there for me | tsukishima kei

･:*+.chapter 15

i was currently at aoi's house, getting ready for the festival.

"oh, that's right!" aoi looked at me, remembering i don't have a kimono. she opened her closet.

"here, i think this one would look great on you." she handed me one of her kimonos.

"thanks." i let out a deep breath.

i went to her bathroom to put it on.

it was a white kimono, with flowers all over, in all shades of pink, and the obi was a hot pink.

i went back out to aoi's room to ask for help with tying the obi.

she suddenly put her hands over her mouth, shocked.

"wh- what? does it look horrendous on me?" i began to panic a little.

"of course not." she wiped a single tear, like always. "it looks so good on you. i never wore it because it doesn't look good on me." she came up to me and grabbed my hands.

i let out a sigh of relief. "does it really?" i asked scratching my cheek.

she grabbed my wrist, and pulled me to her mirror. she stood behind me, tying the string for my obi.

i looked at myself, suddenly thinking about tsukishima.

i hope he'll like it...

"done!" aoi grabbed my shoulders from behind, peeking over me. "now for your hair."

"hey, what about you? don't worry about me." i turned to her.

"don't worry about me." she wavered her hand. "i want to make sure that tsukishima gets nervous from the sight of you." she smirked.

"aoi!" i playfully punched her arm.

"hehe."

"wait...you'll be all alone?"

"nope. i'm gonna be with yamaguchi." she gave me a thumbs up.

"hmm?..." i grinned.

"wh- what is it?"

"you two have gotten awfully close ever since your little scheme you worked on together to get tsukishima and i closer."

"ew!! chill out. we're just friends." she looked away from me, thinking i wouldn't see her pink cheeks.

"then why are you blushi-" she stopped me, putting her hand over my mouth.

"shush!! now stay still, i'm trying to do your hair." she sighed.

she finished putting my hair into a bun, with a few loose strands in the front.

"last but not least, makeup!"

she went to grab her makeup bag before i could say anything.

"not too much, okay?"

"fine."

after she finished, she handed me a kinchaku (tiny purse) and zori (sandals to go with a kimono).

"lookie!" she pushed me to the mirror.

i looked at my makeup, which wasn't much just like i asked. i wore a minuscule amount of mascara, lip gloss, and blush.

"aoi..." i felt myself tearing up, extremely happy with the look she gave me.

"no!" she came in front of me. "don't cry, okay?! you can't ruin your makeup." she hissed.

"okay." i laughed, carefully wiping my tear.

~

"aoi! you look so cute!" i gave her a bright smile, after seeing her finished look.

her kimono was black, with purple butterflies and a purple obi.

"don't hype me up. i don't look as good as you." she shooed with her hand.

"you'll certainly impress someone..."

"enough!!" she cried, her face red. "let's go now before we're late!"

~

we seemed to have arrived a bit early, as tsukishima and yamaguchi were not here yet at our meeting spot.

"i'm so nervous..." i started, hugging aoi's arm. "what if this is too much?"

"of course it's not! you look amazing." she laughed.

"huh? what's so funny!?" i panicked.

"i can't wait to see tsukishima's reaction."

"shut up!!" i whined, letting go of her arm, giving her tiny punches.

"aoi!" i stopped when i heard a familiar voice close by.

i gulped, quickly reverting back to a normal position.

"yamaguchi, over here!!" aoi yelled back.

"hurry up, tsukki!"

they finally came into view.

"hey, don't rush me-" tsukishima stopped as his eyes landed on me.

noticing he did, i quickly looked away from him, becoming easily embarrassed. "hey."

"hey..." he rubbed the back of his neck, looking away too, trying to hide his red face.

i looked back at him, wanting to see what he was wearing. my blush grew an even darker shade realizing how cute he looked...

he wore a plain, dark green kimono. it wasn't much, but seeing him in something different for once made him look attractive.

"that color really suits you." i mumbled.

his face was enveloped in the color red, hearing my words. "thanks.." he said, turning back to me. "you look-"

"shall we go on now?!" aoi interrupted him excitedly.

"oh, yeah." i replied. i turned back to tsukishima to see his hand on his chest, taking a deep breath. "you okay?"

he simply nodded, avoiding eye contact once again.

"see you guys later." yamaguchi grabbed aoi's wrist, and led her the other way. i noticed her face turn a bright pink.

i let out a small laugh at the sight.

tsukishima flinched a little, seeing my laugh.

"let's go too!" i grabbed his hand, but stopped when i realized i had just done that....i got too carried away...

"s-sorry!!" i moved my hand away from his.

but he grabbed my hand again, intertwining our fingers. he looked at me with a warm smile, and nodded.

i felt my face steaming in that moment.

-to be continued