She talked about books
with so much passion
that you wanted to be
nothing but the character
she had so insanely fallen
in love with

The black ink on the page glistened with a fresh innocence, but Jun knew better.

It had been recently typed, that was obvious, and Jun had quickly walked a lap around the store in hopes of inconspicuously searching for the culprit. Yet every customer she came across felt wrong. They weren't here anymore, and most likely had typed their note to her and left, probably to avoid exactly what Jun was doing. Daichi had chuckled a bit watching her circle the store, but kept his questions to himself after the look she threw his way.

Something had changed recently with her penpal. For the past few weeks they had been leaving messages for her first, which would have been fine and dandy. But every time, every single time, the notes they left behind were almost a perfect response to everything Jun had planned to write. Even before she had written it, her penpal now seemed to know exactly what to reply with and jumped the gun. But instead of feeling unnerved by their clairvoyance, Jun found herself more anxious than ever to find them in person. And to see for herself the one who seemed to know her better than anyone.

"Find 'em?"

Daichi was lounging on one of the overstuffed armchairs, swirling a half empty coffee cup lazily. There was a knowing shimmer in his eyes as they followed Jun to the armchair next to his. She huffed but wouldn't look at him.

"I wasn't looking for anyone." She spoke to the ceiling. If she glanced at those rich chocolaty eyes now she knew she'd cave and tell him everything. And it would ruin the whole point of the typewriter.

"You sure?" Daichi sat up a bit taller in his chair, the smirk on his face evident in his drawl, "Really seemed like you were trying to find someone. It looked real important."

"I was helping Tadaari." Jun reached for her bag as an excuse to keep busy, grimacing at the time that blinked on her phone. They were late. "He needed some extra work done in different stacks. Come on, we gotta go meet the others."

Rising quickly from her chair, Jun missed the soft way Daichi grinned at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist. She leaned into his touch as they walked towards the exit, Daichi throwing one last look back at the store, towards the back corner already out of sight, but most certainly still on both their minds.

"Right right, my bad. Can't keep Suga waiting."

***

In the few months that Jun and Daichi had officially been dating, the fervor that surrounded their relationship seemed to have died to a minimal burn. There were still a few curious glances shot their way every now and again, which Jun hastily ignored and Daichi couldn't care less about. The only one that really still seemed to bother him came from a source a bit too close to home.

"Will you stop staring?" Daichi spiked a volleyball towards his best friend's head, disappointment evident when Suga easily dodged it. "You're pissing me off."

Still cross-legged on the floor of the gymnasium, Suga continued to smile broadly at Daichi, "I'll stop staring when you two stop being so adorable. It's like I'm watching a real-life romance anime, and you know how I love those."

In a change of venue from their normal group tutoring sessions, Jun had somehow been coerced into moving this week's sessions from the library to the volleyball court. With more than half of her study group consisting of Daichi's volleyball friends, their constant nagging eventually won out and she found herself quizzing players on calculus and Punnett squares in between practice serves. It worked out well for the most part. While not exactly conventional, even her most troublesome students were suddenly more motivated to succeed simply by the promise of getting to practice a few rallies as a reward. And it would have continued to go swimmingly had Nishinoya not insisted Jun test out her skills as well. Her protests that her athletic abilities were nonexistent fell on deaf ears, at least until proven correct by the volleyball Jun took to the face. Daichi had been in the process of gently caring for Jun's bloody nose when out of the corner of his eye he spotted Suga: sitting on the sidelines grinning from ear to ear and fawning over them like a chick at a rom-com.

"How the hell is this cute?" He gestured to the blood still slowly dripping from between the napkins Jun had pressed to her face.

"Oh, well that's not." Suga gave Jun a sympathetic smile and tossed an extra packet of tissues to Daichi. "But look at you! Mr. Macho 'I-hate-everyone' Daichi Sawamura being all soft and sweet." He brushed away a nonexistent tear, "Mommy's so proud."

Daichi scoffed, shoving Nishinoya and Tanaka towards Suga when they started crooning along with him. Without another retort, because he really didn't have one to throw at them anyway, Daichi hurried himself and Jun off the court before they could be heckled any further.

In the safety of the empty hallway, Daichi quickly rushed to the nearest restroom, returning moments later with a damp cloth. Jun had already taken a seat on the floor and was adamantly staring at the ceiling to avoid looking at the bright spots of red that decorated her hands. Her nose had seemed to finally stop bleeding, but now left behind the sticky remains on her hands and face. The thought of it made her stomach turn.

Taking a seat next to her, Daichi started cleaning her hands first, gingerly taking each into his lap and wiping them clean. "Sorry about them," Most of the frustration had died from his voice, though a hint of annoyance remained. "They mean well, but they're just idiots sometimes." He turned her hand over in his lap, brushing between the knuckles with strong, steady strokes. They were clean now and he should have moved on to wiping the dried blood from her face, but he hesitated a few moments longer, wanting the reassurance of her hand in his.

"They're your friends Daichi, they aren't idiots." Jun chided softly. Though she laughed at the unconvinced look he threw her, "Ok well, not too much." They both laughed at that, Jun wincing a bit at the twinge in her nose. That caught Daichi's attention and he quickly picked up the cloth again, brushing a hand along her chin while the other dabbed the cloth carefully at the dried blood. She held as still as possible to make the job easier, but she was sure he could hear the fluttering beat of her heart, could see the flush on her cheeks that had nothing to do with the flaky dried blood he wiped away.

He must have definitely noticed, because his smirk was returning. "Nishinoya was absolutely an idiot for bullying you into receiving that set." He ran a thumb along her now clean face, pleased to see the accidental blood loss hadn't kept her cheeks from reddening sweetly like they always did.

"Guess I can't argue with you on that." Nishinoya had entirely ignored Jun's protests, arguing that anyone could play volleyball. She wondered if he still believed that now. "But they are your friends," Jun insisted once more, "and they care about you. I think they're just glad to see you happy."

Happy. So that's what it was. This new feeling that seemed to glow like a halo around him, burning brighter with each passing day he spent with her. Daichi of course knew what happiness was, but it had always been something he'd found in books or volleyball. He never knew it was something you could hold in your arms.

Daichi's lack of response made Jun tense, her words mumbled and frantic, "Um, you are...happy, right?" She suddenly felt very self conscious. She shouldn't have assumed. "I can try and do better about going to parties and stuff i-if that helps..." She didn't get a chance to finish the sentence before Daichi finally responded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Don't you dare, Wallflower. I like you just the way you are." And because he knew no one was watching and couldn't say anything about it, Daichi gave her nose a soft peck, "I've never been happier." 

***

True to form, Jun insisted returning to the volleyball court to finish the remainder of their study session, absolutely refusing Daichi's (and Suga's for that matter) pleas that she didn't need to. But with the looming threat of mid-semester exams right around the corner, there was no way in her mind they could skip such valuable study time. So, study they did, under the watchful eye of Daichi, who kept himself planted on the floor next to Jun for the rest of the hour.

When at last Jun was certain they could all at least recall a few of the main key points, she called it quits. A few, an apologetic looking Nishinoya included, remained behind the get a few more rounds of volleyball in. But Daichi was the first to jump to his feet, offering a steady hand for her. Only Suga followed behind, keeping out of Daichi's line of sight long enough to snap some quick photos with his phone. Machi would be pissed she skipped study hour for sure, and he planned to rub it in. He ran off before Daichi could figure out what happened, only offering a single wave over his shoulder as he ran.

"Alright," Daichi watched the retreating figure of his friend with suspicion, but quickly turned his attention back to Jun. "I know it's my turn to pick tonight's book, but how about you decide instead."

Jun pursed her lips as she regarded him. "Is this because you feel bad about this?" He motioned to her nose, which appeared perfectly fine, if not the faintest of bruising along the bridge. "Because it's fine, I've had a nosebleed before."

"So what if it was?" Daichi replied somewhat sheepishly, "Are you gonna turn down the chance to choose yet another incredibly depressing book for me to read?"

"True." Jun's smile broadened. Over the past few weeks they had settled into a new routine. One of them chose a novel from Jun's bookshelves, and then rather than going out to the much too frequent parties held on campus, they would hunker down under a mountain of blankets and take turns reading chapters aloud. Jun had taken to it enthusiastically, sometimes even changing her voice to match different characters. Daichi secretly made sure Jun read the most chapters. He didn't miss going to the parties.

She gave his arm a playful slap, "But my book choices have not been that bad."

Daichi barked a laugh, "We read Heart of Darkness last time you chose!"

"It's a classic!"

"A depressing classic!" Daichi exclaimed, his tone still light and teasing, "It has 'darkness' right there in the title."

"Ugh, fine." Admitting defeat, Jun only leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'll try to pick something more lighthearted. Happy?"

"Immensely." His joking tone fell away to a softer, satisfied hum. Dropping his head to lay atop hers, he slowed their pace. The evening was unseasonably warm, perfect weather for strolling aimlessly.

Comfortably warm with his happiness beside him, Daichi asked quietly, "So what title did you land on?"

Jun paused a moment too long. "The Catcher in the Rye?"

Daichi laughed.

***

I'm looking at her
She's sitting
across the room on
the couch, book in
hand, arms
pressing down the
blanket that wraps
her body.

Lost in words, but
sensing my gaze,
she looks over the
pages and smiles.

Then her eyes and
mind return to
another world
while her heart
stays here with me.
~Dean Jackson

Jun frowned down at the page. Her penpal was at it again, beating her to the punch. And yet once again she felt it, that familiarity seeping up through the text like a bubbling stream. Their words whispered in her ear, just loud enough to know she knew their voice but distant enough that every time she made to grasp at jogging that memory, they vanished with a silent chuckle.

"Well that's a new one for you," Jun was almost so lost in thought she didn't hear Taisei wander up next to her. He rested a sequined elbow against her shoulder as he leaned forward to read the typewriter closer. "Not normally your style, but I don't hate it."

"I didn't write that one."

"You sure? It talks about books."

"Other people can like books too, Tai."

"Not as much as you."

But Taisei watched with increasing interest as his sister shook her head, forehead wrinkled in thought. She wasn't worried at all that someone was using what, for all intents and purposes, was her typewriter. No no, she seemed more concerned about analyzing the page, as if she was trying to find the voice beneath the text.

"Interesting."

"Huh?" Jun had been lost in her theories again, silently running through a mental list of all the regulars at the bookstore, trying to match them up to the text on the page. She had forgotten her brother was there until seeing him watching her intently.

But Taisei quickly waved a hand to clear the suddenly heavy air, "Nothin', nothin'. Just was saying we better head back to your place if we are gonna make sure there's enough time to look presentable."

Oh, right. The dinner tonight. The one Jun's mother had specifically planned in town so that Jun couldn't use distance as an excuse not to show up. Jun hadn't bothered to argue. As if her normally busy schedule wasn't enough, she knew adding on the need to study for exams wouldn't deter Hana Sasaki from getting what she wanted. She'd just have to pull an all-nighter.

With a flourish and a bow to Tadaari, Taisei finally detached Jun from her musings at the typewriter long enough to push her out the door. Snow was falling in fat, heavy clumps, already coating the sidewalk in a thin layer of white. She shivered, leaning a bit closer to her brother as he shouldered a violently purple umbrella.

They walked in silence for a bit, Jun still thinking of her penpal, Taisei of what color he'd dress her in tonight. It wasn't supposed to be as formal a dinner as their mother usually planned, just the family and some new colleagues of their father's. Which is why Hana hadn't put up such a fuss when Taisei invited his own guest along. But he still knew the dress code would be strict. He'd have to play it somewhat safe.

"Taisei?" Jun's voice was muffled from the scarf he had thrown over her face. He leaned a bit closer and hummed in response, mind still half considering color pallets.

"Are you sure everything is going to be ok tonight?" She shivered again, but not from the cold. "Mom and Dad are ok with him joining us? It just doesn't seem like them to be so...welcoming."

Of course Jun would be worried. As far as she knew, both of their parents were delighted at their additional guest. And that's just how Taisei wanted it to stay for everyone involved, at least until it was too late to say no.

"Don't you worry, Jun-bug." He adjusted their umbrella, "I've got everything under control."

***

Everything was not under control. But that was how Taisei liked it.

He and Jun arrived to the restaurant fashionably late. Jun, he had bedecked in a navy blue sequin dress, while he himself had to settle for simple black. But it wasn't his role to shine tonight, so he gladly took the backseat this one time. No matter if he himself looked fabulous in sequins.

As if they had planned it perfectly, Daichi arrived moments later, the roar of his motorcycle cutting through the stuffy atmosphere that was already forming around the awaiting guests. All eyes followed him as he slowly swung his leg free of the motorcycle and tossed the keys to the valet. Hair perfectly windswept and ear piercings swinging proudly, he strutted over to a dumbstruck Jun and pulled her in for a slow kiss. Grinning wickedly when they finally parted, he turned to offer Taisei a quick handshake, the latter winking ruefully, before turning him and Jun both to face her parents. The blue-black sequins of his jacket's lapels glittered in the moonlight, matching Jun like starlight.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sasaki, so glad to be joining you this evening."

Jun nearly passed out from holding her breath for so long. The look her mother was assessing them with could have melted stone. But Daichi met it head on, answering with his own steely gaze and cocky grin. He kept one hand pressed firmly to the small of her back, the other casually in his pocket. Confidence emanating outward like a flare.

When eventually Hana seemed to admit defeat, she offered her daughter a tight lipped smile and turned her attention to shepherding her other guests inside. Her gaze no longer on them, Jun let out her breath.

"Have fun, you two." Taisei whispered, passing them on his way inside, "Don't forget to cause at least some trouble tonight."

Balking, Jun tried to turn and ask him just exactly what he meant, but Taisei was already strolling inside, answering the impatient snap of his mother's fingers.

Fully aware now that Taisei had in fact not relayed to their parents the name of his invited guest, Jun could feel the worry start to creep in. She had already been anxious for how the evening would go, but now she knew it would only be disastrous.

Daichi, on the other hand, seemed primed for battle. Eyes alight with the challenge, he offered his arm to Jun and strode confidently into the room. "Come on, Wallflower, let's not keep our audience waiting."

***

Ever the perfect hostess, Hana Sasaki did her absolute best not to show her fury. She might have succeeded too, had Taisei really invited one of his obnoxious college friends. They were ridiculous, but at least they could still be considered somewhat civilized.

But the boy sitting next to her children was not something she could handle. He looked just as he had the last time they crossed paths: the same long, unkempt hair, the same gaudy jewelry hanging from every spot on his face, that same pompous grin directed at her. It made her clench more tightly to her glass to keep from screaming.

Even worse now, was seeing that arm of his wrapped around the back of Jun's chair. Her eagle eyes didn't miss the way her daughter seemed to hold herself so she was always within his reach. Nor did she miss the complimentary outfits that so garishly announced to the world their relationship. While she kept an icily polite smile on her face as the boy chatted with her guests, with her children, she only made it twenty minutes into dinner service before the claw-like grip on her wine glass made the cup shatter. Everyone, including the boy, looked her way. She brushed off the incident with a simple smile and hallow apology to the waitstaff, and it would have been fine. But then she caught sight of his smirk from across the table, the smugness so masterfully hidden by taking a sip of wine.

That was all it took for Hana to decide she had to take drastic measures to remove this boy from their lives.

Across the table, Daichi paid no attention to the new icy fire directed toward him. He was too busy laughing with Taisei at a joke the latter was telling. Even Jun was smiling, feeling more comfortable that they might actually make it through the evening without much incident.

Her smile faltered a fraction when the sound of her mother's voice drifted across the table, speaking loudly enough that Jun knew she wanted to draw other's attention.

"I find it so lovely that my Jun is making such progress at her studies. She is even quite an accomplished tutor from what I hear. Isn't that right, Mr. Samara?"

Daichi paused in his retelling of Jun's volleyball nightmare long enough to meet the falsely sweet smile now directed at him. He noted the way her eyes seemed to twitch in their effort to keep their polite facade in place. He returned their gaze with his own calm steel.

"Jun is absolutely a fantastic tutor," He didn't even care about addressing her blatant butchering of his name, wouldn't give her that satisfaction, "She has helped many of our friends improve their comprehension."

Hidden under the table, Jun slowly placed a shaky hand on Daichi's knee, squeezing gently in warning. Taisei sipped slowly at his wine, eyes flitting back and forth across the table.

Hana leaned forward until her elbows rested on the table and placed her chin in her hands. The rest of the table had gone quiet. "You yourself have seen much of this...improvement, I'm sure, thanks to my Junnie."

The insult was evident, Jun felt it like a smack in the face and started rising to her feet to say something in return, but Daichi placed his hand over hers, still resting against his knee, and she paused. He only smiled broader. "Indeed I have, Hanae, your daughter is quite extraordinary."

"My name is Hana. But please call me by my surname."

Taisei nearly choked on his wine in laughter. Daichi's mouth twitched in triumph. "My apologies."

"What do you say we adjourn our evening with some coffee?" Jun's father spoke up from his spot next to his wife, offering a calming smile to his guests. "I would love a nice warm cup—"

"You know Jun is quite the avid reader." Hana spoke louder to drown out her husband's attempts to end the evening. "I'm sure she has taught someone like you quite a bit about what reading can do for a person's intellect."

The playful smugness in Daichi's eyes fizzled out, replaced instead with a razor sharpness. "Jun and I were actually just discussing The Catcher in the Rye." His grip on Jun's hand lessened. "I thought it was quite fascinating the overarching theme of the disingenuousness of the adult world, which I'm sure you know all about."

That was enough. Disgust etched across her face, Hana rose from her chair with undisguised rage. Daichi followed suit, but it was Jun that spoke first.

"We're leaving." She bowed slightly to her father, who was still seated and trying to mask his shame. "Thank you for the invitation to dinner, Dad. But I think it's best we go. We will not be insulted anymore." Without so much as a glance at her mother, Jun said her final goodbyes to Taisei and excited the room with a calm determination. Daichi, on the other hand, gave one last look across the table to where Hana still stood, lips white with unspoken fury.

"Thank you for your glowing hospitality."

The valet had already brought his motorcycle around by the time Daichi joined Jun outside. The calm facade she had at the table slowly crumbling, her shoulders shaking.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've heard much worse before." Daichi stood close behind her to hug her to his chest in what he hoped would be a comforting way. But Jun put a hand up to stop him. It was only then that he looked closer and saw no tears in her eyes, but anger.

"How dare she say all those things about you!" Her voice rose an octave. The valet dropped the keys in her hand and nearly sprinted back inside. "How dare she even insinuate such garbage! That you are—and that I somehow—"

"Woah there," Daichi held his hands up, "as much as I think this righteous anger on my behalf is pretty hot, it's not necessary, Babe." When she didn't look at all mollified, he wrapped her in a tight embrace and spoke softer. "Trust me, her words meant nothing to me. I've heard it from people like her for years, it's fine."

A couple of hot, angry tears slipped down her face. She pressed it farther into the front of his jacket. "Still doesn't make it ok."

Daichi chuckled, smoothing her hair down gently,  "No, it doesn't. Guess I'm lucky to have you around to back me up."

They probably would have stood there longer, silently holding each other tight, but the frigid night air blew harder around them, sending both into small fits of shivering.

"You know," Daichi smiled, running his hands along her arms to keep her warm,  "we never got to finish our dinner tonight."

Jun matched his grin, "I barely ate a thing."

She tossed him the keys, he handed her the only helmet. One swift kick and the engine roared to life, just in time for a crowd of people exiting the restaurant to watch as they road off into the night.

They ate the greasiest burgers and fries Jun had ever had. It was perfect.

***

The following afternoon Jun arrived early to the Hobbit Hole for her shift, hoping for once to find a blank typewriter waiting for her. She saw the black text of words before she even got close, but after reading them several times, found she wasn't too upset at all.

If you weren't around,
I'd be someplace
way the hell off.
In the woods or some goddamn
place. You're the only
reason I'm around, practically.
~The Catcher in the Rye