and how many were just said on a whim.

And from what little you knew of him, some things were better left unanswered.

.⋆.⋆.⋆

And your life passed by as usual, a steady cycle of schoolwork, club activities, and home. Schoolwork, club activities, home.

But what gave you the biggest headache was the upcoming exams. If your scores dropped too low, you would have to take extra classes on the weekend, which could easily overlap with your matches.

So, like most people in any club, you had to keep your grades above average, especially during tournament season if you wanted to keep playing.

Most people in your club formed study groups, tutoring each other in subjects they were better at.

As for you, you had to spend extra time on theoretical subjects. There were too many terms to memorize, and they were ridiculously long. So you had to carve out time between training and practice just to study.

But since junior high, you had already developed your own method. You recorded your lessons on your phone and listened to them through your earbuds while staying late for practice.

Today was no different. The court was empty, and the basketball club did not seem to be active at this hour, giving you time for extra practice.

But when you opened the storage room to take out the ball cart, you found a familiar figure inside, nearly startling you into screaming.

He was sprawled out like a corpse, making you think for a split second that someone had died in there instead of simply sleeping. He must have heard you come in, because his eyes slowly opened to look at you.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” you asked, kicking the side of his leg lightly to get him to move.

“Get up so I can get my stuff!”

You were already irritated enough from the pressure of the exams, and now Aomine was here on top of it.

He lazily sat up, yawning loudly before letting out a groan.

“Stop being so noisy.”

“Why are you even here in the first place? Other clubs-”

He cut you off before you could finish, slumping back against the wall behind him.

“Trying to hide from Satsuki. She has been nagging me to study all week.”

There was clear annoyance in his tone as he sighed heavily.

Right. He had exams too.

But you did not have time to waste. You just wanted to grab a few balls and leave.

“You still have time to practice. Such a hard worker.”

His mocking tone echoed in the room again, making your gaze shift toward him slightly.

Watching him sit there with his arms crossed so lazily made you wonder how he could look so relaxed when Momoi had said he skipped classes and practice all the time.

You sighed quietly to yourself. You did not want to study either. But you had to. It determined whether you were allowed to play or not.

You looked at him for a moment before nudging his leg aside and dropping down next to him with the heaviest sigh you had let out all day.

“I do not want to study either.”

“Then do not study.”

He answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world, shifting slightly to give you space.

You did not even know what you expected from him as you leaned your head back against the wall.

“And risk not being allowed to play any matches? Yeah, right,” you muttered tiredly.

Aomine stayed quiet for a moment before speaking again.

“I thought you would be the type who does not need to study but still gets ridiculously high grades.”

You let out a small laugh.

“I am not invincible.”

Honestly, just trying not to fail physics was already enough to fry your brain. 

“Everyone has to study to be good at something.”

“Not me,” he said, tilting his head slightly as he emphasized his point.

You knew he meant basketball but that was just ridiculous. You had no idea what his grades were like, and you were not about to judge him based on that anyway.

“Try not to fail, Aomine,” you teased, making a weak attempt to humble him. “You have a game next week, right?”

“Yeah, against Kaijo.”

He answered lazily, and you recalled how Momoi had been complaining to your manager this morning about how Aomine had not even bothered to look at the data report she prepared on one of Kaijo’s players.

You wondered if that player was Kaijo’s ace, if she was that worried about it.

“Is that okay for you, not reading those reports Momoi handed you?” you ask without even thinking first as Aomine turns to look at you, cocking his eyebrow as if he is questioning how you knew that.

“Sorry, I accidentally heard her talking to my manager earlier,” you explain quietly, feeling a bit embarrassed as if you were caught eavesdropping on something you should not have.

“I will win, so that's unnecessary.”

His answer somehow annoys you even more, even though you already expected it. Somehow talking to him just makes your headache grow worse as you stand up, planning to return to your practice. But before you can even leave, you feel a rough, warm sensation wrap around your wrist, making you startle and turn to look at the boy still sitting, leaning against the wall behind you.

“If you're so free right now,” that same old smirk slowly forms on his lips as he looks at you, his fingers still loosely circling your wrist, thumb brushing slightly against your skin without him pulling away, “how about you show me some of your specialty?”

His tone is low, laced with teasing and unseriousness, and you do not even know if he is being for real.

“Really, you want to learn volleyball?” you repeat, not for confirmation but out of disbelief at whatever nonsense he is blabbering as you raise an eyebrow.

Aomine’s grip grows a bit tighter around your wrist, enough to stop you from pulling away as he tugs you just a little closer, the distance between you shortening without warning.

“Oh, I'm being serious. Shouldn't you return the favor?”

You stare at him for a moment too long, scanning his face to see if he is lying, teasing you, or being serious, but all you see is that stupidly handsome face he has, far too close for comfort now.

Before you can say anything further, he already stands up from his place. Letting go of your wrist, though his fingers linger for half a second longer than necessary, he steps outside and mindlessly picks out a ball from the nearby cart.

“Besides, I'd rather learn this than study anything.”

.⋆.⋆.⋆

And that is how you end up teaching this big ass brick wall, built like a damn tank, how to bend properly just to toss a ball.

“Why are you so fucking stiff? You play sports too!”

You step closer, reaching out to press lightly against his shoulder, trying to get him to loosen up, but he barely moves, solid and unmoving under your hand.

“Not every sport is the same!”

he argues back as you continue to hold your stomach and laugh even harder.

Even Aomine becomes impatient and annoyed because you keep laughing at him, his jaw tightening slightly.

Now you understand how he felt when he showed you how to throw a ball into the hoop.

Your laughter echoes in the space along with his groan beside you as you step back into position and pick up the ball from the ground.

“Remember what you told me, knees bent, feet shoulder width apart.”

You speak quietly and slowly as Aomine follows your instructions, though he still looks stiff in the position, like his body refuses to cooperate.

“Bring your forearms together, press your thumbs together like this.”

You step in front of him again, close enough that you can feel the heat radiating off him. Your fingers wrap around his wrists, guiding them inward. His arms tense at first under your touch before slowly easing as you adjust his position.

He exhales softly, almost like a restrained sigh.

“Like this,” you repeat, pressing his hands together more firmly.

“Lock your elbows to stabilize your arms,” you continue as he follows. “Yeah, like that.”

You do not pull away immediately. Your hands linger for a second longer than necessary, adjusting, pressing, making sure he stays in place. His gaze stays on you instead of his own form, he’s a bit distracting.

“Focus,” you mutter, tapping lightly against his arm before finally stepping back.

You hold the ball in your hand as you stand in front of him.

“Now if you want to bump the ball, you do not swing your arms. You use your legs to push and guide the ball with your platform.”

You softly bump the ball upward in a smooth arc as you continue.

“Try to catch that.”

“Am I a dog or what?” he groans out as his eyes follow the ball above.

He extends his forearms a bit and follows the target, but before he can even bend his knees properly, the ball already falls and hits him right on his head.

It almost looks like it is mocking him for how stupid he looks right now.

You can almost see how Aomine’s face grows darker with each passing second. He is indeed pissed off and annoyed as you laugh out loud once again.

“This is stupid,” he complains in an annoyed tone.

He is stupid.

But you do not say that out loud as you pick the ball rolling on the floor up once again.

“It's normal for a beginner,” you try to ease him down, but that does not help at all.

“I'm not a beginner!” he argues as you continue to laugh.

“Okay, at least you know your specialty should always be basketball.”

You speak up as Aomine no longer argues with you, his eyes following you instead as you effortlessly toss the ball up, get into position, run and jump to spike the ball right across the court.

You do not use your full strength, but it is enough to create such impact with the floor as the sound explodes loudly in the empty space with only the two of you there.

“No wonder my nose bled,” he murmurs under his breath, though you do not quite catch that at all.

As you turn around to meet his eyes, you notice someone slide open the gym door, only to meet the gaze of a pink haired girl.

“Oh, you're here,” she greets you as you greet her back quietly, only for her to notice the big boy next to you, who now looks like he is sneakily trying to get away.

“Ah! You're here, Dai-chan! Come back to your studies right now! I'm not going to repeat it.”

She almost yells at him as she tugs on his shirt, trying to pull him out of the gym, and he looks so desperate as he winces and groans in protest. The two of them create such chaotic noise that it bangs loudly in your already aching head.

At the same time, looking at them makes you feel a bit amused as you let out a soft chuckle.

Momoi says goodbye to you once again as she finally manages to urge Aomine to return to his studies, and the boy gives you a brief, despairing look before he reluctantly leaves the room.

You are left alone in the empty space once again as you put on your earbuds and return to your practice.

-To be continued-

[shiionz]

Sit your ass down and go practice with those baby dolls. The only one who's coming out pregnant is YOU not ME.

[captainshindo]

Don’t mind me

It’s missing Miyuki hour rn🥀