___
Waiting at the airport with anticipation, Yona cradled her cookie plushie to her chest as she perched her head on it and sighed. The weather didn't look too well and if it kept up this way, there would be no Okinawa trip.
Other P.K Academy students desperately held onto their own ropes of hope, not letting their doubt pressure them. Hairo, especially. He chanted motivational words towards the sky.
"How could that meathead be so determined?" Toritsuka watched the determined male in fascination.
"How could you flirt with so many girls and still get rejected?" Yona fired back, biting her lips to prevent a big grin from coming on.
Toritsuka blushed, comedically crying in embarrassment. He wrapped an arm around her and pouted, "Why must you hurt me, Yona-chan? I feed you, give you my love, aren't I the perfect boyfriend?"
"Stop that!" She elbowed his chest. Her cheeks tingled at the arms around her waist, "I don't want people to get the wrong idea. And what if one of your crushes see?"
"I have none...yet." The purple haired male beamed at his beloved friend and chose to hold her tighter. Yona rolled her eyes at the foolish boy, shamefully disappointed at how her heart stammered from his warm embrace. Her tired eyes glanced up at his, seeing the adoration in them staring down at hers.
"I can't wait for us to go to the beach." Toritsuka winked, pulling her attention to him. "I'll get to see my cute friend in a swim suit."
"You can't handle my beauty." Yona grumbled.
It all honesty, a small part of her was flattered. If not all, any attention from Toritsuka made her content. Their interactions with one another were endearing to say the least. He was playful and she was serious. However, it was the way Yona reacted to it. She gave into his flirting in a calm manner and tolerated it. Toritsuka didn't flirt the same way he obnoxiously flirted with other girls. He called her by her first name in an affectionate tone, bought her favorite dessert as a thank you for tolerating him, and held her with open arms. Never so much as to lower his hands anywhere.
That's why she allowed him to stay in her life and chose forgave him. No matter the times he chased after a girl, he always came back to her. He made up for it and apologized.
Yona looked away. She hugged her cookie plushie tighter. I guess us being on this trip together will make us closer and maybe I'll even get to hang out with my other...friends. Saiki too.
"If this trip is cancelled, how about we—"
"The trip is back on!" Matsuzaki annnouced.
"Hah?!" Students cheered.
—
It was gorgeous.
Every part of Okinawa from the white fluffy clouds moving about slowly to the beautiful ocean. Along the ocean, green decorated on the trees and spread across the land. This place was an absolute paradise.
Yona held onto the hem of Toritsuka's shirt, occasionally looking around. She felt safer knowing that someone familiar was with her through the crowds and shops. Too much people frightened her and it almost brought those internal instincts to either punch or shy away from someone.
In her younger years, Yona never strayed away from her parents. In attempts to keep her calm, her parents bought her the most beautiful things she awed over. They showered her in affection and compliments about the items they got her. Aside from that, holding their hands in a big crowd made her feel safe and protected. Or in a more festive event, she knew she wasn't alone. She was with someone important in her life.
A hand grasped hers. "No need to worry, Yona-chan! Your trusted prince is here to calm you." Toritsuka smiled.
There were shops Toritsuka pointed out or questioned the snippets of different terms he heard to Yona. She only nodded or replied in short answers, but he didn't mind. He knew she had to get used to these things on her own and little by little she was from the sparkle in her eyes at the scenery that passed them.
Along the way, a question brewed in her mind. It tugged her heart and clawed it's way to her stomach where a pit of dread formed. Yona wanted to chose focusing on their time alone together, but she wanted to know the answer. Her hand squeezed his as she looked up at him with a soft smile, "What about the other girls in our group? I did ask them just for you."
Toritsuka waved his hand, "They're with the other guys...besides I already know my chances and it's a waste of time."
"So I'm the only option." Yona said to herself.
"No! You're the best option!" Toritsuka declared. He looked away with a bead of sweat forming on his temple when she smacked his hands away from her. A few passerby's glanced their way, "If only I had Saiki's ability to read—"
"...What about Saiki?" Yona raised a brow.
Toritsuka tensed. An instinctive shiver ran down his spine for some odd reason so he acted fast. He put his hands on Yona's shoulders and pulled her to his chest where he hid his nervous expression in her neck.
"What I meant is, I want to spent the day with you." Toritsuka whispered, "I missed the firework show with you and Saiki was the one who showed up and not me. It wasn't fair to leave a beautiful girl hanging for one that didn't even want me." He chuckled. "How about we check out that dessert you've been craving?"
Yona's heart soared. Her lips parted in a soft sigh as she walked alongside her companion. It meant the world to her that he was giving up his usual playboy antics, even if it was temporary. Probably because she knew he was capable of doing it in the future. Though, Reita's odd behavior about Saiki didn't leave her. She left it alone, not looking to question him for now.
All the while, a familiar face stayed near them. His face souring at the possible exposure of his abilities. He wanted to smack Toritsuka silly.
—-
Yona hummed in delight. The hot waters soothed the aching muscles on her legs and feet. Stepping out of the hot springs and changing into her comfortable clothes, she walked through the hallway.
Dessert satisfied her hunger, but there was still a little room left for a snack. She quickly grabbed some change from her bag and walked to the nearest vending machine. Yona selected the bag of chips and juice pouch. Her eyes lingered on another snack, deciding to get it at the last second. Her legs carried her outside instead of her shared room. It felt nice to be outside and the sight of the ocean had captivated that.
As did the pink locks laying on a beach chair.
"Saiki?" Yona peeked over to see the pink haired male asleep. Her eyes softened at the serene expression on his usual neutral face. It wasn't that different except that his facial muscles were relaxed. He was handsome, she had to admit. She already noticed that, but the way the moonlight enhanced his fair skin and the gentle breeze that played with his hair had reminded her of that.
Yona felt her cheeks tingle realizing that she was staring and covered to her mouth to hide a small chuckle. Soon, her own eyes began to close so she settled on the chair beside Saiki.
Hopefully, he won't mind. She took a small package of a mini cake and left it beside him with a sleepy smile. Yona yawned, drifting off with a warm gaze directed at Saiki. Something about their small interactions, whether it was a glance or a brief conversation, Yona found herself beginning to look forward to them. Saiki was most likely used to having people around him and didn't care enough to dismiss anyone, but Yona hoped that he was open-minded about her.
"I like...being with you, Saiki."
——
Something felt off...
Saiki turned on his side to find a comfortable position, but what he found next to him knocked the sleep out of him. His eyes zoned in at the (color) haired girl sleeping on the chair beside him. For the first time, her presence startled him
Anytime he crossed paths with her, all he saw was either a mere smile or no smile at all. This time, her eyes were closed to instead display the curl of her lashes, every single lash to the outline of her lips and single strands of hair that framed her face. Every inch of her skin, the blemishes, but they weren't flaws. There in all her glory was Yona Lin. Her actual face and entire being seen as she was. Faces weren't anything special to him and he never saw the appeal, until now.
Saiki frowned. Was the exhaustion getting to him this badly?
"Saiki!? Did you do this?"
By the sound of Toritsuka's accusing tone, Saiki prepared for incoming headache. He turned to the purple haired male and glared daggers at the fool. He was suddenly aware of his own thoughts and dismissed them. He looked around, his eyes spotting a mini cake beside him. Immediately, Saiki thought of the sleeping girl.
"Yare, yare." He walked off to solve yet another problem. In his closed fist, he carried the gifted snack and kept a calm composure despite his annoyance.
Teruhashi had been awake, a dilemma that Saiki was faced with. Her obsession of getting him to say the words "Oh wow!" wouldn't be going away anytime soon, though it did help to have Toritsuka say it with the illusion that it was Saiki. By morning, Teruhashi was a flustered mess. Nobody noticed beside said male and another flustered mess.
"Hey Teruhashi, you were acting kinda weird last night." Chiyo admitted. "You asked the girls to wrestle and..." She glanced at Yona who had her head bowed down.
"I didn't think Kokomi was so bold." Yona picked her up, her gaze intense. "It's almost like you were someone else."
"W-Wha—?"
That idiot. Saiki reminded himself to deal with the bastard later. For now, his focus would remain on Yona. It's already been twice that Toritsuka accidentally mentioned him and it won't be long until Yona connected the dots.
—
Any ships yet?