"Iwaizumi-senpai, I bought us something to drink from the vending machine." You appeared in front of him with two chilled, canned beverages in your hands. "Time for a break."
Just outside the campus building, where a plain field of grass and benches and tables resided, both you and Iwaizumi met up after all your classes finished to do some research for that morning class you shared together. Right underneath one of the weeping cherry trees, whose petals laid scattered all around, was where you chose to seat yourselves.
Iwaizumi smiled, taking it from you. "Thanks, (Y/n)." He lifted his laptop from his lap and placed it down beside him.
It was you who asked him if he wanted to do so, and luckily, he was all for it. A little excuse of sorts to put your little scheme into effect. That same day, followed into the evening, you, Junkou, and Ritsuka had a 3-way call on how you were going to execute this prank. By the end of it, you still carried some doubts, but no more than your itch to see how he would react to it.
"Cheers." You raised your can and clanked it up with his.
"Things are coming along." He paused to open it. "I think we would've had a tougher time finding this stuff individually." Then put the drink to his lips.
You took your seat beside him and took a few sips of your own. "It's a good thing we're doing it together then."
He cleared his throat and took a sip another mouthful, as the blush crept upon his face. "Right."
"Oh, Senpai," you twisted your body towards him.
He blinked back. "W-what?"The intensiveness of your gaze further spread the blush around his face. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Uh-uh," You shook your head. "Rather, on your head. Should I get it off?"
He stiffened. "Is it a bug?" The color soon drained from his face at the mere thought of it being one.
You swatted at him to tilt forward. "No," you reached up to this spikey locks and plucked the harmless thing from it. "It's a petal." You giggled.
Iwaizumi soon forgot what fear was as soon as that bubbly sound blessed his ears and coursed through his entire being. 'Ah...Do all Angels laugh like this?' he thought.
Just then your ringer went off, pulling both your attention to your phone. "Ah! I guess it's that time already. Pardon me, while I take this important call."
The male upperclassmen only watched you in confusion as you picked it up to answer. 'Weren't we supposed to have this entire break for ourselves?' Had you made plans with someone else and forgot to tell him that his time was limited?
You put the screen up to your ear and answered, "hello?" You glanced down towards your lap. "...Yes, I'm out of class...Mhm...Are you on your way now?" You took a hand up to your hair and combed through it, letting your fingers linger once it reached the ends.
A drop of sweat ran down the side of Iwaizumi's face.
"I know, it's been a while since we last met up." You peaked up at him from your under your lashes and quickly looked off. "I can't wait to spend time with you again."
'Huh? Who is that?' Once again, the color in his face ran it's coarse. As a matter of fact, the same could be said for the feeling in his shoulders.
"Right now? I'm on the side of the building with the cherry blossom trees. You remember from last time, don't you?"
"Last...time?" he muttered.
"I'm with an upperclassman...Yes, he's a guy, but it's not like that. He and I are just friends."
As harmful as the word sounded, it felt like a dagger shanking itself deep within his heart. Just barely missing his vitals by a margin.
"Okay, I'll see you in a bit. Love you, too!" You chirped. "Bye."
It was like a finishing move, that k.o's d the upperclassmen and shattered his heart. 'Who was that?' You were off the phone now, so he wanted to ask exactly who it was that you were telling such sacred words to. But not in the way that seemed nosey or obvious of his discomfort.
"So..." You put your phone to the side and turned his way again. "Who was that?" He forgot. "Uh--Not to be in your business or...anything..."
"Who was who?" You tilted your head as you bat your lashes.
"Eh? O--On the phone. It kinda sounded like a lover, y' know." He tried to pass it off with a weak chuckle. "Is it..?" Maybe it was a close girlfriend. 'Please tell me it's not what I'm thinking...'
"Wouldn't you like to know," you teased.
Excess beads of sweat started to fall at this point. 'I would!'
Your smile further spread as his display of rising fear. "Would it bother you if it is?"
"No, no," he averted his gaze. "It's your life. Who am I to have a say in who you talk to. Or like for that matter..." It kind of felt like tears of his own blood was going to start spilling at any moment. If he just gave it a sentence more. 'I don't like this.'
"You can meet him if you'd like."
"No, I don't think I should--"
"He's already on his way here to take me out grocery shopping for dinner tonight, and I really want to introduce you to him, Senpai."
The hopefulness in your voice wasn't something so easy to refuse. Not only that. 'She's too powerful!' Even the glitters, surrounding your being, shot out at him like a raining light, telling him he couldn't refuse such a chance, which was obviously a hidden request. "Sure...I'll meet him, if that's what you want." He agreed to it all the while feeling s piece of his heart shatter and fall to the depths.
"I'm glad to hear that!"
'I'm about to meet her boyfriend...' He needed to find a corner to curl up in. Maybe a hole to set up camp for the next month or so.
"He's a very important person to me, so I hope you can get along well. Who knows," you beamed, "maybe we can spend time together every now and then."
'(Y/n)'s got a boyfriend...and it's not me.' Where was his metal bucket for the long tears he planed to shed? 'I feel like seaweed...' Boneless. Helpless. Unable to do anything but sway to the ocean waves. Downright lonely.
Again, your phone went off, this time chiming in a text message. "He's here!" You grabbed up Iwaizumi's wrist and pulled him off the bench along with you. "Come on, let's go." You strung your upperclassmen across the field, towards the path leading to the gated entrance.
'So I never had a chance to begin with, huh. Who am I kidding...of course she'd be taken by now. Just look at her. She's too precious for her own good!' At that moment, yet another piece of Iwaiuzmi's heart broke off.
In your grasp, you could tell just how light he felt. Not resisting where you were bringing him, but more like accepting his fate in the situation. 'If Iwaizumi-senpai has feelings for me like Ritsu thinks, then he should give a lively reaction.'
A pristine white Sadan with tinted windows sat parked outside the gate. The door opened and a foot was seen on the concrete before the male in question fully swung it open and climbed out.
'He's handsome!' Iwaizumi cried in his wallowing thoughts. Behind his stiff smile ground his teeth. He had the same intimidating aura as him that would make anybody quiver.
"Hi!" You waved high and proud to the tall figure. You released Iwaizumi's hand and came at him full speed with an extra spring in your step.
"(Y/n)," he spread his arms open and greeted you with a softened smile. "How was school?"
"Normal," you threw yourself onto him and squeezed. "How was work?"
He chuckled. "Normal. You look cute today."
"Thank you," you said. "Jeez, it's been months since we last saw each other" You lifted your head up to him.
"Sorry about that." He stoked the top of your head lovingly. "It gets a little demanding here and there down the at the office. But I finally got the rest off the day and tomorrow off, so I'm free to listen to all your demands."
'He looks older than us. On top of that, he seems to be a responsible guy.' It was official. He was a catch. One that couldn't be compared to. 'I hate it here.'
"I have someone I want you to meet," you turned back to him. "This is Iwaizumi-senpai. He's an upperclassman and a friend of mine."
'For now, just act normal and greet the guy.' Iwaizumi puffed up his chest and walked up to him with a stretched open hand. "Iwaizumi Hajime." He wasn't going to let him be the only one to come off as strong.
"Wakatoshi," He shook his hand firmly. "A friend, huh?" Unlike the loving gaze he used for you, the exact opposite was given to the younger male. A strong glint of judgment, reserved for only him. "You've quite the strong grip." His face remained hard.
"We met not too long ago because of another upperclassman who introduced us. He takes care of me a lot from time to time.
"Are you ready to go? We should head to the supermarket and get the ingredients before it gets too late. Where's your bag?"
"Oh!" You realized. "I left it and my laptop back on that bench." You looked out towards where you had been.
"I'll get it for you," Iwaizumi took a step back in that direction.
"Alright. When you come back, would you like to join us? We're making pizza tonight for dinner."
"No," he rubbed his nape as he looked off. "I just realized I had something to take care of, so...Maybe next time. Besides," he grumbled. "I wouldn't wanna be the third wheel." That said, he took his exit.
'I think he's sulking,' you noticed.
"Did he just say 'third wheel'?" Wakatoshi looked down to you. "Third wheel to what?" His brows narrowed.
"Um, I'm actually playing a little prank on him right now."
"Yeah?"
"Mm. I won't go into the detail, but I can definitely say that he hasn't the slightest clue that we're siblings." You giggled.
"She has somebody," Iwaizumi said.
"What? Who're you talking about?" Oikawa said. "And hold the speaker to your mouth properly. I can barely hear you."
"(Y/n)! She's got a boyfriend already, okay?" He shouted this time around. "I never even had a chance." He didn't want to call the small amount of time he had gotten to know you so far a waste of time, but disappointment truly weighed on his shoulders and feet.
"(Y/n)-chan's got a boyfriend?" That didn't sound too right to him. Last time he checked, you were single. "She told you that?"
"I met the guy." He closed down both your laptops. "Responsible, good-looking, and older on top of it." He grabbed yours first and slid it into its soft casing. "I wonder what else she sees in him," he grumbled, zipping it closed and pushing it into your bag.
"Sounds like he's got you beat in all those categories," Oikawa laughed.
"One of these days I'm gonna hit you so hard, you won't be waking up until a week after the fact."
"I'm joking. I'm joking," he said nervously. "So what's next?"
Iwaizumi pushed his own laptop into his bag and hiked up on his shoulder. "Whaddya mean what's next? What else is there for me to do." It wasn't apart of his plan, but... "All I can do is just be her upperclassmen."
"Try not to beat yourself up, Iwa-chan. Look, I'm out with my father and a couple of people from the company, but later on, why don't we go out for drinks?"
"No, it's fine. I hope everything goes smoothly for you."
"Oh, that's my dad calling me over. Thanks, Iwa-chan. I'll see you later. Bye!" And with that, the video call ended.
Iwaizumi glanced over at you back sitting there up against the bench. He inhaled and tried to huff away the gloom cloud cast overhead. 'What am I supposed to do?'
The next time you had class, Iwaizumi came up the stairs beside Oikawa, listening to him prattle on about something involving his family's company and him taking over pretty soon. Things that he had hoped would help him take his mind off of what happened the day before. Though as soon as he stepped foot into the room, his eyes hadn't left your direction.
"Good morning, Senpai," you greeted them with a smile.
"Good morning, (Y/n)-chan," Oikawa grinned.
"Morning," He raised a hand. As weak as it came out, he tried to return the smile.
"Iwaizumi-senpai, could I talk to you for a bit?"
Taking the hint, Oikawa went on to the back without him. "I'll be in the back," he said.
He didn't even get the chance to answer and he was already gone. Now it was just you and him. "What'd you want to talk about?" He asked.
"Yesterday I noticed your mood wasn't so great after you met my big brother yesterday. Was something bothering you?"
He flinched. 'Was I being obvious?' He started to sweat a little. "No, well--It's not like I wasn't--" He stopped. 'Wait.' Had to do a mental rewind of that first sentence. "Did you just say 'big brother'?"
"Yes," your cheeks raised with your smile. "He only introduced himself with his first name, right? His full name is Ushijima Wakatoshi."
You two did have the same last name. "But--But I thought--" Iwaizuimi held onto his forehead. 'Was I reading too deep into it? No, but she definitely made it seem like they were dating.' He didn't get it. "I thought you were showing me your boyfriend..." he quieted down.
"I never clarified who I was introducing you to, did I?"
'That's true...' But there was still the question. "When I asked you if it was a boyfriend, why didn't you correct me?"
"It was just teasing you, that's all."
His cheeks flushed. "It was all a joke?" Now he just felt silly for the way he overreacted.
"You're not mad are you," your brows pushed together. "Ritsuka thought it would be a harmless prank." And here you were amping up the innocence.
Your sparkling aura seeped out from you yet again. "No way, I'm not mad at all." Batting your lashes like that, how could he ever afford to get mad at you? I'm just, surprised."
"I'm glad," you said. "You're such a good sport, Iwaizumi-senpai."
He chuckled anxiously. "So," he cleared his throat. "Does--Does that mean you don't have a boyfriend? I mean--It's fine if you do but..."
You shook your head. "I'm single."
Iwaizumi pursed his lips to hold in the large grin. Like a gush of water, hope filled his entire being once more. 'YES! She's single!' His body trembled with joy.
"The professor is here, Senpai. Let's talk again after class." You waved.
"Y-yeah, see you after class." On his way up towards the back, he clenched his fist and pumped it strong at his side. 'We're back on track, Hajime!'