The older Mashiro flicked a small piece of cut beef, sending it flying up high in the air. Everyone's attention was on that falling piece of food; no one spoke a word. A small smirk found its way on his lips before he opened his mouth and caught the beef.

The younger Mashiro could only inwardly roll her eyes at the oh-so familiar trick. She has seen this so many times that she always hoped a strong gust of wind would blow away the food before her brother could catch it.

"Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!!!" Hayakawa bellowed, his eyes wide with merriment.

Kobori smacked the first year's shoulder. "You're being too loud!"

Mashiro Yuki discretely looked at Kise, who wasn't as energetic as he normally is. He was smiling at the scene, thank goodness. His head turned slightly, and he caught her staring at him. She tensed in her seat. He blinked for a second before smiling at her widely, as if he found something more amusing than the meat catching trick of Keiichi.

She tilted her head questioningly. He shook his head before turning back to his half-finished food.

Kise couldn't deny the spike in his heart rate when he realized that Mashiro was already staring at him before he even looked at her. Just the thought of her thinking of him just made him want to jump from his seat and tackle her into a bear hug. But then he remembered their defeat, how he would be unable to play and win with everyone else for their team's next match, and how lame he looked like in front of the girl he likes—he, along with his team, lost the match and now he had to limp around with the help of someone due to his leg injury.

Before he realized it, his plate was already empty. He raised his chopsticks and looked at Keiichi with slightly pleading eyes. "Senpai! Seconds, please!"

The alumnus' face contorted into an expression of disbelief. "I'm only paying for one serving!" he half-replied to Kise and half-announced to the team. Muffled groans were heard less than a second later.

Kise pouted. He really should be minding his diet to keep his figure as a model and athlete, but at the moment he couldn't care less. He just wanted to eat his concerns away, as a co-worker, Kana, does. This idea, however, made him feel like Murasakibara's habits were rubbing off on him.

He slowly stood up, and a stinging sensation shot from his leg. Wincing for a second, he held on to Kasamatsu's chair for support. Their table quieted down for a bit. "I'm going to get some ice cream instead, then!" he announced cheerfully, pointing to the ice cream stall in the park across the street. Without asking for anyone else to come with him, he slowly made his way towards the family restaurant's doors.

Kasamatsu turned to his teammates with a frown of concern, relaying a quiet message to those who wouldn't be dimwitted enough to not get it: "Who's going to help him?"

The female Mashiro immediately grabbed her wallet and stood up, saying, "I want some ice cream, too!" She ran after the team's ace, who was currently having difficulty with walking.

Mashiro Keiichi was about to stand up as well, until Moriyama, who was seated on his left, and Nakamura, who was on his right, grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down, making him sit back on his chair. "Wha—?!" He looked at the two then looked at his sister reaching out to Kise. "I need to come with my beloved Yuki! Let me go!"

"We're looking out for our teammate, senpai," explained Moriyama. "He needs to score once more today. In some girl's heart, that is."

With those words, the ever-so-doting brother turned pale.

***

"Ryouta-kun!" Mashiro called his attention, grabbing his arm gently once she was able to catch up. Her smile was responded by his wide-eyed gaze, Kise's expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. "I'm going with you!"

"But I'm fine, Yukicchi!" he replied almost immediately, forcing a small smile. Just when he wanted to look cool when he couldn't, she just had to come with him and see his pathetic limping up close. But to say that he didn't want to be alone with her would make one of the world's biggest lies. His current situation just made everything more complicated.

"I want ice cream, too!" She went to the side where his leg was currently hurting and took his hand to place it on her shoulder. "And let me support you," she said a little more seriously this time, "You asked me to lend you my strength, right? Let me do that!"

"Eh..." He looked back at their table in hesitation. Everyone turned away from watching them to talk to each other or to eat their food.

"I may be quite short," she added as she raised her other arm to flex her imaginary muscles, "But I'm also strong! And won't it be easier to lean on me since I'm shorter?" She grinned this time, reaching up to his shoulders then to the top of her head to point out their thirty-centimeter height difference.

Kise inwardly sighed in defeat. Well, he did want to be together with his Yukicchi for a little while. "Okay, then. Let me take advantage of your kindness~!"

The autumn air welcomed them outside, the breeze kissing their cheeks with its coolness. One could say that it's already a mixture of both autumn and the impending chilly winter. With golden leaves scattered on the ground and the trees continuing to shed off their leaves, it's only a matter of weeks before people would have to wear thick coats and sweaters, fluffy mittens, and knitted mufflers to keep themselves warm.

Neither of the two said anything about eating ice cream during an already cool weather, however.

They lined up behind a group of friends, who all got chocolate-flavored ice cream. Once it was their turn, Mashiro asked for three scoops of strawberry ice cream, while Kise asked for two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Mashiro was about to help him walk back to the diner, but Kise had other things in mind. He pointed to a nearby bench and asked them to sit there for a while, just so that they could enjoy their food. Worried that she pushed his injured leg too far, she complied with his suggestion.

"Ryouta-kun really, really was cool earlier!" Mashiro said after a few minutes of silence. This made Kise look at her, wondering if she only said that because she's being nice, because she wanted to console him.

"But Kurokocchi and Kagamicchi were way cooler," responded Kise a little glumly as he looked back at his ice cream and licked it.

Little did he know, his words sent her mind into disarray. OMG! He thinks Kuro-tan is cool! KiKuro! But he also thinks Kagami-kun is cool, so KagaKi? But he mentioned both of them, so does he ship KagaKuro?

When Kise noticed her being silent for a second, he slowly looked at her. There's a furrow between her brows, her gaze thoughtful. Did he trouble her with what he said? Maybe he shouldn't've denied her effort to make him feel better—

She suddenly blushed. THREESOME! KagaKiKuro!

Now it was Kise who was even more confused. She seemed troubled earlier, so that must've been his fault. He was supposed to be a little satisfied about that, since it's him who troubled his Yukicchi. He's on her mind. But then she blushed, and what he said earlier was about Kagami and Kuroko. Did she blush because of one of them...?

No! Kise stomped his feet in his mind in frustration. Absolutely not! He had to get her attention back to himself, and himself only!

"Is Yukicchi trying to comfort me~?" he asked with a wide amused smile aimed at her, his tone slightly teasing. He moved closer to her. If he were to move a little more, her shoulder would be touching his arm. Well, that was the goal, but he wanted her to do it unconsciously instead of him.

Snapping out of her KagaKiKuro fantasy, she smiled sheepishly at Kise. "Is it that obvious?" She looked down to her cold treat before taking a small portion.

An idea popped into Kise's head, and he fully faced Mashiro, his grin even wider. "Then, Yukicchi," he finished off his ice cream and pressed his lips together before continuing, "If that's the case, there's something I'd like you to do to comfort me! Would you do it?"

Mashiro's eyes widened; the light was back in Kise's eyes. If he was an alpha wolf during the game and a sad, homesick puppy the whole time they went to the family restaurant and ate, he was now one healthy dog who was about to be given a treat, his tail wagging furiously. The expectant look on his face made it impossible for her to actually reject his request, not that she was intending to, anyway. "What is it, Ryouta-kun?" she asked with a determined smile.

"Stand up for me~!" he chirped.

She was confused at first: how would standing up comfort him? Are they going home already? Is this the first step to something? Despite this, she did stand up in front of the seated Kise as she took a bite on her cone and licked some ice cream. She tilted her head.

"Step closer to me~!"

She did. "And then...?"

"Are you going to let me do whatever I want with you next?" Kise asked, looking up at her with puppy-dog eyes.

She narrowed her eyes and made a lopsided smile. "If it's going to comfort you, do you think I really have a choice? Stupid~ I already agreed, didn't I?"

Kise chuckled at her tone. "That's mean, Yukicchi!"

Mashiro giggled. "Just trying." She then took a mouthful of her ice cream and cone, finally finishing it. Extending her arms, she presented herself to her. "Go ahead."

The next second, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He then buried his face into her torso, his embrace tightening. "Can we stay like this for a while, Yukicchi?" Kise asked, eyes closed and voice gentler, almost like a whisper.

"Un," she replied a little softer this time, her eyes wide. She placed her left hand on his blonde head and ran her fingers slowly through his hair, repeating this gesture in a soothing manner. Meanwhile, her right hand was on her chest, her mind awhirl with confusion.

Did her heart just skip a beat...?

She closed her eyes and shrugged the thought off her mind.

She was probably just surprised by his action.

Probably.

____

a/n: aaand we reached 20 chapters! woooh!
this is a first for me, tbh. hahahaha.
well, thank you for your support if you're reading this! :D I really appreciate it! :)))