12 – tenacity
The sun hung high that afternoon, persistent and problematic. Rin would have never have guessed it, but he truly hated summer weather in that moment. Though it might have been tolerable for those walking around, it was a hell that hindered his routine afternoon run.
Even with his hair tied back, the heat on his neck was unbearable. It had grown so bad that Rin eventually had to take a break under the shade provided by a nearby tree.
Heat accumulated against the tar of the road, making it all the more worse. If he closed his eyes, Rin could vividly imagine the luxurious coolness of his bedroom. Only summer heat could make winter seem this desirable to him – the one comfort Rin had was that now he could at least swim whenever he wanted.
Absently, he recalled Ayaka's pool. How close they had been, for just a fraction of a moment, and how he couldn't put it from his mind. With a sigh, he reluctantly opened his eyes to world around him.
It wasn't a busy street, for which he was thankful. Rin could have enjoyed its cluttered aesthetic on his own, but for the populated basketball court across from him. The game being played was only a street game, nothing official. He could tell just from watching at this distance.
A sudden flash of blonde caught his eye, his initial thought causing Rin to sit up straight.
When he wondered if he might have been mistaken, a voice called out to prove him wrong, "Move it or lose it!" There could be no mistake.
Rin resolved right then and there to stop stumbling across Ayaka Shibata so accidently. He couldn't have it ever suggested that more than chance was at play.
At once, however, and before he was even aware of his own actions, Rin was crossing the street. He walked hasty steps, ignoring the sun as he set his sights on something far brighter. After moving closer, Rin could affirm his suspicions. It truly was Ayaka, and she truly was playing basketball.
He shouldn't have been surprised – after all, he had seen her athletics trophies and photos during their study sessions. Rin supposed he was probably more stunned at her choice in company.
The teams comprised of mostly guys, each looking to be around their age, but their choice in clothing and general appearance seemed a little delinquent-like. Other than Ayaka, Rin could only see two other girls playing alongside.
When their eyes finally met, a sudden electric shiver raced down his spine.
Ayaka's lips lifted into a broad grin, obliviously happy. She followed this up by winking playfully, an act he had never thought to look beyond before. When Rin had first met her, and even until after the second and third time, he had assumed she was nothing more than an airheaded pervert. But he found it hard to argue that when she was genuinely glad to see him.
"Matsuoka!" she exclaimed, walking away from the game without a second thought.
It wasn't until one of the boys called out to her that she made a remark on her behaviour. "Hang on, I'll be back in a moment!" Ayaka doubted she would stick to her word, but also doubted that her presence on court would dictate any key part of the game.
Rin pushed himself off the metal fence, meeting her with as much composure as he could manage. "Shibata," he began, "I didn't know you played."
"Not seriously," Ayaka replied, tossing the short-cut ponytail of hers over her shoulder, "But I used to play on the girls team in middle school. That's how I met these guys."
So they were her friends from middle school, Rin concluded. It made more sense than anything he had come up with.
"So what's up with you?" Ayaka asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Like, what's new? What are you doing? Why would you want to be outside in this weather?"
Rin shrugged. "Running."
"Nice. Very cool."
"Shut up."
"I wasn't meant to be offensive," Ayaka informed gently, before adding, "But it is hot. Do you want a drink?"
Rin stared at her, scrutinizing her features. He felt as if there should have been some hidden meaning, some subtle innuendo. The lack thereof surprised him, as he had never thought Ayaka would take their previous conversations and his remarks into account. She really did seem to be making an effort to quell all lewdness around him.
Ayaka sighed impatiently, before turning and marching away. A moment passed, before she returned with a water bottle in hand. "Here."
"Thanks." Rin had never really asked for it, but the heat made him disinclined to refuse.
He took a few, long gulps before passing it back. Ayaka accepted it gratefully, before mimicking him in thirst and taking a drink herself. She held the bottle before her, considering it with perturbing intensity.
"That was almost like kissing you, Matsuoka."
His cheeks burned – summer heat, he reminded himself. "No it wasn't." Rin retorted.
"Yeah, inadvertently. Swapping saliva is a less romantic way of kissing."
"You're disgusting, Shibata."
"Yet you don't sound that disgusted."
Unable to admit it was the truth, Rin had to look away. Her eyes, the way they should have been brown but always reflected gold, were something he found impossible to face. He changed the subject as soon as could think of another.
"How…" he hesitated, "How is everyone?"
Ayaka took her time staring at him, thinking of every possible motivation for his question. "…Good?"
"That's…good."
"Yeah…Um-?"
"What?" Rin wondered, turning to face her and only then noticing the imposing shadow that fell over the two of them.
Annoyance flitted across his features, gone quickly but not quick enough. Jealousy had already sunk its claws into him as Rin noted the hand on Ayaka's shoulder – and it prevailed even over his own confusion for even feeling jealous in the first place.
"Is there a problem here, Ayaka?" a deep voice announced itself, coming from the giant of a boy who stood behind her.
She patted his hand and he released her. "Not at all, Yamaguchi."
The man, though he could have been not much older than Rin, looked him over with a critical eye. Coupled with unruly, blond hair and a powerful physique, Yamaguchi was easily and carelessly intimidating. However, at the challenge, Rin felt his resolve strengthen rather than dwindle.
"I should introduce you," Ayaka realised, brightening suddenly, "So, Rin Matsuoka, this is Aoi Yamaguchi. He's the captain of the team."
"And who is he to you?" Yamaguchi retorted.
Ayaka beamed between them, oblivious to the tension. "A friend."
Rin scoffed but didn't rebuke the claim any further. It was far less dangerous that way.
"A friend?" Yamaguchi stressed, before his eyes pinned Rin down, "If you treat Ayaka like shit, I'll deal you twice as much crap as you ever put her through."
"Huh? Look, I don't-!"
"Boys," Ayaka chided lightly, "Play nice!"
"I don't like his attitude." Yamaguchi declared resolutely.
"So we agree on something, then." Rin stated conclusively.
Her sigh filled the air, Ayaka the moving to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Jeez, why do guys always do this? I mean, I know I'm hot, but this jealousy thing is insane."
"I'm not jealous!" snapped Yamaguchi.
"Oh?" Suddenly Rin was throwing his arm around Ayaka, grinning shark-like, "Then Shibata and I talking shouldn't be any concern of yours."
"Look, I've known her longer-"
"And what Shibata and I are isn't any business of yours."
Ayaka, stuck under the crook of Rin's arm, began to blush profusely. She hoped to blame it on the sun, though couldn't ignore that she was rather happy about the interaction – even if Rin was rather sweaty.
"Matsuoka-," Ayaka had only to begin before he interrupted her.
"Something wrong?" he quipped, his face leaning much too close to hers.
After a moment's hesitation, wrestling with her own personal and unwholesome desires, she managed to stutter out, "You- you're teasing me, aren't you?"
His smile was answer enough, permission to continue her slandering.
"Whatever, get off me," she whined, pushing his arm away, "You're all sweaty."
Yamaguchi smiled smugly at the scene. He was, in all respects, like the protective older brother Ayaka never needed another of. It wasn't for Rin to know their past, a brief and flirtatious history, and so neither made to comment on it. The giant basketballer had only a parting statement, directed at Ayaka alone, "Well, hurry up so you can keep playing, Ayaka – and be careful."
"Careful is my middle name." she fibbed.
Yamaguchi shot her a critical look, one she dismissed with an airy smile as she shoved him away. She hardly seemed to move him – understandable, given Yamaguchi was six feet of solid muscle – but her tall friend accepted the farewell regardless.
When she turned around once more, Rin believed he had never seen her look so sincere. "Sorry." She muttered.
"It's fine." Rin replied, unsure as to what he was even forgiving.
"Yamaguchi is really a good guy, you know, he's just protective," Ayaka added, "But, as an apology for putting up with it, I could buy you a drink later?"
He thought his knees might buckle at the suggestion. Go out – he took a shallow breath to calm his nerves – with Ayaka. He had only ever once before considered such an impossible sounding notion.
That incident wasn't even of his own doing, but Gou's. His last talk with her had resulted in a strange topic, and an even stranger conclusion. Even thinking on now, so abstractly, Rin felt a slight skip in his heart – because, as Gou had pointed out, there was no real reason why he couldn't like Ayaka.
"Sorry, Shibata, but not today." He still couldn't comprehend it.
Her smile remained even when disappointment threatened to drop her heart into some dark pit. "That's fine."
"It's just-," Rin had never fumbled for excuses with such urgency before, "-I have some things to do. And I should get going."
"Yeah, so should I." Ayaka agreed, despite making no move to.
He nodded as conclusively as he could, as if it made up for his indecisive heart. "But I guess," Rin continued to say, "I'll see you around for the festival." He had to wonder why he even bothered with such a pathetic reassurance – Ayaka was sure to be the ruin of him.
"Sure!" It was strange, but in a way, Rin thought her smile almost made up for it.
Ah, Christmas! There are so many ideas that I could write to that theme (but I probably won't, because I'm a lazy shit).
I can so imagine the kind of present Ayaka would give to Rin - a photo of the two of them, or she would just show up at his dorm with one of those shiny bows stuck to her head. I wonder what sort of gifts Rin would give? (Hey, there's a game; message me your ideas!)
Thank you guys so much for reading!