take a chance with me | ushijima wakatoshi

chapter twelve - wonderstruck

Science Garden, Shiratorizawa's Greenhouse. 8:02 pm

Ushijima's POV

I have never doubted or worried about most things in life because everything happened for a reason. I learned volleyball from my father and listened stories about the reliable ace he played with a long time ago. I thought that I want to be like that person and worked hard to become someone reliable, someone good and somewhere along the way I fell in love with volleyball.

The moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew she was someone I want to work hard for. I wasn't sure of my own feelings yet but being with her for only just a moment felt right, I felt my exhaustion lift off from my shoulder when she had her delicate hands on mine. I made a promise to myself to work as hard as I did volleyball with Yoshida Sana's heart.

I was deep in my thoughts until I felt a hand slightly wrap onto my biceps, rubbing it as as a sign of reassurance until a soft voice began to speak up. "Wakatoshi-kun, you seemed to be thinking about something. What's on your mind?"

I turned my head to her voice, looking down. I noticed her cheeks redden from the cold weather and her hand still on my biceps. "Damn, I don't think my heart could take this. She's just too cute." 

"I was just thinking how... " my words got stuck in my throat because I was too shy to compliment her, swallowed my saliva before continuing. "How cute you look right now." I heaved in relief after being able to tell her out loud.

"So you don't think I look cute before or yesterday? Did I look disgusting yesterday?" she asked me in a sullen tone, pouting in sadness with her big shiny eyes then letting go of my hand while walking ahead of me.

Oh my god, did I just screw up on my official first to try to win her heart? Of course I would suck at this since it was my first time talking to a girl I like but this badly? Have I always been this dumb at anything other than volleyball? I have never thought of it until this very moment.

She was walking slowly so I chased after her by running with little steps to catch up to her. "You looked beautiful yesterday and today. You are beautiful, Sana." I told her sincerely. 

She was still pouting and then she started grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I was just messing with you, Wakatoshi-kun. Ehehehehehe, good save though!" she started crackling by herself while running away from me.

"Aren't you tired, Sana? Don't run too much! I meant what I said!" I again chased after her while raising my voice a little to make sure only she heard me. 

She seemed exhausted when we were sitting at the bench and now she had this sudden burst of energy. She stopped running abruptly and almost got in my way as I also tried to stop. I held both her shoulders, worried that I accidentally hurt her.

"Are you hurt, Sana? Did I bump into you too hard?" I asked while trying to take a look at her face. She was just smiling at me, scrunching her nose. Was she still messing with me? 

"Wakatoshi-kun, can you say that last thing again?" she sounded needy while pulling my shirt playfully.

"Are you hurt?"

"Not that one, the other one!"

"Don't run too much?"

"Also not the one! Before that!"

"You are beautiful, Sana. Is that the one?"

"Yep, that's the one!" she semi hugged me and then I pulled her into a full tight embrace.

"You're comfy. It's like a teddy bear but alive and hot." she whispered while snuggling in my chest. 

"Hot? You mean warm?" I was a little confused by what she meant by it. I heard some girls call me that before and Tendo explained it to me before that it was a compliment. Hot means good looking. Does she think I'm good looking?

"It can mean both, Wakatoshi-kun." she looked up to me, got closer to my face and booped my nose quickly after pulling away from me. I stood there, frozen because it all happened so fast.

"Come on, Wakatoshi-kun! Cafeteria is going to close and you're walking too slow!" she yelled while giggling at my frozen stance. She was definitely having the time of her life teasing me. 

I stayed quiet while catching up to her, smiling at her silliness.