MY MUSE, tooru oikawa

chapter twenty six

(chapter xxvi)

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

Approximately a week had elapsed, and Yuna had formally assumed the role of the first female manager for the male volleyball team. The achievement marked a significant milestone, defying the norms and breaking down barriers within the team.

On the very same day, a reconciliation had taken place between Yuna and her brother. Despite his initial annoyance, he had recognized the genuine happiness that radiated from her and chosen to respect her decision rather than question it further. In response, he extended a heartfelt apology, mending the rift between them.

Yuna was well aware that her new club commitment would lead to a more demanding schedule, but she was prepared to face the challenge head-on. It came as no surprise that some of her teachers had reservations about her decision, given the school's tradition. In a private institution where single club involvement was the norm, being a part of two clubs was indeed a rare occurrence, if not unprecedented.

Students at the school were broadly divided into different groups. Most fell into one of two categories – those focused on furthering their education and attending cram school, or those who were less concerned about academics and more focused on athletics. Only a few athletes, who didn't plan to pursue their sport beyond high school, were among those in the latter category.

Contrary to expectation, those with academic ambitions and no interest in sports were actually the minority at the school. The remaining group, consisting of students who didn't fit into either category, was even less numerous. In contrast to public schools, this private institution stood out for having a significantly larger ratio of students focused on continuing their education rather than athletic pursuits.

Yuna stared down at the solitary sheet of paper lying on her desk, a mix of annoyance and resignation etched across her face. She was well aware that the day would eventually arrive when she would have to confront the infamous 'plans after graduation' form.

"Sugawara, staring at it won't make it disappear." Iwaizumi's blunt remark broke through Yuna's thoughts, prompting her to turn her gaze toward him. They were currently sitting together in a large auditorium, listening to a lecture from a foreign professor. Yuna's frown only deepened at his words, silently acknowledging the truth in them.

"It's possible," Yuna responded, her voice almost dripping with childish defiance. "Maybe if I just stare at it long enough, I'll suddenly develop some kind of telekinetic power to make it burst into flames." She let out a scoff, her arms crossed in a pouty gesture. "Why do we have to fill out this form again? We've already been through this nonsense before."

Iwaizumi let out a yawn and leaned his head against his palm casually. "The administration is just being extra careful," he commented. "Our school has a reputation to uphold, so they're constantly reminding us of that fact."

"Now what are you doing?" Hajime inquired, his eyes following Yuna's actions as she took the form, wrote something on it, and then proceeded to crumple it into a ball. The sight prompted him to lower his arm, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"What the-"

Hajime's protest was cut short as Yuna looked at him, a sly smirk playing on her lips. He watched in disbelief as she placed the crumpled paper ball back on her desk. Before he could say anything, she flicked the ball with her finger, sending it flying across the room. The unexpected action immediately drew the attention of several nearby students, curious as to what had just happened.

From down in the lower section of the auditorium, Tooru and his class were seated, blissfully unaware of the scene unfolding above them. Suddenly, a paper ball flew across the room and hit him on the back of his head, eliciting a surprised grunt from the unsuspecting male. He turned to see Yuna and Hajime, and with a swift move, he reached behind him to grab the crumpled ball that had caused the unexpected interruption.

The moments that followed felt agonizingly drawn out as Yuna watched Tooru carefully unfold the paper. Her heart thumped in her chest, awaiting his reaction, and it didn't take long before his eyes widened in surprise at the contents within.

"What?! You're what?!" Tooru exclaimed, suddenly standing up and raising his voice. His unexpected outburst drew disapproving looks from the adults present in the auditorium, who shot him reproachful glares at the disruption.

Yuna desperately tried to hold back her laughter, but her efforts were in vain. A snort escaped her despite her best attempts to contain it, and the noise echoed through the auditorium louder than she had intended. This unexpected sound caused Hajime, who was witnessing the scene firsthand, to burst into laughter too.

The three teenagers found themselves standing outside against the wall, their faces flushed with embarrassment after the spectacle they had caused in the auditorium.

"I can't believe you two..." Hajime muttered in a disapproving tone, his arms crossed in front of his chest. In response, Yuna and Tooru both rolled their eyes at him, clearly unrepentant for their actions.

Tooru huffed as he retrieved the crumbled form from his pocket and asked, "Since when did you decide to become the manager of the team?"

Hajime slowly read aloud the words written on the form, his jaw dropping in surprise as the message sank in. "Congratulations are in order," he repeated. "I am now the first female manager of the male volleyball team."

He raised his head to look at Yuna, his eyes wide with disbelief as he echoed the sentiment that Tooru had exclaimed in the auditorium moments earlier.

Yuna snickered at the bewildered expressions on the faces of Hajime and Tooru. After a brief moment, to her relief, they finally joined in and began to laugh as well. She took the chance to explain her reasons for accepting the role, and the two boys graciously welcomed her to the team.

"Well, I still don't think it was worth getting detention," Tooru complained, his voice tinged with a hint of petulance. However, deep down, he was undeniably excited about the fact that Yuna had become a part of the team. As the thought crossed his mind, his hand twitched involuntarily, as if betraying his inner feelings.

Tooru was perplexed by his own whirlwind of emotions, particularly his inexplicable thrill at Yuna joining the team. He couldn't quite fathom why he felt this way, and the more he tried to analyze his reaction, the more baffled he became.

He suddenly felt a sense of excitement rising within him that wasn't quite normal. It was something deeper, a type of desire that had been growing for a few weeks now. As the thought crossed his mind, his heart began to race in response to the emotions swirling within him.

Tooru shook his head and tried to shrug off his growing confusion. "No, she's just a friend," he thought firmly to himself, stealing a quick glance at Yuna as she laughed at something Hajime had said. He casually slung his arm around his friend, attempting to dismiss the conflicting emotions swirling within him.

Tooru forced himself to focus on the conversation, trying to convince himself that he was just overthinking the situation. "I'm overthinking this," he silently reassured himself, determined to shake off the bewildering emotions that were clouding his thoughts.

The group continued to chat and joke around, but Tooru found himself increasingly distracted by his conflicting emotions. He couldn't help but steal glances at Yuna, causing his heart to flutter each time. He silently repeated the words to himself—"she's just a friend, she's just a friend."