Broken Faith | Tanaka Ryunosuke x Reader

Chapter 7

When Tanaka back to the gymnasium, it was already locked and the light was out. He started panicking and frantically ran to the front gate, afraid that you might already be walking home alone. He quickly let out a relieved breath when he spotted your figure crouching down near the gate. You hug your knees and buried your face in between your body and your leg, you looked up once you hear his footsteps.

"What took you so long?" you said weakly and pouted to him.

"I'm sorry" he let out an exasperate sigh, "someone thought it will be funny to hide my pants"

You throw both of your arms in the air and as a reflex, he grabbed them and pulled you up to stand. Once you standing on your feet, he moves his bag in front of his chest, then bent his knees until he was slightly shorter than you and offered his back to you.

"What are you doing?" you raised an eyebrow.

"I'll carry you home, come on," he tilted his head as if he tells you to get on his back.

"I'll be fine" you rolled your eyes.

He clicked his tongue, "look at you... you could replace Sadako and no one would notice,"

You stared at him and contemplated for a while.

"Hurry up, it's getting late" he ordered you.

"Tch... don't drop me" You grumbled and carefully get on his back.

"I'm not a weakling like you" he scoffed.

"Shut up" you playfully pull his ear.

"ouch," he let out a whimper that mixed with a soft laugh.

You wrapped your hands around his neck while he placed his strong arms under your rear to keep you comfortable before he started to walk. After a while, you rested your head on his shoulder and the smell of his body washes filling your nose. You don't know what it smells like, but whatever it is, it smells manly and so fresh, something mint, like your father's aftershave but a lot softer. Maybe because it mixes with his natural body odor. What you know for sure is that one thing has added to your 'the-smell-i-love' list and placed above everything, that is his scent.

"This is why I don't want you to come along," he grumbled.

"It's because I stay up late last night to clean up the house, I just move here yesterday, remember" you defend yourself.

"Exactly! You should just go home and rest" he scolded you and making you flinch as guilt already seeping through your body.

"But I wanted to watch you" you murmured quietly.

"It's just a practice match" he sighed.

"So, how do you find it?" you asked, trying to change the topic.

"Find what?" he tilted his head slightly to take a quick glance at you.

"Your pants..." you said.

"oh..." he said and you could hear his chest rumble with laughter, "Hinata..."

"Hinata? I saw him running out of the school like he almost shit his pants. Is that you're doing? what did you do to him?" you inquired.

"I just asked him..." Tanaka shrugged, "...with my usual face"

"your usual face could kill a bunny," you giggled and simultaneously Tanaka stopped to look at you, his pupils dilated as they flickered to roam your face.

"What?" Your giggling stop as you asked him with a confused look.

"Nothing" he murmured and averted his gaze to the road again. It was vague and slip by really fast, but you manage to notice his lips twitching upward slightly as if he smiles to himself. Little did you know that he always love to hear your laugh.

He just continues to walk down the road and the two of you engulf in comfortable silence. You let your ear enjoy the sound of his steady breathing and the faint sound of the crickets in the distance. It was really different from Tokyo with no constant buzzing or vehicle rumbling, or the deafening sound of the car horn. It's just you and him, alone under the moon and the stars... and the street lights once in a while.

"Ryu..." you mumbled.

"Hmm?" he hummed softly.

You smiled as you hear his voice, it still as calming as ever. 

The warmth that radiated from his body is comforting and every sway movement of his leg made your eyes get heavier. The last thing that hovers in your mind before you drift to sleep is that every little thing of this moment is just so perfect.