without exception

your issue was ren kaji, a guy so pretty yet intimidating even the tiniest glance of him sent you running in the opposite direction. so... how exactly were you convinced to start working at the one place he and the rest gathered most often? (save for the roof, of course.)

"a bet? are you crazy?!" you looked at kotoha incredulously. "this is just setting me up for failure!"

her cunning grin only pissed you off more, "i'm just saying, staring at him from so far away all the time only makes you look like a creep. i'm just trying to motivate you a little. either talk to him, or start working with me~"

"besides," she nudges your side as you walk down the busy street, pothos as your destination, "you already help me out a ton, so actually working with me will only earn you extra if you lose."

a vein in your forehead popped, "you seem to be missing the point! if i work with you, i'll be seeing him so often i might get a heart attack! and i won't even be allowed to leave!"

you'll make a fool out of yourself sooner or later, and he'll definitely hate you and call you annoying-

she only cackles at your panic, "then just talk to him! saves you so much trouble."

your whole body flushes at the idea, and even the breezy sundress you've got on does little to cool you off on the surprisingly hot spring day, "it's not that easy," you grumble.

she rolls her eyes, "yeah, sure. as if the last guy that asked you out wasn't stumbling over his words like a fool with how flustered you got him."

"i wasn't even doing anything to warrant that, he was just shy!" you argue back. "i don't think someone like kaji would like me," you add, albeit a lot quieter.

that gives her pause, "huh..? why not?"

your face scrunches up in regret, you probably shouldn't have said that. now she'll worry a bunch and ask you questions you really don't want to answer because you'll just sound conceited again-

"i'm sure the guys from furin must have a bunch of admirers, right? there must be like.. a bunch of pretty girls in there, too," you sigh. "anyway, i'm just saying, i don't really stand out much."

your little 'explanation' is met with silence, making you look over to kotoha, "girl, you good-?"

it looks as if she's trying to explode you with her mind, causing a bunch of giggles to tickle at your throat at the sight, "did i say something funny?" you snort, worries temporarily dispelled.

"they're a bunch of losers!" she explodes on you, "like hell do they have admirers, unless you mean tsubaki and umemiya, but i can guarantee you there's little competition if we're looking at kaji specifically."

"are you saying he's not likeable?" you look offended on his behalf. "are you insulting my taste?" you prod further, brows furrowed, "i happen to think he's mighty cute-"

"who's mighty cute, huh?" a strong arm is wrapped around your shoulder, just as it is around kotoha. the cheery voice could be none other than mr furin himself, umemiya.

startled out of your minds, both you and your friend shriek at an ear piercing volume before you shove ume off of you both, making him land flat on his ass. "yowch! you guys are so rude!"

the tiniest glance back confirms your fear, where there is furin, there's a chance kaji is there too. the second your gaze falls on him, who's luckily looking down at his phone and has his headphones on so loud you can hear the music from about 3 yards away, you make a run for it. throwing some measly excuse of 'gotta walk the plants!' over your shoulder before you speed walk your way in some random direction. not even the one towards your house.

bet? officially lost. not like you even accepted it, but kotoha didn't seem to care much for that detail. which got you angrily scrubbing the dishes already the day after. at least you were allowed to customize your apron, so there's that.

"i still can't believe you ran off just like that," she laughs, "you looked stupid."

"gee, thanks," you glare at her over your shoulder, the little kitten clip you stuck onto your pocket glimmering under the light.

"you're usually so happy and chipper, though," she points out, "how come a guy is making you act this way?"

she's right, of course. unfortunately for you, she usually is.

"i dunno," you shrug, frowning. "he's just cool, i guess."

you don't see her face as you turn back to your dishes, but you already know she's got her stupid brow raised and is definitely mocking you. "cool? he's got his face punched in most of the time, what's so cool about that?"

"okay, now that's rude," you wipe your hands dry and sigh, turning back to face her, leaning your hips against the counter. "promise not to laugh if i tell you?"

she nods vigorously, "yeah, pinky promise!" she holds out her pinky, glaring at you once you refuse to take it that same second.

heat creeps up your chest and neck as you recall an evening about 6 weeks back. it was a tad colder, and darkness crept up the evenings a lot sooner than now.

how when you were walking back from a a hangout with her, a group of guys started bothering you, tugging you by the hand, whistling and trying to convince you to 'have some fun' with them.

the fear that consumed you, and the subsequent shock as one of the guys grunted, a tooth clattering to the floor, where he followed. blows were exchanged left and right as you looked on in horror.

but then, a flash of blond hair whooshed past, and how you couldn't look away. heart almost beating out of your chest for an entirely different reason now. an infatuation formed right then.

but instead of thanking your savior, you ran off just before he was done. like some coward.

when you look back up at your friend, kotoha promised not to laugh, and yet her face was red as a tomato just from having to hold back.

you pout, burning up from the embarrassment, "your pinky promises don't mean shit, i see."

she shakes her head, grinning and giggling away, "you're such an idiot."

"i feel bad," you continue, looking away at the ground, fists clenching, "he got his hands dirty for nothing."

"hey now," she steps closer, placing her hands on your shoulders. she squeezes them gently before she pulls you in for a hug, "you weren't hurt, right? that means it wasn't for nothing."

you lean your cheek against her shoulder, "yeah, but that just makes me feel worse. he prevented something seriously bad, and i just left."

"you were scared out of your mind, then proceeded to fall in love at first sight, i'd be running too-"

you pull away quickly, face burning up, "it's not love at first sight! he's just hot!"

the chime of the bell, followed by black and green jackets entering sends you into a panic. you quickly turn around, returning to your dishes as to avoid being noticed.

unfortunately, that's not how it goes.

"hey, you!" umemiya greets, "about time you started getting paid for all the work you do around here."

"that's right," kotoha agrees, nudging your side playfully, "i finally got her to agree."

as the boys take their seats, she takes the guys' orders one by one, until by the end her tone changes slightly, and she glances over to you, "and for you, kaji?"

you visibly stiffen. it would've been so much better for you had you not known he was here! curse her, of course she'd do it to you. probably thinking she's doing you a favor, too. your grip on the pan tightens before you put it away and turn off the water.

you help her prepare the orders, and as if things couldn't get any worse for you, she shoves the tray into your hands when you're done, "go on, you can bring it."

the glare you shoot her way makes her snicker. shaking in your boots just a bit, you make your way over to the bane of your existence. your ankle almost twists out from under you as you nearly trip over a chair leg you can't see because of the big-ass tray.

mustering up a smile, one that definitely looks just as clumsy as you feel, you set down the plates one by one. luckily you don't have to say much, the boys take their own food by themselves, all with their own distinctive 'thank you's'. all is well until you get to the man of the hour.

when you set down the final plate, his plate, hands shaking and sweat forming at your brow, you dare a brief glance at him. and when you do, it's like time stops. he's already looking at you too, his dark blue eyes wide, sucker hanging so far out of his mouth it's about to fall out.

his face reddens the longer you keep eye contact for, and you can't hear anything aside from your own heartbeat echoing in your ears.

tsubaki is the first one to notice, and he nudges sakura, who's sitting next to him, which causes a domino effect of everyone enjoying their first row seats of kaji falling for someone in real time.

you shake your head, startled out of your little moment when you hear someone's head slam against the table. sakura, unable to handle the tension, just had to look away into the one direction he surely wouldn't be able to see a thing.

utterly horrified, your heart beating out of your chest, you hurriedly apologize, "i'm so sorry! enjoy your food!" before you scurry off behind the counter. as far away from the table as you can get without getting in trouble.

meanwhile kaji's gaze follows you the entire time, basically burning holes into your back. face as pink as his strawberry lolipop, he barely acknowledges the teasing from his friends. instead, he turns to them, "i know her. couple of guys were bothering her a while back. she ran off before i could say anything, though."

"well, it seems you stuck in her mind~" tsubakino sighs dreamily, "she's real pretty too, and clearly into you! go on, go up to her!"

kaji's shoulders rush up to his reddened ears. he looks away, frowning. he still glances up at you, before he looks away again. you look really cute in that apron.

amongst grins and laughs at kaji's predicament, the others dig in to their food, while his gaze just keeps coming back to your flustered self. he's not good at talking to women, especially the cute ones. had he not been that much a loser at speaking, he would've stopped you from leaving that night, just so he could walk you home and personally make sure you got home safe.

maybe i can do that tonight, he thinks. the sky outside is slowly turning from orange to pink, and pothos closes after it's already dark. how can he ask, though? you're clearly avoiding them, just like you did the day prior when he and a few others saw you and kotoha outside. he only got a glimpse of the back of your head that time.

the sound of your laughter makes him look up again. you're giggling about something kotoha said to you, and while he definitely thinks you look cute while startled and shy, you're truly at your prettiest when you smile.

he can feel his heartbeat spike, he'll have to figure out a way to do that soon.