Summer just said its goodbyes but Yukimi found herself constantly fanning her face and neck with her empty tray. Their classroom was packed with visitors, mostly girls, which is a great surprise. Of course, the sign in front of their designated area for the cultural festival was to blame ー Cross-dressing Café of Class 3-5. Yukimi wished that the one who came up with that name (she took a glance at their vice-president cackling in the kitchen area) will have a bad lunch or break since the assigned cooks have an irregular schedule of staying inside their little sanctuary. That godforsaken name was something the medium-haired girl didn't mind until she saw the costumes their class representative showed them. She nearly backed out but when Yaku seemed to materialize out of nowhere the moment she turned around, she knew had no choice.
Which led to this moment.
"What's your name?" A curious yet giggling voice came from Yukimi's right.
"Uhm," Yukimi stuttered, blinking rapidly at the tenth girl to ask her that question. All of the assigned butlers were given aliases, however, Yukimi didn't give it much thought, assuming that the guests won't pay attention to her as she did her job. She thought wrong as she stared at the awestruck and hopeless expressions of the pair of girls in front of her. Looking at the side for any person to ask for help, Yukimi silently cursed when she didn't spot anyone willing to aid her (all of them flashing apologetic looks, enjoying how their star waiter captured everyone's attention). Turning back to the girl who asked the question, she flashed a half-smile and dipped her head in a slight bow, all the while keeping her eyes on the blushing girl. "I go by Yuki, young miss."
"She's a freaking natural," Yaku murmured as he wiped his face with a clean towel, his eyes never leaving the girl. "I know Yukimi-chan has the charm to bewitch girls but I never knew placing her in a butler outfit and a wig would result in that."
"Man," Kuroo whined, his chin placed on top of his hands clutching their class' broom, "I'm jealous."
"Who? Of Yukimi-chan?"
The messy-haired boy slowly shifted his attention to Yaku, blinking in disbelief at the shorter boy's remark. "No, you dumbass, of those girls," he punctuated it with a tilt in his head.
The libero narrowed his eyes. "For a second, I thought you finally moved on."
"I wouldn't dare."
Shrugging his shoulders, Yaku replied, "Figures," before drifting his gaze to the subject of their conversation.
Thinking about it, Yukimi outdid herself by putting on the costume (which consisted of a pair of slacks, an inner, button-up shirt, and a tailcoat covering the ensemble ー in other words, their class full-out begged for the theater club to lend them some of their secondhand costumes) and even applying a small amount of eye make-up to highlight her face. As for why there was a cluster of girls flocking their caramel-eyed friend, Yukimi definitely resembled a character from a shoujo manga, the ones who the readers mourn over after being rejected by the heroine. Or the junior who became a part of the main character's harem ー the cutesy type everybody adored. At least for Yaku's eyes. She can easily pass off as a young man, more feminine in terms of features, and yet can attract a good number of people despite her appearance.
Well, the guests knew what they were going into with that huge ass sign plastered on every part of their door but the libero couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something amiss whenever Yukimi did her job in front of the ladies.
They looked like they really believed Yukimi was a guy.
A blinding bishounen.
Yaku snorted at that thought, catching the attention of Kuroo, who was now assigned to cutting the vegetables.
"What is it, Yakkun? Did something happen to Hana?" Kuroo asked continuously, looking around their classroom. Lunchtime was nearing and the number of people going inside their classroom increased, making Kuroo tilt his head upwards to see past the heads of their customers. As if he was calling out her name verbally, Yukimi turned to meet his searching gaze, igniting the messy-haired boy's heart to race. Even though Yukimi was dressed as a boy, with the pixie-cut wig, Kuroo's breath was still stolen away. After a few seconds of staring, the caramel-eyed girl grinned and flashed a peace sign at him. Kuroo abruptly looked away and aggressively chopped the vegetables with a red face.
"Geez, what did the carrots do to you, Tetsurou?"
"Yuki-chan!" Yaku made sure not to call her by her first name since he had a feeling the girl will be using her nickname as her alias.
Kuroo lifted his golden gaze. Yukimi was in front of the counter, slowly taking off the tailcoat and loosening the tie around her neck, body faced to where Yaku was situated as they engaged in a light conversation. He admired how her eyelashes seemed fuller with the mascara and how the light dusting of brown eyeshadow made her eyes sharper. He admired how she effortlessly made his heartbeat race a hundred kilometers per hour with a single laugh. The messy-haired boy openly adored Yukimi as each second passed by. Even with the whole cross-dressing get-up, Kuroo still finds the dark-haired girlー
"Beautiful." Hearing Yaku's chattering stop, Kuroo then realized that he said his thoughts out loud and was met with silence. For the love of God, the cultural festival was not on his side since the start of the opening. First thing in the morning, he was late to the assembly (a good thing that Yukimi was part of the committee so she didn't mark him as tardy). Then he nearly got bombarded by a group of girls for accompanying the caramel-eyed girl while she was dressed as a butler (both of them having their break at the same time), which resulted in the girl being an angel once again by saying to her newly-formed fan club that she wants to spend her break with her friend. And now this.
At the side, Yaku crossed his arms on his chest and rose an eyebrow. His shocked visage became a knowing one as his lips displayed a smirk. "There you go," he chirped. "Why don't you two spend your break together again?"
"Break?" Kuroo asked in a daze, still not looking away from Yukimi's eyes.
"Yeah, it's your turn to have lunch," Yaku answered. "Kagami told me that he just finished his lunch. You know the order of our shifts, right?"
"Oh." At that, the messy-haired boy looked helplessly at the chopped carrots before glancing at Yukimi, who was now reading their menu while waiting for him (their food committee really did good in coming up with these dishes and drinks, Yukimi promised to herself that she had to try one before the highlights). "Hana," the said girl hummed in response, "wanna have lunch together? If you don't mind?"
For no reason whatsoever, there was now a hint of nervousness every time Kuroo asked if the caramel-eyed girl had any time to spare for his inconspicuous dates or hang-outs. It wasn't like before where they had an established relationship and he had every ounce of confidence in their shared feelings but now, they were walking on eggshells every time they were together. There was no guarantee that Yukimi still reciprocated his feelings ー he has his overthinking brain to blame for this. He hated it.
"I was waiting for you to ask that," Yukimi answered with a sweet smile. She then turned to Yaku, handing her tailcoat and vest to the libero, who happily accepted the clothing. "Yakkun, can you look after my costume, we'll be back in a bit."
"Sure thing, Yuki-chan!"
"Let me take off my apron first," Kuroo told her, going to where his bag was placed at the side of the kitchen. Putting it on top of his backpack, the golden-eyed boy quickly took out his hoodie and two wrapped lunchboxes before jogging around the counter. Once he was in front of Yukimi, he grinned, "Raise your hands." As the girl followed his instructions, he put the hoodie on her, mentally cooing at how she pouted with a flushed face when he covered her head with the hood. "To disguise you from your fan club," pinching her cheeks gently before staring at her pensively. Dropping his voice in a whisper, Kuroo told her, "You look cute in my clothes."
Feeling the warmth traveling from her face to her ears and neck, Yukimi planted her hands on the sides of Kuroo's face and squished his cheeks in response to his remark. Truthfully, with the way Kuroo was looking at her at the moment (if he doesn't look like a fish out of a pool of water with her hands still pushing his cheeks together), it was enough to fluster the dark-haired girl. The only choice to avoid those golden irises was to scan the menu again. She intentionally focused her eyes on the beverages. That large cup of amber iced tea will definitely soothe her nerves at being close to Kuroo. Damn it, now she's acting like she just experienced her first love all over again. Her irritation might have shown in her face because Yukimi felt Kuroo gently taking her hands from his face, proceeding to rub his thumbs over the back of them with a wary expression on his face.
"Yakkun, I think I'd like to order something." Yukimi fixated her eyes on the brown-haired boy behind the counter, who was tending to another customer seconds before she said those words. Placing a few bills on the counter, Yukimi listed. "I'll have two pieces of apple turnovers and a large amber tea, please. Thank you."
Yaku grinned at his caramel-eyed friend before narrowing his eyes at Kuroo and taking the money from the counter. "This," he pointed at Yukimi, "is what you should be doing. You should support the class' business! Not prepare your own bento!"
"For your information, Yakkun, these bento boxes," Kuroo glanced at the lunchboxes dangling in his hand, "are fruits of my labor and affection for Hana." (Yukimi looked back at Kuroo with wide eyes, to which bubbled pride inside his chest.) "If you really want me to buy some from our class, I'll pay for Hana's drink."
"Buy your own drinks!"
"Tetsurou, I can pay for my tea."
"Fine," Kuroo sighed as he released Yukimi's hand from his hold and proceeded to take out his wallet from his back pocket. Taking out the exact amount for a club sandwich and a tall cup of black coffee, Kuroo handed it to Yaku who was beaming with joy at how he managed to trick his friend into buying something from their class business. At this point, most of their customers are students from their year level who were also victims of extreme convincing from some students in their class. "One club sandwich with a fried egg and a large black coffee. Please don't add any cream like that time you ordered for me, Yakkun."
"Oh, come on," Yaku threw his hands in the air while walking towards the kitchen to tell the couple's orders, "who would drink that anyways? It tastes like battery water."
"Exactly," Kuroo deadpanned. He remembered how Taketora and Yaku would snatch his drink while he'd excuse himself to go to the bathroom whenever they visit the nearby café, unaware of his orders. There were unlucky days for the two of them if Kuroo ordered his usual go-to de-stressor. He also vividly recalled how Taketora twitched every second because that damned boy never knew how to handle too much caffeine for such a loud personality. As for Yaku, well, Kuroo might have been dead that time from how sharp the libero's eyes were. He doesn't regret not telling them what exactly is inside his cup. "Try sipping from that and let's see what happens." He then heard a loud yawn come from Yukimi, making him look at her with a soft smile. "You that tired, huh?"
The dark-haired girl rose an eyebrow at him. "You try serving girls for hours dressed like this."
"I'd rather not."
Yukimi laughed at the lack of hesitation, slowly leaning against Kuroo's side as they waited for their orders. "I know. I should probably down some of your coffee if I hear one more person ask for my name."
The golden-eyed boy cackled, resting his hand on the shorter girl's hip. "Please don't. We know how you are when you intake too much coffee." He affectionately squeezed Yukimi's side. "I don't want you palpitating over me."
"I just told you a story of how I was shaking from caffeine and now you're preventing me from drinking it?" Yukimi rolled her eyes with a smile, nudging Kuroo slightly (which didn't affect at all since the taller boy happened to be made of stone from working his ass off in volleyball). "I have to drink that sometimes, too, you know? With all the sleepless nights our last year in high school brings, I would be surprised if there are students here who haven't relied on coffee to keep them awake."
"You got a point."
For the remainder of their wait, Kuroo couldn't help but stare at Yukimi while she relaxed against his side. Warmth enveloped his chest as he envisioned the dark-haired girl in his shirt, scuffling around a kitchen belonging to an apartment that he would one day afford. His mind took the reins and wandered even more. How Yukimi would turn around when she hears him chuckling and leaning by the counter. How he would wrap his arms around her torso and snuggle into the crook of her neck, her laughter following soon afterward. How he would feel whole and complete with her by his side. The image was still playing in his mind as caramel irises lift to meet his gaze. Those curious yet glinting eyes took his breath away and replaced it with a bubble of tingles (the good kind).
At this point, Kuroo couldn't imagine a life without Kazahana Yukimi in it.
"What do you want to do after high school? 'Cause I know I'll be studying chemistry as my life depended on it," a hum, "and maybe join a college volleyball team."
Finding a good spot to enjoy their lunch took most of their free time. However, the moment they sat down in one of the secluded courtyards of their school was enough to relieve the stress brought about by the day. Even Yukimi took off the wig and let her hair down from the tight pins embedded in her head. It has been a while since the two of them ate lunch like this ー the last time was probably when they were still in a relationship. They both decided that dwelling on what happened the previous weeks will only amount to an awkwardness that they won't like. So lunch was spent making casual conversation, with a little teasing here and there (mainly from Kuroo).
Yukimi looked up from stuffing her face with the egg fried rice Kuroo made for her. The sight of her looking like a squirrel made Kuroo laugh. Swallowing down first, she answered while reaching for a piece of tempura, "Hmm, I think I'll pursue biological sciences," as if they were words akin to a good morning greeting. "As of now," Yukimi paused, her expression tight as she weighed everything on her mind, "I'll just see where that takes me. I'm still indecisive about which specialization I'll take."
Always out of his league ー this girl sitting in front of him.
Kuroo reached out a hand and cupped her cheek. He stared at her with the softest eyes filled with raw adoration and admiration that it was hard for Yukimi to look away from the intensity beheld in his gaze. Rubbing his thumb over her cheek, Kuroo gently placed his forehead against hers
"I'll be with you along the way."
Flooded with feelings in the form of butterflies that were accumulating inside her stomach, Yukimi found herself lost inside those golden irises, wading across the flecks of amber that glinted against the sunlight passing through the leaves of the canopy of trees above them.
She chose to risk it.
Her lips brushed against his tentatively, akin to a petal of cherry blossom on one's cheek during spring. Feeling Kuroo's breath hitching, Yukimi felt embarrassment pool inside her chest, pulling herself back from the warmth she terribly missed. However, Kuroo gently pushed their lunch to the side and wrapped an arm around her, making her emit a small sound of surprise. The back-haired boy relaxed against the trunk of the tree shading them from the noon Sun and at the same time, adjusted his hold on Yukimi so that she was snug on his lap. With their height difference, the caramel-eyed girl was still eye-level with Kuroo and it was doing nothing to quell the loud beatings of her heart.
Entranced with the way her lips parted, Kuroo dipped his head and their lips met as if they had never stopped being lovers.
He missed this.
The heavy pants every time they part for some air. The lack of space between their bodies made Kuroo's mind ran wild with thoughts he shouldn't vocalize. The sounds she made let him see sparks from behind his eyelids. Her eyelashes caressed his upper cheek. Her small, dainty hands running from his chest to his hair, mapping him out like a memory to be treasured.
He missed this.
The warmth bubbling inside his chest, almost to the point that his heart was pinching in pain. The security she offered since they spent their time together ー more than classmates, more than the captain and manager of the volleyball club, more than newfound friends pestering each other. The unprecedented love they shared in that short amount of time ー how he poured out his feelings to her in any way possible and the fact that she returned it through the littlest steps that were enough for him. The physical contact that they both needed in their drowning times.
His eyes started to burn and his cheeks were wet with tears.
Slightly pulling away, he saw Yukimi crying. Placing a tender kiss on the tip of her nose, Kuroo murmured,
"I miss you, Hana."
During the whole cultural festival, Yukimi never shared another moment alone with Kuroo after their rendezvous in the hidden courtyard. Being a part of the committee was now starting to take a toll on her mind and body. Even though she was a part of the higher years in the small organization, she still handled some work, taking her back to her time as a first-year student (where the seniors abuse their power over the juniors and let them do the work). The good news was that no snotty seniors were ordering her around to carry two stacked-up boxes filled with decorations for the annual pageant. Honestly speaking, this is much better than being in the pageant itself. Who knows what will happen if she was picked to be the representative of their class?
(Yaku was one of the many people in Class 3-5 to suggest Yukimi as their representative for Ms. Nekoma but was quickly denied when the said girl showed her committee badge. He had to think of ways on how to convince her but again, Yukimi left him disheartened. Kuroo cackled throughout their meeting at seeing Yaku's pouting face, irking the class representative with how loud his laugh was.)
Yukimi can only sigh at that memory. The previous two years in Nekoma was spent evading any opportune moment to have her be the face of their classes in pageants. There was nothing wrong with those events since all the contestants had to do was stand on the stage, be pretty for a couple of minutes, and wait for the host to announce the counted votes. The embarrassing part of that was the dance that will be shared by the winning pair. She had to suppress a shudder at that thought. That would mean showing the entire student body that Kazahana Yukimi possessed two left feet and couldn't dance to save her life.
"Kazahana-san, thank you so much for helping the technical team with the maintenance," one of the members of the cultural committee told her while wiping the side of her face with a towel. "You can have a break if you want."
Yukimi smiled, leaning her back against the side of the stage. "No problem, Ayazawa-san. If you don't mind, can I spend my break here? It would be hard to maneuver with this crowd." She gestured her water bottle to the increasing numbers of students gathering in front of the stage, eager to witness the contestants.
Ayazawa grimaced as she eyed the giggling girls in the front rows. "I bet we have to use earplugs tonight." The caramel-eyed girl glanced at her acquaintance in curiosity. Seeing the questioning gaze Yukimi gave her, Ayazawa chuckled. "The school's heartthrob is joining. Heard he was still fresh from that play the theater club has been doing reruns for years. This would be one hell of a night if you ask me."
"Heartthrob?" Yukimi's mind drew a blank. In all her years in Nekoma, the heartthrob she always knew was Kuroo, and the fact that he wasn't even in the pageant, much less a member of the theater club, was confusing Yukimi. She even had no idea where that boy is at the moment. Most likely scavenging the stalls for some snacks along with members of the volleyball club
"Oh, you'll see, Kazahana-san."
Excited squeals were all Yukimi could hear at this time of the night. It seemed like time flew by and the next thing she knew, she was the center of attention, all because of that heartthrob her fellow committee member told her about. It was a mistake that she had to stay at the pageant venue and supervise the said event because at the moment, Kawakami Tenshi, with his blinding blonde-dyed hair that curled on the tips of his ears and radiant smile, was asking for her hand at the dance. Apparently, Kawakami was the winner of Mr. Nekoma and instead of being the partner of his female counterpart, he specifically requested an impromptu change.
"So, Kazahana-san, will you be my partner for the night?"
To be honest, Kawakami Tenshi was the embodiment of his name. Of course, she couldn't miss that platinum blonde hair every time she passed by the third-year corridors but she had no reason to delve deeper in understanding his character, mind preoccupied with different matters (at that time, Romio, and now; the volleyball club, academics, and Kuroo). He was dressed as a prince fresh out of a fairy tale, seeing as he played the role of the gallant heir of a kingdom in his club's play, Snow White and Rose Red. Even Yukimi couldn't deny that he was attractive ー hair swept to the sides of his face and framing his delicate features. His given name lived up to its word. However, there was a gush of uneasiness washing her insides as she stared at the outstretched, gloved hand. It took Yukimi a full minute to conjure up a response and the pressure from all the eyes boring on her didn't help in the slightest.
"Uhmー"
Right when she was about to speak her mind, the newly crowned Ms. Nekoma also got hold of the microphone from the announcer. She was a second-year sweetheart, with that shy countenance and endearingly cute face, there was no way a rejection will cross her way. "Since Kawakami-kun had a request of his own, I wanted to ask permission as well to change my dancing partner to whomever I like," the girl whispered through the microphone. She closed her eyes, her grip on the device tightening and her shoulders raising as she took a deep breath. "Kuroo-senpai, will you be my dance partner for the night?"
Yukimi's eyes widened at the declaration, turning around to where the spotlight was aimed at. But the sight illuminated by the lights made her laugh. Kuroo was stuffing his mouth with a curry bread roll, Taketora and Lev by hid side doing the same. Apparently, the volleyball club was betting on who would eat the curry bread they hoarded the fastest and it just so happened that they were enjoying their moment until Kuroo's name was mentioned through the speakers. Confused at the attention, Kuroo's eyes searched the crowd and immediately rose his eyebrows at Yukimi. The girl only shrugged in reply.
The announcer fumbled back for the microphone. "I would like to call Kazahana Yukimi and Kuroo Tetsurou of the volleyball club to please come up to the stage for the dance."
The caramel-eyed girl sighed, already stepping on the first step of the stairs leading to her doom but a tug on her shirt stopped her in her tracks. Looking back, she was met with Kuroo's face lit up in mischief. Oh, no, she thought as his hand traveled from the back of her shirt to her wrist.
"Sorry, Miyawaki, but I would have to reject that offer," the messy-haired boy grinned and winked at a gaping Yukimi, "I have somewhere I need to be with a special someone. Have fun, kids!" Ever so slightly, he pulled Yukimi to him and started jogging away from the crowd, his laughter coloring the night with yellows and oranges that set a wave of emotions ablaze inside Yukimi's stomach. The previous uneasiness she felt when Kawakami offered his hand turned into a torpedo of excitement as she found herself laughing alongside Kuroo, hastening her pace to match with his. "Come on, Hana, let's go to the pools."
"Slow down first, you long-legged idiot!"
"Well, then." Kuroo abruptly stopped placed an arm under Yukimi's knees and another arm behind her back, a yelp following soon after. "Better hold on tight, kitten." The girl's cheeks colored rouge under the moonlight while she wrapped her arms around Kuroo's shoulders, her head resting at the crook of his neck. His lavender scent reminded Yukimi of her safe space and smiled a little before feeling herself being let down since they finally reached their destination. Kuroo still had his arm around her torso, facing her with a grin that rivaled the dome of stars glowing above them. "There we go, glad we could escape from that." He let out an exaggerated sigh. "I can't believe our names were called."
Shaking herself from her trance, Yukimi pushed his chest playfully and laughed. "And I can't believe you just did that. Now, what will that second-year do after you left her hanging on the stage?"
"I think," Kuroo started, pulling Yukimi to where the diving boards were, "she will start having an idea that I already belong to a very amazing person." His eyes flickered to Yukimi, who was once again in shock at how easily those words came out of his mouth. Her lips were parted as she stared at him with wide eyes, heart pounding like the music somewhere around their school's vicinity. The golden-eyed boy's lips quirked into a soft smile, the hand around the girl's waist pulling her forward until she was against his chest. "And there was no way I'm going to let someone change that." Gingerly like the first time he held her hand, Kuroo placed his forehead against hers. "I'm yours, Hana. I want you to remember that my heart is beating solely for you every day and it hurts knowing that you might not return it after our break-up."
"Tetsurou," Yukimi whispered under her breath the exact moment the highlight of the festival exploded in a cacophony of colors. A variety of pinks and oranges, azures and emeralds, they lit up the sky the way the stars do and it strayed Yukimi's attention to them. In awe with everything surrounding her, the caramel-eyed girl leaned her head on top of Kuroo's chest, hearing his heartbeat echoing along with the fireworks. "I like you." Lifting her head from his chest, Yukimi met Kuroo's eyes with determination and softness. "I like you so much. So please stop hurting, I'm here to return your feelings every second," she placed both of her hands on his warm cheeks, "and to remind you that you're the best person to be with ー I'm just so happy that it's you."
Kuroo's eyes crinkled at the corners. "I'm so happy that it's you, too."
So happy that it's you I fell in love with.
"So this is where you two end up in."
"It's a good thing we found you, Kuro, Yukimi-san."
"There's a second batch of fireworks coming!"
"Don't shout, Yamamoto!"
"Kirei-senpai, you look so beautiful tonight!"
"Thank you, Lev."
"Oi, I know my girlfriend is beautiful but you don't have to flirt with her in front of my face."
I'M ALIVE 😭😭😭
I JUST FINISHED MY CHEM FINALS AND I AM COMBUSTING BC I'M FREE FROM THAT SUB NOW.
HERE'S A LITTLE GIFT BC I'VE BEEN GONE FOR TOO LONG.
😚🧡
— A.
(p.s. this is unedited bc i'm lazy and i had to post this right away 🥺)