The mood in the classroom turned awkward and tense all at once.
Every eye in the room was on Oikawa and Kawasaki. Most of the class knew the two of them had some kind of special relationship, but nobody had expected Kawasaki to just come out and admit it.
Miura looked at Kawasaki's blank expression and kind of regretted asking the question.
Meanwhile, Yui had gone pale.
Her lips twitched. Her hands, hanging at her sides, found each other, and she started kneading her fingers over and over.
What she wanted, right then, was to tell the whole room: "I'm giving Oikawa-kun chocolate too, and it's honmei chocolate! I love Oikawa-kun! I love him the most, the most, the most!"
But in the end, Yui couldn't say it. The words stuck in her throat, and it hurt so much she could hardly stand it.
Ebina sensed things going south and piped up with a wounded little voice. "Saki-chan, that's so unfair! We're friends too, right? Aren't you getting me some obligation chocolate?"
"Of course I am!" Kawasaki answered calmly, then said nothing more.
The classroom slowly got noisy again.
Oikawa let out a long breath and shot Ebina a grateful look. She was mouthing something at him without making a sound: 'You're buying me dinner.'
He gave her a thumbs-up, then started marveling to himself.
Ebina really did have high emotional intelligence. Anyone else would have frozen on the spot. It was impressive how fast she'd defused that whole bloodbath of a scene. That woman would be perfect for PR.
Still.
It put him on guard. The further along his conquest went, the more often scenes like this were going to happen. He had to prepare for them ahead of time.
Better to fix the roof before it rains.
....The commotion in Class 2 died down as Shizuka Hiratsuka walked in.
_ _ _
After class ended, Oikawa packed his bag at record speed as usual and headed into the activity building to get to the Service Club and clock in for his daily dose of being bossed around.
The activity building was emptier than the second-year building, and colder too. The moment Oikawa stepped through the front door, he shivered without meaning to. It felt like walking into a freezer.
He hurried along, desperate to reach the Service Club, with its electric heater and its black tea. Compared to this place, the club room was basically heaven.
The student council office door was wide open, and he spotted Iroha Isshiki at the front of the room, directing everyone like a general. Judging by her expression, she was enjoying every second of being council president.
It looked nothing like what she'd told him on LINE, that every day was agony and she hated walking into that office.
Sure enough. All girls are good liars.
Iroha seemed to notice him. She paused, then waved at him with her whole arm, looking thrilled.
Oikawa bolted before everyone else could turn and look.
That girl was impossible to figure out.
What kind of student council president stops mid-meeting to greet an acquaintance in front of everybody? Was she insane?
"Oikawa-kun, wait for me!"
He'd just gone up two flights of stairs when he heard hurried footsteps behind him, and Yui calling out.
He turned around.
Yui was glaring at him, cheeks puffed out in annoyance. "Why do you always go by yourself every day? Didn't I tell you to wait for me?"
"I never said okay," Oikawa replied, his voice flat.
"Then why didn't you say okay?" Yui shot back, clearly frustrated.
"Maybe because I'm still mad." Oikawa looked away, his expression tightening. "Mad that you wouldn't come home with me to see the cat that can dance."
Yui froze. She fidgeted, tugging at the hem of her sweater, staring at him with nervous written all over her face.
After a while, she asked, very, very hesitantly, "Oi-Oikawa-kun... are you really mad at me?"
Oikawa felt a headache coming on. "Of course not! I'm just used to getting out of class fast, that's all. I'll wait for you next time, and we can go together."
Yui really was a silly girl. How could she be this gullible?
But the real reason he didn't want to walk with her was that he was afraid Kawasaki would see and feel uncomfortable, even though Kawasaki had never once asked about anything to do with the Service Club.
"Okay! Then it's a promise. Next time, we go together!"
Seeing that he wasn't put off by the whole cat thing, and had even agreed to come to the club with her from now on, Yui was over the moon.
She walked beside him, glancing down at his feet and trying to match his stride. After a few failed attempts, she finally got it, and her whole face lit up with a huge smile.
"..."
In the empty hallway, the only sound was their footsteps landing in time. Oikawa found himself unconsciously matching her pace, too.
Smiling, Yui said, "Oikawa-kun, it'd be so great if we ended up in the same class in third year."
"Yeah, it really would."
It suddenly occurred to him that once they hit third year, there might never be times as happy as these again.
By then he'd be stuck in a class full of strangers, and he honestly doubted he'd even want to make new friends. He'd probably resist the idea.
Then again. Who could say how things would turn out?
"So we should cherish the good times we have right now. Don't you think so, Oikawa-kun?" Yui's smile came back, big enough to show her teeth as she looked up at him.
Oikawa reached over and pinched her cheek. It was soft and squishy, like squeezing a ball of dough.
"W-what are you doing?!" Yui stumbled back a few steps, face burning, and threw up her guard. "Oikawa-kun, that's sexual harassment! How could you do that to me?"
"Then call the cops."
Faced with his shameless grin, all Yui could do was glare. She couldn't actually call the police on this jerk.
"Hmph! You're the worst!"
Oikawa just smiled and said nothing.
Yui shot him one more fierce look, then sped up and marched toward the club room. She pulled open the door, and the familiar smell of black tea drifted into his nose once again.
.
.
.