"Hey, are you coming to the class?", you say waving at Obito.
You were running late and saw him running in the opposite direction making you shout out to him. But he just runs away without even acknowledging you. You assume he is in a hurry or has to be somewhere but you see his face flustered. After the class while talking to some of your friends, they tell you what had happened.
Obito and Rin were discussing their assignments before the class and apparently Obito had asked her out. But she created a scene instead. She was being excessively mean to him apparently and quite loud for everyone around them to hear. Some even got a video of the whole thing and it was already being circulated. This was worse than rejection. No wonder he looked so flustered and didn't want to come to class.
Obito was the class clown, always joking, always a good sport with everything. Yes, a lot of your classmates made fun at his expense but he was still cool about it. It was kind of the same with you. You were the lazy one. You didn't like hanging out with too many people, but you were hyperactive with your close friends. As a result, you had a hard time explaining why you declined your 7th social event this month. It was easier to say you were sleeping and forgot to check your phone, or lazy enough to walk across the dorms to some friend's room, or that you were hungry and going to eat. They always talked about you in front of you, like you weren't listening or didn't have feelings. Just because you preferred to be with your close friends, they had tagged you as the lazy. It was really annoying and downright insulting at times, but it was easier to say "I was asleep" when you ignored their alcohol parties to watch Netflix in your dorm instead of explaining how your "social batteries" work. So needless to say, you were annoyed at everyone making such a huge deal of the rejection.
"Wait weren't they already dating?", you ask Yugao and Hayate, with a curious face. They both were your best friends, and you were always with them.
"No, of course they weren't? Why?", Yugao says looking at you.
"Nothing, I just thought they were", you say shrugging your shoulders. You think back to the time Obito had come over to your dorm. Maybe you misheard Obito that day?
"You are pretty clueless about the who's who, Y/N", she laughs at you.
"One: I do not care, everyone is going to break up with everyone here before we graduate. Two: who the f*ck shoots a video of such a thing, really? This is why I hate people", you say to her and walk off without giving it a second thought.
You and Obito were project partners for one of your classes. You got together once a week and did your assignments. He was attentive when you guys studies together but you didn't classify as friends. He used to slack off if his friends came over but other than that, he was a good partner. You guys met every Tuesday, so you knew you would meet him in an hour after that horrendous class, anyway.
You check the time and wait for him at the corner of the library where you both usually met, but he doesn't come, nor does he answer his phone. You try calling him a couple of times, but the phone goes straight to voicemail, not even a single ring. It wasn't like you didn't expect this to happen with the events of the day but you hoped he showed up. You hoped it might take his mind off of that but it was too much to ask. They were supposed to be friends, you think to yourself. All such behaviors made you question people around you and you had trust issues. Everyone was pretty much out for themselves, apparently.
You finally get tired of waiting for him and find an empty carrel and settle down to start your task at hand. You complete the assignment that you both had to finish up that week, all by yourself, since it was not that difficult. You needed more time than you would've of course, but you didn't really mind doing that, it served as studying for the exam coming up, anyway. You thought it was a better thing to do, than give him a hard time, not that he would've been able to concentrate on anything you were saying today.
You finish up your work and check it twice to make sure everything is completed. You get an extra printed copy for him to submit and collate and file it, nicely making it ready to submit. You also put his name and id on the first page, so all he'll need to do on Thursday is submit the file. You then pack up your things and leave the library. It is already dark by the time you leave and you feel very hungry, suddenly. Your stomach grumbles which makes you very annoyed, also because you remember you didn't have much food left at home. You were walking somewhat angrily towards the parking lot to get into your car to drive to your apartment. While you are walking engrossed in your own thoughts, you see Obito at a distance walking with his shoulders drooped like he was trying to make himself small. He was too far to call out to him, so you run towards where he is, slowing down only to cross the road. He was walking faster than you were though his longer legs carrying him at a higher speed, you need to jog to catch up to him.
"Hey Obito", you pant and he turns around to see you.
"I am sorry for today, you can tell the professor I did not work on it", he says curtly and starts walking again.
"Obito stop, I need to talk to you", you say and keep following him but he does not stop. You don't give up either and keep following him a little further. Annoyed at you not leaving him alone, he finally takes a sharp turn behind the next building. The back of the building is largely covered by trees, and it was already dark, so you both were almost invisible to anyone on the road on the other side.
"What do you want?", he barks suddenly looking at you. "Do you want to tease me like others too? I am sure you saw the video and what happened. I don't know why I even did it in the first place, such a stupid thing to do", he says talking loudly to himself more than he was talking to you.
"Obito..", you start.
"What?", he snaps at you again.
"I just came to give you this and see if you are okay", you say and shove the file in his hand.
He looks down at the file you gave him and can see his name, ID, assignment number through the translucent cover of the file. He realizes it was his assignment that you had already completed for him. He feels a tinge of remorse and looks up at you, in a bit of a shock but now it was your turn to snap. You were already annoyed and hungry.
"And as for that dumb video, I didn't see it, I don't care about it. Neither do I care about your 'stupid little group', okay? Stop yelling at me, jeez", you say air quoting and making a snarky face.
All you wanted to do was give him the assignment and check up on him. You weren't friends with him, nor with his friends except maybe Asuma. They were the cool kids; Rin, Kakashi, Obito, Asuma, Kurenai, Guy. You and Asuma were childhood friends and went to school together, but since coming to college, your groups changed and you didn't hang out as much. Kurenai and him were inseparable and he usually remembered you when she was away from campus. It was really hard for you to hate her since she was nice and made Asuma really happy but that didnt mean you weren't jealous of her with every bone in your body. You usually hung out with Hayate and Yugao as a third wheel and they were totally your family away from home. You could get through everything as long as they were by your side.
He opens his mouth to say something but you just walk off. You didn't care what he wanted to say in that moment. You stomp away to the parking lot, find your car and drive off.
Obito reaches home and stares at his assignment file not believing that you did it for him. It was a big deal for him, especially because he felt alone after what happened. He felt like no one cared about what he felt and his group basically laughed the whole thing off. Everyone knew Rin liked Kakashi and they found it stupid that Obito asked her out, knowing that. Kakashi didn't care about her more than as a friend, and didn't give in to her advances but that didn't stop her from pursuing him.
Obito takes out his phone to text you but remembers your annoyed face and drops the plan. He wasn't in the mood for upsetting anyone else that day so he keeps the assignment in his bag and goes straight to sleep. He just wanted to end the day.
The next time you saw Obito was the next Tuesday during your next project meet-up. You were in the library earlier than usual, since you had to eat lunch before starting to study. You see Asuma and Kurenai sitting halfway across the room from you but completely lost in themselves.
"Why even come to the library?", you think to yourself while playing with your leftover veggies with a fork. You eye them being a normal couple but in your head they were being just downright obnoxious. You probably had a mental self harm tendency, because you couldn't take your eyes off of them even though you felt like your heart was being swallowed whole by some inexplicable darkness every time you saw them together.
"The room we booked is available now", someone says behind you but you are busy staring and playing with your food.
"Hey Y/N, are you okay?", he says and waves in front of your face, finally successful in getting your attention.
"What?", you say, absent mindedly looking at Obito before your brain catches up with you.
"I got an extra coffee for you, the way you like it, I think. I remember you getting iced caramel latte, less ice, last time. It looks like you need it", he says and offers you one of the two coffees he has in his hand.
"I am having lunch right now", you say with a sullen face going back to playing with your food.
"More like playing with your lunch", he says and sits down next to you following your trail of focus.
"Hey, that is Asuma and Kurenai, lets call them over and ask them about their assignment", he says enthusiastically and you quickly grab his arm with both your hands, while you cheek turns a solid pink.
"No no please don't", you say with utmost urgency before he can call them.
"Okay Y/N. I won't. But we are going in our room now and you are telling me what is up", he says and helps you pick up your things and transfer to the table inside the room.
You reluctantly move behind him and plop down in one of the chairs putting your head down, by the time he comes in and shuts the door.
"I don't want to tell you anything", you sigh.
"Fine, I wont push. Should we start studying?", he asks.
"Yeah", you sigh again opening your textbook.
You both study for about three and a half hours and are finally done. You both get your assignments printed and leave the library.
"I will see you next time, then?", Obito says as you both have to part ways.
"Do you want to have Ramen? Its on me", you say suddenly to which he looks surprised. You were hungry but you also wanted to make up for him bringing you coffee. You found that sweet and it did help you take your mind off Asuma, for sure.
"I mean, I wouldn't say no to free food, but why?", he asks.
"Just", you say and shrug walking towards the Ramen shop. Once inside, you both order your food and come sit at a table in the corner.
"Why are you being nice to me?", he asks looking at you playfully but suspiciously.
"You got me coffee, so"
"You are just being polite then?"
"No, I wanted to ask how are you doing?"
"Yeah well. Things happen, I am sorry I snapped at you that day."
"That is okay, it is not a good feeling to have."
He sighs and looks around to avoid eye contact.
"Well sometimes it is what it is."
"I know, I have been there", you say looking at the kitchen seeing your number being called out.
"I ll get it", you say and quickly go to take the tray of bowls for you both
You both start eating in silence for the first few minutes. He was the first one to break it.
"What do you mean you have been there?", he asks.
"Well I liked someone... like... someone, who doesn't like me back, so I know how it feels."
"I hope someone else didn't make a video of you asking them out", he says and chuckles. You laugh a bit too, acknowledging that it was indeed a sad thing to do.
"That is because I never asked them out", you say point your index finger to your forehead indicating how smart you were.
"Good idea", he says and laughs.
You both eat some more without saying anything.
"You are dying to know who he is, right?", you ask looking at him finally. He was glancing at you all this while like almost in a dilemma whether to ask you or no, fidgeting.
"Yes, I know it is rude to ask. But I can guess", he says happy that he got a shocked reaction from you.
"No, you cannot", you say completely forgetting this afternoon's encounter.
"Okay. I would just like to say that Asuma must be really something."
Your eyes widen and you blush a little before turning your head away from him.
"Don't tell anyone or I'll kill you", you say acting as if you are too focused on the ramen.
"Whom am I going to tell?", he asks and continues eating.
Finally when you both finish eating, you pay and you both leave the place.
"Thanks for this. I haven't been okay in the past week, just didn't feel like talking to anyone, but thanks. This was nice. And sorry for that day, again", he says looking everywhere but at you with both hands in his pocket.
"That is fine, let me know if you are not okay or just need to vent. We can both probably cry together", you say laughing and playfully nudge him.
"Well you can help me study, at least my results wont make me cry then?", he says.
"Done! I ll see you tomorrow then."
"See you tomorrow!"