Love Me Harder // MatsuHana.

thirteen

The day before their date, everything seemed normal at practice, or at least it should have. Matsukawa and Hanamaki were doing what they always did-teasing each other, laughing at stupid inside jokes, and playing volleyball. To everyone else, they were the same duo they'd always been. But under the surface, things were different.

There was an unspoken tension between them, something that neither of them acknowledged out loud. Matsukawa kept glancing at Hanamaki during drills, eyes lingering a little longer than usual. Hanamaki, on the other hand, was trying his best not to look nervous.

His heart was doing flips every time Matsukawa was near, which was basically the entire practice. He didn't know why the idea of a date with Matsukawa had him so on edge-they'd been best friends forever. But now, the thought of spending time alone with him, after the kiss, felt like uncharted territory.

They were both good at playing it cool, though. They had to be, or the rest of the team would notice. So, they kept their usual back-and-forth banter going, pretending nothing had changed.

During a blocking drill, Matsukawa stepped up next to Hanamaki, their shoulders brushing. "Try not to look so nervous, Makki," Matsukawa whispered, his voice teasing but low enough that no one else could hear.

Hanamaki shot him a look, rolling his eyes. "I'm not nervous," he muttered, though the quick glance he gave Matsukawa betrayed him. His pulse quickened as their eyes met, and he had to force himself to focus on the drill.

"Uh-huh," Matsukawa smirked, blocking the ball with a solid thud. "You've barely insulted me today. That's how I know something's off."

Hanamaki huffed, trying to shake off the feeling. He didn't want to admit how much that kiss had been playing on his mind, or how the idea of their date had him second-guessing everything. "You're imagining things, Matsun," he said, but the usual sharpness in his tone was missing.

They both managed to keep up appearances for most of practice, but there were moments. Small moments where their eyes would meet across the court, and the tension would creep back in. Or when they'd pass each other the ball, and their fingers would brush just a little too long. Hanamaki swore his heart would explode every time Matsukawa gave him one of those knowing looks.

By the time practice was wrapping up, Hanamaki was exhausted-not from the physical activity, but from trying to keep cool. They were gathered at the net, finishing up the last few rotations when Matsukawa made his move. He sidled up next to Hanamaki, just as the rest of the team was distracted with Coach's instructions.

"Tomorrow night," Matsukawa murmured, leaning in close enough that Hanamaki could feel the warmth of his breath. "Don't forget."

Hanamaki swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He gave a quick nod, keeping his eyes on the ball in his hands. "I won't," he replied, voice steady even though his pulse was anything but.

Matsukawa grinned, nudging him lightly with his elbow before moving back to his spot. Hanamaki couldn't help but glance over, watching as Matsukawa settled into his usual cool and collected posture. The guy was impossible-effortlessly calm while Hanamaki was over here trying not to combust.

By the time practice ended, Hanamaki felt like he'd run a marathon. He grabbed his water bottle and towel, avoiding Matsukawa's gaze as they all began to gather their things. His nerves were on edge, but he couldn't help the excitement that bubbled underneath. Tomorrow night was the date, and no matter how much he tried to downplay it, it was Matsukawa.

As they were leaving the gym, Matsukawa casually slung his arm around Hanamaki's shoulders, acting like everything was normal. "You sure you're ready for tomorrow, Makki?" he teased, his voice just loud enough for Hanamaki to hear, but not enough to draw any suspicion from the others.

Hanamaki forced a laugh, playing along as he shrugged Matsukawa's arm off. "I should be asking you that. Hope you don't mess it up, Matsun."

Matsukawa smirked, his hand brushing lightly against Hanamaki's as they walked. "Don't worry. I never mess up."

Hanamaki rolled his eyes, but the grin on his face was impossible to hide. Despite all the nerves, all the weird tension, there was still something undeniably them in the way they interacted. Maybe that's why, even though they were both quietly freaking out, neither of them was backing out of the date.

As they parted ways, Hanamaki felt the weight of the day settle in. His heart was still racing, but beneath the nerves, there was a flutter of excitement. Tomorrow was a big deal-even if they both pretended it wasn't. And as Matsukawa disappeared around the corner, Hanamaki couldn't help but smile to himself.

Whatever tomorrow held, he was ready. Sort of. Maybe.