WAKASA'S POV
"OOOIII, YOU GUUUYYSS!!" Y/N energetically waved at the rest as they stand on the spot that we're taking for the day.
"Y/N!!" Senju waved back with the same enthusiasm.
The volume of the sound of waves clashing and onto the shore as well as the voices of people who are spending their time today at the beach are somehow minimised in my ears with only Y/N and Senju's voice echoing in it. I sighed, thinking how loud they are as we approach the others.
"When do these two lose their energy?" I asked more to myself. Suddenly, Y/N ran towards them, Full of excitement as she speak.
"Hey hey! Do you guys know?? Wakasa invited m—!!" The moment she mentioned my name, I knew exactly what she's trying to do. So, I followed close behind her and immediately clasped my palm on her mouth to shut her up before she spills anything misleading. They all raised their brows at us in curiosity.
"Wakasa did what?" I glared at Takeomi for pressing it.
"She's just at it again." I tried to change the subject. But Y/N whipped her head towards me with her brows furrowed.
"Hey! What do you mean by that??" She even squinted her eyes at me as if she really has no idea what I'm talking about. Before I could even retort something, she turned to them again and this time finally caught me off guard. "Anyway you guys, he invited me out on a date!" She cheerfully told them while clapping her hands like a kid. I almost facepalmed myself for letting my guard down. I knew it. She's gonna turn this issue on me. It's either she's seriously determined in letting them know about it or really determined to just annoy
me for the whole day about it.
"He wHAT?!" They all have surprise look on their faces to the point I'm fearing their eyes are about to fall out anytime now. The three of them then simultaneously shifted their gaze towards me without blinking. I could only sigh in defeat, knowing they would believe her words no matter my explanation.
"A karaoke date!!" She announced loudly that I'm starting to feel embarrassed because of the unwanted attention we're getting.
"I certainly did not." I denied when I noticed the three were serious in believing her.
"Yes, you did!" She frowned.
"You're the one who requested it." I gave her a judging look and she returned it twice the sassiness. She stood up straight and faced me with a hand on her hip and a finger pointing at herself.
"I requested the karaoke. You requested the date!" She pointed at me accusingly. This is why I decided not to mention anything last night. Yet she still interpreted it as a date. Not that I'm complaining. I really was planning on taking her out. I guess that could be called a date as well even if it's just for a friendly hang out purposes.
After a moment of awkward silence, Takeomi approached me quietly to which the other two followed. All of a sudden, I was already being pulled to the side and before I know it, Benkei already had his arm around my neck, head-locking me.
"Oi oi oi, you're finally making a move?" He whispered with a wide grin on his face. The siblings immediately huddled up, curious at our conversation.
"What move are you talking about?"
"C'mon man. We're not that dumb. Only Y/N is. It's not like we haven't noticed how you really feel towards her." Takeomi gave me an 'are-you-stupid' look and the other two nodded in agreement. What in the world—??
A memory of last night flashed in my mind when I accidentally blurted out the words I didn't expect to say to her. I was stupid. What was I even thinking to tell her that? I didn't even realise that I had already confessed until she became silent. And the silence almost killed me at that time. I felt scared all of a sudden, thinking she'll reject me for that and it'll cause awkwardness between us. But lucky for me I guess to have her be such an idiot that I easily convinced her that it was just a joke.
Though I'm not sure if I should be happy about that, knowing I missed another chance to let her know.
"It's nothing like that. I just empathize with her since she's been through a lot." I quickly denied, pulling Benkei's arm off me. It's not that openly admitting my feelings will cause a change... a positive change.
I might only disappoint myself once again like before.
"You're unbelievably stupid." I look up and saw them watching me with judgemental eyes.
"Unimaginably dumb." Senju followed after her brother to which Benkei added.
"Undeniably naive." They all nodded with each other, satisfied at the insults they spat at me until another feminine voice cut in from behind me.
"And incredibly good-looking." I felt the tip of Y/N's finger on my cheek as she joined in the conversation. The three stood straight in an instant out of surprise. I felt my heart race in my chest at our sudden closeness, also because of my nervousness, considering we were just talking about her a second ago.
"Y/N!"
"What are you guys talking about anyway that you had to kick me out of the conversation?" She pouted.
"Nothing important. Let's start setting everything." I quickly averted the subject before they could even say something that I wouldn't really want to deal with at the moment.
"Oh! Good idea! I missed Benkei's mom's cupcakes! I can't wait for the nom nom!" She ran past me and towards the spot where everyone placed the prepared food for the day.
As I watch her figure, I can't help but see her younger self in her.
"Wakaaaa!~" Then again, while resting on lunch break, I hear Y/N's sharp and loud voice in a distance. Soon her footsteps stopped and I sensed a shadow loom over me. "Wakasa!"
"You're so loud." I groaned, opening my eyes only to be greeted by her E/C ones that are now staring down at me softly. I noticed bags under her eyes that I'm sure looked worse today.
"Look! Look what I made this morning!" She shoved a colourful lunch box to my face. How is she always this energetic? Does her energy ever run out? Are we even of same age?
"Food." I monotonously replied, sitting up and feeling disappointed that my rest has to be disrupted. She opened the box and what laid inside in a neat arrangement surprised me.
"You told me it's your favourite! Try it!" She pushed the opened box towards me, expecting me to get one. I'm really not feeling any appetite right now which is why I chose to sleep during the break. And now she just had to come with a box full of my favourite food.
Seeing the bags under her eyes made me think she probably woke up too early or slept too late making these. I really don't have the heart to reject it when she put so much effort into it. Shin's gonna get mad at me anyway if she sulks again because of me.
I took one and shoved it in my mouth. I don't know what I was expecting but it's definitely not this. I don't know if it's bland or the flavourings she put are too much that my tongue is getting numb.
"How is it??" She expectantly asked with a slight tilt of her head. I realized I have stopped munching on the food. Is she for real? Did she not taste it when she prepared these? I must be stupid to think that when she doesn't even know how to cook. Her saying she made these is surprising enough.
I was having second thoughts in telling her the truth. She looked like a little kid who's proud of what she did even if it isn't the perfect thing in the world. Without further ado, I forced myself to swallow the food in my mouth, feeling my body rejecting it, making me tear up uncontrollably.
"Right taste." I averted my eyes from her gaze as I try to blink my tears away. I can't even reach for my water, worried that it might be suspicious to her. I don't even know why I'm choosing to pretend that she did well. It's not like I haven't been acting harsh on her a few days back ever since she kept on clinging onto me after 'that' incident.
"Really?? Shin had a different reaction though. I didn't taste test it at home so..." I thought so too. I honestly feel bad for Shinichiro. I bet he still convinced her that it's good or else she wouldn't be here making me eat these.
Suddenly, her hand tried to reach for the box I'm holding and I quickly pulled it away from her hold. Is she trying to do what I'm thinking she'll do??
"Hey!!" She frowned. "At least share me one!" I knew it. Good thing I have a quick reaction time. She just almost found out that I'm lying.
"No." I answered before taking another and eating it, making eye contact with her, indicating I'm not giving her any. When I noticed my own lunch box still beside me, I nod towards it. "Just take my food and go." When she didn't move and just stared at me with her forehead creased, I took my lunch box which was prepared by my mother and passed it to her.
"Psh!" She stood up with a stomp of her foot. When she noticed that I'm not giving off any reaction to her behaviour, she asked again. "You're really not gonna share?" I shook my head, no. "Not even one?"
"No."
"Fine." She turned around and stormed off, carrying my lunchbox with her like a sulking grade school girl.
I didn't realise that I'm already chuckling to myself, watching her figure disappear into the distance of the school grounds. Looking down at the thing I'm holding, I couldn't hide the smile that's threatening to show on my face.
Now that I've been eating it, I no longer think it's that bad. It's just the flavour that a first timer Y/N would exactly do.
If I even remember it clearly, that probably was the first time that I have appreciated her efforts for me to lay my eyes on her. The first ever that someone made me feel that way. The day that I started to develop those complicated feelings.
I chuckled to myself while shaking my head, thinking how long it has been since I've seen her differently and still with no progress.
"What an idiot."
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Author's Note:
I can't believe I got you guys on Waka's sudden confession in the previous chapter adfqkdvajs hahshahsha oh u thought—🫢