After the crappy mascot thing me and Katsumi have done few days, the club was able to attract few first-years. They weren't many, but they were enough.
"Bokuto-san!" I yelled at him as I dragged my feet of the floor to toss the ball to him. He withdrew his arms to his back and jumped on his heels.
Bokuto lifted off the ground and spiked the tossed ball with overwhelming strength. The ball hit the other side of the court with a loud thud.
"YEAH!" Bokuto shouted from top of his lungs. "Akaashi! Did you see that?! Did you see my awesome powerful spike?! Did you see it?! Huh? Huh!?"
"Yes, I did Bokuto-san. Amazing." I said emotionless. Bokuto looked very happy as he erupted in his signature laughter. "I am truly the best! Hey, hey, hey!"
I only sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Konoha by my side. "Akaashi, you can ignore Bokuto sometimes."
"I prefer not to. He usually slumps and holds tantrums when he's left ignored." I explained. "And he also hides my underwear when he's upset with me."
Konoha made a disgusted expression as he inched away from me. "Seriously?" I only nodded at him. "Then, hide his underwear too when he hides yours."
"I already did that. But he found it within mere seconds." I stated. He looked at me, more confusion on his face. "He sniffed the whole gym to find his underwear."
"That's pure disgusting." Konoha grimaced. "It's either Bokuto has a good sense of smell or his underwear stinks."
"It was both." I said as matter-of-factly. "You smelled his underwear?!"
"I unintentionally took a whiff, thank you very much. It smelled like rotten eggs."
"Oh my God. Stop, just stop." Konoha put a hand on his face as he wagged his free hand on me. "Something is definitely wrong with the two of you."
I looked around the gym and noticed that someone from the group was not present. "Konoha-san, have you seen Katsumi-san?"
Konoha only smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows. "Oho? Do you miss her already?"
"No. I was planning to give back her make-up kit. The brands that she have are high quality ones." I said as I brought the kit from my back and showed it to Konoha. "Wait, did you put on make-up?!"
"I did." I lifted the hem of my shorts to show him a detailed drawing of an owl with its wings spread on my thigh. "You're using the wrong tools and the place to draw!"
"Want me to draw on yours?"
"Nope! No, thank you!" he started to walk away from me. "I didn't know this team is full of weirdos."
I turned my head to where Bokuto was standing. "Bo-"
I was cut off when I saw him jumping up and down, it seemed like he was reaching for something. I looked up and a volleyball was stuck on the gym's ceiling. The only problem was the ceiling was about eight meters high.
"Bokekuto-san," I called out to him with dead eyes. "Gah! When did my name change, Akaashi!?"
"What did you think you're doing?"
"I'm reaching for the stuck volleyball up there!"
"And what makes you think that you can reach it?" I asked him as I raised one eyebrow up. Bokuto blinked a few times before smiling stupidly at me. "I can jump high! So with that I know I could reach it!"
I rolled my eyeballs behind of my eyelids as I rubbed my temples and groaned. "C'mon, Akaashi! If you stand on my shoulders while I'm jumping I'm sure we could reach the ball!"
"Oh, we'll be also reaching heaven if we do that Bokuto-san." I sarcastically replied. "Is that so?! Then that's great! We could easily reach the ball!"
"I-" I took a deep breath and sighed as I started to walk away from him. "I'm done with you, Bokuto-san."
As I began walking towards the gym doors, I stopped and returned to where Bokuto was. "Before I walk out, do you know where Katsumi-san is?"
"Oh, she's maybe eating somewhere around the campus." Bokuto shrugged as he began jumping again, attempting to grab the ball from the high ceiling that was impossible to reach.
"Alright." I replied. "Sayonara, Bokekuto-san."
"Gah! Wait, wait Akaashi!" he yelled loudly as he grabbed my arm. "I wouldn't get near her if I were you."
"And why is that?"
"You know, it's that time of the month." he whispered on my ear as he nodded.
"What? Is Katsumi-san dying?" I asked him with a slightly worried expression. "No, dude no. She has a monthly visitor."
"And who is that person?" I asked with a slightly agitated expression as I brought out a knife. "Akaashi, no! And where did you get that?! Put it down!"
"Katsumi is having a red tide." Bokuto nodded at me. "Is she by the sea?"
"No, no, no! Uh... she has code red!"
"Oh my God. Bokuto-san, is your house burning?"
"Oh my God no!" Bokuto shouted as he brought his hands on his face. "Wait, I'm not sure about the fire though."
Bokuto began to run out of the gym but I stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Bokuto-san, Katsumi-san is more important than the fire." Bokuto blinked as he smiled. "Yeah, yeah. You're right. The fire can wait."
"Katsumi has her period today."
"Period?" I titled my head to the side a little. "You mean, as in dot? A dot?"
Bokuto groaned as he pulled his hairs. "NO! AKAASHI NO!"
Bokuto sighed heavily as he rubbed his temples. "She has.... has..... men.... mentation? Mendacity? Mensural? Argh! Why can't I remember an easy-ass word?!"
"Did you mean menstruation, Bokuto-san?" I asked. "Yes! Yes! That's the word! Katsumi has menstruation!"
I sighed an air of relief. "Thank goodness. Bokuto-san, why didn't you say so?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time!" Bokuto yelled at me. "My God Akaashi, didn't you have girls in your household?"
"I feel like I'm losing brain cells when I listened to their conversation." I heard Konoha said in the corner, rubbing his temples aggressively.
Komi was also massaging his temples, to the point that you can start a fire with them by the friction they produce. "Same here."
Suddenly, the gym doors were busted wide open. There, it revealed Katsumi who had flames for eyes. She was panting heavily and dangerous murderous intent surrounded her. "KOTARO!"
Her voice was almost unrecognizable because of how deep it was than her usual voice. It sent shivers down our spines. We immediately fled to the sides where we were a mile radius away from Bokuto.
I pointed a finger at her. "Did Katsumi-san ever called Bokuto-san by his first name?"
Konoha panicked as he slapped my hand that was pointed at Katsumi "That's what you're concerned about!?"
Katsumi stomped her way to Bokuto, heavy footsteps erupting in the whole gym. Her face was full of anger and fury.
The rest of the team began clasping their hands together as we began praying to the gods. "Please protect Bokuto from evil that can be a threat to his life."
"You bastards! You could've helped me instead of praying!" Bokuto yelled at us while showing us his fist.
Katsumi suddenly grabbed Bokuto's collar and hissed. "Where did you hide my bag?!"
"A-are you sure that it was me who hid it?" Bokuto began reasoning as he put his hands against his chest innocently as he avoided eye contact. "My underwear is missing too!"
Konoha and I turned our heads violently to look at each other, eyes widening. "Did you hear that, Akaashi?!" I heard him said inside his mind.
"Yeah, Konoha-san." I answered inside mine.
"Bokuto sure is the culprit."
"We sure can't help him anymore, Konoha-san."
"How are you two communicating?!" Komi shouted at us, his mouth wide open.
The next thing we knew was Katsumi threw Bokuto upward and now was stuck in the ceiling same as the volleyball.
Katsumi stomped her way out of the gym, eyebrows furrowed and a scowl present on her face.
"Was Katsumi-san that strong in the first place?" I asked as I looked at Bokuto who was trying to reach the ball near him instead of panicking.
"That's not what you're supposed to be concerned about!" Konoha shouted.
Bokuto successfully reached for the ball and he showed it to us by rising it. "Guys! Look! I got the ball!"
"The ball seems fine, Konoha-san." I commented. "You're keeping your concern for the wrong things, Akaashi." Konoha deadpanned.
"How do we get him down?" I asked.
"Just leave him there for the meantime." Komi suggested. "That's the best solution I've heard in my entire life, Komi-san."
The whole team began walking their way out of the gym, chatting on where to eat or hang out before going home, completely ignoring the fact that Bokuto was stuck on the ceiling.
"Oi! Guys! What are you doing?! You have to let me down!" Bokuto shouted from behind.
"Sometimes, I could still hear Bokuto's voice." Konoha wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Same Konoha-san, same."
We turned the lights off and closed the gym doors shut. We could hear Bokuto's muffled cries for help which we completely ignored like it wasn't even there in the first place.
Next day. It was still the usual. Important but boring classes, volleyball practice after school, Katsumi still in her raging mode because of her period, and Bokuto being annoying and loud and somehow getting stuck on the net.
Yes, today was a normal day. Pretty normal and pretty usual, things like these happens every time. When I say every time, everytime.
Practice ended way earlier than usual, maybe just an hour or two early but still it was early. I changed into my uniform in the club room and went running out with my bag slung on my chest.
"Oi Akaashi! Where are you going?" Bokuto asked as he was struggling putting on his grey coat. "I'm going to find Katsumi-san."
Konoha who was fixing his tie smirked at me and sighed, "Young love." then he started making kissing sounds with his lips and began hugging his own body in a malicious way.
I felt a vein popped on my forehead and grabbed the ball that was on the floor and tossed it with all my might to Konoha. It hit his face and fell on the floor. "Konoha!"
I only looked down at him as I stuck out my tongue and pulled one of my eyelids down using my finger.
I already knew where Katsumi was and went straight to her location. I knocked and slid the door open to the art room.
Katsumi was there sitting on the ground, a big cardboard on the floor and a huge paint brush in her hand. She was surrounded by lots of cans filled with paint. They were also pieces of cut paper scattered around, don't ask me what they're for because I didn't know either.
Her hair was half-tied and some of her bangs fell right on her forehead. The sleeves of her uniform were rolled up and strokes and drops of paint were tainted on her hands up to her elbows. They were also few lines of paint present on her long legs.
The sunlight that was passing through the clear window beautifully illuminated her face with the color orange. Her yellow orbs reflected the light, shinning like a gold coin. She looked surprised, maybe she didn't expect me to find her in here.
"Akaashi-san? How did you find me?" she asked, looking up at me. I fished my notebook out of my bag. "Notebook." I joked.
"Wait, seriously?" she was now looking a bit amazed at me. "I'm just kidding, Katsumi-san. I asked from our classmates."
"Oh." her eyes fell and she continued painting on the huge cardboard. There was an image of clouds and it was painted quite nicely. The color was great, even the shadowing. "You're probably wondering why I'm painting."
I only nodded. She didn't even looked up as she explained. "The drama club asked for help with painting their backgrounds. And let's just say that I'm good with art and everyone in our grade knows about it."
I only nodded again as I sat in front of her. I looked at her, she was deeply focused on painting some fluffy clouds. She was good actually. Her work looked flawless. "Do you always paint?"
"Nah, I don't paint frequently. More like, I'm using my talent for academic purposes." she scrunched her nose as she looked up at me. "I hate to break it to you, but you're wasting real talent if you don't put those on papers and canvas."
Katsumi just looked at me with dead eyes and back at her painting once again. "What time is it?"
I looked at the back of my wrist. "I don't have a watch."
I heard Katsumi giggled, but it was just a second long. It was now gone, reduced to atoms. I wished I could have savored it in these times, in these times of great depression.
Katsumi wasn't even smiling when she was in her period. To be honest, I felt a little sad for I was welcomed with a terrifying scowl instead of her bright smile that I adored so much.
I grabbed my phone out of my pocket as I looked at the time on the lock screen and said it out loud. "5:14"
"Oh my God! It's that late already?!" Katsumi began to panic as she started to put her painting materials aside in a sloppy and rushed manner. "It's my turn to cook dinner! And I'm not letting Nii-chan grill meat for the fifth time this week."
I chuckled at the thought when I imagined Bokuto with his usual loud and annoying laugh erupting in the air for he was only grilling meat.
I started to put her materials aside, "Let me help you."
There was the two of us, fixing and clearing stuff without any of us talking. I took a look at her face. She was looking down so her long hair was slightly getting on her face as she hurriedly cleaned the area.
I realized that my hands stopped picking up the used paintbrushes for I was dazed at only staring at the beautiful girl in front of me.
Katsumi noticed this for she looked up and looked straight into my eyes. Her face was close and nobody moved or talked for a few seconds.
I brought my hand to her cheek and tucked the stray hair behind her ear, showing her flawless face.
I glided my fingers to her forehead and I flatten the wrinkles made by the furrowing of her eyebrows.
My fingers moved to the corner of her mouth to smoothen the lines made by her scowl. I smiled softly at her. "You're going to gain wrinkles if you keep on frowning like that."
Her face slowly redden as she began looking anywhere but my face. "I-I'm sorry."
Katsumi quickly stood up and began putting away the materials in the shelves.
She began dusting imaginary dust from her uniform. She put her hands behind her back and racked her feet back and forth.
"Let's go home, Akaashi-san." she said with a small smile. It wasn't the smile I wanted to see but it was still a smile I was waiting for days. I smiled a little back at her.
Katsumi told me she'd just wash the paint of her arms in the washroom and told me to wait for her here.
Though, there was something that wasn't adding up. If Katsumi saw it, she would surely talk about it and I haven't heard it all day.
Katsumi went back as she wiped her wet arms on her skirt. She grabbed her bag and slung the strap of her bag around her body. "Let's go."
"Katsumi-san wait." I said as she turned her body towards me, tilting her head to the side. "Come with me for a bit."
I grabbed her wrist and began pulling her towards the club rooms. We both went inside the girls' club room. Luckily, there was no one inside because if there was it could be a huge issue.
I walked to Katsumi's locker and opened it. I grabbed the small white box and gently handed it to her.
I looked away as I scratched my cheek using my finger. "I-I heard from Bokuto-san that you have a foul mood when you're having your period and I researched about it since I didn't have much knowledge about it."
"And the internet says that sugar can regulate the mood swings so I decided to buy you one."
Katsumi looked at me with an expression mixed with shock and joy. She began opening the box and it revealed a slice of blueberry cheesecake.
The crushed but soft graham served as the cake's base. The white cream looked smooth and was perfectly shaped into a triangle and blueberries and its sauce sat on top.
Katsumi's eyes widen in astonishment as she gasped a little.
"I also did ask Bokuto-san what's your favorite dessert and he told me its blueberry cheesecake." I put a hand on my nape.
"That's why I wanted to surprise you by putting that cheesecake inside your locker. But the thing is, you didn't go to club today."
I felt my cheeks slightly warming up so I avoided her gaze. "You've been frowning for days and I.... I just wanted to see you smile again."
Katsumi set the cheesecake down on the table. She looked down at the floor. I couldn't see what expression she was making and it made me a little scared and nervous.
"Akaashi-san," she breathed out. She looked up to my eyes, a big and genuine smile on her face. I swear, I felt the hairs on my body rise and my heart doubling its beat. "Thank you."
She suddenly walked to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel the softness of her body against mine. She was warm. My arms hesitated before wrapping them around her slim body.
I smiled widely as I buried my face on her neck. I felt really happy. My body was slowly heating up and my pulse quickening. Even my stomach was turning, but in a good way.
I'll make sure I'll never forget this tender moment.
AKAASHI, JUST AKAASHI. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE CONTENT: