𝔹𝕠𝕜𝕦𝕒𝕜𝕒 𝕎𝕖𝕖𝕜 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟙

𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝟸 - 𝙺𝚒𝚍

"What do you guys wanna play!?"
Six-year-old Akaashi raised his head from the book he had been reading at the loud noise. Bokuto, who he had definitely not learnt the name of through eavesdropping on him and his friends' conversations, was yet again asking the same question he asked every single break time. And undoubtedly, would be met with the same disappointment it ended with every single day.
Akaashi chewed on the inside of his mouth.

Last break time, Bokuto and his friends had played tag. His friends who made Bokuto be 'it' the entire time because every time he caught one of them they would claim it didn't count because "I had my fingers crossed" or "No, you have to tag me for three seconds or it doesn't work" or another favourite was "No, I'm in timeout." And kind, unknowing Bokuto would just smile and say "oh, right." Then run off to try and catch the next person, and the cycle would continue. By the end of that break time, he was a panting exhausted mess.

And the break time before that, the group had played hide and seek, Bokuto yet again being 'it'. But once he finished counting to ten, all his friends were seemingly just so good at hiding that sweet, naive Bokuto spent the rest of break searching for his friends.
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Bokuto called with a grin, and Akaashi winced. Feeling like he knew a secret he shouldn't because he had watched as Bokuto's friends all ran inside the second Bokuto had started counting.
"Quick, let's go play with the Lego blocks!" One of them had hissed to the others as they sniggered.
Akaashi could only imagine Bokuto's crestfallen face when he walked back into his classroom and realised his friends had been there the whole time he had been outside still playing hide and seek alone.

"We should play tag again!" Declared one of Bokuto's friends (Nakamura-san), popping Akaashi's bubble of thought.
"Nah, it's boooringg." Claimed another one of their friends (Takahashi-Kun) with a groan.
"Let's play moms and dads!" Suggested another (Suzuki-san).
The two others agreed, and Bokuto just nodded with a smile, not really minding what they played.
"I wanna be the mom!" Nakamura said.
"Then I'll be the dad." Decided Takahashi.
"And I'll be the baby!" Suzuki put her hands on her hips and smiled.
"Can I be the dog?' Asked Bokuto.
Akaashi didn't miss the sour look Bokuto's friends gave him.
"You can't be the dog! The dad's allergic!" Nakamura told him quickly.
"Oh. Can I be the brother?" Bokuto suggested.
"No, only three people can play this game." Suzuki glowered at him.
"Oh, okay..." Bokuto looked down at the floor, his chest tightening.
"Go play with your other friends or something." Takahashi shrugged, and Bokuto didn't have enough time to mention how he didn't have any other friends before the three had already turned around and went to go play on the other side of the playground.

Akaashi frowned, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Bokuto, even though he didn't even know him. Akaashi himself wasn't exactly the most popular either, though he didn't particularly mind. He much preferred reading peacefully than the rowdy games the other children would play. He paid them no mind so they paid him no mind. Though he couldn't imagine what it must be like to be Bokuto, who wanted to join in with the other kids but was always shunned out because the group saw him as a burden, someone who was only really useful because he was dumb enough to bend to their every will.
Akaashi's attention returned to his book, however, not wanting to dwell on other peoples problems any longer. Turning his head just as Bokuto moved to pick up a lone ball off the floor.

"Hi! Wanna play volleyball with me?" Akaashi jumped a little before looking up.
First, he noticed Bokuto stood in front of him with a smile, second, he noticed the red ball he held against his hip that was most definitely not a volleyball.
"Pardon?" Akaashi didn't understand why Bokuto would be talking to him, of all people.
"Well, you seem lonely! So you can play volleyball with me if you want!" Bokuto grinned.
Akaashi closed his book, "I don't know how to play volleyball." He informed Bokuto.
"That's okay! We can play passys!"
Akaashi looked at Bokuto for a moment, this was the first time anyone had ever approached him just to spend time with him.
'Bokuto-san is so unusual.' He thought, but there was no maliciousness behind it.
"Okay." He stood up.
"Alright!!!" Bokuto beamed, Akaashi noticed he was missing two of his teeth.

"What year are you in, 'Kaashi?" Bokuto asked him as he threw the ball.
Akaashi caught the ball and passed it back, "first." He replied.
"Cool! So I'm a year older than you then." Bokuto processed the new information.
"I suppose." Nodded Akaashi.
Suddenly a whistle sounded and everyone on the playground froze as break time ended.
"Aw, man." Pouted Bokuto, but immediately perked up after, "thanks for playing with me 'Kaashi!" He smiled at the raven-haired boy.
"You're welcome Bokuto-san." Akaashi said politely.
And for what could possibly be the first time since Akaashi had known of his existence, break time ended with a smile still on Bokuto's face.

"'Kaasshhiii!!!" His name rang through the cafeteria as Bokuto ran up to him.
Akaashi didn't miss the startled look on Bokuto's friends' faces when they saw him going to sit with someone else at lunch.
'Serves them right.' Akaashi thought.
"Hello, Bokuto-san." Akaashi greeted him, before biting into his onigiri.
"Can I sit with you today?" Bokuto halted before him, his voice suddenly becoming a little nervous.
"Yes," Akaashi said immediately.
"Thanks!" Smiled Bokuto.
Bokuto talked a lot, Akaashi noticed, not that it was particularly a bad thing. Akaashi realised he could enjoy having a conversation with Bokuto just as much as he could enjoy reading.
"Bye 'Kaashi!" Bokuto said when lunch came to an end.
"Goodbye Bokuto-san." Akaashi pulled his backpack bag on.

"Did you have a good day Keiji?" His father asked him at the end of the day.
Akaashi nodded.
"I made a friend." He blushed and fiddled with his fingers.
"Oh?" This was new, Akaashi had never had a friend before, from what his dad could recall.
"Cya tomorrow 'Kaashi!?" Bokuto's loud voice called over to him from where he stood holding his mother's hand.
Akaashi smiled.
"Okay!" Akaashi cupped his mouth and called back.
Akaashi's father grinned, he was pleased his son had finally found someone to talk to.
"He seems nice." His dad said as they began to walk home.
Akaashi nodded, "he is."

"Is that your new friend, Kou?" Bokuto's mother asked her son.
"Yeah, he's called Akaashi! We played passys together!" Bokuto smiled as he recalled the events of the day to his mother.
"That's nice." Bokuto's mom smiled, glad her son had made friends with someone new. She knew how Bokuto's other friends treated him and wasn't all that happy about it, to put it that way.
"Yeah!" Bokuto said happily.