Haru and Zico wait with you at the train station during a Saturday afternoon. You grow self conscious, nervously tucking a curl behind your ear. Zico grumbles, eyeing you from the corner of his eye. "Did you dress up for Akaashi, Y/N?" Haru teases you, noticing your curled hair, light makeup, and the cutely adorn spring dress on your body. You paired the yellow floral spring dress with platform sandals and a white purse.
Your cheeks turn a shade pink, shyly nodding your head. Things are still awkward between the two of you when you're around others. You couldn't get a grasp on the role of being a girlfriend. But the butterflies in your stomach and anticipation to get dressed up to see him on a weekend felt like the emotions you would have if you were getting ready for a date.
"It still feels surreal that you're dating Akaashi." Zico speaks up, staring directly at you. "What did you do exactly to change his feelings in the time span of a week." His eyes seem to assess you and the feeling makes you uncomfortable. These two can easily tell if you're up to something. But you've played it safe so far to not slip up.
"HEY! HEY! HEY!" A boastful voice calls out to the three of you, the striking white-grey hair with black streaks appears within the crowd of pedestrians. The three of you can see Bokuto a mile away. The happy go lucky grin plasters on his face when he weaves his way through the crowd to meet up with you all.
"Did you guys wait long?" Bokuto asks, turning his eyes over to you. He gasps dramatically, covering his mouth. Raising his eyebrows, "Who do we have here?! Akaashi's such a lucky guy to have a girlfriend who dressed up for him."
"Where is he by the way?" Zico questions, looking around Bokuto to not find Akaashi or Konoha. Speak of the devil, Akaashi is pulling Konoha by the ear from the busy crowd. Bokuto chuckles, "Konoha was trying to pick up a few girls on our way here. It's a weekend so all the pretty ladies are out." Haru scrunches her face when she looks at Bokuto, involuntarily shivering. "Guys just want one thing, that's why I'm into girls." She mutters under her breath. Bokuto looks alarmed from Haru's words, mouth agape. "You're into girls Haru? I never knew that."
Crossing her arms, she stares at Bokuto's golden eyes. "Why would you need to know? We're not on close terms." Bokuto closes his jaw, shrugging. "Shouldn't we all be good friends now? Our two close friends are dating."
"Sorry for being late." Akaashi speaks lowly, releasing his hand from Konoha's ear. You gulp, slightly hiding behind Haru when you see Akaashi. You grow anxious to see his reaction about the way you dressed up today. Akaashi turns his eyes on Y/N, noticing her hidden form. "You didn't wait long did you Y/N?" Hearing your name from Akaashi still feels unusual. You shake your head, "Not at all."
"So, it's really true. You two are dating?" Konoha glances from Akaashi to you. "You don't believe it either, right?" Zico interjects. Konoha nods his head, narrowing his eyes towards you. "Are you blackmailing Akaashi? I know you like to play dirty."
"What? No?!" You stammer out. Haru steps to the side, placing her hands on your shoulders. She reveals you to Akaashi. "Y/N wouldn't go out of her way to dress up like this for anyone. I don't even get to see her dolled up like this often." Haru smirks, pulling her hands away from your shoulders.
Konoha blushes when he sees how the dress forms against Y/L/N's body. Akaashi grows quiet as well, staring at Y/N up and down. His blue eyes stop on her shy expression. She put in a lot of effort to play the fake girlfriend role. That thought alone makes him feel thankful. Bokuto elbows Akaashi in the arm. "Are you going to compliment her? She looks like a nervous wreck." Bokuto mutters quietly to Akaashi. Akaashi lowers his eyes to her trembling fingers that clutch tightly onto her purse.
Is she acting nervous or is she really nervous?
Akaashi couldn't define what is real and what isn't.
The words catch in his throat, Akaashi's never really complimented anyone before. He usually says good job or nice catch during volleyball but that's a different kind of complimenting. The others awkwardly stare at the couple.
"Should we head to the burger joint?" Zico clears his throat, pulling the conversation away to not make it a further awkward silence. Bokuto nods his head, grinning. "It's one of our favorite places to go to after practice. I hope it's not too packed at this hour."
"Idiot, it's a Saturday afternoon. They're going to be busy." Konoha scoffs, walking beside Bokuto. Haru and Zico shuffle away from your side to follow behind the two. You're left alone with Akaashi.
He extends his hand out to you, "You look beautiful today Y/N." His voice a soft whisper amongst the bustling sound of Tokyo. Timidly, you take his hand.
This is just part of the act, right?
Truth and lies intermingle between the two of you and it's hard to decipher it all. Feeling the warmth from Akaashi's hand reminds you how real things are right now.
"Thank you." You sheepishly respond back to him, neither of you looking at one another as you walk hand in hand behind your friends. An uncomfortable silence forms between the two of you like usual.
"I've been busy with practice the last few days so I'm sorry for not texting you often." Akaashi speaks up. He bites his inner cheek, feeling nervous for initiating the conversation first. "It's okay. I've been trying to get ahead with my assignments. My parents are adamant about enrolling me into supplement classes after school and that thought alone just makes me exhausted."
Akaashi silently listens to her. He didn't know much about Y/N.
Is she a studious person?
She didn't appear to be. "Do you like studying?" He asks her. You glance over to Akaashi, wondering if he's curious about you. He gets nothing out of it if he learns about you though. So maybe he's being considerate to keep the conversation going?
Shaking your head, you wear a small smile. Gently squeezing Akaashi's hand, you exhale. "Not really. I'd much prefer to do nothing than to study. But I care about my parents opinion of me to a high extent so...I usually give in to their requests. I wanted to have this rebellious phase against them this year but, I can't muster the courage to even do that."
Learning this side of Y/N opens a new door to Akaashi. He's only really seen her fumble around apologizing or seriously focused on being competitive. So even she had her own issues that she didn't know how to deal with. "Being my fake girlfriend is pretty rebellious." Akaashi keeps his voice to a soft murmur, whispering into her ear.
Her hand slips away from his, flying to her face. "Don't say stuff like that Keiji!" Her panicked voice is muffled by her palms and the tips of her ears redden. Even though he's not physically smiling, Akaashi's eyes reveal his hidden smile.
Bokuto eyes the two when he turns around to see if everyone's still following. A gentle smile etches onto Bokuto's face. "If only he would smile for her." Bokuto murmurs. Konoha hears him and glances over to him. "Who?"
Turning his attention forward, Bokuto exhales. "Akaashi. He's still hiding his smile around Y/N. That's a bit selfish of him." Bokuto puckers his lips out, looking unamused. Konoha curiously turns around to look at the two, Y/N wears a blushing face while Akaashi averts his eyes from her. "They're a bit awkward. Like they're forcing themselves?"
"You think so too Konoha?" Zico appears between the two, his tone seems excited when he finds someone else who's also suspicious of the couple. "Why can't you just be happy for her Zico." Haru angrily pinches Zico's ear. "You had your chance and you blew it."
"Wait, what?" Bokuto is intrigued to this new information. Zico blushes, rubbing his ear. Haru looks over to Bokuto and starts to unravel the story where Y/N and Zico confessed their likes to one another.
🏐･ﾟﾟ･｡.
After a twenty minute wait time, the six sit down at a cleared off table. Bokuto, Konoha, and Zico sit on one side while Haru, Y/N, and Akaashi sit on the other.
"What would you guys recommend?" Haru stares at the two-sided menu, flipping it back and forth. She lowers her menu and Konoha points at a meal combo. "You can't ever go wrong with the double patty burger with fries combo. They have a tasty melon soda here too."
"I usually go for the cheeseburgers here." Bokuto answers cheerfully, already salivating at the thought of the burgers. Your eyes gaze at the menu; unsure what you should go for. Biting your bottom lip and furrowing your brows together, the description of each meal combo leaves you indecisive. The images itself all looks delicious.
"Keiji, what do you usually get?" Turning to your right, you glance at Akaashi. His expressionless eyes glance over to your menu. Akaashi leans closer to you, his shoulder brushing against yours. "I just go for their original combo." His pointer finger points to the #1 sticker. You're too distracted by the close distance and the woody scent of Akaashi's cologne to hear him clearly. His gunmetal blue eyes slowly turn to look at your tense appearance.
Seeing Y/N act coyly like this is a bit entertaining if he had to be honest. He finds her interesting in the way she easily expresses herself.
"Look at them flirting in front of us." Zico huffs out, glaring at the two. Akaashi flicks his eyes over to Zico, staring at him with a still expression. His expression alone makes Zico lean back in his seat, intimidated.
"I think you need to look up the definition of flirting Zico. We're clearly not doing that." Akaashi mutters, leaning away from you. Zico starts to part his lips to retort but Akaashi cuts him off. "I also suggest you keep your jealousy to yourself. Unless you'd like a front row seat to getting your heart crushed when I do flirt with your best friend."
Bokuto and Konoha stare at Akaashi in surprise, neither seeing him this steely before. Akaashi is the most composed player on the team but he also has a sharp tongue to say things bluntly.
"Keiji." Your stern tone catches Akaashi's attention. "Don't be rude to Zico. He's still trying to wrap his thoughts around the news." Pursing your lips together, you knit your brows together. "I don't appreciate the way you're speaking to him either. You don't see me speaking to Konoha or Bokuto like that."
Akaashi's eyebrow twitches slightly when he's being lectured by Y/N. You feel anxiety in your palms when Akaashi responds to you with silence.
Is this your first argument as a "couple"?
A mix of shock and annoyance fills Akaashi's mind.
Should he be shocked by Y/N sticking up for Zico or upset? A boyfriend in this position will be upset, right?
He turns his eyes away from Y/N, exhaling under his breath. "Picking your best friend over your boyfriend?"
Your body stiffens when you hear Akaashi's low tone.
Is he really upset? Or is he acting?
This topic is extremely dangerous to have right now while you're out with friends. You wish at times like this that you're in a visual novel game with choices to pick.
"Are you angry?" You speak in a gentle tone. The conversation drops when a server walks over to take everyone's order. Once she leaves with the list of orders, Akaashi excuses himself to use the bathroom.
Should you go after him? Or leave him alone?
This whole faking a couple thing is more exhausting than you betted on.
What's real and what's not?
The last thing you want to do is actually make Akaashi upset. Neither of you know each other that well but the feeling of hurting someone bothers you.
"Sorry Y/N. I should've kept my mouth shut." Zico squeaks out an apology, noticing your troubled face. Grumbling, you frown.
"I don't know what to do." You say with annoyance, running your fingers through your curls. "Should I go check up on him?" Bokuto offers the suggestion to you. Shaking your head, you scoot your chair back. "I'll go."