Title: For You
Summary: He'd win it, claim the finish line and be the victor…for him.
Warning/s: Spoilers for everyone who hadn't reached the manga's 10th volume yet.
Disclaimer: Disclaimer applies.
-.-.-.-.-
~For You~
They did it; Sohoku succeeded in taking the first checkpoint, bringing them in the lead with more than a hundred cyclists behind them—all of it was thanks to the efforts of their incredibly fast sprinters. It was such a wonderful feeling, and everyone else in their team was ecstatic.
Not Imaizumi.
He should be happy, at least feel a little glad that they have taken the lead—a position everyone was striving to get a hold of—it was a good advantage after all. But he was not. Somehow, Imaizumi found it hard to rejoice with the rest of the team. It was hard to be happy with the others, not when he was aware that it was a small victory; the race isn't over yet, in fact, it was just beginning, and there's still Midousuji to beat. However, it was not really the reason as to why he was gloomy—and maybe just a tad bit disappointed. It was something else entirely, and to say that it was not the tiniest bit related to the results of the sprinting battle would be a very big lie.
Now Imaizumi wasn't really complaining that Tadokoro crossed the checkpoint first. His bulky senior worked so hard and deserved it after all. But Imaizumi strongly believes that someone else deserves the same thing too. Deep down, Imaizumi wanted that someone to win the sprinting battle, take the title of the fastest. He was even cheering inwardly for him, damn it!
Besides, Imaizumi was all too familiar with the feeling of being placed in second. It sucks, he thought. It totally, absolutely sucks, even more so when you've worked so hard to win and still lose in the end. Imaizumi hated that feeling, just a little too much and he was aware that he hated it too, probably even more than Imaizumi. Naruko, that annoying, noisy, redheaded idiot from Osaka, loathed it, that much—and more—Imaizumi knew without a doubt.
So instead of joining the rest of the team over at the front of the pack, Imaizumi opted to slow down his pace, matching that of Naruko's, who at the moment, was cycling slowly to give his legs some rest.
Riding beside the redhead, Imaizumi took his time to observe his 'rival', noting that the smaller male was sweating hard, his breath coming in harsh pants. The still slightly bleeding scratch from his face—thanks to those stupid flying traffic cones—didn't go unnoticed, and it almost made Imaizumi flinch. However, he did flinch at the sight of Naruko's slumped shoulders, his red eyes missing that lively glow Imaizumi was so used to seeing; the redhead's wide smile was nowhere to be found as well. Not to mention the fact that Naruko was too quiet, even for Imaizumi's liking. He doesn't seem to notice that Imaizumi was riding beside him either; granted that the redhead would automatically start yelling and declaring a challenge whenever Imaizumi was near him, unfortunately, none of those happened.
To make it simple, Naruko looks utterly defeated and Imaizumi realized he didn't like it, no, not one bit.
Deciding that he couldn't stand seeing Naruko in such a state—he prefer it when the redhead was being so damn noisy and annoying, thank you very much—Imaizumi finally spoke up.
'Why do you look so glum, we've taken the lead, stupid.' Is what he wanted to say, but his mouth seemed to have other plans because the words that came out of it was something he hadn't really planned. "I like you much better when you have this face-splitting smile on your face." …And then panicked right after his statement, 'Shit shit shit! Please don't let him hear that!'
…
…
"What?" Naruko spoke up after a few seconds of silence, blinking at the taller male. Had Imaizumi been there all along? "And how long have you been there?"
"A while," He answered, letting out a sigh of relief. He almost, almost, messed up.
"..'s that so?" Naruko mumbled, still looking down. "Shouldn't you be with the others?" the redhead asked, motioning towards the rest of the team.
Refusing to answer, Imaizumi looked away, "Tch, why the hell do you look so glum? We're in the lead."
It was Naruko's turn to look away without saying anything. No loud retort, no 'you're seeing things Annoying-Izumi, nothing.
Imaizumi sighed; seriously what a pain.
Without thinking, Imaizumi's hand moved to rest atop the redhead's helmet, the taller of the two a little disappointed that it wasn't Naruko's red hair that met his hand. "Don't think so hard about it. The race isn't over yet. Crossing the finish line, the real goal, before anyone else is what matters." Imaizumi said his voice soft and almost uplifting, "Besides, weren't you the one who wanted to reach the finish line together? You and me…" A long pause, "…and Onoda," Imaizumi finished. 'Shit, I almost slipped again. Damn it!'
"Imaizumi…" Naruko mumbled, the light in his eyes returning, his lips beginning to formulate a wide smile. He was feeling so much better now. "You're right!"
'He's finally back to normal.' Imaizumi smiled inwardly, "Ah, but just so you know, I'd still cross the next checkpoint first…and the finish line."
"For me, right?" Naruko joked.
"…For you." Imaizumi suddenly answered without a second thought, his eyes glinting with fierce determination, before it widened in realization of what he had just said.
…
…
"Shit that was so embarrassing." Both idiots thought at the same time, a dark blush decorating their cheeks.
Regaining his composure first, Imaizumi reached out, hand gently wiping the now dried blood upon Naruko's face, "Ugh, your face is a mess. There's dried blood on your cheeks, you know?"
"Oww, that hurts!" Naruko winced as Imaizumi accidentally touched the cut on his face.
"Hold still!" Imaizumi commanded, "I'm trying to wipe off the dried blood."
"But it hurts!" the redhead whined, trying to pry Imaizumi's hand away.
"Naruko, I said stay still, damn it!"
"NOOOOO!"
…
…
…
…
"What the hell are they doing?"
Is what the other cyclists thought.
…
…
…
…
"Flirting in the middle of the race," Tadokoro suddenly exclaimed, "Those idiots! Wait a moment let me just—"
"Leave them." Kinjou commanded, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument. "Just focus on the race and let them be."
"I wish I had my camera." Makishima, Onoda, as well as Kinjou and even Tadokoro thought at the same time. "Too much cuteness…"
~END~
-.-.-.-.-
A/N: Thank you for reading! Oh and shout-out again to Maiden Warrior who loves the same OTPs as I do!
P.S. We need to have a Yowamushi Pedal tag in here, really...