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“I don’t care!” Hajime can hear Yahaba shouting from the gym already. “I don’t give a shit what you think! If the team’s doing a festival, you’re doing a festival too!”
He can hear some kind of growling noise before Kyoutani is storming out of the gym, brushing past them even though there’s no way he didn’t see them.
“Mad Dog-chan!” Oikawa calls cheerily. “We still have practice, you know?”
Kyoutani grunts.
“Yahaba-kun’ll actually kill you if you don’t show up to practise.” Matsukawa adds. Kyoutani still doesn’t budge.
Hajime sighs.
“Kyoutani.” He says. Wordlessly, the second year turns and storms right back into the gym.
Oikawa pretends to swoon, draping himself all over Hajime like the clingy guy he actually is. “My my, Iwa-chan! I’m truly blessed to have such a convincing, influential vice-captain–”
Hajime pretends to shove him away halfheartedly, but it only makes him cling on more, like a tall, athletic octopus. “We’re already late, idiot.”
“Iwa-chan, you have to know that the show can’t start without the star –”
Hanamaki pretends to gag. Hajime shoots him a sympathetic look.
“...so we can’t really do that, and on top of that, we’re not even starting practice till 5:30 today, remember?” Oikawa is still talking. “Irihata’s briefing us on our part of the fundraising festival thingy in the first half. Iwa-chan, were you even listening to me?”
Shit. Hajime had forgotten about the fundraiser. That must’ve been what Kyoutani was (understandably) protesting.
“You forgot, didn’t you, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa says, poking at his face. “Where would you be without the great Oikawa-sama–”
“Relaxing at home, probably.” Hajime cuts him off. “Enjoying the silence.”
“Mean, Iwa-chan.” He drifts over to Hanamaki. “Makki, Iwa-chan’s neglecting my feelings…”
“Oi, don’t come running to me only when your precious Iwa-chan doesn’t feel like it.”
Oikawa turns to Matsukawa, who flips him off.
“Betrayed!” Oikawa shouts into the wind dramatically. “Betrayed by all my friends!”
Yahaba sticks his head out of the gym door. “What a bummer,” he says, deadpan. “You all are late. Please come in before I quit the team and move to the mountains in search of peace.”
When the four of them traipse inside, Hajime is greeted with perhaps the worst idea he’s ever been asked to execute, and that’s even after knowing Oikawa for years now.
“A kissing booth,” he says, in slight disbelief.
Irihata nods, looking reluctant but sure. “With Oikawa around, it’s sure to garner attention.”
“Whose idea was it to start a fundraising festival anyways?” Matsukawa asks.
“Ah, well, the principal got the idea from Karasuno’s fundraising festival, which was ideated by Takeda-sensei, who’s–”
“Karasuno VBC’s teacher advisor.” Oikawa finishes, looking annoyed. “That stupid school’s the start of all my problems. Iwa-chan–”
“Oikawa.” Mizoguchi-sensei cuts in, and Oikawa promptly shuts up.
“Anyways. Karasuno’s doing a couple fundraisers for all their sports department, and Principal Ito thought that it would be a good idea for Seijoh to also participate and gain experience in fundraising activities.” Irihata says. “I’m sure it’ll be a good experience. Right, boys?”
“To help students truly appreciate the funds they use…sometimes recklessly.” Mizoguchi-sensei adds, looking at Kyoutani specifically. “Since the volleyball team is one of the school’s most prominent sports teams, along with the girl’s football team, they’re expecting a high level of involvement from these two clubs. I want all of you to participate.”
With Mizoguchi’s stamp of approval, there was no getting out of it. Unless…
“I call doing the money collection!” Kunimi shouts, uncharacteristically enthusiastic. “I’ll man the booth. The booth that won’t be near the booth that you kiss people in.” Ah. That would explain it.
“I’ll join him!” Kindaichi is quick to add, looking shifty.
“Shit!” Hajime swears. “C’mon, guys. Leave us something at least.”
“What?” Kunimi stares at him blankly. “I thought you and the Captain were the main attractions.”
“What.”
“Like,” Kindaichi is gesturing awkwardly with his hands. “The people. Uh. The people doing the kissing. At the booths.”
What the hell?
“No,” he says, in case his expression hadn’t made it abundantly clear. “Absolutely not.”
“Well, Iwa-chan,” Hanamaki smirks, ignoring a death glare from Oikawa. “It’s either you or me, and I eat a lot of liquorice, which I assure you will be extremely bad for business.”
“How come no one’s making any excuses so I can get out of it?” Oikawa asks unhelpfully.
Watari turns to him, face dead serious. “Your very existence shaped this idea. You’re our not-so-secret weapon, Oikawa-san. We’re gonna make so much money off you.”
Oikawa goes red, which means he’s either happy with the praise or hates the attention. “It seems it's Bully-Oikawa-sama Day all around.” He’s pouting now, and staring straight at Hajime. “Save me, Iwa-chan.”
Hajime rolls his eyes, but turns to Mizoguchi-sensei anyway. “Do we have to do this?”
Mizoguchi-sensei throws up his hands, resigned. “I don’t care what you do, but I have to show Ito-san the numbers. Figure this out by yourselves before 5:30. I want you back here by then to start with drills. The Spring High playoffs are coming whether you like it or not, and I know you boys don’t want to lose to Karasuno.”
The coaches walk off, and the rest of the team chooses to betray their leaders.
“Oikawa-san. Captain, oh my captain.” Yahaba says. “How many girls confess to you per day?”
Oikawa preens like a peacock, shooting Hajime a not-so-subtle look from the corner of his eye. Hajime’s pretty sure he actually puffs up like that fish in Finding Nemo. “Now, now, Yahaba-chan, don’t get jealous, while it is true I am truly popular…” Why, oh why did it have to be Oikawa? Out of all the people Hajime had to have an embarrassing, long-term crush on, why did it have to be Oikawa?
“Not like that, Oikawa-san.” Yahaba cuts in. “How many of those girls do you think would actually pay to kiss you? And think of how much we could charge per kiss. How much do you think we’d make?”
Oikawa quietens, actually thinking. Wincing, Hajime realises he could actually agree to this. No, God no. But wait. Hajime’s used to Oikawa taking up the attention wherever they go while Hajime prefers to stay in the background. With Oikawa as the other kisser, there’s a good possibility that Hajime won’t have to do any work at all.
Wait.
He might actually be onto something.
Their whole friendship, Hajime’s hated it when people flirt with Oikawa. When they were kids, it was because he hated it when Oikawa wasn’t paying attention to him, even if he wouldn’t admit it. When they got to high school and Hajime realised how he really felt about his best friend, it was jealousy. Good old fashioned jealousy that reared its ugly head whenever Oikawa flirted with all sorts of boys and girls but not Hajime. But in this situation, Hajime can use these negative emotions to his advantage. Hajime had already all but given up on Oikawa having any sort of feeling for him, thereby having no actual chance with him. So that meant that there was literally nothing left for him to lose. The only thing they could gain was the money.
Capitalism or whatever, right?
Watari and Yahaba were right. Because if everyone flocked to Oikawa, they’d definitely make money. Because he knows for certain that everyone would flock to Oikawa and not Hajime himself. It was the perfect plan.
“I agree,” Hajime says out loud. Oikawa looks at him hopefully. “...with the team.” he finishes. “We should do a kissing booth. It’ll rake in a lot of money for sure.”
Yahaba shoots Kyoutani a smug look.
“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa wails, throwing himself at Hajime, with his usual lack of respect for personal space. He’s going weirdly red. “You realise that this means you’ll have to kiss people too.”
“I do,”
Oikawa looks at him, eyes wide. Does he look…angry? No, Hajime must be imagining it. “You’ll have to kiss people, Iwa-chan.”
“For the team.” Hajime insists. “Unless you don’t want to? Unless…you’re not up to the task? Are you incompe–”
The challenge works. Oikawa straightens up, shooting him a mock-flirtatious look through his lashes. “I’ll ensure Iwa-chan that I am a very talented kisser, and I’ll have no issue–”
“So it’s settled then.” Hajime turns to address the team. “This better be worth it.”
Oikawa pouts and complains some more, and that’s that. The Aoba Johsai VBC is officially setting up a kissing booth for Aoba Johsai’s fundraising festival.
This is fine, Hajime thinks. This is easy money. I won’t have to do much work at all.
The festival day dawns bright and clear.
Kissing booth aside, the rest of the fundraising festival is actually pretty nice. Aoba Johsai is a private school, and parents had no problem pitching in so their kids could do their best. There were tons of food stalls, people selling custom-made print posters made to order, and the school’s western-style band is playing with a pay-if-you-wish system in place.
The girls football team, the second-most popular sports club in the school, has set up a face painting stall. Sasaki Rika – a striker – is an art major, so the designs are coming out really well. All in all, Hajime wouldn’t mind spending a day at the festival with Hanamaki, Matsukawa and Oikawa, roaming around and enjoying their dwindling days as high schoolers.
So, of course, he has to spend all his time setting up their stupid kissing booth.
Watari, showing a scarily calm side of himself, takes charge of the logistics of it all. Kunimi and Kindaichi, the little traitors, are doing money collection and sign-ups. Yahaba is the equivalent of the producer, standing behind Watari with a frankly terrifying demeanour and bossing people around. Hajime, to his growing horror, can slowly begin to see the results of all Oikawa’s one-on-one ‘captain training sessions’ manifest.
The second-worst part of it all is the massive pink banner that the Arts and Design Club (perhaps too) enthusiastically agreed to make for them. Filled with glittery red hearts on a Barbie-pink backdrop, big white kanji names the volleyball club’s official booth as ‘CUPID ROMANCE CENTRAL – GET A KISS, FIND LOVE!’.
Why.
Hajime is still wincing at it when Yahaba comes into his sight, looking flustered.
“Oi! Kyoutani!” the second year says, gesturing to their foul-mouthed spiker. “Take off your shirt!”
Kyoutani makes a funny, choked noise and goes red. “What.”
“You have abs.” Yahaba cocks his head like it's obvious. “You’ll attract girls.”
“Not with that face,” Kunimi mutters. Yahaba ignores him.
“I’m not taking off my shirt.” Kyoutani says, again.
“Kyoutani.” Yahaba looks at him with terrifying purpose, eyes burning holes into Kyoutani’s shirt-covered chest. “Show everyone your chest. It’s for the good of the team.”
Kyoutani scowls but does as he says, and Hajime is pretty sure Yahaba grinds his teeth to stop from salivating at the sight of the abs on display.
Watari looks between the two of them and hums. “Guess life is cyclical.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hajime asks.
Kunimi looks at him and raises his eyebrows. Slowly, he looks at Yahaba, fair skin going even pinker in the sun, and the still scowling Kyoutani, and then back at Hajime. “Nothing.”
Hajime has the feeling he’s missing something, but it's getting too hot to ponder over it now. And he hasn’t seen Oikawa in a while…
“Iwa-chan!” Ah, there he is. Summoned, like some kind of demon. “Kyou-chan, Yahaba-kun says you need to lift the tables in. We need two of them, one for Iwa-chan and one for me. And comfortable chairs, of course!”
Kyoutani glares at Yahaba, who’s still not-so-covertly checking him out, but goes to get the tables anyway.
When the tables and banners (created in collaboration with their school’s Arts and Design Club) are up, Yahaba and Watari make sure he and Oikawa are well settled, stocking the drawers of each desk with snacks and sports drinks and water.
(“To bribe you into staying the whole time,” Watari whispers.)
Throughout this, Hanamaki and Matsukawa are conspicuously absent. When he mentions this to Oikawa, he’s predictably unhelpful.
“Ah, they’re probably making out behind the school because they saw a chance and took it, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa looks at him pointedly. “Unlike some other people I know…”
“What, Idiotkawa.”
“I’m just saying, Iwa-chan, you have a chance today, that you’re not acting on…”
It takes Hajime a second to figure it out, but when he does he punches Oikawa. “I’m not paying 400 yen to kiss you, Shittykawa. Crappykawa.”
Oikawa flutters his lashes and looks at him, brown eyes wide and flirtatious. Hajime hates when he jokingly flirts with him like he’s one of his fanclub. “I’m just saying, Iwa-chan would get it for free, because I actually have a best friend discount…”
“Trashykawa.”
Oikawa hmphs and turns away, going red. Seriously, what has been wrong with him these past couple days? “Ok, Iwa-chan, just don’t be offended when you get no one in your line because they all came for the great Oikawa-san!”
He walks halfway to his table and turns around, cocking his head. “Actually, if you take off your shirt, your muscles might attract the girls. I mean, I still think you’re built like a particularly rude gorilla. But, you know, whatever people are into these days…”
Hajime can feel his facial features going into what he’s come to deem his Oikawa Bullshit Scowl. “What, you haven’t seen Kyoutani stomping about half-naked and murderous?”
Oikawa’s pretty features light up in genuine surprise. “No?”
Watari muffles a laugh and Kunimi mutters something about apples and trees. Again, Hajime gets a strange feeling that he’s not in on some inside joke and he doesn’t like it. But it’s fine. Clearly, Oikawa’s not in on it either, so it’s ok.
Just then, Hanamaki and Matsukawa decide to make an appearance.
“Iwa-chan!” Hanamaki calls, voice high-pitched in an extremely good imitation. “Spare a kiss for me!”
“Fuck off, Makki,” Oikawa says, smile sharp. “Glad to see you two have been so…proactive, though.”
“With each other? Absolutely.” Hanamaki replies, opening Hajime’s drawer and pulling out a packet of sour candy. “No liquorice?”
Hajime snatches it back. “No, because I’m not a psycho.”
“Even if I give you a big smooch?”
“ Especially if you give me a big smooch. Oi, Matsukawa. Go help the first years with registration.”
“Aye aye, vice captain,” Matsukawa says, looking sleepy as ever. “Uh. Why is Kyoutani shirtless?”
“Yahaba-kun is horny today, Mattsun.” Oikawa says airily. “Oh, look at that, girls are coming already! Iwa-chan, are you ready to be beaten?”
“This isn’t a competition,” Hajime says. He’s ignored.
“Can we separate their counters before Oikawa-san loses it?” He hears Watari whisper to Hanamaki. He doesn’t understand. There isn’t going to be any sort of competition. It’ll basically be a breeze; the girls will go to Oikawa, and Hajime can have a nice day in the mild sun. It’ll suck to see Oikawa kiss other people, but Hajime’s used to that now.
He straightens up and heads to his counter. He’s sure it’ll be easy.
Oh, how Hajime hates being wrong.
People were definitely flocking to Oikawa’s stall, sure, but he didn’t expect to see so many at his. Girls…and boys. He definitely doesn’t have as many as Oikawa, but his line is long nonetheless. Much, much longer than he expected. Hajime doesn’t even like kissing these many people. He’s not a natural flirt and extrovert like Oikawa, especially not when the person he’d actually like to kiss is Oikawa.
“Iwaizumi-senpai…” the closest girl says, staring at her feet. She’s pretty, with a brown pixie cut and matching eyes. Hajime thinks she’s Watari’s classmate, a group-project partner in Chemistry or something. “Are you gonna…”
Right. People at his booth meant he actually had to kiss them.
He tries his best at a reassuring smile. “Of course. Uh, what’s your name?”
“Sato Hana.” She smiles at him. “I’ve actually…wanted to kiss you for a while now. You’re really handsome, and you play really well, and I’ve heard from Watari-kun that you’re smart too. So thank you!”
“You paid for it, so…” You paid for it? Are you a prostitute? Are you selling yourself? What the fuck are you thinking?
Before he can fuck it up further, he bends forward and gives her a peck on her cheek. He watches as she goes violently red, stutters through one more thank you and leaves.
The next couple kisses go the same. He’s not doing as well as Oikawa, who’s flirting with everyone in line and even offering selfies and autographs.
Hajime sighs in annoyance. What a vain idiot. No. Not vain. No, he is vain. It’s just…
Ugh. Of course he’s jealous. Why wouldn’t he be?
Focus.
The hours pass slowly. Hajime pecks girls and boys on the cheeks and takes a couple water breaks, sipping Pocari and checking his phone while his line builds up. Oikawa doesn’t, though, and Hajime has got to give it to him for his dedication. He tries not to look at him kissing other people, though, even if most of them are just pecks.
Sometimes he’s sure he sees Oikawa staring daggers into his forehead. When he turns around to see what’s up, Oikawa turns around and pretends to stare at the sky or his phone, whichever is closer. It happens too many times for it to be a one-off, or even a two or three-off. Is he doing something wrong? Hajime doesn’t think he’s that bad a kisser. Whatever. Oikawa probably hates sharing the spotlight, the awful attention-seeker he is.
It actually all goes smoothly, until the sun’s setting and he runs into the first playboy of the day. Hajime is tired and they only have 15 minutes to go before they can shut shop for good, so he can’t wait to finish.
However:
“Well, well, Iwaizumi-san, I can’t pretend I haven’t wanted to do this before.” The boy in front of him has an undercut, one black earring, actual well-dyed blond hair and a handsome smirk. He’s even done his eyebrows to match. Hajime admires the dedication to the craft.
Hajime raises his eyebrows. “Really,”
The boy nods, cocksure. “Yup. Ever since the first time I saw Seijoh play at Spring High.”
Hajime recognises him now. “Terushima? From Johzenji? You’re a wing spiker, right?”
“You recognise me?” The boy – Terushima – winks flirtatiously, pretending to swoon. “I’m honoured! Actually. For real.” Hajime thinks he can see Oikawa from the corner of his eye. He ignores him.
“So, Iwaizumi-san, are you going to do me the honour, or should I? Hurry up, because I’ve waited a long while for this.”
Hajime can’t deny it. Terushima is pretty, and it’s always nice to know that someone attractive finds you hot. He can’t beat Oikawa for Hajime’s affections – no one can, Hajime’s been tainted from a young age – but the attention is flattering nonetheless. Terushima’s a breath of fresh air after a long day of awkwardly kissing stuttering schoolmates. So, really, Hajime can’t help but flirt back.
“A long while, huh? Oikawa’s line is moving quickly, though. You could’ve stood there. That’s some serious dedication you’ve put into this, Terushima-kun,” he fires back, and he can see Terushima lap it up.
“It’s easier than volleyball, for sure,” he jokes back easily. “Oh, and Captain-san’s pretty, for sure. But you’re…hot.” Terushima leans over the desk, wetting his lips unconsciously. “The whole muscle tee, beefy arms, scowly face thing you have going on. It really works.”
Hajime chuckles under his breath. Wait. Is Oikawa moving closer? He looks slightly constipated, even from a distance. What’s–
“...Iwaizumi-san,” Terushima is saying. “Am I losing your attention that quick? Ouch. You wound me, Vice Captain.”
Hajime decides to ignore Oikawa again, despite a nasty gut feeling. “Not at all. You were saying…”
“No. I was thinking. That I wanna kiss you. Sooner would be better, I think.” He smirks up at him, flicking a bit of blond fringe away from his hooded eyes. “What about you?”
Hajime can see him moving forward, and he can feel himself moving forward too. Terushima smells nice, he supposes. Not like Oikawa, who always smells of some fancy eau de parfum all the time, but nice, nonetheless. He’s really close to his lips, and–
He feels himself being pulled back and barrels into a squirming, warm, tall–Oikawa. He’s barrelled into Oikawa.
“What the fuck?” he says, at the same time Terushima goes “hey!”
“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa looks frantic, hair tousled all funny and long fingers grasping at Hajime’s shirt collar. “Coach just called me. Something urgent came up, we’re gonna have to shut the booths earlier than we thought.”
He turns to Terushima, not looking sorry in the slightest. “We’re so sorry, Hair Job-kun. Maybe try another school’s kissing booth, hm?”
And then Hajime is all but dragged away.
Grasping his hand in his, Oikawa drags him away to the back of the festival, behind the fruit candy stalls and Grade 9’s awful sculpture exhibition that they’re making people pay 300 yen per head to see. They’re a little away from the school, in a wide open field that Hajime knows Hanamaki takes when he wants a shortcut home from the gym.
But.
“Hey, what the fuck?” he asks Oikawa. “What’s your problem?”
Oikawa is tugging at his hair looking uncharacteristically nervous. “Ah, Iwa-chan…I uh, actually wanted to uh, tell you something.”
“That couldn’t wait? Terushima paid for his turn, you know. We could be losing money as we speak.”
“I don’t care about the money!” Oikawa looks at him, brown eyes wide.
Hajime tsks. “What is it, then, that’s so urgent it couldn’t wait…” he checks his watch. “Ten and a half minutes?”
Oikawa looks around, and then at his shoes. “I uh. Heard that Karasuno’s Captain and Vice Captain are dating.”
Oh. Hajime’s never actively thought about it or suspected it himself, but now that he does, it kind of makes sense. “Daichi and Sugawara?”
“Uh huh. Nice, right?”
“Nice what?”
“Dating! Them. Them dating. Position wise?”
“Ok…wait, did you just try to make a sex joke?”
Oikawa seems to straighten up suddenly. “My mind is clean and pure, unlike Iwa-chan’s filthy gutter brain.”
“I saw the porn on your laptop, Trashykawa.”
“Mean, Iwa-chan. I only watch the most well produced, high-quality porn.”
“Shittykawa. Dirtykawa.”
“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa squawks.
“Ok. Now that you’ve conveyed this urgent, pertinent piece of news to me, I think we should head back to the booth.” Oikawa’s phone dings with a text message. “See? I bet that that’s Yahaba on your back.”
“Iwa-chan?”
“What, Crappykawa?”
“Whatifwedidntgoback.”
“Huh?”
Oikawa steps a little closer. “What if we didn’t go back, Iwa-chan?”
What does he mean?
“Uh, are you feeling hot, or…”
Oikawa’s eyes widen imperceptibly. “Iwa-chan, you know, I didn’t really enjoy the kissing booth today.”
Hajime sighs. “Oikawa, I swear to god, if this is one of those times you make a vague ass statement and expect me to glean some life advice–”
“Did you like doing the kissing booth today, Hajime?”
A pause.
“Not particularly,” Hajime admits. “You know I don’t really like kissing people I don’t…like.”
Oikawa’s eyebrows furrow. “But you looked like you wanted to kiss Blond-kun.”
Hajime waves his hand. He doesn’t even know what he’s getting defensive about, but he’s getting defensive anyways. “What do you want, Oikawa? He’s attractive, he was enthusiastic, he was in line–”
Oikawa scowls. “He looked creepy, Iwa-chan. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t rescued you from his clutches?”
“I probably would’ve kissed him once and called it a day–wait. What are you on about this time?” Hajime looks at his phone, where the VBC group chat is exploding with WHERE ARE YOUs (Yahaba) senpais where are you??? (Kindaichi) and its so fuckin hot (Kyoutani).
Oikawa takes a deep breath and then begins pacing, constantly flicking his hair behind his ears. “Iwa-chan, now, I’m gonna say something, like, really fast, and if you don’t like this…statement, then you have to make it known quick. Ok? Um, so actually, while I am genuinely quite good at kissing, and, uh, flirting, and the like and I of course pay the utmost attention to whoever I’m in conversation, because that’s obviously the decent thing to do – except for people who don’t deserve it, like stupid Ushiwaka and stupid Tobio-chan – I actually didn’t—”
“Oikawa.”
“I was jealous when you kissed Blond-kun!” Oikawa blurts, and oh. Hajime doesn’t know how to approach this.
“Oikawa…”
Oikawa looks at his shoes pointedly.
“Oikawa, if you liked Terushima, you could just ask him out. I doubt he’d say no.”
His best friend looks at him like he’s stupid. And not even jokingly this time. Hajime, for what seems like the millionth time that day, feels like he’s missing out on something.
“Silly Iwa-chan,” Oikawa says. He’s going vibrantly red. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t get it. You’ve always been slow on the uptake.” He slowly puts his hands over his face and peeks one big brown eye out. “I wasn’t jealous of you. I was jealous of uh, what’s-his-name…Terushima. Because he was kissing you .”
It takes a second for Hajime to understand. When he does, he can feel his face break out into a smile that he can’t stop no matter how hard he tries. He knows which smile it is – it’s his Oikawa Smile. It’s so big it must honestly look a little cringe. He’s lucky Oikawa’s hiding behind his hands.
Speaking of:
“Oi. Tooru, you nuisance.” Slowly, he places his hands on his best friend’s wrists and pulls them apart. Oikawa’s making his wobbly, Almost in Tears face. It eases into a wobbly Smiling Face when he sees Hajime’s expression.
“Do you mean what you said?” Hajime asks, slowly. “That you were jealous?”
Oikawa nods, smiling, but still a little unsure.
“Oikawa. I like you too. A lot. Like, an honestly embarrassing amou–”
Suddenly, there are slender fingers cupping his face gently, so very gently. “Iwa-chan,” Oikawa whispers. “Are you sure,”
For once, Hajime doesn’t snark back. “Of course I’m sure.”
There’s a moment where he’s just looking up into Oikawa’s eyes. “Tooru,” he says. “Can I kiss you?”
Oikawa nods, smiling.
Their first kiss is a little clumsy, more a meeting of lips than anything tremendously significant. Hajime would never liken anything to do with Oikawa to the stupid fucking kissing booth, but the first kiss they share is similar in intensity to the small pecks he shared with the people who signed up to come.
Oh but their second kiss.
Their second kiss is perfect. Oikawa’s lips are sweet, tasting like cola candy and apple soda. Hajime can feel Oikawa smile against his lips, matching Hajime’s own ridiculous smile. Their teeth clash once before Hajime decides to be brave and places a hand on Oikawa’s cheek, holding him while he chuckles the slight pain away. When Oikawa pulls him closer, curling an arm around his shoulder, Hajime places an arm lightly on his waist.
When they finally part, Oikawa places his forehead against Hajime’s. For a blissful few seconds, they breathe the same air, and Hajime feels invincible .
“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa whispers. “Hajime. Can I call you Hajime?”
Hajime feels himself chuckle softly against Oikawa. “Yeah. Can I call you–”
“Yes!”
“Ok. Um. Tooru. I really like you. If you haven’t…been able to tell.”
“It only took me confessing my jealousy…”
“Yeah, yeah,”
“Ha! That’s your Oikawa-was-right voice!”
“Shut up. Trashykawa.”
“Mean, Iwa-chan! You can’t make fun of me now that we’re together properly!”
Hajime smirks. “I can do whatever I want.”
Oikawa raises an eyebrow. “Like?”
Hajime leans close. He can smell Oikawa’s perfume, airy and expensive. “Can I kiss you again?”
In response, Oikawa is quick to kiss him again, and Hajime lets himself melt into it. This time, he slowly runs his tongue over Oikawa’s lips until he lets him in, and then he’s tasting his sweet, pliant mouth—
“Oi! Senpais!”
They part suddenly. Oikawa trips backwards on a stray stick and almost falls on his ass before Hajime reaches out and catches him, arms wrapped around his torso.
Yahaba is standing there, one hand shielding his eyes, the other holding Kyoutani by the collar of the shirt he’d slipped back on around lunchtime. The latter looks torn between wanting to kill himself and wanting to kill them. What’s worse, the entire team is standing in trios and pairs behind him.
Hanamaki steps forward, a shit eating grin on his face. “Kunimi-kun,” he calls. “Get the cash box. These two owe us…800 yen in total?”
“W-what?” Oikawa splutters, going red, which means he’s embarrassed or annoyed, or both.
“Yup. Oikawa owes 400 for kissing Iwaizumi, and Iwaizumi owes 400 yen for kissing Oikawa. Pay up, you two.”
Hajime finally finds his voice. It’s a shock, knowing that a tender kiss and a literal life milestone has been interrupted by your nosy volleyball team. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Them’s the rules.” Matsukawa shrugs sleepily, choosing the worst time to speak up. As usual. “Pay up, Captain-san.”
“Yeah, Captain-san,” Watari adds, looking overly invested. “Vice Captain-san, you too.”
“Seriously, Watari?” Hajime grumbles.
“All of you suck.” Oikawa declares. “Iwa-chan and I were having a moment. Come on, Iwa-chan. Let’s run away and leave these people.”
“Not until you pay,” Yahaba says. “Right, Kyoutani?”
Kyoutani huffs and rolls his eyes. “I should’ve stayed home today.”
Yahaba shrugs. “Good enough. So?”
“Since you guys stayed at the booths the whole time, the team is willing to do clean-up without you.” Hanamaki says. He looks behind him at a particularly tall, radish-looking figure. “Right, Kindaichi?”
Poor Kindaichi looks like he’d witnessed exhibitionism instead of an innocent enough kiss. “R-r-right. Yeah. Uh. Sorry. Sorry? Right um, sorry. For interrupting you. It’s just that Hanamaki-senpai and Yahaba-senpai insisted we should find you and…”
Oikawa waves a graceful hand. “Kindaichi-kun. It’s alright! You were misled by your evil senpais. All is forgiven. The others, maybe you’ll be forgiven for interrupting us in due time. Maybe some milk bread will butter me up, you never know.”
“Oi. Stop exploiting your kouhais. ” Hajime interrupts. Kindaichi is absolutely the kind of person who’ll get Oikawa milk bread every morning out of guilt. “We’ll pay your stupid fee. Can we please end this? It’s fucking mortifying.”
Yahaba gives him a thumbs up. Resigned, Hajime pulls out his wallet and pulls out 400 yen. When he turns to Oikawa, his best friend is staring at him intently, a wide smile in place. Sighing, Hajime forks out another 400 and presses the whole amount into Kunimi’s (where did he even come from?) outstretched hand.
“Aw, Iwa-chan’s already paying for his boyfriend,” Hanamaki says, smirking.
Oikawa picks up the stick he tripped on and throws it at Hanamaki.
“Just kidding, just kidding! Man, you guys’ve been dancing around each other so long. Even if it was a literal kissing booth that got together, I’m glad it happened anyways.”
“No PDA during practice,” is Kyoutani’s final contribution to the conversation before he ambles away. Yahaba follows him like a lost cat. Slowly, the rest of the team trickles away, the last stragglers being Mattsukawa and Hanamaki, who pat them both on the back like disrespectful uncles and make Oikawa promise them double dates against Hajime’s will.
When they’re finally left alone, Hajime turns to Oikawa.
“So,” he says.
“I hate this whole team so much,” Oikawa lies, still a little pink. “I hate everyone. My confession was supposed to be perfect and romantic.”
Hajime shrugs. “That was pretty romantic to me?”
Oikawa looks horrified. “That’s because your closest reference to romance is your older sister’s situationship, Iwa-chan.”
“What’s a situationship? Who keeps coming up with these new words?”
“Don’t worry your little brain about all that, Iwa-chan, it’s already overworked with just studies and volleyball as it is…”
Dating apparently does not stop Hajime from punching Oikawa on the arm again, but this time, he pulls him in for a kiss afterword.
Terushima is still there when they walk back to the booth, but he takes one look at the two of them and raises his hands in mock defeat.
Oikawa, however, is thrilled to see him still there. “Sorry, Blond-kun. Iwa-chan’s taken.”
“As of…” Terushima looks at his watch, “fifteen minutes ago?”
Oikawa shoots him a smile that barely conceals the daggers underneath. “Since we were twelve, actually, but I can’t be bothered explaining that to a noob like you.”
“Oikawa,” Hajime warns.
“It’s alright, Iwaizumi-kun.” Terushima turns to him and smiles. “I know a lost cause when I see one.” He winks. “I’m glad I helped bring you two together.”
Hajime steps on Oikawa’s foot to shut him up before he can say anything offensive.
“I’m glad to have met you. I’m sorry you couldn’t get that kiss.”
Terushima waves a hand dismissively. “All good. Maybe I’ll get you back by beating you at the Spring High, yeah?”
Oikawa laughs scornfully. “In your dreams, Piercing-kun.”
Hajime nudges him. “What he means is that we look forward to it. I’ll see you around?”
When he’s gone, Oikawa wraps his arms around Hajime and kisses him. “Gross, Iwa-chan. There’s no need to be so nice to him.”
“Save the spite for Kageyama, Oikawa.”
“There’s always spite for Tobio-chan, Iwa-chan. Speaking of pesky opponents, I hear the shrimp’s been practising with old Coach Ukai…” They don’t help with the clean-up at all. Irihata dismisses them, telling them they’ve done enough, and soon enough they’re on their way back home.
“My my, Iwa-chan. I used up all my flirting on you, and your emotional denseness still stopped you from getting the message.”
“I thought you were making fun of me!”
“I literally threw myself at you every chance I got. It was the most I could do without a privacy violation, or something.”
“Shittykawa, when have you ever respected my privacy.”
“I’m really considerate, Iwa-chan!”
“When I said yes to Sawayama-kun’s confession in eighth grade, you took my phone without my permission and read all my LINE messages to her.”
“I had to make sure she wasn’t corrupting my Iwa-chan,” Oikawa replies, looking defensive.
“You really have the shittiest personality…”
“But you still love me,” Oikawa replies, looking hesitant. Hajime never wants him to feel hesitant about this.
“I’ve always loved you, Oikawa.”
“I love you too, Iwa-chan.”
A moment of lovely silence. Then:
“I flirted with you all the time. How did you still not notice?”
“I thought you were making fun of me!”
“Oh my god, Iwa-chan…”
“The good news is, the event was a grand success!” Irihata-sensei says. “We actually made over 6000 yen off our booth alone. Great job, boys.” He shoots them a warm smile, and Hajime manages not to chuckle awkwardly, which he considers an accomplishment.
“There’s bad news?” Hanamaki asks.
“Uh. There’s no bad news. Bad phrasing, sorry.” Irihata says. “But, in all seriousness. Great effort. I know Oikawa and Iwaizumi did most of the heavy lifting, but I was very happy to see all of you participate.” He looks at Kyoutani. “Though I saw no need for you to take your shirt off for half of it.”
“He was hot!” Yahaba interjects. “Er. Feeling hot, I mean. The weather was pretty bad.”
“Hanamaki-senpai and Mattsukawa-senpai didn’t participate,” Kunimi mutters under his breath.
“I’d like to thank all of you for believing in me,” Oikawa starts, but he’s cut off by Hanamaki.
“...for starting your love story, no doubt!”
“Makki–”
“Actually, there’s monetary potential for this too.” He continues. “Photos with them. The girls would go crazy. And the gays. The girls and the gays.”
Hajime sees Mizoguchi mouth the girls and the gays in utter confusion, but decides to leave it be.
“Can you please not market us? Again?” he speaks up instead.
“I agree. Iwa-cha–I mean we’re not available to kiss anyone else. No photoshoots either, because I’m afraid Iwa-chan isn’t very photogenic. He smiles but on camera it comes off as a grimace, and he somehow always manages to find the spot with the worst lighting–”
Hajime clocks Oikawa on the arm. “That’s enough from you today.”
“Iwa-chan, I’m adding my input!”
“It’s as useless as you are.”
Oikawa scowls, going pink. “Mean, Iwa-chan.”
“No flirting during practice,” Hanamaki says. “Enough is enough.”
“Then don’t monetise us, Makki,” Oikawa snipes back, smooth as ever.
“It was Kunimi’s idea, actually. He–”
“Can we get back to practice now?” Mattsukawa asks, left eyebrow raised.
Oikawa turns to him, smiling. “Ready to hit all my tosses, Iwa-chan?”
Hajime feels himself smirking. “You bet.”
Oikawa crouches down to the floor to tie his shoelaces, giving Hajime a look through his eyelashes. “We’ll crush them then, Iwa-chan.”
Somewhere to the side, he hears someone sigh.
“Is this now it’s gonna be from now on?” Kyoutani grumbles. “It’s gonna make me sick.”
“I’m just surprised that it’s taken them so long…” Kindaichi whispers. He’s not very good at whispering. Hajime should tell him that sometime soon. For now, though he doesn’t care. He can feel Oikawa walk onto the court beside him, and the cheek Oikawa kissed him on before practice is still tingling. All the kisses Oikawa gives him still make his stomach swoop and his face break out into the stupidest, cheesiest smile. He wouldn’t ever put a price on them.
Hajime and Tooru are back in Sendai for Golden Week on the first year of university. Hajime wanted to do a trip to Kyoto, but Tooru’s been whinging about the lack of nutrition in their meals for two months straight, so Hajime figured they could both benefit from some time at home.
They find themselves walking towards Aoba Johsai after a stuttering Kindaichi dropped by at Tooru’s house the previous evening, inviting them to come to Seijoh’s second fundraising festival. The air smells like candy and takoyaki and okonomiyaki and Hajime’s stomach is grumbling just thinking about all the (very subsidised) food they could buy.
They walk through the arc welcoming them to the school festival and take in the offerings. It looks pretty good. The organisers have done a pretty good job, clearly having taken what worked last year and made it better. There’s no awful sculpture show this time, at least.
“I wonder what the volleyball club is doing this year,” Tooru muses. He’s walking too slowly for Hajime’s liking, humming and swinging his and Hajime’s intertwined hands.
Hajime tugs on his wrist. “The faster we walk, the faster I can eat. I hope the boys are doing a food stall–”
“No way.” Tooru says. “No fucking way.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me…”
The colour of the sign has changed into a garish looking purple that can’t seem to decide if it’s more lilac or lavender. The name of the stall, to Hajime’s horror, is still the very uncreative CUPID ROMANCE CENTRAL – GET A KISS, FIND LOVE!
Kyoutani and Yahaba are being led by a smug looking Watari to two separate desks. Yahaba looks a little uncertain, and Kyoutani is scowling in a way that’s definitely indicative of mass murder. Watari seems unphased, though, ushering them into place. Yahaba keeps looking at Kyoutani, who’s staring ahead of him now in what Hajime believes is his brand of grim determination.
Hajime and Tooru share a look, smiling.