#suireixali

[kazu-hei]

"So you're a part of the basketball team, ate Suirei?"

I got into TAD recently and fell in love with Suirei, so have this art of her with Ali in a highschool setting :)

I'm making SuiLi canon and no one can stop me

[kazu-hei]

I won't Say It!

Suirei x Ali [ One-Shot • canon x self-insert! ]

Note: This was written with the common knowledge to non-light novel readers. No spoilers!

Playing . . . a!ka・:〃➜ I Won't Say (I'm In Love)

── .✦

[ JUNE 28TH, 2024 ]

For someone like Suirei, June 28th was just another Thursday for her to consider as a normal day. She had her usual morning routine. Forcing herself to rise out of bed early, which is then followed by a tiring session of calling out for Sishui and Kyou-u to eat breakfast together. School would be their next destination after that. For Suirei, she would usually end up winding out as a helper at the clinic or training together with a certain sports team in her free time, and if she wasn't doing any of those, she would sure be found sitting behind the bookshelves at the library. All in all, it was the same old thing. Nobody could ever make the mistake of doubting to find her within her usual spots.

However, a certain topic had made it's way to her ears that day. A month after this school year had just started, fresh news - for once - had slipped within the cracks to the passed around the student body. She was never one to busy herself with such matters. You'd be better off doing more productive things than getting hung up over nonsense chatter anyways.

Though at that time, they had been busy with training for the upcoming basketball league. The sound of friction between the shoes of the players and the shiny court floor was evident in the school gym. Her calloused hands filled with scars reached for the ball that had just bounced by her side of the court, when two boys who were a year younger than her spoke up. "I heard she transferred all the way from the other side of the side of the country."

It was that exact talk that had been swirling among the campus recently. The students were more hyped up compared to the gossips they have indulged in from the past years that Suirei has spent within this school. It was quite shocking, she didn't think they could get more noisy than they are already are, but it seems she will always be proven wrong about these people.

It couldn't be denied that she has already heard about this first-year girl around a week ago, but her full interest was only piqued just now.

From the other side of the country, huh? Then that must mean....

Suirei tilted her head to the face the side ever so slightly. Her gaze landed on the black and purple haired captain who had just picked up the basketball that he managed to throw into the hoop not too long ago. He wiped off the sweat dropping from his forehead. That guy was definitely determined for them to finish their training for the day even if it meant fighting with the blazing heat index. She wasn't one to complain, though. But these players were definitely slacking off by continuing their gossip. "You two." Her voice was enough to snap the juniors back to reality. "Get back to training, will you?" She spoke with firmness yet it wasn't too stern either. Even so, it got the two boys panicking to get back to their positions. "Yes, ate Suirei!"

The school gym wasn't usually crowded. Most of the students would naturally be busy with handling their own problems, academic or whatnot, than to watch a couple of guys train for a basketball game. On the other hand, there were still those who were sport enthusiasts in general who would take a seat on the bleachers. While some of the seated audience were just girls trying to get a glimpse of their crush on the court. But ever since their captain had been replaced a year ago by this 2nd-year male, their scope of spectators has significantly increased. It was definitely something to be awed about. Not even her choice of joining the team for the first time brought out such a number of onlookers, and that alone had been a big talk in the campus during her freshman years.

A sigh escaped her mouth. Time really does pass by, huh. Her eyes took in the court. It hasn't drastically changed either, but their teammates did increase in number, contributing in a more livelier atmosphere and a group of fresh faces. So far, it was going smooth. All of them were diligently practicing in the court, firing up their competitive spirits. Meanwhile, Suirei took the privilege to take a small break along with a few members after an exhausting game session in the heat. She took a seat at the most upfront row of the bleachers and grabbed one of the water bottles to bring up to her lips.

Yeah, it was going smooth, until it wasn't.

It was then when a shout was heard which immediately alerted Suirei. She was quick to lift her head up, her dark blue eyes widening at the sight. A ball was flying her way in a rapid speed, headed straight for her face. No...Not her face. It was going past her, right at people on the bleachers!

She was up from her seat in a matter of seconds. Her reflexes reacted immediately as she raised her hand to block the ball's path. It's lightning speed halted when it made contact with her hand with a loud smack before it bounced back to the side of the court.

The gym was suddenly dead silent. Suirei merely gave a quick look at her arm, her face returning to it's stoic expression like nothing of importance just happened. It wasn't unusual for accidents like these to happen. However... She took a look at the frozen players from the corner of her eyes, taking note of one who seemed more frightened and shocked than the rest. Must've been the guy who had thrown the ball, then.

But it was still unusual to see almost all the them to be standing still as if they were anticipating something. A reaction from her, perhaps? Or maybe a fuss from the students sitting behind her. She wasn't sure, for as long as she remembered, only a few were watching from this side of the bleachers.

Her eyes further narrowed when she saw the captain standing faraway with an unreadable look painted on his face. She could feel his gaze on her and on the presence behind her. The silence was so tense to the point that it was feeling a bit suffocating, especially with those purple eyes boring into her. Fortunately, a few of the audience started to stir up their chatter once more in a hushed manner. Everyone was acting so odd, and almost every single one of them was looking her way. Her curiosity had already eaten her up when she decided to follow their line of gaze.

They all weren't staring at her, which she had already deduced, rather, they were actually watching the person who was on the row just behind hers. A young female was sitting there with a straight posture and crossed legs, holding her hand up to as a means to block her face from any lost, flying objects. Just as Suirei's head finally turned to her, the hand was brought down to be placed on her lap.

Now, she could see the girl's face clearly. Her face was blank as she stared off into the distance. If that was all, maybe she would've described it as a resting bitch face or even stoicism. But no, that wasn't the case at all when you took in her soft features. The bright light in her doe eyes completely contrasted the blank expression she sported. Her gaze was gentle, holding no hint of displeasure in them. Suirei couldn't take her eyes away from her.

She looked young enough to be one of the first year students. Suirei's speculation was confirmed when her gaze fell down to her uniform, most especially the chest pocket which had only one bar attached to it. She also noticed that the clothes did look quite big on her, almost loose around her body, considering her small stature. The black and pink jacket she wore was eye-catching as well. In this heat, really?

In the midst of the uncomfortable sea filled with watchful eyes, she stood up, still holding the same expression. The girl's lips curled up into a small smile. "It's fine." Her voice was so soft, something that one wouldn't refuse to hear again and again. It was also slightly quiet to the point that it could almost be considered as a timid tone. But the way she looked down at the players made it clear that she wasn't entirely afraid to speak up with all of their attention on her.

At that exact moment, any impression of coldness regarding her demeanor was melted away by that gentle look on her face. Seeing her smile made something twist inside Suirei's chest. She didn't know what exactly it was. All she was aware of is the fact that she was strangely intrigued by this peculiar student. The breath that the players had been holding was finally be released. One of them took this as a chance to move from their spot, making a swift beeline towards the young girl. "I'm so sorry, miss Ali!" It was the same guy that Suirei had presumed to have lost control over the basketball from a few minutes ago.

Ali, huh? So it's her, the new face from the other side of the country.

Suirei's eyes never left her figure while the girl slowly started to make her way down the bleachers. As she did so, the guy from earlier profusely sputtered out one apology after another as to which the first-year only brushed off with the same smile on her face that had now turned to a somewhat flustered look as the boy continued on. "Really, you don't have to be so formal. I'm just a freshman, kuya." Her gentle tone never faded with each word she spoke. However, there was a trace of awkwardness in there. "..And please, for both of our sakes, let's both let this go." That seemed to be her best way of attempting to calm him down.

Soon enough, a few of their team members came over to pick him up. "C'mon! She already said it's fine!" "B-but she's-!" They dragged him back to the court, but not without sending their own apologetic look to the girl named Ali. Suirei watched in silence as she sent a little wave to the retreating players, her face now painted with a look of amusement. There was now a light change into the atmosphere, or to be more specific, the air around the young girl.

Time seemed to move again as the players continued the training. There was quite a distance between the her and Ali, and silence filled in the gap that was present. Suirei wanted to turn her head away but she couldn't muster up the energy to do so. It was intriguing how one could look so reserved and unapproachable yet gentle at the same time. Albeit she looks to be withdrawn at first glance, the way she reacted to the incident indicated that she was friendly and mature enough. When spoken to, she appears to be a soft-spoken princess who isn't entirely at ease with speaking verbally. She seems timid, but the way she carries herself contradicts that. Her very existence was a paradox.

To someone like Suirei, she was more fascinating than the rest of the people she knew of. She didn't know the last time she's taken this much interest in something other than medicine and the bugs that her sister always talks about. She wanted to understand her, to solve the puzzle the heaven's had laid before her very eyes.

Suirei was busy studying her when her dark blue eyes suddenly met her doe dark brown one's. It snapped her back to reality. She wasn't aware of how intently she was staring until now. The smile was gone on Ali's face at that point, her expression going back to it's signature soft, aloof look. But there was something else in her bright gaze. It was a hint of curiosity.

For some odd reason, she found herself standing still as she took in Ali's attention. Her stare was almost hypnotizing in some way. Unless she was simply going insane. Was it the experimentation that she has done along with Maomao the other day? Or was it her lack of sleep? Her train of thought was cut off when she saw a glimpse of a smile on the other girl's face once more. It was different from before, more gleeful and wider. For a second, the world seemed to stop as they stared into each other's eyes, like there was one one else around except for the two of them.

"Thank you." Those two words were spoken by Ali before she turned away, her soft voice echoing inside of Suirei's mind. She stood there, unresponsive, watching the young girl walk away, slowly disappearing from her line of sight. It was almost as if her brain short circuited. Whispers filled her head, telling her to call out for the girl, to find out more, and yet she kept her mouth her shut. What the hell? She knew it wasn't good to try out that datura as Maomao said so, now there are voices in her head speaking of actions she wasn't accustomed to.

She'd be lying if she said that it wasn't tempting, though.

. . .

Yep, definitely the datura speaking.

"Suirei! Captain Rindou says you need to get back in!"

In the end, she simply sucked it up. She let out a small breath and turned back to the court where all of her teammates were eagerly waiting for her. Ali. The name was fitting for someone like her. She couldn't help but wonder how it rolled off on her tongue. But now wasn't the time. She started to walk back into her usual position, her thoughts lingering on the girl that intervened into her life.

Maybe Thursday's weren't so bad after all.

Ever since that day, June 28th was a date that she had engraved deep into her mind.

── .✦

Maybe i'll make more parts if people demand for it ¯_(ツ)_/¯ But for now, I hope y'all enjoyed this small random fic

Thank you for reading! ♡