"Okay, but if I win, I get to pick a prize with your membership points for my girlfriend." Akashi demanded, and that made your eyes widen.
'He can't be serious! As awful as these boys are, they spent money and time on their membership points. Even if it isn't a lot. He cannot seriously be demanding a prize from them?!'
But the boys nodded in agreement, so you groaned towards all three boys present.
Akashi turned to you, "This isn't becoming too much of an ego battle, isn't it?" He asked you and the boys made mocking faces towards him.
"We both know you're going to win. You're ripping these boys off." You chastized, and he smiled fondly at you. "I'm not. These boys are bothering you, so I'm making them apologize. Perhaps it will be an educational experience for them too." He reasoned, and you sighed, unable to disagree with that. 'He really knows how to convince me. I mean, certainly my prize will be at the back of their minds, warning them not to hit on a girl who clearly is with her date next time.'
"Pfft. You're a little but too cocky, aren't you?" The tipsy boy hissed at Akashi, who stepped in front of the machine.
"I am absolute."
"We'll see about that. I'm starting."
The sober friend stepped to the side of the machine, allowing Akashi and tipsy boy full access to the machine as tipsy boy and Akashi started the game.
Tipsy boy's turn was first, and whilst the ball did went inside of one of the hoops, it was clear he had been aiming for another one. A mistake an amateur like yourself had comitted. Yet he was really acting like he did something there, giving Akashi a smug grin.
You couldn't help but giggle when Akashi picked up the ball, fully knowing the boy would be annihilated.
Akashi, almost to piss on the boy, directly stood in front of the hoop the boy had actually been aiming at, and he flawlessly scored the basket. Just like expected.
Your giggles became cackling, you just couldn't help it.
Meanwhile, tipsy boy was only growing angrier, but sober boy who thanks to being sober and thus a little more clear-headed, was eyeing Akashi with the full realization you hadn't been bluffing when you called them amateurs.
They had just entered a bet anyone could see they were going to lose.
And people did see.
A few other players at the arcade were slowly gathering around, anyone could see Akashi was a real pro, and they were in absolute awe of his game. One boy in particular, was studying Akashi with curiosity.
Your boyfriend won with ease, again, just like the two of you had predicted.
Sober boy held up his friends, shaking his head. "Look, it's clear you're a pro. You win, okay." You giggled as you threw your arms around Akashi. "Of course he's a pro! He's one of the Generation of Miracle players. He's famous amongst junior basketball players." You said, puffing up your chest out of pride that you scored such a catch for yourself. Because you could create a list of reasons why Akashi was perfect and amazing, one that could make a large family's grocery list pale in comparison.
The boy in the small gathering around you that had been studying your boyfriend exclaimed, "I knew it! Akashi Seijuro! Number 4 of Rakuzan and Teiko Middle!" He clearly had a small fanboy moment, and you smiled widely at your boyfriend.
"Look, you've got fans." You teased, and he kissed you on the top of your head.
"The only fan I want is you."
By the time you got home, your mom was already on the couch having a glass of wine before she'd went to bed, a ritual she had for work days and saturdays in cases of the previous week having been intense.
Which allowed you to stay in your bubble.
Because the date had furthermore been great.
After Akashi had made the boys pick an adorable pink rabbit plushy and a simple necklace with an adorable kitty cat from each of their cards respectively, you had played a few more games and you had swollen with pride when Akashi complimented your pinball skills.
Dinner had been great. You weren't familiar with most of the things on the menu though, not even by name, so you ended up picking the things you were most familiar with.
Akashi ended up ordering spaghetti and fed you one of his meatballs. You wondered if he had seen Disney's Lady and The Tramp.
It had made you smile and blush nonetheless, so you figured if Akashi had a plan it was working.
He and his driver carried your stuffed animals and your shopping purchases to your door, and Akashi had made the driver leave before you could go inside.
After saying goodbye for a final time, he hesitantly leaned in for a goodbye kiss, and this time, fully consensual, you kissed.
It had been wonderful, your heart felt like it had grown wings and had dived straight of Mount Everest, soaring so high in the sky no one could see. When he withdrew his lips, he had whispered, "It's like my soul is flying in outer space when I taste you."
A blush once again had graced your face as the two of you broke apart. With the slightly sad look on his face as he stepped into the car, you knew he felt the pain of seperating physically as badly as you did.
In one day, Akashi Seijuro had became the air you breathed, and he breathed you in just the same.