Vivid Bad Squad Polyship (Slow Burn)

City Library

"Good morning, Shiraishi-san. I was wondering if you were free this afternoon."

Toya officially begins playing the girls (don't tell him I phrased it like that). The afternoon outing with Kohane was a side of her he had never seen before. While at first reserved and cautious about her opinions on Seventh Cicada, the rambles of a true fan were soon revealed. As he got brain freeze in the chilly spring weather, he marveled at her feverish monologues. Eventually, she ran out of opinions and drank her smoothie, allowing Toya's floodgates to then open, revealing his own display of theories, hot-takes, and ships, so many ships. Kohane was beginning to see the queer as he broke down the main pairing's interactions in one scene and turned that into ten minutes of analysis.

After they left, Toya let his true emotions show. He felt exhilarated, and this is Toya we're talking about. He found someone that (mostly) gets it! Even more so, he felt a newfound hope for other people. Was there anything underneath the surface of any of his other friends that he didn't know, yet? Common passions he didn't know they shared? What about a certain Kamiyama lesbian...

"Hey, Toya-kun." She took her feet off the desk, brushing it off like she's not a hall monitor. "Yeah, I'm free. You want some extra practice or something?"

"If you're talking about practice exams for the final tests before summer, then yes."

An wasn't following. "Eeh? Summer's three months away..." She leaned back.

"It can't hurt to study, though." He leaned forward, dead serious.

"Yeah, that's good and all." She waved her hand and put her elbow on the desk. He realized he was treating her much like Akito, nagging him to study and such. "But what does that have to do with me being free this afternoon?"

Toya smirked the tiniest smirk imaginable. It still made An flinch. "Let's go to the library and study. I know a good one. It's quiet."

"Toya-kun~" she sighed, "Do I sound like the type of person who does well in libraries..?"

A classmate chimed in from across the room. "Don't take a test with Shiraishi-san! The pen clicking will drive you wild." An made a face at them.

Toya raised an eyebrow. Now he was only more curious for some reason. "If you don't want to go, we don't have to, but text me later if you'd like to catch the bus after school with me." She followed him with her eyes curiously as he left.

Guess who was waiting for Toya by the school gates?

...

Akito. "Yo."

"Hello, Akito."

"You wanna kill time before practice?"

"Sorry, I've got some studying to do. I won't be late though."

"It'd be hard to be late when you can get there from anyplace..." he mumbled. He turned to walk. "Welp, there's no helping that. Ja, mata--"

"Toya-kun. Hey!" An strolled up to them. "I thought a little about it and, if you don't mind helping me, studying together sounds good."

Toya nodded in acknowledgement. Akito frowned.

"That's okay with me. One of the best ways to learn is to teach." Akito cleared his throat, like he expected an introduction. Toya turned to him without missing a beat. "We're studying together this afternoon. I'd invite you to join, but..." He glanced at some expectant members of the soccer team. Akito crushed the jersey in his hands and glared at them. They cowered but remained.

"Do what you want."

An silently watched. Was Toya a cunning villain in a drama? Was she a pawn in some sort of romantic scheme or something? She doesn't want to be the love rival-- beaten, put-down, unlucky, hit by a bus!