vermilion | chifuyu matsuno

two

it's been two weeks after that incident and chifuyu couldn't help but question if the girl really was real or if she was just a ghost.

he's currently on his way to the cafeteria with takemichi right now since it was time for lunch, and they're also about to meet their other friends.

"you know, i'm really thankful that this cafeteria offers a pasta and salad bar aside from the food that they offer or else i'm really setting it on fire!" chifuyu and takemichi was still far away from their usual table but they can already hear mikey whining about the cafeteria food again.

"don't do that mikey, you'll be convicted with arson," ken or draken scolded mikey but he just huffed and pouted as a reply.

"the party is here!" takemichi yelled when he and chifu finally arrived at their table but instead of cheering, everyone just sighed. 

"how can you be so cool and uncool at the same time, takemitchy?" 

"i'm gonna pretend that he's not with me," chifuyu said before he walked off towards the pasta bar.

as he was busy deciding if he wanted a bolognese or a pesto, chifuyu couldn't help but notice something bright from his peripheral vision.

chifuyu turned to the direction where it was coming from, and realized who was it. 

"it's her. so she's real?"

chifuyu couldn't help but stare at the girl whom he first saw two weeks ago. she was having a serious conversation with one of her friends as they entered the cafeteria. she still got her glowing vermilion hair, but the difference was that she didn't have the snot on her face like what she had when he first saw her, making chifuyu see how prettier she was.

"pretty," chifu whispered to himself before he was snapped back to reality when the lunch lady interrupted his thoughts.

"sir, may i ask what you're getting? you're holding the line," the lunch lady said making chifuyu panic.

"oh, i'll be having a bolognese please. thank you," chifuyu said and smiled sheepishly.

"man, what took you so long?" keisuke asked him when he finally returned to their table.

"chifu was busy staring at someone," mikey said, making everyone turn to him.

chifuyu groaned internally. knowing his friends, they won't let the topic die until they get an answer.

"who?" takemichi asked.

"aki," mikey answered.

"well, who wouldn't? aki is really pretty," kazutora said, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"wait," chifuyu paused, "so you guys know her?"

"what do you mean? everyone knows aki, chifu. she's the president of the animation and film organization," takashi answered making chifuyu choke on his pasta.

"she is?!" chifuyu continued choking while takemichi handed him a glass of water. 

"are you living under a rock chifu?" 

"chifu's so busy with his part-time job that he literally doesn't know the organization presidents of our college." 

"come on guys, give him a break. besides, we rarely see aki since she's busy with her org most of the time. we only see her once in a while," hakkai said which earned him a few yeahs. 

after what hakkai said, everyone returned to their usual activities, and that includes keisuke asking chifuyu to share his food with him, mikey whining about the cafeteria food while draken continued to feed him, and takemichi sending glares to a guy named kisaki tetta who was known for hitting on his girlfriend hina, despite the fact that he knew she was taken. 

but when the bell finally rang, and it was time for everyone to go back to each of their classes, chifuyu couldn't help but turn to the redhead again, who's name was apparently aki. she was laughing at the video that she was currently watching on her phone, as she and her friends also headed to the exit. 

and as her eyes turned into crescent moons as she let out a light-hearted laugh, chifuyu realized something. 

she was so out of his league.