Third Person POV
Hisashi was lost in his thoughts as he walked on the school grounds. His eyes furrowed as he tried to understand the feelings that kept bothering him for the past few days.
"Hey, hey, Mitsui-san?" a familiar voice called.
He snapped back to reality, his head turned to see Rei who seemed a bit confused as she tilted her head to the side, "Are you okay?"
Flustered by her appearance, he rambles in his mind to find words and successfully he did, "Oh-uh, yeah. I'm good."
"Is that so? Well, good!" Rei stretches her arms in the air and yawns, "Gosh darn it, I'm beaten. And it's just the start of the day, haha."
"Stayed up late?" Hisashi asked.
"Yeah, I had a few subs to study. And Akagi-senpai is really going hard on the team's training. Can't blame him though since Shoyo is our next opponent, but a good night's rest is what I need right now."
Yohei called for Rei and the two turned to see him, Rei greeted the boy back while Hisashi just looked at him silently. Yohei caught up to them and walked side by side with Rei, "I haven't chatted with you in a while. You must have been pretty busy." He commented.
"You're right. Now my body has taken a toll on me because of that." Rei yawns again but it was even longer than before, wiping the tear that escaped from her eye. Hisashi's eyes stared at Rei, "Genji has been working really hard for the team," He recalls a memory where Rei had told him she will continue to be the assistant manager of the team just so she could support him, a blush painted on his cheeks at the memory.
The bell rang and apart from the two boys, Rei jumped in worry, "Ah!! I'm gonna be late again!! I gotta run-!" Just as she said, she quickly left the two who seemed nonchalant of their schedule. "I'm gonna head first," Yohei said to Hisashi who responded with a hum.
Later, Hisashi arrived at his class and as it continued with its session, he really wasn't paying attention to their lesson. His mind kept replaying the memory he shared with Rei when they were alone in the gym. She poured her genuine feelings about how she felt when he mocked her and the genuine intentions she had for him to support his basketball. The cringe that overcame him when he remembers how horrible he was to her made him facepalm, and furrow his brows.
"Stop it! Rei has forgiven you already, you should too. You can't go on like this,"
...
"Good effort, guys!" Ayako cheered the panting athletes as they went to the bench side to replenish themselves. Kogure went to Hisashi to cheer him up as well but he wasn't noticed as his eyes were planted on Rei. Kogure tilted his head in confusion and asked his teammate, "Mitsui, why are you staring at our assistant manager like that?"
Hisashi flinched at the question, quickly turning to him, waving his hands to clear the air, "No, no! It's not like that." His eyes trailed down to the floor, musting up the courage to tell him what has been bothering him and his seek for advice. He sighs in defeat, "How do I get rid of this guilt?"
"Eh?"
Hisashi looks at Rei who was heading to the lockers with Ayako then back to Kogure, "It's Rei, I can't seem to move on from the past entirely. She's forgiven me for what I did to her, but I still can't forgive myself. Especially what happened recently." He recalls back when Rei was in trouble and he could do nothing to help her.
Kogure was speechless for a moment, surprised that Hisashi had felt like this throughout the entire time. Yet he was touched to know too that he was. Kogure smiled as he wiped his glasses with his shirt before putting it back on, "Well, I guess my advice would be for you is to do something good for her. Maybe it'll work that way."
Hisashi thought it was a piece of good advice, taking his words into account. Kogure smiled softly at his friend, perhaps something in the brew is what he imagined. Hisashi however glared at him as a warning, making the vice-captain quickly wave his hands anxiously, "D-Don't worry! I won't tell a soul."
Hisashi lets out a breath and thanked him before heading to the showers, "Something good huh?" He finished washing up and changing back into his uniform. He wonders in his mind what way he could do for Rei. "She said she needed the sleep, should I give her something to help with that? Or does helping her with the job might help more?" He saw Rei in the distance, with her bike gripped with her hands, slowly walking towards the gate. "What if I'd just ask her."
"Genji-!" He calls but stops when Yohei and the others got to her first with wide smiles on their faces. "Rei-chan! We're heading out to the arcade, you wanna come?" Yuji asked.
"We've heard from Yohei that you've been busy and tired lately. A good play will be a good way to unwind!" Nozomi commented.
"What do ya say?" Chuichirou excitedly asked. Rei had stars in her eyes as soon as he heard, "The arcade!? I've been wanting to play their new game! I heard it's extremely intense..." Suddenly she slouched and murmured negatively, "But my body can't keep up with this excitement, I'm already on my last stand here. I really need to rest." She whimpers.
"See? Told you she can't come. Don't worry about us, Rei. You can come next time." Yohei reassures her and she sniffed as she agreed. "We'll head out first, you take care." Yohei waved his hands as the crew also said their goodbyes. Hisashi followed and walked past her, her not noticing. "I guess it's best to let her rest for now."
Hisashi went to a nearby convenience store, buying a few snacks for himself since the training had made him hungry. As he walked through the riverbank, he was still trying to come up with ways to do Kogure's advice, "I definitely won't help her studies, not that I could be of help anyway."
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Rei once again, laying down on the swaying grass with her bicycle also laid not too far from her. He was surprised, confused even, so he approached her in curiosity. He stood just beside her, with his hands in his pockets, he bends down to try to wake her, "Hey, Genji, wake up," She was in deep sleep as she lay in a fetus position, her chest slightly moving up and down, and her soft snores just showed how much tired she was. Hisashi was still confused as to why she would choose such a place, and a sigh escaped his lips.
He unbuttoned his uniform jacket and placed it on her as a blanket, "Tch, why'd she have to sleep here out of all places? She could get in trouble," He sat down beside her in a squatted position, rummaging through the plastic bag where his snacks were, grabbing a bun, and munched. His eyes trailed back at Rei, she looked so relaxed as her lips parted. Her long lashes and buttoned nose, somehow made him enthralled, "Genji's kinda cute," He thought. He looked away from her features and stared into the distant city lights that started to light as the evening sky had turned to the hues of the sunset.
"Wahh!!!" Rei quickly sat up with her eyes wide open, Hisashi flinched at the sudden exclamation as his bun was still left in his mouth. Rei turned to see him in surprise, "Mitsui-san, you're here?!"
He gulps hard at his solid food and punches his chest to help, "Yeah, and you're here too dozing off. Seriously, don't you know it's dangerous for you to be sleeping out here alone?" His tone raised but it was still full of worry, whilst Rei collected her thoughts. "Wait, is my senpai worried about me?" She gasps and teased, blushing at the idea, "I'm so lucky!" Hisashi let out a 'tch'.
Rei saw Hisashi only wearing a white t-shirt on his top and his jacket had covered her, "Wait a minute, he watched me while I was sleeping? He guarded me while I was sleeping?" The thought in her mind made her even redder, actually feeling flustered that Hisashi got out of his way to stay beside her.
She covered her flustered face and quivered, "Stop it, Rei! He was just worried. But still, how stupid and lucky am I really???"
"Thanks." She utters. Hisashi hummed in confusion. "I said thanks, for looking out for me." She slides her hands away from her face and gently gripped the sleeves of Hisashi's jacket. Sighing as she closed her eyes, "I really wish I could be Akagi-senpai." Hisashi looked at her to listen.
"He's way busier than I am to lead you guys, and he's going well with his studies. And he doesn't even look as wasted as I am. Ugh, I'm such a mess." She scratched her head in frustration, "Maybe if Eita would have some improvement in his training, maybe I won't be stressing as much."
"Eita?" Hisashi asked.
"Oh, Eita-kun, he's my younger brother. He's in a basketball team and I personally train him," Hisashi remembers Eita when he delivered buns for the team, Eita telling him that he should say sorry to Rei herself for his errors. An idea got into his mind, "If you want, maybe I can help you with that."
"With what?"
"With his training, I don't know. It might lighten your load." He scratched his chin with his finger, embarrassed to say but still he knew he had to ask. Rei's eyes sparkled and started to tear, feeling grateful for his offer, "Really?! You'd do that? For me?!" Yet she remembers that Akagi had told the team that they should rest for tomorrow, being that the match against Shoyo will happen the next day.
"Thanks but Akagi-senpai told you guys to rest. You'll be up against Shoyo soon, I can't have you dilly-dally with my brother's training. Besides, he's baggage you might not want to train with."
"Please, I insist!" He begs. Rei startles, "Y-Yeah but, the game."
"Just think of it as something in return. Y'know, after what I did..." The sincerity in his voice made Rei realize his intentions. She thought for a while and came up with a decision, standing as she stretched her body to relieve herself from the strain and tire.
She held the collar of his jacket, placing her hands on her hips, "Well I guess it wouldn't hurt a fly. Plus, Eita-kun might see something in you to be on good terms with you. You see, he keeps pestering me about you." Rei recalls her brother getting all protective of her, telling her if he hurts her again he'll definitely deal with him. Hisashi's sweat dropped at the fact.
She threw his jacket onto his head, him still sitting on the grassy ground, perhaps in an attempt to comfort and reassure him, "Don't worry, I won't let him do a thing to you. I'll just give him a good punch in the head if he doesn't focus on his training." She lifts her arm up to flex with a smile on her face.
"Thank you, Mitsui-san. I'll make sure to do something in return as well in helping out your cute little junior." She winks at him whilst holding out a peace sign. He smirks and stands up, the height difference made him tower over her, "Sure, then." His jacket propped on his shoulder.
She propped her bicycle up and sat on its seat, putting her other leg on the ground for balance, "I'll text you later, see ya!"