_Chapter 20~ Again and Again_

Gym class.

Aka every couch potato's nightmare.

All second years were in the gym, as it was mixed, and one, two, three—they were all going down. The star of the school's basketball team was breaking their ankles whenever he dribbled the ball, and he was darn proud of that.

I was honestly worried about their pride after each and every gym class. How could they possibly go on with their lives when they got publicly shamed by an ace player—Akelius Academy's sole individual loved by all and then some. But this gym class was different, mainly because instead of being benched, Ryu and Miyabi were playing right in the midst of this chaos.

"Over here, Kaede!"

"Amami!"

Five on five and the ace—a redhead by the name of Kaede Amami—was having difficulty getting past the defence. Time was frittering away, and only the sounds of the basketball hitting the floor filled the air. The people sitting on the bench had sucked in a large amount of oxygen a minute ago, and some were already turning blue.

"Thirty seconds!" somebody shouted from the back.

The teams advanced. Successfully, a boy on the blue jersey side knocked the basketball from Kaede's grasps. The game was in motion yet again.

I later realized it was Miyabi with the ball. He swiftly dribbled down the court but as he reached red territory, the person in the middle had their arms waving frantically, making it impossible for him to pass or to shoot. The red team lunged for him. Smirking, Miyabi quickly sidestepped and jumped, leaning back to take a shot from the free throw line.

The entire red bench bolted to their feet in disbelief as they watched the ball soar. Though, before it could dare hit the net, somebody caught it. With one hand.

All the people playing had frozen. But before they could realize what was happening, Ryu had already made it to the opposing net.

It had been a tight game. Though, the basket Ryu shot went straight in. I watched in utter awe as the orange-haired male breathed heavily as the whistle from the gym teacher rang.

Nobody cheered for him, like I kind of expected. Instead, the red team did so for Kaede, inflating his ego even more, commending him for being the sole reason they won the game. Even the blue team stepped in, declaring they'd win next time.

I understood Ryu wouldn't be their first option to celebrate with, despite being the reason they won the game instead of the ace, but for him to not even receive a single "great basket" was a little unfair.

"Good game, everyone!"

The exclaim was followed by the clacking of heels. Three girls stepped onto the court, all carrying towels and containers. Aiko Natsumoto, the top girl of Akelius Academy that nobody wanted to mess with, offered them to all the players with a smile.

The boys accepted the towels from twins Tsubasa and Tsubame Makoto, Aiko's posse, and even accepted the chopped fruits she brought.

All the girls who had been watching this game unfold since we finished our own earlier, scattered for lunch. I stuck around though, my eyes still glued to Ryu who now had Miyabi at his side, most likely arguing about something nonsensical again. I probably would have left too if I didn't have a reason to stick around.

"Ooh, is that Sheep?"

Apprehension flooded through me the moment Miyabi caught sight of me. I feigned a smile as he neared, Ryu in suit.

"How did you like the game?" he asked with a grin. "Did you see my shot! Did you? You did, right?"

I backed away, a little wary of his sweaty self. "Uh, yes."

Miyabi pouted, unaware of his state. "But it didn't go in. You're way too tall, Iwasaki."

"You're too short," Ryu shot back, dabbing the towel at his neck.

"Am not! I'm five foot nine! Nine!"

"Six foot one."

"No way! You have have to at least be seven foot!"

I cringed at the thought. That was a little too tall.

"Either way, you're still growing, too." Miyabi pouted at the thought. He craned his neck down to me. "How tall are you, Sheep?"

I swallowed hard, reluctant to answer. "Five foot three, I think."

Miyabi stared at me in a "no way" kind of manner.

Ryu snorted.

I shot a glare his way to silence him.

Miyabi made a face after a while, using his hand to compare our heights. "Wow, Sheep. I had no idea you were so—"

"Don't say it!" I warned.

He tilted his head to the side. "I was just going to say short."

"I'm not short!" I snapped. "I'm actually pretty tall, thank you very much."

Miyabi guffawed as if that was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"Hey!" I growled, cheeks warming.

"Pretty tall? Pfft. Hahaha!"

I shoved him aside. "Oh, shut up!"

He wiped away a tear and obediently saluted. "Miyabi will be shutting up!"

I huffed and crossed my arms. This damn idiot. Five foot three wasn't short! It was pretty tall. I was taller than other girls so I could at least tell myself that, couldn't I?

"Anyway!" I enunciated to shift the tension. "Meet me outside after you get changed."

Miyabi's fit of laughter halted. Ryu eyed me in confusion.

"Me or him?" the idiot asked, moving his index finger between Ryu and himself.

"Both," I said. Suddenly bashful, I averted my gaze. "Um... it's something I have to give you. Come outside."

Miyabi brightened at the notion. He raced up to me and scooped my hands into his. "What is it? What?"

I yanked them away instantly, wiping them on my skirt. Gross, they were sweaty.

"Just meet me outside!" I said.

Then, ignoring the blatant blush which had ultimately seized my cheeks, I spun on my heels and bolted out the doors.

I breathed heavily once I made it outside, my heart pounding a mile in my chest. There was no need to be so nervous. I said I'd give it to them today. I was too apprehensive to do so earlier this week but I could do it now.

Slipping off my backpack, I retrieved two matching bags. They were plain and clear, but the cookies inside were much more important. I stayed up baking them so hopefully they'd like them.

I had to repay them somehow. The fundraiser was honestly a night I didn't want to remember but they had made that bleak day end up quite well. The cupcakes were all eaten, the people running the takoyaki stand didn't hold it against me, and Dad treated my hands (which thankfully weren't a hand-risking burn and for the most part had already healed up). Plus, the money we had collected all went to the diabetes charity Miyabi picked—other students picking their own non-profit organizations—all for such a great cause, way better than the thought I'd put into mine if I were forced to pick.

I hated the idea that I was still indebted to them which was why I wanted to repay them as soon as possible. But I wasn't talented nor smart enough to think of anything other than baking. So here I was with these simplistic cookies...

As I was doing my best to calm my flaring nerves, a chilling sensation washed over me. A pair of eyes watching me. I hastily whipped left only to be met with nothing. Exhaling, I rested my head against the gym building.

I was only giving them cookies. There was no reason to be so paranoid. They weren't the type to say no to them.

Well, Ryu wasn't—thinking back to that day he ate almost all of my cookies. It was why I gave him more than Miyabi's since I wasn't so sure. Also because I knew Miyabi seemed like the type who'd binge a copious amount of candies and sweets when given the opportunity, which really wasn't good for his health.

"We're here!" Miyabi chirped as soon as they exited the gym. "What'd you have to give us, Sheep?"

I immediately straightened my posture. The moment they reached me, I inhaled a sharp breath and bowed, sticking it out for them to receive. "I-I made you guys these!"

My voice came out more high-pitched than I expected, causing onlookers to stare at us weird. I mentally rebuked myself. Darn it. I was more nervous than I thought. But could you blame me? This entire situation was almost as if it was plucked right out of a shoujo manga. It was nerve-racking.

"Cookies?" Miyabi asked after a pause, taking a bag from my bandaged hands. I peeked back up to see him smiling from ear to ear. "No way! Sheep's homemade cookies? For me?"

Ryu appeared taken aback as well as I awkwardly placed his into his hands.

"Uh," I stammered before they could question why, "a few days ago... at t-the fundraiser..."

Their bewildered stares bore a hole through my back, causing me to flinch. Realizing that I wasn't being loud enough, I inhaled and tried again.

"I messed up, and you guys helped me. I really, really wanted to repay you, so..."

Was there a hole I could burrow into or something? Why was this so awkward?

"Are you still bothered by that? It was totally okay!" Miyabi reassured me via chuckle. "It was fun helping your stand. All the customers who bad-mouthed your cupcakes tried them and were like "Whoa! These are delicious!" and asked for lots! If you didn't drop them they would've sold out way faster than our ice cream."

I bit my bottom lip, shying away at the praise. "Still..."

"I can't believe I'm holding Sheep's homemade cookies," Miyabi went on with a dreamy sigh. "We're so lucky, right, Iwasaki?"

Both Miyabi and I glanced up to see that the orange-haired male had his cheeks stuffed to the brim. "Huh?" he asked via full mouth.

Miyabi gasped all the while I laughed. At least he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"He's really eating them." Miyabi scratched the back of his neck. "I had no idea Iwasaki was a fan of sweets. Since he's always scolding me for my habit of raising my blood sugar I assumed he was bitter to the core."

I blanked at the news. He was?

Despite Miyabi's claim, Ryu continued to eat the cookies as if his mouth were a black hole. Moreover, he genuinely seemed fond of them. Frankly, I never would've pinned him as the sweet-tooth type either, considering his delinquent exterior and habit of glaring, but I guess everyone had to have a liking to sweet things, huh?

"Iwasaki, do you have the time?" Miyabi asked out of nowhere.

Ryu fished his phone from his pocket. "Twelve," he muffled.

"Already?" His complexion blanched to snow. "I have a Student Council meeting to get to! I'm so late!"

Till this day, the idea was preposterous to me.

"You better get going then," I said.

"Yeah." He pivoted on his foot then flashed me a lopsided grin. "Thanks so much for the cookies, Sheep! I'll eat them with care!"

Ryu mutely waved. Miyabi returned the gesture before dashing off, disappearing into the crowd of regular students leaving the gym and entering the school building.

"I get you're grateful, but lay off on the 'Sheep' already..."

Sighing, I faced Ryu who was crumpling his empty bag and tossing it into the nearby trashcan. My lips parted.

"Whoa. Did you like them that much?"

Ryu curtly bobbed his head, already heading off towards the school. I pursued him.

"We're going straight," I directed, snagging his sleeve before he could turn elsewhere.

Ryu stiffened and roughly retracted his arm. "I... knew that."

I snorted a little, digging into my bag. I pulled out my own bag of cookies, which I'd filled with the leftovers as a snack. After I began chowing down on them, a part of me wasn't the least bit surprised upon the looming stare I sensed from above me. With a small snort, I extended them and beckoned for him to take some.

He complied instantly, making me laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked after a pause.

"Nothing." I smiled. Gandering upwards, I spoke before things could grow awkward again, "Oh yeah, I had no idea you were so good at basketball."

Ryu peered elsewhere, slowing his pace to match with mine. "I'm not good."

I shook my head, covering my mouth slightly as I spoke with it half-full, "But you even got the winning point. Many other points, too."

"That's..." he said, appearing slightly timid, "because I'm tall."

"Just because you're tall doesn't mean you're a good shooter," I pointed out.

He didn't respond, and frankly, I wasn't surprised.

"Besides," I said onwards, "I wonder why nobody cheered for you. Even your teammates didn't say anything. I kind of expected them to."

He scowled at me, one that I honestly expected. It was another one of his unfriendly ones, as if telling me to stop prying.

"They didn't have to, therefore they didn't," he snapped. "Amami was the star of the game anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "Excuse it all you want, but it's probably 'cause you're so sour they didn't."

He grumbled at that. "Shut up."

Things proceeded to become quiet.

After a while, I said, "I thought you were cool."

Ryu froze in place, shoulders squared. "I'm not 'cool.'"

"Well, you were."

"No," he refused.

"Yes," I asserted.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes." Ryu gasped upon realizing what he said.

I laughed, reaching into the bag and taking the last cookie there. He had eaten a lot while I was distracted. "Point Reina," I cooed, flaunting the thing.

Ryu snatched the cookie from my grasps before I could eat it and threw it into his own mouth.

I gaped at him. "Hey! That was mine!"

"Point Iwasaki."

"That's not how it works." I glowered at him. "And you just referred to yourself by your last name, genius."

"I don't like my first name," he confessed.

I stared at him in disbelief. Was that why he'd always been so touchy about it? "But the name Ryu—aka dragon—is so cool though."

"It's not 'cool,'" he scoffed.

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"No." I recoiled. "Hey!"

Ryu let out a bark of laughter, the rare ones where he even smiled. "Who's easy to trick now?"

I ignored the blush that blossomed on my cheeks and jerked my head the other way. "It says gullible on the roof."

Ryu's neck craned upwards at the sky. "What roof?"

I broke out into another guffaw and this time it was Ryu's turn to blush.

"Th-that..."

I grinned cheekily at him, wagging my finger. "It's still you it seems."

"Your shoelaces are untied."

I looked down. "But I'm not wearing any... Oh."

"Pfft."

I flushed, snapping my head up. I turned the other cheek. "I'm done with this."

"Me too." He leaned over and put his hand in the bag I held. His eyelids rose when he noted that it was empty. "They're all done?"

"Yeah, you ate the last one." I rose a brow. "You still want more?"

Ryu retreated his hand with a frown. "They were so good."

My heart, for some reason, performed a flip. So good? They weren't even that great though. Ryu was just a big guy and was hungry so that had to be why. No, that was why.

"U-um," I said, gulping hard at the sudden notion, "then maybe I can make you some more?"

Ryu's face lit up. "Really?"

I nodded, crumpling the bag, scanning the premises for a garbage can to toss it into. "Yeah. How about cake? Do you like chocolate?"

He brightened at the idea, like a child. "I love chocolate."

I held back the sheepish smile threatening to take over my face. "All right," I tittered. "Chocolate cake it is then."

Ryu appeared as happy as could be as I continued to steer him in the direction of the infirmary. I had baked him things before—today being an example—but for some reason, this time I felt somewhat nervous.

It's just because you haven't had anyone who liked your baking this much, my mind excused. I bobbed my head at the thought, peering up at the guy whose expression had brightened considerably.

I giggled some.

And since he liked them so much, I wouldn't mind baking for him again and again.

______________

Another update, yay!

To be honest, I'm kinda unsatisfied with this story... I'm just not sure if I'm doing okay. I really suck at story telling... or maybe just romance isn't my thing(?) 😟

On the bright side, I started watching the k-drama Cheese in the Trap and it's really good. In Ho is my favourite, agh. Why do I always fall for the second male leads xD

Hopefully I'll update again soon. Thanks for reading!

—Misty