Love Live!! Genderbend One Shots: New Vibes

Reaching Out - Male!Nijigasaki Idols x Reader

Something's different.  He could feel it in his bones.  No matter how much you denied it or tried to brush it off, there was something wrong.  And he needed to know what.  Did he do something to upset you?  Why were you suddenly avoiding him like the plague?  Why...Why didn't you look his way anymore?  It just doesn't make any sense!  Everything was going so well!

And yet...

~

• Kai Asaka

Kai always thought of himself as a rather perceptible type of person. It's why he's been successful in his career so far; he knew how to read people and observe his surroundings. Which is why it didn't take too long before he began noticing your behavior as of late.

Suddenly, free time that was usually spent together in the clubroom was a rarity that was slowly turning into an impossible occurrence. Even within the group, Kai could see your clear avoidance of him, choosing to speak or joke around with other members that weren't him. He could see it as clear as day. The only thing that held him back from confrontation was his lack of understanding. He needed to at least try to figure out why you were acting like this. But...how?

The thought came to him during a particularly stormy evening. As per usual, Kai was busy at the studio with his right hand man, Emmett, in his tow. You had actually also stopped coming to these studio sessions with Emmett; but that day, Kai had requested Emmett to ensure your presence at the studio, knowing full well that you had difficulty saying no to the exchange student. It was just his luck, too, because his makeup artist wasn't able to attend the session due to the horrible weather. This meant that you could do it in his makeup artist's stead, as you had done so many times previously.

Sure, there were others that could step in for the job; but Kai had purposefully asked for you to fill the position. He was adamant to his styling team that he would accept no other. Call him a diva—he didn't care, he just wanted to speak to you. To at least be in your presence again.

Yet, even as he found himself sitting in front of you in his dressing room, Kai was at a loss of what to say. He didn't think he'd get this far. And the fact that you're standing so close to him again after such a long time was not helping—you were close enough for him to reach out and feel you—hell, he could smell you from where he was sitting. It was all too frustrating, because you still wouldn't maintain any sort of verbal or visual contact with him. Every time he'd open his mouth or tilt his head to meet your eyes, you'd deny him rather obviously. What the hell did he have to do to get you to just look at him?

Suddenly, he saw an opening, a fraction of time that you were just a little too focused on applying his foundation accurately. Grasping your wrist gently, Kai had you gasping and glancing at him in a moment of reflex.

"There." He whispered. "You finally looked."

And just as quick as Kai had celebrated, you shot down his satisfaction with a tilt of your head to the side. "Well, yeah.." You were finally talking, too. "I kind of have to look for me to do your makeup.."

"Y/N..." Kai called quietly in an almost desperate tone. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

Ah, but that dismissive tone of yours—Kai hated that.

"Like I don't exist, like I don't mean anything to you."

You pressed your lips together. "Why should you mean anything to me, Asaka-san? We are but colleagues, no?"

Kai couldn't help the scoff that left his throat. "Seriously? You won't even call me by my first name? I thought we were clear about this—look at me when we're talking, why don't you?" Kai hadn't meant for that last part to come out so harsh, neither had he meant to stand up so abruptly, causing you to jump in the process.