Best I Ever Had [IwaOi Angst]

Chapter 11

Iwaizumi meets her during his last year of college. It's his most stressful year, filled with coffee, and study guides, and all nighters. His medical examination lies on the horizon and the only person he really sees in that time is Sugawara who is furiously studying with him.

He meets her in one of his throwaway classes his Senior spring, a class he took to lighten his work load in preparation for the big exam. He normally sits by himself, near the back of the lecture hall. But one morning she stumbles in, late, and jumps into the seat next to him to cause less of a scene.

Iwaizumi doesn't pair her much mind, but she turns to him and whispers pleadingly, "Hey could you hold this for a second?" She's a bit red, out of breath, and frazzled.

He blinks and takes her cup of coffee, as she settles herself into her seat. She pulls out the desk from it's slot, rifles through her bag for her notebook, pulls it out and lets out a muted groan.

"Wrong notebook?" He whispers back, a bit amused.

"It's been a rough morning." She sighs, defeated. She takes the notebook anyway, turning to the last page to take notes. "Thanks." She adds, taking her drink back. And then she starts paying attention.

Iwaizumi isn't paying attention.

The girl next to him has nice auburn hair that falls to her shoulders in waves. She's wearing a loose casual shirt, and jeans. She nibbles at her pen as she takes notes, and he can tell it must be a nervous habit. There's a plethora of tiny indents on the instrument.

She has nice brown eyes.

She's very pretty.

Iwaizumi looks away and sits up.

Halfway through class she puts her hair up in a messy ponytail. Iwaizumi doesn't know why he takes note of it.

He tries to scribble some actual notes instead.

Their class meets every other day, and the next time he sees her she's already seated, in what must be her usual spot near the front. He feels a bit disappointed but tries to shrug it off.

And then she turns toward him and waves with a smile. He blinks, and waves back. She smiles a bit bigger and then turns back to the front.

After class she comes up to him, "So I never got your name?"

"Oh." Iwaizumi tries, "Iwaizumi. Uh, Iwaizumi Hajime."

"I'm Hamasaki Kotori." She greets dipping her head a little, "Are you a literature major?"

He shakes his head, taking his bag and walking out of the class with her, "No, I'm actually pre-med."

"Oh wow. No wonder you look so tired." She laughs and Iwaizumi flushes a bit, because does he really look that bad? "Good luck."

"Thanks." He sighs, readjusting the strap on his shoulder, "How about you?"

"This is just a class I took for fun." She admits, "I'm a math major."

"That's cool."

She smiles, and Iwaizumi can't quite look at her, "Well, I'll see you around Iwaizumi-kun!"

"Uh, yeah. See you."

"This is good." Sugawara comments, with a nod. "This is great."

Iwaizumi frowns, regretting mentioning the entire episode, "She's just a friend."

"A friend you clearly like." Daichi reminds, with a little smile.