"Good job guys, we're done!" – Imayoshi screams.
In a heartbeat all the players put the basketballs in the chest and gather their things, then go to the changing room to have a shower. In the meantime you, being the responsible manager you are, finish writing down the latest news about your clubmates: they're all working hard and after the defeat against Seirin and Aomine's change the dedication of the team has grown exponentially. It's a pity that boys like Wakamatsu and Imayoshi won't be here with you next year, but luckily most of the athletes will stay next year, too.
After half an hour Aomine gets out of the changing room and heads towards you. As soon as you notice, you grab your bag and get closer to him, ready for the usual route home together.
"Wait, (Name)."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just... there's this thing that I want to tell you..." – he says with his gaze pointed downwards.
"Is that so? Go on, then."
You honestly don't know what to expect, so you encourage him to explain the situation.
"I... I love you."
Among the thousands of things that you could have imagined, you would have never expected such a sentence coming from his mouth. It was so sudden that you were completely astonished, speechless. But that sensation quickly left to give you the greatest of joys: knowing that the boy you love feels the same way about you. With a blush of pink on your cheeks you throw yourself in his arms and hold him with all your strength, enjoying every second. Until, all of a sudden, the other members of the club reveal themselves after hiding behind a wall and start shouting: "She fell for it! She fell for it!"
You break the hug with Aomine and look around as confused as ever.
"What does that mean?" – you ask them.
"It was a joke, (Name)! Aomine lost a bet and we compelled him to confess to you to see your reaction!" – one of the boys answers.
A spear pierces through your heart. You see its fragments break one after the other and turn into dust as your eyes become watery.
"So, was it all a joke?" – you whisper, staring at Aomine and the whole team.
"(Name)-"
"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" – you yell interrupting Aomine – "Do you think you can play with people's feelings like this?! Do you think love is a game, a joke, a bet?! You're disgusting, all of you!" – you go on, dominated by fury.
You look at the blue-haired boy with eyes full of pain and disappointment, eyes that freeze the blood in his veins. Then, without saying anything else, you run out of the gym. The wind messes your hair and you're crying so intensely that you almost can't see where you're going. You're aware that other people can see you, but you don't care about how you look and what they may think: right now you're one with the deepest pain you've ever experienced. You mentally curse your naiveness, your constant faith in others, your incapability to understand that not all that glitters is gold.
The last thing you want to do is come back home: you don't have explanations to give your parents for what happened, nor you want to think of one. The only thing you need is to express all the anger and all the suffering. Without you noticing it, your legs bring you there: in that little forest that saw you and Aomine walk together countless times. You sit on the huge tree trunk, that was the scene of your joyful afternoons spent with him. You can still smell the scent of his cologne where he used to lay to sunbathe, if you focus on it. The memories of those days are painful, but they're the only thing you have left. You just have a bunch of happy memories that mock your pain.
You grab your phone and earphones and play the song that always manages to ease your heart: the instrumental version of Somewhere only we know.
'I... I love you.'
'She fell for it! She fell for it!'
'It was a joke!'
When the refrain comes tears stream like rivers down your face and you don't bother silencing your screams in this remote place. The love that tied you to Aomine was the most precious thing you owned: not only it was taken away from you right when you got your hopes up, but everyone humiliated it showering it with scornful laughs.
As you pour out your feelings your cry becomes less intense and you manage to calm down a bit. Suddenly, your eyes pointed to the ground meet the tip of a pair of shoes: Aomine's. You startle and are about to oust him with insults, but you freeze as soon as you see his face. In front of you is the most devastated Aomine you've ever seen, with a face so grieved that the one he showed after being defeated seems the symbol of happiness.
"Let me explain, please."
These words are pronounced with a broken voice that tugs on your heartstring. You can't send him away.
"I messed up, (Name). Completely. I know that the feelings you showed in the gym don't exist anymore, so if you want me to disappear from your life I will do it. But I'd like you to know what truly happened first.
Tacit consent.
"A couple of days ago Wakamatsu and I made a bet: the loser would have to jokingly confess to a girl chosen by the other. It was an idiotic bet and I perfectly knew that I would lose. But I accepted nonetheless, because I was sure that Wakamatsu would make me confess to you; and saying "I love you" was what I had always dreamt of. Every time I tried to do that, the words got stuck in my throat and I ended up saying nothing. I guessed you would reject me, but I didn't want to hear that from you nor I wanted you to leave me. The lost bet was my only chance, because I could have confessed my true feelings having the joke thing as an escape route: you would have got mad at me knowing that I was just pretending, but you'd have forgiven me and I could have still stayed next to you. I know, I'm a coward and this explanation doesn't justify my behaviour. But seeing all the pain that I caused you, you deserved to know the truth."
His speech leaves you stunned: a new and unexpected side of Aomine has just risen, a serious, sensitive and incredibly mature one. You already knew that deep down he wasn't just the arrogant prodigy he seems from the outside, but you could have never imagined that his sensitivity extended to this point. Not receiving an answer, Aomine continues.
"It's time for me to leave. I'm sorry that I wasted your time and broke your heart, I hope you'll find someone that'll make you happy."
Your suffering side can't wait for the blue-haired boy to disappear into the darkness, convinced that he has got what he deserves for treating you like that. It's right for him to suffer, to lose you forever. But when the courier sends you the parcel of love it doesn't provide you with a switch to turn it on and off as you like, and due to this you can't send him to hell and that's it. On the contrary, seeing him go away from you fills you with sadness. You've known him for a while now and you've learned to distinguish his lies from the truth: he couldn't possibly be more serious nor repented than this. Before he leaves, you reach him and touch his cheek.
"I already have someone that makes me happy." – you add with a smile.
The blue-haired guy's eyes widen.
"No, (Name). You shouldn't forgive me."
"Daiki, you've made the biggest mess ever and you've broken my heart. But you've noticed it on your own, you've talked to me to apologize and you've spoken the truth sincerely: you've overcome the cowardice that led you to bet with Wakamatsu. And most importantly, you haven't imposed yourself. You haven't come here to beg my forgiveness and ask me to love you again: you were ready to accept and respect every decision, even my choice to never see you another time. I know that you're truly repented and that's why I want to give you another chance. I don't want to throw to the wind the love that ties us together, not for a misunderstanding caused by your intention to confess your true feelings."
Aomine wraps his arms around your body, expressing the overwhelming emotions on your shoulder.
"You're too kind, (Name). I don't deserve this chance, but as you're giving it to me I will make the most out of it. I promise: from now on I won't make you suffer ever again, I'll protect you from anything and anyone."
"I'm sure of that."
Your eyes meet and you share a kiss, full of the feelings that you couldn't express in the gym. A kiss that tastes like salt, that seals your relationship and lets bygones be bygone; a kiss that reaches the cracks on your hearts to fill them with love and assemble them together, a little at a time.
Hands down the angstiest oneshot I've written so far, but I hope you liked it :)
Song used in the title: Somewhere only we know - Keane (Instrumental version mentioned: https://youtu.be/q-bpxeesM_k )