The Colorful Crow

15

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I made my way into my futon and snuggled into it, ready for a good night's sleep. It didn't take long for me to fall into a deep sleep. I'm so good at sleeping. If there was a job that required sleeping, I think I would be the best at it.

I woke up pretty late and saw that no one was in the room. I sat up and rubbed the sleepiness from my eyes. I got up and did the morning routine. Just before I left, I took a roll of bandages and wrapped them around my knee. It would provide some support and stop the bleeding quicker if the wound opened up again.

"Oh, good! You're awake. A certain someone has been waiting patiently to see you." Kiyoko grinned.

Her and I talked a bit and it turns out that her and I are pretty alike, in most ways.

"Tell him I'm on my way." I giggled, tying my shoes.

The door closed as Kiyoko walked back down the stairs. I followed soon after, being extra careful on the stairs. They have become my mortal enemy.

I walked up the hill where Yū and I had gotten together. It has become a regular meeting spot for the two of us without the coaches or my brother finding out.

"Psst, Yū!" I whispered loudly.

A pair of arms slithered around my waist and almost made me scream.

"Hey." he chuckled.

"You scared the crap out of me!" I giggled

"I can make it up to you." Yū offered.

"Oh, really?" I replied with a sarcastic tone.

He let go of me and spun me around to face him.

"Yes, I can. They let us have today off to rest and go visit the city. I can take you if you want." he wiggled his eyebrows.

"What's with your eyebrows?" I said, barely being able to contain my amusement.

"I thought that it would help me convince you. Seems like it may have worked." he smiled.

"Geez, Yū. I didn't need to be convinced. Of course I'll go with you." I rolled my eyes with an airy laugh.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" he chanted, pulling at my arm like an enthusiastic child.

"Alright, give me a minute so I can go grab my wallet and bag." I chided.

"No, no, no! I'm a man! A man doesn't let a woman pay for anything or carry anything." he affirms, puffing out his chest to make himself look buff.

I poke his chest, causing him to breathe out and deflate his chest.

"And I'm a considerate woman who takes others' feelings into consideration." I jeer.

I walk back towards my dorm and return to the disgruntled libero within minutes.

"Oh come on," I push his shoulder.      "You don't have to do everything yourself." I say with a slight consoling tone.

"Tanaka is going to yell at me." he said, trying to make some sort of excuse.

"Then the next time he rips of his shirt to yell at you I'll throw a volleyball at him." I decided.

"You wouldn't." Yū scoffed.

"Watch me." I whisper, turning on my heel and heading to the exit of the campus.

"Ren, wait up!" he called after me.

We raced each other to the gate, neither of us letting the other get the lead. Both of us finished basically at the same time. From there, we walked into the city. Today was a relatively good day to visit the city. The temperature was warm, the wind was blowing and my hand was being held by someone I love. I scrunch my eyes together as I smile and hug Yū's arm to my chest. I leaned my head on his shoulder and let out a small giggle.

"Thanks for taking me out here." I hummed.

"Thank you for coming with me." he replied, leaning his head on my own.

As we walked deeper into the city, we came across a street market. Each stall was totally different and filled with a variety of unique things. One stand caught my attention because I saw a soccer ball. I let go of Yū's hand and jet towards the ball. I picked it up to examine it, giving the stall manager a quick smile.

The ball was a deep black, so black that, in fact, looked blue. There were thin ribbons of blue on random patches of the ball. The rubbery texture of a new ball in my hands wad indescribable. I toss the ball slightly in the air, giving it some backspin. It fell back in my hands with a ping. The ball was over-inflated but that could be easily fixed.

"I'm going to take it that you really like it, huh?" Yū concluded.

My eyes gave it away. I loved the ball. I'm not a material girl, but you could totally lure me into a creepy van with new soccer stuff.

"How much?" Yū and I said in unison.

"No, I'm buying it for you." he stated.

"I'm not going to let you! I'll feel guilty." I admitted.

"It's what boyfriends are supposed to do." he insisted.

Yū admitting that in public made my cheeks flush a bright red. In my state of blubbering bashfulness, Yū bought the ball and walked me away from the stall.

"This is not over." I proclaimed.

"Yes it is." he objected.

"Well now I feel guilty. I owe you now and you can't say anything that will make me feel my different." I mumbled.

"I know a way you can repay me." he said devilishly.

"What?" I asked.

Being in my innocent mindset, I couldn't see anything coming.

"You could kiss me?" he uttered.

Once again, I was turned into a blubbering mess.

"Then, maybe, I could kiss you? But you don't have to if you don't want to. It was a suggestion and not a demand. I could never demand anything of you, you would kick my ass and it would be unmanly of me." Yū rambled quickly.

Half holding in laughter and half not trying to explode from embarrassment, I put my hand on his cheek and leaning in.

"Uh, uh! No way, Jóse! Hold yer horses! Slow yer roll, buckaroo!" I heard before a hand was placed on my lips.

Reflexively, out of being surprised, I pulled my hand from Yū's cheek and accidentally hit whomever it was as I pulled my hands closer to my body. After a couple of seconds, the face registered and I knew who stepped between Yū and I.

"Tobio!!!" I shouted in anger (dude I was ready for that kiss) and embarrassment.

Suddenly, I was more worried about what I was missing. My ball. The ball that Yū spent his money on for me! My head swiveled around before it caught a glimpse of that ball that was so black it looked blue.

"Mine." I growled under my breath.

I ran towards the ball, picked it up and was back fuming a Tobio before he even knew I was gone. I looked him up and down, an evil glint in my eyes.

He was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, sunglasses and a baseball cap.

"What the hell are you wearing!? It's like 70° out! And more importantly, why the hell are you here!?" I bellowed.

A few heads may have turned, but who cares! At the moment, Tobio is separating me and a kiss from my beloved.

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Swageyama Tobiyolo appears!