star-crossed | HQ

会 (club)

Chapter 7 - 会 (club)

As the bell rang, I hurried to the textiles room with my face still hot from earlier. (I wonder why he didn't say my name...)

I excused myself as I entered the textiles room, the teacher smiling at me.

"Gah!" As I opened the cupboards, all the kitbags I put there earlier fell on me, burying me in them. The teacher laughed while the boy who was in the room helped me up and handed me the bags (what a gentleman).

"Are you okay?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks." I chuckled, dusting myself off (more like brushing off loose threads from the floor that got stuck to me).

"Do you need help with those?"

"No I'm good thank you." I smiled and bowed politely as I somehow managed to fit them all in my arms along with my schoolbag, bowing again as I left the room, the teacher still snickering (maybe I should've accepted his offer).

I wobbled to the stairs praying my foot wouldn't slip as I couldn't see my feet. Luckily the corridors and stairs weren't very busy as everyone was in club. Slowly but surely, I made my was down a floor, sighing in relief I didn't fall (touchwood). I took another step down when one bag started to slip (oh god), I juggled to try and keep it balanced, but then another one slipped and another until they all fell out my arms, tumbling down the stairs (I knew it was too good to be true). I groaned aloud as I picked up the bags one by one, step by step. About half way, there was a tall boy, probably third year, with pale hazel, kind of orange in a weird way, short hair and brown eyes, holding the rest of the bags in his arms. We met eyes and I recognised him from the volleyball club.

"Hello." Was the first thing I said (wHY AM I LIKE THIS). He blinked in surprise and greeted me back.

"I saw these falling down the stairs and thought I'd help out..?" He explained.

"Thank you very much, they slipped from my arms." I laughed sheepishly, about to scratch the back of my head if it wasn't for the boy warning me. He offered to carry them to club, which I gratefully accepted. "I'm very sorry for any trouble."

"No it's fine, I was on my way to club anyway." He dismissed with a smile. "I'm Hanamaki Takahiro, or Makki."

"I'm Hoshino Jahina, or Jahina or Hoshi- or whatever!" I grinned. We walked to club in relative silence as I didn't want him to be more late than he was.

"You did a great job on these by the way, they look amazing!" He complimented as my cheeks flushed red and I almost dropped the bags again, thanking him quickly. "And it was only yesterday we gave these to you right?"

"Yup."

"Wow! You must've worked really hard."

"I-It was nothing! I'm glad I could help!" I stammered, thanking him again. He laughed at my excessive formalities as we walked into the gym (checking that no ball was going to smack me in the face again).

"Sorry I'm late~ Got caught up in class and had to help Hoshi-San with the kitbags." Hanamaki called out as we walked in.

"That's fine."

I bowed to the coaches as we entered, I hastily followed after Hanamaki as he made his way through the gym with the bags. We dropped them on a bench, Hanamaki jogging to his team where they were all stood together stretching. I took this moment to go to the coaches and bid my goodbye and 'thank you for having me and sorry for any trouble I may have caused'. The older coach was sat there and smiled as I walked over. Just as I was about to speak, he cut me off.

"We've been looking for an assistant manager alongside Coach Mizoguchi and I, and you seem to fit the job. That is, if you're not in a club already." He proposed to me as I stood there blinking in confusion. Me? (I looked around in case he was actually talking to someone else...) "Haha, of course I'm talking to you!" He chuckled while I bowed in embarrassment profusely, my face burning red.

"If it would be no trouble having me..."

His face lit up as he smiled at me. "Welcome to the boys volleyball club, assistant manager Hoshino."