in time | akaashi keiji x reader

doubt

Stay with Me – Miki Matsubara

To you
Yes my love
To you
Yes my love
To you, you
To you

As the short but familiar instrumental played, Y/N begins to sing. With or without the aid of the lyrics on the screen, she could sing it by heart as every lyric of the song is already memorized in her head.

Watashi wa watashi anata wa anata to
Yuube iwareta sonna ki mo suru wa
Grey no jacket ni
Mioboe ga aru ko-hi- no shimi
Ai kawarazu nanone
Show window ni futari utsureba

"Oya? I didn't know Ayami-chan could sing so well," Bokuto comments, momentarily pausing his search for a song for himself.

"I didn't know either," Akaashi adds, not taking his eyes off her.

Akaashi finds himself struck by the song, and of course, her singing too. He never knew she could sing this well so he sure is glad they insisted on bringing her along. "What a pretty voice," he comments.

As for Y/N, Akaashi's poker face worries her throughout the song. "Did he figure out yet? Am I busted?" she asks in her head.

Noticing how much she stared at him, Akaashi himself worries that there's something he's doing wrong. He's all ears right now, occasionally even bopping his head to the lively music. "So why is she staring?" he mumbles.

"Stay with me," she belts the final line, boldly showing off her vocal range while also forgetting that her body, vocal chords included, isn't even hers.

"That was good, Ayami-chan!" Suzumeda comments and applauses.

"Oh, stop it," Y/N chuckles, a little flustered.

"Your turn, Akaashi-san," she adds on the microphone.

Akaashi, as promised in the deal, borrows the song catalogue from Bokuto, who finally made up his mind about which song to sing. While Akaashi picks, it's the captain's turn now.

Shalala Goes On plays

Karaoke. 6:30PM

Everyone ended up singing and for at least two hours, though temporary, her worries were washed away. Y/N didn't really have the chance to enjoy her schooling years due to her devotion to her career, so even if this life isn't hers to keep, it's something she values.

"We'll be going now, see ya!" Washio tells the rest of the team, waving them good bye. Suzumeda, who's headed to the same direction as him, waves the others good bye as well.

"Bye bye! Take care!" Bokuto exclaims.

"Bye," the rest follow, before walking to their own routes.

"Finally. Time to go home."

"Akaashi, let's go," Bokuto says, nudging the vice-captain who's spacing out.

"Oh, right. Let's go. You too, Ayami-san," Akaashi tells her.

"Let's go."

"I'll go at the second stop, I have a quick errand to do," Akaashi says.

"Oh, sure, sure. And you, Ayami? Still the fourth station?"

"Fourth station? Uh, yes, right, the, the usual," Y/N answers, clueless if that's even the right one.

"Okay, I'll go by the third stop, I'm meeting my uncle. He just came from Nagoya so I'll guide him and stuff. Plus dinner's his treat too," Bokuto explains. "It's still safe at this time, right, Ayami?" he asks, a little concerned for Y/N.

"Ah, on the second thought, I think I'll do a different errand. I'll go with you in the fourth stop, Ayami-san," Akaashi says. The instant change of plans makes her even more nervous.

"Oh okay! Take care, you too."

"You too, Bokuto-san."

After a few minutes of walking, the three arrived at the busy train station. She searches her bag for her wallet but the two only bring out a card. "What is that?" she mumbles.

"Rail card," Akaashi answers in a soft voice, too inaudible for Bokuto to hear.

"Okay, okay," she mouths, then searches the wallet for it. Thankfully, it doesn't take her long to look for it. Akaashi goes to the machine first and she watches Bokuto follow like it's a demonstration.

"So that's how that works," she tells herself.

The rest gets easier. Y/N just tags along with the two, even sitting between them in the train. As Bokuto mentioned earlier, as the train near on the third station, he prepares himself to go out.

"This is my stop so I gotta go now. See you around, Akaashi, Ayami!" Bokuto bids them farewell.

"Take care, Bokuto-san," the two said in chorus.

"Now what?" she asks herself. She's silent for the rest of the train ride, careful not to reveal anything more than she already has.

"Ayami-san, thank you again for accepting the offer," he initiates a conversation.

"It's nothing, I haven't even done anything for you yet."

"I was really worried for the team. Shirofuku-san and Suzumeda-san are both third-years already," he says, "I didn't think anyone would be interested to join a club at this time of the year."

"But, wait, I, I can't promise I'll ever be as good as Shirofuku-san or Suzumeda-san though," she adds, "I'll just try."

"That's already good enough for me."

"Oh?"

"For the team, I mean."

Like before, with neither knowing to say, silence takes over. Y/N stares at the train window, observing the new scenery.

"We're near the fourth stop, Ayami-san," Akaashi reminds.

"Let's go now then," she says in a softer voice. At this point, all she could do is hope Akaashi knows the way and not suspect.

Clueless with direction, Y/N follows Akaashi quietly from the train stop all the way to the quieter neighborhood. She guesses that the real Ayami lived somewhere near here, maybe in an apartment around. As helpless as she feels, all she could do is follow him.

"Ayami-san."

"Yes, Akaashi-san?"

"I don't know if I'm seeing things but you seem different."

"What?"

"No, actually, you are different."

"What do you mean?" she asks, trying to act not different, pretending like he doesn't have a point.

Akaashi pauses, trying to figure out how to put his suspicions and doubts to words.