fox on the run | miya osamu

suiren and shinsuke

3RD YEAR - CLASS 7. Everything is going back to normal, Suiren tells herself as her hand reaches the sliding door lock. "Tsutsui-chan?"

"Oh?" she mumbles before swaying her head to her right. She spots Kita, who seems a little fazed upon seeing her.

"Good morning, you're finally back," he says with a subtle smile.

"Ah, yes, but I still need these," she says, referring to her crutches.

"Do you, do you need help with that?" he offers, but she's quick to respond and shake her head. "It's alright, I got it."

"Okay, okay," Kita mumbles and slides the door open for her. Their hands touch for a moment, flustering Kita, but his deadpan face doesn't show.

"Thank you."

They both enter the room; Kita lets her in first. "Oh, it's Suiren-san," they hear murmurs across the room.

"Suiren-san, welcome back," a few of them greet.

"Thank you," she mumbles, slightly lowering her head as well.

°
°
°
°
°

Meanwhile, Osamu has been running late, thanks to Atsumu allegedly "forgetting to wake him up." He dashes through the hallways, running to his classroom with his packed breakfast on his hand.

"Good mornin," he manages to greet in between his tired breaths as he slides the classroom door open. "I'm sorry I'm late," he adds in a seemingly apologetic tone.

"Go to your seat, Miya Osamu," the teachers says, then resumes her writing on the blackboard.

"Mornin," he tells Suna, who's seated beside his desk. He sits down and readies his textbook and notes.

"Morning. Atsumu wasn't with you?"

"That airhead left me," he groans, "Should've taken his puddin' in the fridge."

Osamu takes his pens from his bag to take notes but instead of paying attention in class, the only thing he sets his eyes on are his doodles. Doodles of Suiren, his name and hers, and even combining her name with his.

Miya Chuunchun. Miya Suiren. Then a crossed out, "Tsutsui Samu??" followed by another "Miya Suiren."

A smile subconsciously forms on his face but he suddenly remembers the letter. And of course, how he asked for her a "break."

"Miya Osamu. Can you recite the third paragraph?"

"Wha- What?"

"Third paragraph."

The gray-haired glances at Suna, hinting his request for help. Suna shrugs, not even paying attention in the lesson.

Osamu then looks up at the blackboard. "Sengoku period," it says. He quickly searches for the section of his book with the said topic.

His day isn't going too well. His week isn't going so well either.

°
°
°
°
°

"YOU WANTED TO TALK, KITA-KUN?" Suiren asks as she arrives at the back of the volleyball court. It's lunch time so naturally, it's an empty space, away from the noise and crowd.

"Oh, Tsutsui-chan," Kita takes notice.

"I'm sorry for dragging you here," he adds, worrying that the way there was a struggle due to her current condition.

"No, it's okay, what is it?" she asks and takes a seat on the vacant bench. He follows, sitting right beside her.

"Have you figured out already?" he answers with a question.

"Figured what out, Kita-kun?"

"The letter, have you figured who left it in your room?" he clarifies. As emotionless as his face seemed to be, his voice couldn't hide how nervous he is.

"Oh. That," she mutters, remembering Osamu. Her "grey-eyed cookie."

"Well?" he asks. Suiren usually remains unfazed, showing little to no emotions like him. But this time, for some reason, her eyes become melancholic, like they're reminiscing pain.

"I do know it wasn't from Osamu," she answers.

"Wait, you know about the letter?" she asks. With her mind clouded with only thoughts of Osamu, she only realizes this just now.

"Yes. It's from me, Suiren."

Suiren doesn't react, or at least, she doesn't show it. She only looks at him as a mix of emotions, good and bad, begins to build up.

"You, you wrote it," she repeats.

"Yes, the nurses never let me in your room and they wouldn't allow me to leave gifts. But at least they let my letter reach you," he explains with a smile, a little hopeful she'd reciprocate it too.

"Oh, Kita-kun," she mutters, "You said there that you, you-"

"That I love you."

The sudden confession silences her. She couldn't find the right words to say, much less even decide how she supposed to react.

"And I mean it," he adds, looking back at her almond-colored eyes, "I don't know when it started, I just really do."

"Kita-kun, you know I have Osamu," she says.

"But it's just pretend, right?"

"Wha- What?"

"I heard from Miko."

"What does she know?" Suiren grumbled, angry and hurt.

"When I found out, I thought we have a chance," Kita adds, "I was elated."

Suiren fiddles with her fingers as she averts her gaze away from him.

"Suiren," he calls her by her first name for the first name.

"Yes?" she mumbles, looking at the ground.

"I'm in love with you."