Chapter Text
⋆ ˚。⋆。♪"ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴏᴋᴀʏ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ, ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ, ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴄʀʏ (ᴜʜ!) ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴜʏ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ? ɪ-ʟ-ɪ-ᴋ-ᴇ-ʜ-ɪ-ᴍ" ₊˚♬ ﾟ.˚。⋆
“Hey.”
“Mmmm…”
“Kuboyasu…” A voice lilted sweetly.
“5 more minutes,” I mumbled, burying my face deeper into my arms.
“Tsk.” SMACK!
I was then abruptly jolted back to reality as my face slammed against the cold, grimy floor of the empty gymnasium. My broom, which had steadied me, was now clattering against the ground, sending a sharp clang through the room. I woke with a start, the impact still ringing in my ears, confusion clinging to me like fog before it began to lift.
“Ugh, what the fuck!” I shouted towards the figure looming above me, their shadow stretching long across the floor, cast by the golden sunlight that spilled through the half-open door. My voice cracked, rising against the sudden contrast of light and darkness that blurred their feature.
“What do you think you’re doing? If you’re done daydreaming, I suggest you get back to work.” [Y/N] bossed, crossing her arms over her chest, a stern look settling on her face.
“You didn’t have to slap me, Jesus…” I mutter as I sit up, dusting myself off. “ Why is it that my favorite president always resorts to violence when it comes to me?” I glance down at her with a mocking pout.
Rolling her eyes in clear annoyance, she turns her back on me, gathering her hair and twisting it into a neat, messy bun with practiced ease.
“How’d you even manage to get punished again?” She asked dryly, pulling on her gloves, the latex snapping softly as her fingers slid into place.
Is she dumb?
“Uhm… you wrote me up from last time, are you kidding?” I arched a brow.
She glanced back at me over her shoulder for a second before turning away and walking a few meters ahead into the room where all the sports equipment was stored. Without a word, she started rummaging through the clutter, like I wasn’t even there.
“…and you haven’t learned your lesson?” She called, her voice drifted out from the room, sounding just a little out of breath.
I watched her now, the memory from a few days ago flickering back into my mind. She had strolled up to me just before homeroom like she always did back then, acting like she owned the damn hallway. Without even blinking, she told me I’d been assigned to clean the gym…again. All because I skipped out on some after-class duty. Her words were delivered flatly and with firmness that suggested she had anticipated my reaction.
Now that I think about it…I haven’t seen her before class since the day after I pulled her out of that mess with those delinquents. Since then, the mornings had been empty. No lectures, no sarcastic remarks, just a quiet space where she used to be. Guess I should be grateful…right?
Before I could say anything, she was already moving, picking up the crushed cans scattered across the floor.
“Hey, what are you doing?” I approached slowly, but she kept her back to me, silent as ever.
“[Y/N]~ Why are you cleaning?” I called out to her again, but she kept her back to me, deliberately walking in the opposite direction to avoid even glancing at me.
I raised a brow at her turned back, confusion twisting my gut. Until the reason sank in.
“PFFT—” I slapped a hand over my mouth, stifling a laugh. “No way!” I burst out.
Her body tensed when she realized I knew.
“[Y/N] [L/N], the president of the student council of PK academy, got in trouble and finally got punished! HAHAHA what? Did they finally get tired of you?” I howled with laughter.
All I got was a click of her tongue and the cold shoulder once again.
“Hahaha—what the fuck did you even do?” I chuckled, walking up to where she was crouched as I pointed at her with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
“Well…” She muttered, scratching her cheek awkwardly as she searched for the right words.
⋆｡°·⛆⋆ ☂‧₊°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
“Hey, why are you checking out my girl?!” A senior growled, his hand tightening around a purple-haired student. said as he gripped a freshman’s collar.
“Well, I’m sorry if she can’t resist my charm,” The purple-haired student taunted, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
“This isn’t you, senpai! Let him go!!” The girl pleaded, desperately tugging at her boyfriend’s arm, but it was useless.
I stopped in my tracks, the music that had been blaring through my earbuds fading into the background unnoticed as my feet suddenly turned on their own accord.
“Wow,” I said, stepping in.
The senior snapped his glare in my direction, eyes sharp with warning. “Back off. This isn’t your business.”
I held his stare, unimpressed, and slowly raised a brow. Without a word, I reached out and gently peeled the girl’s hands from the guy’s arm, her grip trembling.
“I’m making it my business.”
Before anyone could react, I seized the senior by the collar and gave it a sharp twist, forcing him to face me head-on. His body jerked slightly from the sudden motion, and the room went still.
“Now, how about we use our words next time, Romeo?”
A few moments later, I found myself in the principal’s office for “escalating a conflict” and “'putting hands’ on another student.”
⋆｡°·⛆⋆ ☂‧₊°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
“HAHAHAHAH! NO WAY—YOU THREW HANDS?!” I couldn’t stop laughing until she hurled a dripping rag at me, cutting me off mid-wheeze.
“SHUT UP I DID NOT! For your information, I was having a bad day. Now get back to work! The sooner we’re done, the sooner I don’t have to see your fucking face”
I peeled the rag from my face with an exaggerated sigh. My eyes landed on her, already busy and crouched down with her sleeves rolled up.
“Sure.”
[Y/N] stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, eyes narrowing as she scanned me from head to toe. I met her stare with a sly grin, purposely dragging the mop across the floor with exaggerated laziness, making every movement as unhelpful as possible, reveling in her growing irritation.
“Hey! You’re just supervising!” I prodded.
She turned away momentarily, her face etched with annoyance, but quickly spun back to face me, her index finger now pointed directly at me as she wanted me to focus and take her seriously.
“I’m not just supervising! I’m inspecting your ass mopping skills! Ugh! Seriously, give me that!” She walked towards me, and I, in a playful attempt, slowly pulled the mop away, trying to make it so she couldn’t reach it. But then…
“I’m starting to think you’re doing this on purpose just so I’ll so do you wo—GAA!”
Before she could even grab the mop, her legs suddenly buckled on the slippery wet floor, and with a loud gasp, she slid backward, landing hard on her ass. My eyes widened in shock as I watched her slip.
A laugh bubbled up as I shook my head. “Wow, so graceful, Ms. [Y/N],” I managed to say through my snickering, my voice dripping with sarcasm, barely able to keep the amusement in check before I reached down to help her up.
Later, I walked in to find her surrounded by a mountain of trash bags, each one threatening to topple over as her hands moved quickly but clumsily, struggling to keep the bags from spilling over.
I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, before trudging over to her. She paused for a second, dragging the back of her hand across her forehead to wipe away the sweat beading down her temple.
She noticed me as I began tying the mouth of the trash bag, lifting it quickly to throw it over my shoulder. But just as I did, the bag exploded mid-air with a sickening pop, scattering garbage everywhere. The mess rained down on me, some of the wet, sticky gunk soaked my clothes as a few droplets splattered across the side of my face. Next thing I knew, the stench hit me like a punch in the face. The foul odor invaded both our nostrils, the nauseating rot caused both of us to recoil in disgust and grimace.
“OH SHIT!” She jolted slightly as she sucked in a breath, surprised at first, then a soft chuckle slipped out. It quickly grew into fun, unrestrained laughter that rang with warmth through the room, her shoulders shaking as she let herself enjoy the moment.
“Oh my god, that’s so disgusting!” Her hand flew up to cover he mouth as she laughed, a habit of hers whenever something genuinely cracked her up.
I grumbled, mostly at the situation, but partly because it hit me. Honestly, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen her laugh like that… especially not because of me. It was worth it, just to be the reason she laughed, even if just this once.
After cleaning myself up and quickly changing into my school uniform, I took a moment to freshen up, feeling the weight of the day pressing in. The air in the room was thick with the smell of sweat and cleaning supplies, but at least I didn’t feel as grimy as before. I turned my gaze toward her, focused on moving the smaller boxes. We both knew that once these were cleared, the mountain of larger boxes would be next, a task we were both dreading, but neither of us was willing to say it out loud.
“Please don’t drop it!” She warned, her voice strained. I peeked at her over the box, noticing her sweating figure, brows furrowed in concentration, and one eye squinting as she focused.
“Then don’t tr—”
Too late. I gripped the box tightly, squeezing my eyes shut. The impact rippled through the rooms, and when I opened my eyes, I found her on the floor, wincing as she rubbed the base of her spine where she had fallen.
She looked up from the floor, her eyes filled with betrayal. “Did you really have to save the box instead of me?”
I shrugged as a smirk tugged at the edge of my lips, slightly feeling guilty.
“Sorry…that you suck at carrying.”
A few minutes later, I realized there was still so much work left to do, but it would've been a lot worse if [Y/N] hadn’t shown up. Now, I had to mop the rest of the floor. I grabbed a heavy bucket of water from the faucets just outside the gym, groaning about how this punishment felt way too extreme for just skipping after-school cleaning. With a sigh, I stepped into the room.
As I turned, bucket in hand, [Y/N] suddenly appeared out of nowhere, stepping backward just in time to land right into me. I stumbled back.
“Woah—!” I blurted, but it was too late.
She let out a yelp as we both tumbled to the floor. Her hands, drawn by impulse, grasped the fabric that hugged my biceps.
My reflexes kicked in at the last second. My hands shot out instinctively, one bracing behind her head to catch her before she hit the ground, while my legs sprawled on the opposite side of her to catch myself. I froze, my face a mere breath from hers. The air between us thickened with an unexpected tension as I struggled to catch my breath. Her fingers clutched tightly.
In that split second, time seemed to stretch.
Her eyes were shut for a moment, then flew open with her lashes fluttering, wide, unblinking, and stunned, locking onto mine. She flinched slightly. I could feel her breath, soft and trembling, brushing against my lips like a secret neither of us meant to share. Our chests were nearly flush, the only thing keeping our chests from fully pressing together where her hands splayed flat against my torso, trembling faintly where they rested.
[Y/N]’s skin was really warm.
Shit.
I should move. Say something. Anything. But my mind was blank, caught between the heat of the moment and the way her fingers curled ever so slightly into my shirt. It wasn’t just the closeness, it was the look in her eyes. I didn’t mean to end up like this. I swear, why is [Y/N] tripping over everything in this chapter?
My heart was pounding way too hard, and the heat crawling up my neck intensified.
Before I could even think straight, her voice broke the stillness, soft and vulnerable.
“Y-you’re heavy…”
In that instant, I realized my gaze had fallen to her soft lips, the ones that were nearly parted as she spoke.
“Could’ve let you crack your head open instead,” I muttered with a half-hearted chuckle, my voice a little too shaky for comfort. I quickly glanced away, hoping she wouldn’t notice the warmth that continued to creep.
We were too close—dangerously close—and neither of us made a move. Then—
“Oh. My. God,” a voice exclaimed from across the room, breaking the tension like a sharp crack, making us jump.
Both [Y/N] and I froze, the tension thickened once again as we slowly turned to face the source of the voice.
[Y/N] shoved me away, and we both scrambled to put some space between us. I collapsed onto my back with a grunt, rubbing my elbow where it had slammed into the floor. She sat up quickly, her face finally had a visible tinge of red from embarrassment, her eyes avoiding mine as she tugged at her shirt nervously.
I wanted to say something, apologize, but the words were stuck in my throat. It felt awkward. Wrong. She probably hated this as much as I did.
“IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!” She snapped, her voice sharp and defensive as her hands shot up in a quick gesture.
I shifted, pushing myself to my feet, and dusted off my clothes. My eyes flickered toward the hallway, where two students were still staring at us, mouths hanging open.
“Trust me, she’d punch me before letting that happen! She tripped! I heroically got in the way.” I chimed.
“Heroically?!”
“You’re welcome, by the way,” I said, leaning a little closer, watching her stiffen as I teased.
“Ughh, get a room,” One of the students gagged.
“Get a life!!” [Y/N] and I shouted in unison, our voices surprisingly synchronized.
The two students froze for a split second, eyes wide, before they quickly turned and fled, yelping as they dashed down the field. The sound of their hurried footsteps rang, leaving us in an almost awkward silence, both of us still processing what had just happened.
I watched as [Y/N]’s hand quivered, reaching up to grip her hair in frustration. A string of curses escaped her lips, each one sharper than the last, and I could practically feel the panic radiating off of her.
I could feel my own hands gripping the bottom half of my face, trying to hide the rush of heat that stayed. My heart was racing, and no matter how hard I tried to act casual, I knew there was no masking it.
The space between us felt miles apart now, and yet, the silence between us hung thicker than before, suffocating. Not even a simple ‘thank you’ from her, Tsk.
I ruffled my hair aggressively, only for it to fall right back into place.
“Ugh—whatever. I’m taking a break,” I exhaled, spinning on my heel and storming out with a wave, leaving her standing in the middle of the cluttered gym.
The walk across the field toward the vending machine felt longer than usual. The early afternoon heat pressed down on me, feeling way too hot. Every sluggish step felt stretched out just to give me more time to stew in what just happened. My mind raced, and my palms were still a little clammy.
Seriously? Just from bracing myself over her?
I could still feel how close she was, her breath tangled with mine. Her usual sharp eyes, wide in shock. Her soft lips, slightly parted… It was like something straight out of one of those cheesy dramas she pretends not to watch. And I… like a fucking idiot, just froze there. She probably thinks I’m a creep now. Or worse, she’s laughing about it in her head.
I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly, trying to shake off the heat that was still lingering. It was just an accident, not a big deal. I mean, we had been in situations like this before.
Though this could totally be one of those cheesy romance movie moments where the guy catches feelings, huh. No.
No fucking way.
I hate her guts.
She’s stubborn to a fault, always acting like she doesn’t need anyone, like the whole damn world rests on her shoulder and only she can carry it. She’s bossy, always barking orders like the world revolved around her. Mouth like a dagger, and it drives me insane how she always has to be right.
And yet… the way my chest felt tight said otherwise.
The can clunked into the slot with a dull thud. I reached in, cracked it open with a sharp hiss, and took a long swig. The cold fizz burned slightly as it slid down my throat. Still, the moment kept replaying in the back of my mind. That ridiculous fall. The way I hovered over her, too close, too frozen to move.
She didn’t say anything after. Just grimaced and looked away, lips pressed tight, eyes avoiding mine like they’d burn if she looked too long. God, her face was right there. What the fuck… I’ve fought off entire gangs without blinking, but one clumsy fall and I’m short-circuiting like a lovesick fucker.
I leaned against the vending machine, one hand studded in my pocket, the other holding the can loosely as I stared up at the sky like the clouds might spell out an answer. A sigh slipped from my lips before I took another sip. The drink I usually liked felt off this time. I grimaced. Should’ve just gotten water…
Voices prickled at the edge of my hearing. Familiar ones. Too sharp to be whispers, too obnoxious to ignore. I tilted my head slightly, catching movement out of the corner of my eye. A group of five loitered near the stairs by the bike racks, half-hidden in the shade. I spotted two of them right away, the same loudmouths who caught me and [Y/N] earlier.
I turned on my heel, ready to head somewhere, anywhere, without the constant hum of voices clawing at my nerves. But then I heard her name, [Y/N].
“Can’t believe she’s still the student council president, what a joke.” One of them scoffed. “Student council president my ass, all she does is screw around and cause scenes and look pretty.”
“Right? She’s always in some drama these days…such an embarrassment.”
“Why did they even vote her again?”
“Guess being good at her job doesn’t matter if she’s always causing trouble now,” one sneered.
“Must’ve been ‘cause she’s pretty…though, not even that, really,” a guy said, with a cocky tilt of his head.
“She may be the smartest, but her sister’s wayyy prettier, like, leagues above. Total downgrade if you ask me.” They all cracked up, like it was actually that funny.
The next thing they said caused the sip stalling on my tongue, the bitterness of the drink suddenly hitting harder like the words had tainted the taste. My grip tightened around the can, jaw locked.
“She’s not even that good at her job. I mean, just take a look at that purple-haired freak she’s always gushing about. She’s just bossy. Always acting like she’s better than everyone.” It’s because she is.
“Speaking of, I just saw her actually, she was totally making out with someone in the gym earlier.”
“No wayyy….”
“Didn’t Kuboyasu get punished to clean there again? Hah. Messy. Bet it’s him.”
“Gross,” a voice gagged.
“Kinda pathetic if she’s clinging to a delinquent now,” one jeered.
The group burst into another fit of laughter.
The can in my hand crumpled with a sharp crack, sticky soda hissing out and running down my fingers, seeping through clenched knuckles. The group didn’t even glance my way, just kept laughing as they continued to walk past. I exhaled sharply in frustration.
Sure, I don’t know [Y/N] like the back of my hand, but I knew damn well she didn’t deserve half the crap they were throwing at her. And yeah, her mouth is sharp and has way too much pride for her own good, but she gave a damn. Way more than any of them ever could. She stayed after hours, cleaning up after idiots like them, holding this school together with bleeding fingers. And now they had the audacity to spit on her name?
My jaw tightened so hard it throbbed. I didn’t even notice my feet moving at first. I was storming, every step fueled by a rising storm in my chest. It felt like something inside was being ripped apart.
[Y/N] didn’t hear this, but damn it, someone needed to say something. I’d been hearing this shit for far too long, but for once I wasn’t going to stay silent. My feet screeched to a halt just before I touched the gym door’s handle. Her voice suddenly crashed through my mind like a tidal wave, pulling me back just enough to stop.
“I don’t need to say it. Everyone already thinks it. I could already hear what they’ll say? That I let a delinquent roam the halls unsupervised. That I failed as a leader.”
“So I’m just a bad look on your resume?”
Her voice was sharp, but there was a weight behind it, a sadness I hadn’t caught before.
So she is aware.
And somehow, that stung more than I expected.
The second I pushed open the gym doors, I spotted her immediately. The musty scent of old wood and sweat filled the air, the single window high up on the wall let in a shaft of light that barely reached the dust-covered floor, casting her in a dull, flickering glow. [Y/N] was crouched near the storage closet, her back slightly hunched as she worked to organize a pile of mats. The faint echoes of her movements were the only sound in the otherwise empty space, punctuated by the occasional rustle of mats being shoved into place. She stood frozen for a moment, still gripping her hair in frustration. I could barely hear her muttering under her breath, probably cursing the pile’s disarray, maybe even herself for not being able to fix everything, like she always tried to do.
The silence of the gym seemed to weigh heavier as I watched her, the space between us stretching, filled with unspoken words and that heavy feeling in my chest that I couldn’t shake.
She flinched when she heard the gym door slam shut behind me, her hands tangled in her hair still. For a second, she didn’t turn around.
Then, without looking back, she muttered, “Hey. Took you long enough.”
She’s not stupid…far from it.
She probably hears the whispers before they even leave their mouths, catches the stares, the silent exchanges behind her back during council meetings. And still, she shows up. Still handles everything with that tight-lipped calm and near-perfect poise. She’s not ignoring it, she’s just enduring it. Carrying the weight of it all without letting anyone see how heavy it is… she has to.
And I…I’ve been making it heavier. What a fucking idiot.
Damn it.
She blinked, and her expression faltered. “…what? Why are you staring at me like that?”
I didn’t even realize my fists were still clenched until her eyes flicked downward. Her gaze lingered until I finally forced my hands open.
“You need to start using that thick skull of yours,” I began.
Her eyes flickered again, uncertainty clouding her face. “Huh? Where is this coming from?”
Don’t play dumb. I heard your voice. It cracked, just for a second. Barely enough to catch… but I did.
“You’re more reckless than you think you really are,” I said, my voice low.
I edged closer to her, my words sharp and full. “Running into fights you can’t win. Acting like you can handle everything, like you’ve got it all under control. You’re honestly so—“ I faltered, the words hitting me harder than I thought. But I needed to say it.
“—so damn stubborn.”
I paused as I finally looked at her face, waiting for her to look up, but she didn’t. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the floor, her head down, shoulders slumped. Even without seeing her face, I could feel the tension, the way her silence was swallowing everything around us.
[Y/N] swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she let out a shaky breath. “You think I would just turn a blind eye just to save face? Sure, let people get hurt as long as the student council president looks pristine. Is that really what you think I care about?”
I scoffed.
“That’s not what I said—”
“—No, but that’s what you meant, right?” She stood up slowly, brushing off her skirt with a quiet, bitter laugh. “Funny. That almost sounds like something they’d say.”
My gut twisted as she brushed past me, gathering her things with stiff, deliberate movements, still refusing to meet my eyes.
“[Y/N]—”
“Whatever, I get in trouble for doing what I think is right. I can live with that. Now, get lost.” She turned and started toward the gym doors. She barely made it two steps before I reached out and caught her wrist.
Her voice tried to sound steady, but the tremble was already there’s and when she sniffed, it only made the cracks more obvious.
“Hey… I’m kidding you, idiot,” I murmured, forcing a weak laugh. “I just— you should be more careful. People notice things. They—” I drew her closer. Still, she wouldn’t look at me.
The mere thought of anyone hurting her clearly weighed heavily on my mind. But knowing she’s like this, because of me, was way worse. It stung places I didn’t know could ache. Why is it so damn hard to just say what I mean without turning it into another mess?
“They say dumb shit when you’re not around without thinking about anyone but themselves. I heard some earlier. I know you’re better at this thing than anyone I’ve known…” My throat tightened as I held her wrist a little tighter than before, like the moment might slip if I didn’t.“You’re doing just fine… Don’t let them make you think otherwise…”
The room held its breath until her eyes finally found mine, and I stiffened, a sharp pang shooting through me. Her eyes were heavy, glistening like rain about to fall. She held my gaze for a fragile moment before she broke away, slowly turning her face downward as a warm blush blossomed across her skin. Her arm, once tense in my hold, went limp, the weight of everything between us sinking in.
[Y/N]’s voice was low and breathy, “You’re the worst.” She shoved my hand lightly, her face burning as she walked off.
I let out a soft huff, the corners of my mouth lifting. “Don’t go crying now,” I teased, a little worried.
She flipped me off before slipping behind the door.
I sank down onto the nearest bleacher, eyes drifting up to the ceiling’s cracked paint. A heavy sigh slipped past me, carrying all the weight she left behind. God… that girl. I rubbed the back of my neck roughly, wondering why she still walked away after all that. Then, a faint plastic crunch caught my attention. My fingers closed around a snack in my pocket, completely crushed. The one I meant to give her before I opened my mouth.
I glanced to the side and caught sight of a familiar white cloth draped over the edge of the bleacher. Reaching for it, I realize it was hers, the same one she’d wiped against her forehead more times than I could count. My eyes landed on the neat stitch of her name embroidered into the fabric.
“Right… your jacket,”
A small, bittersweet smile tugged at my lips, maybe a little too fond.
𓇢𓆸‧₊°
@emochitwat 05.16.25