You are unique, that's what they all said when they see you walk down the hallways to your class on your first day of high school. Your dual-coloured hair moves smoothly on your head, making you stood out immediately.
A pair of gunmetal blue eyes bore to your frame, gazing at you with a longing look on his face. Akaashi Keiji has been in love with his best friend's sister even before you enrolled in Fukurodani. He could never make you look at him before. And now that you were here in a school filled with gorgeous people, he was sure that he would never call you as his.
"HEYYY HEYYY HEYYY!!!" The famous Bokuto Koutarou roared on the hallway, catching the attention of the entire students there, "That's my sister you guys have been ogling on!" He tried to intimidate the male and female population on their school, "I put no mercy to anyone who touches my precious little sister!"
"Koutarou, please calm down." You chuckled and walked towards him, patted his shoulder to compose himself, "I will be okay. I have you as my brother, after all." How your words could boost the ace of Fukurodani even on his emo mode was mesmerising in Akaashi's eyes.
"Hmph, I still don't like it when those guys and girls looking at you like some kind of snack, (Y/n)." Your sister is the whole meal from Michelin star restaurant, Bokuto-san. Akaashi couldn't help but retort inside his mind. Your brother put his arms in front of his chest, eyes still glaring to anyone who dared to gaze on your ways, "Give me your schedule, sis. I have to be there to protect you!"
"What? Don't be ridiculous, Kou!" You whined, giving your brother your infamous puppy eyes, "I am mature enough to stand my ground." It's not that you hate your brother, but his presence could be overwhelming sometimes. Bokuto looked at your face and sighed,
"Alright, alright." He ruffled your hair gently, "But at least, you have to take Akaashi or me to accompany you if you walked alone." Akaashi jerked his head immediately, looking at his best friend with a shocked expression. Though he still seemed pretty calm on the outside.
You blushed from the deal that your brother gave. Akaashi Keiji is the most gorgeous man that you have ever seen in your entire life. Hell, the first time you saw him, you almost choked on air because no one should have the audacity to be that enchanting.
"H-Hey, Koutarou! You couldn't drag Akaashi-senpai like that," You composed yourself and gaze towards the pretty setter, "He must be busy, both of you didn't have to be like this." You turned to your brother's best friend, "Akaashi-senpai, please say something."
"I am actually okay with it, Kuto-san," Akaashi said calmly, while he really wanted to scream out his nervousness. You widened your eyes a little, didn't know what to say at this, "You are important to me, so it's okay."
"See? I know Akaashi wouldn't mind." Bokuto's hand fall to your shoulder while the others patted Akaashi's back, "After all, I trust him. He wouldn't even have the thought to do anything towards you, (Y/n)."
You are wrong, Bokuto-san. You don't know what's creeping in my mind, not even the slightest.
"Then, I will put my trust in you, Akaashi-senpai." You bowed your head a little, the honorific that you gave to him could make him blush without a doubt. But his blush could be gone for just a split second.
After that agreement was made, you always accompanied by at least one of them. No one dared to make a move on you since Bokuto will glare to everyone who laid eyes on you, while Akaashi will give them a cold stare.
Everyone on the volleyball team could see how Akaashi acted around you. His gunmetal blue eyes will frequently check for your well being, asking you about lunch or any kind of things about a school subject. If you asked him to tutor you, he would drop everything and be ready in a beat.
You are a more favourable version of Bokuto Koutarou. Mature, independent, and could hold your ground without becoming a damsel in distress. But the fact that you regularly failed in math class and how dense you are about people around you, could convince anyone that you are indeed related to the ace.
"Are you tired already?" You groaned to answer his question, "Let's take a break, okay? I don't want you to explode, Kuto-san." You and Akaashi were now sat in your room. There will be another volleyball camp next week, and if you fail another math exam, the school won't approve you to go.
"How could you become so good at math, Akaashi-senpai~!" You knocked your forehead on the table multiple time until you could feel something soft instead of the wood surface, "Huh?" There you saw Akaashi's hand covering the spot where your forehead would hit.
"It's not good for your head, Kuto-san." Just that tiny gesture was enough to make you blushed. You gulped down and straightened your posture, "Do you want to take a walk? Maybe buy something from the convenience store."
"But it's 8 pm already, Akaashi-senpai." You sighed when you saw the clock, "My family would kill me if they knew I am going outside at this time."
"I am going to accompany you. You know that, right?" Akaashi stood up and grabbed your scarf, "I am not going to let anything happened to you." He said that with ease as his hands gently put the scarf around your neck. Thank god that he focused only on the scarf and didn't look up to see your face.
"Alright, then." You walked to the living area with Akaashi on your side. Like your brother, the whole family already trusted the setter with all of their heart. So they allowed you to go out and buy something, as long as you were back within an hour.
Both of you were now walked side by side in comfortable silence. Just like what Akaashi said, you really need to breathe the fresh air. The pretty setter couldn't help but steal some glances towards you. And there you were, standing as oblivious as ever.
"What do you want to buy on the convenience store, Akaashi-senpai?" You asked him all of a sudden, "Because I am sure I don't know what I am going to buy. There's so much food that I really want to eat."
"Maybe I will buy some steamed vegetables there." Even though you knew what's the probable answer to your question, you just want to hear his voice more. He fiddled his finger, a habit of him that you always found adorable.
"You really loves vegetables, huh, Akaashi-senpai?" You chuckled, "Kou needs to learn from you. The only thing that came out on his brain was meat, meat, meat, and meat." Akaashi snickered a little, Oh my god, bless my life.
"Bokuto-san is hard to be taught," Of course you know that, you live with him for your entire life, "Though, I know it's not the time of the year for my favourite vegetables to season. But I couldn't help but hope that there will be a-"
"Rape blossom on the convenience store." You continued his words precisely like what's inside his mind. Akaashi get a little bit taken aback by your terms, "Am I right? Did I predict the right thing?" He smiled and nodded.
"Every single word, Kuto-san." Just this statement is enough to make you spread the broad smile. Akaashi is falling hard all over you again and again.
After buying a lot of snacks for your family and some fresh imported vegetables for Akaashi, you walked beside him again, closer than before. He insists to brought the groceries bag, but you didn't want to be a burden and stole one of the bags either way.
"Are you going to sleep over, Akaashi-senpai?" You asked him when he grabs your hand as the two of you past the crossover, "Koutarou would be happy to have his best friend after all." Though your brother wouldn't be the only one who enjoyed his company.
"Maybe, Kuto-san. Maybe." His eyes focused on the road even though the light turns green for the passenger, "Do you want me to continue the tutoring tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, please." You squeeze his hand gently, making him look at how your hands lingered on each other even after crossing over, "My family wouldn't mind, we all love you like our own family after all." Akaashi suddenly stopped and let go of your hand.
Even though he always does that, but somehow, his gesture tonight hurts your heart more than the usual. You got taken aback by his strange action. He looked down to the ground, eyes focusing on his shoes.
"A-Akaashi-senpai... What is-"
"What if I don't want to be loved like that?" He clenched and unclenched his fist simultaneously, "I appreciate it a lot, for you and your family to love me like your own." His gaze finally fell towards your figure, "But I don't want to be loved like that, (Y/n)-san."
This is the first time you heard him calling you by your first name even though he still added honorific. You always told him to address you like this, but he usually disagreed. So both of you decided to choose the two last syllables from your last name instead.
"What do you mean, Akaashi? I don't under-"
It feels like the air has been knocked out from your lungs when he suddenly pulled you to his embrace. All of the groceries bags fall down towards the ground, but both of your minds didn't care about it at the time.
Akaashi closed his eyes and inhaled at your hair to detect the familiar scent from your shampoo. Tonight, he loses his composure that he always builds every time you are near. Something just snapped inside him, and he didn't dare to see your expression. Afraid that you wouldn't want to talk with him after this.
But he relaxed a little when your arms wrapped around his torso. The fact that you didn't push him away was enough for now. He gulped and controlled his emotion before continuing his words,
"I don't want to be loved by you as a family, (Y/n)-san." He embraced you a little bit tighter, careful not to make you gasping for air, "I want you to love me as a man, please." How his voice sounded broken after he pleads almost make you cry.
"I always love you as a man, Akaashi Keiji." You gripped his jacket tighter as you confessed timidly. He flinched a little, and you know for sure what's lingering on his mind, "I thought you only see me as a sister, that's why I never said anything." He relaxed once again and let go of the embrace.
"And here I am afraid that you wouldn't feel the same." His right hand fall to your cheek, caressing it gently with his thumb. You looked at him like a child just receive their birthday gift, "Can I- Can I kiss you?" You smiled at him and nodded.
That's the only thing that he needed before leaning in to feel your soft lips on his. It's nothing compared to his imagination. Your lips feel like it was made for him. The sweet flavour from a candy that you eat before still lingering on your lips, adding another sensation on your first kiss together.
Both of you finally let go of the kiss to gasp for air. He put his forehead to yours as he cupped your cheek. Embracing the lingering moment between the two of you. You closed your eyes and put your hands on his to warmed his skin. At last, Akaashi stole some little kisses before putting it to an end on your forehead.
"What are we now, Akaashi?"
"Hm? Can you call me by my first name, (Y/n)?" You nodded and giggled because of the happiness that spread inside your heart,
"Keiji," You pecked his nose and continued, "You know that I want to be with you all the time? That's the whole reason I want you to sleep over tonight." He chuckled at your honest declaration.
"Hm? And what if I told you that I always want to make you mine?" Even though both of you just kissed, somehow his blunt statement still makes you blush, "Your answer, please?"
"I will gladly become yours, Keiji. I think I don't have to answer that since you must know the answer already."
"Yes, but I still want to hear it from you, (Y/n)." After stealing one last kiss on your lips, he let go and grabbed all of the groceries bags in his arms, "Let's go home, we are outside for more than an hour."
You immediately steal one of the bags and linked your hand in his arm, "You know that my brother will go frantic if he knew his best friend date his precious little sister, right?" You wiggled your eyebrows just to tease him.
"Oh, I know for sure about it." He turned to gaze at your face, "But I don't care," He leaned in a little before fixing up the knotted strand of hair, "I could let go of anything. Anything but you."
You couldn't help but smile from the sweet words that came out from his lips. How his gaze deepened with adoration sprucing inside his orbs. You tightened your hold on his arm and focused on the road ahead.
"Yeah," You couldn't wait to face the day as the setter's girlfriend from now on, "I wouldn't let go someone that I have been pining over for years." Your voice sounded giddy, making him chuckle.
And Akaashi Keiji still couldn't believe that he can call you his after all.