(chapter xii)

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

Over the next few weeks, Yuna discovered herself spending nearly every moment in school with Hajime and Tooru—an unlikely trio that certainly raised eyebrows and piqued curiosity. Yet, despite the intrigued gazes and whispered speculations, no one gathered the courage to outright question the nature of their friendship.

Even though she frequently attended their practices, Yuna was continuously disappointed that Tooru didn't produce the desired sound again. However, unperturbed, she remained resolute, convinced that it would happen again and determined to wait patiently for it.

Aware that her song's composition would be unavoidably delayed, yet without complaint, she accepted that haste would not expedite the process.

Instead, she continued to observe Tooru during every practice session, patiently waiting for the elusive moment to present itself once more.

Her eyes remained consistently fixed on Tooru, attentively watching his every move during each training session, anxiously anticipating the appearance of the sought-after sound.

This routine continued, day after day, with nothing unusual unfolding. Frustration mounted, but then Yuna made a deliberate decision to grant herself some well-deserved tranquility.

...

"Suga-chan~"

Lost in the pages of her book, Yuna looked up to find Tooru's face hovering directly in front of her own when he spoke. Since Hajime was occupied with a teacher and wouldn't be joining them for lunch for the first half, the pair had been patiently awaiting his return, deciding not to eat without him.

She slowly lowered her book as Tooru posed a question, "You know it's been almost a month since we became friends, right?" A nod from her confirmed his observation.

He continued, "Well, then why do you still refer to me as 'Oikawa-san?'"

"I hadn't realized it held significance," Yuna responded bluntly.

Tooru exhaled in mild despair and leaned on his hand as he said, "It does. So, why don't you opt for a more friendly or even a cutesy alternative?" He playfully raised his eyebrows for emphasis.

Typically, she'd have offered a scathing response, but at this moment, she recognized that Tooru, despite his usual playfulness, was her friend, and the formal way she addressed him did indeed appear distant.

With Hajime, it was effortless to have a casual demeanor due to his natural laid-back attitude towards her. But with Tooru, it was a different matter—his penchant for playful banter often left her wondering if he was ever serious.

She acknowledged that on the court, his focus and seriousness were evident, but off the court, Tooru was a typical playboy and flirt, embodying a carefree nature.

Within the few weeks they'd known each other, Yuna had noticed his brief relationships with multiple girlfriends, leading her to realize that his now former girlfriend distancing herself wasn't the sole reason behind his off-game behavior.

During one particular practice, she had inadvertently noticed something—he was favoring his right leg. She had only seen him limp once, when a teammate exuberantly draped his arm over his shoulder, but otherwise, he was cautious and meticulous in concealing any sign of injury.

She was aware that he wouldn't disclose the truth unless he deemed it necessary, so for the time being, she remained silent, recognizing that he harbored a lack of trust in regards to her. However, she respected his reservations and refrained from pressing further.

"Hmm, how about I just call you 'Trashykawa,'" Yuna suggested with a playful tone, causing Tooru to pout adorably.

"No, no, that's not cute," he whined, prompting a small laugh from her. Unnoticed by her, Tooru's eyes widened upon hearing the sound, not quite believing he'd caught her displaying an emotion.

Tooru's eyes grew larger in disbelief as he asked, "Wait...did you just laugh?"

Yuna quickly denied it and shook her head, her expression swiftly returning to its usual stoic demeanor.

"No, you must be seeing things," she stated, raising her book to hide her face, "To-kun"

"Ah!" Tooru's face split into a cheeky grin, exclaiming, "Awwh, Yu-chan" He suddenly reached over and pulled Yuna's head into an embrace, trapping her against his chest, causing her to flail around trying to catch her breath as her face was buried in the open book.

Several of their classmates observed the situation, yet none intervened before a well-aimed fist landed atop Tooru's head, releasing Yuna from his grasp. She gasped for air, observing as Tooru clutched his head, muttering in pain.

"I leave for just a moment, and you're already attempting to kill Sugawara," Hajime's voice rang out with disapproval, his gaze fixed firmly on Tooru as he continued to hold up his clenched fist.

Tooru let out a childish whine, exclaiming "Iwa-chan" as Hajime continued to tousle his head with his fist.

Yuna rolled her eyes, closing her book and watching the exchange between the two males until her stomach emitted an embarrassingly loud grumble, breaking the moment. She quickly handed them their lunches, hoping the distraction would halt the impending bickering.

The room remained unusually quiet as the three sat together eating their lunches. Tooru was still pouting slightly, and Hajime couldn't help but occasionally chuckle at the sight.

Yuna kept her gaze fixated on her food, praying that the stillness wouldn't persist for too long, and silently wished for Hajime to say something to lighten the mood.

Hajime, noticing the extended silence, finally spoke up, "So, Tooru."

Tooru glanced up from his food, raising an eyebrow in response. "Yeah?"

Hajime continued, "You really can't keep your hands to yourself, can you?"

Tooru feigned innocence, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, "I don't know what you're talking about~"

Hajime rolled his eyes, clearly not convinced by Tooru's act. "Yeah, right," he replied dryly.

At this point, Yuna couldn't help but chuckle at their banter, her earlier awkwardness gradually fading away.

Tooru let out a small huff and shot a mock glare at Hajime, then turned to Yuna with a charming smile. "At least someone here thinks I'm innocent, right, Yu-chan?"

Before Yuna could respond, Hajime cut in with a laugh, "Oh, please. You're about as innocent as a fox in a henhouse."

Tooru let out a dramatic gasp, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Iwa-chan, how could you say that? I'm wounded."

Hajime chuckled, unimpressed by his reaction. "Yeah, yeah, keep playing the victim, Trashykawa."

Tooru let out an exaggerated sigh and stuck out his lower lip in a pout, "You're both so mean to me."

Yuna shook her head, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Maybe if you hadn't been acting like a fool earlier, we wouldn't be teasing you now."

Tooru feigned hurt and clutched at his heart again, "Ah, my heart... Yu-chan, you wound me deeply."

Hajime rolled his eyes and couldn't help but chuckle at Tooru's dramatic display. "Oh, shut up, you're fine."

Tooru dramatically placed the back of his hand on his forehead and feigned swooning against the table. "I feel faint... Someone get me some water."

Hajime reached over and swatted him lightly on the back of the head. "Knock it off, you big baby."

Tooru dramatically laid his head down on the table with a loud sigh, "Oh woe is me, I'm dying... Someone please call a doctor."

Hajime rolled his eyes once more and muttered, "You're such a drama queen, you know that?"

Tooru continued his exaggerated act, dramatically draping his arm over his face, "I'm drowning in a sea of despair... Someone throw me a lifeline."

Hajime huffed out a laugh and shook his head, "If you're drowning, it's because you're drowning in your own melodrama."

Tooru let out a melodramatic gasp, "How can you be so heartless, Iwa-chan? I'm wounded, remember?"

Hajime raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with faux sympathy, "Oh, right. How could I forget your tragic condition, 'wounded ego'?"

Tooru feigned being shot in the heart, "Ouch. You're going to make me cry, you know."

Hajime feigned concern, placing a hand on his chin and pretended to think. "Well, I suppose that would be an improvement over your usual act of being an insufferable flirt."

Tooru's quick and witty responses were met with an equally sharp wit from Hajime, keeping the conversation going effortlessly.

As the lunch period drew to a close, Yuna found herself impressed with their ability to keep up with each other's banter. She silently wondered if they ever took a break from their verbal sparring.

The bell signaling the end of lunch rang, interrupting their banter. Tooru and Hajime both glanced up, realizing that they'd somehow managed to spend the entire period trading quips and insults.

Hajime huffed out a laugh, leaning back in his chair. "Well, that's a record."

Tooru let out a small chuckle and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, we really should do this for a living."

Hajime rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, because the world needs more sarcastic and dramatic duos."

Tooru quickly gathered his belongings and shot a mischievous grin in Yuna's direction. With a quick wink, he announced, "I'd much rather be a duo with Yu-chan~" He blew a playful kiss before skillfully dodging Hajime's attempts to retaliate with a swift fist. With a smug grin, Tooru dashed out of the classroom, back to his own class.

Hajime and Yuna shared a weary glance, silently expressing their shared exhaustion with Tooru's antics. They both let out unison sighs, knowing all too well that dealing with him could be exhausting.