Finding My Place ⚙️ Knot (a SOTUS fanfic)

vol.12: b l o w u p

"When the night is cold and you feel like no one knows,
what's it like to be the only one buried in this hole,
you can make it to the sunrise.
Searching for a way to escape the madness,
a dire need for change as we fight for better days.
The hurt and the pain cut deep like a razor blade."
- Sunrise - Our Last Night

⚙️

'You slept with a boy last night?! Scandalous ;)'

I rolled my eyes at BB's response to me telling him about how my night went, quickly typing a reply: 'Get your mind out of the gutter, fool, it's too early!'

His only response was an emoji of a baby laughing dramatically.

"Kong!"

I glanced up from my phone as M came running into the classroom carrying a flyer in his hand. Curious, I stood up approached them, taking the empty seat on Oak's left.

"What's up?" Kong laughed as M slapped the flyer onto Kong's desk, pointing at it with his finger.

"Check this out! Here!"

I pulled myself up, putting my knee beneath me so I could see across Oak's desk to the flyer on Kong's. It was for the Freshy Day contest that Kong was a part of.

"Why are you so hyped up?" Oak wondered.

"Of course, I am!" M replied, almost seeming as if he couldn't believe that we weren't hyped up about it. He looked at Kong before asking, "Do you remember in high school? That time when we played basketball? I had a fire burning inside me. I've never been so motivated like this."

"Yeah?" Kong was smiling at his friend's enthusiasm and I ended up smiling, too. They're so adorable.

"I practiced every day and night," M continued.

"Did you really?"

"Do you remember?" M looked at me and Oak, who shook his head.

"But I... didn't attend the same school as yours," Oak replied.

"I wasn't even in the country," I added with a nod, "But I am intrigued."

M stared at us for a moment and then it was as if a lightbulb went off above his head. "Oh! That's why I'm asking both of you to join us."

"Jeez," Kong laughed, shaking his head.

"Think of the time when we got that trophy," M continued, excited like a little kid on Christmas. "When we were awarded, think of the moment we put our hands on the trophy." He began trying to form a trophy with his hands. "It was bright gold. Shining."

"Super big," Oak laughed at the portrayal of M's large trophy.

"Do you remember? The color was like..." he held out his fist, unable to describe it properly. It must really mean a lot to him. Kong grabbed his wrist with a laugh and M continued, "I want to touch it again."

"That's enough," Kong stated, "I'll sign up with you."

"Will you? Attaboy!" M then motioned toward Oak. "What about you?"

"You go ahead," Oak answered, "I'll pass."

"And you?" M motioned toward me and I settled back in the chair, my leg still underneath me.

"Um... I'm not very athletic, you know that. I doubt I'd be much help." I rubbed the back of my head.

"Come on, Aspen, you have the entire Kuroko no Basket manga set in your room! I've seen you watching Waad when he's playing, too," M commented, making Oak perk up.