listen, HEAR ME OUT

he’s an INFP first off, the butter to your ENFP bread and he’s a virgo too

he’d probably be intimidated by you first by how chatty you can get ✋😭 but he’ll always be in the background, noticing your presence, being that the very observant guy he is

but you’re always hanging around the basketball courts and he has that curiosity in him that he can’t bring himself to shake off

everyone calls you the oh so wonderful “calm sunshine” and the mega-softie that he can’t help but want to get to know you, but he doubts your reputation and rumors about you just a smidge bit when he sees you yelling your ass off at Aomine, because let’s face it, he brings out the worst sides in everyone LMAO and he’s NEVER OUTWARDLY NICE (Aomine—stop making things harder for everyone, I’m begging–)

of course, noticing Sakurai doing his own shooting drills many times while you hang around the courts, you’ve tried a few times to approach him to say a quick “hi” and a chat, but he IMMEDIATELY books it out the door every time, all while frantically chanting “sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

you’re here like: “??????????? What did I do?”

it was by pure chance when you guys ended up in the same class that spring, I just know it

it was during a break when you, who were seated pretty close to Sakurai, couldn’t help but take a quick peek on his desk when you realized he was moving his pencil in a way that only an artist would do: he was drawing something

oh no… someone got a wee bit excited at that, totally not you right now or anything

even when he was half covering the paper while timidly sketching, you could totally see that he was drawing some manga panels and quickly outlining some dialogue bubbles

you made a suppressed delighted noise and he INSTANTLY scrambled to cover his sketch with his entire body on the damn desk and snapped his head up to look at the source of the sound: you

“Uh-uh..Uhm…! I’m sorry!”

“No, no!” you tried to reassure him. “I should be sorry for looking at your art without asking…”

“Oh…” he hesitated, before sitting properly again… though his arm still protectively covered the paper. “It’s fine… so…”

“But by the way!” you chimed. “I really love your art style! I draw too, so I was just really excited to see you did too, sorry if I scared you… I never meant to, ehe.”

he dares to try to glance at your figure at your giggle, but he immediately averts his gaze away in embarrassment… does he have an eensy crush on Touou’s “calm sunshine?” he doesn’t dare to even think

I would think for the next few weeks, you would be the one to initiate all the conversations with him in class, talking about manga and sharing your own drawings to make him feel better, even bringing up basketball as a topic frequently

he slowly becomes more comfortable with you, now realizing that you aren’t here to hassle/embarrass/bully/take advantage of him… poor guy

I suppose this is where your comforting side kicks in a lot more; you’re very protective of him in general, because LOOK AT HIM and tell me he isn’t the SOFTEST GUY YOU’VE EVER MET?

you’ve slowly led him to have more agency on himself + with others and have a little more self-esteem on all the encouragement and reassurance?? and you always try your best to make him feel better?

he likes that you’re the more “mature” and “put-together” one out of the two, you’re someone he can rely on in that sense

there’s gonna be a LONG TIME where he thinks he can’t be with you because he thinks he doesn’t deserve you—someone help this poor guy out

and you’re probably giving the most OBVIOUS signs that you’re smitten with him and everyone around you two are just slapping their faces like: “DUDE… you’ve GOT to be kidding me…”

fast forward where you’re probably the one who confessed and then you two get together

he’s surprisingly calm under large amounts of pressure (he has to, that’s his entire life on the courts), and when it’s with you (someone who he really, REALLY cares about) he’s willing to steel himself to be someone you can rely on during periods of high-stress and vulnerability

he gives sound advice, being really down to earth

as much as he has tons of insecurities on his own, when you have your own bouts of insecurities, he’s rushing to reassure you so adamantly and vehemently that it’s almost comical how passionate he is to dispel your negative thoughts

like, he understands you down to a T because he faces the same struggles himself

you BOTH can cry and squeal at all the types of movies together in a collective sobfest for movie marathons

bonus: there was a time when you gifted Sakurai a mushroom plush, as per his team’s suggestion… not knowing that they were snickering the entire time

“Wha-wha…? What’s with everyone associating me with mushrooms…?”

“Hm? I thought they were your favorite food? And your team told me you would love something like this…”

“Uh… erm… I guess… though I don’t think I’ve ever said any of that.”

a light bulb went off in your head, then a very large irk mark replaced it… you immediately turned and stormed off to find the conniving Imayoshi to yell his damn ear off… leaving a very confused Sakurai behind

his gifts for you on the other hand, are impeccable and well-thought out, always giving you art supplies and trinkets and plushes you might fancy

Runner-Up Matchup!

Kiyoshi Teppei

I was debating between Sakurai and him SO MUCH

let’s just say both are great matchups to you

Anyways, our local ENFJ here is just as sunny as you here

with you two together? godamn, it’s too bright looking at you two standing next to each other, flashing everyone the brightest smiles out there like there will never be rain (cue the sunshine anime sound effect with all of the yellow rays coming off of you two)

both of you guys are quite the conversationalists, livening up any place you guys go to

like… you guys are really similar to each other, no really

it’s not hard to believe for anyone that you two would become great friends and then accidentally fall in love with each other eventually, and it feels all too natural

the only thing that distinguishes him from you is his very strong will and strong mental state overall

he isn’t the “Iron Heart” for nothing

he would definitely keep you grounded on your feet when things get mentally tough, always being there to say the right things and help you relieve the stress through massages and doing some work for you (if he can); also canon because he does this for the Seirin team

and he’s always there to stop you from being too nice to people (especially if these people were vicious and awful to you one moment and then become nice to you the next)... or instead of stopping you from doing anything, he LETS you be nice and chatty, but while you turn around to leave/do something different, he gives them a quite threatening (knowing) smile of his own as a warning not take advantage of you

he’s… not adept with his hands in terms of arts and crafts, so while you stare at wonder at his basketball techniques, he admires your dexterity with a pencil and brush… you’re like the Renaissance goddess to him or something

“Please Teppei, It’s not THAT much of a masterpiece.”

“(y/n), you know you should give yourself some cre~dit.” He would cheekily say while mussing up your hair (he, in fact, quite loves that your highlights really do remind him of sun rays)

“Hey!!”

both of you are literally holding onto each other for dear life when you two thought it was a bright idea to sit down and watch a horror movie together; it’s canon that a horror movie caused him to develop a huge fear of rats… so I’m just saying

“(y/n)! You sing?? Wow, lucky me, getting free front-row seats.”

“And who said I sing for free?” you playfully chided, and he gave a good-natured smirk of his own

“I’m glad you asked, because I can be the instrumental backing to your vocals, so I’ll be technically working to support you, as always.” he reaches into his back pocket to pull out…

a harmonica

a fucking harmonica

“How am I gonna sing to THAT?”

“Let’s try it out, shall we, (y/n)?”

bonus: imagine the hellstorm the Kirisaki Daichi team is gonna get when you see Teppei in a horrible state after that match

Honorable Mention!

Kise Ryōto

did you say your interests revolve around everything??

did you say that you like to sing?

did you say you like to talk with people?

say less, for you have summoned the one and only Kise

canonically, Kise is pretty much the only guy with dyed hair (he actually has brown hair while everyone else has natural black), so when he spies your hair also being a bit different from the rest, he remembers your face

he noticed how sociable you are and how you got along with most people around school

and he finds you a bit more intriguing than your average person to be honest

why did I not put this guy at the top of your matchups? it all lies within his twisted personality

Kise, being an asshole that he is, would talk to you frequently and have you wrapped around his finger (YIKES, aka the people Teppei would warn to stay away from you)

I can already imagine the drama between the two of you and all the misunderstandings things are gonna cause–

see, you’re a great communicator, and contrary to popular belief, Kise really isn’t the best communicator at all—always keeping his real feelings to himself, accidentally assuming things at times, jumping to conclusions, hiding his motives at times

you’re an ultimate softie at heart and get attached really easily, and Kise at first, chalks you up as any other fangirl he’s met (OUCH)

and even when he finally reveals a more sinister side to himself, and you get pissed off and storm off, he’s a bit… thrown off… when you’re back to begrudgingly talk to him again the next time you encounter him

like, you guys will be going through 75282 hurdles before you guys truly see eye-to-eye with each other, but IF THAT HYPOTHETICALLY DID HAPPEN ALREADY…

you guys would be softies together!! he glomps on you, gets all childish on you, and you’re the sentimental person crying and being emotional

when you’re unbelievably stressed, he’s automatically by your side to support you and your needs

and when his team loses again in another match/tournament, and Kise is THIS close to crying again, you do everything you can in hopes of comforting him

people would probably look at you two and go, “eurgh, cheesy”

frequent karaoke night trips!!

you guys just share hobbies and try everything like it’s a trading card game

always going to the fairs and amusement parks to try on all the rides for fun