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"oikawa-san, are you still practicing? coach irihata said you'd be here"
"___-chan, oh yeah iwa-chan is here too, he's at the back" tooru said sitting down on the bench.
"i have some water, do you want some?" tooru nodded and took the water bottle from my hands and finished it in one sitting. how long has he been practicing..?
"ah, ___-san, you're here" iwaizumi greeted as he walked in from the back room with some mops.
"may i help clean up?" i asked.
"suit yourself, thank you though" i nodded and took one mop from his hand. we started cleaning the gym in silence, i turn my head towards tooru, he stares at the ground with a blank expression, trying to regulate his breathing as i assume he was tired because he had been practicing with iwaizumi for hours after school.
we finished cleaning the gym and we walked out together. tooru and iwaizumi talked as i walked behind them feeling the night breeze hitting my face softly. as usual, iwaizumi got home first and tooru and i walked back together.
"___-chan" he called.
"yes oikawa-san? is there something you need?" i asked.
"do you remember what we used to talk about?" he said.
"your dream of going to argentina?" i asked, he nodded. "why so oikawa-san?"
"i've always wanted to be a volleyball player there, actually, i think i never told you this but.." he paused. i waited for him to continue.
"my idol, the person who inspired me to play volleyball, is an argentina volleyball player" he smiled. "a setter, he made the ace shine his way through the court, cause even though the ace steals the spotlight—"
"the setter controls the court, yes i remember oikawa-san" i smiled. he looked at me surprised but slowly smiled again.
"you remember that ___-chan?"
"of course oikawa-san, you said that a year ago, when we first became friends" i said. his smile turned bittersweet as he ruffled my hair, messing it up.
"i really made a mistake huh? losing you as my girlfriend" he said, i looked down, unsure of what to say. "it's okay, ___-chan, i get it, you'll still be there for me, even when you're there for me but just as my friend, i'm still glad you're here by my side" he continued.
"i'm sorry that that's all you can be to me, oikawa-san"
"no, don't apologise, it's already great that you still want to talk to me" he said.
we continued walking to my house in an awkward silence, soon we arrived at my house and i opened my gate and stood there unsure if i should said goodbye or just go inside to avoid the awkward atmosphere.
"___-chan"
"yes?"
"i love you" he said as he kissed the top of my hair softly, he stayed in that position for a for a few seconds before pulling back.
"..." i stood there in silence, he smiled and walked away, i watched as he walked in the dim lighted street, slowly disappearing from my view.
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