kiddo

chapter twenty-three

"So where are we going?" I ask as I click my seat belt, glancing at the driver's side to spot Keishin adjusting his shirt. 

With a chuckle I assure, "You look good Keishin, stop fussing."

Giving me some side-eye he goes to adjust his hair, muttering, "Let me be. I'm trying to look as good as you."

"Cute," I grin, resting my head in my hand, "So where are we going for you to be this obsessed with your appearance?"

He shakes his head and says, "Just a small gathering of friends. Old friends. People I went to high school with. People who will judge me intensely."

My eyes widen and I nod my head, "So you want to impress everyone with your amazing good looks?"

"Pf- don't be ridiculous," he retorts, then looking over at me continues with a smirk, "I'm going to impress them with your amazing good looks."

"Ah-" I chuckle, "that is a foolproof plan."

His smile fades and he lowers his gaze, taking in a deep breath before turning to start the car. My eyes narrow with concern, his sudden change in demeanor setting me off.

"What's wrong?" I question, analyzing his movements.

He shakes his head and looks over, "Nothing," his face smiling.

"Keishin, I'm not dumb enough to be fooled by a fake smile. What's wrong?"

His head falls back into his seat, hands coming off the steering wheel. 

"I'm a 26-year-old high school graduate coaching his alumni volleyball team while running his mom's corner store," he murmurs in defeat, "Everyone else left and I'm still stuck here."

I furrow my eyebrows, insisting, "You decided to help out in the store because you wanted to make sure your mom was okay, didn't you? Her health was more important to you than going to school."

"I mean yeah but that doesn't matter-" he murmurs, still looking up towards the car ceiling. 

"Yes, it most certainly does," I interrupt, "You help kids reach their potential and live out their dreams, that seems more important to me than some person at an office job in Tokyo. You're down-to-earth and very humble, but don't sell yourself short. I won't let you."

He rolls his head over, meeting my gaze, muttering softly, "How did I even get you to like me?"

"You didn't get me to do anything. I just got to know you on my own terms, which led me to discover what a wonderful person you are and now I lo- like you a lot, " I end with wide eyes, not meaning to blurt that out in this situation. 

"Anyways,  that's not important right now, I didn't want to pull focus away from you or anything..." I ramble on, but as Keishin's grin returns I trail off. I smile brightly back up at him, happy to see his mood returning, eyes set in his. I stare at him in silence, his beauty still enthralling me.

"Okay!" I say loudly, slightly awkward stuck in silence, "You're doing well, I'm very proud of you, and I am sure everyone else who knows you well thinks the same. Don't let some person you used to go to high school with make you feel bad about yourself, they don't know anything about you."

He smiles and lowly asks, "Can you say it again?"

"What?" I furrow my brows again, " 'Don't feel bad for yourself because people suck and they don't know anything about you' ?"

"Tell me you love me," he says, his eyes making sure to meet mine. 

"Mh," I hum while leaning forward, my eyes set in his, "I like you Keishin."