This Year.. Maybe
Chapter 1: April 10 - So Close Yet.. So Far
5YNOPSIS: As fourth year begins, Kazuha steps into his sudden role as class president. But when a familiar presence enters the classroom, his carefully built composure wavers. A brief, awkward exchange during seating arrangements brings back a memory from two years ago.. a moment that changed everything for him Tags: KAZUHA X READER... not yet, fluff, modern au, high school setting in Inazuma, TOMO'S ALIVE! (i know that's not his actual name..) Heizou and Beidou Appearance, Unrequited Love/Pining (for now), reader's action is written as - You did this bla bla bla, Use of [Y/N]
WC: 4, 491
A/N: This was originally intended to be a oneshot, but as I started writing more, I found there were too many scenarios I wanted to explore.... So, I decided to turn it into a series instead! This chapter was the original oneshot, with a few added details and adjustments!! - anyone else want to be tagged..?
The morning sun peeked through the pale curtains of Kazuhaâs room, dappling the wooden floor with light. The faint rustle of cherry blossoms outside blended with the distant chirping of birds, creating a serene melody.
Kazuha stirred under the soft covers of his futon, blinking groggily at the sunlight filtering through pale curtains.
âHEY! Kazuha!â Beidouâs voice rang out from downstairs, full of its usual lively energy. âIf you donât get up soon, youâre gonna be late! Dont make me drag you!â
Kazuha groaned, sitting up and trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. âIâm up..!â he called back, though the lethargy clinging to his limbs said otherwise.
He shuffled toward the bathroom, splashing his face with cold water in a bid to wake himself fully.
His reflection stared back at him, hair disheveled, crimson eyes half-lidded still lingering sleep.
By the time he stepped into the shower, the cold water immediately woke up his mind.
He lingered longer than usual, letting his thoughts drift.
Today was the start of his final year in high school.
The idea brought a strange mix of anticipation and unease, but one thought stood out above the rest: You.
Your name had been in the same class as his.. Class 4-B
Kazuhaâs heart quickened as he recalled seeing it, placed among his future classmates. After years of fleeting glances and quiet admiration, fate had placed you in the same class...
Was it a sign? Or perhaps just a cruel trick to test his resolve?
He sighed, stepping out of the shower and toweling off. He dressed with practiced efficiency, smoothing the crisp fabric of his uniform and tying his hair into its usual loose ponytail.
Downstairs, the aroma of grilled fish and steamed rice greeted him, and Kazuhaâs stomach growled in appreciation.
Beidou was already seated at the table, leaning back in her chair with an air of casual confidence. âFinally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?â she teased, grinning as Kazuha slid into his seat.
âYouâre up early,â Kazuha replied, helping himself to a serving of rice and miso soup.
âHad a shipment to oversee at dawn...â Beidou said, waving a hand. âBut I wouldnât want to miss seeing my kid off on his first day back.â
Kazuhaâs lips curved into a faint smile. Beidou wasnât one for traditional displays of affection, but her pride in him was evident.
As they ate, she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. âSo, whatâs the plan this year, Kazu? Flying under the radar like always?â
Kazuha paused, chopsticks hovering mid-air. âSomething like that,â he said lightly, though his thoughts were anything but simple.
Beidou raised an eyebrow but didnât push.
Instead, she smirked. âWell, donât let âem push you around. Youâre a Kaedehara, after all! Go make a splash!!"
He chuckled softly. âIâll keep that in mind.â
After breakfast, Kazuha shouldered his bag and made his way to the door. Beidou followed, leaning against the frame as she watched him slip on his shoes.
âGood luck, kid,â she said, ruffling his hair as he straightened.
Kazuha glanced back, his eyes soft. âThanks, Mom.â
The air was crisp and refreshing as Kazuha stepped outside, his satchel slung loosely over one shoulder. The cobblestone path that led to the heart of Inazuma City were now covered with the petals of the sakura trees. Each step he took stirred a few fallen petals into the air.
For most, this was simply another school day.
But for Kazuha, it felt like something more.
The idea of starting his final year was enough to make him reflect.. about everything.. but knowing that you would share his classroom this year had sent his emotions into overdrive.
The streets bustled with life as merchants opened their stalls and mothers ushered their children along. Kazuha weaved through the familiar sights.
As he passed by the riverbank, he couldnât resist pausing for a moment. The gentle ripple of the water reflected the cherry blossoms overhead, and for the briefest of moments, Kazuha felt his heartbeat to steady.
But the memory of seeing your name on the class roster made his pulse quickened when heâd first spotted it. His lips quirked into a faint smile as he recalled.
[Y/N].
In Class 4-B.
With me.
It wasnât as if youâd never noticed him beforeâyouâd exchanged polite nods, once or twiceâbut this year felt different.
The proximity, the potential for interaction, and the possibility to finally close the distance between youâit was both exhilarating and terrifying...
As the school gates came into view, his stomach churned with nervousness. Students in their uniforms crowded the courtyard, their chatter blending into a harmony of excitement.
Kazuha slipped through the crowd, trying to mask his inner storm of emotions under his calm exterior. His destination was the bulletin board, where students gathered to confirm their class placements.
The board was covered in lists of names, neatly organized by class and year. He moved to the front, his heart beating just a little faster with each step. As he stood there, the names on the list blurred together for a momentâuntil he found it.
1. Kirara 2. Kuki Shinobu 3. Shikanoin Heizou .............
His gaze flickered from the first name to the last.
Kiraraâs name made him smile a little, thinking of her playful, hardworking nature, always so full of energy.
Kuki Shinobuâs name, though, was a comfortâher sharp mind and calm demeanor were qualities Kazuha appreciated.
Then, of course, there was Shikanoin Heizou, with his tendency to be both mischievous yet quick-witted, he was the type of person who could get away with anything with just a wink and a smile.
But it was the last name that truly made his heart skip 7. Kaedehara Kazuha 8. [Your Name]
His fingers hovered over the list, still not quite believing it. There you were, placed right beside him in Class 4-B.
The sheer coincidenceâcould it be? Was this some sort of sign, or was it just luck?
He blinked, trying to steady his breath, but all the excitement and nerves seemed to rush into him at once.
In that moment, Kazuha allowed himself a soft, fleeting smile that no one else would notice, but it made his heart feel lighter.
He stepped back to let the next student through, slipping his hands into his pockets as he made his way toward the classroom, his heart warm with anticipation.
By the time Kazuha reached Class 4-B, the classroom was already beaming with excitement as students were catching up on their vacations, gossiping about the summer, and speculating on what this year would bring. Some were still settling into their seats, others chatting with familiar faces.
As Kazuha settled into his usual seat by the window, he couldnât help but notice the gentle rustle of the curtains in the breeze. The room felt alive with promise...
His gaze drifted lazily toward the front of the classroom, and for the briefest moment, his mind wandered to other mattersâthe sea breeze, the distant rustle of leaves, and the soft hum of nature just outside the classroom walls.
It was a familiar feeling, like the world outside was calling him, reminding him that there were places beyond this room.
But today, everything felt heavy with anticipation, tethering him here.
His fingers lightly traced the edge of his desk as he waited for the bell to ring, the subtle pulse of his heartbeat was now an erratic drumbeat in his chest.
Finally, the door creaked open, and in walked Mr. Takahashi, the homeroom teacher.
"Good morning, Class 4-B!" Mr. Takahashi greeted, his voice steady and authoritative.
He was the.. sort of teacher who commanded attention without needing to raise his voice, a quiet confidence in his demeanor that immediately settled the room.
"Letâs get started."
As he walked toward the front, there was a palpable shift in the air.
The students, who had been chatting away moments ago, began to quiet down, eyes turning towards the front.
Kazuha felt the familiar stir of unease in his stomach, the sense that something was about to happenâsomething he couldnât quite control.
Mr. Takahashi cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "Before we get into the schedule for the year, thereâs something we need to address. It's time for our class officer elections."
A collective groan echoed through the room, the sound of students who didnât particularly care for responsibilities.
Then, there was a moment of silence as everyone waited for someone to take the initiative. After all, the elections was never something people eagerly volunteered forâit was just a formality, a necessary duty to get through the year.
Kazuha, ever the quiet observer, leaned back in his chair, his hands on his lap. He wasnât particularly concerned about the election.
Heâd been elected in other class officer roles in the past without much fuss.
It wasnât also that he disliked it... it was simply that he preferred to lead quietly, from the background.
He had never been one to demand the spotlight.
"Alright, well then.." Mr. Takahashi continued, breaking Kazuhaâs thoughts, "Letâs get started. Iâll open the floor for nominations. Who would like to volunteer for the position of class president?"
Silence.
Kazuhaâs gaze shifted, taking in the faces of his classmates. No one seemed eager to take the lead, and the air was thick with reluctance.
His thoughts began to drift again, as they often did. He didnât mind being the class president, but the position came with expectations.
Expectations that made him a little uneasy.
He wasnât about to nominate himself too.
He wasnât particularly sure that anyone else would nominate him, either. He had always been more of a quiet leader, stepping in when necessary but never pushing himself forward.
The minutes ticked by, the only sound in the room being the occasional rustle of a student shifting in their seat.
Then, unexpectedly, a voice pierced the silence.
"I nominate Kaedehara Kazuha!"
Kazuhaâs eyes widened, his body stiffening in surprise. He turned toward the back of the room, where the voice had come from. Tomoâone of his closest friendsâwas grinning widely at him, hands raised in a mock salute.
"I SECOND THE NOTION!" another voice chimed in, Heizou's...
Kazuha blinked, his mind racing. He hadnât anticipated this.
He hadnât even thought to volunteer, much less be nominated so quickly. The idea of being class president was one thing, but having it thrust upon him in front of the whole class was... different.
He glanced around the room, his eyes scanning the faces of his classmates, most of whom were already looking toward him with varying degrees of curiosity.
A wave of heat crept up his face. He wasnât entirely sure why his heart rate had picked up so suddenly. It was just an election, after all.
And yet, there was something about the way they were all looking at him now that felt... he wasnât sure how to explain it.
Mr. Takahashi glanced over at him, eyebrows raised. "Well, it seems we have a nominee." He looked toward the class. "All in favor of Kaedehara Kazuha as class president, raise your hands!"
Kazuha didnât move.
His gaze flicked from hand to hand as they shot up around the roomâsome with enthusiasm, others with casual indifference.
But then, in the middle of it all, he saw it.
Your hand.
You were raising your hand..
Kazuhaâs heart skipped a beat, and he had to take a sharp breath to steady himself.
He hadnât expected that.
The warmth of your gesture, the way your fingers moved so naturally in the air, felt like a soft reassurance.
He wasnât sure why it made him feel like his entire world had shifted just a little.
When the votes were tallied, Mr. Takahashi nodded. "Looks like itâs unanimous! Kaedehara Kazuha, is now our new class president."
The class broke into applause, the sound echoing in his ears. Kazuha stood up, feeling the weight of everyoneâs eyes on him. It wasnât that he hadnât held leadership positions beforeâbut this time, it felt different.
This time, he couldnât shake the feeling that there was more at play than just being the class president.
As the applause died down, Kazuha cleared his throat, raising his hands in an effort to calm the room. "Thank you," he said, his voice steady despite the churn of emotions inside him. "Iâll do my best to make this year run smoothly."
He tried not to let his nerves show, keeping his gaze steady as he surveyed the class.
It was only when his eyes caught yours again, the soft smile on your lips, that he felt a sense of calmness..
After the election concluded and the classroom settled into a familiar rhythm of idle chatter, Mr. Takahashi waved Kazuha over to the front desk. A neat pile of name cards lay waiting, along with a seating chart template.
âAs our esteemed class president,â Mr. Takahashi began with a playful grin, âyou get the honor of helping me decide everyoneâs seating. and if you can avoid putting people with, uh, âhistoryâ near each other, youâll have my eternal gratitude."
âUnderstood, sir.â Kazuha chuckled lightly, though he felt an almost absurd level of responsibility. It wasnât that assigning seats was difficult... it was the knowledge that where people sat might define their year.
Would friendships blossom? Would rivalries form? Would someone sit beside someone they secretly admired?
Would he...?
As he flipped through the cards, your name appeared.
It stood out.
Not because the ink was bolder or the letters more elegant, but because it carried a weight only he could see...
His fingers lingered on it for a heartbeat too long before he gently placed it down.
He began filling the chart, hoping to create a fair balance. The chatter of the classroom felt distant as he arranged friendships and personalities.
But when it came to assigning his own seat..
He faltered.
Kazuha closed his eyes briefly, a silent prayer forming.
"To any deity, archon, or celestial being who might hear me... let me sit with [Y/N]."
It was foolish. Selfish... even.
But the thought of being close to youâof seeing you not just as a distant admiration but as a part of his daily lifeâmade his heart race in ways that scared him as much as they thrilled him.
Then, he carefully placed your name beside his own.
âFinished?â Mr. Takahashi asked, peering over Kazuhaâs shoulder.
âYes,â Kazuha replied, keeping his tone even despite the small scare Mr. Takahashi had given him.
âGreat. Letâs see how long it takes for complaints to start rolling in,â the teacher joked, pinning the chart to the board. âEveryone, find your new seats!â
The classroom buzzed as students gathered around the chart. Kazuha remained at his desk, his expression calm though his fingers tapped a silent rhythm against his thigh.
He didnât look up, not even when he heard footsteps approach.
âLooks like weâre seatmates,â you said, breaking the silence.
Kazuha glanced up, his breath catching for a split second. You stood beside him, your smile easy and unguarded, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
âYes,â he replied, though his voice wavered. He cleared his throat quickly, composing himself. âIt seems so.â
You tilted your head slightly, amused by his formal tone. âLooking forward to the year, Kaedehara-san!"
His name on your lips felt like a melody. âA-As am I,â he stammered, cursing himself inwardly for the awkward response.
As you settled into your seat, Kazuha couldnât help but steal a glance. Your attention had already shifted to arranging your supplies, but to him, the moment lingered like a dream he wasnât ready to wake from.
Then... the memory resurfaced with startling clarity as Kazuha caught the faintest scent of cherry blossoms drifting through the open window.
Second Year Sports Day
The schoolâs sports day had arrived, and with it, the usual mix of excitement and energy that buzzed through the air.
While the rest of the school seemed to vibrate with uncontainable enthusiasm, Kazuha found himself sitting at the edge of the track, away from the heart of the festivities. His usual spot under the large sakura tree, a quiet refuge, stood at the farthest corner of the grounds.
The cool shade beneath the tree provided a temporary escape from the groups of students, their cheers and shouts muffled by the distance.
The only sounds Kazuha truly heard were the occasional rumbles of laughter and the rustling of the leaves overhead.
He opened his notebook, the familiar pages welcoming him like an old friend. Heâd been trying to write a poem about spring, something inspired by the energy of the day...
Yet, as his pen hovered over the first line, he found himself distracted. His thoughts wandered, and the words refused to come.
His gaze drifted across the field, where students in brightly colored uniforms lined up for their respective events.
Some were stretching, some were chatting, and others were just as focused as he had hoped to be in his writing.
Yet, it wasnât their energy that caught his attention.
It was you.
There you were, standing in the middle of your relay team, adjusting the ribbon on your uniform.
It wasnât that you stood out because of any particularly noticeable trait.
You werenât the loudest, nor were you drawing attention with over-the-top theatrics.
Instead, it was in the way you carried yourself.
Your eyes seemed to be focused on the track ahead, and your smile was soft yet determined. It was clear you were nervous, but there was an undeniable strength in the way you held your own.
As you adjusted the straps of your shoes, your hands moving in practiced motions, Kazuha felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest. It was a strange feeling, one he couldnât quite place.
He watched as you laughed at something your teammate said, your voice ringing clearly through the air, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.
He didnât know why he couldnât look away, why his thoughts were suddenly so jumbled. All he could do was watch as you leaned forward, preparing for the race to begin.
The whistle blew, sharp and clear, cutting through the air. The race started with a burst of energy. You took off down the track with the other runners, your legs pumping with determination, your face set with concentration.
You werenât the fastest.
In fact, Kazuha knew that the fastest runners were already ahead, but there was something about the way you ran.
It wasnât about speed.
It was about perseverance, about staying steady no matter the odds.
There was no frenzied urgency to your movements. You were calmâalmost sereneâdespite the pressure of the race, despite the adrenaline coursing through your veins.
It was as if the entire world had fallen away, leaving only the rhythm of your body and the goal ahead.
The baton exchange came, and Kazuhaâs eyes followed every move. As you passed the baton, you didnât falter.
You didnât hesitate.
The way you handed off the baton was smooth, like youâd done it a thousand times. Your face, flushed with effort, broke into a brief smile as you cheered for your teammate who took off next.
It wasnât a smile directed at anyone in particular. It was a natural, easy smileâa smile that felt effortless and genuine, as if you werenât concerned with anything other than the moment itself.
Kazuha couldnât explain it, but that smile...so simple
Made something stir deep within him...
His hand, still gripping the pen, trembled slightly.
He was so absorbed in watching you that he didnât realize his notebook had slipped from his lap and fallen to the ground with a soft thud.
The noise startled him out of his daze, and for a brief moment, he blinked in confusion as he looked down at the notebook, now on the grass beside him.
He shook his head, trying to clear the sudden fog in his mind.
But the moment he lifted his gaze again,
There you wereâlaughing with your teammates, clearly exhausted but no less joyful...
And suddenly, it hit him.
He hadnât noticed you before.
Not like this.
Not until now.
The noises of the crowd faded, the rustling of the leaves turned into a soft murmur.
The only thing that mattered was youâyour laughter, your smile, your quiet strength as you cheered on your friends.
In the space of a single moment, his world had shifted.
For the first time, Kazuha felt something he couldnât explainâa pull, an unshakable weight in his chest.
Now, you were all he could see.
In his reverie, he didnât hear the bell ring or the shuffle of students around him.
He was lost in the memory, feeling that familiar warmth rise in his chest, the same warmth that had blossomed quietly within him since that day.
But then a soft voice broke through the haze of nostalgia, sharp and clear.
âKaedehara-san?â The sound of your voice snapped him back to the present, and Kazuha blinked, looking up in mild surprise. You were standing by his desk, your gaze not quite meeting his but still focused on him with an expression that held something like concern, a faint smile tugging at your lips.
âKaedehara-san,â you repeated, your tone playful yet gently questioning. âAre you daydreaming...? You looked like you were a million miles away!"
Kazuha felt his heart leap in his chest.
The gentle teasing was enough to make him realize just how lost heâd been in his thoughts.
He quickly shook his head, trying to mask his embarrassment with a sheepish smile. âAh, sorry, Iâwas just thinking.â
Your smile softened, though the hint of amusement still lingered. âI figured,â you said, tapping your fingers on his desk lightly. âYou seemed so... far away.â
âAh... I didnât mean to seem distant,â he stammered, immediately trying to explain himself, but the words escaped him as quickly as they had arrived.
Instead, he offered a small, embarrassed laugh. âI guess I got a little lost in my head.â It was then that he realized he hadnât even noticed when the class had finished, or how the others were packing up for lunch.
The room was quieter now, with only a few lingering conversations and the shuffle of bags and chairs. âHmm, well, itâs good to know I wasnât the only one spacing out,â you said with a small wink. âYouâve been pretty focused all morning. Do you need a break?â
Kazuha opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words.
His heart was still racing a little, not entirely from embarrassment, but from the realization that you were still here, still so close.
His chest tightened in a way he couldnât quite explain, a feeling that had been growing steadily ever since he sat beside you today.
âIâm... Iâm fine,â Kazuha managed, though his voice was quieter than he intended. He quickly gathered his thingsâhis notebook, pen, and the scattered bits of paper that had somehow gotten mixed up throughout the morningâand began packing them into his bag.
But his thoughts wandered again, despite his best efforts to stay focused.
How could he tell you what had been on his mind for so long? How could he put into words the feelings that had been growing within him ever since that second year Sports Day?
He couldnât, not yet. He wasnât ready.
But as you turned to walk away, your voice lingered in the air. âWell, Iâll let you catch up on your thoughts then, Kaedehara-san. Donât work yourself too hard, okay?â
Kazuha watched you go, his heart racing in his chest as the words youâd said echoed in his mind. "Donât work yourself too hard."
How could he explain that it wasnât work, but something much more complicated?
That it wasnât just the class, or the presidency, or the seat arrangement that filled his thoughts..
It was you.
But he remained silent, and he let you walk away, his gaze lingering on the space where you had sat.
Later that evening, after the weight of the day had lifted,
Kazuha sat by his window, the sky had deepened into dusk, the stars flickering above like distant fires, and the air was cool.
It was quiet in his room, aside for the soft rustle of the wind and the occasional chirp of crickets in the night.
The silence gave him the space he needed to think, to process the emotions that were swirling within him... tangled and messy.
He had been thinking of you all day... how you had smiled at him when you called him out of his thoughts, how your voice had sounded when youâd asked if he was okay.
It had been casual.
But there was a depth to it that he couldnât shake.
The truth was, Kazuha had known for a long time that his feelings for you had deepened.
Ever since that Sports Day in his second year, he had watched you from the shadows, silently admiring you from afar.
He had told himself, back then, that it was just a passing crush, something that would fade with time.
But it hadnât.
It had only grown stronger, more persistent, like a plant planted deep in his heart that refused to wither.
And now, in his fourth year, here he wasâseated beside you.
His heart pounding every time your voice brushed against his ear. He had told himself that the new school year would be the one where he finally found the courage to tell you.
But each time he thought about it, the fear gripped him all over again.
What if you didnât feel the same? What if, by speaking his heart, he destroyed the quiet connection he had with you?
Kazuha closed his eyes for a moment, leaning back in his chair. âI have to tell them,â he whispered softly to the stars outside, as if seeking some cosmic answer. âThis year, I have to.â
But as he sat there, a pang of longing tugged at his chest.
So close... yet so far.
You were right there, right beside him.
Yet the distance between his feelings and the courage to act on them felt like an unbridgeable gap.
His heart ached with the weight of it, knowing that despite being closer to you than ever before, he remained just as far from you in the ways that truly mattered...
But he knew that he couldnât keep living in this quiet reverie forever.
Tomorrow would be another day. Another chance to take that first step, to move closer to you, to finally show the words that had been held back for so long.
With a soft sigh, Kazuha set his pen down and looked out at the stars.
They were distant, silent, and untouchableâbut still, they shone brightly.
Just like his feelings for you.
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kazuha fanart belongs to NOT FOUND !! (PLEASE LET ME KNOW.. I CANT FIND THE OG..)
all writing belongs to @svynie. do not repost without my explicit permission, translate or plagiarize.