courage dear heart | Yuki Ishikawa

51 -S.

Warning: smut

I chased Kaito through the halls, weaving between people and furniture as he laughed, darting just out of my reach.

We burst through the doors, out into the cold night air, and finally stopped outside the dormitory.

My breath was coming out in short puffs, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep warm.

Kaito leaned against the wall, still catching his breath, a grin plastered on his face. "Alright, alright, truce!" he called, holding up his hands. "I'll delete it, I swear."

I stopped a few feet away from him, crossing my arms. "You better," I muttered, glaring playfully.

He pulled out his phone, still chuckling. "Before that though..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips. "Mind keeping me company for a bit?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't really want to. It's freezing out here."

Without hesitation, he shrugged off his hoodie and handed it to me. "Here, take this. Now you have no excuse to leave."

I hesitated for a moment before taking the hoodie and pulling it over my head. It was oversized and warm, and it smelled like him—a mix of fresh air and something subtly spicy.

Kaito lit the cigarette and took a drag, his eyes flickering over to me as he exhaled slowly into the cold night. "There, now you won't freeze," he said, smirking as usual.

I leaned against the wall next to him, still wrapped up in his hoodie. "You better be quick," I muttered. "And make sure you delete that picture."

He laughed softly. "Yeah, yeah. After I finish."

Kaito took another drag of his cigarette and then, with a sly grin, held it out to me. "Wanna try?"

I shook my head, scrunching up my nose. "I don't smoke. And I'm not a fan of the smell, either."

He just chuckled softly, pulling it back. "Fair enough."

For a moment, the only sound was the faint crackle of the cigarette and the quiet night air. Then, he broke the silence. "So... how's it been? You know, being back. And what do you think about the Olympics coming up?"

I let out a small sigh, adjusting the oversized hoodie he'd given me as I thought about my answer. "It's been... strange," I admitted. "Everything feels different, but at the same time, it's like nothing has changed. I'm still trying to figure out what I really want—what I want to specialize in. And as for the Olympics... I'm just trying to take it as calmly as I can, not overthink it."

Kaito nodded, taking another drag before exhaling slowly. "That makes sense. You're still finding your way. It's normal. You just need to give yourself time to adjust, try new things..."

"You've got the talent, Nabi, no doubt about that. You could really go far with this."Kaito took another drag from his cigarette, the tip glowing brighter in the dim light.

He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl up into the night sky before turning back to me with that familiar teasing grin. "And hey, maybe you'll figure out you're best at being the cutest snowboarder out there."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his playful tone as always. "Thanks for the advice, Kaito," I said, staying focused on the conversation.

He laughed softly, clearly amused that I brushed off his flirt like usual, but he didn't push it. Instead, he tossed his cigarette into the nearby disposal bin, giving me a relaxed smile as he turned back toward me. "You'll figure it out. Just don't stress too much, okay?"