𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋. hq

「omake」: frappuccino

i really wanted to write about these four in university and somehow i couldn't resist. enjoy!

please note that this is part one of two consecutive omakes. also, if you feel contented about the open ending i left and would rather have things stay as they are, you might want to stop reading.

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星野 実
m i n o r u h o s h i n o

               "Minoru, remember how I said that I've been hanging out with Hajime a lot, since we're in the same university; that I even come over to his apartment pretty often?" Aiko brought the topic up when we went out for coffee.

"Oh, that time when I asked you if you'd be willing to waltz inside just any guy's house knowing that you two will be alone" I recalled the time I attempted to give her some awareness.

We were in our second year in our university and I couldn't help but notice how the two have been a lot closer than I could ever imagine. They used to be at each other's throats, but ever since that time when Iwaizumi carried Aiko to the infirmary, she gradually opened up to him and I couldn't help but feel proud, despite knowing she hated Oikawa along with that best friend of his. Soon enough, when they got into the same university the two bonded pretty closely to the point that they even call each other by their first name.

Aiko continued, adding sugar and cream to her iced coffee. "Yeah. Well, I wouldn't go in just any guy's room if it wasn't him. I'm not that stupid. But when I realized I started to think that way I found out that—"

"You like him!" I finished her sentence for her, a smile forms on my mouth.

"Ye— Noru! Stop smiling I'm getting embarrassed"  a slight tint of red made its way on her cheeks.

"And then what happened?" I asked her, motioning for her to continue her story.

"Well, that was a year ago. I was completely fine with staying as we are because I'm honestly comfortable being with him even if we're friends" She tells me, and I patiently wait for her to continue. "But, jst a few weeks ago, I heard a junior confess to him, and that really scared the hell out of me, because if he gets a girlfriend then it wouldn't be possible for me to stick around as much as I used to. So, because of that, I kept running away from him in hopes that I won't hear about how he earned himself a girlfriend—"

"That is so you" I state simply, sipping on my frappuccino.

"In the end, he noticed and invited me to his place. Thinking that it would probably the last time he'd invite me, I agreed. And then we hung out as usual. We were midway the movie we were watching when I couldn't focus anymore and I asked him if he had something to tell me" Aiko says holding her drink in her hand and taking a sip before continuing. "And then he kissed me and I was so surprised I didn't move an inch. 'Don't you have a girlfriend now?' I asked him and he told me that he rejected her and that I was the reason why. Then I beat him to it and asked him if he wanted to go out with me. The end" she narrated trying her best not to blush as she told me what happened.

Aiko said it in a way where you could see how hard she was trying to look calm when in fact she was all happy and ecstatic on the inside. It was adorable seeing her like this. And I was more than glad that it was Iwaizumi who she was going out with and not just some random guy.

"I am so happy for you" I tell her supportively. "Especially that it's Iwaizumi we're talking about. He'll take care of you, no doubt. He's a good guy"

"He's a dork, sometimes" she chuckles. "He tries to act cool all the time, but when I do something unexpected, it's rare but there are times he ends up loosing his composure and it's really adorable."

"Good for you" I tease watching her reply to message the same guy probably sent.

               "Noru, Hajime and that turd are nearby. They said they want to meet you too, so they're coming over—" Aiko tells me, and at the mention of Oikawa I immediately yearn to retreat.

"Ah. I have an appointment after this—" I lie almost immediately and Aiko seems to have caught me red handed.

"Huh? I thought said you're free today?" she asks and I give her a look. She caught on almost immediately.

"I could punch him for you, you know that right?" Aiko refers to Oikawa and tells me without any hesitation.

"It's not his fault— I'll explain it to you next time!" I say, gathering my things and grabbing my drink as I stood up preparing to leave.

"I missed you, Aiko. I'll see you soon".

"Take care" she tells me, staying seated. "I'll make an excuse for you."

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               When I was alone, I always seem to brood over the question a particular brunette asked me.

"Noru-chan, can I finally stop waiting?"

Ever since what Oikawa asked a week ago, I've been avoiding him like a plague. Honestly, I knew how Aiko felt when she started evading Iwaizumi due to their small misunderstanding but in my case, steering clear from Oikawa like this had already become a habit. Well, just a few more years and I hope I'll get to move on again like I once did. 'It couldn't possibly be that hard since we are in different universities,' I attempt to convince myself at the thought of moving on.

We were close. Emphasis on the past tense, since I believe that we probably wouldn't be that close after that.

I liked Oikawa, I really did. In fact, when I heard that he was willing to wait for an answer back when he asked me out on our third year in high school, I was beyond relieved. And yet I knew that staying friends 'till now was all just due to my selfishness.

I was cruel. No wonder I fucked up this bad.

When you like someone and take them for granted you never know when you'd lose them. I was comfortable with how we were but then again I never knew it'd result to this. I was losing him the second time around but I know this time, he was not mine to begin with.

It shouldn't be that surprising that one would lose their patience after waiting for all this time. Then again, when he said that he'd wait, maybe it wasn't all that serious. After all, he stopped his flirtatious antics thereafter.

We were just friends. We met each other from time to time, just us two, sometimes with Iwaizumi and Aiko, or even his old volleyball teammates. He would call me when he had something to say, whether it was about something good he ate or some of his struggles he encountered in club. We exchanged messages everyday, and it's been part of our routine to greet each other good morning and good night.

'Stupid,' I scolded myself one more time knowing that this time, I had no right to feel bad knowing that I brought this upon myself.