So, this is in return for the short chapter last time but next update, I will apply the 'every 2 weeks' rule, though really it's just a matter of how many chapters I've already completed because if I'm already pretty far ahead, I'll continue with the weekly update.
Tooru and Chiharu didn't meet again on that spot for the days that followed. They regressed back to the time before the bento event, living as if they didn't know each other's existence.
It was actually easy. This they both felt. But that doesn't mean they had forgotten each other. Every day, there will always be a passing thought.
Him during his morning run. It seems it had become a routine to ask himself to detour or not. Yet he would continue on his pace. Choosing the latter than the former.
Her during dismissal. Before going home, she would always dedicate a minute to contemplate.
'Had he eaten?' Then she would go on, passing the gym without a glance.
It was unconscious in both parties. This concern for the other.
Two weeks passed and not even once did they see a shadow of each other.
"Oikawa-san!" someone called Tooru on his way to the gym. He turned abruptly with a skip in his heartbeat. Is it her?
Tooru couldn't help the pang of disappointment that fell on him when he recognizes Mizukichi Nanami, the captain of the volleyball girls.
"Uhm hi" She said shyly, putting a lock of her hair behind her ear. Tooru gave her a cheerful smile.
"Hello! What is it?" he asks the girl, hiding his annoyance behind his smile. He'll be late for practice.
"By any chance, Oikawa-san, do you know Aikawa-san?" She said, looking at him intently. Tooru blinked in surprise.
"Why?" he inquired genuinely. It was the first time in days since someone uttered her name in front of him.
"It seems you're very close to her"
At this, Tooru rubs his head and gave her an awkward smile.
"You see, I've been trying to invite her to the club since first year but until now, she still refused us. As a captain, I feel that it's a waste of her potential considering the performance she gave in our P.E." Nanami ranted in front of him.
"Hmm, is that so? Then what is it to me?" he said tilting his head to the side.
"I want you to persuade her" She commanded, losing her earlier shyness.
"Ah, but shouldn't you just respect her decision?" Tooru advised starting to lose his smile when he heard her tone. He had to end this fast since Nanami can be too much of a pushover and she might force him to do the task.
Tooru turns to the gym door.
"Oikawa-san, please help me persuade Aikawa-san!" Nanami suddenly shouted which caused him to jump. He swiveled to deny her softly when he saw a figure staring at them. His eyes widened.
"Do you need something from me?" Chiharu asks approaching behind them while inwardly suppressing a sigh as she recognized the captain of the volleyball girls.
Nanami smiled at her widely, forgetting her business with Tooru.
"Aikawa-san! Would you please please join the club?" She begged in front of her and gave her a bow.
Chiharu raised an eyebrow as her gaze landed on Tooru who in turn shook his head. Chiharu sighed loudly while Nanami straightened herself.
"How many times do I have to tell you Mizukichi-san that I refuse?" Chiharu said frowning at her.
"And isn't it already too late? I mean we're already third years and not to mention it's nearly the Interhigh" Chiharu added then caught a glimpse of Hajime walking to them from inside.
"Oikawa, practice is starting." Hajime said from behind him and then gave a nod to her. But Tooru did not move because he was becoming interested with their conversation.
Nanami grasps her arm tightly.
"But Aikawa-san you are an excellent Libero! I'm sure you can quickly adapt!" Nanami said tightening her grip.
Chiharu batted her hands away from her arm.
"Will you please stop this? I will not be forced into something I don't want to do. Besides, I haven't played for the past two years" Chiharu said while rubbing her arm.
Tooru and Hajime gaped at her. Nanami gasps in delight.
"Perfect! Even when you haven't played, you still gave a superb performance. So you must join us!"
"Haven't you heard what I just said?" Chiharu couldn't help but raise her voice a bit. She's starting to lose her temper with this one.
Tooru and Hajime shared a glance. Hajime stepped beside Tooru and laid a hand on Nanami's shoulder.
"Mizukichi-san, I think you should listen to Aikawa-san."
"But..but" Nanami trailed.
Chiharu closed her eyes to calm down. She opened them and gave Nanami a smile.
"Mizukichi-san, I appreciate your dedication. But you see, I had already decided not to play volleyball again" Chiharu explained.
'Not in official matches' She silently added.
Nanami's shoulders slumped, finally understanding that Chiharu will not bend.
"Hey you two, what are you doing out there?" Makki called out inside.
"Oh! Looks like I've been deterring you guys, sorry" Nanami exclaimed and bowed to Tooru and Hajime. She turned to Chiharu and bowed as well.
"I'm sorry also Aikawa-san, for everything"
Before Chiharu could reply, Nanami sprinted to the other side, probably going to their gym.
"Finally she's gone!" Tooru said clapping his hands together. He smiled in Chiharu's direction.
"Chiharu-chan! Long-time no see!" he said to her, beaming. Chiharu gave him a blank stare.
"Shouldn't you be practicing?" She asks as Hajime grabs Tooru's collar and drags him away.
"Ahh! Iwa-chan! I still want to talk to Chiharu-chan!" Tooru cried, waving his hands wildly.
Chiharu smiled as Hajime gave Tooru a smack in the head. She gave one last look at the duo and then went her way.
"What are you doing here?" Chiharu blurted, standing near his table at her usual cafe that early morning.
Tooru gave her a frown.
"Eating of course"
Chiharu narrowed her eyes at him and his smug look.
"I told you not to meet with me anymore" She said, crossing her arms. He looked up from his seating position at the table. Her favorite spot.
"Yes you did and I did it." He said with a smile, taking a sip of his tea or whatever he ordered.
"Oho, then what is this?"
"Well, this is me waiting for my food and you arriving at your favorite cafe to order your food. Then surprise, surprise, we bumped into each other. This is totally not planned. Everything is a matter of coincidence. Call it fate even" he explained to her.
"Hmm.." Chiharu hums not convinced with his explanation and sat on the opposite chair. Tooru hid his smirk behind his cup, smiling victoriously.
"So, what do you want?" Chiharu said getting to the point. She's not in the mood to dance around the topic.
"What do you mean?" he asks blinking innocently at her. Chiharu's eyebrow twitched in annoyance but gave him a smile.
"Tooru-kun-"
Tooru was raising his hand to sip when he froze, hearing her say his name. Chiharu notices this but ignored it.
"-you should just get to the point-" She continues.
"You called me Tooru-kun" he interrupts.
"Well, you've been calling me Chiharu-chan so I decided to call you Tooru-kun" Chiharu explained and then her order arrived.
"Chiharu-chan, are you my girlfriend?"
Chiharu nearly chokes after hearing that. Tooru laughs at her as she wipes her mouth and glares at him but after a while, a smirk made its way on her face.
"Tooru-kun, are you my boyfriend?" She asks sweetly. It was his turn to be startled. He blinked at her. Eventually, he caught on to her ploy and gave her a smile of his own.
"Then, Chiharu-chan. I guess I'm your boyfriend" he said wickedly.
"Nah, it's too much trouble" Chiharu said returning to her food and ending their cycle lest she declares she's his girlfriend.
Tooru pouted.
"Why?" he drawled.
"Because I already have little brothers that are much cuter than you" She said, biting on to her pancakes.
"Oh, so I'm cute huh" Tooru declared with a smile.
"Like my brothers" She added.
"And childish" She continued. Tooru frowned at her. He leaned on his seat, crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap.
"I'm not childish"
"You are"
"I'm not!" Tooru grumbles with a pout while laying his chin on the table. Chiharu quickly retrieves her phone and before Tooru could ask her what she's doing, she took a picture of him.
"See. You look like a child here" she said, twisting the phone to show him the image.
"Waah!..I'm cute here" Tooru exclaimed, totally not bothered that she had taken a picture without his consent.
Chiharu gave him an exaggerated sigh for focusing on a different aspect of the picture instead of confirming her description of his personality.
She pulls her hand in order to return the phone back when out-of-the-blue he snatches it.
"Hey!"
Chiharu tried to take it from him but he kept on moving his hands in the air while fiddling on her phone. Tooru returned her phone after completing what he had planned. Not a second later, he felt a vibration in his side pocket.
From: Unknown Number
Chiharu-chi! 3 3 3
"Yay! Now, I have Chiharu-chan's number!" he said in a sing-song voice while saving the number in his contacts
Chiharu let out an annoyed huff and slammed her foot on his foot under the table.
"What the! Ow" Tooru shouted, not expecting Chiharu's move.
"That's for taking my phone without my permission." Chiharu explained at the same time raising her foot and slamming it again. It was accompanied by another pained groan from Tooru.
"That's for taking my number!" Chiharu raises her foot again for another hit but failed since Tooru withdrew his foot farther from her reach. She winced as she felt the impact of the floor and then gave him a glare. He smirked at her.
"Serves you right, Chi-chi" He said to her. She gave him a blank stare.
"Chi-chi? Really? That's all you can come up with?" She asks in an insulting manner which resulted to Tooru's annoyance.
"Are you implying I'm not good at making names?" he said. Chiharu gave him a clap.
"Bravo, he knew!" Chiharu replied sarcastically. Tooru glowered at her and was readying a retort when someone cleared their throat beside their table.
"Ahem, is there a problem here?" the waitress asked, switching her gaze between Chiharu and Tooru.
"Yes, Ane-chan. But BakaTooki here is in the process of apologizing to me" Chiharu explained with a smile.
At first, Tooru furrowed his brows when he did not recognize the name she used. But when he did, he glowered even more.
"Ha? Why am I the one apologizing? And what kind of shitty name is that? If you ask me, you're an even worse name-maker than I am!" he growled, trying not to raise his voice in front of the waitress.
"What are you talking about? I can't hear your apology" she said while tilting her head to the side, giving him her fake smile.
Toru tsked, annoyed that he's being backed into a corner.
'There's no way I'm going to apologize. No way!' he growled inside his head. Chiharu glared at him, he glared back.
Anesawa Shiki or Ane-chan as Chiharu calls her stifled her giggles as she flickered her gaze between the two persons sitting on the table.
'Waah! So cute!' she squealed inside.
From the moment these two entered together for the first time in the café, Shiki had fallen for the pair. In her mind, they are the perfect couple she had seen though it seems their relationship is still on its early stages but she's willing to wait and see.
'Kyaa, I found my OTP!' she squealed again but this time, a small 'eep' escaped from her lips. Tooru and Chiharu's attention shifted to her.
"Ane-chan, what's wrong? You're red." Chiharu asks observing the waitress before her.
"A-ahaha, it's nothing. Well then, it seems there's no problem. I'll be returning now" Shiki awkwardly said, slowly backing away from the two and briskly walking behind the counter.
"Hmm, strange" Chiharu muttered, forgetting her plan to make Tooru apologize to her.
"That lady had been observing us nonstop" Tooru said, leaning on his seat.
"Really? She's not usually like that" Chiharu asks in surprise. Ane-chan's behavior is becoming strange.
"Well, I should be going, I have a lot to do back home before going to school" Tooru declared, standing up.
"Okay." Chiharu said as she lightly blows on her cup. Tooru walked past her.
"Ah, pay my food" Chiharu loudly commanded. Tooru's eyebrow twitched.
"You…"
"Or apologize"
"….miss, how much is hers again?"
I just realized this is short...argh! Damn Miyuki (Game Changer) for distracting me...TT_TT
Anyway, for those who don't know this term:
OTP = one true pair