𝙏𝙐𝙉𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀 ⁱʷᵃⁱᶻᵘᵐⁱ

#07 - Rooftop

song of the chapter!
Mac DeMarco - Moonlight on the River

•••

On a Monday evening, Sakura sought solace from the overwhelming online attention she had been receiving. She appreciated the recognition the band was getting but found herself struggling to cope with the constant stream of notifications.

She had even turned off Instagram notifications in an attempt to find some peace.

Finding herself on the rooftop of her house, one of her favorite spots for a breather, she remembered about the day's events and the shy exchange with Iwaizumi. "Iwaizumi, what are you doing to me?" she murmured, feeling a mixture of curiosity and shyness.

As she gazed out, she noticed a passerby near her house. The unfamiliar face drew her attention, and she leaned in for a better look. Her eyes widened when she realized it was Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi looked up and noticed Sakura observing him. He offered a wave and a casual greeting, "Hey, Watanabe. Cool spot you've got there." Sakura nervously chuckled, "I didn't know we lived in the same neighborhood."

He explained, "Well, that's because I don't. I just needed some fresh air after a family gathering at my uncle's place. Walking here seemed relaxing."

Sakura nodded, then hesitated before asking, "Do you want to come sit with me?" The question held a mix of nervousness and curiosity, inviting Iwaizumi to share the peaceful rooftop with her.

Iwaizumi agreed with a nod, "Sure." He ascended the wooden ladder Sakura had placed there and settled down beside her, releasing a contented sigh.

"Man, this is really calming," he remarked, allowing the gentle breeze to wash over him. Sakura found herself merely gazing at him, noticing how handsome he looked without his school uniform.

Sakura snapped back to reality and turned her gaze away, "Yeah, this is my go-to spot for a breather," Sakura shared, her voice soft.

"Good choice," Iwaizumi agreed, observing Sakura with a warm expression. He then brought up her recent online milestone, "Congratulations on reaching 100k followers, by the way."

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, "Already at 100k? Wow, I haven't really been checking Instagram lately. The constant notifications have been a bit overwhelming," she admitted with a chuckle.

"Understandable. You guys are really taking off. It's surreal to think I'm friends with rockstars," Iwaizumi remarked.

Sakura couldn't help but smile at his words, although the idea of being called a rockstar made her feel a tad shy. "The wind's really strong today," she said, attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction.

As if on cue, a gust of wind swept over them, causing Sakura's hair to sway and flutter in the breeze. Just as she was about to fix it, Iwaizumi surprised her by tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Y-your hair was kind of in your face," Iwaizumi stammered, feeling a bit embarrassed about his spontaneous action.

Sakura was momentarily caught off guard, processing the unexpected and slightly romantic gesture he had just made.

Her response came in a soft voice, "No worries. Thanks." As she spoke, Iwaizumi couldn't help but notice a faint blush on her cheeks, causing his own face to warm up too.