☆
[Name] remembered what the Nekoma captain had said to her when she accidentally let out what she was thinking.
She didn't really want to tell Tetsuro about it, but when the guy saw how sad she looked while glancing at Kei from time to time after their match, he made her spill what occupied her thoughts.
After she let out how she had found out that the guy she liked likes someone and it wasn't her, Tetsuro was quick to ask if she had heard it from Kei herself. When she said no, the Nekoma captain immediately told her that she shouldn't let herself be brought down by it too much. Then, before parting, he told her something she should do.
"You should tease him with a hint of flirting to see how he'd respond."
And so she did. And boy did it surprise her when he did it back. Since then, the two were going back and forth with flirty teasing. Right now though, she was scared that she may have crossed the line.
Kei wasn't really paying attention to her. He was acting rather distant. The look in his eyes was enough to tell her he was thinking about something, but he didn't want to discuss it.
'What could I have possibly done to irritate him?'
The girl could only sigh as she continued eating her lunch. She wanted to ask Tadashi in case he knew something, but she couldn't do that in front of Kei. She had to make it not suspicious. She had to use her phone, secretly. While Kei's head was resting on his table, she whipped out her phone.
To: Tadashi YamYam
From: Miss Tsukki
Tada-kun~ I have something to ask you. Go outside later, but let me go first. Ask the questions later~~
The moment she hit send, she heard a buzz coming from Tadashi's table. The said boy looked at his phone and then towards [Name]. The girl smiled at him before packing up her lunch.
"I need to do something so I'll head out now! Bye Tada-kun! Bye lamppost!"
[Name] made a quick run to her room to place her lunch bag on her table before going to Class 1-5's door, just some steps away from Kei's class.
BING!
To: Miss Tsukki
From: Tadashi YamYam
I'm heading out now.
To: Tadashi YamYam
From: Miss Tsukki
Okay~~
It didn't take long for Tadashi to see [Name] standing beside the neighbor classroom.
"What do you need, [Nickname]-chan?" Tadashi asked.
"Not here."
[Name] started to drag Tadashi to the school grounds, making sure that there weren't many students walking around to hear what they were going to talk about.
"You two really love to drag people to this place when you wanna talk about something, huh?" Tadashi said.
"What do you- Never mind. I wanted to ask you something."
"About Tsukki?"
[Name] froze a little bit as the color pink dusted her cheeks.
"H-How did you?"
"I just assumed. Anyways, if it's about him spacing out, I also don't know the reason why."
"Wow," [Name] said, marveling at how the boy was able to give her an answer before she even asked.
The girl pressed her lips in a line before asking the boy once again.
"Do you think he's, you know?"
"I don't think I know, [Nickname]-chan."
"I-I meant. Do you think he's thinking about the person he likes?"
[Name] couldn't deny that she felt a pang in her heart when she said that. Of course it hurt her, but what could she do about it?
"You're worrying about that again, huh? Don't worry! In my contacts, you're already his girlfriend!"
[Name] blushed at what her friend said, realizing what he meant.
"W-Wait! You didn't change it yet?"
"I saw no reason to change it."
"Tada-kun! You're so mean."
The [h/c] haired girl pouted as she looked at the freckled boy. When they exchanged numbers recently, Tadashi list her contact with Kei's name as a way of teasing her.
"I really won't be able to get over him if you keep doing that."
"Wait," Tadashi's expression suddenly shifted from teasing to a serious one. "You're planning to get over Tsukki?"
"Well, not now, but I'd have to someday, right?" [Name] smiled with sad eyes. "Like when he gets a girlfriend or something."
"What if you're the girlfriend? Will you still stop liking him?"
[Name] got taken aback by Tadashi's question. He knew who Kei liked and yet he kept on teasing her.
"Of course not! But you know who he likes, Tada-kun. So stop teasing me already when I have no chance."
"Silly [Nickname]-chan," Tadashi said as he ruffled her hair. "I never told you who he liked, right? So why do you keep thinking it isn't you?"
The girl could only blink as a response, too flustered to answer.
●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○
"I never told you who he liked, right? So why do you keep thinking it isn't you?"
Currently, [Name] and Kei were walking home with Tadashi's words ringing in her head.
'What did he mean by that?'
"Hey, are you paying attention?" Kei asked.
"Mm," the girl said, absentmindedly.
'Is he implying that I'm the one Tsukishima likes?'
"You sure you're listening to me?"
"Mm," she said, once again, not paying attention.
'But if that's the situation, why didn't he tell me in the first place?'
"Are you free on Saturday after morning practice?"
"Mm."
'I should probably ask Tada-kun about it tomorrow.'
"Let's go out."
"Mm."
'But if it's true, then what am I gonna- wait!'
"W-Wait! What did you just say?" [Name] asked the blond, wondering if she misheard.
Kei looked away at first, his ears noticeably getting redder. After a second or two, he faced the girl chuckled at her blushing state before repeating what he said while she was lost in her thoughts.
"Let's go out after morning practice on Saturday."
"W-With the team?"
"No," Kei said, looking directly at her eyes. "Only the two of us."
"Like a date?!" [Name] was full-on panicking already. She didn't know how to respond to the blond suddenly asking her out.
"If that's how you view it."
Kei only shrugged as he continued walking. The girl had to quickly compose herself before running to his side.
"Hey!" She shouted at him. "You're the one who suggested going out so you determine what it is!"
Kei smirked at her before saying, "It's a date then."
[Name] was blinking more than she should've.
'Did that just happen?'
The girl smiled to herself as she looked down on her feet while walking. She pinched her arm and yelped a bit at the pain it caused, catching Kei's attention who only chuckled at her.
'I'm not dreaming. I actually have a date with the guy I like.'
☆