A Reason for Being

29. He is very handsome

Y/N made it a few steps into her apartment before Yachi rushed behind her, slamming the door, quickly locking it. She approaches Y/N like a mother examining their child after they fell off the playground.

Come here, lemme get a good look. Are ya hurt?

"Yachi, I'm just fine." Y/N laughs at the concern in Yachi's eyes. "I know I was just worried. Next time call me immediately."

"I'm not sure how someone under 5 feet would help against a crowd." Y/N's comment causes Yachi to roll her eyes. Having someone so overprotective of y/n, regardless of their height, was a new experience for her.

"It's okay that you want to deal with things on your own, but I'm glad you weren't alone on this day." Yachi smiles at her.

During one of their daily lunchtimes, Y/N mentioned to her and Asahi the month of her grandmother's passing. Yachi took an educated guess as to why y/n took a personal day without any explanation. And upon seeing Y/N's swollen eyes, Yachi knew she was correct.

Y/n did feel guilty for trying to keep such an important day from her friend. Every year on this day, Y/N cries in solitary silence, secretly wishing she didn't have to face it alone. Every time, her wish was to have someone there by her side.

And now, there wasn't just one, but two people there reminding her that she didn't have to face it all alone. "I'm sorry, Yachi." She envelopes her small friend in a hug. "I just didn't want to burden you with my sadness."

"You are never a burden, Y/N. I'm always here for you." Yachi smiles. "Now, are you going to tell me how you and Oikawa ended up holding hands?"

After the food got delivered, Y/N spoke about everything. It was like her feelings were unable to be kept inside. She told her friend about what she felt about Tooru and retold stories about her grandmother. Tears and laughter filled Y/N's apartment. With all her comfort foods, she ate her feelings. Yachi kept serving her food until y/n exploded.

"You know that Cinderella story? How does it end?" Y/N asks. She was serious when she told Tooru about her perceived ending of the story. She never read past that part. Y/N wasn't completely oblivious, knowing "they lived happily ever after" and stuff, but as far as the details, she was unaware.

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The next day, she wakes up staring at the ceiling, wondering to herself how it's possible to have secondhand embarrassment by something she did.

"Since it's our first date" His words echo in her mind, making her entire body flush.

What the fuck does it mean? Not just those words, the entire day in general. Y/N was under the impression that their relationship was less than friendly. Before running into each other at the park bench, he refused to even speak to her. And yet, yesterday, they held hands and kissed.

But was he only playing along to make her feel better on that day? What is going to happen now?

It's a new day, and their "just for today" truce has ended.

"Y/N, did you hear what I said?" Yachi interrupts Y/N's intense thinking. Yachi has grown used to Y/N's facial expressions. Even though there was only a subtle difference between paying attention or spacing off, Yachi could tell the difference.

"No," Y/N responds. All she was thinking about was him.

In the coffee shop this morning, she hoped to run into her neighbor, like the good old days.

If he ignored her, then she would know their truce ended. If he greeted her, then well, she wasn't expecting that to happen. Either way, she scanned the cafe, seeing familiar faces such as Mateo. Her heart skipped a beat every time a man with shaggy brown hair walked past her. But the person she was searching for was nowhere to be found. And her questions were still unanswered.

"I said, the models are coming to get fitted today. Would you like to be present when they arrive?" Yachi repeated.

"If I am not needed, then I'll pass. I am busy today. Asahi, you got this, right?"

Sometime during her spacing off, he must have entered her office. All she knew was he was standing there. He happily nodded at her request. Because it was true, the closer the gala got, the busier she would be. Y/n's presence during the fittings was not necessary. The design team had plenty of suits available for them to choose from. She did not need to be present for the dressing room montage.

For some time now, even before she started designing an entire outfit for Atsumu, y/n was already secretly making a one-of-a-kind dress for a particular person. It was hard keeping such a secret from Yachi, so on days like today where she would be busy on another floor, it was the only time y/n got to work on it.

"Um, excuse me, Miss L/N. There is someone here to see you. T-they are waiting in your office." The young intern stuttered. After lunchtime, Yachi had some business to attend on behalf of Y/N. Cursing at herself for giving Yachi such responsibilities, making Y/N deal with the nervous wreck of an assistant's assistant.

"Two things, stop calling me Miss. And second, stop letting anyone off the street into my office." She sighs.

"I'm sorry, ma-am, he was very persistent..."

"Did you at least get a name?" She furrows her eyebrows. The number of times in the past, Y/N would get bombarded with people in her office, asking for favors, trying to pitch why she should work with them. It was always a bore and a waste of time. And honestly, something even a fresh-faced intern could handle.

Not to mention, Y/N gets an eerie sensation when she is to meet a stranger without properly preparing first.

One rule she likes to keep: No one is allowed in Y/N's office without an appointment. She never needed to tell Yachi, the exceptional assistant. But this nervous Nelly sitting at Yachi's old desk is a different story.

"N-no. I-I didn't." The young man looks to the ground as he nervously fidgets with his pen.

"Tsk." She sighed in frustration. "What if it was the press trying to get the scoop of the new designs? Or even worse, a rival company. I left all my drafts scattered in my office, thinking it was safe." She had the right to be angry. Even still, she doesn't like taking her frustrations out on another person, even if it was their fault. She pauses, making sure to calm down her tone. "Next time, just stall until I get here, okay, kid?"

"He said he knew you, though, on a personal level. He said you would be happy to see him. He wanted to surprise you..." The young intern whispers.

"What did he look like?" There could be several people coming to surprise Y/N. Whether it was a good or bad surprise depends on the person in her office right now.

"He is very handsome." The young man blushed. Making Y/N roll her eyes, whoever was in her office flirted his way to her floor. It wasn't just the young man who fell for the stranger's charm. The security downstairs must have as well if he made it this far.

"Tall with brown hair."