My conversation with Oniya-sensei went unexpectedly normal. I guess.

I did a good job by restraining my true feelings. If not, I surely will make a ruckus back there. Luckily, I get my emotions under my sleeves.

Time to get home but there is one task left.

"Mizuho, can you please deliver this file to Shizuka-sensei?  I believe she's at the field, " he said without looking at my face.

"Sure."

Shizuka-sensei is the coach of track and field club after all. I walk along side the field, the soccer team is having their practice. From my place I can see a figure whose giving his best for his club.

I am in debt to that person.

Shimatta!  I didn't thank him yet.

I wave to him, even though our distance is like a couple of metres, he sees me straight away. He waves back at me and jogs in my way.

"Yo, what's up? Why you're calling me?, " Hitsuya asks me while wiping his sweat off his face.

He's really an eye-catcher.

Especially in those uniforms. There's no denying that.

"Helloo, earth to Reina, earth to Reina,  are you there?", he waves his hand right in front of my face.

I gasp.

Did I just get doze off because of Hitsuya?

Oh my!  All the studying is driving me nuts.

"Ah, yeah. "

"What are you daydreaming for? ", he takes a seat at a nearby bench and gesture at me to join him. I join him but still keeping a distance between us.

"Hitsuya, I want to thank you for helping me out in the class today, " I say sincerely.

"Ah, it's about that. It's not a big deal. You're welcome anyway." The chat end but somehow this silent comforts me. 

"Are you okay, Reina?", out of the blue Hitsuya asked me.

"What do you mean? "

He scratches his cheek looking all flustered, even though I know that nothing is itchy with his cheek. "You always look absent-minded when you're in class. It's even rare to see you laugh nowadays."

Eh?  Am I?

"You look distracted by something. Even when you're reading books. I bet your mind's already flies somewhere else."

Now, I am shocked! How come lately people around me notice more things about me that myself?

I hate to admit it but Hitsuya is right. Recently, I have always caught myself on the cloud. Not that it was on purpose or what.  Suddenly a bright bulb pop out from myhead.

Now it  makes sense!

"So, my friends are right. You really are keeping an eye for me in the class, Hitsuya. Gotcha, " I flash him a grin. A sly grin to be precised.

Hitsuya's face turns stiff. It almost looks like he is not breathing before he half-shouts at me,  " What?  That is nonsense."

I try my best to restraint my laughter under my breath. That's priceless.

"My friend said that lately you've been busy staring at me in class. Care to explain? ", this is getting interesting.

"Don't you think you're overconfident here,  miss? ", he starts to join the play.

"Well, I'll not if there's no one caught red-handed while staring at me, " my words laced with sarcasm and his reaction tells me that he gets it.

"Sooo,  tell me Hitsuya, what's so amazing about my face except that mine is flawless?", I cross my leg, trying to liven up the act.

He rolls his eyes at my words, " I need a bucket, I wanna puke. Wait! Cancel that. Call an ambulance instead."

One, two, three.

Reina cannot hold it back anymore. She bursts into a laughter like there's no tomorrow. Tears of joy start to dwell up at her eyes. It is not long before Hitsuya joins her. Holding his stomach in attempt to hold back but fails miserably. Their laughter echoes through the atmosphere and manages to get them a few glances from other students. After calming down Hitsuya restarts our chat, "It's been a long time since we enjoy ourselves together like these. "

"Yeah. Those days is gold. "

"I miss those days. "

He misses them?

I am too busy entertaining my feelings to the point I ignore my own thought. Cruel.

"Me too. "

"Then, why? "

I did not see that coming. My mind goes blank and finding a comeback looks impossible.

What does he means?

"Why what exactly? " My voice obviously represent my mind, puzzled because it's shaky.

"Why did you quit your club?  I thought you like kendo?  I'm sure not just like, you love it! I can see it," he stares blankly to the field.

"I-I have my own reasons. But I cannot deny that I really love kendo! Head over heels," he is right.  I have a hard time trying to move on from kendo. It is  like an addiction. My life has never feel complete since I had decided to hang up my wooden sword. Looking at all those students who have fun to their fullest while doing things that they love, make me have green eyes for them.

"Bother to share it with me?," he looks at me straight into my eyes. I avert his eyes because it feels like he is exploring my soul to look for the answers. I am worried I will spill out the beans if I reply his stare any longer.

"Hitsuya. " I try to sound stern so that he knows that this is the border line. He cannot step any further. He exhales a deep sigh. Without a notice, he stands up and streches out his hands.

 It's already 15 minutes since we start chatting. I must have bothered his practice. My mind stryugles to find an excuse to leave without hurting his feeling anymore.

"Hitsuya, I have to go. Beside, I come here to find for Shizuka-sensei anyway."

"She's at the court." He does not even look at her. Still busy warming up.

"Then I-'" I do not have the chance to finish my sentence when he interrupts, "Hey, why do you call me Hitsuya?  My name is H i t s u g a y a  K o w a s u k e anyway."

Reina shoot him a smile, "Thought you wouldn't ask. The reason is simple, because Hitsugaya is too long. I don't want to waste my saliva "

"Then, why not Kowasuke? It's my family name. "

"Nah, there's no particular reason. Just, it sounds so distanced. Didn't like it," she frowns at that idea. "I like Hitsuya better. "

He stays silent for a while and then the sense sinks down at me.

It sounded so wrong, doesn't it? 

"I didn't mean it that way!  I mean that I like Hit-, " I fluster while saying those line.

Am I imagining things or is that Hitsuya whose have red flush all over his cheek?

He' is blushing??

"I knew that. I want to call you something different too, " he pinches his nose.

Trying  to find a new nickname for me, I guess.

Putting that aside, I can see a glint of hurt in his eyes when I said that.

"Okay but let's hear it some other days. Gotta go, bye," and with that I walk away after giving him a wave.

He waves back but still the frown does not leave his face.

"Reina! "

I look back and see Hitsuya still stands at the spot where I leave him.

"Don't overdo it okay? "

"Do what? ", both of us yell since we are far apart from each other.

"Studying." My eyes widen in shock and Hitsuya turns his back to me and continues his practice.

He knows it all along.

.• I can't resist, I just have to make the boy plays sport. One of my weaknesses. *sigh dreamily*

Oh, thank you for reading this!  

xoxo