Smart Girl | Ushijima x OC

Chapter 27: Toshi is a Direct Dude

He expected her to be there. He didn't know why he was so skittish. Ushijima was trying to stay in the field of the game, throwing up the ball and slamming it back down. But he couldn't ignore the inevitable fact that the first girl he'd ever had a crush on, that he'd almost kissed just days before, was sitting on the bleachers of their gym scribbling notes down on a clip board.

He'd noticed that Hana seemed a little on edge too. Neither of them dared to find eye contact in the other. Ushijima didn't like it. This wasn't supposed happen. It had only been half an hour and he already missed the old atmosphere of their manager.

The way she would holler at the team to correct mistakes, how she would bundle herself up in her team jacket with her hands shoved deep into the pockets when the gym was particularly cold. Or when she greeted him before and after practise, handing him water or just checking up.

Ushijima may be feeling awkward as hell, but he wouldn't last like that. 'I need to talk to her. Sure it's awkward between us individually, but it's also not good for the captain and manager to not cooperate. The team comes first.'

Hana on the other hand, was looking at the situation a little differently.

'There's no way I can talk to him. There's just no way. If we talk then it'll get worse. I don't wanna stay all awkward like this. It's a waste of time and energy. The only way it'll go away is to avoid anymore confrontation. I'll just stay away from him until this whole thing cools off. It's for the best.' She nodded to herself.

Hana wasn't the most determined person, but when she really wanted something badly, she knew how to get to it. And her relationship Ushijima was something she didn't want to lose, despite being too embarrassed to physically admit it.

'All I gotta do is get through the next half hour. Simple enough. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Ew, what am I, a middle schooler?' At least, that's how Hana saw it.

Until of course a water break was called. She then discovered it would not in fact be 'easy peasy lemon squeezy'. It would actually be difficult, difficult, lemon difficult. She noticed Ushijima made a beeline in her direction, water in hand and looking more than a little determined.

Hana started to panic. 'SHIT- Right ok. Time to get my ass out of here. Don't make this hard Toshi, I've got shit to deal with. As much as I think your whole 'blase' act is very nice you gotta back the fuck up.' She thought, scanning the room.

Hana stood up from the bleachers and called out to the first person she saw.
"Reon! Your laces are undone, careful with that. And uh... Yamagata! Pull up your knee pads, they're slipping a bit, -oh look, I'll go fill up these spare bottles, be back soon!" She called, lifting a bottle rack and whisking out of the hall.

Ushijima stood, a little surprised. That didn't go as he planned. He didn't let it diminish his drive, yet he still felt a little ticked that he was shot down before he even got to attempt conversation.

The remaining time at practise was filled with these almost-interactions, Hana always finding some way out from socialising with Ushijima, may it be finding an excuse to leave or making her look far more busy than she actually was.

The rest of team had picked up on the twos' behaviour quite early on, and was pretty much just enjoying the game of cat and mouse they were having. No one questioned them, threatened by Tendo.

He assumed something had happened between them, and Kaori refused to tell him, saying it was 'part of an oath she couldn't break' and telling him would 'sever the girl code' whatever that meant.

Tendo knew Ushijima had made progress with his crush and thought this was just a rocky patch he needed to sort out between just him and Hana. For once he decided maybe his presence wasn't needed in the situation.

Hana was feeling quite proud of herself, although running around making excuses to cover herself was getting a bit tiring.

'Hell yeah, this is like some James Bond shit. I just need to finish cleaning and I'm in the clear. Home-frikin-run fools.' She thought smugly.

Hana returned the broom she used to the storage room and grabbed her bag to leave. She left the gym and finally felt at ease as she started to walk home.

"Hana." A voice called from behind her.

'FUCKING SHIT I WAS SO CLOSE.' She groaned. Hana took a deep breath before turning to meet who she expected to be standing there.
"Oh, hi Toshi. You don't live this way right? You should get going, the sun's setting. Good work in practise today." She said and tried to take it as a ticket to leave again.

"We need to talk Hana." Ushijima stooped her. 'Of course we do Toshi. That's just what we need, ain't it. Gosh this is the opposite of what I was looking for.'

"Well... if you think about it, using the word 'need' would actually indicate that it would be a necessity, as in you need it to live, but in factuality it's a want instead of a need. Like you could survive without this talk. So really this seems a bit unnece-"
"Hana you know what I'm talking about." Hana sighed and finally dropped her act.

"Ok. Listen Toshi. I get that we've been super awkward because of what happened the other day at my place... how about we just leave it be for now. Obviously neither of us know how it happened- or almost happened, whatever. How about we just put it past us so that we can stop being soppy, clammy, nervous wrecks. Sound good?"

Ushijima took in her proposition, and smirked. That was so unbelievably 'Hana' of her. He found it so endearing.
"That sounds like a plan. It really wasn't anything to fuss over, was it?" He replied. Hana nodded and they stayed silent.

"So... I guess we're good then. Good to know. Remember tomorrow Toshi. Last session." Hana said, turning back around to go home.

"Got it." He called to her, watching her walk away for a moment before also heading to his dorm. 'I'm glad we're back to normal... but really, what happened was more than enough to fuss over, I bet she thinks that too.' He thought. And he was right.

Walking home, Hana was glad they talking as well, but she knew they wouldn't be exactly the same. It just wasn't going to happen that easy. 'Well... baby steps I guess.'
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A/N: Get ready.