𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 | 𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐚 [UNDR EDT]

02 | bronze ribbons

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

Daiki went to practise in the end and I watched as he tried to be rid of the melancholy that I had burned against him in the heat of the moment. I thought, perhaps, I had been too harsh on him. I wasn't the foremost at keeping my emotions in check, per say, and I knew I had crossed a line when admitting to him my plans; but, yet, somehow, I still felt like I hadn't said enough.

Looking out to the weather outside, I noticed the clouds slowly eclipsing the sun as the sky turned from lambent to grey. With the evening drawing closer, barely a few hours away, I realised the time I was going to be able to spend with Ryouta was slowly dwindling to nothing (not that I was usually bothered by it, but from the fact he hadn't turned up to school I knew he must have been suffering). I suppose you could say me visiting him was my way of showing I cared without having to say it aloud.

    With celerity, I got up and grabbed my side-bag. 'I'm going to leave early,' I said to Satsuki. 'I promised Ryo I'd go visit him and I'm scared it's going to rain.'

    'You don't have an umbrella?' She asked.

    I shook my head. 'I'll beat it if I walk fast.'

    'You said he was ill, didn't you.' She looked down. 'Try not to go and catch something from him or from being reckless. I don't want you having time off too. Not when we've got so little time, now.'

    I patted her head and laughed. She was always worrying about me in one way or another and her endearing nature was something I appreciated in times like these. 'Don't worry about me,' I said. 'Only idiots catch colds.'

    'Have a good time anyway, Souma-chan,' she grinned. 'Send him my love.'

    'Thank you, Satsuki.'

    Making leave, I waved at the boys, hoping, even though some of their backs were turned, that they would sense my departure. In all honesty, I didn't want to bring attention to myself, not then, and even though I knew I was in juxtaposition with myself, I found my wanting to flee overcame me more than my wanting to be questioned.

A strong feeling of drapetomania overwhelmed me—a wanting to be alone—to get away from the pricking of Aomine's eyes against my back and the loneliness that went with it as I exited the sport's hall. And I knew, instantaneously, that that was my queue to depart.

    It wasn't as though I was using visiting Kise as an excuse though, to be frank, I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing. All I knew was that now was the best time to go.

Deciding to take the longer route to Ryouta's, I went through the park to clear my head. During dusk, the span of it seemed to become more beautiful, from the length of the stream to the wildflowers that surrounded it, and I was relaxed by the calm and gentle nature of its surroundings. It felt like I was being engulfed in its warmth, as though my anxieties were to come to a close within the embrace of the pollen and I smiled at the thought of it.