𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 || bokuaka

iii.

Akaashi Keiji [赤葦 京治] 

He fixed his tie for the nth time before putting on his blazer. He woke up very early today, even had the time to set up breakfast for him and his mother, and now he's been pacing in his room for almost an hour and been fiddling his fingers too much. 

"Keiji dear, you need to leave soon. You might be late on your first day of school." He heard her mother outside his room and sighed. He admits he's been too nervous since yesterday to the point he couldn't finish his dinner. 

He sighed as he grabbed his bag and went outside his room. He bid goodbye to his mother and started walking to the bus terminal. Good thing his new school is just a 15-minute ride from the terminal. 

While setting himself down on the 3rd row of the bus, he read texts from some of his friends from middle school, wishing him good luck, to which he replied. He kind of missed them, not that he had many friends back then, only a teammate of his and a  lovely couple who decided to study somewhere else. He's a reserved person after all, and he knew how people talk behind him back then which made him kind of nervous today, surprisingly.

He may look like he doesn't give a shit at all - well, sometimes he doesn't - but deep inside there were times that he becomes worried about how others look at him. Maybe it was because of the times he was picked on before until he learned not to look like he gives a shit or two (and again, sometimes he doesn't give a shit). 

Until they branded him as a snobby, full-of-himself, cold-hearted setter of the volleyball team. Some tried not to associate with him except for his three friends and he was happier to stay it that way. They accepted him, especially with him being a straightforward person. 

Yes, there were some love confessions from here and there, but people mostly tried not to approach him especially when girls knew he all turned down the love confessions. He'd rather study and play volleyball than spending it romantically with people who have soulmates ahead of them. 

And he doesn't care if one of them happened to be his (or he doesn't feel at all that it was one of them.) 

The bus halted to his designated stop and he took a deep breath as he went down the bus and started walking towards the school in his view. 

As he walked inside the gates, he looked at the cherry blossoms in awe. It was common for schools to have cherry blossoms, especially on months like April when the trees bloom, but it didn't stop him from admiring them. He stopped for a while and looked up with his eyes closed, letting some petals fall onto his face that made him smile. 

He sighed in content as he continued walking until he reached the school grounds. 'I hope you treat me well for the incoming three years of my life, Fukurōdani.'

---

After the opening ceremony and the required introduction rites for his batch as a welcome to the academy, they were instructed to find and go to their designated classrooms. He double-checked the list and started walking to his designated section, Class 1-6. 

As he went inside, he noticed that the only seat left was near the window and made his way without interrupting his classmates. He was glad no one noticed him and decided to listen on his playlist until their sensei came. 

Just like what he expected on his first day of school, introduction and classroom rules until the bell rang, indicating it's already their break time. He noticed some of his classmates already knew each other and it was not disappointing for him when no one approached him, he didn't try to approach someone else as well so he decided to go to the cafeteria alone. 

He entered the cafeteria and he was kind of surprised to see it wasn't jam-packed like his former school, but students were plenty enough to fill the cafeteria. After all, his new school is an exclusive one. 

He dragged himself and decided to buy himself an onigiri before walking outside the cafeteria. Since he still has at least 30 minutes before classes, he went to visit the volleyball gym. 

The same sounds of sneakers and shouts could be heard, just like the last time he visited. He frowned, thinking why would they be practicing while it's lunchtime. He took a peek silently, trying not to be noticed by others and saw that they were not practicing but rather playing with each other on their school uniforms. 

He continued standing silently as he watched some familiar faces playing. "Konoha!" Akaashi looked at the right side of the court where Bokuto, from what he remembered, is shouting loudly. He saw Konoha set the ball and Bokuto spike over the net with the other team not receiving the ball. 

He saw how Bokuto cheered for himself which echoed throughout the gym which made him smile somehow. 'He could surely be a handful of a teammate, with that loud voice and energetic and passionate vibes which made me choose this school anyway,' he thought. 

"Saru! Have you seen that? Have you seen that?" He saw how Bokuto asked childishly that made him chuckle. He saw how the Saru guy rolled his eyes but laughed as he nodded. "But you have a long way to go, ace-sama," He heard how the Saru guy teased that made the other two guys laugh with Bokuto squinting his eyes and holding his chest dramatically. "Saru!" 

He was about to go back to his classroom when heard Bokuto's loud voice again. "Hey hey hey! Do you already saw the first year who will join us?" This made him stop, knowing who Bokuto is talking about. He saw the other guys shook their heads and shrug. "Coach doesn't want to tell me his name!" Bokuto whined that made the other guys sigh. 

"Even if coach tells you his name, you don't even know how he looks like. And I'm already blessing the poor kid's soul for your loud voice." Konoha said that made Bokuto frown and cross his arms on his chest. "Why are you so mean Konoha? I just want to know him badly." He just saw Konoha shrugged and shook his head.

He started walking back to his classroom, asking himself why would a top ace like Bokuto wants to know him badly. He's just a mere setter, nothing more, nothing less.