#anyways the pros and cons of having a big and tall bear as a friend

[doopn00p]

Having a big and tall bear “friend”

[sippy--sippy]

Page Turner (Kageyama Tobio x Reader) Part 1

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Summary: The last place one would think to find Kageyama Tobio is a public library. But when he feels like he’s reached a wall in his progress as a professional volleyball athlete, he turns to books for help. Luckily, the closest library to him has a cute manager that’s eager to help.

Word Count: 5,823

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 A/N: Fanart credit to the Haikyuu pookie bear herself: Loony (Z) on TikTok and freaka_loonyz on Instagram. Go support her work, I drool over every post.

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As hard as it is to believe, Kageyama Tobio had never stepped foot in a public library before. At least, not that he could remember anyway. When he was younger, his grandpa or sister probably dragged him to one once or twice but he’s never gone to one on his own with the intention of finding a book. He’s never had any reason to go to a library until today but he’s reached a point in his volleyball career where he feels like he’s not improving anymore. 

Every set, serve and spike he does feels flawless but he feels he could still do better. There’s got to be something he can work on, but he doesn’t know where to start. And with a big Adlers championship game approaching quickly, he’s more eager than ever to make sure he’s at his best. 

Obviously, online articles and websites were the first place he went to read all he could about things like form and technique but after a while, he felt like he was just reading the same things over and over again. When his friend Akaashi suggested trying to find an actual book to see if there’s older research that could help him, he was hesitant (as his academic career was a little lackluster and reading wasn’t his strong suit) but figured he had nothing to lose. 

That’s how he found himself walking through the front doors of the closest public library. It was pretty small for a public library and he didn’t see many people inside which was a good thing. He couldn’t go anywhere anymore without being bombarded with admirers. While it was flattering, it was starting to get mildly annoying. Luckily, this felt like a place he wouldn’t have to worry about a swarm of fans. He could lie low, blend in with the other people inside and try to find a book that will help ease his worries.

-

Being the general manager of one of the smallest public libraries in Tokyo had its fair share of pros and cons. It's a relatively simple gig, it pays decently and you have more time to read than you know what to do with. Once all of the returned books are reshelved, new books are entered into the system, other miscellaneous chores are completed and there’s a lull in customers, there’s a book in your hand. It was the greatest job one could ever ask for.

One of the only cons to your job were some of the people you were unfortunate enough to come across. While most of the people that walked into your library were pleasant and fellow book lovers, there were occasionally people that set off warning bells in your brain the second they walked in. Since the library was near a local bar, you would occasionally have a drunk patron wander inside and wreak havoc on your neat shelves. Most leave without fuss after a little gentle persuasion but sometimes an angry drunk will ruin your whole night. Other times, some people will come in with a sour mood and take their frustrations out on you. You’re usually able to stay level-headed and diffuse the situation with ease. 

Needless to say, you pride yourself on being able to read the vibe of most people who walk through the door and how you should handle them. However, you’re not quite sure how you should feel about the man that walked through your door one Tuesday evening. 

He was tall with a set of broad shoulders. His body was mostly concealed by a long black coat which wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary, seeing how it was the middle of January. A baseball cap was pulled low on his head and he was wearing sunglasses. This normally wouldn’t cause you any concern but when it’s 6pm, there’s barely any sun outside to warrant sunglasses and he doesn’t take the sunglasses off when he gets inside, it raises some flags. 

You adjusted the book you held on your lap and fiddled with the pages, trying to decide how you should approach him. Here you were, hoping for a relaxing closing shift and then this shady character walks through your doors.

Besides looking a little suspicious, he doesn’t do anything to make you worry. In fact, he takes a couple steps inside and then just… stares at the rows of shelves. If you didn’t know any better, he looked a little lost. Like he didn’t know how to begin looking for whatever he came to the library to find. You couldn’t tell if he was actually confused or if it was all just an elaborate act and he was actually trying to decide what books he could steal. Nonetheless, you were the manager so it was your responsibility to manage the situation. Kill them with kindness.

“Welcome in, sir! Let me know if I can help you find anything!” you say with a smile. 

It seems the stranger hadn’t actually seen you sitting behind the counter of the front desk, because he jumped ever so slightly at the sound of your voice. He looked your way and didn’t say anything for a second. At least, you assumed he was looking at you. With his sunglasses on, it was hard to tell. The silence between the two of you was on the verge of getting awkward until he gave you the slightest of nods.

“Thank you.”

With that, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his long puffy coat and started to wander further back into the library. You watched him shuffle down the long aisle and eventually disappear behind the shelves. Letting out a sigh of relief, you slumped back into your chair and cleared your throat. He was dressed weird but his voice actually sounded quite kind, albeit a little monotone. While he wasn’t completely off your radar yet, you sat a little easier at your desk and decided to focus on your book, leaving the stranger to his business. 

Looking down at your book, you settled back into the romantic story. It was a couple minutes later, when out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the man walk to another shelf. You didn’t think anything of it until you started to notice him move to multiple shelves, even revisiting ones he had already been to. When he returned a fourth time to a row of books he had already been to, you started to get concerned. What was he doing? 

Book forgotten, you watched his pacing curiously. He seemed to be getting frustrated. Was he having trouble finding what he’s looking for? Deciding to be a good samaritan (and, you supposed, a proper manager), you slid your cafe receipt bookmark into your book and stood up from your chair. You walked around the threshold of the front desk and started approaching the stranger, who was scanning the lines of books he stood in front of. As you got closer, you started to realise how tall this man really was. Definitely over 6 feet tall! It was a little intimidating as you neared him from behind.

Hoping not to scare him like you did the first time, you very lightly knocked on the worn wood shelf that he stood next to. He shifted his gaze (still shrouded by sunglasses) from the books to you. Even with the sunglasses on, you could see the frustrated crease in his brow. You gave him a small smile.

“Are you looking for something specific? I can try to help you find it! These shelves can be hard to comb through when you don’t know where to look.”

The agitation in his face seemed to ease just slightly and he shifted on his feet. He turned to look at the books and then looked back at you. To your surprise, his long, slender hand raised and he slowly shifted the sunglasses off his face. With his face now exposed, you immediately felt your cheeks heat up. It was clear to you now that he looked to be around your age, maybe a little older. 25 or 26 maybe? His eyes were a beautiful shade of dark blue which complimented his sharp features nicely. You also finally took notice of the small hints of black hair that poked out from under his hat. 

It took you a second to realize you were staring at him and that he had said something to you. Who could blame you for being star struck, this man was without a doubt the most attractive man you’ve seen come into your library to date.

“S-Sorry, what?”

“I’m not looking for a specific book, but do you have any… fitness related books? Or sports. Or something like that?” His voice was deep and it sent a shiver from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

“Yes! Yeah, we’ve got a section like that. Follow me!” 

You turned on your heel and led him a couple rows down. He followed a few paces behind you and stopped when you faced a large shelf full of various sport books, books about physical training, motivational books and the like. You motioned to the whole isle.

“I think you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Everything is ordered alphabetically by the author’s last name and if you think of a specific book you want to find, there’s a couple computers towards the middle of the library you can use to help track the book down. We also have a large collection of sports magazines available as well that you can check out! Does this help narrow your search down a little?”

The stranger took a second to scan the spines of the books and nodded. “Yes, I should be able to find what I’m looking for. Thank you for your help.”

You gave him a happy smile and started to shuffle back to the front of the library. “Of course! Let me know if you need anything else.” 

Giving him one last glance, you walked back to your desk and plopped back down in your chair with a giddy sigh. Of course, the patron you thought was about to rob the library blind ended up being a tall, devilishly handsome twenty-something year old who you were immediately attracted to. You really needed to stop judging people by their appearance, you decided.

After helping a sweet old lady renew her library card, you noticed the stranger approach the small portion of the library that had a couple of comfortable couches and chairs so patrons could sit and read. He held a book in his hands but you couldn’t tell what it was called or what it was about. He stood next to one of the couches and set the book down on the arm rest. Then, he proceeded to shed his long coat and you had to stop yourself from drooling. He wasn’t wearing anything fancy, just a baggy off-white long sleeved shirt and a pair of black athletic pants but boy did he make it work. With the coat off, you could better see his physique. He had a slimmer build, but you could tell he was strong by the way he held his slightly broader shoulders. This man didn’t skip the gym, that’s for sure.

After setting his coat down on the back of the couch, he settled onto one of the cushions and grabbed the book again. He stared at the cover for a second before opening to the first page and started to read. 

There he stayed for over an hour, slowly reading through the book. You helped a handful of people at the counter, but mostly spent the rest of your shift reading your own book while occasionally sneaking glances at the man. 

20 minutes before closing, he closed the book and slowly stood up. He stretched his arms high above his head which made his shirt ride up, exposing his abdomen which you could now see looked like it had been chiseled from stone. 

Pull yourself together, woman. You were 99% sure your nose started bleeding.

The stranger put his coat back on and adjusted the hat on his head before heading back to the shelf he found his book. You presumed he put it back because he then walked back to the front of the library without a book in his hands. You sat up and gave him a big smile as he passed.

“Thanks for coming! Have a good night!”

He looked your way and shoved his hands in his pockets. To your surprise he gave you the tiniest hint of a smile.

“Thank you. You do the same.” 

And he left. 

-

Your heart fluttered in your chest when the stranger showed up again the next day. And the next. And a couple days after that. Whatever he found in your library must’ve really helped him, because he came in and picked up the same book to read on the couch again. And when he seemed to finish that book, he found a new one. 

Your interactions with him were pretty short but had gotten a little more friendly. One time he said hello before you had a chance to say it first! And he’d given you a couple more little smiles! 

He always came adorning the same outfit. Some kind of exercise clothing underneath his big coat, a hat and sunglasses. But boy, did he make it look good every time.

While seeing him made your whole shift worth it, you started to feel a little bad. You started to wonder if he came to the library so often because he had to in order to read his books. The stranger (who you realized a week after meeting that you still didn’t know his name) had never set up a library card so he could check out his books and bring them home. Maybe he didn’t like coming to the library but didn’t know how to set up a library card. Or maybe he didn’t even realize it was an option.

These thoughts plagued your conscience for days before you finally decided to just ask him. He seemed friendly enough so you were sure he wouldn’t mind an innocent inquiry. That didn’t stop the nervous butterflies from forming when he came in next, looking handsome as ever of course.

The sunglasses came off as soon as he walked in which was a more recent development, and you swooned a little each time you saw those dark blue eyes. Usually he’d walk past you and give you a tiny smile or a tiny nod or something when you welcome him in but today you stopped him before he walked too far.

“Hey! Can I ask you a question?” 

He stopped in his tracks and turned towards you. His eyes were slightly wider than normal, probably surprised by your off script question. Luckily, he didn’t just brush you off like you were sort of expecting him to. You stood up from your chair as he approached the front desk and almost fell to the floor when he lifted his hat just slightly to muss up his hair. Was he scratching an itch? Was he doing it for you? You didn’t know but it was the first time you’d seen past his forehead and you were sure you would feel the same primal urges if he had just stripped naked right in your lobby. 

Mentally smacking yourself in the face, you drummed your fingers on the counter and nervously smiled at him. “I was just wondering if you would be interested in setting up a library card? It’s totally free and you can check out as many books as you’d like. That way you don’t have to spend so much time here.”

His expression instantly went from neutral to a little offended. Your heart dropped and you started spewing apologies.

“N-Not that I don’t like having you here! Because I do! I love it when you come in- I mean I love it when anyone comes in. But especially you, I guess. You’re nice and quiet, don’t cause any trouble…”

You felt like you were about to throw up. He went back to his usual neutral self, maybe even had a hint of amusement on his face. With him, it was hard to tell. And lord, his stare was always so intense. He had no trouble keeping eye contact, but you on the other hand? You were looking everywhere but him.

“Anyways, I just wanted to make sure you knew it was an option. I’d feel bad if you felt like the only way to enjoy the books here was staying for hours at a time when you could take them home and enjoy them there.”

You were pretty sure you were sweating through your sweater but he seemed to be pondering what you said. He fiddled with one of the tiny pencils that littered the countertop and shrugged. “I don’t mind coming here. It’s peaceful and I don’t usually frequent places that are quiet like this. But I’ll set one up just in case I don’t have time to stay and read.”

Instantly your worries about possibly offending him vanished and you grinned. “Alright! Let’s get one set up for you. It’s really easy, I’ll just need some basic information.”

You asked him for his address which he, for some reason, was hesitant to give out but you assured him it was just to make sure he lived in the area. Then you asked him for his name and two forms of ID.

“Kageyama Tobio.”

Kageyama Tobio. Finally a name to put to his face, and it fit him perfectly! That and… you couldn’t help but feel like you’d heard his name before. You didn’t go to school with him, right? That would be awkward if you had and didn’t recognize a fellow classmate. Maybe it was a different Kageyama you were thinking of?

Brushing off the feeling you looked at the ID’s he gave you. One driver’s license and his passport. Everything on his ID’s matched the information he had given you so all was well. You couldn’t help but notice that his passport seemed well used and looked to be stamped pretty recently.

“Travel often?” you asked while you grabbed a new library card and started attaching all of his information to it.

The stranger, Kageyama, took his license and passport back and started putting them away in the backpack he always had with him. “Yeah, I leave the country pretty often for…. work.”

“Ah, very cool! Well, here’s your new library card! Anytime you want to check something out you just have to bring the book to one of these computers, scan the book and your card and it’ll be yours for a week!”

He reached out and took the card from your hand, long fingers brushing yours ever so slightly. Guess you were never going to wash that hand again.

“Thank you. I appreciate your help.” He slid the card into his coat pocket and took a step back. “Have a good night (Y/n).” 

You watched him with blaring red cheeks as he stepped out into the night. How did he know your name? Was he stalking you? Surely not… he didn’t seem the type. Your concern didn’t last long when you realized you were wearing your name tag.  

-

Despite having his new library card, Kageyama continued to stay in the library to read his books. You weren’t sure why (part of you hoped it was because he enjoyed seeing you) but you were glad he felt a sense of peace here that he apparently rarely felt anywhere else. Unfortunately, your conversations with him were still short and sweet. He seemed to either not care too much for conversation or felt too awkward to really talk to you. However, he did make a bit more of an effort to say hi to you when he came in now, one time even waiting until you were finished with another patron to say good evening. 

The turning point in your relationship started one Friday night. 

It was a rare busy day at the library and you barely had time to think. The library had multiple activities and events planned that day that were very chaotic. Storytimes, an author signing, a tiny book fair, a giant class field trip. With everything happening, your library was in disarray. It took the last two hours of your shift to get everything back in order. Shelves were reorganised, the carpet was vacuumed, and the toilet was unclogged. Some punk 6th grader thought it would be funny to shove 3 whole rolls of toilet paper down the drain. By the time 9pm rolled around, you were wiped and eager to go home. 

While you were doing the rounds of the library as a final check to make sure everything was in order before you closed up for the weekend, you almost had a heart attack when you took notice of someone laying on one of the little couches. It was Kageyama and he was sound asleep. His hat was pulled over his eyes and he was snoring ever so slightly. One of his arms dangled off the couch and the other rested over his chest where his book was sitting open. He was so tall, his feet were sticking over one of the armrests. You hadn’t even seen him come in. You must’ve been so preoccupied he didn’t feel like you had time to say hello. He looked so peaceful, you didn’t want to wake him up but unfortunately you couldn’t just leave him here. 

Stepping quietly over to him, you very slowly rested your hand over his hand that was laying over the top of his book. It was the first time you were seeing the books he was picking up close. 

The Mental Game of Volleyball

Interesting pick, you thought. You gently shook his hand but he didn’t budge so you shook a little harder. It took you a couple more shakes and a hushed “Kageyama” to wake him up. He didn’t startle awake thank goodness, just slowly shifted and lifted the hat off his eyes so he could see. He looked bleary at you and then looked around at where he was.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to wake you but I have to close up. It’s 9 o’clock.”

That seemed to wake him up a little because he shuffled into a sitting position while you backed away a little bit. You could’ve sworn you saw the slightest hint of red tinge his cheeks but it could’ve been the low lighting. 

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I thought I just dozed off for a couple minutes.” He stood up and started gathering his things while you waved him off.

“No worries! It happens more often than you’d think, I promise. These couches are some of the comfiest things in the universe so I don’t blame you!”

He had a small smile on his face when he threw his coat on. The both of you walked back towards the front of the library after he put his book back on the shelf (you didn’t make a comment about how he could just bring it with him) and you flipped almost all of the lights off, leaving just a couple on so you could see when you came back in on Monday. Kageyama shuffled forward so he could hold the door open for you, which you thanked him for. It took you a couple seconds to lock the doors before you both started to head towards the parking lot. A lone car sat waiting, which you assumed was Kageyama’s. It looked like a pretty new model and it was dark blue in color. You smiled internally. It matched his eyes! You noticed him looking around the lot and turned to you in question. 

“Where’s your car?”

“Ah, I take the bus! I do have a car but my sister is currently using it because she works late shifts at the hospital and the buses usually aren’t running by the time she gets off work so I want to make sure she has a ride home. I don’t mind it actually! It’s a nice calming end to my day.” 

Kageyama was fidgeting with his car keys as you both approached his car. The bus stop was just a couple minute walk from here so you were just planning on saying your goodbyes once you reached his vehicle. You were about to tell him to have a goodnight before he interrupted you.

“Can I walk you to the bus stop? It’s late and dark. I would offer you a ride home but figured you would maybe… not be comfortable with that. Seeing as how we don’t know each other too well…” his voice tapered off and you were sure you were seeing red on his cheeks this time. It warmed your heart that he wanted to make sure you were safe but also took into consideration your possible hesitancy to get a ride home from an almost stranger.

“I’d love for you to join me on my walk! It’s not too far so it shouldn’t take up too much of your time.”

He seemed relieved you agreed to let him come. Together you both started walking towards the bus stop. It was a quiet walk at first, not too uncomfortable but you definitely wanted to try to fill the silence.

“I noticed you’re reading a book about volleyball. Do you like the sport?”

He looked at you in mild surprise before nodding a little bit, one of his small smiles creeping onto his face. “I enjoy it, yeah.”

“Cool! I’m not big into sports in general to be honest. I’m not very coordinated so they’re not my strong suit but they’re fun to watch! I guess if I had to pick a favorite, volleyball would be pretty high on my list. I’m not good at it but it was a fun unit in gym class! I’ve been seeing quite a few news segments about volleyball recently. I don’t follow it too often but people sure like it around here. Actually, I think one of Japan’s professional teams practices near here, right? What are they called… it’s some kind of bird name I think?”

Kageyama didn’t say anything but you could see that he was smiling more than you had ever seen him smile before. Were you completely off? If he’s reading a volleyball book, he must follow the game closely and you probably just embarrassed the hell out of yourself with your limited knowledge. While you were mentally beating yourself up, the two of you reached the bus stop. It was void of people, and void of a bus. Kageyama didn’t make any moves to leave you at the stop alone so you turned to face him.

“I’m probably way wrong. All my volleyball knowledge about teams and such comes from the news, ads or passing conversations in a store.” you said with a laugh, hoping to save at least some of your dignity. To your surprise, Kageyama actually laughed a little bit with you. It was a beautiful sound that you doubted you’d ever forget. You had a feeling he didn’t laugh too often so it was something special to hear.

You smiled and shifted your gaze down the street, watching for the bus. You were dreading for this moment to end. While you had embarrassed yourself, you had also made Kageyama laugh which trumped the humiliation. 

Looking around some more, a poster hung up on the walls of the bus stop caught your eye. “Speak of the devil!” you exclaimed, walking up to the flyer.

 It was a poster for the volleyball team you had just been talking about. The poster was advertising a big championship game. “Look! I wasn’t crazy, they do have a bird name. The Schweiden Adlers. Looks like they have a big game coming up.” Looking closer at the poster, you noticed the date of the game. “Oh! It’s tomorrow!”

Kageyama walked up to stand next to you, observing the poster himself. He didn’t say anything, just listened to you.

“Looks like a pretty big game! They’re playing the best volleyball team in America. Very cool. ‘Come watch some of the greatest volleyball players in Japan!’” You continued to scan the page until you read one of the text boxes that was bolded darker than most of the rest of the poster.

Featuring key players of the Japan Men’s National team, including the two-time Olympic champion setter: Kageyama Tobio

You stared at the text while your brain tried to catch up to what you had just read. This was just a coincidence. There’s no way the Kageyama standing next to you was an Olympic champion, right? There’s probably another Kageyama Tobio. However, you started to look at the picture on the poster and almost fainted. Right there, in the middle of the team picture, was your Kageyama. He wore a white jersey with some black and gold accents and a large number 20 right in the middle of it. He was surrounded by his teammates, and they seemed to be fresh off a game because they looked exhausted but exhilarated, sweat dripping down their necks.

Slack jawed, you glanced over at him. He was watching you, gaging your reaction to this news. 

“Sorry I didn’t tell you anything about what I do. It just never came up and nowadays it’s hard to find strangers who don’t recognize me. You were a nice change of pace. Someone who treated me like a regular person. That’s one of the reasons I like coming to your library so much.”

 Everything was starting to fall in place. Why he always wore a hat and sunglasses and looked like he was hesitant to show his face. Why he was always wearing athletic attire. The books he read. You felt a little stupid for not putting it all together earlier. 

“N-No, it’s ok! I should’ve probably put two and two together a little sooner. I recognized your name when you set up the library card, but couldn’t remember where I had heard it before. Now I know I have definitely heard your name on the news. But… you’re an Olympic athlete?! What is that like?”

He looked a little sheepish now that you sort of knew who he was. Reaching up, he took off his hat entirely which was the first time he had ever done so in front of you. His hair was a little messy from being in the hat for so long but it looked good on him. He had black hair but when the light hit it just right, it had some blue undertones. And boy did it look soft.

“It’s every athlete’s dream. Getting to play the greatest volleyball players from all over the world was exciting and I hope I get more chances to go. That’s why I’ve been coming to your library. To try to find ways I can improve.”

You nodded in understanding and let out a little laugh. “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to go again. I mean, this poster is basically calling you the greatest setter in all of Japan so your chances look pretty good! So how did-“

You were cut off when the loud sounds of a  bus started pulling into the station. You wanted to ask him so many more questions but it seemed like they’d have to wait. Hopefully he’ll still feel comfortable coming back to the library, now that you sort of know who he is. Shifting on your feet, you stepped towards the bus.

“Well it’s nice to officially meet you Kageyama! I’m excited to hear about the championship game-“ He stopped your goodbye by reaching out and gently grabbing your forearm. 

“Come to the game tomorrow. I-I have an extra ticket that’ll give you a front row seat, and I have a couple of friends going that can keep you company. It should be a fun game to watch.”

Shocked by the invitation, you stammered with a response. “B-But I don’t want to be a bother and steal your extra ticket! And I don’t even really know how volleyball works, just the basics-“

“My friends can teach you while you watch. Trust me, you’ll probably wish they’d stop talking by the end of the game. That and there’s no one else I’d want to give the ticket to. I want you to come.” He looked almost desperate. 

You really didn’t have a reason why you couldn’t go. The only thing on your agenda tomorrow was watering your plants. “Alright, yeah I’ll come! Umm… but how do I get my ticket and where do I go-“

“I’ll give you my number and send you your ticket. One of my friends can meet you outside the stadium and show you where to go. I’ll text you all the details. Does that work?”

He gave a lopsided smile when you nodded in agreement. Quickly exchanging phone numbers, you waved goodbye as you got on the bus and watched him start walking back to his car. Butterflies were running rampant in your stomach and your mind was racing.

This random stranger, who turned out to be one of the best of the best in volleyball, just asked you to come watch his game. You! A little library manager! What should you wear? Are Kageyama’s friends nice? How do you score a point in volleyball again? What’s Kageyama going to look like when he’s in his element?

Tomorrow was shaping up to be an interesting day.

----------------------------

A/N: This is the first fan-fiction I've written in years so I don't remember how this works ;-; but thanks for reading! I got this idea in the shower, and it plagued me so much I had to put the ideas into words. Part 2 is in the works! Kageyama my beloved

[the-currian]

I confessed to my crush (Omi x Reader)

--

‘Today is the day. Focus!’ you give yourself a pep talk, lightly smacking your cheeks.

Christmas break was just around the corner, and you just had to confess your feelings before then.

The object of your affections, Omi Fushimi, was generally a well-liked guy in campus. His manners were impeccable – he was a true gentleman. Despite being multi-talented, he was extremely humble. Paired with his passion and hardworking demeanor, he was popular among students and professors alike. And to top it all off, he was ruggedly handsome.

At first you hadn’t given him too much thought. You’d never met him personally, after all, since you had different majors and you didn’t run in the same social circles. Sure, you’ve heard of him, but you didn’t really know him.

That changed this semester, however, when you somehow ended up in the same elective as him. Public speaking wasn’t something you were particularly interested in, but you figured it would be useful. When you first walked into your classroom you finally had the pleasure of getting to know Omi, your friendship cemented shortly after being paired for a project. Countless all-nighters and sharing stress over assignments would do that to a couple of acquaintances. Despite how close you got, you still never seemed to hang out for purposes outside of schoolwork. College life was just like that, you supposed. And now with the semester finishing up and everyone engrossed with their plans for the break, who knows what would become of your seemingly conditional relationship with Omi?

So you just had to do it now before you lost your chance.

One of Omi’s talents was cooking and baking – he often shared treats with you and your classmates, so you had the idea of sharing something of your own with him. You weren’t planning anything too grandiose. Admittedly, you weren’t the best at making food, but you figured that if there was one way to convey your affection for Omi, some homemade food would be the way to go. For all the times that he’s shared his food with others, not once have you seen someone give him food in return.

With that as your motivation, you stayed up all night making the perfect box of chocolates to complement your confession. You painstakingly infused different flavors into the chocolates and made various fillings to come up with a decent variety of sweets. Once completely cooled, you carefully arranged them in a box, taking care to not deform the chocolates as you packed them. You put the top on, making sure it’s snug, then continue on to the task of selecting a gift wrap.

‘What’s Omi’s favorite color, anyway?’ you ponder.

After sifting through your available supply, your hand hovers over two choices – a rose gold wrapping and a more Christmas-themed green and red wrapping.

‘Is it too obvious if I choose the rose gold…?’

As you are about to grab it, your mind suddenly wanders again as you consider the other wrapping paper.

‘But if the confession goes wrong I could always say that it’s a Christmas gift.’

A mental battle ensues as you contemplate the pros and cons of using a romantic pink for your wrapping paper versus a Christmas-themed one.

Several minutes later you’ve produced a box of chocolates wrapped in rose gold wrapping paper, tied intricately with a red bow. Before you can start to second guess yourself you place it in your school bag before turning on your phone’s screen to check the time. With bleary eyes, you squint at the numbers, attempting to do some quick mental math.

‘Alright, so after I clean this up and get ready for bed I’ll have… 2 hours of sleep before I need to wake up for classes?’

You soak in a moment of silence, the dread of sleep deprivation creeping in on you before you heave a sigh and get started on cleaning up.

Flash forward to your current task of finding Omi. In hindsight, maybe you shouldn’t have left this to the last day before Christmas break – you didn’t even have electives today.

Does Omi even have classes today?

You weren’t familiar with his schedule, and it wasn’t like you could go around asking people if they’ve seen him. That was bound to start rumors.

As if Santa himself answered your prayers, you can faintly hear Omi’s voice from across the courtyard. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone – he was with two underclassmen you frequently see him with in passing. They appear to be teasing him about something.

‘To hell with it.’ You decide as you stride towards them.

Omi notices your approach and raises a hand in greeting while his friends quiet down. Throwing your pride to the sky, without any greeting or preamble, you take the box of chocolates out from your bag and raise it to the tall guy in offering.

“I really like you, Omi, and I’d love to go out on a date with you this Christmas!”

Omi’s face turns blank as if he can’t register your words. To make things worse, his friends burst into chuckles. You can feel a blush burning on your cheeks and tears well up in your eyes in embarrassment. The tears in your eyes threaten to fall when Omi appears to get over himself but instead lightly chuckles along with them.

“Look, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to be an asshole about it.” You say viciously, threatening effect probably lost by the way your voice cracks. “I thought you were a nice guy.”

Omi’s eyes immediately widen and he shakes his head vigorously. His friends start sputtering apologies, and Omi talks over them.

“Whoa whoa, no, you’re misunderstanding me.” He desperately calls out as you’re about to turn and leave. He quickly digs through his backpack and takes out a box similar to yours, your name written on it in Omi’s familiar penmanship.

You warily take it from him then open it up.

‘Chocolates?!’

You can’t help but gape at the wide array of chocolate sweets that fill the box. They look way better than your shoddy attempts.

“Looks like we had the same idea.” Omi says with a big grin, snapping you out of your thoughts. “I was going to ask you out on a Christmas date, but looks like you beat me to it.”

You carefully put the box in your bag and let it rest on the ground then promptly tackle Omi in a surge of emotion. He readily scoops you up into a bear hug and spins you around. When he sets you down, you remain in his embrace.

“So… is that a yes?”

He grins even wider in response and squeezes you tightly.

“Definitely.”