volleyballs and photographs | shirabu kenjirō

6

Shirabu and F/N were walking on their way to a convenience store and you can honestly cut the tension with a knife.

It was awkward.

F/N didn't really know why he wanted to get ice cream with her. And also she can't even think of something she could say to him to ease up the awkwardness.

"Uhh, what do you like?" he asks out of nowhere.

"Huh?"

"I mean the ice cream, what flavor do you like?"

She paused to think. "Ahh...just chocolate is fine." and she noticed they already arrived at the convenience store.

"L/N-san, you can just wait for me here. I'll go buy the ice cream and we can eat it at the nearby park afterwards. Is it okay for you?"

"Mhmm..." She mumbled and gave a nod.

As Shirabu left, F/N heaved a sigh. She didn't know why her heart is beating fast like she's nervous about something.

Meanwhile, Shirabu's heart is on a rampage. It has to be today. He had to tell it to her today. And he was nervous as heck.

Before going out the convenience store to meet her, he slapped his cheeks. Telling himself, he should not screw this up.

"L/N-san, I got them. So uhm let's go." He says and smiled at her.

She nodded, smiling back at him although she wasn't really sure why he's all smiles today. To be honest, she doesn't remember Shirabu smiling a lot...maybe he did before but it was rare.

They sat on a bench near the playground. There wasn't really that much people on the park right now since it'll be night time soon.

"Here." he handed her the ice cream.

"Thank you." she replied as he got his too and discarded the plastic bag containing it earlier.

"So uhm have you decided on what university you'll go to?" she asks, finally thinking of something to talk about with him.

"I'm thinking Tokyo University or maybe just stay here in Miyagi and attend Sendai University."

She nods. "Ah I see...I haven't really thought of where to go."

"But you're going to pursue photography right?"

"Mmmm...BA Photography or maybe Digital Arts." she says, a smile on her face.

"How about you, Shirabu-san?"

"Me? Ah, probably Medicine." he says.

Oh right, Shirabu-san is really smart afterall. She thought.

"Will you still be playing volleyball by then?" she suddenly asks.

He shrugs. "I don't know...but I thought of that too. I'd sometimes envision myself setting for other powerful players like Ushijima-san."

"Well...if ever you decide to continue playing, I'd be there to take photos for you." she smiled.

Shirabu looked at her smiling face and he felt his heart melt inside. She's beautiful. He thought.

"That would be nice..." he chuckled and she did too.

After that they were engulfed by silence again but this time there wasn't any tension and awkwardness anymore, just them sitting side by side, silently eating their ice cream.

"L/N-san..." Shirabu called her softly.

"Mmm?" she looked at him as she stopped eating her ice cream.

He didn't say anything. He was just looking at her as he moved closer.

She was getting flustered. "Ah..Shirabu...san?"

"Sssh.."

His face is only inches away from her. Her attention was then caught by his lips...is he going to kiss her?

Her heart started to beat faster and faster. She didn't know what to do so she just closed her eyes, her hand fidgeting the hem of her skirt.

Shirabu on the otherhand, can't help but feel nervous as his heart accelerated. He's going to kiss her and tell her how he feels...right?

She waited for his lips to land on hers but instead she felt it on her forehead.

He gave her a forehead kiss.

F/N's face went red like a tomato and her face is incredibly heating up. She also saw a very flustered Shirabu, his ears visibly red too.

"I ahh...L/N-san...I...like you."

Her eyes grew wide for a second and she didn't say anything.

Shirabu was getting more nervous since she wasn't saying anything at all.

Ugh Shirabu you screw it up, she doesn't like you the way you like her. He thought and was slapping himself on his mind.

But then he heard her laugh.

This is so embarassing.

She was laughing...at his confession.

Trust me, Shirabu tried so hard to hide his growing irritation that he can't even look at her...

but to his surprise she poked his cheek.
"Silly Shirabu...I like you too!" she said.

"You...you do?" he asked.

She nods two times.

"Why do you think I've been sneakily taking photos of you since first year?"

"Since first year?" but they met in their second year.

It was her time to be embarassed.

"I uhhh I have been attending the volleyball team's matches even before we formally met okay!" she reasons.

He smiled. He loved it when you were flustered like this.

A phone ringing interrupted their time and she rummaged through her bag to answer the call.

"Ah hello?...oh okay...I'll meet you there...bye."

She looked at Shirabu. "It's my mom." she says.

"Oh...so uhm do you need to go already?"

She nods, a small frown on her face. "Ye, I uhm sorry..." She somehow didn't want this moment with him to end.

He gave her a smile in return. "It's okay...we can hang out again some other time. Let me walk you home." he says.

"Oh no need to, I'll be meeting her at the mall just near here."

"Oh..." he mumbled, feeling a bit defeated, he wanted to prolong their time together by walking her home.

He stiffens when he felt her kiss his cheek by surprise.

"Thank you for the ice cream, Shirabu-san. I'm looking forward to next time." She says with a bright smile and was already running away from him, waving her hand to say goodbye.

"I ahhh I'm looking foward to it too..." Shirabu whispered under his breathe while holding his cheek where she gave her a kiss; still in a trance as he stare at her disappearing figure from afar.