Steadily approaching the festival, the warm air mixing with the families, couples, singles, and groups of friends occupying the area. Lanterns with hues of reds, oranges, and yellows lit the festival area, music accompanying it calming the atmosphere. I turned my attention back to her figure walking just ahead of me, hips swaying with every step.
"Are you hungry Dai?" She stopped abruptly at a booth to order chicken dumplings, pulling me out of my fantasies. Shaking my head to let her know I wasn't, she got a tray of steaming hot dumplings. "So macho man, you ready to get your butt kicked?" Pulling me to sit with her, she shot a grin my way.
"Surely I have to get something out of it." Looking down to see her cheeks stuffed with food was very amusing.
"I tell you what. For every festival game you beat me at today, I will answer a question of yours. Think of it as festival trivia, first question is free." I knew just the question to ask .
"Alright, why didn't you tell me you played ball?" Averting her brilliant green eyes, a pout appeared on her face. The dimmed colorful hues of the festival clashing with the soft hues of the setting evening illuminated her features perfectly.
"Cause I didn't want you to like me solely on the fact that I know how to ball." It was a surprise she even finished her food around me.
"That doesn't matter, that's only a plus in my book." Looking her over, I could tell that lifted her spirits even if only a little. "Now are you all talk and no game or are you going to prove me wrong?" Jumping up excitedly, she ran and disappeared into the crowd. Cursing under my breath, I immediately followed her. Being taller than most of the people roaming around, I was able to find her at a shooting gallery booth.
"You're really slow for an ace player." A teasing grin was plastered on her face, but behind it was the brightness of a child on their birthday.
"Do you usually cheese like a little kid when you're excited?" She turned away with puffed cheeks and a pout.
"Do you usually smack talk before a game?" Mimicking me, she stuck her tongue out.
"You better put that away before it becomes mine." Red bloomed across her face like a rose in the midst of Spring. Quickly pulling her tongue back in, she turned her attention back to the game.
"I'm so gonna beat you." It was going on our fifth round, her promise to beat me coming to no avail. "Gah! Are you cheating?" She squinted her green orbs up at me causing me to chuckle. "No I'm not, now I believe that earns me five questions." Scanning the festival, her eyes landed on another booth.
"You'll get your questions answered later, think of it as cashing them in. Right now I want fish and you're going to win me some!" Her touch was cold but soft, wrapping around my arm to take me over to a fish scooping booth. Staring down at the fish swimming around in the water and the many small children around it attempting to scoop up the fish themselves, it looked like a piece of cake. Easier said than done. Scooping fish was like a science, you had the thin rice paper faced against the pressure of the water when scooping against it plus the weight of flailing fish gasping for water. If the rice paper breaks then your chance is up, then you quit or try again.
"Damnit." I should not be having trouble with this, looking over I saw her handing the fish she scooped up to children who didn't get any.
"Hey!" She yelped at the suddenness of my arms hooking under her to lift her up bridal style and running her over to place her under a tree.
"Stay here." Seeing her scoop so many fish for kids made me determined to win her some. I could feel her eyes on me as I rolled up my sleeves to begin scooping.
Writer's PoV
Sitting under the tree he sat her under, she watched the young basketball player attempt to scoop as many fish as he could. It was rather amusing to her, seeing that defeated look on his face turn into determination. The blond was pleasantly surprised to see him come back with six goldfish, all with beautiful scales and patterns. Her eyes lit up instantly and he instantly compared them to the stars in the sky in his head.
"They're beautiful, thank you Dai." Sitting down with him, she easily tied the bags of fish to her wrists, three to each one. "I believe you can now cash in your questions." A glint in his eyes showed her he was ready.
"How long have you lived in Japan?" They walked to find another food booth as he asked.
"Eight years." She simply answered while ordering dango.
"Really?" It was hard for him to believe even though she was half Japanese, though she only smiled and nodded her head in response.
"Where did you live the other eight?" Leaning back against his arms for support, he watched her poke the bags lightly.
"South Korea, Busan to be exact. It's very beautiful there and the food is great, fills you right up." Chuckling she returned her attention to him.
"What do you do besides training at your family's gym?" Moving to face her, he still easily towered over her figure.
"I dance." She smiled to herself, he could see the evident pride in her eyes.
"Any siblings?" He arched an eyebrow as she leaned in as if it was a secret. Her eyes darted back and forth around them as to make sure no one was around.
"Nope." She smiled at him, sitting back against her chair.
"Why running shoes?" The grin on her face got even more mischievous.
"I'm always on the run." He should've known she would come up with an answer like that.
"Who is your best friend? What do you like about him or her?" Dark blue eyes gazed at her as she poked the bag lightly.
"Well my very best friend in terms of a guy lives in Korea, I've known him since we were infants. I like that he can be himself around me and make me feel happy by being goofy even with other people around. My best friend here is Aida, she befriended me when I moved here through our mothers. I like how strong and cunning she is, it's never a boring moment with her." Her green eyes showed joy in them as she spoke.
"What do you hate the most?" This caught her attention.
"When people disrespect my friends and family." The dark gleam in her eyes prompted him to change the subject.
"Do you miss Korea?" The look on her face became that of a serene one.
"Sometimes I do, I have family and friends there so that's one thing I miss. Japan is equally beautiful and nice but missing family and friends can't be helped. Especially when they've been through majority of your life with you in the past eight years. Yet, I'd miss all my friends and family in Japan if I moved back to Korea, so I just alternate on vacations." She had a calm smile on her face. Continuing on with his last few questions and her answering diligently, her stomach growled along the last answer. "Enough sentimental stuff, more games and food!" He stood up first before helping her to her feet.
"So Daiki, I've been wonder-" Watching as his eyes wandered when a woman passed by in a rather short and tight yukata really set her off.
"W-what?" Snapping his attention back to her, he saw she had already stormed off. A sigh escaped his lips, his legs kicking into gear after her.
"I don't want to hear i-" Her sentence was cut short when she bumped into something, or someone familiar.
"Koharu, wait." Attempting to reach out to her he ended up catching her falling form, to his surprise. The both of them turning their gaze up, they saw a familiar head of purple hair. Turning lazily they saw it was none other than their friend who loved food. Speaking of food, he was holding a plate of calamari in his hands.
"Ah, Kochin, are you alright?" Looking down at her, he noticed the darker male with her. "Minechin, what are you doing here?" Glancing back and forth between the two teens, it slowly dawned on him. "Are you two here together?" Stepping forward, Aomine wrapped an arm around her waist earning a glare.
"Yes we are Mura-pyon, on a date actually." The purple giant lazily chewed on another piece of calamari.
"Oh, I'm surprised. I thought Minechin would be at home looking at his magazines." Her eyebrow arched.
"Magazines, huh?" Another look from the shorter female prompted her date to look away and rub his neck
"Yeah, he really loves idols too. You know Kochin, you're pretty enough to be an idol." He had finished his whole plate in the process of talking.
"Idols, huh?" She could've sworn he was sweating under her gaze.
"Anyways, have fun Kochin." Patting her head, he walked off and the blue eyed ace was sure his former teammate was trying to stir up trouble.
"Koharu I-." A dainty finger shot up in front of his face halting his sentence.
"Idols, huh?" Her plump lips repeated those words before walking off into the crowd yet again. Following with a sigh, he attempted to talk to her again.
"Koharu?" Looking up, both their eyes landed on none other than Kagami in a red yukata. "Haru-chan." Accompanying him was Kuroko in a light blue one, and Niguo's head sticking out. A smile spread across her face at the sight of the three. "Aomine-kun?" He bowed his head to the darker male.
"Tetsu." Nodding his head in acknowledgement to show he heard him.
"Gami, Kuroko, Niguo!" Pulling them all into a hug, Aomine wasn't short of noticing the blush on Taiga's face.
"Woah Haru-chan! You look beautiful, shinning bright like a lantern!" Izuki popped his head between the two, taking the opportunity to make a pun.
"Thanks Izuki." Laughing lightly at his reference sent Aomine over the edge.
"Are you on your date Haru-chan?" Kuroko questioned her when she let them go.
"As a matter of fact yes, so if you'll excuse us." Grabbing her, he threw her over his shoulder holding her legs in place and her yukata down in the process.
"Tell Riko I said hi!" She waved to the four, steadily disappearing from their sight. Arriving under a tree not too far away from the festival itself, he sat her down. "What's your problem!?" Crossing her arms up at the man before her, she could clearly see annoyance on his face.
"What's so great about Bakagami, huh?" This questioned surprised her to say the least.
"He's my friend for starters." She looked up at him expectantly then it dawned on her. "Wait, are you jealous?" She arched her eyebrow waiting for an answer and only when he didn't answer, she realized it. "You have no reason to be jealous." Laying his eyes on her, his lips parted to speak.
"I do when that oaf is trying to win you over." Gesturing to the crowd of people, she knew who he was referring to.
"Well why do you care when you have your idols and magazines?" Arms shooting down to her sides, she was frustrated.
"Are you insecure?" Green eyes widened and quickly darted from his line of vision.
"Why do you care if I'm insecure or not?" Her eyes locked onto his blue ones with an intensity that could put Kagami to shame.
"Because the girl I've fallen for shouldn't be insecure." All anger that once defined her features drained into an expression of astonishment.
"You what?" Attempting to read his face of any ill intent or miswording.
"I've fallen for you, Midorikawa." Skepticism laid under initial shock leaving her to slowly approach him. Reaching up and yanking him down by his ear.
"Then I better be the only idol you think about from now on." Looking into her eyes, he knew he wasn't to play with her emotions ever again. But he wouldn't admit that. "Now let's get back Macho Man, I'm hungry." Letting him back up and taking his hand, she returned to event with him.
Sitting at her desk, just out of the shower the blond wrapped her freshly washed hair up in a towel. Looking over at her phone, she noticed the screen lighting up.
"Ko speaking." Answering her phone, she became more or less flustered at the voice washing through from the other side of the line.
"Hey babe, what are you doing?" It was none other than Daiki calmly speaking from the other end.
"Nothing you should be too concerned with, why?" Setting her pencil down to give her attention to the conversation, she waited for his response.
"I can't check on my girl from time to time?" Sitting up straight in her seat, her full attention was caught.
"Of course you can, now I have a question for you." Hearing the shifting of sheets and clothes, she could tell he moved..
"Shoot" He was putting all his attention into the conversation.
"Remember when you asked me about hat I hate the most the other night?"" Things were quiet between the two in the small gap of him answering, both their houses also quiet due to lack of parents present.
"Yeah, what about it?" He replied tone becoming slightly serious from all his usual flirting.
"Well I know you get jealous but I need you to try and contain that because my best friend from Korea, the guy Young-Soo is coming to visit for the last two weeks of Summer. He's special to me and I would like two of my to most favorite men in the world to become friends for my sake of preventing any unwarranted fights." She could hear an audible sigh come through from the other end followed by a pause.
"I'll meet the guy but I can't guarantee that we'll become friends, you are mine after all." A small smile formed on her lips, content with his answer.
"As long as you don't say or do anything stupid, we'll be fine." After a grunt from him and an okay and goodbye exchanged between the both of them, the two hung up. With a bright smile on her face, she immediately took to the pencil to start planning for his visit.