"What's wrong with you today?" Ayuki nudged your arm forcefully.

You wince. "Akashi."

For the hundredth time this morning you glance around cautiously. You stop when Ayuki grabs your face back to reality.

"[f/n]-chan, what am I supposed to do with you today? Now I'm the one making sure the other's alright? No thanks," she says with a sigh.

"Thanks, is that all I am to you? Wow, I really feel the love today," you reply sarcastically.

"Mmhm no prob," your friend smiles. "Do I get to ask you about what happened?"

"Nope. I'd rather not mention anything."

"You do know that you're going to end up telling me, right? Might as well start now."

You look at your friend in amusement.

"Wonderful. Another person for me to avoid today." You start to walk faster.

"O-Oi! Don't pretend I'm not right! Because I am! It's gonna happen!" She skips after you.

You arrive at your seat only to have Ayuki plop down on the desk next to yours. She smirks.

Oh, right. She sits beside me in homeroom.

You face her in exasperation. You see her eyes glint. You spill about yesterday. You bury your face in your arms in embarrassment. Ayu, I hate you. You receive a triumphant grin of victory.

"My little [f/n]-chan, you Ken run but you can't Hide. Now-"

"Did you just-"

"Yeah, I did. Still mentally broken because of those two. Now back to what I was going to say. Senpai will find you and ask you more questions if you don't show up. It'll be a lot worse if you don't face the situation like a man. As I said, it's gonna happen someday. "

You roll your eyes. "Don't relate your personal abilities to my horror story, okay?"

She returns the eye roll. You turn to face the front of the classroom. "Class is going to start, Ayu. You better have finished the assignment last night." You grin to yourself as she mumbles a stream of curses.


The dreaded "end of the day" had arrived. Basketball practice! Again!

These people practice too much, you think to yourself as you make your way to the gym as slowly as you could.

A couple of steps later someone taps you on the shoulder. Your heart skips a beat or two and you quickly turn around to see Akashi and his piercing eyes.

You breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh-it's just you-" you freeze.

Wait, what. That's him. Hiiiiiim. Akashi. The one I'm trying to hide from.

You avoid all means of making eye contact as you nervously speak.

"Hello."

You stiffly turn around and proceed with your slow walking, hanging on to that 0.00001% chance that he'd ignore you. No. You hear a small chuckle of amusement behind you. And then footsteps following closely behind you.

"May I ask why you're pacing yourself at such a speed?"

You don't turn around and say anything. You quicken your pace, but only a little. There, better? More footsteps. You then realized he'd walked past you.

"It was very entertaining watching you hide from me today. However amusing it may be though, it will stop."

You gave up and started to run. So first I'm Ayu's bodyguard, now I'm his entertainment. I should really find better people to talk to.

You blush in embarrassment knowing he'd seen your attempt in avoiding him.

You burst through the door and run straight towards

"Hayama-senpai!"

Alarmed, he turns around quickly.

"Y-yeah? What's wrong?"

"Tell Akashi that I'm going to be-"

"Not so fast, [f/n]."

The voice of a slightly oppressive Akashi stops you in your tracks.

"Any excuses can be reported personally to me."

Well, that went smoothly.

His golden eye glows intensely as he takes you by your wrist rather harshly and drags you to a locker room.

"Explain."

You stay silent.

"Are you disobeying me?"

"Why yes, I certainly am." Your voice shows a slight hint of annoyance.

I knew I should've insisted on getting dropped off at the school...you mumble quietly.

Akashi smirks.

"Is this my explanation?"

You heard that?

"Acting all bashful over something so meager and insignificant as that? People these days cannot possibly be so innocent."

You blush. "You should've woke me! You didn't have to...carry me to my own room..." Your voice fades as your embarrassment increases.

"Your sleeping face was rather calming to look at. I decided it was better to leave it undisturbed. Your brother was kind enough to have let an outsider in the house."

"Say anything unnecessary about me, but leave my little brother out of this," you immediately say.

Akashi smiles slightly.

"He seems to be very dear to you. If only that would be the same for myself."

"You're kidding."

"Am I?"

At this moment you felt like ripping that smile off his face.

"I'm assuming now you won't be leaving anytime soon?"

You head back to the gym. "Yeah," you reply quietly.

How simple it was to make you confess. But only for those two specific people.


"You guys are going to be facing against Seirin for the finals in the Winter Cup, right?"

Practice was over and you had gathered the team together for further confirmation.

A mixture of 'yeah's, 'yes'es and head nodding answers your question.

"We have a little over a week until we start on the road to Tokyo. According to Akashi, you guys don't need any special or planned training regimen?"

The same response.

"To be honest, I still haven't came up with anything good yet. I'm thinking I should visit Seirin and see their team on my own when we arrive in Tokyo. So is it alright if I ask Coach if we can leave earlier? Or would that interfere with your practice time?"

"That won't be necessary."

"But you were the one who told me to come up with something for the finals!"

"I've already done that." That was just so you wouldn't think of quitting.

You sigh. See? Told you I'm not needed here.

"Then is there anything I can do for you?"

Hayama piped up.

"Do whatever the normal managers do! Like uuuuh hand out water bottles or make honey lemon slices or both!"

"But I already do that."

"Keep it up!"

"You guys really make me feel useless."

"You're welcome. Just let us handle most of the work. That's what we're supposed to do."

"Actually, the technical stuff is supposed to be my job."

Akashi interrupts this pointless conversation.

"Enough. You are all dismissed. Including you." He looks at you.

Everyone files out the door including Akashi.

"Koutarou summarized things fairly well. For once, he is possibly right," he says to you quietly. "Goodbye."

You try to hold the corners of your lips down as they turn up. You really need to just admit it when somebody else is right, dear Akashi.

"Bye."

[Chapter 6 END]