Disclaimer: I don't own Ao no Kanata.
Waking up and doing his usual routines, he planned to leave, only to hear a knock as he headed towards the front door. Opening it, it was none other than Asuka herself greeting him with a friendly smile. Masaya blushed, but smiled back at her.
While walking, Asuka hummed as she had an arm around his. "S-so I guess with the tournament over, we can get back to training," Masaya said.
He already knew that, but he felt nervous, so saying anything really felt the best way to try easing himself. After all, he never had a girlfriend before, so this was new territory.
"Yes, but also Masaya-san is my boyfriend!" Asuka said excitedly, blushing and smiling at him. "I couldn't be happier."
"I-I see!" Masaya said before concentrating on the road in front of them. 'From here on out, we are lovers. Geez, I'm already feeling calmer with her. Not surprising.'
As the two got to school, Asuka held his hand, drawing looks from students.
"We seem to be getting a lot of attention," Asuka said. "Maybe they know about my match with Shindou-san."
"Uh, I don't think that's why," Masaya said nervously with a sweat drop. "Listen, why don't we keep the love displays out until lunch time? That way we're not drawing attention from people."
"But I want everyone to know Masaya-san is my lover," Asuka stated innocently.
"Like I said, that's not the problem," Masaya sighed at her as they kept walking.
Getting to the classroom, they were met with grins from Mashiro, Misaki and Madoka, and the rest of the class also stared. Unfortunately for Masaya, one of the people in class saw them holding hands in the hallway and spread it like wildfire to the rest of the class.
"Have a good morning?" Madoka asked with amusement.
"Yeah why?" Masaya asked.
"Nothing, just we heard some very spicy info," Misaki started.
"You two holding hands in the hallway on your way here, what's that about?" Mashiro asked.
As Masaya sweated, hesitant to say anything, Asuka went off.
"We're a couple!" Asuka said excitedly as some in the room went "EH!?" while some of the girls found it cute and eyed the two.
"Since when?" Misaki asked.
"Last night," Masaya decided to spill seeing it was pointless to hide at this point, only to pale as many girls came up and started fangirling over the couple. "Hold it, slow down!"
"Ahee!" Asuka said nervously, rubbing her head with a hand at the girls.
Some of the guys even said things like "I'm so jealous he gets such a pretty girl like her!" or "Lucky guy!".
"Well, it was bound to happen eventually," Madoka said.
"For real, I was waiting when they would realize it," Mashiro said.
"Ditto," Misaki said as they watched Asuka and Masaya. 'Isn't that great, Asuka.'
Meanwhile, Aoi just walked into the classroom, and looked curiously at the majority of classmates gathered around Asuka and Masaya.
"*Cough*" Aoi cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention. "Everyone please take your seats, class is about to begin."
Thus they all went to their seats on her order. Aoi then noticed Masaya looking worn out and sighing with relief.
Class went on like normal as expected. Lunch time came around the corner, and of course Masaya and Asuka had lunch alone at his spot.
"You really have bad timing," Masaya said. "Because of saying it at that moment, it drew everyone's attention."
"Sorry about that, I get carried away when I'm really happy," she admitted.
"Guess I can't blame you," Masaya chuckled as they ate. "The tournament is over, and it'll be a while until the fall one, so I think we should all take a break for a while. It's something I've thought about since yesterday."
"Alright, that means more time for just you and me!" Asuka stated while clasping her hands.
"Indeed," Masaya said, staring at her.
"What should we do after school then?" Asuka asked.
"For starters, since we're boyfriend and girlfriend, I think a date would do just fine," Masaya suggested. "Anywhere specific though?"
"Not that I can think of, but I'm sure we'll have a blast!" Asuka stated confidently.
"When you say it like that, I can't doubt you," Masaya said in amusement before he placed an arm around her and pulled her close to him.
"Masaya-san?" Asuka asked as her cheeks flushed.
"It's nothing, I, j-just wanted to hold you close," he admitted while blushing and tracing a circle motion over his cheek with a finger. "I mean, um, lovers do that kind of thing."
Asuka giggled before placing an innocent peck to his cheek. "That's fine," she said, staring at him with a romantic look. "I like being held by you."
Masaya's heart rate shot up. It made him fuzzy inside hearing that.
After school, the two were about to head out of the classroom if not for Madoka and Misaki stopping them.
"Time for more training right?" Misaki asked, eager for more.
"Actually," Asuka started before Masaya started to explain.
"The fall tournament won't start for a long time, so I think you've all earned some vacation time," Masaya stated. "Not everyday needs to be training. Relaxing is also important, so for the next few weeks you can decide whether or not to train."
"Really!?" Mashiro asked in excitement as she bursted into the classroom.
"Well I don't mind," Misaki said before looking at Mashiro. "Or so I would say, but I think myself and Mashiro need to keep training a lot."
"No way!" Mashiro pouted before Misaki pat her head.
"Hey now, that means you get to spend time with me, and like I said, I'll help you out," Misaki said compassionately before being hugged affectionately by Mashiro.
"Aw, Senpai knows how to lure me like a fish hooked on a rod!" Mashiro exclaimed adoringly while Misaki caressed the back of her head.
"Well you described yourself pretty well right now," Madoka said with a sweat drop before looking at Asuka and Masaya. "The two of you leaving by yourselves, a date perhaps?"
"Correct," Masaya said.
"Oh?" Aoi asked, walking up to them. "I heard during lunch from Tobisawa, apparently you two have revealed your true feelings," They both nodded while she smiled. "That's good. You both go on and enjoy your date."
"That's not all," Madoka started as Aoi faced her. "Hinata gave everyone the freedom to come to the club or not for a few weeks since the next tournament is a fair long way off."
"I expect that," Aoi started. "When the club was formed again with Masaya's entry, the next tournament was a lot closer. There's no need for them to have to train so much though with the next one far off. In the days you don't come to the club, I'll still be there with Madoka supervising Arisika and Tobisawa. As for Masaya, while in normal cases you should stay at the trailer to supervise Tobisawa and Arisika as their FC coach, I can bend the rules. You've worked pretty hard, and I think you and Kurashina deserve some vacation time alone together. Wouldn't the rest of you agree?"
Their expression clearly showed they fully agreed. With that, the pair went off downtown on their first date. The sensation Masaya felt was different than the other times. Before they had just went downtown and had fun as friends, but this time it was beyond that. At a few points Asuka ran about with her arms spread like a bird. The two went to a picture booth and took a picture together as well with smiles. Even now, Asuka's beautiful appearance and personality illuminated his heart with such powerful warm feelings that he couldn't describe.
After a long day, it grew dark. Asuka had went to throw something away while Masaya sat on the sand near the beach.
Closing his eyes, he thought back to a memory:
"Those stars together look like a Grav-Shoe!" a younger Masaya yelled, pointing to them and drawing a shape out of them.
"You really do love the world above, don't you," Aoi said gently.
"Of course!" Masaya cheered reaching towards the stars with a hand. "If I have the world above, I can go anywhere I want and fly anywhere-that nothing is impossible!"
Aoi chuckled. "You're interesting," she said. "Most kids your age are just excited about the prospect of playing FC, yet you think about it in deeper ways. FC is always growing, so the possibilities are endless."
"But if it's endless, does that mean it's perfect always?" Masaya asked.
"Perhaps, but promise me something, that you will always stay true to your love of FC," Aoi said. "You have the potential to possibly surpass me one day, and inspire many others like I have."
"Surpass you? No way, you're too good," Masaya said before Aoi put a hand on his shoulder. "Kagami-sensei?"
"Whenever you feel in doubt, say the following words," Aoi started.
Back in the present, Masaya repeated them. '"What you can't do by yourself, achieve it with others by your side and the possibilities will open up to you'," Masaya said before his face grew sad. "But I didn't do that back then, instead I was crushed by my own emotions and fear. Heh, I guess I'm reflecting on my past mistake now that I-"
"Well well, I didn't expect to meet you out here, Hinata Masaya," came Irina's voice.
"You're the one from back then!" Masaya said, getting up after recognizing her. "Irina if I wasn't mistaken."
"That's right," Irina said before growing cocky. "Too bad for you, Shindou almost lost to your team, but your strength wasn't enough."
"True, he held back a lot more than I thought," Masaya said. "Congratulations on winning the tournament. That Saki of yours is really strong."
"Right," Irina said proudly before her face grew more serious. "Our FC is different from yours after all," Masaya blinked, curious what she means. "Isn't it true? Our playstyle offers more strategic thinking and less on brute force. On the other hand, the current FC is too much brawn and no brain."
"That doesn't make it bad-" Masaya started, but Irina cut him off.
"You of all people should be able to understand, Hinata Masaya," Irina stated while glaring. "Have you not figured it out? As FC is right now, it's become rather risky. And I was convinced this after seeing Kurashina nearly die!"
Masaya widened his eyes as his head pulsed. "But that was-" he tried to get out.
"Be truthful!" Irina said, growing angry. "Kurashina almost died because of your irresponsibleness as her coach!"
"What!?" Masaya yelled, clenching his fists. "This, that's wrong!"
"Am I?" Irina asked. "Who is the one who coaches, who is the one who is in charge of telling her what or what not to do in a match?"
"Yes, but the earpiece in her ear fell out during the match so I couldn't direct orders!" Masaya said, losing his composure due to stress.
"So you think that excuses you from not forbidding her to do that many Air Kick Turns?" Irina asked.
"Enough, stop screwing with me!" Masaya yelled.
"I see you're very stubborn," Irina said calmly. "The current FC is a disgrace before me, lacking the perfect silence our FC brings. Our FC is safer, but the same cannot be said for yours and everyone else's."
"FC isn't as bad as you think it is," Masaya said. "It's because FC is just a game that we can enjoy it. If it was all about only winning, it wouldn't be that fun. So don't degrade the sport just because you have a different preference!"
"How can you say that to me knowing that the current FC almost claimed Kurashina's life?" Irina asked, staring into his eyes coldly.
Masaya's heart rate beat very fast along with his head pulsing intensely to painful levels. In his mind, an image of a kid in the past staring at him with very cold eyes just like this was before him. However, that wasn't what was mentally shaking him so much. An image of Asuka falling into the water and not coming up flashed in his mind. It was a horrible memory he wished would go away.
"No, I was just...!" Masaya said, unable to stand and was on his knees with both hands on the ground.
"If you truly want to change FC for the better, join me, and we will usher in a new era, one where FC will never be dangerous in the slightest," Irina started with a hand extended out towards him. "And that includes Kurashina never put in that situation again. Don't you want that?"
'...Was it really my fault?' Masaya thought, as he blankly stared at the ground and his head pulsed violently again. 'Was there something I could have done to prevent it? And Irina's words, are they true? I can't deny what almost happened to Asuka, and that was in part due to aggressive play. I...'
"Kurashina must be ashamed to have such a foolish coach like you," Irina concluded.
"That's not true!" Asuka yelled out, running in front of Masaya.
"Kurashina," Irina said in surprise with a hand to her chin.
"I've never considered Masaya-san a bad coach!" Asuka yelled in a hurt tone to Irina.
"Asuka," Masaya muttered, looking at her.
"How can you say that when-" Irina started, but Asuka would have no more.
"That's because of me!" Asuka yelled with a sad look. "Masaya-san always always does his best for me. But when I went up against Shindou-san, I acted selfishly on my own! I knew of the risks of using multiple Air Kick Turns, but I did it anyway because I didn't want to lose and let him down. I realized what I'd done afterwards, I hurt Masaya-san deeply, all because of my own actions. If anyone is to blame, it's myself."
"But your ability to accept commands reflects Hinata Masaya's standing as your FC coach," Irina stated. "The fact you went and put yourself in danger despite being warned, makes him foolish to even allow you in the tournament to begin with."
Masaya closed his eyes and started trembling.
"That's wrong! I did what he told me," Asuka started. "But when I faced Shindou-san, like I said, near the end I acted on what I wanted and didn't think about what my action may have caused for myself and Masaya-san. Please, stop blaming him for my own issue."
Irina wanted to press the matter more, but felt remorse on seeing Asuka was about to cry. "I got it," Irina said, softening up. "However, that doesn't change what I've said about your FC."
"FC isn't what you think!" Asuka pleaded. "FC is, FC is about bringing joy to others and having fun. Just like yours!"
"Eh?" Irina asked, for the first time perplexed.
"You and Inui have such awesome FC, it gave me goosebumps!" Asuka admitted, smiling at Irina briefly. "But FC is freedom. We can play however we want, and change how we play at any time-that's what makes FC so amazing, it's boundless."
'However we...want, in the endless sky, freedom,' Masaya thought, recalling the memory he had a few minutes ago as well.
"Even though you know how Shindou played, you still accept the current FC as fine?" Irina asked before closing her eyes. "You're just as foolish as your coach, clinging to such a risky current sport."
"It's not foolish!" Asuka defended. "Haven't you and Inui experienced it for yourself before, and even now, you imitate some of it?"
"It's true we use some of the current FC play, but we still prefer our Birdcage way," Irina admitted. "And I was convinced further after seeing what happened with you. FC right now is dangerous, If what happened to you can happen to others, I want to change that. Anyway, it's clear we won't agree on this. On that note, you really seem attached to Hinata to be so touchy about him."
"That's because..." Asuka started, looking at him as he looked at her, his eyes regaining color by now and trembling ceased. "Masaya-san is more important to me than anyone else, and my boyfriend."
"I see," Irina said.
"And it's because he's always there for me no matter what," Asuka said gently. "I'm still not the most experienced player, but he's there with me every step of the way, guiding me higher and higher."
With that she turned to Masaya and reached her hand out to him. Finally, Masaya gained resolve in his eyes and got off the ground, taking her hand.
"I, won't adandon FC for yours!" he stated with a clenched fist as he looked at Irina. "You claim the current FC brings suffering, but you have it totally wrong. Accidents happen often, and sometimes it's out of our control. Therefore, to blame FC for one accident is foolishness on your part."
"Oh really?" Irina mocked. "For a person who doesn't play in FC like Kurashina, you've sure got confidence."
"That's because I realize I blamed FC for my own mistakes!" Masaya stated while Asuka looked at him curiously. "Long ago, I played FC myself, and on losing a match due to cold feet, my confidence plummeted. Then I lost to a person who just started out in Flying Circus. I was ashamed of myself, a promising prodigy kid losing to some beginner. That person staring at me with such cold eyes afterwards terrified me and brought me to the breaking point. I crumbled into despair and ran away from the sport, shutting it off from me."
"Masaya-san..." Asuka muttered, feeling sorry for him.
"But Asuka entered my life," Masaya started. "I wanted nothing more than to stay away from FC as a whole, but I couldn't stay away from this girl, and I was interested in how she would progress, so I stayed with her. Before I knew it, here I am loving the world I threw away. I came to understand, I allowed my own feelings to hold me down, and used that as an excuse to run away. That's why, I won't run away anymore! I'll face whatever comes my way!"
"An interesting monolouge," Irina said, impressed while Asuka smiled brightly at him with glazed eyes.
"Listen, I don't think there's anything bad about your way of playing, but just as you believe so strongly in your FC, we believe in ours!" Masaya declared. "If you truly want to prove yours as the better way for FC, prove it by winning in the next tournament against us!"
Irina stared at him in astonishment. Just like Asuka, he accepted their FC instead of acting as if they were ruining the game. The people they've walked around muttered against her and Saki as FC ruiners who want to destroy it. Irina couldn't help but feel warm inside. Despite how she's come off, they still respected her FC. This made Irina start feeling bad.
"Very well, I accept that challenge," Irina said light heartedly. "I hope you don't let us down. Make no mistake though, I will change FC for the better-that is my resolve. I also admit, your resolve is commendable, Hinata Masaya. Both you and Kurashina have my respect, and I do apologize for my behavior. Until we meet again, bye."
With that she walked away while Asuka and Masaya stared until she vanished from sight.
"Are you okay?" Asuka asked.
"Yeah," Masaya said before facing her. "I never told you about my past in full, sorry."
"It's okay," Asuka said. "They weren't good memories for you, so it's natural to keep them to yourself."
"But I feel like I should have told you sooner," Masaya said, before Asuka surprised him and pressed her lips onto his while putting her hands on his shoulders.
A strong romantic moment overtook them as they kissed in bliss. It was as if they were in their own world away from everything else. After parting, Asuka stared with a tender smile on her face.
"What matters now, is you want to move forward," Asuka said. "Remember what I said way back? I would help you find your own reach to the sky."
"You did," Masaya said, holding her still. "And you already have. I'm not tied down by the past anymore, I've regained my love for FC, and together we will keep reaching towards the future and beyond."
"Yes!" Asuka said excitedly before they let go and ran around the beach together.
'Kagami-sensei, I got it, I will never mess up like I did in the past or almost just did again!' Masaya thought. 'And, I have something even more important to me than FC, something I will never adandon.' After thinking that, he looked at Asuka, who ran with an innocent expression. 'Kurashina Asuka.'
A/N: I know some are probably wondering why Mashiro hasn't gotten some personal shine like the others. Well that will be coming up next.