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V A L E N T I N E ' S D A Y
eita semi
w a r n i n g s : none
c a t e g o r y : tsundere ?
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Valentine's Day was a stupid holiday, you decided rather definitively after being rejected for the third year in a row by another aimless crush you had; he didn't even know your name.
To save face, you went in the most opposite direction you could from the boy who had just shattered your last hope for a sweet high school romance. There would be no more chances after today to confess, you were already in your third year and would be graduating come spring next month. It didn't matter where your shaky footsteps took you, all that mattered was getting as far away from the scene of the crime as possible; the brutal stab you took full force to your heart.
Tightly, you clutched the cellophane bag containing the results of your hard work the night before — homemade chocolates. "What a waste," you sneered under your breath, almost angry enough to throw the bag down in frustration. Perhaps you should've spent less time focused on the redding, narrow field of your angered vision and more time looking ahead at where you were going.
You could only faintly hear muffled voices, you weren't paying attention, before colliding suddenly into a body. A body that winced upon impact and hissed through their teeth, maybe even uttered a curse under their breath. You too let out a shocked breath from having the wind knocked out of you for the second time that afternoon. The chocolates were the main casualty in the scuffle, dropping to the floor as the cellophane crinkled loudly the moment it became acquainted with the ground.
You stumbled back a step, but it was the chocolates' turn for revenge. Getting underfoot, you stepped on the package and lost your balance all before properly looking up to apologize. You exclaimed, startled, but accepted that falling on your ass was probably what you deserved for not watching where you were going in the first place. Instead of fighting for your balance, you tried to brace for impact then a hand reached out to grab your arm firmly.
Yanking back up, too forcefully, once again you crashed into someone who smelled of pine and something fresh. It was too late, you wrapped your arms protectively around their waist and closed your eyes, squeezing them tightly in a panic.
"What the hell are you doing," the person— a male— asked, but it sounded like an aggressive demand. The voice was all the more intimidating since you first heard it tumble from his chest, then your ears. You knew that voice, and you knew you were fucked.
With a hard swallow, you opened your eyes and for the first time, looked up to be met with Semi's harsh glare from above. Embarrassingly, your arms were still tightly bound around his waist and once the realization hit, you pushed away, taking care to step over the crushed bag of chocolates and pick them up.
"Semi, I'm so sorry," you stuttered, fiddling with the bag in your hands. He was from your homeroom and that's how you knew he wasn't someone you could casually hug, let alone cling to for dear life.
"Semi-Semi, we're gonna head on first. Catch up with us later," Tendou waved, first to Semi then stole a wink in your direction. Accompanied by Ushijima who said nothing, not to his friend or you, and kept walking alongside Tendou.
"Hey, wait!" Semi called after the two of them, but neither turned back around; they kept walking down the hall to an unknown destination. Semi's eye flickered once down to you and then back to see their figures turn the corner, out of sight. It was like he was debating running after them to leave you here, alone, but in the end he did have a conscience despite his stern expression because he stayed with you in the hallway.
He closed his eyes, lifting a hand to massage his temple in silence; he couldn't have looked any more pissed, annoyed, irritable, perhaps all the above. It made your guilt increase infinitely and the weight of the chocolates seemed to have multiplied in your hands. It rooted you firmly in place, unable to run from the growing awkward situation.
You knew of Semi and his teammates; the volleyball team was infamous on campus for their stellar reputation, but would an introduction on your part be necessary, you wondered.
"Are you going to tell me why you were running like a maniac in the hallway or are we going to stand here and waste more time in silence?" Semi grumbled, pinpointing his focus in your direction.
Introductions could wait. "I was just rejected by a crush I've had for a long time. It was an unrequited love."
"Jesus fucking christ. Really, that's so stupid." He sighed, clearly annoyed by such a trivial reason.
"Well rejection hurts for some people! Sorry about my stupid feelings and my stupid chocolates!" You fired back, unsure of why you felt the need to defend yourself so assertively.
"Stupid of him, not you," Semi corrected with a slightly softer tone, "he could've at least told you in a way that didn't turn you into a human bulldozer."
You bit your lip to avoid saying anything else that might embarrass you further, but your cheeks probably gave it away. In a quiet voice, "Sorry about that," you whispered. You studied Semi's expression carefully, fearful if he were to take it all back and actually insult you. However, his expression couldn't have been any more unreadable. You hesitated, "Are you... angry about that?"
"Not particularly, but it's not everyday I get a random hug," he confessed, tone level and calm.
Semi was someone you observed from afar, specifically three desks away for the last three years, and there wasn't a single instance in all that time where he didn't look annoyed by something. Maybe he wasn't everything the rumors said that circulated about him. You gave him a relieved smile, "Then maybe you should smile more Semi. I think people misunderstand you."
He looked away, "I'll smile when I need to." His eyes trailed down to your hands, to the object that occupied them; the crushed bag of chocolates. He pointed, "Those the chocolates you tried to give him?"
You glanced down having forgotten all about that by now, and nodded. He was swift. He took a step forward and stole the bag from your weak grip. Before you could begin protesting, he had twisted the tie off and reached in.
"I stepped on it!" You blurted out in a rush, but you were too late.
Semi had taken one of the crushed chocolates and popped it in his mouth, immediately flinching, "Disgusting," he said, still chewing on the chocolate with a face like he ate something bitter.
With wide eyes and your jaw slightly slack, you didn't know where to begin. Firstly, you never expected Semi to actually eat one, secondly you were offended he called them disgusting, but flattered that he didn't spit it out; he kept it in his mouth until he finally swallowed it. Still processing the moment, one thing managed to slip out of your mouth, "Semi, you know those were honmei chocolates, right?"
"Of course," he grimaced, still trying to get the taste out of his mouth, "it's probably a good thing he didn't eat these. Even if he initially accepted them, he probably would've immediately rejected you once he actually ate one."
"You don't have to be so mean about it. I get it, they're disgusting."
"But still, isn't the purpose of honmei chocolates to make them with the intention to give them to someone and have your feelings be accepted," he asked absentmindedly, not looking at you, but just past you.
That was common knowledge; everyone knew that. You weren't sure if he was asking seriously, but you replied, "That's the idea."
Semi's eyes flashed back to you, he took a step forward and placed a hand atop your head, ruffling your hair gently, "Then stop looking so worried. The chocolate fulfilled its purpose in the end."
"It did?" You questioned, looking up at his hand then to Semi who still wasn't smiling but he didn't look as cold or distant as usual.
Semi took his hand away and readjusted the strap of his bag, "I accepted and ate them didn't I? See you." With the bag of your chocolates clutched in one hand, he moved around you and walked down the hall.
On your heels, you turned to watch him go, receding into the distances as his footsteps lightly pattered against the tile. "Wait! Semi!" You called after him, his cryptic message spiraling uncontrolled in your mind.
He looked over his shoulder, angling himself, "If you don't understand then you can just forget about this," he called from the corner, then disappeared like his friends had done earlier.
You could have been mistaken, but before he turned, a slight smile may have graced his lips.