Just A Little Bit Shy

Glistening Temptations - 10

An unparalleled bitterness was tightening Haru's chest. It was worsened by the rationality that he knew he had no right to feel this way; to feel this hostility towards Kei of all people. But Haru couldn't help it. The moment he glanced over and saw them together — Kei and Y/n — he had been beyond surprised. He remembered completely losing his train of thought, stuttering for a second, and then Sara's furrowed brow as she caught on to his stumbling. All at once, he felt too stifled surrounded by his chatting peers.

With a cold feeling inserting itself into his heart, Haru reluctantly partnered with Minoru. A sort of numb shock fell over him and Haru's distracted gaze could not leave Kei and Y/n. Haru didn't know what he felt then — protective, perhaps, because the (h/c) boy was terribly shy and Kei's personality wasn't always the warmest. It was endearing to him, but how would Y/n react? And Haru watched as Kei spoke to Y/n, mouth moving over words Haru could not decipher from this distance. There was that dry sarcastic tell on Kei's face though, and Haru tensed.

All of that anxiety melted down into something dreadful, however, the moment Haru saw Y/n speaking back. Smoothly. Haru tried to force the awful, clawing feeling away, but there those two were. Sitting on the ground, in a stilted high-kicker's stretch, not moving — hands held together — and they were talking to each other. And the dread solidified into a pit when Haru realized there were probably more similarities between Kei and Y/n than there would ever be between him and Y/n.

Kei wasn't particularly social; not overly warm or tactile. Perhaps, Y/n felt more comfortable speaking to someone like that. Not to mention, they were both rather unemotional in general. Haru could count the number of times he had seen Kei visibly upset on one hand and still have fingers left over. Also... Kei was not traditionally handsome, but he did have a certain appeal if that was someone's type: dark-haired, pierced ears and lip, and a little bit on the side of too thin. If that was Y/n's type, then Haru was nowhere near that.

Haru forced himself to look away, jaw clenching. He was not about to seriously get jealous over something so — so —

The coach clapped, calling them together and ending the brief time they had for a warmup. Haru took this opportunity to stand up and forcibly turn his back on where Kei and Y/n were, certain they would catch up. Certain they would — Forget it, Haru's thoughts snapped, viciously frustrated when he looked back only to see them still holding hands, not moving at all, and —

Haru was standing in front of them, plastering a smile on his face, before he could even think. "Hey," Haru tried to inject enough warmth into his tone to hide how unpleasantly his gut rolled over the image of their linked hands. "The time for stretching is over. Coach wants us all to line up for the five kilometer run."

Kei took one look at him before he dropped Y/n's hands and stood immediately, putting distance between himself and the (h/c) boy. Haru felt simultaneously relieved and incredibly guilty. It wasn't Kei's fault if Y/n felt more comfortable talking to him; if they —

But still, he's thankful.

"Y/n," Haru reached a hand out to the (h/c) boy.

"Oh, um, I can —" Y/n had only briefly glanced at Haru when he began speaking, and then abruptly looked away. And while he seemed to have no issue with conversing with Kei, the (h/c) boy now looked nervous; uncertain as he subtly refused Haru's offer.

It only exacerbated the bitterness. Haru snatched Y/n's hand in an instant, ignoring the (h/c) boy's dismissal, and pulled him up to his feet. Haru's chest burned even more when Kei simply appeared amused, dark eyes observing them both silently for a moment. Haru wasn't subtle when Kei's gaze lowered to their joined hands, his thumb stroking a firm line along Y/n's hand. Kei seemed even more mirthful, reaching over to pat Y/n's shoulder.