SECRET ; SHIRABU

二十一

Kenjiro then added, as an afterthought, "Just imagine how much you would freak out if I would ignore you for three whole days."

Seito sighed, knowing that what he had done wasn't smart or thought through at all, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"You know, I was actually quite mad when you didn't respond to any of my texts and everything, but you really don't have to apologize. I can only imagine what it was like to be at that family gathering." Kenjiro said, pulling Seito to the side so he wouldn't run into a streetlight.

Seito sighed. Why did his life have to be so complicated?

Suddenly Kenjiro chuckled, "But you know what? It was amazing that you also ignored Tendou and that you still haven't texted him back. I loved his face when he showed me your chat and asked me if he had written something offensive or anything. You can just continue to ignore him, I would love that."

Seito's eyes widened, he had totally forgotten that he had to text Tendou back. Quickly he got his phone out, "Oh, shit, I totally forgot about him. Do you think he'll text me back if I apologize for ghosting him? I actually enjoyed texting with him, he has quite the . . . refreshing character."

Immediately Kenjiro snatched the phone out of Seito's hands, and put it into his pocket, "Don't you dare text him when we're spending some quality time together. I don't even want to think about him."

"Then why did you bring that up?", Seito asked.

"Just for fun," Kenjiro responded. He actually did it to distract Seito from his thoughts about the family gathering, not wanting him to fall back into his sad and thoughtful state.

"I'll get our ice creams, you can just pick a seat.", Seito left for the counter while Kenjiro picked a seat outside, so that they could enjoy the sun.

Though, as he looked around inside of the shop he noticed two people, who somehow seemed familiar to him. He couldn't quite place his finger on who they were and where from he knew them, but he was sure that he had already seen the bald headed guy and the small one with a bleached streak somewhere.

"I love this kind of weather," Seito said as he sat down opposite Kenjiro, giving him the ice chocolate he always ordered.

"Yeah, it's not too hot and not too cold, you can just sit outside and enjoy the sun." Kenjiro agreed. "Though I like it more when it storms outside and I can be in my bed and read or watch something."

"You're right."

While they were eating their ice cream they talked about their week, the week before that and also about their friends and everything beyond that.

Seito had so much fun talking with Kenjiro that he didn't ever notice the two people that sat down near them. Kenjiro, too, was too caught up in their conversation to notice the two males that wore sunglasses, black caps and each held a newspaper in their hand. Strangely they were both facing in the same direction and upon taking a closer look at them, one could see that the newspapers had small holes in them, making it impossible to read the contents of the articles.

"My parents are soon gonna be finished with preparing lunch, we should head home.", Kenjiro noticed and stood up. He walked around the table and stretched his hand out to help Seito up.

Without even thinking what this could look like, Seito took the outstretched hand and held it in his for longer than necessary.

"What are they making?" Seito asked as he walked ahead, not even waiting for Kenjiro, who had noticed that Seito held his hand for longer than necessary, and in a public place at that.

The copped haired boy shrugged, quickly catching up to Seito, "I don't know, probably something that you like."

Seito deadpanned at that and turned around to stare Kenjiro dead in the eyes, "That really doesn't narrow it down. I love everything your parents cook."

Kenjiro smirked at that, "I know."

They were now leaving the patio, though as Seito glanced back to their seat, he noticed the two males sitting next to the table they were previously sitting at.

"Wait a second here, Kenjiro. I'll be right back."

Building up in front of the two people who were looking really sketchy, Seito greeted them, "Hey, Tanaka and Nishinoya. How are you two?" If the two volleyball players had to be honest, they would say that at the sight of the menacing smile on Seito's face, they wanted to do nothing else but to run away and hide under their beds.

Nishinoya was the first one to speak up, "Mizuno, lovely seeing you here, whatever are you doing here?"

Seito took in their outfits and the newspapers they had by now completely abandoned, "Oh, I was just here to spend some time with a friend from middle school. He's waiting over there."

Seito nodded in Kenjiro's direction who was looking at Seito's phone with furrowed brows, from time to time glancing in the direction of the trio.

Tanaka tried to pretend like he hadn't seen the two sit and chat for the past hour or so, "Really? Who is he?"

Seito just shook his head, "He goes to Shiratorizawa, so I doubt you'd know him."

Nishinoya shook his head, he was actually quite interested in knowing who that guy was, he seemed familiar, and it could help them with their investigation. "What's his name, maybe we know him."

Seito once again looked over to Kenjiro and then realized that he forgot one important detail. Of course they would know Kenjiro, if not by name than maybe from having seen him at previous tournaments. Therefore, all he said was, "His name's Kenjiro Shirabu."

Tanaka put his hand to his chin in thought, "I think I know his name from somewhere. Does he play volleyball or something?"

Seito sighed, why did they need to have one of their smarter moments now? "Actually yeah, he's a setter."

"No way! Mizuno, are you siding with our enemies?", Nishinoya exclaimed dramatically.

Seito grew flustered at all the looks he was receiving from the people because Nishinoya was so loud. "Could you keep it down? And I'm not siding with the enemies, he's just a friend of mine, I don't even watch volleyball matches." Which was a complete and utter lie, but they wouldn't have to know that he had seen almost every tournament from beginning to end.

"What are you two actually doing here? You haven't even ordered an ice cream or a drink." Seito changed the subject.

Suddenly the two boys in front of him became flustered and stuttered something around the lines of spending some bro-time, bonding over articles in the newspaper and everything, Seito didn't buy their lie so he continued his questions, "Then why are you dressed so weird and your newspapers have holes in them?How do you even want to read them?" He looked at something hairy that was lying next to one of the papers. "Is that a fake beard? Why do you have something like that lying around here?"

As the two of them fumbled over their words Seito realized that he actually didn't need to care about what they were doing. All he had to do was get moving to get home sooner and taste the cooking of Kenjiro's parents.

"Wait, you know what, as long as you're not trying to stalk anyone, I don't care.", at their expressions, Seito asked suspiciously, "You aren't stalking someone, are you?"

Both quickly shook their heads. "Us? Never! Especially not you Mr. Perfect.", they responded with a hint of a joke in their tone.

With one look at Kenjiro he just sighed and shook his head, "You know what? I don't care. Have a fun weekend."

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i feel like we're nearing the end and i just want to once again say how thankful i am that this (crappy) story has reached over 10k reads

(btw im currently reading the invisible life of addie larue and i love every second of it, though the process is slow bc i always have to do other stuff)

love you all <3

-NEPTUNXS