So the Philippines is undergoing major pandemic threats, namely the new variant, and the feeling of dread has gotten me in the mood for writing again.

Your guys' comments are so damn funny and it's one of the factors that get me through my day, I cannot thank you enough for the support  and humor!

I'm a little rusty so please forgive me for the grammatical errors.  If Himekawa seems OOC please tell me or at least point out the gestures he would not do.

"Nervous"

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"Himekawa-kun!" You exclaimed, approaching the first-year, carrying what appeared to be a concerningly large and undoubtedly heavy book.

With a subtle smile on his face, the aforementioned male stood by until you were a few feet before him, very much inclined to hear what you had to say to him.

As you pried open the book, Himekawa then realized that you had been carrying a cook-book, and he recalled that you did mention something about taking part in the baking club's activities.

"Can you choose what I should bake for our third assignment? I feel like I'm choosing the easy ones." You requested, handing him the book where the selection of pastries were displayed.

Nodding, Himekawa gladly accepts the notion and let his eyes scan over the options. You hummed a soft tune to cover the silent atmosphere whilst waiting for the brown-haired server to come to a conclusion.

"Macarons sound good... Have you made them yet?" He proposed and unknowingly you felt your heart rate pick up.

To tell the truth, you hadn't baked for a considerably long period of time so you were a tad bit uncertain in your capabilities and macarons were one of the hardest pastries to perfect. But you wanted to do something nice for the male in front of you and you were already one step into the plan you had in store for him.

Himekawa was rather timid but you knew his passion to improve came in association with his need to feel deserving of his role on the court, so you re-indulged yourself in an old hobby to use it in rewarding your friend for the progress he's made every now and then.

You didn't know the reason behind your urge to make him feel as competent as you saw him, especially after the recent game at Nationals where he took the gymnasium by storm with his extremely high serves.

What you do know is that you wanted Himekawa to do well while expending the right amount of energy and not get too carried away while practicing. His hands have accumulated calluses after the strenuous practices he placed on himself in order to hone not only his serving but also his defense.

"A-Alright." You nodded, waiting for Himekawa to return the literature back to you, becoming startled when he started towards the classroom.

Before you could point it out, Himekawa sends you a smile, "I'll carry it for you (y/n)-san."

You swore you could spot the hint of a skip in his steps and questioned your eyesight.

Lapse

It was a few days after Himekawa had suggested for you to bake macarons and so far, he found contact with you to be a scarce phenomenon.

He hadn't seen you since yesterday afternoon, and it was when you were sprinting your way to your respective clubroom.

That morning, Himekawa was determined to at least spare a conversation with you.

Although he knew at the back of his mind that you were absolutely not obligated to give him the time of day, and he did not have to be so offended everytime you would pass by and think that a single glance would suffice, you had become a significant segment of his day and not interacting with you only made him feel bizarre.

"I know, I'll greet her and walk her to class again." The brunette smiled to himself.

As your friend he was entitled to that much at least.

Reaching the lockers, he spots a familiar hue of (h/c) from the corner of eye and heaved a breath of hope. Beginning his approach and growing confident with each step, Himekawa was about to call out to you until he saw what you were holding onto, what was encased in a sheer (f/c) gift bag adorned with hearts.

Macarons.

His eyes lit up, hope gradually seeping in, and just as soon as his smile came, it dropped.

"Oi (y/n)," A voice snaps him out of his trance and his gaze travels to the male standing beside you: Teradomari, his senpai. "You wanted to see me? Is that what you want to give to--"

You then broke out in panic, frantically digging into the bag of pastries and shoving them into the older male's mouth causing him to choke.

Having felt like he had seen enough to derive an obvious analysis of what was happening, Himekawa turned away, subconsciously sneering.

Then and there he sensed that he needed to learn how to get used to your absence from now on, much to his dread.

And like he discerned, lunchtime was void of your presence, you hadn't beckoned him to join you, much less took a glance at him.

Quite similarly, the rest of the day advanced in the same format.

Lapse

"Himekawa! The ball's going to burst through the roof at this point! Mind the force you put into it!" Finally annoyed, the team captain of Tsubakihara's men's volleyball team, Echigo snapped after having to witness countless volleyballs sent to the surface of the ceiling.

Himekawa was never this reckless, and regardless of how badly he wanted to improve, Echigo always took note of how the first-year was at least in the process of thinking about how to go about his technique rationally.

With his advice falling on deaf ears, Echigo watched as yet another ball painfully collided with the ceiling.

The team was so stunned, they merely stood there and gaped at Himekawa's deadly maneuvers. (That was the move that made LeBron cry.)

"That's it. Breaktime!" Echigo yelled.

Himekawa still felt angry, wanting this aching sensation in his heart to disappear because he felt so helpless and under its influence but he didn't know what else to do save for taking it out on his serves.

When he reached out to grab another ball, a soft hand grazed against his shoulder which sent a shudder down his spine. Turning, he saw you and the same gentle (e/c) irises as the ones he fell in love with on the first day of school.

"Mind if I borrow you now that you're on break?" You asked with a small smile gracing your face.

Saying nothing, Himekawa looked to where Teradomari was standing, who was also eyeing him with a deadly glint in his eye. As a means of respect, Himekawa slowly withdraws what had transitioned into a glare and set his attention back onto you.

He could not help the blood rushing towards his face when he felt your hand enveloping his as you tugged him outside. All the while you were silently praying that he would not notice the tremble in your hands.

Project confidence, you recited in your head when you reached an area out of earshot.

Flashback

"I made these for him! That's why I'm making sure the macarons are perfect." You huffed.

Teradomari rolled his eyes, "I get that but they don't have to be perfect, in fact, if he accepts your confession then it wouldn't even matter." Contradictory to his statement, he was much obliged to take another macaron as he watched you grow red.

"I-I'm not confessing! I don't even..." You stopped yourself from finishing.

Raising a brow, the third-year was less than convinced. "Like hell you aren't, you made him choose what you were going to bake, wrapped it and yourself up nice and pretty." He voiced, eyeing your radiance with a proud, supportive smirk.

You fidget then groaned, "I don't know what I should do... I just wanted to bake for him, do I really seem like confessing?"

Teradomari gives your back a reassuring pat, "Yeah. Don't worry, he's troubled but he's a damn good guy."

"I don't need you to tell me that."  A few seconds of sulking silence passed by and Teradomari picks up the conversation once more.

"You know... Ever since he showed off his serving, he's acquired a bit of a fanbase himself it'd be a shame if--" Without warning, you sprinted off to thoroughly plan out how you were going to confess.

The spiky-haired third-year chuckled at your reaction, shaking his head.

"Cousins are such a wonder."

End

"Listen..." You begin, preventing yourself from stuttering as anxious as you were. "I have... I have something to tell you." God, even breathing was a liability right now.

Himekawa felt his chest tighten for the uptenth time today and he steered his gaze away from you.

"I already know..." He muttered, shocking you with the tone of his voice. Like ice, it pierced right through you nerves and had you deathly worried.

Had Teradomari told on you?

And if so, was this his response?

Project confidence, once again the phrase repeated in your head. Well, you read it off of a forum on the internet when you searched for advice. It was a motto you received and shall stick by until the results of this exchange.

You were going to see this through no matter what, after pulling all-nighters to perfect everything, you couldn't back down from a situation like this.

"Then.." You begin digging through your bag. "I made this for y--"

"No you didn't." Himekawa reconnected his dark gaze. "Didn't you give some to Teradomari-senpai?"  You could see a pout forming. At this you nodded, your nerves eased a bit at his cuteness. "I did cause he's--"

"Your boyfriend, I know. I also know that you're going to spend time with him from now on so..." His eyes drooped, brows furrowing. With wide eyes you stepped forward to deny his claimation, a bit offended that he would make his own speculations without consulting you first, you hated that.

But you hated his heartbroken expression more.

You put both hands on his shoulders and began shaking the poor pinch-server. "Where would you even get that idea?! Do you think I'd fall for sorts like him?! Hell no I have standards!" You were fuming, but appeared all the more beautiful when angry, was what ran around Himekawa's mind.

"I... I.."

"You what?!"

When you removed your hands, he waited patiently for you to calm down.

Putting a hand above your heart you breathed then mustered up the courage to look into your crush's eyes.

"I have standards... And it's you, I love you Himekawa-kun." As the serenity between the both of you prolonged, the brave face you had put on dispersed bit by bit.

As you were about to leave due to the overwhelming sensation of embarrassment, you felt Himekawa pull on your arm and the next thing you knew your body collided with his.

He buried his face into your neck, helping himself to the comfort of your scent. When did he get so bold?

"Thank goodness..." He mumbled, rubbing his cheek against your neck causing you to wriggle bashfully.  "I love you too... So much that I was not ready to get used to not being with you..." His lips traveled to yours in a chaste yet much needed manner.

Himekawa smiled genuinely. "So much that I nearly destroyed the gym angry that I couldn't admit my feelings..."

You paled, "You what?"

Himekawa also paled. "I almost destroyed the gym! And I definitely ignored Captain... Oh God." He began running.

"Wait! The macarons!"

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Word Count: 1.9k

Hope you enjoyed, sorry if that was crappy.