VIII.
I couldn't focus.
I couldn't focus on reading. This was the first time that my imaginations are not cooperating with the book. My thoughts were drifting onto something else.
"Meet me at the gym tomorrow after class."
Was he going to answer my question personally? They don't have basketball practice today so it'll just be me and him in the gym later on.
But what really made me worry is that it's just me and him. Alone with him. Alone with Akashi.
"Hey, Eri," I heard Yukari called out. She held out a sports' magazine on her hand. They didn't bother to invite me to their conversation because I wasn't into sports nor magazines.
"What is it?" Eri asked, glancing at the item in Yukari's hands.
"I just found out about Akashi-kun's favorites and hobbies in here!" Yukari whisper shouted but loud enough for me to hear.
"What?" I butted in. Yukari looked at me surprised then Eri with raised eyebrows in confusion. But I cared less about their reaction. Yukari nodded hesitantly. "Really?" I asked to be sure.
"Um, yeah. Why?" Yukari informed me, intrigued by the fact that I've joined their conversation regarding sports and magazine.
"Gimme that." I practically snatched the magazine from her hands and read the article about Seijuro Akashi.
Akashi was pretty popular because he was the captain of a group of prodigies called Generation of Miracles. And Rakuzan High was also popular among basketball championships because it defended its title of being the strongest high school.
He spends his day offs in horseback riding. He doesn't have a particular favorite memory back in middle school but he enjoys playing basketball with the rest of his team. He plays shogi to relax. That game is something he enjoys with or without an opponent. I skipped the rest of the article but something caught my eye.
He likes girls with dignity.
His favorite food is tofu soup.
I gasped. Tofu soup? And girls with dignity?
Um, do I even have a dignity?
"I never thought that you are interested in sports, Yuri," Yukari suddenly remarked, her lips curling into a teasing knowing smile. And Eri joined in.
"Or perhaps..." Eri trailed off, giving Yukari a knowing smirk which she mirrored then they threw it at me. "You're interested with the boy in the article?"
I suddenly feel my cheeks heat up, I bet tomatoes are ashamed of me now. I threw the magazine at them but Yukari successfully caught it. "O-Of course not!" The stuttering just made the accusations worse, making me feel guilty.
"Eh?" They both sang and I feel myself shrink at their intense stare. "Tsundere alert."
"Do we not know something, Yurika?" Eri asked slowly, making me nervous.
"You do not need to know anything!" I coughed, making my voice sound confident but to no avail, I failed.
Yukari giggled. "You are such a terrible liar," she grinned. And there comes the question that I least wanted to answer. "Do you like him?"
I was taken aback even though I have expected this question from them. It was true that I get these unusual feelings from him and I'm not going to enumerate them again.
But somehow I think I just admire his pulchritudinous, confident, sly and clever self. He can be cruel yet kind at the same time. He was perfect in any way without an effort exerted. I always believed that nobody was perfect until I met him.
While me... I strive hard to become perfect in any way but it was futile. It was completely and utterly impossible for me.
I'm not perfect like him. I'm not perfect like Akashi. I'm not perfect for Akashi. So I guess, we don't even look good together.
Or whatever that poetic thing meant. But you still get what I try to point out, right?
My heart sank at the thought.
I looked at my smirking friends and gave them the utmost serious feelings and answer I have left. "No."
•••
After class, I've gathered all of my stuff to exit the classroom. To my surprise, Akashi was not in my line of vision anymore, that was fast.
Just as I was about to exit the classroom, a familiar voice called me.
"Hey, Yuri!"
I stopped on my tracks and peered over my shoulder to look at an impatient Yukari. "What is it?" I asked urgently.
"You forgot your promise." Yukari said in a monotone voice, pouting and arms crossed.
I turned to face her and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Duh, your promise to treat us dinner!"
I gasped and face-palmed myself. "Oh, yeah," I mumbled as realization hit me. I'd completely forgotten about that. "You still remember that?"
"Of course," Yukari grinned at me. "Anything that involves free food always sticks in my mind."
I frowned but then laughed along with her. "Alright, alright," I surrendered. "Just give me a few moments, I just need to meet up with someone."
"Who is it?"
I pursed my lips together then gestured her to come to me. She followed me without hesitation then I leaned in to whisper on her ear. "Akashi,"
Yukari instantly pulled away, her eyes wide and mouth ajar. "No way!" She covered her mouth to prevent herself from letting out a squeal. "Are you serious?"
"Shh!" I, instead covered her mouth with my hands. "Be quiet!"
"Oh, my God!" She was practically more excited than me. "What the heck are you still doing in here? Don't make him wait!" She grinned ear to ear as she literally pushed me out of the classroom.
"Hey!" I whined and shot her a glare.
"Take your time, Yurika! Don't worry about us!" Yukari's eyes searched for Eri. "Erika Komori! Get your fat butt over here! Our Yuri is all grown up!"
I let out an exasperated sigh and massaged my temples. Typical friends.
"We are just going to talk, that's it." I mumbled to myself. She gave it another meaning.
Without further ado, I proceeded to make my way towards my next destination which is the gymnasium.
I took my time as I make my way down to the gym, thinking of possible scenarios.
What possible scenarios, you ask me?
Well, it's either a. He's going to answer my question personally and say yes or b. He's going to answer my question personally and say no. That's all there is to it.
Just as I stopped in front of the gym entrance, my heart started beating abnormally and my palms starts to get a bit sweaty. I took a few soothing breaths, hoping that'll help me control my composure.
"Here goes nothing..." I mumbled whilst sliding the gym door aside.
There I saw Akashi practicing shooting in the free throw line. He stopped midway when he heard the door close, which was done by me to catch his attention.
I walked towards him, slowly and he watched me do so.
"I'm quite surprised that you still had the courage to come see me," he started off, offering me a tightlipped smirk. "alone."
I gulped the sudden fear that embraced me due to his triggering voice. His voice alone triggers fear. That kind of voice was enough for anyone to see as a warning to not mess with him. His dark yet soft voice.
"Curiosity got the best of me." I answered simply and bit my lower lip, asking myself if that was true or not.
"Well then," Akashi then, out of the blue, tossed the ball to me which I successfully caught. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "win against me on 1-on-1."
My eyes slightly widened but then I regained my composure. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're kidding, right?"
Akashi answered me a wordless smirk, meaning... that he wasn't kidding. You've got to be kidding me! I've just watched basketball games on tv and practice games here in school but I had never once tried in my life playing basketball! There's no way I'll win against a team captain slash emperor.
"You do see the result, right?" It's because like what you said, you are absolute.
"If you don't hurry up, I'll make the first move." Akashi warned, his face went back to being serious and started walking towards me.
My heart started thumping in my chest in panic, making me freeze on my spot. Akashi is coming. Akashi is walking towards me, his multi-colored eyes focused on nothing but me.
Don't come in here. Don't come. I don't want you close. You are dangerous. Don't. But I also think I want you to come. I want you... closer.
Wait, what?
When he was close enough, he quickly slapped the ball down, making it dribble downwards and completely escaping from my territory.
Hehe, I think he didn't need the Emperor Eye against me, eh?
He ran away, heading towards the hoop whilst dribbling the ball. It admired me just how perfect he could always be.
Wait, he stole the ball!
I ran with panic to catch up with him whilst saying, "Hey! You're so unfair!"
When he was about to perform a layup, I also jumped along with him but the timing of my jump was wrong, causing us to collide. The ball went inside the hoop swiftly while I fell to the ground with my butt. Akashi successfully landed on his feet.
"Ow, ow, ow," I mumbled in pain while rubbing my butt. I therefore conclude, basketball is not my thing.
I looked back at Akashi who was staring right back at me with a deadpanned expression, we locked eyes for a moment. He was looking down upon me and I felt small and weak under his gaze.
Then suddenly, he reached out a hand for me to accept and I hesitantly took it. Bad move.
Once our hands got in contact, he instead gripped on my wrist and yanked me up harshly, making my face bump into his hard chest. My heart screamed agony and danger, my cheeks flared up and my body felt electrocuted at our close contact.
I tried to pull away and wrench myself away from him but his other hand started to secure my waist, preventing escape. I huffed out a breath, even though I'm pretty sure that I was red as a cherry, I still dared to look back at Akashi's handsome face.
"Yurika," his mouth pronounced my name softly like snow in a hot summer. "Let me ask you personally," his impassive face showed no emotion whatsoever, at least that's what it looked like. "Do I affect you in any way?"
Why does it feel like the other way around? I was the one who asked that question. But even though it was already asked to me, it still caught me off guard.
Looking back at him with a lucid expression, I answered back.
---------------------------------------------------
Akashi, Y U ALWAYS KILL MY OC?! KILL ME INSTEAD!
"I will gouge my heart out and give it to you."
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