Archive of Our Own ^beta

"I swear, my brain's playing tricks on me again," Osaka complained to the empty air, frowning at her math homework. She sat cross-legged at her desk, a pencil poised above the page as if it might escape if she didn't keep it in check. The room was a hushed library, the only sounds the occasional rustle of paper and the distant murmur of students in the hallway.

Sakaki, who had been quietly munching on a rice ball next to her, paused. "What's up?" she asked, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

Osaka's cheeks flushed pink. "Nothing, just... stupid thoughts," she mumbled, dropping her gaze to her textbook. The words on the page swam before her eyes, refusing to cooperate with her suddenly racing heart.

Sakaki tilted her head slightly. "You're blushing," she pointed out, a hint of amusement in her voice. "It's not like you to get flustered over math."

Osaka stared at her, wide-eyed. "I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "It's just... I don't know what to do."

Sakaki set her rice ball down on the desk and leaned in closer, a furrow appearing between her brows. "What don't you know how to do?" she inquired softly, genuinely concerned.

Osaka took a deep breath, her eyes darting around the room before settling on Sakaki's calm gaze. "It's about... how to confess to someone," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Sakaki blinked, caught off guard. "Confess?" she echoed, her cheeks warming slightly. "You mean, like a love confession?"

Osaka nodded, her eyes growing even wider. "Yeah," she squeaked, "but it's nothing, really. Just something I saw in a manga. I'm just confused by the whole situation."

Sakaki's expression softened, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She reached over and gently placed a hand on Osaka's shoulder. "If it's about someone you like, you should just tell them," she said with surprising confidence. "You never know, they might feel the same way."

Osaka felt a jolt of terror at the suggestion, her heart hammering in her chest. "But what if they don't?" she whispered. "What if they laugh at me?"

Sakaki's smile grew a little sad. "It's a risk you take," she said gently, "but it's better to know than to wonder forever."

Osaka nodded slowly, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. "You're right," she murmured. "But what if it's someone... what if it's someone we know?"

Sakaki's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly. "If it's someone you care about, it's worth the risk," she said, her voice filled with understanding.

Osaka looked down at her textbook, the math problems forgotten. "But what if it's you?" she blurted out, her eyes snapping up to meet Sakaki's.

The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment. Sakaki's smile froze, her eyes widening in shock. The air was thick with unspoken words and racing hearts.

"Me?" she managed to ask, her voice a whisper.

Osaka nodded, her cheeks burning. "Yeah," she said, her voice barely above a murmur. "I didn't mean to say it out loud, but it just slipped out."

Sakaki's eyes searched Osaka's for any sign of a joke, but all she found was raw sincerity. "Osaka," she began, her voice wavering, "are you... are you saying you like me?"

Osaka's hands clenched into fists, and she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Yeah," she confessed, her heart racing faster than ever. "I've liked you for a while now. I just didn't know how to tell you without it being weird."

Sakaki sat back, her hand slowly sliding off Osaka's shoulder. She looked down at her rice ball, now forgotten, and took a deep, shaky breath. "I... I don't know what to say," she stuttered, trying to process the sudden confession.

Osaka felt her heart drop into her stomach. "It's okay," she said quickly, trying to recover from her mistake. "I didn't mean to make it weird. It's just something that popped into my head, you know how my brain works."

Sakaki looked up, her eyes meeting Osaka's. For a moment, she just stared, the air between them charged with a tension that was palpable. "No, it's not weird," she said finally, her voice steady. "It's just... unexpected."

Osaka's heart fluttered in her chest. "Does that mean you don't hate the idea?" she ventured, hope blossoming within her.

Sakaki took another deep breath, her eyes never leaving Osaka's. "I don't hate it," she said carefully. "But I need some time to think."

Osaka's shoulders slumped in relief. "Of course," she murmured, feeling the tension in the room dissipate slightly. "I didn't mean to spring it on you like this. I just... it's been on my mind a lot lately."

Sakaki nodded, her gaze drifting to the floor. "I appreciate you being honest," she said, her voice quiet. "But I don't want to lead you on, or make you wait. I need to be sure of my feelings before I say anything."

Osaka nodded understandingly, her eyes brimming with a mix of hope and fear. "I get it," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Take all the time you need."

Sakaki gave her a small, genuine smile, and Osaka felt her heart lift a fraction. They sat in silence for a few moments, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall. Then, with a shake of her head, Sakaki picked up her rice ball and took a bite, the tension around them slowly dissipating.

"Let's just forget about it for now," Sakaki suggested, her voice a little too bright. "We've got a volleyball match coming up. We should focus on that."

Osaka nodded, the pink in her cheeks slowly fading as she took a deep breath, attempting to return to normalcy. "Right," she said, forcing a smile. "Volleyball."

The two of them finished their lunch in a strained silence, the weight of Osaka's confession hanging over them like a thick fog. The laughter and chatter of their classmates seemed to fade into the background, as if the whole world had paused to give them space.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of lunch, Sakaki stood up, gathering her things with a swiftness that seemed almost too deliberate. "I'll see you in class," she said, her eyes avoiding Osaka's.

Osaka nodded, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. She watched Sakaki leave, her heart heavy with the weight of what she'd just done. As she walked to her next class, she couldn't help but replay the conversation in her mind, analyzing every word and gesture. Had she made a mistake? Should she have kept her feelings to herself?

But as she took her seat and the lesson began, she couldn't focus on anything but the butterflies in her stomach. She found herself glancing at the clock, willing the time to pass so she could see Sakaki again, to gauge her reaction, to know if she had a chance.