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✯ mssg. ⟩ I'm not a liar.... I'm just inconsistent SJBAHSHAHAHAHHA ANYWAYS!!!! I opened a tiktok account... :> follow me there. I'll be posting other au's on that account. I'm not sure if the account is visible since I have no post yet. But the username is: httpsleely_ Also! I made a playlist for this... HERE ON SPOTIFY !!! CHECK IT OUTT

✧ taglists : @akaashiit @lovelovelovetooru @sugarrush-blush @zenkana @hd19e @tc-selmarillian @wolfmaiden @ayumiheartsriki @legoconnoisseur @fromruhi

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"So, what do you guys want to do first?" Hinata called out. He turned briefly to Kageyama, raising an eyebrow at the absurdly colourful drink before looking at you expectantly. He seemed genuinely excited to come here, and you didn't want to crush his spirits, but... You already wanted to leave.

The music changed to another loud song, blasted through the arcade, so loud you couldn't even make out the lyrics over the chatter around you.

You grimaced. "Maybe we can just visit this place another time?" you suggested weakly. "You know, when there are... fewer people?”

“Too late for regrets now,” Tsukkishima said flatly as he walked over and waved two of the Power Cards in his hands.

You held back a sigh that threatened to escape when Hinata snatched one of the Power Cards from Tsukishima, saying that he'd “hold onto it” before dragging you, alongside Kageyama, to check out the games available. Visibly frazzled by the arcade's atmosphere and Hinata's fiery energy, you turned to Tsukkishima, Yamaguchi, and Yachi. Oh, how you wished you were part of the calmer group. But alas, Hinata had already started a bet with Kageyama, leaving you to frantically get the Power Card from the orange-haired guy's clutches.

Thirty minutes passed, and Hinata and Kageyama occupied themselves with a bet over who could win first in Mortal Kombat. Meanwhile, you lingered behind them with your arms crossed, watching them shout and shove each other by the shoulder. More than once, you had to hush them, equal parts embarrassed and amused by how heated could get over a simple game.

Soon after, the calmer trio had managed to round the entire arcade and regrouped with your group; they all told you about the interesting games that could be good to play. You merely shrugged, simply telling them you're good to try whatever.

As you were engaged with that conversation, your eyes drifted to the side by the entrance. Nodding aimlessly at Tsukkishima's words, your eyes went wide as you pointed to someone behind him. "Hey... isn't that... Sakusa?"

As his name left your lips, all eyes from your group turned to the man in question. You heard a groan behind you, guessing that Hinata may have lost. The arcade's loud noise continued around you, yet all of that seemed to fade away as your eyes stayed locked onto his figure; he walked with grace, a mask covering half of his face, yet you could clearly tell by the scrunch of his eyebrows how he's not having a great time despite having just arrived. You don't blame him. It was way too loud and crowded inside the arcade.

You were about to answer Kageyama, who had leaned in to ask if that was indeed Sakusa Kiyoomi, when Hinata suddenly waved his hand in the air and started calling out to someone named Komori. Sakusa's eyes narrowed for a second before they widened as his gaze locked onto yours. You gulped, quickly looking away and slapping Hinata on his arms to stop being so loud.

They walked over, but all you could focus on was Sakusa. His mask concealed half of his face, yet you still found yourself smiling the moment he got closer.

“Hey... What are you doing here?” you asked, a small, confused smile on your face as you switched from looking at him and the other guys besides him who were now looking at you.

“They dragged me here,” he said flatly, pointing with his thumb to the people he was with, before adding, “Against my will, might I add.”

You nodded, laughing. "Me too! Although I did want to come, but... not when it's this crowded." Glancing around at the growing crowd, you stepped forward to make room for a few people trying to pass. And as a group of kids ran, you stumbled into Sakusa's firm shoulder.

You yelped, quickly taking a step back and laughing in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry!" The whole situation was embarrassing, and yet it made your heart flutter.

"You're fine," Sakusa replied, his hands going into his pants pocket. For a second, he looked as though he wanted to say something else, but instead he simply stepped closer to make room for another group passing by. "This place is too crowded."

You nodded in agreement and were about to say more when a familiar voice cut through the noise. Hinata was waving the two of you over, insisting on introducing everyone properly. You sighed and made your way toward him, with Sakusa following close behind, where the rest of the group was already waiting.

Sakusa stepped back from Hinata and immediately turned toward you, as if picking up the thread of the conversation without missing a beat.

"Come on. Follow me," he said, leaning slightly closer to you so his voice wouldn't get swallowed by the noise.

The proximity made your breath hitch before you could stop it. "Huh? What?" you blinked, glancing at him then toward your friends who were already grinning like they'd seen something far more significant than it actually was.

With a raised brow and slow movements, you reluctantly followed behind him as he made his way toward the exit.

"I can't believe they're already flirting." Komori said with a proud smile once you were out of earshot.

Akaashi and Shoyo looked at each other. "They exchanged two sentences," Akaashi said flatly.

Komori nodded slowly, his smile never leaving his face. "Exactly."

Once the chatter and loud music faded behind you, you tugged on Sakusa's sleeve making him slow his pace to match yours. He glanced at you, one brow lifting slightly in question.

Now that you were out of the dim arcade lighting, even half his face looked striking. You quickly looked away, as if that thought had caught you off guard. Is this what it's like to be blessed with good genes?

You turned back toward the arcade entrance. "Can we really leave them just like that?"

He shrugged, replying evenly, "That's why I told Shoyo we'd step out for a bit for some fresh air."

So that's why everyone looked at you all weirdly when he spoke to Hinata. You hesitated, suddenly hyper-aware of being alone with him after spending the whole time with your group. "But are we really leaving?"

It wasn't like being alone with Sakusa was anything new for either of you. Still, your hands felt clammy as you fell into a step beside him.

"Yes, and I was thinking of grabbing something to eat," he said, glancing around as if looking for something in the less crowded stretch of the street.

"How about some crepes?"

"Do you like crepes?"

You spoke at the same time. There was a brief beat of silence before you turned to each other and laughed.

"It's like you read my mind!" you said with a smile.

"Coincidence," he replied, though there was a pause before he added, "But I think it's because we make quite a pair, no?"

"Huh?" You leaned slightly toward him, not quite believing what you'd heard. Surely, you're not imagining things, right?

"You and me," he glanced at you briefly, "we make a perfect pair."

You shook your head slowly, as if you were trying to process what he just said. "A what?"

He tilted his head slightly, as if it should be obvious. "On that project we did. The professor said we worked well together. That we make a perfect pair for it."

Slowly, you nodded as realization dawned on you. Right, you had completely forgotten about that. You decided not to comment further. Soon after, you both found yourselves at a local crepes shop near the arcade, sharing food and settling into the quiet comfort of each other's company.

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✯ mssg. ⟩ This took so long y'all... sorry for the vv late upload, plus I haven't been feeling well emotionally lately so :/ BUT I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS!! it's a bit longer than usual because I wanted to make up for posting late. ALSOOO!!! I wrote a new smau ;-; but I kind of want to post it on TikT0k,, it's a filipino smau, and I'm thinking of posting a filo version on TikT0k and writing an english version here after I finish this series. maybe??

✧ taglists : @akaashiit @lovelovelovetooru @sugarrush-blush @zenkana @hd19e @tc-selmarillian @wolfmaiden @ayumiheartsriki @legoconnoisseur @fromruhi

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✯ mssg. ⟩ here's the long promised next chapter..... I'm sorry I'm so inconsistent with my posting sched. I'm just glad none of y'all are like demanding the next chapter lol mwa ALSO I JUST NOTICED TY FOR THE 162 FOLLOWERSSSSJCAKOFOE WHAT you guys are amazing 🤩 btw the solo convo w/ Komori is in Hinata's pov in case that's not clear....

✧ taglists : @akaashiit @lovelovelovetooru @sugarrush-blush @zenkana @hd19e @tc-selmarillian @wolfmaiden @ayumiheartsriki @legoconnoisseur

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# notes !

✧ Atsumu is a certified thirst trapper — his closest friend's and brother bully him about it all the time.

✧ Kageyama has tons of followers because he spam followed a bunch of random accounts and see who would follow back (it worked on his favor), but after a while he unfollowed majority of them but kept them as his followers. He did this because Hinata challenged him on who can have the most followers.

✧ Tsukishima rarely uses his Instagram, hence, the bio.

✧ Komori will in fact, not shut up about his dog, Yoshi, when you ask him about it. It's best to just adore the doggo and leave Komori when he begins to yap.

✧ Yachi does photography for a living! She accepts gigs may it be for a wedding, anniversary, cosplaying, events, concerts, funerals (?), etc.

✧ Sakusa has only been online on his Instagram since recently. Wink Wink. (And he still has Komori blocked.)

✧ Hinata loves sharing positive quotes he sees on his Instagram. And Atsumu has influenced him to start thirst trapping as well -_-"

✧ Akaashi regularly updates his bio on what book he's currently reading. He also shares his insights/reviews about the books (and mangas) he read on his stories. Though he has yet to figure out how to put them all in a highlight.

✯ mssg. ⟩ this is just a FILLER CHAPTER! I had so much fun making these like no lie. but it took so much of my time since I had to manually do it on Canva ;-; anyways,, I MIGHT do filler chapters in the future. Next chapter will (probably) come out on Thursday/Friday. I'm going to try to double update but we'll see...

✧ taglists : @akaashiit @lovelovelovetooru @sugarrush-blush @zenkana @hd19e @tc-selmarillian @wolfmaiden @ayumiheartsriki @legoconnoisseur

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That’s how you end up at the museum. Your classes were canceled, and your shift at the cafe ended early, so you figured you might as well spend the extra time somewhere quiet and take a look around.

It’s 2:34 in the afternoon when you arrive, and the place is far from empty. Families drift from exhibit to exhibit, children trailing behind them. Students linger near certain pieces, whispering to each other. Couples stand a little too close, their conversations soft and shared.

You notice it immediately. Or maybe… you just notice it more now. Because suddenly, it feels like you’re the only one here on your own. You started to grow anxious about yourself.

You let out a quiet breath, pushing the thought aside. People come here for all sorts of reasons – to appreciate art, to pass time, to take pictures. It doesn’t have to mean anything.

Being alone is fine. You’ve managed to be alone for a while now.

So why should today be any different?

You move through the museum slowly. Choosing to stay quiet as your eyes focus on the paintings rather than the people around you. It’s easier that way. You drift from one piece to another, until something makes you stop in your tracks.

At first glance, the painting looked simple. Calm waves melted into a dark horizon, the ocean painted in deep shades of blue beneath the moon. Near the shore stood a lone figure, their silhouette stretching across the sand, rendered in soft, delicate brushstrokes.

Compared to the other paintings that had more details and obvious extravagance, this one was different. And it seems you were the only one to notice its difference. The people around you pass by without a second glance, choosing to look over the more elaborate pieces. But not you.

You choose to stay. There’s something about the art piece that keeps you rooted in place, your eyes zeroing in on every detail as if you were examining each stroke under a microscope.

The figure stands alone, facing the vast water ahead. Not reaching for it. Not moving forward. Just… there. And for a moment, a soft tug pulled at your heart. It feels familiar. Too familiar. The realization settles in slowly, like a quiet weight.

Oh, it’s you.

A flicker of frustration crosses your face before you can stop it, the calm you carried with you earlier beginning to crack. It’s ridiculous, really — how something as simple as a painting can evoke such an emotion out of you. An emotion you’ve kept tucked away.

You tear your gaze away from it, shaking your head as if that alone might clear your mind. Looking at your watch, you notice that you’ve been roaming around for an hour. With one final look at the painting, you turned to leave—

“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?”

Flinching, you looked to where the voice came from behind you, and your eyes widened a fraction before softening as you recognized the familiar face.

“Are you…” You narrow your eyes slightly, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Are you stalking me, Sakusa?”

The man in question raised a brow, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile — it was subtle enough that no one would've taken note of it if. But you do.

One part of Sakusa was suppressing his amusement while the other seemed outright offended by your accusation. “Me?” he asks, gesturing to himself.

“Well, it’s just the two of us here.” You said matter-of-factly, glancing around the nearly empty corner of the exhibit. It seems everyone has gone to the next displays of paintings, and to be fair the side you were in only had a few pieces in it.

Sakusa’s smile widened a little, and he shook his head. You took note of how he seems to do that quite often now, especially during the times you’d say something ridiculous or when you’d sass at him. “I see that. I just so happen to stop by here.”

You hum, unconvinced by his answer, before asking with a knowing smile, “Just so happen to? Like that time your classes just so happened to get canceled, so you went to the library? Or when I just so happened to see you wandering around on campus—”

“Okay, I get it,” he cuts you off with a quiet sigh, one hand gripping the strap of his bag.

You can't help the small laugh that escaped your lips, teasing him further, “So those were all coincidences?” Because surely it wasn’t, right? But he showed up at such specific times for it to be just a coincidence.

“Yes,” he says flatly. “You don’t think coincidences like those happen?”

You tilt your head, watching him carefully. Sakusa was one of many things, he excelled at almost everything he does it was actually insane. But from the few weeks that you shared with him, you’ve come to learn that if there was one thing Sakusa was bad at, it was lying.

So you smile, knowing. “Sure. And you’re also five feet tall.”

A smirk graced his lips, looking away as he scoffed. “They were coincidences.” He insists, like he’s trying to prove that what he’s saying is true. Prove to him or you? Perhaps both.

You don't press any further, choosing to accept defeat because Sakusa Kiyoomi, despite his old age, was stubborn as a mule. His smile softened, and a soft thump in your chest made you freeze in place.

You’re not even sure why you’re teasing him in the first place — or what you expected him to admit. If he says they were coincidences, then they must be true. Right? Though deep inside you knew Sakusa was bluffing for reasons you weren't sure of. Maybe he was embarrassed about something? Or maybe he just didn’t want to admit the truth.

But… What even is the truth? You only teased Sakusa since seeing his bashful expression brought you great joy. But what were you even expecting out of it? Surely you’re not thinking of that, right? Because it can’t be. You’ve only known him for a couple of weeks. Sure, maybe during those times you spent together he acted in ways that you can’t explain.

Because… Why did he walk you home when it got dark that one time? Why does he insist on paying whenever you study together at a cafe? Why does he go out of his way to explain and fix things about your project even if you were the one who made the mistakes? Why did he give you that handmade gift just because you passed? Why—

“So, where are you off to now?” Sakusa’s calm voice brought you out of your thoughts.

You blink, caught off guard. Faking a cough as you looked around. “Oh—uh… I was thinking of grabbing something to eat, then heading home.”

Would it be weird to ask him to come along? It isn’t, right? You ate out a lot when you worked on your project together. This wasn't any different than that. This was just another coincidence. Nothing more, and nothing less. Sakusa said so himself.

You gulped, suddenly feeling too self-conscious of how you looked, hands clasping together in front of you as it suddenly felt too warm and clammy.

You took a deep breath and asked in a soft murmur, “Do you… want to come with me?” You tried not to look at his expression, your eyes wandering around the pieces behind him. The last thing you'd wanted was for him to laugh at you.

There was a beat of silence, and you were starting to regret your decisions as you came up with different reasons to take back your words. But then—

“I thought you’d never ask.” Sakusa replied, and it was only then that you had gathered enough courage to look at him and see that smile — his soft smile that made you swallow in nervousness.

After choosing on a place you'd both wanted to go to, you made your way out of the exhibit together. Falling into a step beside the curly haired man whose smile you can't compare to anything else.

And that's when you realized that Sakusa Kiyoomi was a good friend. Because surely that's what it all meant.

It has to be.

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# notes !

✧ Komori likes to think he and Sakusa have a telepathic wavelength to each other where he just knows him so well... Like twin telepathy. Except they're cousins. Cousin telepathy.

✧ Kageyama is confused on why is his friends are teasing [First Name] about ykw when she already claimed to not liking him....

✧ Shoyo is scared of [First Name] when she's angry.

✧ Author couldn't decide what to title this chapter since there's so many good lines....

✯ mssg. ⟩ hey y'all...! longer chapter since this came out late :> I tried my best OKAY 😔 if there are typos please ignore it... or if the pov suddenly changes from "you" to "I" PLEASE LET ME KNOW 😭🙏

✧ taglists : @akaashiit @lovelovelovetooru @sugarrush-blush @zenkana @hd19e @tc-selmarillian @wolfmaiden @ayumiheartsriki @legoconnoisseur

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