lend me your ears | bokuto kotaro

6 ' It's a date!

"Really? What club?" she asked and ruffled his hair.

"Volleyball!" he informed her and moved his hands like he was going for a dig.

"Oh, you're into sports now, Nanaki-kun?"

"We played volleyball in PE class last week and they said I was good at receiving so they invited me to join. It's called Libero!"

"Do you enjoy playing? That's what's important, right?"

BOKUTO_Kotaro
added you on Line!

Meanwhile, for Bokuto, he spent the rest of the night contemplating about what Hoshino revealed to him earlier, specifically the part about her troubles with making friends. He couldn't guess why she was so distant from everyone, given her kind nature to him.

You can now chat and
call with Nanao06!

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Hi Hoshi-chan!!

Nanao06: hello Bokuto-san :))

BOKUTO_Kotaro: What's up?

Nanao06: I'm about to sleep, Bokuto-san

Nanao06: :))

BOKUTO_Kotaro: It's just 11:30PM :((

Nanao06: Won't you sleep yet?

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Nope, I'm not even sleepy hehehe

Nanao06: you're always energetic, bokuto-san ^^

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Is that the same with noisy and rowdy? :((

Nanao06: ah no nono

BOKUTO_Kotaro: :((

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Btw hoshi-chan, why don't you have friends in class?

The question struck her the moment she finished reading, like something pierced through her heart. With Bokuto unable to touch sensitive topics with delicacy, Hoshino tried understanding it in a good light.

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Wait you might get the wrong idea

BOKUTO_Kotaro: You're my friend!

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Hoshi-chan?

Nanao06: When I transferred, everyone already had friend groups so I couldn't just butt in

Nanao06: And I'm bad at listening to people, Bokuto-san

BOKUTO_Kotaro: You have hearing aids, right? :((

Nanao06: yes, but I don't like turning them on

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Isn't it sad though :((

Nanao06: Sometimes

BOKUTO_Kotaro: Then, want to join me for lunch tomorrow? I eat with Akaashi, he's a second year, if you don't mind hehe

That's how they ended up eating in the same table the next afternoon. It was a rare sight, seeing anyone hanging out with Hoshino, and she swore she felt her heart melt with all the staring.

"Wow, everyone's staring," Bokuto commented and looked around.

"I don't think it's because of you this time," Akaashi murmured, staring at Hoshino's reaction.

"I don't think it's for a good reason either," Hoshino blurted out, hands visibly shaky.

"Anyway, let's eat!" Bokuto told them with a bright smile and placed his hands together. "Itadakimasu!"

"By the way, Hoshino-san, you have a good background on art, right?" Akaashi asked before taking a bite of his meal.

"Woah, homemade bento for you, Hoshi-chan? I want one too," Bokuto commented, looking at the pink bento box, along with the pink chopsticks as well. Hoshino loved conventionally feminine stuff, it wasn't so hard to notice that.

"Sort of," her tone grew even more timid, reflecting how bashful she was at the moment.

"Could you help us out in making a banner?"

"Oh," she mouthed, stuck in her thoughts.

"We'll be picking up our jerseys this Saturday and while we're at it, we're going to buy art materials for it. Do you think you can help us out with that?" Akaashi added more details.

"Oh, we are? Who's going to pick up the jerseys?"

"You are, Bokuto-san."

"So if you come, Hoshi-chan, it's like a date," he murmured, almost inaudible.

"A date?!" she gasped under her breath. She was red from one ear to the other and instead of the chicken teriyaki she was having, she felt butterflies on her stomach, causing her decision making to go fuzzy.

"It's okay if you have plans on Saturday. But at the very least, can you help us with a list of mate-"

"I'll, I'll go," she announced to him, forcing a smile to overturn her worries.

"Then it's a date!"

"Bokuto-san, it's not a da-" Akaashi tried correcting him but it seemed like she was as eager as Bokuto was.

"I'm looking forward for it," she continued, showing them a thumbs up.