the prologue || previous/next/masterlist
pairing: Akaashi Keiji x fem!reader
ratings/warnings: probably swearing, nothing too much, LOTS of shakespeare, fluff, i’m trying to keep the angst out of it but yeah yeah, lots of books mentioned
synopsis: While trying to prove a romance untrue, Akaashi Keiji and you might just find love of your own.
taglist: open! send a message or an ask please!
@oikawaplssteponme @normalisthenewnorm @heyyviolette @budibbly @yearnism
a/n: here’s a prologue woohoo hope you enjoy! also have a couple ocs which is hot
★★★
“Romeo and Juliet. One of the world’s most iconic love stories. Love at first sight, and the passion that ensues, as two people not fated to together desperately try to defy the stars-” your brain immediately tuned out your teacher’s voice. The stars are nice and all, but lunch sounds really cool around now. Your stomach gave a growl as your teacher continued on her over dramaticized tangent.
“Is it really a love story? Was it really love that drew Romeo to Juliet, or was she, quite simply put, a rebound?” A few people chuckled at her dramatic tone. “We can’t deny the passion-” I’m feeling really passionate about lunch. Food sounds really really hot. Noodles, yakisoba bread, eggs... You glanced back up at your teacher, who now had her “I’m going to talk about actually important details” face. Maybe I should tune back in. Yeah, that sounds okay.
“My point being, we can’t deny that there was a spark in between them. The question is, was that spark love, or youth’s folly?And that’s what we’re going to be focusing on for the final project of this unit.” Your teacher pressed a button to change the slide projecting on the whiteboard.
ROMEO AND JULIET INTERPRETATION PROJECT
“I’ll be splitting the class into groups based on your answer to the following.” You saw students sit up slightly in anticipation. “Raise your hand if you believe that Romeo and Juliet is a case of true love, knowing what you do about the story?” You saw about half of the class’s hands raise. Your teacher smiled as she wrote down names.
“Now, raise your hand if you believe that Romeo and Juliet is about bad decisions under passion and pressure?” Your hand shot up along with the other half of the class. “That’s a nice even split! How about the true love group meets on the side of the class near the windows and the other can meet on the right, and you guys can discuss what I’m about to show you!” She clicked a button again and you saw about three-quarters of the class’s faces drop.
YOU WILL HAVE TO PERFORM THE PLAY FOR THIS PROJECT!
Your teacher relished in the disappointment of her students for a good ten seconds. “I knew I’d get that reaction.” She changed slides again.
USING A FEW PIECES OF EVIDENCE, WHICH SHOULD BE ACTED OUT BY A PAIR OF STUDENTS AND MAYBE A COUPLE MORE FOR EXTRAS, AND ONE NARRATOR TO EXPLAIN HOW THE SCENE RELATES TO YOUR POINT, YOU WILL PROVE ROMEO AND JULIET A CASE OF TRUE LOVE OR NOT.
The class sighed as your teacher laughed at you. “Yeah, I’m not that mean of a teacher, don’t worry. Keep in mind that I don’t want you to be bland in your acting. Just because you’re saved from doing the entire play doesn’t mean I want this to be boring! Anyhow, how about you guys split into those sides of the classroom I mentioned earlier and I’ll make your groups even smaller coming around?” You obeyed as the classroom erupted in the screeches of chairs being pushed back. Students split up into their assigned halves, as you settled down next to your seatmate Rina, leaning against the wall.
“So what do you think of the project?” you asked her. She gave you a noncommittal shrug.
“Honestly, I think I’d want to be on the other side, but the age difference gets me every time.” You snorted. “What about you?”
“I don’t mind it honestly,” you mused. “Not too hard of a project for a final, especially considering the fact that they would die for each other in a matter of days but also talk mostly of each other’s beauty, which I find pretty shallow.” Rina laughed at your analysis.
“That’s how true love works though! It’s like the prince seeing Snow White or Aurora or Cinderella!”
“Need I remind you about what’s problematic with those stories to get you on my side?” you shot back with an exaggerated sigh. You both looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting into soft laughter. Sato Rina (though she’d practically forced you into being on a first-name basis, so she was just Rina to you) had struck up an easy companionship with you since the beginning of the year, and you did genuinely enjoy conversations with her despite your slightly differing natures. A complete extrovert, she’d plopped down next to you and introduced herself with a handshake, and hadn’t stopped talking to you since.
Your teacher made it to your side of the room. “Alright, y/n, Sato, Akaashi, Takahashi, you four are in a group.” You felt Rina tug at your arm.
“We have Akaashi and Takahashi, who should carry their share of the work, so this should be an okay project!” she whispered excitedly as you settled around a group of desks with the other members of your group. “Alright!” Rina announced, taking charge immediately. “As the resident drama club member, I call being director of this group!”
“Don’t we just have to say a couple of lines and get it over with?” Takahashi groaned, letting his head fall onto his arms, laid out on the desk. “No need to be so extra about it.”
“But doing it with flair is fun,” Rina pouted, “and I love Shakespeare, so, please?” You decided to speak up for her.
“I mean, I don’t mind letting her organize it,” you said with a shrug. “A little… flair… never hurt.”
The dark-haired final member of your also spoke up. “It wouldn’t do any harm,” he agreed. “And our lit teacher does advise drama so if anything, it helps.”
Rina let out a little gasp. “And for that, y/n, Akaashi, you two can be Romeo and Juliet respectively. Takahashi, that leaves you with me on narration and extras!” She clapped her hands together. “Let’s do this, guys!”
You looked across the group of desks. Gunmetal blue eyes met yours. You broke eye contact as your group got to work creating a shared document and assigning workloads. This will be fun.