HEART TO HEART. blue lock

08. BRIDGE OVER CLOUDS

"sorry, what?"

"i said, i want you to play soccer with me."

not even asked, but said. hyouma's not against the sport at all, but who is a guy who wears a dang formal dress shirt with an absurdly fancy collar in this temperature to tell him what to do?

hyouma shifts his gaze back to the window. he has to keep his cool like the cool man he is. "why should i? sorry, but i don't know you." that one's definitely making it out to the cafeteria gossip.

"i'm l/n y/n, and i want you to play soccer with me," y/n says. a horribly nice name, by the way.

"again, why should i?"

"what else do you need? you asked for my name, and i gave it to you."

this is getting on hyouma's nerves. "i don't see how that owes you to have me play soccer. with you, mind you."

"you run fast. you have the potential to be a world-class striker." someone needs to tell victorian boy to hear himself right now.

"nice try, but if i run fast then i can be the best at every other sport."

"but i like soccer, and i like your speed. so i think you should play soccer with me."

with that logic, it's no wonder hyouma never notices him. he has decided that he's tired of arguing with someone who probably has soccer balls for brain cells, and will be gracious by ignoring him.

"chigiri-san?"

no response.

"are we playing soccer together or not?"

no response.

"you were amazing yesterday, by the way."

no resp— his chin is yanked and he's forced to meet e/c eyes.

woah.

hyouma has seen livelier eyes from the fishes by the riverbank.

what is this kid's problem?

"you were amazing yesterday."

"thanks." hyouma forces a smile. be mature, be mature, be mature—

"no problem. now play soccer with me."

BANG!

hyouma slams his hands against the wooden table. the noise startles everyone in the class, making them snap their heads to his desk.

curses, his reputation!

hyouma laughs awkwardly, rubbing his nape. "...sorry! there were... bugs on my table." he frowns, eyebrows furrowing at y/n. "l/n, are you okay? you must've been scared."

'get the hint, fish eyes!'

y/n tilts his head at him, and hyouma waits for him to blink. he doesn't.

then, he cups hyouma's ear with both of his hands. "if i say i was scared, would you play soccer with me?"

hyouma is given no choice but to nod his head.

after letting go, y/n faces their classmates and takes one, big breath. "yeah! i was scared." he freaking yells in his voice that shows absolutely zero fear, or anything for that matter.

'idiot! who would believe you if you say it like—'

"thank goodness hyouma was there to protect you from the bugs!"

"was it a spider? it was really loud...."

"hyouma's as cool as always! looking out for l/n-kun even when he was scared himself!"