SUPERMARKET FLOWERS ( t. oikawa )

00 | the boy and the girl, now

SWEAT MATTED THE LUSCIOUS WAVES OF CARAMEL ON HER BACK TO HER NAPE. Her breath is rapid, contorted, and the ball trembles on her grasp. She raises her arms, throws the volleyball with her left and with force, hits the ball with her right hand. It trembles as it sails past the net and lands softly on the wooden floor. The way it bounces against the floor, and the sound that comes from it is the only sound that is heard throughout the expanse of the Aoba Johsai gymnasium.

Well, not until, hands collide together in resounding claps and the brown haired boy cheers. It is childlike and obnoxious but Akatsuki Mana remains unfeeling and her eyes only look at the volleyball. It has stopped bouncing, it is still like a rock and she walks towards it to pick it up and practice another serve.

"You were great, Mana!" he says as he saunters towards her and encircles her waist with his hands. He rests his face on her collarbone and there is a sharp intake of air that comes from her.

"Nothing less from my adorable pupil slash girlfriend!" he announces after he parts with her collarbone.

"Thank you," the way she says it is so cold that anyone would be offended. Oikawa doesn't though, he merely ruffles her hair and laughs awkwardly. His laughter is big and hearty and it resonates throughout the entirety of the gymnasium, it bounces on the corners and crashes against the windows.

"What would you like to do?" he asks her. "Do you want me to teach you how to serve?"

She shakes her head in dismissal, writhing from his grip and picking up the volleyball. "I just killed time."

"Hmm..."

She places the volleyball back on its proper place and she stands on the entrance. Oikawa follows suit and before they truly leave the gymnasium, he interlaces her fingers with her.

"Let's go to that coffee shop we went to last week," he suggests and she only answers with a nod. Mana likes that coffee shop. There, she can enjoy the company of books and coffee. The silence there is endearing and the way it envelops her is pleasant. Truth be told, she didn't mean to take Oikawa there on their date last week. It was a sanctuary void of the storm named Oikawa Tooru. It was something he hasn't ruined yet.

She doesn't like the idea of going there with him, but she knows that if she disagrees, he'll only pester her into agreeing. It is always like this. He is in control; she is only a marionette whose strings are handled by the monster named Oikawa Tooru. The man disguised the attachment of strings and called it courting. And when she agreed, she cannot let go. She has fallen to deep and attempting to climb up again is almost impossible.

"Let's walk," he says.

"Why?"

"Because it's more romantic that way!"

She doesn't respond and merely nods. From her pocket, she gets a mauve colored string and ties her hair to a ponytail. Her nape feels free and her hair has stopped moisting itself with the salty liquid. In the process, her hands are removed from Oikawa and she notices the frown that spread on his face.

"Let's go," he says coldly.

She bites her lower lip at the foolish course of action. She shouldn't have spoiled the mood. Now he is done pretending like he is still the dotting boyfriend, now his mask has melted and they are back to the reality he always insists to keep from her. As if she is blind; as if she is a mute.

Nothing will be solved now, so Mana walks in front of him and doesn't look back. Pedestrians join them in crossing the road and the traffic lights as it's always supposed to. Cars honk and smoke coming from cigarettes and street stalls envelop the atmosphere. Various perfumes clash, and Mana can't help but wrinkle her nose in disgust. She rummages through her pockets for something to cover her nose, but it is in vain. The handkerchief is nowhere to be seen.