𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒 - 𝐢𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐦𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐱 𝐟!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

九

Things between Iwaizumi and me were... complicated. Since the workout, there was a tension I couldn't ignore. His compliment from last week—"That's one of the things I like about you"—played over and over in my mind, but I tried to keep my cool.

It wasn't like I was interested in him. I mean, yes, he was my best friend. And okay, maybe he was a little too good-looking for his own good, and he knew how to push me to be better... but that didn't mean I had feelings for him. Not like that.

Right?

Unfortunately, Oikawa had taken it upon himself to remind me at every possible opportunity. Today was no exception.

︿ ︿ ︿ (( 🍒)) ︿ ︿ ︿

The bell rang, signaling lunch, and I practically leapt out of my seat, hoping to avoid another round of Oikawa's "relationship counseling." But there he was, waiting outside my classroom with that signature smirk.

"Y/N-chan!" he called, waving like he was about to deliver life-changing news. "Walk with me!"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't get out of it. "What is it, Oikawa?"

He grinned, steering me toward the outdoor courtyard where Iwaizumi was already waiting with our lunches. "Oh, nothing. Just... checking in on my dear friend and her totally platonic feelings."

"Oikawa, if you don't drop it—"

"Okay, okay!" he laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll keep my mouth shut. For now."

We reached Iwaizumi, who was sitting in the shade of a large tree, looking at something on his phone. He glanced up as we approached, his expression softening slightly when he saw me.

"Hey," he said, scooting over to make room for me.

"Hey," I replied, settling down beside him.

Oikawa flopped down on the other side, already digging into his lunch. "So, Iwa-chan, Y/N's been acting a little different lately, don't you think?"

I froze, shooting Oikawa a glare. "Oikawa..."

"What?" he asked innocently, but I could see the mischief glinting in his eyes.

Iwaizumi glanced between us, looking mildly concerned. "Different? How?"

"Oh, you know, suddenly more interested in workouts," Oikawa continued, giving me a pointed look.

My face burned. I punched him lightly on the arm. "Oikawa, stop."

Iwaizumi just raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Well, at least now I know she can handle a workout. Could be useful for next time."

"Next time?" I echoed, caught off guard.

He shrugged. "If you're up for it. I don't mind the company."

My heart did a little flip at the thought of spending more time with him, just the two of us. I quickly shoved the feeling down, focusing on my food. "Maybe," I mumbled.

Oikawa shot me a knowing look, which I pointedly ignored.

︿ ︿ ︿ (( 🍒)) ︿ ︿ ︿

As the day dragged on, I kept thinking about Iwaizumi's words. He didn't mind the company. I knew it was probably just a casual comment, but it still made my stomach twist in a way I couldn't explain. I found myself glancing over at him during class, catching little details I'd somehow missed before—the focused look in his eyes, the way his hair fell slightly into his face when he leaned forward.

By the time the final bell rang, I was ready to escape, needing some time to sort through my confused feelings. But as I packed up, Oikawa intercepted me again.

"Y/N-chan," he said, looking more serious than usual, "there's actually something I wanted to tell you."

I frowned, taken aback by his sudden change in tone. "What is it?"

"Look, I know I tease you about Iwa-chan a lot, but... I think you should talk to him."

"Talk to him?" I echoed, feeling a sense of panic creeping in. "About what?"

Oikawa sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "About whatever's been going on between you two. I know you keep denying it, but... it's obvious something's different."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to stop me. "I'm serious, Y/N. Just... think about it, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, he walked off, leaving me standing there with my heart racing. What was he trying to say? Did he think I... liked Iwaizumi?

I shook my head, trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my mind. But as I walked out of school, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe Oikawa was right. Maybe I did need to talk to Iwaizumi. But how? And what would I even say?

︿ ︿ ︿ (( 🍒)) ︿ ︿ ︿

The opportunity presented itself sooner than I expected.

Later that evening, I got a text from Iwaizumi.

Hey. Are you free to meet up?

My heart skipped a beat. This was it. He probably wanted to talk about whatever weirdness was hanging between us.

Sure. Where? I texted back, trying to keep my nerves in check.

Our spot? By the river?

I agreed, and within half an hour, I found myself sitting on the riverbank, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The water shimmered in shades of pink and orange, the air cool and fresh.

Iwaizumi showed up a few minutes later, looking slightly out of breath. He sat down beside me, not saying anything at first, just staring out at the water.

Finally, he broke the silence. "So... Oikawa's been saying some stuff."

My stomach twisted. "Oh?"

He nodded, glancing at me with an unreadable expression. "He says you've been acting... different."

I forced a laugh, trying to play it off. "Yeah, he's been on my case about that."

He didn't smile. Instead, he looked down, his brow furrowing slightly. "I just... wanted to make sure we're okay. I mean, things haven't been weird, right?"

"Weird?" I repeated, my heart pounding. "No, of course not."

But even as I said the words, I felt a pang of doubt. Maybe things had been weird. Maybe there was something more between us that I'd been ignoring.

Iwaizumi watched me for a long moment, as if he could see right through my bravado. Then he looked away, his voice soft. "I don't know, Y/N. Lately... it feels like something's different."

My throat tightened. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know. Maybe it's just me. But... I feel like you've been... I don't know. Distant?"

Distant? That was the last thing I wanted to be. But then again, I had been avoiding my feelings, trying to act like nothing had changed. Maybe I'd been pushing him away without even realizing it.

"Iwaizumi, I'm sorry if I made you feel that way," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I guess... I just didn't want things to get... complicated."

He nodded, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Yeah. I get that."

We sat in silence for a while, the tension between us thick but somehow comforting. Just being here with him, knowing he understood, was enough.

But as we sat there, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something left unsaid, something I wasn't ready to admit.

And maybe... neither was he.

︿ ︿ ︿ (( 🍒)) ︿ ︿ ︿

wc: 1128 words