"Shittykawa? Weren't you supposed to be going ahead?", Iwaizumi's voice woke Oikawa up from the reverie.
"I-Iwa-chan", the boy who was still standing by the wall in the library said with confusion. "I decided to wait for you nevertheless", he quickly added, trying to mask his dissatisfied expression.
"Then why are you in the library?", his friend asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Just let's go already, shall we?", Oikawa hurried up the boy by pushing him out of the room.
When they went outside, the sun was still shining, but it was slowly heading towards the horizon.
"I've seen some girl running out of the library a few secnds before I found you there", Iwaizumi finally said and the chocolate haired boy jolted.
He knew that his friend wouldn't be pleased by the fact that he made this kind of a bet.
"Really?", he laughed nervously, but Iwaizumi's menacing glare forced him to speak up. "Yeah, I've talked to her", he fessed up.
"Is it the girl from the bet?", the boy asked to Oikawa's surprise.
"You know about it?"
"Hanamaki told me about it. So it's her...", Iwaizumi replied.
"Do you know her?", Oikawa inquired.
"You also know her", his friend answered and turned his head to the boy. "She was at Kitagawa Daiichi".
[Name] was lying on her bed with a coursebook, trying to learn to the upcoming chemistry test. But the memory of today's incident was effectively foreclosing her from it.
Why her? Why would the most popular guy in the school try to pick her up?
It's not like she wasn't happy to be noticed by him, and it made her even more anxious. She shouldn't have gotten excited by that. He was probably bored or just messing up with her - nothing more.
Don't expect anything.
She knew she should be happy with what she had now - the peace coming with being alone, but some part of her still yearned for contact with the outer world.
A contact she lost a long time ago.
It was a lunch break and most of the students was either at a diner or in their classrooms with their friends. But some exceptions like [Name] preferred to eat in silence.
For the girl, the usual place to eat was the roof. It was quiet, and not popular among other students. She hasn't seen Oikawa today. She could guess he was no longer interested in-
"[Name]-chan, I was looking for you everywhere", she nearly jumped hearing the voice coming from behind her.
She turned around to see the panting boy, resting his hands on his knees in the door.
"Oikawa-san?", the girl said, surprised.
"I'm sorry!", Oikawa exclaimed when he finally caught a breath.
[Name] widened her eyes.
"For what?", she asked, confusion hueing her voice.
The boy walked up to her.
"For acting so straightforwardly yesterday", he replied with remorseful expression on his face.
"It's okay", she assured with a light smile. "I just don't know why you would be interested in talking to me", she added and locked her eyes on the ground.
Oikawa stayed silent for a while, observing the girl closely.
The expression she was wearing right now... What was that? She looked so painfully aware of something he just couldn't see and it made him really curious about her. She seemed different than other girls. Was it to her character or the uncomfortable past - he wanted to know what stopped [Name] from smiling honestly.
"You seem special...", he finally spoke, surprised by his own, shy voice.
The girl looked up as a small blush hued her cheeks.
But as soon as she realised it, she looked away, cursing herself for this moment of inattention.
Don't believe him. Those are only words. Words can hurt. Unfulfiled expectations are painful.
"I am not. I just don't speak much", she said, avoiding the boy's look.
"Let me check it", Oikawa replied.
"What do you mean?", the girl asked, unconvinced.
"Today, come to my practice", he said and smiled