17:16
Bokuto has just come out of the shower room, looking like a newborn baby with his ruddy cheeks and damp hair, when he sees the love of his life sitting on the benches. Her cropped hair barely curtains over her pretty face as she is slightly bending over, her attention on the small notebook in her hands.
His heart burns at the sight of her, reminding him how much he has missed Akaashi Shinji for the past few weeks. He's missed her bright green eyes, the constellation of freckles on her face, her addicting laugh, the way she licks her lips when she listens to him talk. It's killing him! She's an angel sent by God to destroy him in the sweetest way man has known.
But the thing is, he is not the love of Akaashi Shinji's life.
Bokuto does not let that stop him from coming up to her, a giddy rhythm in his gait. "Hiya, Shinji-chan! What're you doing?"
Looking up, Shinji closes her notebook and tucks it back inside her bag. She pats the vacant space beside her. "Hello, Bokuto-kun! Just doing homework. How was practice?"
He plops down, close enough that he can smell strawberries, but not close enough that she might hear his thoughts. "It was great! As expected of Fukorodani's ace, I spiked more hits than I did yesterday!"
Shinji laughs. There it is, Bokuto thinks. His eyes absentmindedly wander to her open mouth. He apologizes to God for the thoughts in his mind.
"That's wonderful, Bokuto-kun! So does that mean you won't be needing my support in your next tournament?" She leans her back against the wall and crosses her ankles. There's a twinkle in her eyes and it humbles Bokuto knowing it's for him.
He shakes his head at her. "No, no, no! I would love to see you up in the stands supporting me—I mean, us!"
"I'm kidding! Of course I'm going to cheer you on! That's not something you should doubt."
Bokuto's face breaks out into a grin, warmth pooling in his stomach. Leave it to Shinji to pinpoint his sweet spots. "I know you will, Shinji-chan! You're our biggest fan! So are you here for Akaashi?"
She nods, shifting a bit so she can face him. "It's my sister's rehearsal dinner tonight. Keiji and I still have to buy something to wear, so I'm picking him up. Speaking of which, where is he?"
"Oh, he's still in the showers, I think." Bokuto sends a thank-you to God for that.
Shinji juts out her lower lip in a pout. "He's so slow! At this rate, I'll be too late for caramel apples!"
Suddenly, at the mention of the treat, an idea dawns on Bokuto. He gulps, his heartbeat picking up. It's now or never, he tells himself. You might never get another chance like this. So he steels his resolve, and begins, "Hey, Shinji-chan, after dinner tonight, if you're not busy, do you wanna—"
"Shinji," Akaashi says, interrupting him. He's already clad in a grey t-shirt and jeans, his bag slung across his torso. He nods to Bokuto, and luckily doesn't say anything that might put Bokuto's secret crush at risk.
"Ah! Keiji! Took you so long!" Shinji stood up, shouldering her bag before turning to Bokuto. "Sorry, Bokuto-kun, you were saying?"
With Akaashi now around, Bokuto's courage has deflated. He stretches his legs out, slouching. "Oh, nothing, Shinji-chan. Forget about it."
Akaashi casts him a questioning look while Shinji blinks. "Well, okay, if you say so. We have to get going now, text me later!"
"See you tomorrow, Bokuto-san," Akaashi says.
They exit the gym, leaving a crestfallen Bokuto behind.