BEST FRIENDS ❨ shirabu kenjiro ❩

CHAPTER TWELVE ∆ LOYALTY

CHAPTER TWELVE • LOYALTY

∆∆∆

with her eyes trained on the dateko players searching for futakuchi kenji, sashihara kana did not notice a pair of eyes that were watching her. the practice match with shiratorizawa and dateko was intense— both teams were great and had their strengths and weaknesses shown on the game. in the end, it was shiratorizawa's win.

expecting an overjoyed kana embracing him like she usually did after their matches, official or not, shirabu found himself watching the girl and waiting for her to embrace him like she used to. however, the gesture never came and she was instead met with the sight of the girl watching a certain player from the opposing team.

"tsk," he muttered, rolling his eyes as he just drank from his own water bottle.

kana looked so enthusiastic, as if she was waiting for a chance to talk with the brunette from earlier. shirabu kenjiro, however, was glaring daggers at the said female and how she looked so excited to meet futakuchi.

"oi, don't glare too much. people might think you hate your best friend," kawanishi said, suddenly appearing right next to him which almost made him jump from surprise.

"what the heck— at least tell me you're gonna stand next to me like that! you almost scared the heck out of me," shirabu muttered, "so what? look at her being oh so smitten with mr. futakuchi kenjiro, pretty boy or whatever he is."

he and his friend were silent for a few seconds, before kawanishi started laughing. it earned the attention of the other members of the volleyball club, which then made shirabu roll his eyes in frustration.

"what's happening?" semi asked, furrowing his brows as he looked between kawanishi and shirabu.

"nothing—"

"shirabu seems jealous. look at kana, she looks like she wants to talk to futakuchi." kawanishi answered, cutting off what shirabu was about to say.

the members of the said club reacted in different ways— one, to laugh at how shirabu seemed jealous, and two, to be concerned for him since the boy can be short-tempered sometimes. or was it just sometimes?

when it came to sashihara kana, whether shirabu would admit it or not, the team seemed to notice that he would be more emotional. he was protective of the girl, although he first showed dislike when she wanted to be friends with him. little by little, the members of the team were the ones who saw how he went from dreading her presence to actually looking for it.

"tch, so what if she does? let her. whatever," shirabu muttered, placing his water bottle down and basically stomping away from the team.

they went silent, before chatting amongst themselves as if wanting to come fetch shirabu. thinking that it might not be the best decision since the boy seemed pissed, they just decided to watch kana from afar who now seemed to be talking to futakuchi kenji.

kana smiled softly as she looked at futakuchi, not noticing the eyes that were trained on her. the other dateko players seemed to already be out of the gym, leaving only the second year to talk to her. it wasn't like futakuchi did not like to be left alone either— he was actually waiting for the opportunity to be left alone as well.

"you're the girl from earlier, right? are you, like, their manager?" futakuchi asked, his brows raising as he placed a towel over his mess of a brown hair.

"ah, no. i'm just close with the coach, and eventually became close friends with the team as well. i just wanted to say that your team seems formidable! i'm looking forward to seeing you play against shiratorizawa on a real match," kana said, giving an enthusiastic smile to the boy which made him blush before looking away.

"i guess... i'm looking forward if we ever play against shiratorizawa. we'll win, though." futakuchi said, and the smile on kana's face suddenly faded away.

"huh... shiratorizawa will. bye!" kana said, and before futakuchi could even get a chance to get the girl's name, she already jogged away from him as if offended by his words 'we'll win'.

"wait—!"

his eyes followed where the girl went, and then he raised his brows in surprise when he saw that she engulfed shirabu kenjiro in a back hug as he was about to exit the gym.

"oh... are they actually dating...?"

"no, they're best friends,"

futakuchi was surprised when he heard someone speak behind him, making him turn around and face whoever it was. to his surprise, it was tendou satori from shiratorizawa, a small but noticeable smirk placed on his lips.

"but you should probably back away. we all put our bets on shirabu, anyway," the red-headed male added, which then made futakuchi sigh before giving the older male a sarcastic smile.

"doesn't mean he's the one to win, though. anyway, i have to go or my team will leave me. nice talking to you,"

right then and there, futakuchi rolled his eyes and walked away from the huge shiratorizawa gymnasium. he didn't even spare a glance on shirabu and kana who were slightly bickering next to the gym doors— shirabu denying that he wasn't sad the girl didn't give him a hug right after the practice match.

"i was trying to look for futakuchi!" kana said, chuckling as shirabu had his brows furrowed and looked away from the girl.

"yeah, then why did you even come to me? he's your new guy, yeah, i get it. you don't need me anymore, i don't entertain—"

"pfft— hahaha! kenjiroooo, were you jealous? i mean, i really was planning on getting his number, but when he said that dateko will win... i told him that shiratorizawa will and then left him there. it's bros before him, okay?" kana replied, grinning as she teasingly poked shirabu's cheeks.

"whatever! i wasn't jealous. but what a good girl you are, staying loyal to our school. so, you planned on being a member of the cheerleading club?" shirabu replied, now shifting the conversation to a different topic so he wouldn't have to hear any futakuchi leaving the girl's mouth anymore.

"hm, i'll think about it! i'm rethinking about joining the cheerleading club, since i think gramps washijo might want me with you guys, too."

"up to you."

"mhm,"

"but i'll never skip practice again if you're the manager."