Drama Between Schools; Haikyuu x Kuroko no Basketball

Part 6; Secrets and Support

The day had been surprisingly peaceful. Haizaki hadn't bothered me at all, most likely because Aomine had been by my side the entire time. It was a relief to have a break from the constant tension. But I knew it wouldn't last forever.

After school, Aomine had to use the bathroom, leaving me alone for the first time all day. As I waited outside the restroom, I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to find Haizkai cornering me, his familiar smirk plastered on his face.

"So, did you miss me today, Chibi-chan?" he asked, his tone still carrying that cocky edge.

I sighed, trying to keep my composure. "What do you want, Haizaki?"

He leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing. "About that letter...I'm sorry. I know I was a douche. I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

I looked away, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. "You think?" It was more of a demand than anything else. And it didn't help with how I feel about this whole situation."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm trying, okay? I don't know how to do this the right way. But I know I want to be with you."

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. His words were earnest, but the way he had gone about things was all wrong. "I don't know if we can be together, Shogo. My friends are important to me, and they really don't want us to be together."

He groaned, clearly frustrated. "Why do they get to decade? They don't know me like you do. I'm different from you."

Before I could respond, he continued, his voice softer this time. "Please, just give me a chance. I can be better. For you."

I hesitated, my heart pounding. Despite everything, there was a part of me that wanted to believe him. "Fine," I said quietly. "But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about us. Not yet."

He nodded reluctantly. "I promise."

Before I could second-guess my decision, he leaned in and kissed me. It was gentle but passionate, and for a moment, everything else faded away. When we finally pulled apart, we were both smiling, caught up in the moment.

"We should get practice," I said, breaking the silence.

Haizaki agreed, giving me one last lingering look before heading off to the gym. I waited for Aomine, feeling a mix of guilt and excitement. I wanted to tell him everything, but the words wouldn't come.

Aomine and I walked to practice, the afternoon sun casting long shadows on the ground. Aomine was in his usual good spirits, talking animatedly about some new basketball trick he was trying to perfect. He was being his goofy, basketball-loving self, but my mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, Mae, are you listening?" Aomine asked, nudging me gently with his elbow.

I snapped out of my thoughts and gave him a small smile. "Sorry, Aomine-chan. Just a lot on my mind."

He frowned, his expression shifting to concern. "You've been off today. What's going on? You can talk to me, you know."

I stayed silent, not sure how to explain everything that had happened with Haizaki. Aomine stopped walking and gently took my arm, making me face him.

"Look, Mae." he said, his voice serious yet gentle. "Whatever it is, whether it's about Haizaki or something else, I support you. If you want to be with him or if you decide to stay away from him, I've got your back. A hundred percent."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Knowing Aomine supported me no matter what lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "Thank you, Aomine-chan. That means a lot."

Impulsively, I hugged him, catching him off guard. He stood there, stunned for a moment, before he awkwardly wrapped his arms around me, blushing and stuttering. "Y-yeah, no problem," he mumbled, trying to act nonchalant.

I pulled away, smiling at his flustered expression. "You're a good friend, Aomine-chan."

He scratched the back of his head, still red in the face. "Yeah, well, you're stuck with me. Now let's get to practice before we're late."

We walked into the gym together, and as soon as we entered, I noticed Haizaki watching us. For the first time, instead of his usual smirk, he gave me a genuine smile. It caught me off guard, but I couldn't help but smile back, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

Practice went on as usual, but there was an unspoken tension in the air. Satsuki and Aomine both glanced at me from time to time, clearly sensing something different. Haizaki, on the other hand, seemed more focused and determined than ever.

As I went about my duties as the team manager, I couldn't help but steal glances at Haizaki. His smile from earlier kept replaying in my mind. It was a reminder of the confusing, complicated feeling I was dealing with. But for now, I took comfort in knowing that, no matter what happened, I had friends who supported me.

Timeskip~

Practice ended, and the boys headed to the locker room to change. Satsuki and I slowly cleaned up the gym, putting away equipment and gathering water bottles. Satsuki kept glancing at me, clearly noticing something was off.

"Mae, you've been acting differently all day," she said, her voice laced with concern. "What's going on?"

I shook my head, avoiding her gaze. "Nothing, really. Just a lot on my mind."

Satsuki frowned, not satisfied with my vague answer. "Is it about Haizaki? Did he do something to you?"

I brushed off her questions, focusing on tidying up. "No, it's not that. Everything's fine, Satsuki."

She didn't look convinced but didn't push further for the moment. We continued cleaning, but I could feel her eyes on me, waiting for me to open up. After we finished, we headed to the changing rooms. Satsuki, persistent as ever, continued to pester me with questions.

"Mae, seriously. You can talk to me. What's going on with you and Haizaki?" she asked, her voice softer but still insistent.

I sighed, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Satsuki, I promise I'm fine. Just drop it, please."

Before she could say anything else, Aomine walked over, sensing the tension. "Hey, Satsuki, give Mae some space. She'll talk when she's ready."

Satsuki looked between us, clearly frustrated but nodded. "Fine. But I'm here if you need to talk, Mae."

Aomine suggested we all go out to eat, trying to lighten the mood, but I declined. "I think I'll just head home tonight. You guys have fun."

Aomine and Satsuki left with the rest of the team, leaving me and Haizaki alone in the gym. AS the others disappeared, Haizaki walked over to me, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Ready to go?" he asked, his voice low and confident.

I nodded, and we walked out of the gym together. Hazaki put his arm around me, pulling me close as we made our way home. The contact was comforting, even though my mind was still a whirlwind of confusion.

We made slow conversation, talking about school and practice, avoiding the heavier topics. As we approached my house, the atmosphere grew more intimate.

"Goodnight, Mae," Haizaki said, his voice softer than usual.

He leaned down, giving me a sweet, lingering kiss. My heart fluttered, and despite everything, I couldn't help but smile.

"Goodnight, Shogo," I whispered, feeling a mix of emotions as I turned to go inside.

As I closed the door behind me, I leaned against it, trying to process everything. The day had been overwhelming, but the kiss had left me with a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, things could work out.