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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
rin. The next day was a lot more chill, way more normal than the chaos of yesterday.
When I taught Aikawa the basics of volleyball, it turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected.
I was a bit skeptical at first, especially since she asked me so suddenly, and we had never really talked before. Heck, I didn't even know her name until Osamu mentioned her.
But Aikawa turned out to be nice and friendly. She picked up the basics quickly, and we laughed a lot during practice.
I showed her how to serve, and even though she missed a bunch at first, she didn't get frustrated.
Instead, she'd laugh it off and try again, which made the whole experience feel relaxed and enjoyable.
At lunch, I was in the cafeteria with my friends, as usual. For some reason, I didn't feel like eating my bento, just pushing it around on my tray.
"Quit playing with your food, moron." Osamu said, chewing his lunch with a mouthful of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." I shot back, watching him swallow hastily. "You're gross." I added.
Out of nowhere, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to see Aikawa Mai standing there, flashing a friendly smile.
"Hi, Suna." she said, and then sat down next to me, which made my heart skip a beat. I glanced around, nervous about being the center of attention since Aikawa is pretty popular at our school, and her fanboys can be intense.
"Oh, hi." I replied, trying to sound casual. "So... I was thinking about doing volleyball lessons at my place." she started, but Atsumu interrupted by choking on his food.
I shot him a disgusted look as he coughed and spluttered, but he was fine.
"Anyway," Aikawa continued like nothing happened, "I've got a huge backyard, so we can probably just play there."
I had to think about this. I'd never been to a girl's house before, especially not a girl like Aikawa. She's a big deal at our school, always surrounded by friends and admirers.
The idea of going to her place made me nervous. I hesitated, trying to play it cool. "Uh, sure?" I finally said.
Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Bet. Here's my number, and I'll message you the address." she said, looking around for something to write with.
"Shoot, do you have a pen and paper?" she asked, scanning our table. Did she forget we all have phones?
"I have a pen!" Ginjima said, reaching into his bag and handing it to her. "Thanks, Shinji." Aikawa replied.
"She knows my name..." Ginjima mumbled to himself, touching his chest like he'd just been blessed. "That's not your name, asshole." Osamu said flatly, shaking his head.
Atsumu, never missing a chance to stir the pot, chimed in, "You can write your number on Suna's hand, I'm sure he doesn't mind."
I glared at Atsumu, who just winked at me, acting like my self-appointed wingman (which I definitely didn't need).
Aikawa looked at me with a hint of concern. "Is that okay? I really don't want to vandalize your hand." she asked.
I nodded, acting nonchalant. "I don't mind." I said. She gently took my hand and started writing her number on my palm.
My skin tingled where the pen touched, and I could feel my face heating up. I glanced at my friends, who were all watching with wide grins and teasing looks.
"There, all done." she said, finishing with a flourish. "I'll message you later." she added, her smile warm and genuine.
"Alright." I replied, trying to sound casual but probably failing. As she walked away, I couldn't help but watch her, feeling the nerves kick in.
Turning back to my friends, I saw they were all smirking at me. "What?" I asked, trying to sound annoyed but knowing I couldn't fool them.
"You've got it bad, man." Osamu said, laughing. "Shut up." I muttered, stuffing my hands in my pockets.
"Suna, I'd kill to be you right now." Atsumu said, rolling his eyes. "What's so special about getting her number? It's not like we're gonna talk every day." I replied, trying to downplay the sitation.
"She literally gave her number in the old school way! Man, I really hope you feel blessed." Atsumu smacks his forehead as Osamu agreed.
"Honestly, everyone would kill to be Suna right now. Look around." Ginjima said, glancing around the cafeteria.
I followed his gaze and noticed that almost everyone was looking at me. I couldn't tell if they were envious or just curious, but the death glares from the basketball team were hard to miss. I sighed and looked back at my untouched bento.
"It's just for volleyball reasons. We're not even friends." I said, hoping to make them drop the subject. "Come on, Suna. You're going to Aikawa Mai's house! She has a whole mansion. Did you not know that?" Ginjima asked, eyes wide with excitement.
"How was I supposed to know? I barely know her." I replied, shaking my head. The reality of the situation was sinking in, and I felt a mix of anxiety and anticipation.
Osamu leaned in, smirking. "Man, you're in for a surprise. Her place is like something out of a movie. Huge backyard, swimming pool, the works."
Atsumu nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and she's inviting you over. That's not something she does every day."
"Well, it's just for volleyball practice. It's not like we're having a party or anything."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Atsumu said with a grin. "But just wait. You're gonna see a whole different side of her."
As they continued to tease me, I glanced down at my palm where Aikawa's number was written.
Something caught my eye—a tiny heart added next to her number. My eyes widened, and I quickly put my hand down on the table, trying to act normal.
Why did she have to add a heart? That's... weird, I thought, my mind racing. "Hey, Suna, you good?" Osamu asked, noticing my sudden change in demeanor.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I replied, trying to sound casual. But I couldn't stop thinking about that little heart. What did it mean?
Atsumu smirked, catching the brief glimpse of my palm. "What's that, Suna? Did she leave you a love note or something?"
"Shut up, Atsumu." I muttered, feeling my face heat up. Ginjima leaned over, trying to get a look. "Come on, show us! What did she write?"
I shook my head and clenched my fist. "It's nothing. Just her number." I insisted, though my mind kept drifting back to that heart. Was I reading too much into it?
As the bell rang, ending lunch, I gathered my things, still feeling the weight of my friends' teasing.
