Osomatsu-san Oneshots (Book 4)

A Real Smile (Highschool! Ichimatsu x reader)

For Airamatsu

I was sitting with Ichimatsu and the rest of our friends during our lunch break. I was silent as I draw looking up at Ichimatsu every now and then. I was watching him as he chats away with Yanagida. With that smile. I clench my pencil and calm down before going back to drawing. Then I saw it. When Yanagida turns to talk to someone else. Ichimatsu's smile faltered a bit.

And of course whenever Yanagida or the others turn to him he would immediately go back to smiling. I relax my grip on my pencil and it fell out of my hand. I stood up and grab Ichimatsu's arm. "Ichimatsu. We need to talk." I say and he hums "Now." I say before rushing away pulling him along behind me. As we walk he tries to get me to stop.

"Wait y/n. What's wrong? Why are you-" he shuts up when I slam him up against a wall. My hand clutching the front of his uniform. "All this time...I would be...so jealous at how they made it seem so easy to make you smile...I was jealous at how it seemed like you were happier around those guys but now...now I know." I say and lift my head with narrowed eyes.

"Why are you forcing it?"

He gave me a confused but nervous look. "What do you mean y/n? I'm not forcing anything." He says and I shook my head as I let go of him. "Yes you are...your smile is forced...your behaviors around those guys is forced...you are forcing yourself to fit in when you don't need to...I have seen what you are truly like and there's nothing wrong with-" "you're wrong!"

I shut up and look at him surprised as he drops his head. "I'm not forcing myself to act this way! This is just how I act around them!" He yells and I took a breath "You are forcing yourself and you know it! You aren't acting like your true self! You act so different with me yet you put on this overly cheery smile and attitude when all of us are together!" I yell back and he huffs before saying something I never thought I'd hear from him.

"Well maybe you just bring out the worse in me."

It was mumbled but I heard it and shut up instantly. He looks at me and I saw his face drop when he realized what he had said. "...you really feel like I bring out the worse in you?" I say softly as I drop my head and he was silent "heh...I always felt like I brought out the best in you...you're always so relaxed around me...not afraid to be yourself...that's why I don't like how you act with them around."

I saw him about to speak but I continue "but I'll admit that at one point I thought that maybe...maybe I do bring out the worse in you...you'd never have that smile when we were alone so I became a little envious that the others could make you smile and laugh so easily...I thought that there was something wrong with me...that I was the reason for you not smiling...or laughing as often." I say softly as tears well in my eyes.

I lift my head as Ichimatsu steps forward and I gasp softly as he hugs me. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I said that. I don't know what I was thinking." He says and I hum before hugging back. "It's okay...why do you put on that smile anyways?" I ask and he hums "I don't want people thinking I'm a freak for not smiling...you said it yourself I don't smile that often...I don't want people thinking I'm emotionless." He says and my heart clenches before I pull back to hold his face.

"Ichimatsu. It doesn't matter what others think. Whoever would think that about you doesn't know the real you...which is why I'm not bothered by your "emotionless" attitude. Because I know that it's just the way you really are." I say and he blushes softly but I sigh "I also understand why you would want to act the way you do around our friends...you don't want to scare them away...but can I be honest Ichimatsu." He nods with a hum as I lean in.

"Even if you scare them all away. I'll stay by your side because I'm your best friend and I'm here till the end." I say and he glances away before smiling. A real genuine smile. He hugs me tight once more before head back to sit with our friends.

What I didn't know is that moment sparked something inside of Ichimatsu.

Little did I know that the moment we had lead to Ichimatsu gaining a crush on me which over the years turned into full on love.

And when he actually gained the courage to ask me out, I gave an eager yes.