AN: Daily arc, Murasakibara-drama arc, summer arc, Midorima-drama arc, errand arc, and now featuring Winter Cup Tournament arc starting at Chapter 51!


Chapter 55: Prepossessing


Soo-Jin always had bad eyesight and it continuously worsened as the years passed by, but she hadn't gotten a new pair since she was thirteen. Undoubtedly, she needed to get her eyes reexamined.

The process of getting a new prescription was baffling to Kagami, who thought that all they needed to do was to browse through an aisle of glasses and select one. Of course, Shintaro just had to say something demeaning, and then Kagami retaliated in his defense. They were rooms away from where Soo-Jin was and she could hear them argue as clear as day.

When it was time to pick what kind of glasses she wanted to wear, Soo-Jin made sure to take her time. She was aware that time was on the essence for the two basketball players. Both boys were probably thinking that they could have spent their time practicing or going over strategies with their team than wait on a girl who couldn't decide what pair of spectacles would look good on her. But too bad for them—she was going to find the right glasses!

Coming down to two of her top choices, she finally chose the rounded glasses with the black plastic rim. The other glasses had frames that were square-shaped like her previous pair, but she decided to try something new. Soo-Jin happily observed herself closely in the mirror before turning around.

"I like these," she declared.

"Good. Great," muttered Kagami.

After confirming the receptionist of her choice, the man measured Soo-Jin's head. Kagami vocalized his surprise of how costly the glasses cost, but nevertheless managed to pay the bill. Soo-Jin, Kagami, and Shintaro then walked out of the store with Soo-Jin still glasses-less.

"Wait a minute!" Kagami spun on his heel and faced Soo-Jin. "They didn't give you your glasses!"

"They have to make it first," Shintaro said.

"The ticket says that I can pick up in four days," Soo-Jin said, holding up the piece of paper that the receptionist gave her. She couldn't remember how long it took for her to get her glasses made back in Korea, but she guessed that it might have taken at least a week. It was nice to know that she would be receiving her glasses less than that here in Japan.

"But why couldn't you get the ones on the shelves?" Kagami asked confusedly.

"Because those weren't really glasses, Kagami," Shintaro said in a long-suffering tone. "Those were for customers to see what kind of designs they could choose from. Rather than corrective lens, they were transparent plastic."

"Seriously, why are you here?"

"I'm shocked to hear that you haven't understood it by now. It's to keep you from messing things up."

"You don't to make it out as though I'm an idiot!"

Shintaro could make anyone sound like an idiot. She knew that Kagami wasn't as stupid as Shintaro made him to be. Kagami's ignorance in how a glasses store functioned was noticeable in which made it obvious that he had perfect eye-vision. However, thanks to Shintaro's verbal abuse, Kagami also seemed like a dunce. Soo-Jin could sympathize full well because Shintaro's treatment extended to her too.

Soo-Jin took out her phone and dialed Himuro's number. After informing him that she was done and that she would meet him across the sports store (to avoid the broom-waving manager), she hung up and noticed Kagami mutely staring at her.

"So you know Tatsuya, huh?"

"Who?" she said.

"Tatsuya? Himuro Tatsuya? The guy who you came out with?"

Realization registered. "Oh, Himuro-sempai? Yes, I do know him."

"So, uh…" Kagami lifted his hand to his face and scratched his nose or something. Soo-Jin didn't know for certain; she was blind. "How—how is he doing?"

"He is fine, I think." She shrugged. It wasn't like she knew him well enough to say anything other than that. If Kagami wanted to know, he would have to make it up with his childhood friend and both of them to move on with whatever severed their friendship. But she wouldn't tell him that; she didn't want to get involved in this.

"Oh. That's good, I guess."

"You two..." Shintaro said with impatience coloring his voice. "I believe we have a destination to meet, if you will."

"You know your self-appointed job is finished, right? Why don't you just go away—"

"And leave you alone with her? I don't think so."

Soo-Jin sighed and followed the bickering duo.


The following day, Murasakibara waltzed up to Soo-Jin and dragged her out to the lobby. Everyone gave them curious looks over their breakfast plates, but didn't do anything to stop them. Soo-Jin didn't even resist because she was startled by her classmate's abrupt behavior. Normally, he would just ask her to come with him rather than take her by the arm and pull her behind him.

When Murasakibara slowed to a stop, he released his grip on her and said, "Aka-chin wants to see you."

Wait, what?

There was a person making his way towards them. Soo-Jin squinted at the strides this guy was making. While she had a hard time making out the obscurities of her near-sightedness, there was a noticeable difference in the way this person walked compared to the general adolescent male. When he stood before her, she couldn't help but take note that he wasn't much taller than Fukui. Actually, he was shorter than Fukui.

"Hello, Atsushi. Hello, Won-san."

She recognized that voice.

"Thank you for doing this favor for me, Atsushi. You may go," he dismissed succinctly.

"Take care of Soo-Jin-san, Aka-chin. See you later, Soo-Jin-san," Murasakibara drawled before Soo-Jin could feel his large presence drift away from her side.

She turned her neck around to watch him go, and then mentally admonished herself for not returning his farewell; saying goodbye back would be the polite thing to do. The Korean transfer shook her head and then returned her attention to the boy in front of her.

Murasakibara addressed him as Aka-chin. So, this was Akashi. She was actually expecting someone a bit more…imposing. How could a boy of Fukui's height accomplished in getting Murasakibara's respect when the big guy hardly took the gorilla sunbae seriously? Maybe Akashi's impressive leadership skills featured when on the basketball court. She heard about how athletes' personalities altered depending on the change and pace of a game.

"I am Akashi Seijuro, Atsushi's team captain from middle school," Akashi introduced himself. Soo-Jin couldn't picture him with a smile on his face despite the courtesy radiating off of him. His tone didn't imply a smile either, but it didn't sound bland. "It is a pleasure meeting you."

"I'm Won Soo-Jin," she replied, tilting her body forward to execute a short bow. "Pleasure meeting you."

"Won-san, I hope you will find it within yourself to forgive me the other day," Akashi began. "It wasn't my intention to harm you. It was a serious mistake on my part."

And then he rattled on about how he regretted that his actions resulted in her injury and broken glasses, and how he wished to make amends. That was the gist of it. It was difficult to understand what Akashi was saying when he strung his words with words that she didn't know the meaning to. He was similar to Shintaro in that aspect.

There were three conjectures that Soo-Jin could make about Akashi: he pontificated because he was a peremptory prick, he deliberately used complicated diction for the sake of confusing her, or he spoke in that particular way because it came naturally to him and that he wasn't aware of Soo-Jin's mediocre comprehension of the Japanese language.

There could be a fourth conjecture where Akashi's utilization of his extensive vocabulary was meant to educate Soo-Jin—this was what Shintaro did to her in their letter exchanges, but that was doubtful. They just met.

That aside, what Soo-Jin got out of especially was that Akashi had intercepted her order at the glasses store.

She cut him off right there with an incredulous "What!"

"I figured that it would be burdensome for you if you had to wait for a few more days," Akashi continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. "So that is why I already had your glasses made based off of your prescription taken at Waraki Eyeglasses Shop."

She faltered. "Wh-what?"

He pulled out a small black case from his bag, and then handed it to her. The case was a sleek leather container, and when she opened it she could see that nestled on the burgundy velvet was a pair of glasses. The details were a little off, but it was basically the copy of the design that she favored back in the store.

Tucking the case in her armpit, Soo-Jin then placed the glasses onto her face and blinked.

Everything was much clearer than ever before! It looked like she did need an update on her lens.

Before she took the chance to marvel at the uses of her new and improved vision, Akashi pulled her attention back to him when he asked, "So, how is it?"

"Oh! I like it! Thank you," Soo-Jin said with a bright smile, turning her gaze from her surroundings to back to the boy—

Holy cow. So this was Aka-chin the shanker? He was hot.

His bangs were trimmed short, which exposed his face. Pale and unblemished skin, delicate pointed features, and sharp cheekbones. But what drew her to him were his eyes—sharp, straight, and clear. They captivated her by just staring down at her.

Soo-Jin was not prepared for this.

"I'm glad that you like it," Akashi said with a small smile. Her heart skipped a beat. "Pardon me, but I was hoping you could do me a small favor."

"S-sure…"

In the end, as Akashi made his way out of the hotel, Soo-Jin was holding a weighty envelope that had Kagami's money in it. As a request of Akashi, the Korean transfer had to deliver the envelope back to Kagami. She already forgot the reason why Akashi couldn't return the money himself (or maybe she wasn't listening?), but no matter.

There were significant points to be drawn from today. Like how Akashi somehow managed to get her new glasses created in a span of one day, maybe even less; there was also the fact that Akashi was incredibly attractive, which totally threw her off.

Soo-Jin didn't have pockets and she didn't feel comfortable just carrying the envelope where everyone could see it—it was a hefty sum of money. So, after a cursory checkup to make sure no one was around in the empty lobby—even the staff members had disappeared—she slipped the envelope inside her shirt and wrapped her arm around her stomach.

She used her other arm to take out her phone and call Kagami's number, but no one was picking up. Not knowing what else to do but dearly wanting to tell someone what happened, she dialed Shintaro's number.

"Hello?"

"Shintaro!" she exclaimed. "You—you! I mean—Akashi!"

"What are you talking about?" Shintaro said with a bite of irritation.

"I met Akashi today!"

"What…?"

It was later agreed that Shintaro would meet up at the hotel that Soo-Jin was in so that they could further discuss what happened. In the meantime, Soo-Jin bolted to the room that she was staying in to fetch her jacket. She placed the envelope inside her purse and slung her purse over her shoulder.

Walking out, she then caught sight of Murasakibara who was strolling down the hall. "Ah, Soo-Jin-san."

She did think that Murasakibara was relatively handsome before, but with her amplified vision she was seeing him in a new light.

His face was long and almost solemn-looking. His eyes drooped as though he was in a perpetual state of weariness. His hair was in its usual state—disheveled and shaggy—but seemed to be a bit longer than before. Soo-Jin instinctively pursed her lips in thought. While Murasakibara wasn't conventionally good-looking like how Akashi was, there were finer points about him that made her appreciate his appearance even though she didn't have a crush on him anymore.

"Did Aka-chin give you new glasses?" Murasakibara asked.

She nodded. "Do I look okay?"

"You look different with different glasses, but you look okay," he said, stuffing his mouth with chips.

"Thank you." She paused and regarded Murasakibara's face once again. "Um, Murasara."

"Hm?"

"Do you still have headband?"

"Headband?"

"The, ah, turban headband," she said, gesticulating vaguely.

"Oh. I keep it in my pocket all the time." To confirm it, he dug a hand into his pocket and procured the black material. Soo-Jin didn't know why, but this pleased her. "Do you want me to put it on?"

When she nodded again, Murasakibara pulled the headband over his head and let it rest around his neck. He raked his hair back with his fingers, and then tugged the headband across his forehead and the top of his head, pushing his bangs back.

"Do I still look handsome?" he asked curiously.

The corner of her lips quirked upwards. "Very nice," she said truthfully. "Very handsome."

"Handsome?" he reiterated.

"Handsome."