𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊; 𝐭. 𝐤𝐞𝐢

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The training camp has ended.

And as the days passed, Tsukishima became more and more guilty. He had no idea what he was thinking at the time, and he put himself in a scenario where he knew he would end up in trouble or worse.

'What was I was thinking?!'

He scolded himself internally for what he had just consented to.

"Are you okay, Tsukki?"

Yamaguchi's voice drew him out of his reverie. He then turned to face the freckled teen beside him, [Name]'s body turning back to face them, [color] eyes staring at him in confusion and a tad concerned expression, which Yamaguchi mirrored.

"I'm fine."

Tsukishima responded, and [Name] averted his gaze to meet [Name]'s. "Are you sure? You've been acting strange lately, Kei-chan," he said, his gaze sharpening. He had seen Tsukishima's unusual behavior towards him for the preceding two weeks, as well as Yamaguchi.

Tsukishima seemed to be hiding something.

"Tsukki, what [Nickname] said is right." Yamaguchi says beside [Name], concerned about his friend's problems, "You can tell us what's wrong." Tsukishima sighed and shifted his weight from his seat. On the other side of the room, they could hear their classmates chattering.

'It's been two weeks and nothing seems to have happened,' he thought, not detecting anything wrong or a change in [Name's] mood.

He assumes Juhee hasn't said anything to him yet.

'It's either now or never...'

He let out a sigh before deciding to do what he needed to do.

"Can we talk alone, [Name]?" He said, "It's important," to which [Name] raised a brow at him, and seeing his solemn attitude, he grudgingly nodded before rising from his seat, followed by Tsukishima.

"You guys shouldn't take too long!"

"Right."

...

Tsukishima occasionally glances across at the youngster alongside him, who appears unconcerned as they come to a halt in an empty hallway. [Name] swung around, keen to know what Tsukishima had been up to.

"So what's goi⏤"

"Juhee cheated on you."

"H-huh?"

[Name] flinched in surprise at Tsukishima's words, his eyes fixed on Tsukishima, who was massaging his elbows with his other hand and avoiding eye contact. Cheat? What did he mean by that?

"What do you mean Juhee cheated? Is this some kind of joke you made up Kei? Tell me right now." He firmly said, narrowing his eyes at the other. Is he serious right now? Is he trying to be funny? Cause [Name] himself aren't. He watched Tsukishima didn't say anything and instead backed away from him, when he started walking closer at him.

"Answer me Kei."

"I...I...u-uhm..." Tsukishima stammered, his back against the wall as [Name] loomed over him, and he looked up to the teen who was enraged at what he had just spoken.

"I-I saw Juhee kissing another girl during the training camp a-and...she and I had a deal⏤"

"About who's going to tell it to me first? That's fucking ridiculous." Tsukishima halted from explaining once hearing [Name] clicked his tongue before laughing bitterly, as he gulped silently.

"I only did it because I was scared you'd be hurt by the truth⏤!"

BANG

Tsukishima flinched when [Name] suddenly punched the wall beside his head. This is bad. Really, really bad.

"You could've told me about it sooner, Kei, instead of making a deal with Juhee! I had no idea what was going on behind my back, and you were aware of it? I'm feeling like a complete moron right now!" [Name] exclaimed, allowing his emotions to take control of him.

"Did...Did Yamaguchi also know this?" [Name] paused, leaning away from the blond. As he felt his throat sting from the sudden outburst, he could hear the loud beat of his hearts. "N-no, I didn't tell him anything," Tsukishima replied as the tension between them grew. Not long after, the school bell rang, breaking the uncomfortable feeling that had surrounding them.

[Name] sighed, covering his face with both hands and ruffling his hair in exasperation before glancing at Tsukishima.

"You're smarter than this Kei...and you should have thought about it before you did it. You have no idea how much damage you'll cause."