BANDAIDS - K. Rukawa

Chapter 19

ryuji yazawa;
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
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CURTAINS FLEW AS soon as the wind touches them, her eyes went down and trail on a certain raven-haired sleepily riding his bike. This scene seems familiar. Always has been. Because this is what she does every morning. To anticipate the same narcoleptic weirdo outside, take a glimpse from the window of the council's room. Ever since last week, Rukawa seems to avoid her. There were even times when she walked into the gym, and he acted like she is not there. Not even a glance was spare. Y/n was not oblivious to Rukawa's growing feelings for her. She realizes that maybe it is also a good thing that he avoided her, it was her fault after all.

There are some things that weren't spoken yet. This week she had manage to run the campus smoothly, with everyone's advice and suggestions. She's not that busy with the council, since there are no upcoming events. Her classes were also going smooth at the moment. One afternoon, after her usual rounds around the campus the adviser of basketball club has given her a task. Together with Mitsui instead of Akagi. It seems like Mitsui had done something that pissed off their club advisor, so he was tasked to do something instead of Akagi.

"I knew you'll regret answering him like that, Mitchi!" Ryouta divulged, teasing.

Although there was a slight commotion on the gym, her eyes flew to Rukawa who's currently tying the lace of his shoes on the bench. She stared for a few minutes before she saw Haruko and her friends. Two of the girls were pushing her towards the raven-haired, teasing. She's holding a bottle of water in her arms, and when Ayako-san saw what they're doing she nudged Rukawa on the elbow, making him glance at Haruko and her friends. Shyly, Haruko made her way and give him the bottle of water. He made out a small "thanks," before accepting the water and immediately drinking all of it. He wipe his lips with his towel before he stood, and when their eyes met, he quickly avoided her stare. Mitsui has also reminded her that they have to go.

She remembers how this also the exact way how things ended with Sendoh. Them avoiding each other, and shrugging off the conflicts of their relationship, and neglecting each other's presence.

From Rukawa's point of view, he was doing this because he knows he's done with her. The mixed signals has pushed him way further to the point that he had to avoid her for feeling something more. And with that, he decided to focus on none other than basketball. Just like old times, where he wasn't zoning out because of someone. Although, he confessed that he likes her all that he wanted to do right now is to take it all back, and it would make things easier.

He's not stupid to waste his time for someone who hasn't fully healed from her past.

And just like that, he moved on.

-

"Jeez, this room hasn't been clean for ages." Mitsui spoke as he went through the files of the previous members of the basketball club. On the other hand, she is busy looking for one specific article written by a former member of the journalism/newspaper club of the school.

Mitsui probably has noticed how quiet she is since they entered the room, so he spoke to break the seeming ice surrounding them. He faked a cough, loud enough to make her eyebrows furrowed as she finally acknowledges him.

Mitsui grinned. "Not really on Rukawa's good side these past few days, huh?" he asked, teasing. Which where he finally get a reaction, but then she rolled her eyes and just decided to ignore him. "Oi, come on. I don't want to do all the talk in here. You might as well contribute," he added even trying to convince her to join the talk. But she's not really getting it. Instead of speaking, she turned her back on him and just focused on the articles that she's still reviewing.

Mitsui sighs, loud enough to irritate her to the brim. If she's not giving up, so he is. He can't really stand being the side character on her and his kouhai's story, he's not just a plain character, he aspires to be the wingman, and the lowkey hero of the story. That's just how he is.

"He said he's jealous."

That made it.

He knew he got your attention by the way your shoulders got tense. He smirked, "On the way home from our practice match against Takezono, that narcoleptic weirdo followed you. He said he saw your name and Sendoh's on a padlock, and it was locked on the railings of the overpass."

Was that too much? Did I overshare? I'm think I'm going to die after this. His thoughts are all over his head, and yes by the look on your face, he thinks that he did overshare. Poor soul of his.

She's losing her mind. All weeks spent on overthinking things, this was Rukawa's side? She can't blame him though, that's reasonable. But he really is on something following her like that. Now, she wants to talk to him. But how? For her own peace, she finally faced Mitsui. She squinted her eyes at him, before looking from his head to toe.

"Aside from the fact that I hate your guts, senpai. I've realize that you don't have the potential of being an entrepreneur, you can't mind your own business." She rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile from afar, tired from the training, it didn't help for Rukawa to see the interaction of his upperclassman and the girl he has been pining over for a while. The urge to snatch her right in front of him was strong. The door was slightly open he didn't notice anything except for the fact that the two of them are smiling at each other with amusement.

Rukawa's grip on his duffle bag is tight. He definitely need to talk to her. He wouldn't let this pass.

He thought that he could be satisfied for a while, a bit distracted because of his training but oh how wrong he was.

He still thinks of her. In fact, she never left his mind. And he knew it would be stupid to force himself on her, but as much as his exhaustion on chasing after her all the time, what's the point of stopping now? He's even more determined to get her.

Mitsui laughs, a very heartily one. She thought she did something. He said in his thoughts. "That entrepreneur comeback was the most out of the pocket thing you could say, you're really one of a kind, Prez."

It was true though, she shook her as she felt her lips rose with amusement, she grins before gazing at him. "I've read an article last night about young entrepreneurs, must be why." She explained, tucking a few hair strands behind her ears. Men are so obvious. She wants to smack the back of his head because she notice how his upperclassman is currently turning red from this interaction.

"Well, since I'm already contributing to this conversation. I don't want you feeling left out, I do want to share something too."

Mitsui doesn't get it. But when she showed him an article that she was browsing a while ago, he had to let his audible gasp out.

Sighing, she raised her brows. "I knew about your plan, or whatever your suggestion is on making me fall for your dear star player to save your club. One of the reasons why I never started dating him even though the feeling is mutual, it's Kaito-senpai and his unreasonable anger for your club."

"All along... ?"

She nodded. Now with her arms crossed. "It was my father all along, Kaito-senpai is taking his anger out on the wrong people. It was for me all along."

"Why are you telling me this? S-Shouldn't you tell Akagi? Or Anzai-sensei?"

"Since you're already here, I figured I'd tell you first. After all it was unreasonable that you guys are fighting for a year or two for the club, you guys shouldn't waste time for things like that anymore, you have the Nationals to prioritize."

On the article that Mitsui is currently holding; it was an old article from years ago, a huge headline about Ryuji Yazawa, the basketball star from years ago who died because of a car accident. He was in the middle of his fame rising when he was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the road. It was said that Ryuji Yazawa was also under drug influence when the high-speed car collision happened.

The suspect who was surrendered by his own wife was none other than her father.

Ryuji Yazawa was Kaito's biological father.