Karakai Jouzu No Takagi San - (A Fanfiction)

(Chapter 1) The Confession

Note : (Rewriting in progress)

Nishikata was returning from the store with a manga targetted towards young girls. The kind that would put butterflies in your stomach, but only at a certain age. His mannerisms were cautious. He didn't want to be seen. He wanted to get home. Escape the heat of the sun as well as the heat of teenage angst that came with carrying a rather embarrassing title in his bag.
The sort of anxiety you'd laugh at when you grow older and mature. But he was stuck in this pubescent age for now and there was no escaping. Neither from the feelings, nor from the girl named-

"t-Takagi san.... What are you doing here-?"

"Just passing by." Smiling as brightly as the sun in front of him, was a girl. "I just saw you from the distance and thought I'd say hello!"

"Oh....hello Takagi san. You saw me doing what?"

"Well, I saw you at the payment counter with a book in you hand. What did you buy Nishikata?"

"Nothing, just a manga." He spoke while trying to keep his voice steady and his expression confident. If he stuttered even a little bit, she will be asking him more questions.

"Hm? Which Manga though?"

"um....."

"um?"

"No I uh- I meant to say I bought Soccer Spirit. Yeah! I bought Soccer Spirit."

"Oh? That one is getting a lot of attention from the boys. I've never actually read it. Mind showing a few pages to me?

"Wha-"

"Hm? You don't want to?"

"Look- I have barely looked at it yet and I want to be the first one to read it. I haven't even seen the cover properly!"

"Then lets look at it together!" It was hard to say "no" to that sort of enthusiasm, but the boy's masculine pride was on the line. Atleast in his naive head. So he went through with it.

"Uhhh- No?" He didn't mean for it to come out as a question. It just happened. He was now trying to walk away from her.

But Takagi San was not one to give up easily and thus she went on following him with her persistent questions.

The same, "Showwww me Nishikataaaa!" and "Nooooo!" lasted for a few more minutes. Now was time to make her final stab.

"Maybe there's some other reason to you not showing me?" Her giggle was mocking.

"N-No? Ofcourse not! Obviously not!"

She was moving forward now. Getting closer to him. He was expecting her to snatch the bag from him. So he made his grip on it tighter.
But instead her face and hands moved towards his own face. Turning a bit, she was facing his ear now. As she put her hands around his ear in a cup, he heard her say,

"Its 100% Unrequited Love, right?"

His body stirred up as she moved away from her. A final blow to your opponent that throws them out of the ring. That's what it was.
"How did you....." It didn't matter how she knew, what mattered was that she knew. His soccer 'spirit' was destroyed.

"When I saw you at the cash counter, I also saw the cover." With her play over, her giggle actually sounded innocent and full of pure joy rather than mischievous and devilish.

"So she was just teasing me until now. What a fool I am!" Thought Nishikata.

"Please- dont tell anyone Takagi San."

"Sure, I wont."

"Wait.... What? That easily. For real? Are you serious cause I am serious."

"Hmmm? I really wont. You dont trust me at all, do you Nishikata? Okay, so how about this- I will tell you my secret. You will be at somewhat ease knowing my secret right?"