Middle School Life. (Kirishima Ikuya x Reader)

Chapter 7

"I..I like swimming." Makoto tells Nao, without any doubt in his voice.
Nao smiles at the boy.
"That's why...In the next relay, I really want to win!" Makoto's eyes sparkle.
"I see."
"That's all I wanted to say." Makoto ends.
"You'll surely win next time." Nao gives a pat to Makoto's shoulder.
"Yes!"

The school bell had finally rung. School was now done for the day.
"Haru, I made some biscuits yesterday."
"Oh"
"..But I ended up eating them all."
"Aww. I want to try your cooking!" Asahi tells you.
"I'll make something for you then!"
"I'll look forward to it!"
"Don't add poison, (Name)."
"H-Haru!"
"Everyone, let's head to the club!" Makoto walks inside the classroom and over to his friends.
"Makoto?"
"What is it? It's unusual for you to come here.." Asahi asks.
"Ah..well.."
You look over to Ikuya.
'He's been awfully quiet since this morning. I should talk to him later." You think to yourself.
"-Well, whatever. Let's go to the club, Ikuya." Asahi calls the boy.
"I'm not going."
"Ikuya?" Your eyes widen.
"Don't be stupid. Let's practice for our relay. We need our revenge against Sano!" Asahi urges him.
"Do whatever you want. I'm going to quit the club." He answers, his back facing all of you.
"You can't be serious, right, Ikuya?" You ask a bit worried.
"What are you saying? Quit playing around!"
"Ikuya!"
Haruka looks at Ikuya with confusion.
"I won't laugh at that joke! Okay?!" Asahi pulls onto Ikuya's collar.
"A-Asahi! Let him go, please!" You tell the redhead.
"Shut up! I'm going to quit!" Ikuya breaks free and within a second, runs away.
"Hey, wait! Ikuya!" Asahi goes after him.
"Wait up!" You run after them, trying to pull your skirt down as you do.
"Hey, wait, you three! Come on, Haru, you too!" Makoto pushes Haruka to his feet as they run after their friends.
"Again?" Haruka says.

Ikuya kept on running. Whe he felt out of breath, he stops and holds onto the bridge.
You pant trying your best to keep up with Asahi.
'Damn, was he always this fast?!' You wonder while chasing after Asahi and Ikuya.
"Wait! Don't be hasty!" Asahi yells as he pushes Ikuya to ground, the two rolling a few times until they stop.
You cringe. That looked painful.
"That hurts!" Ikuya winces in pain.
"You idiot! After losing one time, don't think about dying!" Asahi tells him.
You groan and slap a hand to your forehead at Asahi's stupidity.
"I wouldn't do that! I wasn't planning on doing that!" Ikuya comfirms.
Asahi's eyes open in realization.
"Get off of me." Ikuya then gets up.
You then help Asahi get up on his feet.
"Are you two okay?" You ask, feeling concerned.
You then look over your shoulder and see that Haruka and Makoto had finally made it to the scene.
"Why..are you all here?" Ikuya asks as his back was facing the group.
"Isn't it obvious?! We're worried about you!" Asahi yells out.
Ikuya's mouth opens in confusion.
"Why?"
"Because we're a team." Makoto tells the teal haired boy.
"And we're your friends! We care about you, Ikuya." You metion in a soft voice.
Your expression can only show worry as you notice Ikuya trembling.
"Huh..could that be?" Makoto looks at some SC.
Ikuya wipes his eyes with his arm.
"That's the SC that my big brother and I used to go to. We were working so hard, wanting to go on the world level. Yet, as soon as he entered middle school, he left me alone. When I asked why, he said it was to expand our world, make friends. I became a bother to my big brother. I couldn't forgive him for that!" Ikuya explains and trembles once more.
"Ikuya.." You felt sad for him.
"I'm sure that's not it. He must have done that to make you stand on your own. Though it makes him sad as an older brother.." Makoto tells him.
"Natsuya-senpai was worried about you. He figured there was nothing for him to do to make you stop hating him. He said it so sadly." Haruka adds.
Ikuya sniffled and his form starts to shake even more, like a leaf.
"I don't there's an older brother that could possibly hate his younger brother." You tell him.
You take a few steps forward, stopping in front of him. You notice the tears in his eyes. You give him a smile as you engulf him in an embrace.
"Ikuya, you're not alone." You wrap your arms tighter around him as he silently cries.
"I always thought having my brother was good enough..I thought as long as I had ny brother, I didn't need any friends." His tears soak your shirt.
You didn't mind and you soothingly rub at his back, still in an embrace.
"That's why, after my brother left, I always swam alone. Even though actually, I was lonely." His head sinks to your shoulder. He wasn't embracing you back but you still kept him in a hug.
"Lonely.." Haruka mutters.
"I thought if I became like Haru, then my brother would look at me again.." He confessed.
"That's why you were imitating Haru?" Makoto finally began to understand.
"You're so stupid, Ikuya. Even without doing that, you're fast! I'm sure Natsuya-senpai knows that too. Right, Haru?" Asahi says in a gentle and kind voice.
"Was I lonely too?" Haruka murmurs.
"Huh, what was that?" Asahi asks.
'He's so warm..he's shaking and I don't ever want to let him go.' You think as you inhale Ikuya's scent, hugging him even closer, if that was possible.
"Ikuya, you're not me. I'm not behind Natsuya-senpai. But lined up along everyone else." Haruka tells the boy.
Ikuya's eyes widen. He thinks for a bit, before breaking down into sobs. Ikuya then hugs your form back, as the two of you sink to the ground.
"I-Ikuya?" You were worried about the boy who kept sobbing.
Everyone looks at the scene in complete silence, allowing the boy to let all his feelings out.
"Ikuya, it's okay. You'll be okay." You whisper to him as you embrace him even tighter, allowing no space between the two of you.
Asahi looks at Ikuya in worry.
"Towel, towel...I don't have one..Okay, use this!" Asahi gestures to his shirt which he had stretched a bit for Ikuya to use.
Ikuya stops sobbing as he looks at Asahi. He pushes you back a little, freeing the two of you from the rather warm embrace. You two were still close to each other though.
"I don't want that dirty thing." Ikuya pouts, tears still visible in his eyes.
You gave a small smile as you look at the boy.
"Dirty?! What do you mean dirty? I wash it every-"
You all heard a stifle of a laugh.
You all look over at Ikuya, whose shoulders were moving. The next thing you all knew, he started to laugh, cheerfully. You thought you heard angels singing.
Makoto and Asahi let out a smile. Haruka looks at Ikuya, glad that he was feeling better.
You watch Ikuya laugh as your eyes became half lidded. A blush adorned your cheeks. It was at that moment you finally realised something, something you had realised a long time ago.
"Yeah! Let's go back to the club!" Asahi lets out a cheer.
"Yes, let's all go." Makoto nods with a smile.
"Club! Club!" Asahi chants as Ikuya stands up.
Ikuya had a beautiful smile on his face.
"Yeah!" Ikuya's smile became even more wide. That smile was so genuine and real, it made your heart skip a beat.
You look at Ikuya in a daze. Your face was completely flushed. Ikuya looks down at you in confusion, before gasping a bit after looking at your facial expression. You looked at him with absolute adoration and Ikuya felt his cheeks spark a blush as well.
"W-What?" Ikuya asks, a noticeable blush on his cheeks which could be noticed by the other friends.
You blink your eyes, a 'huh' escaping your lips. You were staring at Ikuya for a long time and you realised, it made him sort of uncomfortable.
"N-Nothing!" You awkwardly say as Ikuya lets out a hand for you to grab.
Your face flushes even more as you grab onto his hand, gently. It was warm. He then pulls you up. Haruka looks at you, a curious look in his eyes. Asahi and Makoto smiled.
"Let's get going." Haruka suggests.
That's exactly what you all do.
Ikuya lets go of your hand and everyone starts walking. You glance at Ikuya one last time. You smile to yourself as you close your eyes.

'I'm in love with Ikuya. I've fallen for him too hard.'

So..here's chapter 7 then.