- DISTRACTION ;; r.itoshi

26

—1, 2, 3...

'aryuu~ does the addition of this necklace make my entire 'fit look... too much?' she asked the man who was quietly observing her entire body from across the screen.

'you can never be too much! especially if it's for a man like aiku,' he spoke, reassuring her.

'you believe so?' she asked, again, 'thanks bestie!' upon listening to his response, she proceeded to wrap the necklace around her neck. at last, she was finally done.

setting her phone upright, she took a few steps back to showcase her entire outfit to aryu--who had been helping her out the entire evening to make herself look presentable for the soccer player since she had to play bowling with him again, today.

last time, she looked rather "gross" in her eyes but today, she was finally going to dress herself up appropriately for the occassion. it's not everyday she gets to hangout like this with a pro soccer player, so why not give it her best?

she had been anticipating this hangout for the entire week; not only did she enjoy playing bowling, she also enjoyed oliver's company. saying she was excited were merely an understatement.

soon, it was time for her to leave for the bowling alley so she hurriedly told aryu "goodbye", while all he did was compliment her appearance until the last minute. she, then, grabbed her wallet and left her house, awaiting the entire event.

—

as yn walked into the alley, she saw oliver waiting for her near the entrance. he had dressed himself in clothes that were much simpler from last time—he wore a short-sleeved button-up with repeated patterns and dress pants. upon noticing her, he welcomed her with a kind smile.

as they walked into the bowling alley, yn couldn't help but feel excited; she loved the vibrant atmosphere and the sound of the bowling balls crashing into the pins. oliver seemed rather non-chalant even though he was the one who even suggested this as a romantic date however, this didn't defy the fact that he was determined to make a good impression on yn and show her a fun time unlike their last meeting.

they made their way to the rental counter and chose their shoes, yn went ahead and opted for a f/c pair and oliver choosing a more subdued black and green. moreover, oliver complimented her choice of colour.

as the pair got settled at their lane, oliver suggested they grab some snacks and drinks before they started playing. yn was more than happy to oblige, and they walked over to the snack bar to order some nachos and sodas. they chatted and laughed while they waited for their order, feeling more comfortable with each other by the minute.

oliver was the first to break the ice surronding yn's relationships. he asked her if she had ever been in a serious romantic relationship and what she looks for in an ideal partner; the entire conversation topic did nothing but make yn nervous as her mind flashed back to her peculiar relationship with rin.

luckily, she managed to drop the conversation topic by reminding oliver that they still had a game to play. oliver was quick to pick up on her nerves so he also stopped questioning her.

as the game went on, they grew more closer with each other, and the conversation flowed effortlessly between them. they talked about their jobs, their hobbies and their future. the topic of their relationship was dropped as there were many other things to talk about. though, oliver's messgae was clear: he was interested in yn.

when the game was over, they tallied up their scores, with oliver winning by a narrow margin. yn couldn't help but pout, but oliver cheered her up by suggesting they play another round. they played for another hour, laughing and joking the entire time.

as they left the bowling alley, yn realized that she had had an incredible time with oliver. sure, she had fun with her friends here but with oliver? it felt different. a type of different that made her want to spend more time with him.

once they left, oliver suggested that he can drive yn to her house. even though she was reluctant but he insisted so now, here she was, sitting in the passenger's seat of oliver's car with one of his hands on the wheel while the other on her thigh.

they sat in silence, allowing yn to reflect on her thoughts for the day: she was feeling a mix of emotions; on one hand, she was elated that the date had gone well, but on the other hand, she was nervous about how to proceed with her relationship with oliver. sure, they had recently met: twice in person and would constantly text one another. however, they were so different: she were merely a science student and he was a pro-soccer player. not to mention that her reminiscing of her rin didn't help her conflicted feelings at all.

the sound of the car's deceleration pulled yn out of her thoughts; she realised that they had stopped in the front of her house. as they pulled up to yn's house, she felt a twinge of disappointment—she didn't want the date to end, but she knew that it had to. with a smile, she thanked oliver for the ride and made to open the car door, but oliver stopped her.

'hey listen...' he called out to her, grabbing her attention. she turned her head to the side as if to urge the man in-front of her to continue.

'y'know yn, i think you're really interesting,' he spoke, 'and i had a great time with you.' he paused, 'so i was wondering if we're going to continue this? but on a place away from the bowling alley? a date, again, maybe? but a proper one?'

yn was stunned, of all the things she expected him to ask but nonetheless, she managed to respond with another question, 'are you... asking me out?'

'in a sense, yeah,' oliver shrugged, 'so? what's your answer?'

she waited momentarily to think of her response. eventually, she managed to smile and gave oliver the answer he had been anticipating:

'i'd love to.'

[ 1015 words ]