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you arrived a bit... early.
apparently from your standpoint which is the entrance of the arena, your claim is simply an understatement. you are the first person to arrive. as a matter of fact you're the first person in line for ticket check.
"are you...(y/n)?" the staff controlling the line to the entrance has taken interest in your identity rather than your ticket in his hand.
"yes. why?" you ask, uncertain of how he knows your name.
"hm, i need you step aside for a moment." he shoots you a small smile before turning his head to where other staff are gathered. he shouts. "someone call Sato, he needs to assist a lady right here!" the group of staff nodded before briskly walking away.
you observe the ticket master takes, rips, stamps a logo on a person's inner wrists, and gives their tickets back precisely like he has done this for years. he didn't question any of them, heck he didn't even spare more than a second looking at their faces unlike what he did to you which brings you in wonder.
"am i in trouble?" you ask.
"no." he side glances you for a moment before returning his focus back to his job.
"then why am i being on hold?" you didn't want to irk him by asking too many questions but he's isn't supplying you with answers that will keep you at ease.
he halts mid-air, holding a stamp in hand as he looks at you with a confused face like you uttered a statement that was too far-fetched.
"he didn't tell you?" he cocks a brow before pressing the stamp on the skin of the person waiting in line. his eyes still on you.
"who's 'he'?" the more you question the deeper the crease between his eyebrow becomes.
are you supposed to know everyone in this arena? sure, you have watched games here a couple of times but that doesn't mean you know everything that goes on in their system. he could at least let you on with a bit of information.
the ticketing master shifts his vision to the person approaching behind you. he hums.
"hm, worry not. sato's here. he will assist you inside." you don't even know who sato is but you nodded like you understood what he met. he speaks to the boy catching his breath. "she's (y/n)."
"yes! i know her face. he made sure i remember her." the man wearing a laced id with his last name, Sato, printed on it chuckles. at the corner of his laminated identification card is a job title.
"VIP staff" you read with your eyes.
"I'll lead you to your seat." Sato gestures you follow him inside.
without saying a word, even though you're dubious of what is going on, you trail behind him. he walks down a fleet of stairs, looking through his shoulder from time to time to check you.
he stops right before the barricade separating the blue and red chairs. the blue chairs dominate the arena. it's tiered starting from the barricade to the exit doors while the red chairs are numbered. it is in equal footing with the floor of the court, placed right next to the team's corner.
"you can choose whatever seat you want but i suggest you go for the one over there. that's the nearest seat to MSBY and the view there is amazing." sato directs you with full smile.
"there must be a mistake. i have a regular ticket." you decided to speak up, showing him your stub but he waves it off.
"everyone gets a regular ticket whether you buy it online or over the counter. the red chairs or the vips are per request." as sato explains the more confused you get.
"i didn't request a vip seat." you reply.
"yes, you didn't but MSBY Sakusa did." As he mentions your boyfriend's name your lids peel off and gradually everything make sense.
"i didn't know." you said in a hushed tone.
"oh! it must be a surprise!" sato claps his hands enthusiastically but you, on the other hand, is horrified of the situation.
your eyes scan the vip section only to recognize a couple of faces. celebrities, influencers, bloggers, daughters from prominent families, and so on. and you look at yourselfㅡplain white shirt tucked in a high waisted jeans. slung over your shoulder is a signature bag that took Sakusa ages for you to accept. a bag priced thrice as a regular one is a no-no for you but your boyfriend argued that it's reasonable because it's your first birthday with him (although, you have spent countless birthdays with him it was as a friend and not as a lover. he thought dating you will give him the right to spoil you with gifts). you are not prepared for this situation. you wish you pulled your best top out of your closet or caked your face with make up.
"make yourself comfortable, i'll be at entrance C if you need anything." Sato says as he walks back up.
"wait, Sato." you stop him and he turns. "is it okay if i move seats and by that i mean up there, in those blue ones?" sato pauses for a moment before he replies.
"course! you can take whatever seat you want." he offers you a gentle smile before walking out.
knowing that famous individuals that will sit next to you gives you anxiety. you don't want to be put alongside with people whom you constantly feel like you have to adjust yourself just so you could appear admirable in their eyes. you wish to spare yourself of headache. albeit, all you want to do is to enjoy you boyfriend's game and cheer for him.
with much thought, you make your way up to the blue seats. you settle in the last seat in a row and immediately pulls your phone out of your pocket. you snap a picture of the court from where you are and sends it to your boyfriend. you type in "here." before clicking send.
a few seconds to a minute, a check appears next to your message. a note that tells you he has seen it. you didn't bother waiting for his reply as you already that at this point he and his team are preparing for the match. so, you zip your phone in your bag and relax your back on the seat.
a chattering noise accompanied by steps coming from the stairs is heard as two girls wearing a Bokuto and Sakusa jersey appears. they sit next to you, giddy about the upcoming match. the other girl which is sitting farther from you notices you.
"who are you cheering for?" she asks, cheeks turning red the moment you met eyes with her. she's probably hesitant to start a conversation with a stranger but since you're stuck with them (because you're sitting in the last seat of the row) she ought to make friends with you.
"MSBY." you simply state.
"who in MSBY?" she asks.
"Sakusa Kiyoomi." the other girl turns and instantly her face lights up at the mention of her idolㅡobviously, as she's wearing his jersey.
"Oh my god! you like him too?!" she gasps, leaning to your side.
"like" is a funny word. you don't just like him, you are in love with him. you have loved him for years even before he became a professional volleyball player. you were his friend and ally, mostly when you join forces into jesting or pushing other people's buttons. your admiration for him goes beyond Sakusa as a volleyball player. you like him as the person you share breakfast with or the grumpy old man he turns to when the room gets too messy to his liking. you like him when he's unable to decipher how to bake a chocolate cake or how to callout a neighboor that's too loud. you like him in many ways others couldn't.
nonetheless, you nod to the girl and as she squeals her friend taps on her shoulder as she points to the court. "they're here!"
both you and your boyfriend's fan turn your eyes to where she is pointing. there you see his team walking from the dugout. you spot him behind the three: hinata, bokuto, and miya. contrary to the three men who never run out of energy, he walks behind them calmly almost like he's bored. as soon as he steps in the court his eyes scan the audience.
he's looking for you.
he squints to search for your face and when his piercing eyes sees you, you swear to the sky and below that you felt your whole body shiver in fear. he tilts his head to the side as he narrows his eyes at you then he jogs his way to the team's coach. they exchanged a few words and after a nod from his coach, he's on his way to you.
your throat runs dry when his long legs skip the barricade separating the court and the red seats and the red seats to the blue seats. the two girls next to you jumps in their seats in excitement as they watch Sakusa climb the stairs towards their direction.
you turn your head to the side, away from the stairs and to the two girls with owl-like eyes anticipating the volleyball player. you cover your pathetic face with one hand and after a while you feel a daunting presence next to you. he didn't do anything, he just stands and looks at you through his bottom lashes.
"hey, hey, MSBY Sakusa is here! i thought you like him? come on this is a one time opportunity!" the girl next to you wearing your boyfriend's jersey scream-shouts. thanks to her support now you're melting in embarrassment.
Sakusa clears his throat and it's about time for you tear your hand away from your face. you shoot him a sheepish smile as his brows meet at the center of his forehead.
"why are you sitting here?" your voice hitches as his cold tone reaches you.
"i, uh... heh." you purse your lips into a tight smile.
"did sato not assist you? i made sure he remembers your name and face. i reserved a seat for you at the vip section." he arches a brow. at this point, the two girls next to you are watching the events unfold with their mouths hanging. they didn't expect this at all, and it's clear with how they look.
"listen, omi. i don't want to sit there." your mention of his first name, no, his nickname had the girl sitting next to you gasp loudly in shock. her friend cupped her hand over her mouth to stop her.
"and why?" sakusa challenges as he bends his back down to match with your height. he anchors his hand on the backrest of the seat in front of you and the other on your seat. you are completely caged, trapped between his spreadout arms.
"i don't want to sit next to celebrities looking like this! we both have many things in common but we surely share the same level of hostility towards people, especially famous entitled ones. you know this."
the amphitheater is beggining to swarm with people. you and sakusa have gained a number of head turns and even some of them took a quick photo of him. the least you want right now is attention but your conversation with your boyfriend isn't ending any time soon.
"i don't even know who those celebrities are." He pauses, then adds. "i want to see your face up close when i play, baby." he never calls you with that pet name, ever. not in public places, not in front of friends, but always when he needs something from you.
"baby, can you cook me dinner?"
"you look so good. do you have spare time, baby?
"oh, come on, baby, cuddle with me won't you?"
it's totally fine when it's just the two of you in a room but when he says it with ears nearby you can't help but succumb to his request just to end the embarrassment. when he sees you slowly sinking into your seat, he already knows.
he has won.
sakusa offers a hand to guide you to the vip section but you look at him, head slowly shaking to the sides.
"you don't have to do that."
"i insist." a cheeky grin plays on his lips as he continues. "quick, you don't want everyone's eyes on us, don't you?"
hence, with a long sigh and a quick grab on his hand you flees you out of your seat like a knight saving his princess. you give the two kind girls a swift nod as a way of saying goodbye and in return they stick their thumb out, eyes still wide as a deer in headlights.
as you tail behind sakusa with your hands intertwined, you pull him back gently so he can stop and wait for you.
"you're doing this on purpose. you're enjoying my flustered face. i know you, omi." you say through your teeth and for the nth time today he catches you off guard by leaning in to the side of your face. he turns his head towards you just enough for you to feel his lips brushing against your ears.
"let me show you off." he whispers.
"i thought you said you hate attention." you reply, swallowing in air as you feel a growing grin against the shell of your ears.
"i do but i'm letting them know you're mine."