[ryuu_ouji-sama]
I just wanna say
Your head's rlly out there
[君]
Ill take that as a compliment
[ryuu_ouji-sama]
honestly, wth were you thinking
you could've broken a leg
[君]
Tsurugi-kun already told me
[ryuu_ouji-sama]
ur brain could've been dmg
[君]
Chi-senpai told me that too
[ryuu_ouji-sama]
-_-
[君]
^_^"
You giggled behind your phone screen. Right now, you were resting underneath the tree shade. Endou ordered you to rest, especially after the stunt you pulled yesterday.
At first, you protested with sticky notes. But soon, you were overpowered by your friends, plus Sangoku had confiscated your sticky notes, so here you were.
You looked up when you heard footsteps approaching you. It was Hayami's. In his hand was a cold beverage. He handed it to you.
"I-it’s for you. We're having our break time right now, and I – I figured you might be thirsty since you've sat here by yourself..."
You grabbed the bottle and smiled at him. Hayami blushed. You patted the spot beside you. He didn't decline your offer, so slowly, he sat with you under the tree shade.
You popped open the bottle and took a sip. Hayami hugged his knees. From afar, you could hear a bit of the chatter of the team.
"Um, how are you feeling now?" Hayami began.
You signed him an OK.
"T-that's good to know. You ... gave us all quite the fright."
You scratched your head. You were about to apologise, but your typing finger halted at what Hayami said next:
"But, you were really cool when you jumped that high." He looked at you straight on. His lips formed a small smile under his blush. "You looked like you were flying."
Your eyes sparkled. Your cheeks turned pink, and you shyly grinned.
Once more, Hayami couldn't understand.
He couldn't understand how you were able to brave past on in the face of Fifth Sector, he couldn't understand how your mind think about the play in the oddest way possible, how ready you were to support the resistance, how ready you were to support the team, to cheer him up, to go so far; and he certainly couldn't understand how your smile caused butterflies in his stomach again. But he's willing to learn more about you.
Hayami wanted to understand you better after all.
♡ --- ♡ --- ♡
You and Sangoku saw Namikawa standing by the entrance of the gates of Raimon. Namikawa spotted you and made his way over.
Reflexively, Sangoku brought up his arm to shield you. Namikawa stopped a few feet away from you due to that. However, it wouldn't stop him from telling you this:
"[Surname] [Name], fight me."
"I understand. If you wish to seek a fight," Sangoku suddenly said in the most monotonous voice you've ever heard him use, "you're free to search the Sumo Club. If sumo isn't your thing, we do have the Karate Club. I've heard they're now accepting challengers unaffiliated with karate clubs and Raimon itself to branch out —"
"I didn't mean a physical fight." Namikawa sighed. "I meant a soccer fight."
"I see. Now, make your way to Coach Endou, please. He's currently in the clubroom, so you have enough time to discuss with what date shall Raimon and Kaiou have a practice to substitute a rematc —"
"It's a one on one, not a team's play."
"If it's a one on one, please clarify that to Coach Endou. Again, he's in the clubroom, and among one of us are free to —"
"I want [Surname] to fight me! Not just anyone on your team! Why are you so hellbent in having me refer to anyone else but her?!"
Other students were glancing your way. You grew embarrassed due to that and stepped in. First off, you shook your head at Sangoku. You signed to him that you'll handle the situation.
"But —" he admitted defeat when you glared.
Second off, you turned to Namikawa. You took out your phone. "Why do you want to have a soccer match with me?"
"I'll tell you why if you win," he replied after regaining his cool. You deadpanned. "The match is held at the riverbank," he added.
Has Tsurugi's stubbornness? Check.
You turned back to Sangoku and signed: "Chi-senpai, I'll head on over to the riverbank. Could you visit Taiyou-kun first and inform him I'll visit late?"
"You're going with him alone?" Sangoku asked, concern. "He might hurt you...."
"I don't think he won't," you argued. "Besides, I'll give you a call if anything does happen."
"I suppose..." Sangoku sighed again. "Alright. I'll leave you to it. Please be careful."
You hummed.
♡ --- ♡ --- ♡
"You're not going to change?" Namikawa asked.
He had brought a spare soccer uniform of his, which he had changed into using one of the changing rooms around the neighbourhood. You, however, had left yours back in the clubroom. Thus, you were left with your school uniform.
That's what you explained to him through your phone screen.
He stared at you. His eyes travelled up and down before he turned away, blushing. He coughed.
"Please tell me you're wearing shorts underneath."
You hummed.
He patted his chest, sighing in relief. "That's – I'm glad to hear that so, ahem, can you play a goalkeeper's position?"
You nodded.
"Okay, so here's the rules. In order for you to win, you have to catch at least two out of three of my shots. We're allowed to use our Kenshin and Hissatsu Techniques in whatever way as we pleased."
After that explanation, you got into position. However, before the game started, Tenma, Shinsuke, and Tsurugi appeared. Shindou and Kirino were there too.
"[Name], please don't fight!" said Tenma.
What?
"Yeah, it isn't good to use violence!" Shinsuke said.
Ah, you realised, who fed them this false information?
Fortunately, Tsurugi had properly analysed the scene before him, so he corrected Tenma and Shinsuke with a sigh: "They're not fighting. They're having a match."
The other two oh'ed. Shindou sighed, rubbing his forehead. Kirino looked at you and shouted, "[Surname], give it your best! You can win!"
His cheer spurted the other boys to cheer you on, too.
Namikawa clicked his tongue. "[Surname], think fast!"
You managed to catch his first shot. He shot again with Flying Fish, which you blocked with Carnivorous Bud. For the third, he summoned out his Kenshin, Sea King Poseidon.
You didn't know how to properly summoned yours, so you could only try to stop the shot with your Hissatsu. That failed, leading a goal.
"[Surname]!"
You waved to your friends you were fine.
Now, it was the final shot. Namikawa used his Kenshin again. You gritted your teeth. Once more, you used Carnivorous Bud. Though, this time, you twisted the stem to direct the ball to the far right. The plant spit it past beyond, wilting away, and the ball plopped into the river.
You fell on your knees. You looked at your shaking hands. The adrenaline poured out of your body at a fast rate, that you barely felt your veins. Since you weren't wearing gloves either, the makeup on your palm was ruined, revealing the burnt scars on them.
A pair of hands suddenly held yours. You saw it was Namikawa's. Guilt swirled in his eyes when he touched your burnt scars.
You immediately snatched your hands away.
"[Surname], we got you a kit!" Shinsuke said. The boys came down to your side. However, you refused to show them your hands as you hid them behind your back.
"[Surname]...."
You couldn't show them. They can't, they shouldn't, they mustn't. Your body trembled. They might question it. And they might find out.
Chi-senpai, where are you? Uncle, I need you here. Please, help.
"We won't ask anything about it," Namikawa suddenly said. "We just need it bandaged. So, will you ... show us your hands again?"
You stared at him. You looked at their faces. They gazed at you softly. Right, they don't mean any harm. It will be okay, you told yourself while you brought your hands out from behind you. It will be okay.
Tsurugi did the bandaging for your hands. He asked whether you had any other injuries, to which you shook your head no. You signalled that you wanted some time to yourself.
Shindou and Kirino excused themselves they'll get some refreshments for you, Shinsuke and Tenma went ahead to return the medical kit they borrowed from a pharmacy. Meanwhile, Tsurugi said he'll buy you a snack.
It was just you and Namikawa now.
You fidgeted with your hands on the ground. After a minute of awkward silence, Namikawa spoke up before you:
"I challenged you to a match because I wanted to see how far you'd go."
You tilted your head, so he clarified further, "That day ... during the match ... you kept on smiling a bunch. When you jumped, or even when you fell, you kind of just, smiled. Despite it all."
He rubbed his neck. "You really like to give it your all, don't you? I ... I admire that. And ... I'm sorry about your injury."
It was like a shooting star had hit your head. Namikawa looked away from your surprised stare. (He hoped you couldn't see the blush on his ear tips.)
"I'll leave you alone for now."
You gaped. You tried to stand up, but with your depleting energy, you stumbled. Upon a yelp from you, Namikawa caught you. He wrapped his arms around your torso while you gripped his shoulders.
(The both of you recalled to the match day where he caught you from your fall.)
Namikawa tried not to blush from the contact again. He focused on your trembling body, especially your legs. So, he lifted you up bridal style.
He settled you down on the stairs of the riverbank. It was then you realised some of your stitches around your knees and forearms had been undone, and they were barely concealed from the makeup on your skin.
Namikawa seemed to have noticed, but he didn't question it when he saw your discomfort.
"... Do you want company?"
You shyly nodded after some contemplation.
He sat beside you. You two spent your time together in silence. A few moments later, you slipped to him your phone number written on a sticky note.
His eyes widened a little. He recovered from his surprise soon enough after to pocket the note.
Your day ended with Shindou and Kirino who gave you the drinks they bought (Shindou, being the rich kid he was, bought you a bit too much), Tsurugi gave you a few cookie packets he bought (they were herb flavoured, to heal wounds faster, he said), Tenma and Shinsuke checked up on you before they went home (somehow, they ended up bruising themselves when they tripped in their rush to return the medical kit), and Sangoku also came to piggybacked you home (after he fretted over your stitches and took the time to fix them up first).
As for Namikawa, he quickly left with a goodbye when your friends arrived. Far away, out of your sight, so you wouldn't see how he blushed deeply when he glanced at your phone number.