His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 61: A Kiss From a Rose

Tsukishima Kei walked into Class 1-4 after lunch, Yamaguchi following close behind him.  Nakano had detoured to the ladies' room on their way back from the gym, and Kei took the opportunity to tidy up the girl's desk, slipping a small wrapped strawberry candy on to her notebook.  Since their talk in his room on Sunday, Kei had been trying hard to be extra sweet to the girl.  It had been a very emotional, but very worthwhile event.  As he predicted, they came away from it stronger, even more devoted to one another, and Nakano had seemed to finally begin to accept the idea that what had happened to her was not entirely her fault.  He was more determined than ever to keep her moving forward, now that it seemed she'd begun to see herself in a different light.  But for the moment, they'd been through a lot, and a little tender loving care seemed to be in order.  He smiled to himself, quietly excited that Nakano would turn sixteen on Saturday.  He had a great many plans in play for the coming weekend, and into the following week and weekend.  Fortunately, his pointer finger was fully healed, and that was making things a lot easier for him.  His writing was sloppy, but legible, and he was back at his own desk in his usual location for classes.  

Yamaguchi chuckled to himself as he watched Tsukki place a candy on Nakano's desk.  He'd been doing little things like that for the girl since Monday.  Tadashi wasn't sure if it was because Naka-chan's birthday was coming up, or because something had happened between the two of them this past weekend.  He'd known Tsukki was upset about Hinata, of course, and that the pair of them had talked in the party room.  But there seemed to be something else.  Whatever it was, it looked like it was a good thing, because the couple kept sharing little glances and smiles.  Maybe Tsukki would talk about whatever it was with him tomorrow at lunch, when the girl would be at lunch with her best friend.  They often talked about their relationships at lunch on Wednesdays these days.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were just about to sit down at their respective desks when two girls from their class approached them, bowing slightly.  Both boys' jaws suddenly clenched, and Tsukishima's left hand balled into a fist as they both stared at Kubota and Wakabayashi.  "Get away from me," Tsukki growled at the two girls, "I have nothing to say to either of you."

"Tsukishima-san, please, we want to talk to you," Kubota said softly, still bowing.  "We're very sorry for what we did to Ogawa-san.  But please, we don't have much time, Sakata will be back soon."

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say?"  Tsukishima looked positively furious.  Yamaguchi had his phone out, and Kei realized the boy was probably recording what was happening.

"Please, Tsukishima-san, you have to.  Sakata is up to something.  She..."  Wakabayashi began.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you two aren't part of it?  Please," Kei scoffed.

"She wanted us to help, but we refused.  We really are sorry for what we did before.  But I think she's going to try something anyway, even without us.  She said that by the end of this week, Ogawa-san would be out of the picture, and you would be all hers,"  Kubota said hurriedly, looking around the room nervously.  "She didn't tell us what her plan was, but we wanted you to know.  Please listen to us."

Tsukishima turned away, scowling.  It was Yamaguchi who said what was on both of their minds.  "If you want us to believe you, you're going to have to explain your sudden change of heart."

Wakabayashi looked at the freckle-faced boy, who still had his phone camera trained on the girls.  She didn't seem to care.  "Look, what we did before was wrong.  And it certainly isn't going to convince Tsukishima to stop dating Ogawa and go out with either of us.  Sakata's getting really weird, almost obsessed, and we don't want any part of her anymore.  So believe us or don't, at least we tried.  Come on, Yuki-chan."  The two girls turned away and headed for their own seats, Kubota still looking slightly panicked.