ため野矢の: Because of Noya

反対 Opposite

"Nishinoya-san?"

"Y-you're..... Smiling.."

The libero barely made out the sentence in such a strangulated voice.
But wait..

WHAT?! Was I smiling unconsciously?! I smiled so many times before, but how come I wasn't the one aware I was doing so?! What was even happening?

"S-so? You saw me smile already, how is now any different?!"

I asked, my voice shaking and squeaking in between the lines.

"'Cause now it's.. It looks..... Your face looks much better!"

He exclaimed with a face just as red as mine. What in the hell's name was that supposed to mean?

"I haven't seen you smile since that time in the nurse's room! But now you do and.. It's kind of like seeing a blue moon, y'know..."

The last part was grumbled, and I could barely make out the sentence without straining my ears to listen. But, I regretted that because upon hearing the statement, I broke out into a hot mess. My stomach twisted into what seemed like an iron knot, settling itself into that position for quite a while. Although, my face was now equivalent to a red traffic light.

"Stop saying things like that... I don't know how to respond..."

I said sheepishly, slapping two hands over my hot face in an attempt to hide the bright pigmentation all over the area.

I heard a fruity laugh emerge from the once embarrassed boy standing in front of me, to which I spread my index and middle finger covering my glasses/eyesight to see what he found so hilarious.
But, it turned out he was laughing at me.

A wide, impish grin was plastered on his small, defined face.

"You're so weird, Nakemura-san! Are you even human anyway?!"

He continued to laugh, the spiky-haired idiot's eyes closed tightly by the wide smile replacing the solemn line on his face.

I didn't even know whether to be offended, angry, or embarrassed.

"Compliment! C-O-M-P-L-E-M-I-N-T! That's how I said your smile was nice as!"

Nishinoya-san continued heartily, trying to 'explain' the situation to someone so 'stupid'. By now, I'm sure he figured out I'm leagues above him in intelligence, yet I was completely clueless when it came to things like this- I didn't know how to react, is the bottom line.

But, I moaned at the dense libero's inability to spell the word he said: consequently rubbing my temples with a frustrated frown appearing on my now wrinkled forehead.

"I think that question should be meant for you, Nishinoya-san."

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

--------------------------

"Welcome to Obiyashi Grill!"

A gruff voice greeted both Nishinoya-san and I as we walked into the small, lunch-like located somewhat northwest from the school. Other than its weird location and tiny size, it was cute and decent for students to drop by and pick something up.

As I was taking a good look at the place, a man roughly in his 40s appeared from the beige flaps hiding the kitchen behind him. He held up the flimsy fabric with one muscular, hairy arm while the other rested stiffly at his side. His face was DEFINITELY his most prominent feature, though.
It practically screamed "TYPICAL INTIMIDATING GUY".

His square-like jawline jutted out from his thick neck covered with beard stubble and a few scars. His eyes were a piercing sort of grey, the black eyebrows accenting it only made them slant to give off an even manlier mien. Lastly, his hair was surprisingly extremely spiky, thick, and long. It didn't seem to naturally match, but it wasn't super awkward either.