✓ 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 ‣ INARIZAKI ¹

𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

𝒘𝒆'𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈
𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓
𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓
𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊
𝑳𝑶-
𝑳𝑶-
𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼

( op ı ʞuıɥʇ ı ʇsɐǝl ʇɐ )

Iori had never been too great at cooking. Of course, when Kiyoko asked her to help out with cooking dinner for a bunch of hyper-active teenage boys, what was she gonna do?

Say no?

Saying no to Shimizu Kiyoko felt like a sin in itself, so refusing to help her must've been a mortal offense against God.

For the most part, it was pretty calm. About thirty minutes in, Iori broke the silence and started complaining about her new job as the volleyball-club-photographer (she didn't hate it, she just didn't enjoy what came with it). Kiyoko made a joke about her coming back to Miyagi, but Iori brushed it off with a laugh.

While they were waiting for the water to boil, it happened.

Iori's phone began ringing, the familiar tune of whatever j-pop group Ukishima was listening to at the time bellowing through the room. She quickly swiped it out of her pocket, and the music subsided.

"Hello?"

The phone was on speaker.

"Iori," Ukishima said, a bit breathless. "You will not believe what just happened."

Kiyoko looked over, curiosity glinted in her eyes.

"What? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is perfectly fine with me, and with most everyone else. Practice just ended."

Iori's eyes flickered over to the clock on the microwave. It was only 4:30.

"What do you mean? It ends at six."

"No, it's over. Coach called it."

"Why?"

"The Miya twins got into a fight. Atsumu punched Osamu straight in the face," Ukishima spluttered, taking a drink of an unnamed liquid. "I mean square in the face. Osamu slapped him like twice."

"What? Why?"

"Well, in the beginning, it was 'cause Atsumu was overworking Osamu and then trashed him for it," he started, pausing for a moment. "About halfway through, you were brought up."

Fear. Pure, utter terror. A small part of Iori had known the sad truth ever since Atsumu started actively trying to talk to her, and when Osamu started acknowledging her in the halls, but she didn't want to believe it.

"Why? I'm not even there."

"Dude. You know why. Locker room talk says that you've been causing noticeable tension between them for about two weeks now."

"That makes no sense," Iori said, denial dripping through her veins. "The first time I talked to either of them was the first day of school this year. Makes absolutely no sense, that's not how emotions work."

"More locker room talk. You're not gonna like this, but," Ukishima paused once again, as if thinking over whether or not he was gonna tell. "When I was eavesdropping behind the building, Suna was telling one of the first years about how Osamu's had a crush on you since first year."

Kiyoko's eyes met Iori's. She looked equally as shocked, mostly because Iori had just spent the past thirty minutes droning on and on about the quote "freak twins who carried the newspaper club."

"How's that even possible? We weren't in the same class or anything."

"Well, he was in 1-7, and you were in 1-6. Maruyama sat next to him for the greater part of the year, and you know how much Maruyama talks. You were in the same committee for the joint-class cultural festival project, and you were one of the top students last year. You're not exactly unknown, Iori."

It went silent again.

"And, your name is weird."

"Okay, that was uncalled for," Iori sighed. "...I guess I'll tell Miyoko to move me."

"What? Are you really gonna pass up the chance to have the Miya twins fight over you?" Ukishima exclaimed, a bit louder than he probably intended. "Even I would kill for the opportunity. Besides, do you really think Miyoko will move you?"

"Okay, let's get into hypotheticals. How were they playing today? The twins specifically."

"Atsumu seemed a little angry at everyone and Osamu looked tired the whole time."

"Okay, so let's say that happened at an actual game. They don't get to nationals, and then I don't get to take pictures of them at nationals, which tanks our reputation because the edition with the national pictures in it had to be reprinted. Twice."

"The likelihood of that happening is small? Extremely small."

"Yes, but there's still a chance!" Iori exclaimed. "And, technically, I would be the reason it happened. Miyoko has no choice but to accept my offer."

"And who would take over for you?"

"You would. Duh."

"Dude, I'm already full-time basketball team. Kogane will destroy me."

"And I was full-time newsroom interviewer/advice columnist. Sacrifice a little."

"You know, Iori," Ukishima mused in his accusatory sing-song voice. "You're running from your problems again!"

"And I'm in the professional sprinting league. Have a nice night, Ukishima!"

"Oh, you too, Iori!"

There was a small beep, and then silence.

Iori slammed her head on the counter, creating a loud bang.

"Iori!?"

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

STORY BRANCH !
A NEW ARC BEGINS!

NEXT ➳ ISSUE #6: ANGER, AND SADNESS