ROADSIDE FLOWERS ( t. kageyama )

xi. willow tree

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roadside flowers.
chapter 10: willow tree

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there's only a week left before the winter cup.

everybody is busy. yukari-senpai and i have cleaned the lockers and prepared the banner. the situation is tenser than i have anticipated. sometimes, i catch the regulars staring out into the air, spaced out and apprehensive for what's to come.

"teruko!" i turn to rintaro who's waving at me from the bench, the same seemingly perpetual grin present on his face.

rintaro was an exception. being the literal ball of sunshine he was. his face was matted with sweat as per usual, the tiny drops glistening under the bits of sunlight streaming through the glass windows of the gymnasium. i head to him at my usual pace despite his yelling for me to hasten and hand him a towel.

nijimura-senpai slaps him playfully in the back. "hey brat," our upperclassman says with a glare. "don't pressure our manager."

"it's okay, senpai," rintaro tells him cheerfully and i evade his shoulders with a sidestep before he can sling them on me. "teruko and i are best friends."

nijimura-senpai raises an eyebrow and turns to me. i whittle under his gaze and avert it. "h-he decided that for himself."

"figures," nijimura-senpai says and slaps rintaro in the back again. it appears as if he has more things to say, but taiyou-senpai calls him to discuss something.

rintaro grins sheepishly at me and i return his smile. half of the time, i am uncomfortable with his advances, but the other half i don't mind it. underneath all of his touchy feely attitude is someone who understands some portions of what i'm going through and someone i can rely on.

in fact, the day i skipped class as a result of the ache from my parents separating, rintaro handled the practice by himself and even delivered notes to my house. i thanked him profusely even though i went back the next day and found piles atop piles of unwashed towels that reeked of vinegar and sweat.

i did not bother asking.

yukari-senpai calls for the regular members since our opponents from another school are arriving for a practice match.

"do your best," i tell rintaro before he leaves.

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"hey teruko, isn't that your crush from the volleyball team?"

yukari-senpai and taiyou-senpai are giving me the list of things to purchase for tomorrow when rintaro's ever saccharine filled voice draws our attention.

"teruko-chan has a crush?" yukari-senpai asks, beaming at me with her perfect pearly white teeth. i try not to squint. i have been acquainted with yukari-senpai's overwhelming beauty for months and yet i still have difficulty basking in her radiance.

"i-it's nothing, senpai," i answer, backing away from the pair and to rintaro whose shoes i have accidentally stepped on. "i'll stop by the convenience store just like you asked."

"hmm... i want to see," she skips toward rintaro and me, ignoring my earlier statements. she directs her gaze to th entrance of the gymnasium, taking a look at the boys of the volleyball club gathered outside. "who is it? a first year? or a second year?"

"it's a first year, senpai," rintaro answers and my foot is still on top of his so i press. he yelps and yukari-senpai looks at us quizzically, but i only bestow her a small smile in response. rintaro had accidentally seen me gawking at tobio-kun and his lame black hoodie with matching shades and had immediately entertained the thoughts that i had fancied someone in the volleyball club.