"So tired..." You rubbed the crusties out of your eyes and reluctantly pushed yourself out of your bed. You took one glance at your wall and heaved a large sigh. The streak to end your restless nights had finally been broken. You tottered out of your bedroom and towards the bathroom to shower and get yourself ready for the day. And something told you that it was going to be a long one.
All you could think about doing while trudging through the halls was getting to the student lounge for a quick snooze before your next class. 'I thought I was going to die today.' You could've barely kept your eyes open for that first class. Now that it was over, you had about two hours to spare, so until then, you planned to make the most of it.
"Look at who we have here." You lifted your eyes to the voice. "(Y/n), right?"
"Yes?" A slightly taller woman with rouge-stained lips stood before you with her a condescending hand to her hip. The inches in her heels lent leverage to tower over you. That way you would know the difference between your place and hers.
"You're the cute girl who's been hovering around my Hajime lately." She calmly combed her finger through her loose curls.
"Excuse me?" It was then that you realized who this woman was. Ibuki, the ex. All dolled up from the usual attire you were used to seeing her in. "Your name is Ibuki-san, right?"
"So he does talk about me." The conclusion slipped a smile onto her lips. "I knew it."
'Only when he needs to complain because you've shown up out of nowhere.'
"It's a good thing I ran into you. We need to have a talk, just between us girls."
Your brows creased slightly. "About...?" You didn't have a good feeling about this. Just remembering what she did the other day, brought about those stifling feelings before you again.
"I assume he's told you this already, but Hajime and I used to date. Right now we're on a break, but it won't be long before we're back together."
'She's a bit looney in the head,' you thought. 'For Senpai, there is no break. He's already done with her.'
"That being said, I don't know just how close you are to him, but I'm gonna need to you start distancing yourself away from him. You're a woman too, so I'm sure you can understand how irritating it can be to have another girl all over your man, trying to take your place and whatnot."
They creased a bit deeper. "Iwaizumi-senpai and I are just friends."
"Yeah? Those aren't the vibes I'm getting though. Every time I try to talk to him, you pop up out of nowhere and he runs off with you. It's annoying as hell."
"Excuse me for saying this, but I'm sure Senpai has his reasons for doing so."
"And what's that supposed to mean, huh?" She lessened the distance between either of you with a single step. "You saying Hajime's grown tired of me? That I'm not right for him?"
A drop of sweat ran down your cheek. You weren't going to be the one to say it. "I know he's been vocal about the discomfort you bring to him when you show up unexpectedly, that's all..." He's said to her multiple times already.
"Listen up, squirt." She stabbed her fresh manicure near your features. "Stay the hell away from Hajime, got me? This is your first and last warning. Don't make me have to do or say anything more than this." And with that, Ibuki went around you, leaving you to watch her walk away.
'Is that a threat? Did she seriously just threaten me?' Prickly. This time your heart felt prickly. Like the flickers before the eruption of a burning flame.
When you arrived to the student lounge, you stumbled upon a pleasant surprise. "Iwai--ah!" You almost forgot. "Hajime-senpai!" Your called picked his head up from the book he was reading and over to the entrance where you stood.
"(Y/n)," he waved you over to the corner of the room where he chose to kick up his feet and relax.
'Oh...' Something about the calm smile of his struck you hard. In response to it, a thumping in your chest came about, like the powers from cupid's arrow were finally going into effect. 'Oh, dear...' You blinked. 'Is it me or does he look extra handsome today?'
"Hey," The way you scampered over to him with the widest of grins made his heart flutter. 'She's really calling me by name from now on.'
The energy you had gone most of the day without returned to you upon seeing him. "How are you?" you asked.
"Good," he shifted over a bit so you could get to the next bean bag chair sitting beside him.
You pulled your bag off you and set it down beside your feet. "What a coincidence that we run into each other on our break."
"Yeah," he smiled.
"What book are you reading?" You leaned and tilted your head over to see if you could steal a glimpse of the cover.
"This?" He held it up. "Just something that caught my eye when I was walking around. Kinda felt like reading a bit, y'know?"
"Do you like to read a lot of books?"
He shrugged. "Every now and then I'll pick a good one to binge it."
"Hmm," you hummed. "I never thought you to be the type. But I guess that means I still have a lot to learn about you." It was funny. Seeing his cheeks go rogue made yours do the same.
"Uh, your hair today looks really cute," he said. The two buns you wore on top of your head with symmetrical strands curled at your sideburns. "Super cute."
The thumping in your chest picked up. "Really?" The heat in your cheeks transferred to your palms as they cupped them. "Thank you." Of course, such a compliment would amplify the effects inside your heart.
"Did you come here to study or just..." He tried to find something to say.
"I--I actually came to take a nap before my next class."
"Didn't get enough sleep last night? It must've been because you were studying." At least, that's what he assumed to be the case.
"Well...I tried." Your eyes wandered away. "But it didn't turn out the way that I had expected it to," you chuckled nervously. "My next-door neighbors were having a bit too much fun last night, so I couldn't get a good night's rest. It's been about 2 weeks or so since I've last talked to them about keeping the noise down, but I guess they forgot."
"The hell? Are the walls to your place thin?"
"A bit, actually. It's not my first time complaining to them, and I don't think it'll be my last time either. But I don't think to talk to them again is gonna do much." You then covered your mouth as it stretched to yawn. Now that you were talking about it, you were getting sleepy again.
"Should I try talkin' some sense into 'em for you?"
"You?" You blinked.
"They're not taking you seriously because they don't see you as a threat. But if they hear from someone like me," he punched his fist into his palm. "I'm sure the message'll get through crystal clear."
"Senpai," you clapped. "That's a wonderful idea! That might be just what I need. Thank you so much. It's so sweet of you to go out of your way to help me like this."
"Of course." Anything for you. This could be his chance to show you just how macho and he could be. "You've helped me out before, so I wanna try doing the same for you."
"We should meet up at the front entrance around 3:00. They don't return home until about 7:00, so we could hang out for a while until then. Does that sound okay?"
"It's cool with me."
Both his and your classes were done for the say, so at the set time, you and he got to the front entrance of campus and took off to find something to do for the next 3 or so hours. Heading into town to do some window shopping, grabbing some food from the snack vendors on the sidewalks.
There was even a point in time where you linked your arm with his and went dragging him down the block like it was nobody's business.
"Hajime-senpai, you must work out a ton," you said." His biceps were so large you couldn't resist reaching over with your next hand to cop a feel. "You must be super strong, too."
"I--I do my fair share of lifting when I'm at home." His ego told him to flex on the spot to show you. 'Does (Y/n) like a strong guy?'
"I've never made friends with guys like before, but I'm starting to take a liking to it."
'I'm working out as soon as I get home!'
"We're here," you two stopped in front of a large and tall brick building among others. You released his arm and hurried on ahead. "Come on."
Into the lobby, you entered, to ride the elevator all the way up to the 5th floor. After which you got out of and strolled down to your door. "Would you like to go inside for a bit? I could get you a drink or a snack." Even though you had just outside from doing just that.
Iwaizumi chuckled. "We just came from doing that."
"R-right..." A drop of sweat slid down your cheek.
"Are you nervous?" You were showing the same behavior you did as when you had first met him. 'Does a monster live down there or something?' Before Iwaizumi could further press you for an answer, he heard a bit of noise coming from the next door over. He chuckled. "You have nothing to worry about, I'm right here with you."
"Okay..." You followed close behind him, even holding a small piece of his shirt so you wouldn't be separated.
'Cuuute! (Y/n) thinks of me as her protector.' His insides were going to explode from the little tug on the back of his shirt. But he couldn't lose his manly stance. When he reached the door, he knocked on the door, waiting for an answer that never came. He knocked another 3 times, but still no response.
"This son of a-" Iwaizumi raised his fists to the door and three loud thumps it took.
"Who the hell is out here banging on my damn door like that?" The muffled voice grew closer to the door. "You gotta death warrant or-" The door flung open so the threats could be heard in full, but they came to a screeching halt.
'Oh yeah, this definitely looks like the kind of guy she'd avoid.' Tall and scrawny with sharp and rugged features. Ones you could've easily associated with that of a troublemaker. He casual outside clothes on, so he maybe he did just arrive at his house.
"W-what do you want?" he asked. Unease set into his face with one glimpse at the weapons he used as arms.
"Hello there."
He raised a brow at the soft-spoken voice. It was then an extra head popped out from behind his bulging bicep. "You're the chick from next door."
"Y-yes."
"I heard that despite her asking you politely to keep your noise to a minimum, you seem to be having a tough time keeping it down."
"Well..." He looked to you, who couldn't lift your eyes from the floor.
"Don't tell me you were taking her as a joke this entire time?"
"That's not-"
"So then what is it about 'please keep the noise down so I can get my rest' don't you understand? She's a college student. What do you think would happen if she can't study for her exams or complete her assignments?"
"She--She'd fail."
"Exactly! And when she fails she flunks for the year and gets held back. Are you saying you're ready to take on that responsibility?"
The man shrunk back right where he stood. "N-no sir." This man had some years on Iwaizumi. It was obvious from his small beard. Yet the terror he was forced to endure made him feel like the roles were reversed.
"So I take it you'll keep your word for real this time so I won't I have to make another appearance. And trust me, if I do have to come back, it'll be to settle this with an entirely different method." His left knuckles were the first to crack.
"Uh-No, we--We'll keep it down from now on. Promise! Sorry about that, girly."
"It's no worries. Thank you for listening," you said. "Senpai, let's go now." You wrapped your arms around his and started dragging him away back to your door. "Thank you so much for doing that. I really hope this won't have to happen again."
"You make sure to call me if it does, okay?" Despite the rattling in his chest, and the pace it was growing at, he reached over and patted your head. "I'll take care of it."
"Yes." You couldn't help to do so, but your head nuzzled more into his hand. Just a little bit. Enough for you to still calm yourself down a bit from the flutters.
Iwaizumi's hand stiffened and couldn't move. He tried to form at least one word through his attempts, but only ended up with random utters.
"Hajime-senpai, if you're not in a rush to get back home, would you like to watch a movie inside?"
"I--Yeah! Sure. Let's--Let's watch a movie." The rattling was becoming unbearable. How were you acting this cute? It was an attack against his own life. "What should we watch?"
"Whatever you recommend is fine by me."
You settled down in your living room, on the floor in front of your couch, with a bowl of popcorn and two bottles of water. With your legs crossed, you sat about three inches away from each other, waiting for the movie to start.
On his end, every muscle he had flexed previously for the day had gone stiff. From head to toe, he was like a piece of plank. A plank with a tinge of red dabbed across his features. On the other end, you were just about the same, except your eyes were wandering in every which way. No place to properly settle them on, since the screen was still in loading mode.
"Sh-should I turn off the lights?" you asked.
"No, don't get up. I can get it." he was already upon his feet. "Where is it?"
After returning from the switch, he returned from collapsed his legs to take his seat once again. On his way down, his accidental knee grazed yours. "My bad-"
"No, no," you shook your hands. "It's fine."
"'Kay."
Finally, the movie had begun, so even though either of you couldn't relax as much, you at least had something to watch now. But even as if it was starting, you yourself couldn't focus on it. That part of the day from when you ran into Ibuki was still bothering you.
"Senpai, you didn't run into Ibuki-san today by chance, did you?" Walking around the building with those kinds of clothes on. She was clearly searching for attention. Iwaizumi's attention.
"Fortunately, I haven't."
You breathed a sigh of relief. 'That's good.'
"Why do you ask? Did you have a run-in with her today?"
"I did!" you exclaimed. Just thinking about how it went down ruffled your feathers. "She was wearing a tight skirt and red lips stick heels and--and!"
"Whoa, slow down." He chuckled.
"She was completely different from how she usually looked. Like she had gotten all dressed up just see if she could run into you again. We go to a big school," he puffed your cheeks. "Just how in the world is she finding you like this? Does she maybe have a tracking device on you?
Iwaizumi burst out into laughter. "I hope that's not the case, but it might be that."
"Do you know that she told me to stay away from you because you were hers. She said I should understand her frustrations for saying so."
Iwaizumi palmed his face and shook his head. "That crazy woman..." he sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I'll make to tell her off as soon as possible."
"You don't have to," you shook your head. "If I have to be honest, it did upset me when I first heard it, but I don't plan on listening to her at all. I like spending time with you. Whether that makes her uncomfortable or not is her own problem."
"(Y/n)..." he blinked.
"Um..." your eyes wandered away from his. "You can turn me down if you want, but would you mind if I sat closer to you?"
'She wants to be closer than this?' Your knees were almost touching. But what's a bit more closer going to hurt. "You don't have to ask. You can do whatever you want." That said, you shuffled closer to him and held onto his arm yet again, this time resting your head down on his shoulder.
He swallowed. 'My heart.' Beating loud and proud over his eardrums. 'Please don't let her hear it.'