a/n: time skip one shot for my fav lil baby ace who must be protected at all costs :)

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Sitting on a bench and taking a moment to relax after nearly having your arm pulled off by your enthusiastic pet, you watched various breeds of canines frolic around the dog park. Your playful Corgi, (dog's name), bounded around nearby, her bottom wagging with excitement. She was a little social butterfly who loved visiting her friends at the park. You appreciated having a place not far from where you lived that allowed you to sit in peace while she spent all her energy playing with other dogs instead of bugging you for treats.

After racing around and playing, only coming to you whenever she wanted to drink out of the water fountain nearby, you noticed her approach another small dog that seemed more timid, as if this experience was its first. It was nothing more than a mass of black fluff from afar, but when it followed (dog's name) as she made her way back towards you to grab her ball, you realized it was a little Pomeranian.

"Aren't you just the cutest little thing?" you simpered, bending down to pet it, making its tail wag enthusiastically. Turning to your own dog and running your hand along her soft head, you asked, "Did you make a new friend, (dog's name)? Good for you!" You chuckled when a small arooo sounded from her mouth, seemingly in response to your question. Your (e/c) gaze set upon the dog's maroon collar as you fumbled with the name tag. "Well, hello there, Ace! Why don't you girls go and play?" The Pomeranian jumped up and down with joy, so you picked up the tennis ball your dog placed at your feet and tossed it for them to chase down.

As you waited for the two dogs to locate the toy, you noticed the Pomeranian stop to make a quick detour along the way, jumping up on the legs of a tall man standing a few feet away. He leaned down towards Ace and ruffled her thick fur before encouraging her to go off and play with her new friend. When the dog raced off and her owner stood up once again, you noticed that he had a familiar face and a jet-black bowl cut that you'd recognize anywhere.

"Tsutomu...?" you uttered softly as you approached him, hands clasped together tightly.

His brown eyes widened as they glanced over your form. "(F/n)?" The way his lip quavered and his entire face brightened showed you that nothing about him had changed over the years.

Smiling, you moved closer to him and pulled him into a platonic hug. "I would say it's felt like a long time since we've last seen each other, but I watch you all the time on TV now," you chuckled and moved away from him, your eyes shifting downwards to your dog when you felt her paws on your leg. "Is Ace your dog?" He nodded enthusiastically in response, to which you commented, "Should've known by the name that she was yours."

"Y-Yeah, you know me!" he sputtered and bent down to pat the fluff ball that had wandered over to him. The tinge of pink on his cheeks brought a smile to your face. "A-Actually, this is her first time at a dog park, b-but it looks like she made a friend!"

You chuckled upon noticing that your little Corgi had approached him, her long body wiggling with curiosity. "Looks like (dog's name) likes you too," you commented, watching with amusement as her tongue lolled out of her mouth when he started petting her.

"Aren't you just the sweetest little girl?" he cooed, his voice taking on a more playful tone that warmed your heart. (Dog's name) nudged the tennis ball she'd brought back towards him with her snout, prompting him to pick it up and throw it across the park. Both pets bounded away to fetch it, leaving their two owners alone again.

"So," you began, shifting the weight of your feet from your heels to your toes, "how have you been?"

This simple question launched the two of you into a longer conversation than anticipated. But, you should've expected that you'd have a lot of catching up to do since this was your first reunion since the two of you had graduated from Shiratorizawa. While seeing each other again was pleasant, you couldn't deny the awkwardness that hung in the air between the two of you as a result of unresolved feelings and uncomfortable past experiences.

In your last year of high school, Goshiki had confessed his feelings to you, and you, being a nervous wreck, had turned him down. Even though you'd returned his affection, you felt that you weren't ready for a relationship and that you would only hold him back from his goal of becoming a pro volleyball ace.

In addition to this, you sensed that your lives would take you in completely different directions following graduation. You had been right about this assumption, but it didn't mean that you regretted your actions any less. Your decision had been a painfully immature one that still haunted you, but you'd never tried to make amends because you figured Goshiki was too busy to be bothered with you anymore since the two of you hadn't spoken much after that fateful day.

Seeing him again made the crushing grip of remorse that you felt every time you saw his bright face on television even more unbearable. Oh, how wrong you had been to assume your guilt would fade.

Now, your exhausted dogs lie at your feet underneath the table where the two of you sat outside a pet-friendly cafe. Your lengthy conversation had taken you away from the dog park when you suggested that the two of you find somewhere to sit down and continue after your pups had grown tired of playing.

"Are you still studying (college major)?" he wondered.

You nodded and took a sip of the iced tea you'd ordered. "How'd you remember I was studying that?"

He cleared his throat sheepishly and responded, "Well, y-you just talked about it a lot back in high school, and I-I just remember you being excited about getting accepted during our third year." His brown eyes darted around nervously, searching for anything to look at but your own (e/c) ones. Your heart warmed at his memory and knowing that he still thought about you.

"Well, yeah! Haven't flunked out yet so I'm still doing good!" you chuckled jokingly.

He scoffed, "Oh, come on, (f/n), you were always one of the smartest students in your classes!" His comment made you giggle and duck your head slightly, and he tried to hide the blush that had exploded across his face at realizing what he'd just blurted out. As if seeking emotional support, he picked Ace up from her spot at his feet and held her in his lap. She wagged her tail happily as he petted her before curling up in his lap and getting comfortable.

Seeing this exchange brought a smile to your face. "Well, how's the quest to being the ace of your team going? You're so good at volleyball it's amazing, really!"

"T-Thanks!" he chirped ecstatically, as if your opinion meant the world to him, "It's going great! Do you watch my games on TV?!" A nod from you made his brown eyes widen with delight. "I-I can maybe get you a t-ticket when we play here again? I-If you want!"

"I'd love that."

The grin that crept onto his features at hearing your answer made you fall for him all over again. God, you'd been such an idiot to reject him. Even years later, your feelings for him were still just as strong.

A buzz from his phone made him pick it up where it rested atop the table, and his smile faltered a bit when he looked at the screen. "I-I've gotta head out, (f/n). I'm meeting up with some of the guys," he said before finishing off his drink.

"Ah, okay!" You leapt up from your chair quick enough to make your dog shoot you a curious look and clasped your hands together. After placing Ace back down on the ground and picking up her leash, he approached you to give you a tight hug that you wished lasted longer. Your faces narrowly missed when you pulled away, making the two of you blush. "It was great catching up with you, Tsutomu. Hopefully we see each other again!"

"Y-Yeah!" He turned and started to walk away, but didn't get further than a few feet down the sidewalk before he stopped. Whirling back around to face you, he blurted, "H-Hey, I'm not doing anything tomorrow! Do you and (dog's name) maybe wanna come on a w-walk with me and Ace?"

"Sure!"

"Do you have the same number?" You nodded. "I'll text you, then!"

With that said, he walked off with his little Pomeranian in tow, and you watched his tall figure until he disappeared around the corner. When he was finally out of sight, you sat back down in your chair and released a small squeal of delight. Bending down, you cupped your beloved pet's head in your hands, scratching behind her ears, and said, "Hope you like Ace, (dog's name), because you're gonna be seeing a lot more of her!"

Her tongue lolled out of her mouth and she jumped up on your leg with excitement. You picked her up and gave her a little hug before setting her back on the ground. Grabbing her leash and tossing your finished drink in the trash, you announced, "Let's get you home, then, little pup."

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The next couple of weeks saw you hanging out with Goshiki whenever the two of you had time. Though he was busy with practice and training, and you were busy with classes, you still made time for each other, even if it was just enough for him meet up with you for coffee or a quick walk with the dogs. The more time you spent together, the deeper your feelings for him grew.

While the timing hadn't worked out between the two of you in high school, you felt like he'd come back into your life for a reason. As if his return was the universe's way of giving you a second chance and telling you not to mess things up with him this time. You were both older and a tad more mature now. You had a better sense of security and awareness of what you wanted in your life, so you felt ready to be in a relationship.

You didn't know if he felt the same way, however, since he never brought up the topic. In spite of being so shattered when you'd rejected him in high school, he hadn't mentioned that moment once since the two of you had reconnected. Maybe him avoiding it was a way of preserving his precious pride, but there was also the possibility that he wasn't mentioning it because he wasn't interested in you anymore.

You had broken his heart, after all, so you wouldn't blame him if he didn't have feelings for you. But, he did seem to enjoy the time he spent with you, and you noticed that you were the only one who could make him act as bashful as he had back in high school. Besides, if he didn't want you around, he definitely would not be spending as much time with you as he had been recently.

One evening, the night before Goshiki was scheduled to leave on a bus for a volleyball tournament in another city, he had shown up on your doorstep, as scheduled. Since he would be out of the house for a decent stretch of time, you had offered to take care of Ace in his absence.

After letting him into your apartment, he set a large bag down on the floor with a thud and disconnected his dog's leash from her collar. "So!" he announced as you kneeled down to pet Ace when she bounded over to you, "I-I wasn't sure how much she would need... Uh, I brought her food and water dishes... food... treats... favorite blanket... some of her toys! A-And... her little bed she likes to sleep on."

"Tsutomu, this is cracking me up!" you laughed, nearly falling about at the sight of him bringing such a giant bag for such a tiny dog, "You know she's only staying for a day, right?"

"Y-Yeah!" he spluttered with a pout, "I-It's her first time staying somewhere else so I just wanted to make sure she had everything!"

Seeing him getting so worked up was adorable, since it showed how much he cared. "Ah, you're too cute," you commented, wiping away a few tears that had slipped out of your eyes from how hard you'd been laughing. While you hadn't thought much about what you'd said, Goshiki fixated on your words, making him blush profusely. "She's gonna be fine! The three of us are gonna have a blast."

When your dog grabbed her toy, butt wagging happily, and started running around the living room with Ace, Goshiki visibly relaxed. "T-Thanks," he murmured, his brown gaze shifting from the dogs to your own (e/c) eyes.

With a warm smile, you got up to your feet and asked, "So, are you ready for the game tomorrow?"

"Of course!" was his confident response.

"I know you're gonna do great," you said, "but I wanted to give you this just for good measure." Reaching over towards the small bowl you had on your kitchen counter for little things that didn't quite have a set place in your home, you retrieved a good luck charm. You'd picked it up for him the other day. After you'd placed it in his hand, he examined it in awe. "Good luck."

He beamed and placed it securely in his jacket pocket. Then, without warning, he leaned in closer to you and planted a fleeting kiss on your cheek. A moment of silence ensued between the two of you when he pulled away that felt about ten years long. "T-T-Thanks for this! I-I'll see you t-tomorrow night!"

He was out the door in less than a second, leaving you standing in the entryway, mouth agape and heart racing.

The next day, when you tuned in to watch his game on live television, both your dog and his nestled alongside you, you felt your heart flutter in your chest once more, but for an entirely different reason. As the cameras surveyed the sports center, darting around to each of the players while they mulled around before warmups, Goshiki's familiar figure appeared onscreen. And in a hand that he was clutching close to his chest was the good luck charm you'd given him the night before.

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Later that evening, after Goshiki's team had won their game and arrived back in town, you heard a knock on the door. Initially, the dogs were upset at having their human pillow get up and leave, but seeing your friend standing outside made them bound over to him with excitement. He greeted you before bending down to pet both your dog and his own. You hadn't even realized that your hands were clammy until you caught yourself wiping them on your pants.

"Congrats!" you cheered, returning the hug he gave you once he'd stood back up and patting his shoulder.

"You were watching, right?!" he bubbled enthusiastically, "Did you see that really sharp cut shot I did in the second game?! Or that super straight line shot that their best player couldn't even get?! Or how about those two service aces back to back in the fifth set? Or th--mmh!"

You knew how he was when he'd played a great game and wanted to brag about his achievements, so you decided to shut him up by pressing a kiss against his lips. When you pulled away, he was left staring at you in silence, looking utterly dumbfounded. Though you'd been nervous to act in such a bold manner, seeing his reaction elicited a chuckle from you.

"I saw everything, Tsutomu--all of your amazing plays--and you did great," you told him truthfully.

His shocked expression soon morphed into one of joy, and he took your face in his hands so he could kiss you once more. "I played extra hard today," he spoke softly when your lips parted slightly.

"Why's that?"

Smiling, he confessed, "Because I wanted to win just for you."