I am the kind of person who always finds the funny side of things. Perhaps this explains why I had enjoyed making fun of Yuki Ishikawa so much, especially with regards to his cold, stoic attitude. With that calm focus of his, Yuki was a volleyball star who could dominate the court with ease. And me? I was only Mayu's best friend, and I enjoyed poking fun at him from the sidelines. It wasn't like I actually felt anything for him. Right? At least, that’s what I thought at first.
It was harmless enough at first. Since we were little, Yuki's younger sister Mayu and I had remained close. I was treated like a part of the family. Mayu and I used to sit in the stands and support Yuki and the team whenever he had a game. But mine was mixed with a lot of playful jabs, in contrast to Mayu's passionate and sincere support.
"Nice block, Yuki! However, you could have done it with a smile!" I would yell, causing Mayu to roll her eyes at my foolishness.
And there was Yuki on the court, never missing a beat. His face was always set in that calm, almost unreadable expression. If he ever heard my teasing, he never let it show. He was laser-focused, like nothing outside the game even mattered.
But I knew he noticed. After all, when the game ended and Mayu dragged me along to meet him, I’d catch the slight twitch of his lips, like he was trying not to react to my latest remark.
“Hey Yuki,” I greeted him after one game, holding out a water bottle like I’d been assigned some unofficial manager role. “Maybe next time, you could wink after a spike. You know, for the fans.”
He took the bottle, but his cold gaze met mine. “That’s not happening.”
I smirked, unfazed by his lack of enthusiasm. “Come on, just one wink. You might even make the crowd swoon.”
He rolled his eyes, and I knew I’d succeeded in getting under his skin just a little. That had become our dynamic—me teasing him relentlessly and him brushing me off like it didn’t affect him at all. It was a game I liked to play, and he seemed content to play along, even if his moves were subtle.
We exchanged a few text messages here and there, though Yuki wasn’t much of a texter. I’d send him random volleyball memes or pictures from the game, captioning them with things like, “Wow, look at that serious face. Is this Yuki or a statue? ”
His replies were always short: “Not funny” or “Go away.”
But the fact that he responded at all was enough for me. It wasn’t like I was expecting anything more from him. We were just friends—sort of. And this whole teasing thing? It was just part of the fun.
But then, one night, something shifted.
It had been a particularly rough game for Yuki. The team had lost, and though he never let his emotions show on the surface, I knew him well enough by then to sense that the defeat weighed on him.
After the game, Mayu had plans with other friends, so I ended up walking over to where Yuki was. His teammates were talking quietly among themselves, but Yuki was off to the side, sitting on the bench, staring blankly at the court.
“Hey,” I said, sitting down next to him, trying to lighten the mood like I always did. “Tough game. But you know, I bet if you smiled more—”
“Can you not?” He interrupted, his tone sharper than usual.
I blinked, caught off guard. Yuki never reacted like that. He always let my comments roll off his back. But tonight, there was tension in the air, something heavy lingering between us.
“I know,” he cut me off again, his eyes still fixed on the empty court. “But not tonight.”
I sat there in awkward silence for a moment, unsure of what to say. This was new. I wasn’t used to seeing Yuki like this—so vulnerable, so raw. I wasn’t sure how to handle it, and for the first time, I felt like my teasing wasn’t welcome. So, I didn’t say anything else. We just sat there, side by side, in the quiet aftermath of the game.
That night, as I walked home, something strange settled in my chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Yuki had looked—his usually stoic face hiding a hint of something deeper. And for the first time, I found myself wondering: Did I actually care?
The next few days were different. I stopped texting him as much. My usual jokes and jabs felt... off. Something had changed, and it wasn’t just Yuki. It was me. I realized that all the teasing, all the jokes about him smiling or being cold, were just my way of covering up something else—something real.
The thought of actually liking Yuki, of having real feelings for him, was terrifying. He was the complete opposite of me—calm, collected, and serious. I was loud, playful, and always joking around. How could someone like him ever take someone like me seriously?
So, I stopped. I stopped teasing him. I stopped texting him every other day. I stopped showing up to his games as often, making excuses to Mayu that I was busy. I thought if I distanced myself, these feelings would fade. It was just a silly crush, right?
But the more I tried to avoid him, the more I found myself thinking about him. His calm presence, the way he never let anything get to him, the subtle moments when I caught a glimpse of something softer beneath his cold exterior. It was driving me crazy.
One afternoon, about a week after I’d started pulling away, I got a text from Yuki.
I stared at my phone, confused.
Yuki: The teasing. You haven’t been to a game in a while.
I hesitated, my heart racing. He noticed. Of course he noticed.
His reply came almost immediately.
I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. Why did this feel so difficult all of a sudden? Why couldn’t I just joke around with him like I used to? But before I could think of how to respond, another text came through.
Yuki: If you’re done teasing me, does that mean I won?
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Leave it to Yuki to turn this into some sort of competition.
Me: I’m just giving you a break, Ishikawa. Don’t get cocky.
There was a long pause before his next message.
Yuki: Don’t. I didn’t mind it.
I stared at his words for a long time, my heart pounding in my chest. He didn’t mind it. What did that even mean? Did he enjoy the teasing? Or was there something more to it?
For the first time in a long time, I didn’t know how to respond. Because the truth was, I didn’t mind it either. In fact, I was starting to realize that I had never just been teasing. All those comments, all those jokes—they were my way of hiding how I really felt.
And maybe, just maybe, Yuki had felt something too.
Before I could overthink it any further, another text popped up on my screen.
Yuki: Don’t leave me hanging. You said you’d give me a break, but you never said why.
Of course he’d follow up. Yuki wasn’t the type to let things slide once he set his mind on something. I sighed, trying to come up with a response that wasn’t too revealing but would still keep the conversation light.
Me: Wow, didn’t know you’d miss me so much. I must’ve really gotten under your skin, huh?
I bit my lip after sending that, feeling a little braver than I actually was. My heart was racing, and I couldn’t deny the stupid grin that had made its way onto my face.
A few moments later, my phone buzzed again.
Yuki: I didn’t say I missed you. Just wondering why you stopped acting like a pest.
Me: A pest? Ouch, Ishikawa. You know, most people would be flattered to have someone cheer for them so consistently.
Yuki: "Cheer" isn’t the word I’d use. "Annoy" is more accurate.
I chuckled, rolling my eyes. Classic Yuki. Always so blunt. But still, I could tell that he was curious. And knowing Yuki, he wasn’t going to drop this anytime soon.
Me: Fine. If you must know, I figured you needed a break from my amazing personality. Didn’t want to overwhelm you, you know? Can’t have you falling for me or anything.
I added a winking emoji, half-joking, but my stomach flipped at the thought of him reading it. I was playing it cool, but the truth was, I wasn’t so sure I could handle his response.
After a pause that felt way too long, Yuki replied.
Yuki: I’m not falling for you.
The bluntness of his message hit me square in the chest, but before I could let my embarrassment spiral out of control, I saw he was typing again.
Yuki: …But don’t disappear.
My breath caught, and I felt my heart skip a beat. There it was again—that rare, vulnerable side of Yuki that only appeared in the smallest of moments. The Yuki who didn’t smile much, who never let his emotions show on the court, was asking me to stick around. It wasn’t exactly a confession of love or anything, but it was something. And coming from Yuki, it meant a lot.
I was about to respond when my phone buzzed again.
Yuki: Besides, you’re not that annoying. I’ve gotten used to it.
I laughed out loud at that. Leave it to Yuki to sneak in an insult while still managing to say something sweet.
Me: Wow, "not that annoying." Is that the closest I’m going to get to a compliment from you, Ishikawa?
I smirked, feeling a warmth in my chest. It felt good to banter with him again. For a second, it was like things were back to normal, like I hadn’t been avoiding him for the past week because of my increasingly confusing feelings.
But just as I was getting comfortable, Mayu barged into my room, flopping onto my bed with a dramatic sigh.
“Ugh, you won’t believe what just happened,” she groaned, stretching out across my blanket like she owned the place.
I raised an eyebrow at her. “What now?”
“Yuki,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes. “He’s acting all weird lately. Even weirder than usual.”
I froze, glancing at my phone like it was a ticking time bomb. Weird? Yuki? Because of me?
Mayu sat up, frowning when she noticed my expression. “Wait, why do you look so guilty? What did you do?”
“Nothing!” I said quickly, stuffing my phone under a pillow. “I didn’t do anything. Why would you think that?”
She narrowed her eyes at me, suspicious. “Uh-huh. Sure. The last time you looked like that was when you switched his water bottle with vinegar during practice. What are you hiding?”
I groaned, remembering that incident. That prank had definitely been one of my more extreme teasing moments. Yuki had glared at me for hours after that, though he eventually got his revenge by setting my ringtone to the sound of a crying baby during a team dinner.
“I’m not hiding anything,” I insisted, trying to sound casual. “Why would I need to hide something?”
Mayu folded her arms, her eyes narrowing even further. “Okay, now I know you’re hiding something. Spill.”
I hesitated, my mind racing. There was no way I was about to tell Mayu that I might, might, be developing feelings for her brother. That was a whole mess I wasn’t ready to deal with yet. So, I did what I always did when I was backed into a corner.
“Maybe Yuki’s just stressed,” I said quickly, shrugging like it wasn’t a big deal. “You know, with volleyball and everything. He’s got a lot on his plate.”
Mayu squinted at me, still unconvinced. “Since when do you care about Yuki’s stress levels?”
“Hey, I care!” I protested, though I knew it didn’t sound entirely believable. “I mean, he’s your brother. And my… friend. Sort of. I’m just being considerate.”
Mayu’s eyes widened dramatically. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you actually defending Yuki right now? Oh my god, do you have a crush on him or something?”
My face flushed bright red. “What? No! Of course not!” I yelped, way too fast.
Mayu gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth like she’d just uncovered the world’s biggest secret. “Oh my god, you totally do! This is hilarious! I need to tell Yuki—”
I jumped up, grabbing her arm before she could bolt out of the room. “No! Don’t you dare tell him!”
She cackled, delighted by my panicked reaction. “I knew it! All that teasing was just you flirting! Oh, this is gold. I can’t wait to see Yuki’s face when I—”
I practically tackled her back onto the bed, both of us wrestling for her phone as she tried to text her brother.
“No, Mayu, I’m serious!” I whined, trying to sound more threatening than I actually was. “If you tell Yuki, I’ll—I’ll tell your crush on Kenta from the basketball team!”
Mayu froze, her eyes going wide with horror. “You wouldn’t.”
I raised an eyebrow, my hand poised over her phone. “Try me.”
She groaned, flopping back dramatically onto the bed, defeated. “Fine, fine. I won’t tell Yuki. But oh my god, this is hilarious. I can’t believe you like him. You, of all people.”
“I don’t like him,” I mumbled, trying to convince myself as much as her. But the truth was, it wasn’t just teasing anymore. Not really.
Mayu smirked at me knowingly. “Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
Later that night, after Mayu finally left, I found myself staring at my phone again. Yuki hadn’t texted since our last exchange, and I wasn’t sure if I should say something or just let it be.
But before I could decide, my phone buzzed.
Yuki: You’re really bad at hiding things. Mayu almost told me something interesting.
I groaned, burying my face in my pillow. Of course she’d almost told him. I should’ve known better than to trust Mayu to keep a secret.
Me: Don’t believe anything she says. She’s delusional.
There was a brief pause, and then another message came through.
Yuki: So you don’t have a crush on me?
I froze, my heart doing a weird flip. Was he serious? Was he messing with me? I had no idea how to respond, but before I could panic too much, another text came.
Yuki: Because that’d be a shame. I’m not done with your teasing yet.
And just like that, I knew I was in trouble.
I stared at Yuki’s last message, my mind spinning. “Because that’d be a shame. I’m not done with your teasing yet.”
What? My brain short-circuited. Yuki never said things like this. He was always cold, straightforward, and impossible to read. What was happening? I blinked, trying to process his words, but they just kept replaying in my head.
Was Yuki... teasing me now?
Me: Is this your idea of a joke? Who are you and what did you do with the real Yuki?
I was trying to sound casual, trying to stay cool. But the truth was, my heart was pounding, and I was half-expecting him to shut down the conversation like he usually did. That’s what Yuki did—he built walls, kept people at a distance. But this? This was new.
Yuki: Maybe I’m learning from you. Not that hard, really.
My eyes widened. Yuki? Learning to tease me back? I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or terrified. I wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of this kind of banter, especially from him.
Me: Wow, trying to steal my moves now? Bold move, Ishikawa. But be careful—you might get in over your head.
I smiled as I sent the message, feeling a little more like myself. This was our dynamic—playful, teasing, never too serious. But something about it felt different tonight. There was a tension in the air, something unspoken lingering between us.
He didn’t respond right away this time, and I wondered if I’d pushed him too far. But just as I started to worry, my phone buzzed again.
Yuki: Over my head? I can handle it. But can you?
There it was again—that subtle challenge, the hint of something more behind his words. My stomach flipped, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if we were still joking or if this had crossed into something deeper.
I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the screen as I tried to figure out what to say next. Yuki wasn’t the type to play games, not really. If he was saying this, it meant something. And for the first time, I realized I wasn’t just teasing him anymore. The feelings I’d been trying to bury were right there, bubbling up to the surface.
I bit my lip, deciding to take a risk.
Me: You think I can’t handle you?
The moment I sent it, I felt my heart race faster. I was pushing him now, but part of me wanted to see what he’d say. If I was going to keep pretending this was just a game, I needed to know if he felt something too.
His reply was quick, almost too quick.
Yuki: I think you’re used to playing safe.
I blinked at the message. Playing safe? I didn’t know if he was still talking about the teasing, or if he was hinting at something bigger. My throat tightened, and I suddenly realized that he’d been paying a lot more attention to me than I thought.
I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I went for humor, my defense mechanism whenever things got too serious.
Me: Oh please, I’m the master of chaos. Safe is boring.
I stared at the message, my heart stuttering in my chest. What did he mean by that? I was stuck between laughing it off and letting it sink in. My mind raced, trying to come up with a clever response, but nothing felt right. This wasn’t like our usual banter. He was challenging me in a way he never had before, and it left me feeling... exposed.
But before I could type anything back, another text came through.
Yuki: Tomorrow. There’s a game. Show up.
I blinked, rereading the message. He wanted me at his game? That wasn’t unusual, but the timing felt different now, especially with this weird tension simmering between us.
Me: I’ll be there. Ready to scream at you from the stands as usual.
Yuki: Good. I’ll be watching.
What did that mean? Yuki never watched the stands during a game—he was always laser-focused on the court. But now? My mind spun in circles. Was he saying he’d be looking for me? The thought made my stomach flip in the weirdest way.
The next day, I was a mess of nerves.
I showed up at the gym with Mayu, trying to act like everything was normal. She, of course, kept throwing me suspicious looks the whole way there, no doubt still trying to piece together why I’d been so weird about Yuki lately.
“You sure you’re okay?” she asked for the third time as we found our seats.
“I’m fine,” I lied, pulling my jacket tighter around me as we settled into the bleachers. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’ve been acting super weird,” she said bluntly. “You never get this quiet.”
I forced a smile, trying to shake off my nerves. “Just excited for the game. Gotta come up with new material to tease Yuki with, you know?”
Mayu rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh. Sure.”
The game started, and like always, Yuki was a force on the court. His movements were precise, controlled, and powerful—everything about him screamed focus. And yet, every now and then, I’d catch him glancing up at the stands, his eyes scanning the crowd. Was he looking for me? Or was I just imagining it?
“Hey, Yuki!” I called out during a timeout, cupping my hands around my mouth. “Think you could smile while you’re out there? Might make you more popular with the crowd!”
Yuki didn’t even glance my way, but I could see the slight twitch of his lips as he grabbed a towel from the bench. Mayu elbowed me, grinning. “He totally heard you.”
“Of course he did,” I said, feeling a little more like myself now. This was how it was supposed to be—me teasing him, him pretending to ignore me.
But deep down, I knew things were different now. It wasn’t just about the teasing anymore. The more I watched him, the more I realized how much I actually cared. And that scared me more than I was willing to admit.
The game ended in a win, and the crowd erupted into cheers. Yuki and his team congratulated each other, and Mayu and I waited near the sidelines for him like we always did.
When he finally walked over, he was still his usual, stoic self—sweat dripping down his face, his hair slightly messy from the intense game. He wiped his forehead with a towel and glanced at me, his expression unreadable.
“Good game, Yuki,” I said, forcing a grin. “Though you’d probably win more if you smiled every now and then.”
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze locking onto mine in that intense way that always made me feel like he could see right through me. “I thought you’d be louder.”
“You weren’t as loud today. Thought you were giving me a break?”
I swallowed hard, trying to think of something clever to say, but my brain was too busy processing the fact that Yuki had actually noticed. He’d noticed that I wasn’t my usual teasing self, and now here he was, calling me out on it.
“I didn’t want to distract you,” I said, trying to sound casual.
“Liar,” he said simply, and before I could react, he leaned in just slightly, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “You’re playing safe again.”
My heart nearly stopped. There it was again—that challenge. The one that made it clear he knew exactly what I was doing, and that he wasn’t going to let me get away with it.
I stared at him, my mind spinning. What was I supposed to say to that? How was I supposed to respond when he was standing so close, looking at me like he was daring me to admit something I wasn’t ready to say?
But before I could figure it out, Yuki straightened up, wiping his face with the towel again. “I’ll see you around,” he said, his voice back to its usual cool, indifferent tone.
And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart racing and my mind spinning in circles.
Mayu, of course, chose that moment to appear at my side, smirking like she’d just won the lottery. “Okay, what was that about? You guys were whispering. Did Yuki actually flirt with you?”
“Shut up, Mayu,” I mumbled, my face burning as I watched Yuki disappear into the crowd.
But deep down, I knew she was right. Something had definitely changed between Yuki and me.
And I wasn’t sure I could keep pretending it was just a game anymore.
The next few days were a blur. My mind couldn’t stop replaying that moment between Yuki and me at the game. His words, his proximity, the way he seemed to know what was going on inside my head—it was like he had seen through the teasing, the jokes, the deflections, and was quietly waiting for me to admit it.
And the worst part was, I didn’t know what to do about it.
I kept my distance for the next couple of days, trying to avoid both Yuki and Mayu as much as possible. Mayu had clearly noticed something was up, but after the game, she hadn’t pressed me too much. Yet. I knew it was only a matter of time before she cornered me for a “serious talk.”
I needed space. Time to figure out what all of this meant. The truth was, I hadn’t expected to get caught up in my own game. But somehow, somewhere along the line, my feelings had shifted. What had started as harmless teasing, a bit of fun at Yuki’s expense, had turned into something… real.
On the third day of avoidance, Mayu finally cornered me during lunch, plopping down across from me with a knowing grin.
“You’re acting weird again,” she declared, stabbing her chopsticks into her lunch. “Spill.”
“I’m not acting weird,” I lied, refusing to meet her gaze as I poked at my own food.
“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re barely texting me, you haven’t bothered to tease Yuki in days, and you’ve been walking around like someone stole your favorite hoodie. What’s going on?”
I hesitated, knowing I couldn’t avoid this conversation forever. But I wasn’t ready to tell her the whole truth—not yet.
“It’s nothing,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Just a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
Mayu raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. And does this ‘lot on your mind’ have anything to do with my brother?”
I froze, my chopsticks halfway to my mouth.
Mayu leaned in, her grin widening. “Oh my god, it does. I knew it.”
“No, no, no,” she interrupted, pointing a finger at me. “You are not getting out of this. What is going on between you and Yuki? I saw the way you guys were whispering at the game. He was all up in your space, and you were, like, totally red-faced. Spill. Now.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “It’s complicated.”
“Oh, I love complicated,” Mayu said, practically bouncing in her seat. “So, what, you finally realized you’ve got a thing for him?”
I peeked at her through my fingers, my face burning. “Maybe.”
Mayu gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth. “Oh my god! You actually like Yuki? This is amazing!”
“No, it’s not amazing!” I groaned, dropping my hands onto the table. “It’s a disaster.”
Mayu blinked at me, clearly confused. “Why? What’s the problem? I mean, yeah, Yuki’s, like, a giant icicle, but it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t hate you. He actually talks to you, which is more than he does for most people.”
I sighed, leaning back in my seat. “It’s just… complicated, okay? I’ve been teasing him for months, and now it’s all weird. I don’t know how to act around him anymore.”
“Maybe stop teasing him so much?” Mayu suggested, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world.
I shot her a look. “And what, suddenly start acting all serious and weird? That’s not how we work.”
“So you’re just gonna keep teasing him and pretend you don’t like him? That doesn’t sound like a solid plan, bestie.”
“I know!” I groaned, throwing my hands up in frustration. “But what else am I supposed to do? I can’t just tell him.”
“Because!” I lowered my voice, leaning in. “What if he doesn’t feel the same way? What if he’s been putting up with me this whole time, and now I’ve gone and made it awkward?”
Mayu gave me a deadpan look. “You really think Yuki’s the type to just ‘put up with’ someone? If he didn’t want you around, you’d know it.”
I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. She had a point—Yuki wasn’t the type to fake things. He was brutally honest, sometimes to a fault. If he didn’t want me teasing him, he would’ve told me to stop a long time ago. But still, the thought of actually confessing my feelings made my stomach twist.
Mayu, sensing my hesitation, sighed and reached across the table, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Look, I’m not saying you need to march up to him and declare your undying love or anything,” she said. “But maybe just… ease up a little. Let him know you’re serious, even if it’s just in small ways. Yuki’s not as oblivious as he looks. If he likes you back, he’ll figure it out.”
I stared at her, wondering how she could be so calm about this. Meanwhile, I felt like my heart was doing backflips just thinking about Yuki.
“Easier said than done,” I muttered.
Mayu shrugged, grinning. “Hey, I’ve got faith in you. Besides, if you keep avoiding him, he’s gonna get suspicious. You don’t want Yuki hunting you down, do you?”
The image of Yuki stalking through the halls, demanding to know why I was acting weird, flashed through my mind, and I shuddered.
“Fine,” I sighed. “I’ll try… something.”
That “something” turned out to be a lot harder than I thought.
Later that day, I found myself standing outside the gym, waiting for Yuki to finish practice. I wasn’t sure what I was doing there or what I was going to say, but I knew I had to do something. I couldn’t keep avoiding him forever.
When Yuki finally emerged from the gym, towel slung over his shoulder and his usual stoic expression in place, I felt my heart stutter.
He spotted me immediately, his dark eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, just walked over and stopped a few feet away, watching me with that unreadable expression of his.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said flatly, his voice calm but direct.
I swallowed, trying to keep my cool. “I’ve been busy.”
Yuki raised an eyebrow. “Busy avoiding me?”
I winced. Of course he’d see right through that.
“Okay, fine,” I muttered. “Maybe I have been avoiding you. Just… a little.”
He didn’t respond right away, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me. Then, without warning, he stepped closer, his presence looming over me like a quiet storm.
“You’re hiding something,” he said, his voice low, almost accusing.
I shifted uncomfortably, my pulse racing. This was it. The moment of truth. I could either keep dodging his questions, keep playing the game, or I could finally be honest with myself—and with him.
Taking a deep breath, I looked up at him, meeting his gaze head-on.
“Yuki,” I began, my voice shaky but determined. “What if… what if I wasn’t teasing you anymore?”
For the first time, Yuki’s expression shifted. His eyes widened just slightly, surprise flickering across his usually impassive face. But he didn’t say anything, waiting for me to continue.
“I mean…” I fumbled with my words, my heart pounding in my chest. “What if… I actually like you? For real. Not just as a joke, not just teasing.”
Yuki’s silence stretched on, and I felt the panic rising in my throat. What if this was a mistake? What if I’d just ruined everything?
But then, Yuki let out a small sigh, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. His gaze softened, and for the first time, I saw something like vulnerability in his eyes.
“You really think I didn’t know?” he said quietly.
I blinked, taken aback. “What?”
Yuki shook his head slightly, a small, almost exasperated smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I knew, idiot. You think I’d let you tease me this much if I didn’t care?”
My heart stopped. Did he just…?
I stared at him, my brain struggling to catch up with what he was saying. “Wait… you knew? And you—”
He cut me off, stepping even closer until there was barely any space between us. His eyes bore into mine, intense but warm in a way I’d never seen before.
“I’m not an idiot,” he said, his voice low. “I’ve been waiting for you to figure it out.”
And just like that, the weight I’d been carrying—the fear, the confusion, the uncertainty—melted away. Because Yuki wasn’t just playing along. He wasn’t just putting up with me. He cared. Maybe even more than I realized.
I let out a breathless laugh, feeling like an enormous weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “So… you’re saying I didn’t need to freak out this whole time?”
Yuki’s smirk only grew as he leaned in slightly, his voice low but amused. “Yeah, you didn’t need to freak out. But it was kind of funny watching you avoid me.”
I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. “Oh my god, you knew I was freaking out, and you just let it happen?”
He shrugged, his expression as nonchalant as ever. “I figured you’d come around eventually.”
I groaned, running a hand through my hair. “Unbelievable. You could’ve at least given me a hint or something.”
“I thought I did,” he said, his tone deadpan. “I told you to show up to my game, didn’t I?”
“That’s not a hint, Yuki! That’s just… normal.”
He tilted his head, considering this. “Not for me.”
I blinked at him, realizing that, for Yuki, inviting me to his game was a hint. It wasn’t like him to ask for things, especially when it came to people. He usually kept his distance, so the fact that he’d made a point of wanting me there… I guess that was his way of showing he cared.
“You’re impossible,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve been driving myself crazy, and you were just sitting back, watching me spiral?”
He gave me a small, almost smug smile. “Pretty much.”
I smacked his arm lightly. “You’re the worst.”
Yuki didn’t flinch, but his smile widened, just the tiniest bit. “And you’re the loudest. Guess we’re even.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t suppress the laugh that bubbled up. It felt good to laugh, especially now that the tension between us had finally broken. I had spent so much time overthinking everything, and here Yuki was, his usual calm, steady self, reminding me that maybe things didn’t need to be so complicated after all.
For a moment, we just stood there, the weight of unspoken words lingering between us. But it wasn’t uncomfortable—if anything, it felt like a relief. There was still so much I wanted to say, but for now, this was enough.
“So,” I said after a beat, raising an eyebrow. “What now? Do we, like… stop teasing each other? Or is that part of the deal?”
Yuki’s eyes sparkled with something almost mischievous, a rare sight from him. “I’m not sure you can stop.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re probably right. I’m basically a professional at this point.”
Yuki’s smirk softened into something more genuine, and he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair away from my face. The gesture was so casual, so natural, that it made my heart skip a beat.
“I don’t mind,” he said quietly. “Just don’t avoid me anymore.”
His words were simple, but they hit me right in the chest. Yuki didn’t say much, but when he did, it always meant something. And right now, I knew exactly what he was telling me: that he was okay with all of this. That maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way I did.
I swallowed, nodding as I met his gaze. “I won’t. I promise.”
For a moment, neither of us said anything. We just stood there, the quiet between us filled with an unspoken understanding. Then, as if on cue, Yuki’s phone buzzed, breaking the moment. He glanced at it briefly before looking back at me.
“Mayu’s looking for you,” he said, his expression slightly amused. “She’s probably going to ask a lot of questions.”
I groaned, already dreading the inevitable interrogation from Mayu. “Great. Just what I needed.”
Yuki’s smirk returned, and he stepped back, giving me one last glance before turning toward the gym. “Good luck with that.”
“Wait, where are you going?” I called after him, suddenly realizing that he was leaving me to deal with Mayu on my own.
Yuki didn’t even turn around as he waved over his shoulder. “Practice. You’ll survive.”
I glared at his retreating figure, though there was no real heat behind it. “You’re the worst, Yuki Ishikawa!”
He didn’t respond, but I could’ve sworn I saw the tiniest hint of a smile on his face as he disappeared into the gym.
With a sigh, I pulled out my phone, checking the messages from Mayu. Sure enough, she was blowing up my phone with a series of texts:
Mayu: “Where are you???” Mayu: “You better not be with Yuki without me!!!” Mayu: “Are you hiding something??” Mayu: “Answer me or I’m coming to find you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Mayu was relentless, but she meant well. Still, I wasn’t ready for her to grill me just yet, especially when I was still trying to process everything that had just happened with Yuki.
But as I stared at my phone, a small smile tugged at my lips. For the first time in what felt like forever, things between Yuki and me felt… right. There was still a lot to figure out, and I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but for now, I was okay with that.
After all, teasing Yuki was one thing. But learning to navigate whatever this new thing was between us?
That was going to be a whole new kind of challenge.
And honestly? I couldn’t wait.
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