The following week, our school was holding the mid-semester exams. It was early in the morning when Shuuta came over to me, grinning ear to ear.
"What's up?" he asked, casually sliding into the seat next to mine.
"Sup'. You started studying already?" I asked, slightly skeptical.
"Heh, I'm feeling pretty confident about the exams," he said, puffing his chest out proudly.
"Is that so?" I replied, though something about his mood felt off.
Why is he so cheerful this morning? I thought to myself.
"Why are you in such a good mood this early?" I probed, narrowing my eyes.
Shuuta chuckled, clearly trying to contain something. "Oh? You noticed, huh? Heheh."
"What, did you get a girlfriend or something?" I joked, expecting him to brush it off like usual.
But to my surprise, as soon as the word girlfriend left my mouth, Shuuta quickly slapped his hand over my lips, silencing me.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" I mumbled through his fingers, bewildered.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hinata glance our way, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. Great… now she probably thinks we're acting like a couple of idiots.
"Shh! If I let go, promise me you won't freak out," Shuuta whispered urgently.
I raised an eyebrow but nodded. What could be so important?
He finally released me, taking a deep breath before dropping the bombshell.
"Actually… yeah. I did get myself a girlfriend," he admitted, looking surprisingly shy.
I blinked in disbelief, taking a second to process. "Wait, seriously? Why are you getting so flustered, dude?"
"It's… it's my first time, okay?!" he blurted out, his face turning red.
I couldn't help but laugh under my breath. Shuuta, always the cool and confident guy, reduced to a mess over something like this. It's easy to forget, with all his good looks and swagger, that deep down, he's still clueless when it comes to relationships.
"Ah… I forgot you're kind of an idiot in this stuff," I teased, shaking my head. "So, who's the lucky girl?"
His expression softened at the question, and for a moment, he looked genuinely happy, a rare sight for someone who usually wore his cocky grin like armor.
"You wouldn't believe it even if I told you," he muttered, a small smile playing at his lips.
Before I could pry further, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first exam of the day. I gave him a knowing look, deciding to save my interrogation for later. We stood up, gathering our things, but something told me this conversation was far from over.
…
After the first exam was over, Hinata and I, as usual, made our way to the school rooftop to have lunch. The midday sun bathed the rooftop in a pleasant warmth, and the soft breeze carried the subtle scent of summer flowers. We sat down in our usual spot, quietly enjoying the peaceful moment after the stressful morning.
Suddenly, the door to the rooftop creaked open. I turned my head, expecting to see one of our classmates, but to my surprise, it was Shuuta, and someone else was with him. A girl I didn't recognize, with long, neatly braided hair, stood beside him.
"Hey, guys!" Shuuta called out, waving as he walked toward us, an unusual excitement in his voice.
"Hello," the girl said softly, her voice matching her delicate appearance. Her long braids swayed gently as she followed Shuuta.
Hinata and I exchanged a quick glance, a bit surprised by the sudden appearance of our friend with a girl. We hadn't heard much about him dating anyone. After a brief pause, we responded in unison.
"Hi/Hello," we greeted them, a little awkwardly.
"Guys, this is my girlfriend, Makoto Asahina," Shuuta introduced, smiling proudly as he gestured to the girl beside him.
"Oh, you're from the class next to ours, right?" Hinata asked, her tone polite but curious. She tilted her head slightly as if trying to place where she'd seen her before.
"Yes, that's right. It's nice to meet you, Futaba-san, Aki-san" Makoto replied with a shy smile. Her voice was soft but clear, and her eyes sparkled with warmth as she met Hinata's gaze.
"Nice to meet you too, Makoto-san," Hinata said, smiling back. There was a friendliness in her tone, but I could tell she was sizing up Shuuta's girlfriend, just a little.
"Yeah, nice to meet you, Makoto-san," I chimed in, nodding as I studied her for a moment. There was something graceful about the way she carried herself—an elegance that seemed slightly out of place with Shuuta's usual laid-back style. I couldn't help but wonder how he'd managed to win over someone like her.
Shuuta, looking both proud and a bit nervous, scratched the back of his head. "So... I thought it was about time I introduced her to you guys. We've been going out for a couple of days now."
"That's great, Shuuta!" Hinata said, her voice genuine, though her eyes still flickered curiously between the two of them.
I smiled, glancing at Hinata. It was odd seeing Shuuta like this—so happy and eager to show off his new relationship. "Yeah, congratulations, man. You two seem like a good match," I added, though inwardly I couldn't help but wonder how things would play out.
Makoto smiled a bit wider, still seeming a bit shy, but there was no mistaking the affection in her eyes as she looked at Shuuta.
"So, what brings you two up here?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going while I pulled out the rest of my lunch.
"I wonder if we can join you guys?" Shuuta asked, grinning widely as he approached us.
I stood up and playfully locked him in a headlock, pulling him down. "You came just to brag, didn't you? Hahaha!" I laughed, roughing up his hair a little. It had been a while since we could joke around like this, just like old times.
"Aki-san…" a soft voice called out. I turned to see Makoto, Shuuta's girlfriend, smiling shyly at me. "Thank you for always looking out for Shuuta-kun," she said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Ah, no, it's nothing. That's what friends are for!" I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed by her gratitude.
They both sat down across from us, and we began eating lunch together. The mood was light, filled with the casual sound of chopsticks clinking against lunch boxes. Between bites, we exchanged small talk, catching up on each other's lives. Then, Hinata, who had been quietly observing, decided to break the ice with something more direct.
"So… how did the two of you end up together?" she asked, her voice curious but straightforward, the kind of bluntness only she could pull off.
"Whoa, straight to the point as always, huh, Futaba Hinata?" Shuuta grinned, clearly loving the attention. Makoto blushed slightly, but the warmth in her eyes suggested she didn't mind.
"Well…" Shuuta began, leaning back with a smirk. "Let me tell you the story. It all started when—"
FLASHBACK
It was late afternoon, and I had just finished cleaning the classroom. With the broom and dustpan in hand, I made my way toward the storage closet at the end of the hall. I wasn't paying much attention when suddenly—
Bump!
I collided with someone, and we both tumbled to the floor. My back hit the ground, and for a second, everything spun. When I opened my eyes, all I could see were hers—those wide, beautiful eyes looking right into mine.
"Are you okay?" I asked instinctively, still a little dazed.
She blinked, clutching her head in confusion. "Y-yeah… I'm fine. Ah, sorry!" She scrambled to get up, clearly flustered.
I quickly stood as well, brushing the dirt off my jacket. "It's no problem, really. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine! I was just going to put away the broom and then I—" she fumbled for words, visibly awkward.
I couldn't help but smile. There was something endearing about how awkward she was. "I'm Kamihate Shuuta, from class 2-A," I said, extending my hand.
She hesitated, then finally took my hand in a nervous handshake. "Asahina Makoto. I'm from class 2-B."
I smiled wider. "Asahina-san!"
"Y-yeah…?"
Without thinking, the words just slipped out of my mouth. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
There was a moment of stunned silence. She stared at me as if I'd just asked her to solve an impossible puzzle.
"N-no, I'm... I'm…" she stammered, clearly caught off guard.
I didn't give up. "Will you?" I insisted, holding her hand a little tighter.
Her response came swiftly—slap!—right across my face, leaving my cheek stinging. "NO!!!" she shouted before running down the hallway, disappearing around the corner.
I stood there in the empty corridor, my hand on my burning cheek. But all I could do was laugh. "Pfft… Hahaha."
PRESENT
"Wait, that's how you met her, not how you two ended up together," I interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
Shuuta shrugged, still grinning. "Well, that was the beginning of our love story."
I groaned, facepalming. "Dude, don't say that in front of everyone else besides us. Seriously."
Makoto giggled at the exchange, her hand covering her mouth. "Shuuta-kun, you really shouldn't leave the story hanging like that, fufu…" she teased, giving him a light slap on the back of the head.
He rubbed his head, still smirking. "Hey, I got there in the end, didn't I?"
Hinata and I exchanged glances. We didn't even need to say it out loud—we were both thinking the same thing. 'They're really made for each other.'