Flashbacks
1. Pretentious
She slumped down on her desk, not for the first time that morning. He saw her clutching her head; her hair forming a dark cascade obscuring her face.
"You better go to the infirmary soon if you want to get better." He tried hard enough to hide the concern in his voice.
There was a sudden twitch; her grip tightened. "I'm fine," was the muffled reply.
2. Proximity
On several occasions, he'd catch her looking out of the window, getting lost in the clouds. He'd always wonder what was going on in that head of hers.
3. Ways
"Hello?"
"Hi. This is Atobe. I just need to inform you about our class' plans for the upcoming school festival."
There was a long pause at the other end of the line. "How did you get my number?"
"Oh, I have my ways. And you said you tend to ignore your phone, remember?"
She could almost see the smirk on his face.
4. Inexplicable
For some reason, he had started looking forward to class every day.
5. Literature
Her stories do not include princes or happy endings. Their teacher said they were disturbing. The last one drove him nuts.
6. Shallow
The very first time he saw her laugh was when their Math teacher cracked a joke in front of the whole class and nobody else besides her laughed.
7. Sneaky
"She's pretty," Oshitari remarked upon realizing who his captain was looking at.
Atobe's wary glance almost went unnoticed.
"Shut up."
8. Twin
He saw her in the supermarket once, wearing a well-fitting floral dress and with her hair braided on one side. He couldn't help but be struck by the difference.
9. Voice
His calls became more and more frequent. More works, he said.
10. Numb
By the year has ended, his teammates already knew who she was. He didn't get why they had to be so enthusiastic about it, though.
11. Obscurity
He didn't need to use his Insight on her to know that she's scared.
12. Bruises
"You could have them arrested, you know."
Her look was hard. "It's none of your business."
13. Mission
She said she will not go to the prom because she didn't have a partner. He swore to himself he'd do anything to make her go.
But then again, why did he even care?
14. Insidious
He started noticing the little details: the tiny mole above her lips, the delicate arch of her neck, her long, slender fingers, the way her hair would hang on her shoulders in a carefree manner, the fine lines of her collar bone—until such a point in which he'd have to stop himself from going further.
15. Secret
All the other boys made her laugh. Yet, for some reason, he knew she was faking it.
16. Specimen
"I wonder what sort of problems rich guys like you have..." she said after he'd caught her staring at him once.
For a moment, he was afraid she might find out, just by looking into his eyes.
Besides tennis, of course, she added, almost as if an afterthought.
17. Glued
He couldn't help but stare at her the whole night. Why did she have to be so dashing in her dress?
18. Wonder
"I don't know how to dance," she said.
"You don't have to. I can teach you how." He didn't understand why he had to try so hard.
She just sighed but then eventually gave in. For once, she couldn't look at him straight in the eye.
19. Deprived
If only nobody else asked her, he could've danced with her the whole night.
20. Epiphany
"Goodnight," she said right before giving him one of her rare, genuine smiles.
He knew right then that he was in love.