♡‧₊˚ 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆

3

a little bit later, when clubs were all finished, ayato aishi knew that there was a strong chance that shinji kimura took y/n s/n somewhere off-campus, so they could be more alone. the mere assumption caused a ball of anger to bubble in his stomach.

he had to hurry. ayato didn't wait to quickly pack his belongings, a sense of urgency pushing him as he envisioned the two together. it just made him sick. his frustration mounted, and after swiftly changing his shoes, he stormed out of akademi high school, his mind consumed by the thought.

as he stepped outside, his anger began to fade when he spotted a familiar h/c-haired girl walking away from the building - it was y/n! thank heavens that she was still here and didn't sneak out. he was wrong to think so lowly of her. y/n is a good girl. she wouldn't turn her back on a prestigious school such as theirs just to hang out with some nobody.

ayato's heart raced at the sight of her and he let out a shaky breath— he was both relieved and nervous because he didn't see shinji anywhere. where was he? did he not skip art club to be with y/n today? it was a bit odd, but now there was a vacancy beside his beloved that was just beginning to be filled.

determination replaced his initial anger, and he tightened his grip on his backpack's strap. without further hesitation, he began to run after her. "hey! s/n!" he called out before coming to a complete stop by y/n's side. she looked taken aback, understandable given that they hardly knew each other. summoning his courage, he managed to say, "hey."

y/n returned his greeting with a tentative smile, and then asked, "hello. you're...ayato aishi, right?" his heart skipped a beat at the fact that she remembered his name. he nodded his head. "yeah, i thought so," she said. "was there anything that you needed?" she asked.

after she said that, ayato found himself blurting out, "well, the thing is...i was just wondering if i can walk you home?" he proposed the idea. a chance like this only comes once in a lifetime. then again, he already knows where y/n lives and it wasn't like he wasn't going to follow her home to make sure she made it there safely. but this was far better. it gave them a chance to get closer.

y/n's surprise was evident, but she seemed open to the idea, perhaps even curious. with a nod and a hint of a smile, she replied, "sure, i could use the company."

ayato's heart swelled upon hearing her agreement. "c-cool." he whispered back. he couldn't thank her for saying 'yes'. that'd be too weird. so, he had to be laid back about this entire thing and act as if he didn't have a shrine in his basement dedicated just to her.

shrine? what shrine? he totally didn't have one. that's just silly!

the silence between ayato and y/n hung heavily in the air, the tension almost palpable. he glanced at her, his thoughts racing to find something to break the ice. just as he opened his mouth to speak, y/n began talking simultaneously about clubs— more accurately how she's having trouble finding one that best suits her— but as soon as she realized that she had interrupted ayato, they both stopped abruptly, sharing a nervous laugh.

"sorry about that..." he apologized, averting his gaze to the side.

"it's okay," y/n reassured, a warm smile gracing her lips that drove ayato crazy. she must know the power she holds. she's like a siren and ayato cannot help but be beckoned by her enchanting call. "you go first though. what's up?"

ayato hesitated, his heart pounding, and then mustered the courage to ask, "s/n, is there something going on between you and shinji kimura?" his voice was a mix of curiosity and unease, trying to mask his worry.

y/n burst into laughter, the sound ringing melodiously in the quiet street. "oh no, nothing like that at all," she replied, shaking her head. "shinji and I are just friends, really. and please, call me y/n. there's no need to be so formal."

ayato felt a weight lift off his shoulders as relief flooded through him. "oh, okay..." he mumbled, trying hard to suppress the excitement that he felt after hearing that y/n didn't have some crush on her best friend. this was great news for ayato!

"why did you ask though? what, you interested or something?" y/n playfully wiggled her eyebrows, but ayato— knowing that he was interested in way more than just being friends with his beloved— couldn't help the evident blush running along his cheeks to his ears. he's sure that he must look like a strawberry.

"what? no!" ayato immediately denied the accusation, despite it being true. "i was just curious..." he added in a quieter tone.

"mhm...whatever you say, ayato."

they continued walking, the atmosphere now significantly lighter. eventually, they reached her house. y/n turned to him, gratitude evident in her eyes. with a small bow, she thanked him for accompanying her the whole way.

"it was no problem at all," ayato said with a shy smile, his heart fluttering at her gesture. "take care, y/n."

she smiled warmly and then turned to enter her house. as the door closed behind her, ayato's heart swelled with a mix of contentment and happiness.