Chapter Eighteen

It was Hanamura's last night at Shiratorizawa and it happened to coincide with a secret tradition put on by the boys' volleyball club. At eight o'clock sharp, she and Izakaya were requested to report down into the courtyard where the team was gathering after practice. The invitation came in the form of a note taped to the studio door.

"What's this about?" Izakaya asked as they met outside the dorms.

Hanamura rolled the sleeves of her oversized flannel, already feeling the humidity stick to her skin. She lifted the hair from her neck and twisted it into a bun.

"Dunno," she said with a shrug. "All it said was to meet in the yard at sundown."

Izakaya looked nervous.

"This sounds spontaneous...I hate spontaneity."

Hanamura cuffed him on the shoulder.

"Come on, Takashi. We deserve a little fun after all the studying we've endured," she goaded him playfully. "Besides, I think I smell barbeque."

Sure enough, a delectable aroma wafted in the air. It curled under their noses, smoky, sweet, and just a little bit spicy. Hanamura began to salivate, thinking the only thing she had for dinner was a cold rice sandwich. By the time they entered the courtyard, a small group had assembled under a tree with cartons of takeaway. As she and Izakaya approached, they were greeted by Yamagata who was wearing a chef's apron.

"Well howdy, folks! Welcome to Shiratorizawa Grill!" He said, handing them paper bibs. "I'm your pitmaster, Hayato, at your service. We have everything: ribs, brisket, chicken and scallion skewers, teriyaki salmon, grilled peaches. Anything and everything you could possibly want!"

Hanamura and Izakaya swooned.

"I'll take a peach," she volunteered, raising her hand.

"Where did all of this come from?" Izakaya demanded in awe.

"Our lieutenant coach has a sister who runs a smokehouse," said Yamagata, handing Hanamura a grilled peach still hot in its paper carton. It was halved and garnished with fresh basil and cream. "He makes a point to bring us back something every time he visits her."

"We call her the Pit Goddess," said Semi who was standing guard over the bounty alongside Reon. They were holding fly swatters, their eyes trained on Shirabu, Kawanishi, and Yunohama who were all melting with hunger as they gazed at the slab of honeyed ribs.

"I haven't had meat in ages," whispered Shirabu longingly.

Hanamura took a seat on a nearby bench as additional food was parceled out. It wasn't long before she was joined by company.

"Hullo," said Tendou as he climbed over the bench to sit beside her, wearing a bib over his light blue shirt. She felt a swoosh in her stomach as his arm brushed hers, the contact enough to make her heart race. She was grateful he passed her a sparkling water. Something to counteract the heat.

"Something's different about you," she said, eyeing him closely. "Your hair."

Instead of slicked back, it was tousled, framing his face in soft, red spikes. A small section was held back by a silver barrette. She didn't think it was possible for him to look any wilder, but this version was decidedly more devil-may-care. He returned her look with a quirked brow. "Should I be flattered?" He asked slyly.

Blushing, Hanamura took a bite of her peach. It tasted like pure sunlight.

Tendou grinned. "Terrible, isn't it?"

"Appalling," she said, devouring it quickly. Juice dribbled down her chin, and she could feel his eyes on her as she swiped it with her bib.

"Another?"

"Yes please!"

They sat together for over an hour, eating and discussing the happenings of the past few days. The team shared horror stories of previous training camps, laughing and crying over coaches who paled in comparison to their Demon Coach. Hanamura and Izakaya threw in what they were working on in the studio, surprised to have a captive audience as Izakaya recited some of his soliloquy from the Crystal Lotus Campaign.

"You wrote that yourself?" Reon asked, impressed.

Izakaya flushed with pride. "I've been working on it since I was twelve!"

"You should talk to Mr. Akutagawa over here," Kawanishi jabbed a thumb at Tendou, "seems to share your passion for theatrics."

Hanamura turned on the bench to face him. "That's right. You're working on a story too."

Tendou's face flickered in such a way, she couldn't be sure if it was a smile or a grimace. He thrummed his fingers against the bench. A strange tension descended on the group, several of his teammates looking to him with smug looks on their faces.

"You haven't told her?" Reon asked.

Hanamura glanced around, confused. Was this some kind of inside joke? They were all looking at him with thin smiles. Did they know what he was working on?

Tendou changed the subject.

"Skewers. All of them. Hand them to me," he ordered, snapping his fingers.

Everyone passed their sticks until he had the whole lot.

"Shouldn't we digest for a little bit?" Jin asked, rubbing his stomach. "I feel a food coma coming on."

"Nope, we have a tradition to uphold," said Tendou.

Shirabu groaned from his place in the grass. "What tradition?"

"Every summer the security department shuts off surveillance to archive footage," said Tendou as he broke the skewers into different lengths. "The guards spend all night down in the storage basement which means tonight we're having ourselves a game of hide-and-seek!"

Hanamura lit up, her mind instantly flooding with childhood memories. Izakaya grew dim, realizing his quiet evening had just been obliterated. It occurred to them both that the sun had set, leaving campus in darkness. The cicadas blared in a triumphant symphony, the air ripe with adventure.

"Really? You do this every year?" Kawanishi asked Ushijima, sounding unimpressed. The Great Ace stood beside Tendou, looking quite menacing.

"How cute, Taichi. You're thinking of the precious little game for preschoolers," said Tendou in a patronizing tone. His face went completely cold. "I assure you, this is not that game."

A ripple traveled among the group as the stakes were suddenly raised tenfold.

"This is a game of strategy," said Semi.

"Of survival, " said Jin.

"Of perseverance," finished Reon, equally ominous.

The first years were taken aback. The overall light-hearted atmosphere had turned unexpectedly sinister. Their upperclassmen were all looming like statues from the graveyard. Izakaya leaned closer to Hanamura, treating her as a human shield.

"This game has been passed down by our predecessors," said Yamagata as he untied his apron, signaling the end of their picnic. "This game turns boys into men."

"And girls into women," Jin added for Hanamura's benefit.

She stood, dusting her shorts of basil. "Sounds fun," she said much to their surprise. "What are the rules?"

Tendou's eyes were on her again, but she looked to their captain to explain.

"The rules are simple: one seeker, one team," he said, holding up two fingers, "The seeker locates members of the team, but if he catches the team's flag-bearer, he wins."

"Which is where strategy comes into play," added Reon, "the team tries to defend their flag-bearer by acting as decoys for the seeker."

"Ah, sort of like capture-the-flag," said Hanamura, nodding.

"And fox hunting," Izakaya added darkly. "This game doesn't make any sense."

"That's because we've played with other clubs in the past," explained the captain, "which has morphed it into what it is today. One year the saddle club even played on horseback."

There was an uproar among the third years.

"Now that was a summer to remember," said one with a harrowing look on his face. "I never knew they could sling a rope like that…truss up players like common livestock."

"Yeah, I saw a kid get dragged halfway across the soccer field," said another. "He had grass stains for days."

Their words echoed in the chilling silence that overcame the group.

Izakaya stood up.

"Right. Well, I'm off," he announced to everyone. "Thank you for the meal. Pass my compliments to the chef, won't you? Spectacular brisket." He kissed his fingers. "Goodness me. Look at the time. I really ought to be going. Goodnight!"

He tried to make an escape but was intercepted by a bright-eyed Tendou.

"And just where do you think you're going, Takashi? You've eaten the forbidden fruit. Your soul belongs to us now."

They stared at each other for two seconds before Izakaya shuffled back to his seat on the bench.

"Whelp, it was worth a shot," he said to Hanamura with a sigh.

The captain cleared his throat.

"So anyway, the rules," he continued, "Members of the team can bail out other members so long as the seeker doesn't see. If the flag-bearer goes uncaught, the team is still in the running."

"So the game could go rather quick–?"

"Or quite long, yes."

Tendou passed the cup to their captain to do the honors. The third year turned his back to arrange the sticks, stacking fists on top of each other so no one knew what they were drawing.

"Let the Annual Shiratorizawa Hunt begin!"

The group assembled into a tight circle, drawing their stake in the game. Izakaya picked the cleanest one, a little squeamish at touching anything with grease on it. When they were all doled out, one per person, they held them up to see who drew the shortest one.

"Well, how about that," said Tendou, his eyes dancing. "It appears I'll be the one hunting."

There was a collective groan.

"We shouldn't have let him draw straws," muttered Shirabu to Kawanishi. "This game will be over before it even starts."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Kawanishi, looking as if he had eaten too much.

"Who drew the longest?" Their captain asked. "Who is our flag-bearer for the Green Team?"

There was a cry of alarm.

"No, no, no, no – absolutely not!" Izakaya turned white, holding his stick like a dirty sock. "I will not be the sacrificial lamb!"

"Sorry Takashi, rules are rules," said Tendou.

Desperate, Izakaya looked around for any sympathizers, settling on Hanamura.

"Suzume – quick! You take it! You can match him." Izakaya tossed the stick at her and she caught it on reflex.

"Oh?" said Tendou, sizing her up and down. "Is that so?"

Hanamura scowled at Izakaya. He had just unwittingly blown her cover.

"Takashi, the whole point of drawing straws is null and void if you–"

Tendou raised a hand, silencing her. "Motion denied. The defendant must answer the question."

Hanamura pursed her lips. She was hoping to keep that wild card in the back of her pocket, but Izakaya had made that knowledge public record. Without the element of surprise, she was going to have to commit. She would have to own it.

"Hide-and-seek is the official summer game where I'm from," she explained at last, matching Tendou's cool tone from earlier. She pretended she was an undercover agent disclosing her track record. Twirling the stick between her fingers, she added, "I was the reigning champion three years in a row at my junior high. And we played in the woods."

Tendou was staring at her so strangely, Izakaya gloated on her behalf.

"What, she never told you?"

Reon flashed Tendou a sharp grin that only served to make him tilt his chin in consideration. Hanamura tried her best to stay cool. She was telling the truth after all. Her friends even made it a rule to keep the game within an hour as she was known to hide out the entire night. Shiratorizawa was a whole other ballpark, but she happened to think that life in the country gave her a possible advantage.

"Alright everyone, Green Team is assembled," clapped their captain, drawing everyone's attention, "First Round: Tendou versus Hanamura. Make sure to stay within campus. Any unlocked doors or buildings are fair game. This tree is jail for all caught players."

"Where's our sanctuary?"

"There are no safe havens in this version, Takashi," said Tendou, his eyes still on Hanamura. He was assessing her, gauging the realm of possibilities much like he would a rival player on the court. He seemed keen on the idea of having her as an opponent. "I'll try to go easy on you," he said to her quietly, "but no promises, 'Miss Reigning Champion.'"

With that, he turned and stalked off toward the trees, his strides long and limber. Hanamura watched him go, her fingers alive with electricity.

"Right, let's scatter. He moves in sixty seconds," said Reon.

As everyone jumped to their feet, their captain handed Hanamura a scrap of green silk. The stitching would have made Asano cringe, but she admired the rudimentary eagle embroidered in white thread.

"We're counting on you."

"Hold out for as long as you can."

"We'll sound the alarm if he's close. You'll have the opportunity to run."

Izakaya cuffed her on the shoulder, relieved to have dodged a bullet. "Good luck!"

Hanamura felt the swoosh in her stomach again, and as she gazed at the school grounds, a smile spread across her face. She wouldn't be missing out on all the summer fun after all.

. . . . . . . .

While everyone sprinted across campus toward the buildings, Hanamura blended into her surroundings, camouflaging herself against the brick wall that circled campus. She crouched down into the ferns, pleased to see that the red brick matched her shirt in the faint moonlight.

The first rule of hide-and-seek, she thought with practiced ease, is to hide in plain sight.

She wasn't far from the benches, but instinct told her that Tendou would likely scout the perimeter, corralling everyone inside. The easiest targets were the ones who panicked, overthought, overcomplicated their chances by hastily choosing a spot. She could hear Izakaya streak toward the gymnasium, undoubtedly making way for the stage and its velvet curtains. His footsteps pounded against the sidewalk, leaving a glowing trail of breadcrumbs in his wake.

She shook her head.

No, an experienced player waited for the seeker to make the first move. All the pieces of the game fell into place accordingly. It was no different than chess.

Making herself as small as possible, she disciplined her breathing and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But then – sacrifice.

"Noooooooooooo!"

Izakaya's high-pitched scream bellowed from the gym, rousting several tall, lanky bodies from the shadows. Hanamura lurched to her feet immediately. Tendou was going after low-hanging fruit which meant she had an opportunity to plant herself somewhere clever.

The second rule of hide-and-seek, she thought with a grin, stay on the move.

She took a roundabout path to the school building, nimbly removing her flannel and tying it around her waist. Her camisole soaked in the cool night air, alleviating some of the heat she was generating by sneaking around outdoors. None of the lights were on in the school except the occasional security floodlight, but the prospect of traveling the dark classrooms gave her excitement.

She loved the dark. She loved the tight little spaces, the thrill of finding the perfect spot to hide out in the calm quiet of the night. For her, Shiratorizawa was no longer a school, but a fortress under siege. Thrill and danger lurked in every corner.

The third rule of hide-and-seek, she thought, slipping through the back doors, is to stay calm.

She took her shoes off, carrying them in one hand with the green flag in the other. She wished she had worn something with pockets but was glad she was dressed in all black now. Better to blend into the shadows. She made her way swiftly to her chosen spot, nestling in the space hidden from view.

Content, she relaxed over the cool tile floor, prepared to wait.

Now it's a matter of timing, she thought, wishing she had something to occupy her mind.

This was the part where she always had a piece of string on hand, working Cat's Cradle through her fingers. One summer, she even made a whole house out of twigs – wove a basket out of tallgrass. She settled on braiding her hair, reaching up to untie her bun when her plan shattered to pieces.

"Where…are…you?" said Tendou in a slow, reedy voice.

Hanamura froze.

He followed her? Here? Of all the places he'd think to check – his instincts told him here?

She had never stepped inside the school kitchen before and hoped it would be to her advantage. Tendou already knew her favorite places in the building: her closet in the studio, the nook behind the sofa in the library, even the janitorial closet across from the water fountain on the third floor.

That's where I stash all my finds, she once said to him in passing. At least, until club.

Tendou poked his head inside the small space, grinning. Another bird's nest? How clever.

Her eyes alighted on the steel appliances that filled the kitchen, which was a narrow, windowless room. In the dark, she could pick out the sink, the drying racks, the double refrigerator, and stovetop. It smelled strongly of dish soap. Crouched as she was on the floor beneath the paring counter, she could only hear Tendou slink into the room.

"Suzume, whatever made you choose the kitchen?"

He rapped knuckles on the refrigerator.

"Hungry for another late-night snack? Careful, your stomach might betray you."

Hanamura gripped her waist, praying it would do no such thing. She had eaten a healthy portion of barbeque at dinner. If her stomach was doing anything, it was silently begging her to give in so that she could fall asleep. But she was alive with excitement. The Guess Monster had her cornered in a tight spot and it was up to her to make an escape. The others were depending on her.

Stepping into full stealth mode, she held perfectly still. The silence was crushing. Tendou too had gone quiet, ghosting about the space on light feet. He filled the room with tension.

"GOTCHA!" He shouted, yanking the pantry doors wide open. A stack of steel mixing bowls clattered to the floor, making him yelp in surprise. Grinning, Hanamura took her chance and crawled out from under the counter on socked feet. She skated over the tiles, keeping her head low as she maneuvered into the niche by the office. Just as soon as she fell into place, Tendou was back on the hunt, the steel bowls replaced inside the pantry.

"Not bad," he said. "I knew there was a reason I saved you for last."

She bristled, agitated to know that he was expecting a good chase.

The strap of her camisole slipped down her shoulder, but she didn't dare fix it. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness now and she could see a clear path to the double doors leading out of the kitchen. But her window of opportunity was rapidly diminishing. Tendou circled the far end, his body a thin shadow in the dark. His movements were slow, jaguar-like.

"How about – HERE!" He exclaimed, folding over the paring counter.

Hanamura lunged for the doors.

He might be a jaguar, but she was the wind. Gliding on sock feet, she darted through the doorway and bolted for the nearest exit out of the cafeteria. Her foot landed awkwardly against the threshold, throwing her down on one knee that spiked with pain. Skin caught the grain of the welcome mat, rending it raw. Hanamura didn't have time to stop. Tendou would have certainly heard her scuffle. She ran past the vending machines, past the restrooms, past the front lobby, and up into the stairwell. Her instincts were telling her to climb up, but – where?

Footsteps followed her on the stairs, along with singing.

"There once was a bird in the school…who dreamt she could fly to the moon.

She stirred in the night with a terrible fright…and found herself trapped by a goon."

His voice echoed in the stairwell, making her shiver.

Hanamura crammed the green flag down the front of her tank top for safe-keeping and hastily sped into the second floor. Tashima's homeroom was the one on the far left. She aimed for it, relieved to find the door unlocked. She quickly shut it behind her.

Now she was serious. The adrenaline had kicked in full-force, and she was brimming with a thousand sparklers under her skin. The classroom was orderly but sparse. There was the human skeleton hanging on a pedestal in the corner, and for a moment, she was distressed to have forgotten about it until now. Its hollow eyes peered at her curiously. It's toothy grin unnerving in the dark.

"Hmm," hummed Tendou out in the hall. "Of all the second years, I wonder whose homeroom you'd jump into first. Mine? Sui's? Tsubomi's perhaps?"

Nerves coiled in the pit of her stomach. He was significantly more dangerous than the skeleton. Hanamura dived into the metal locker behind its pedestal.

"Guard me," she commanded the bones.

Tendou opened the classrooms one by one, taking his time as he did so. It wasn't that he was having difficulty navigating the dark. She knew he was ramping up the suspense solely for her benefit. The pressure mounted in her body each time a door dragged across its frame. Closer and closer and closer.

Dim light spilled from the hallway. Through the grid of the locker, she could see Tendou in profile, his hair spiked like horns. He was angling his head, listening intently. A smirk planted on his face.

He reclined atop the teacher's desk, leaning against his palms.

"My intuition is at a 120% tonight," he said to the skeleton. "Normally, I would be ecstatic about this, but I don't want the game to end too quickly. Not when we're having this much fun."

He was staring at the skeleton, but from her vantage, he might as well be staring at her. Tendou shifted on the desk, and the faint light from the hallway highlighted the folds of his shirt, bunched over sinuous muscle. Hanamura swallowed, willing her body to stop trembling with anticipation.

Tendou stared at the skeleton a moment longer, appearing as if he were waiting for a response. There was a long note of silence before he slipped from the desk and headed back out into the hall.

"I'll find her eventually," he said under his breath.

Hanamura let out the air she had been holding since the moment he entered the room. Perspiration began to form on her brow and her stomach was doing somersaults like an acrobat.

This time, she didn't dare move. There was no telling if he was somewhere lurking out in the hall or rummaging through the neighboring classroom. Her safest bet was to stay put a few seconds longer until he gave some kind of indication that he had moved on.

Meanwhile, where to go next?

The rooftop? No, it was probably locked. And there were no places to hide anyway.

The lobby? No, it was just as risky. It faced the entrance windows and was lit by a security light.

The studio? That's exactly where he expected her to wind up. Trapped in her closet with no escape.

Come on, Suzume!

She had to think of somewhere else.

The infirmary and the teachers' lounge were obviously locked. But what about the other buildings on campus? Could she escape the school and dart across the courtyard into the stable barn? Or the gym?

Hanamura wracked her brain for the best plausible hiding spot. It would have to be somewhere that Tendou had no association with her whatsoever. And then it struck her – a conversation she had had with Rumi at the end of the term:

Where does Ms. Oshiro even keep her plant collection?

In the science lab, there's a little sunroom, said Rumi. That's my favorite place on campus. She has cozy armchairs, a fluffy rug, and the windowsill is covered with her prized specimens. That's where I usually hang out whenever I'm not out harvesting.

Hanamura was shaking now, the adrenaline coursing through her veins as strongly as her rising pulse. It took her forever extricating herself from the locker without making a sound, but the pounding of footsteps down the corridor was all the encouragement she needed.

Mercifully, the science lab was at the end of the hall with its door left ajar. Hanamura sprinted into the room, paying little attention to its contents and favoring the door behind the teacher's desk.

To her relief, it was just as Rumi described. The room was small, no larger than an office. One wall was covered in bookshelves. There was indeed a soft rug and two wingback chairs, but also a large bay window overlooking campus. Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the overgrown houseplants nestled on the windowsill.

Hanamura winced. The scrape on her knee was stinging badly now. She sat on the armrest of the nearest chair, bending over to have a proper look at the wound when a finger stroked her neck.

"Caught you," said Tendou.

Hanamura chucked her shoes. One glanced off his chest while the other caught him right in the chin.

"Ow!"

"Satori!" She gasped, finding herself eye-level with his red gaze. He was stooped low like a gremlin.

"H-How did you–?"

He rose, rubbing his chin.

"Just a hunch," he said, staring at her with an ornery look. "The more and more time we spend together, the more I'm beginning to understand you…I think. Getting walloped by a sneaker was unexpected." He rotated his jaw until it popped. "Always full of surprises, aren't you?"

Hanamura had the good grace to look contrite.

"Sorry. I was taught to fight back," she said. "Stranger danger and all that. Are you okay?"

She hopped off the chair and approached him to see if her shoe had left a mark, but Tendou was exuding a predatory zeal that made her halt. She had forgotten. Tonight, they were adversaries. It would have served her better to sprint from the room the moment she threw her shoes. What was she doing offering him comfort?

"I'll live," he said. He was taking stock of her new attire, his gaze lingering on her décolletage.

When his gaze lifted once more, she knew she had truly been caught.

"Formalities first," he said, plucking the green flag that was peeking from her neckline. "The Green Team loses, but you gave it your most valiant effort."

She tried to snatch it back, but he held it just out of her reach.

"Don't give me that. You were teasing me the whole time!" She argued. "You knew I was behind the skeleton!"

His responding grin was dark and shady and guilty.

"I knew it!"

She made to storm from the room, but he held her in place.

"I've learned something about you tonight," he said, his voice making her weak in the knees. "You hate to lose, don't you?"

She looked away, trying to mask the heat spreading across her face.

Tendou softened.

"No," he said. "Don't hide. It's okay if you're having fun...I know I am."

He twirled an errant lock of her hair between his fingers. She thought of his mouth on her neck and wondered if that's what the acrobatics was all about in her stomach. Something must have bled through her eyes because he gleamed.

"We can keep playing." He dropped onto his haunches, curling his fingers around the back of her leg as he assessed her scraped knee. Leaning forward, he blew cool air over the wound, making her shiver.

She couldn't help it. She laughed.

Pleased, Tendou drummed his fingers on the back of her knees, making her laugh harder. She tried to fend him off by twisting around, but his hands circled her waist and tickled her mercilessly. She had no choice but to lean against him, flushed and breathless. She could feel his heart beating solidly in his chest, now resonating with his own laughter.

"I suppose this means you surrender then," he said in her ear. His breath was hot on her skin and it made her release a peculiar sigh. Tendou cupped her chin, angling her face as he nuzzled her neck. It was exactly what she had wanted only seconds ago, and – to her surprise – elicited another sudden gasp as his nose grazed her ear.

Hanamura covered her mouth.

"It's alright," he said, noticing the flustered look on her face. "You can show me." He lightly pried the hands from her mouth. "I enjoy seeing this side of you."

How could he do that? How could he sound so gentle, yet exude an irresistible sense of danger? He made it clear she was the subject of his want. His voice was soft, but his eyes were hungry.

Hanamura furrowed her brow. He was so calm and controlled. Shouldn't he be just as red and graceless as she was? Did he not also get nervous in her presence, overwhelmed by the idea of being alone together? As she turned around to face him fully, it was with the desire to see him a little undone too.

She needed to level the playing field.

"What?" said Tendou. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm curious," she said, pleased to see the crisp lines of his face flicker with uncertainty.

"Curious? About what?"

Her gaze sharpened.

"I want to know what makes you nervous," she said as he retracted slightly.

"Oh?"

Tendou seemed a little panicked now that their roles had suddenly reversed. The knot in his throat jumped as Hanamura prowled forward on stealthy feet. She reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking him close as she rose on tiptoes. She pushed him against the backrest of the armchair, using it as leverage as she kissed him senseless.

For his part, Tendou was lost. His body curled over hers, hands hovering in the air beside her, uncertain of what to do. But his shock lasted the span of a heartbeat. He reacted quickly, still lit with adrenaline from the hunt. His hands came to rest at her hips, and he breathed her in, deepening the kiss. His tongue brushed the roof of her mouth and she struggled to remain standing.

When they pulled apart, they were both reeling for air.

"Cripes, Suzume," said Tendou, gasping. "Carpe diem."

He sounded groggy. Even in the dark, she could see his face was on fire.

Hanamura grinned. So she did make him nervous after all.

"Is this okay?" She asked him softly, her eyes heavy.

Tendou nodded. "Yes. Most definitely yes."

They were both new to this game, this delicate dance between two people. Though their drawbridges were down and their walls laid down in ruins, this new clause to their treaty required stepping into the unknown.

Tendou's hands itched to wander, but he glided them up her arms, over her collarbones to her jaw. Hanamura had no such restraint. Hers slipped down his stomach, feeling the muscles contract as she edged fingers underneath his shirt to touch the skin that flashed the first time she ever laid eyes on him.

A thin, high note escaped his throat.

"I've learned something about you too," she smirked. "You're an innie."

Tendou scoffed, but it was more inarticulate breath than humor. Her thumb pressed on his navel and she raked fingernails across his bare skin, making him shudder. The strap of her camisole fell, and he seized his opportunity at revenge.

Reason gave way to sensation, and Hanamura never knew that skin could blister and shiver all at once. That it could smell earthy and taste sweet as nectar. Soft spikes of hair tickled her throat, but it was the thumbs pressed under the swollen skin of her chest that made her tremble as he found the weak spot between her neck and shoulder.

But then – footsteps.

They froze.

"Suzume? Suzume, where are you? Are you still here? Team Green are you still alive?"

Hanamura recognized Izakaya's prim tenor immediately. He wasn't alone either. Soon, she could pick out the voices of the others as well. They were ransacking the second-floor classrooms.

She glanced to Tendou who in turn eyed the door with a scowl.

"Someone freed the prisoners," he said, holding her tightly. "What rotten luck. I much prefer this game."

His eyes were hot enough to melt glass, his kiss a white-hot coal on her lips. Hanamura was thrown back into a chasm with no sense of direction. But just as quickly as he ensnared her, he let her go.

"Satori?" She croaked, swaying dangerously on her feet.

He pressed something into her hand, the green team flag.

"Wha–?"

"You're still in the running," he said, cupping her cheek. "I never found you."

Hanamura blinked back her stupor, hearing the footsteps and voices draw closer.

"I don't understand."

"If they ask, tell them you lost me in the grounds. They'll think I'm still out there somewhere."

Handing her shoes back, he spun her around and ushered her toward the door.

"Wait," she protested, "but you won!"

Tendou replaced the strap over her shoulder, his fingers grazing her neck. "Last I recall, you're the reigning champion." Hanamura shivered involuntarily. His voice was soft in her ear. "This way, I might still have a chance of catching you – again."

Hanamura was shoved out into the science lab just as Izakaya opened the door.

"Suzume, there you are!" He rang out in relief. Turning, he whispered, "Guys! I found her!"

Hanamura slumped against the nearest table, disheveled.

"How did you–?"

"Reon freed us all," said Izakaya triumphantly.

"There she is," said Yamagata from the doorway. "You really are good at this game, aren't you?"

"Green Team's still alive?" Kawanishi followed close behind with hands inside his pockets.

Yamagata was staring at her face, now lit by a shaft of moonlight.

"Hanamura, why are you so red? Are you coming down with something?"

"Uh…it's a bit stuffy in here," she said, growing increasingly hot. "I ran all the way from the dorms."

"Is that where you lost him?"

Hanamura sensed a well-defined smirk in the shadows.

"Something like that," she said, eager for vengeance. "Come on. I have an idea."

The night was still young, and this game wasn't over yet.

. . . . . . .

"I don't think we've ever been this successful," said Jin to Hanamura as they crouched down in the bushes by the boys' dormitory. It was well past midnight. The moon was at its zenith in the night sky, casting the grounds in silver light. The breeze stirred the bushes, making the leaves rustle.

"With Tendou on the prowl, the game usually lasts a whopping twenty minutes," agreed Yamagata who was sitting directly beside her. "But this game has been going on for hours."

"I told you she was good," said Izakaya.

They all jumped as something padded towards them in the dark – Hanamura reacting the strongest.

"Oh thank god, it's just the cat," said Jin.

Hanamura sank deeper into the mulch.

She remained painfully silent. Her heart was hammering inside her chest. The game might have gone on for hours, but to her frustration, Tendou had managed to catch her three more times, always setting her free the moment the others drew close. He was no longer playing to win. He was far more interested in another game. One that left her increasingly hot and bothered.

It made it all the more frustrating that it was not unwelcome on her part.

She could still feel his fingers digging into her thighs as he hoisted her onto one of the saddles in the tack room. The air in the barn smelled strongly of cedar. The leather creaked beneath her as he applied salve to her scratched knee. She remembered admiring the plaques and ribbons that decorated the room, impressed with the first aid kit the horse club kept on hand, but she would never be able to step foot in that place again without her face going tomato red. For once her knee was tended to, he kissed her stupid.

Then, she made the mistake of wandering into the equipment room in the gym, thinking it would be the last place he would ever expect to find her. She hardly spent any time in the gym outside of the scrimmage game, but did that stop him? Absolutely not.

I know this place like the back of my hand, said Tendou, catching the volleyball she threw at his head. He twirled it between his hands as he drew closer, making her heart race. It's as if you want me to find you.

He wasn't wrong. Her attempts at escaping were becoming increasingly half-hearted. She remembered throwing a few more balls at his face in retaliation which was futile. Tendou merely received them back into the cart with an infuriating "Nice Toss!" each time. The room was littered with piles of equipment, but if she was clever enough, she could parkour her way over to the exit. Plan in mind, she prepared to spring up onto the stack of floor mats, but it was then that her foot snagged one of the nets piled on the floor, making her trip.

As she sat there, his smile turned wolfish.

Like a rabbit in the snare, he sighed.

Hanamura blushed. She found him overwhelmingly attractive.

Moments later, she was lying on her back with hands tangled in red locks. She had explored the ridges of his spine and was gradually making progress on the sensitive spot below his ear when he dragged fingers across her stomach, making her shiver.

Ah, he whispered against her cheek, so you're an outie.

She dug into his ribs, making him laugh.

She supposed the third time was more a success on her part. Tendou had wandered into the dense tree line surrounding campus, over by where the steps led down into the park. She crouched there waiting, high up in the branches, springing down on him so that they landed in the soft bank of grass. She straddled his middle so that he couldn't move, and quickly pinned his hands to the ground.

AHA! Who's catching whom now? She grinned victoriously. She heaved a villainous laugh for added effect, but it was short-lived. Tendou shot his arms above his head, dropping her face mere inches from his own. Then, with a great deal of satisfaction, he kissed her stupid. Again.

"What do you say, Hanamura?" Jin spoke, disrupting her thoughts. "Shall we give up the ghost?"

"Yeah, at this rate, we'll be playing until morning," yawned Yamagata. "Let's let him think he won. Otherwise, he'll never let this go."

"You…you want him to find me?" She asked, imaginary tears streaming down her face. If only the Green Team knew she had lost this game several times already – that she had been trying to beat Tendou at hide-and-seek and failed. She was overcome by her situation.

Izakaya, who was cradling Cosmo, brushed her nose with the end of his soft tail.

"Don't worry, Suzume. We know who the real winner is, but we're tired, and I'm thirsty."

Hanamura shot him a withering look. "You're thirsty?"

They ousted her from the bushes, and she was once more racing across the lawn in desperate need of a new hiding place. She bolted toward the school, taking the familiar route to the fourth floor. Climbing eight flights of stairs left her winded on the landing, but she plodded on to the end of the hall where the studio sat in perfect darkness.

She passed the threshold, peeling her flannel from around her waist and depositing it on the floor. She bumped into the kiln and had to feel blindly for the cabinets. But the rest was muscle memory. Her socks slipped against the waxy floor. She hadn't even bothered carrying her shoes this time. Pulling the curtains open at her closet, she was greeted by a pair of waiting arms.

She slumped against Tendou, exhausted.

"This is the hardest game I've ever played," she groaned into his chest, still breathing hard.

She felt him rumble with laughter. Then, a tantalizing coolness on her neck.

"But the best one you've ever played, right?" He asked, revealing a water bottle.

Hanamura took it gratefully, draining it in one long endless gulp before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Tossing the bottle into her scrap bin, she yanked the curtains closed so that they were blanketed in pitch black.

This time, she made sure to kiss him stupid.

A/N: Atta girl, Suzume.

In terms of Shoujo Romance, this chapter would definitely be the juicy summer OVA. XD

But seriously, I can't tell you how many capture-the-flag/hide-and-seek/school lock-in escapades gave rise to new summer couples growing up. Somewhere along the way, we all got bored with hosting weddings on the playground and switched to battles of the sexes. Something about the chase makes it ten times more exciting, no? Did you play any fun 'courtship games' growing up?

"Bad Guy" - The Interrupters

"I Like It" - Gaga Symphony Orchestra

"In Vogue" - Daniel Pemberton

"I Was Made For Loving You" - The Umbrella Academy

Thank you so much for reading, and to my lovely guest reviewer who called Satsuki a BAMF, thank you! Oh my god, that made me teary-eyed. Thank you so much. *raises coffee in toast*

lavendermoonmilk