Chapter Text
Kagiura woke up. After the ‘being needy thing’ with Hirano, they took turns to wake the other. And today was his turn. They had also finished the exams, and after so many effort, managed to stay in the same room.
After brushing his teeth and preparing for his morning practice he went next to Hirano’s bed and poked his head.
“Hirano-saaaan, wake up!”
Seeing Hirano asleep was something that aside from the ten-seconds touch, gave him an energy boost, a little one, he just loves Hirano so much.
Hirano opened his eyes, and when he saw Kagiura, he smiled.
“Mm.. oh, good morning Kagi-kun..”
“Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, how about you?”
“Good as well! Also I have a private practice to do-“
“Private practice..?”
Hirano was a little confused and surprised.
“Yes. The finals are coming closer and I might make the lineup again, so a senpai of mine is going to train me privately to help me!”
-Private practice.. with a senpai of his.-
Hirano thought and actually frowned a little, but when Kagiura talked again he went back to reality. He kind of fake smiled.
“I understand, good luck then.”
“Yeah! I’ll do my best!” Kagi smiled, which made Hirano smile, this time truly, as well.
‘Probably I’m not fully awake yet..’ Was the only reason Hirano had for the ‘weird ugly feelings’ he just had.
“Ah-! Hirano-san, I forgot to ask, but are you going to come to the finals? Only if you can, of course.."
“Hmm.. do you have a date?”
“Probably in three weeks..”
“I’ll see if I can go. I want to see you play after all.” He smiled fondly.
Kagiura’s cheeks became a little pink and his mouth formed in a little sad smile.
‘How can I not have hope if he says these things..’
“Okay.. oh! I have to go now or I’ll be late! Goodbye Hirano-san!”
“Bye! Have a nice day!” Hirano smiled and waved.
‘I want to marry him…’ Kagiura thought.
Then he left and Hirano prepared for his classes.
***
The days passed and Kagiura had his private practice daily, also Hirano was more occupied with the disciplinary committee, which made them both see each other less.
And both noticed this. Hirano started to feel Kagi’s absence more, which made him think about some things.. more often. So one day when they were having a study break, they were talking and Kagi brought that up.
“…”
“Hehe.. Hirano-san.. I miss youu.. we barely see each other these days..”
“Yeah.. you’re right.. I miss you too, but we’re both busy, can’t do anything about it.” He sad smiled and ruffled Kagiura’s hair.
“Actually..”
“Hm?”
“How about we have a date?”
Hirano choked and blushed a little. “A what.”
“A date! It could be a friendly one since you don’t return my feelings yet..” Kagiura pouted.
“Yet? Sometimes you are really direct Kagi-kun.. also, I told you I don’t feel the same.”
“So, what do you think?” Kagiura ignored the rejection and breathed deeply, he wasn’t going to give up yet, but hearing these rejections didn’t help.
“I’m talking to you- I think it’s okay. We’ll see each other outside of school, it’ll be like a break.”
“Yeah! So what day are you free?”
“Uhh.. probably the weekend? But we’re going to our parents’ houses this weekend..”
“It could be just some hours on Sunday! We have to return that day after all. It doesn’t need to be a whole day!”
“..you’re right.” Hirano smiled. “Then, Sunday, where, and what hour?”
Kagiura looked at him smiling, and they planned their date.
***
Kagiura’s POV:
‘Today is the day of my date with Hirano-san! We finally will have a day without school activities occupying us! Like a break I guess.. but I still wonder if he will ever notice..’
Hirano’s POV:
‘Today is my.. break with Kagi-kun, it’s not a date, so why am I kind of nervous..? It doesn’t matter! We’re just going to spend time together outside of school since we barely did these days. At least we’re resting from school activities..’
No one’s POV:
Hirano was waiting, they agreed to reunite in a park at 11 a.m. and after that go to a new mall for lunch and look the place.
“Hirano-san!” Kagi waved and went with him.
“Ah, Kagi-kun, hi!” Hirano smiled and waved too.
“So, should we get going?”
Kagiura nodded and they went to the new mall. Hirano was the one to suggest this place, because he already saw the place from outside before, when he was with Ogasawara after one of his fights with Eimi.
They walked around the place and then had lunch.
“And then Nagisa-senpai tried and failed too!” Kagiura laughed a little, and so did Hirano.
“That senpai of yours sure is something huh!”
“Yes! I think he has a cru-“
“Oh, Kagiura-kun! Hello!” Said the senpai Kagi was just talking about, leaning onto him.
“N-NAGISA-SENPAI”
“Yep! That’s my name! Surprised to see me?”
“Actually yeah- oh! Hirano-san, this is the senpai I was talking about!"
“Ah, hello, nice to meet you, my name is Hirano Taiga.” Hirano smiled a little and got up to pass his hand to Kagi’s other senpai, and the senpai gave his hand too, so they greeted each other.
“Hello! My name is Nagisa Akihiko, although people call me Aki or Nagisa, nice to meet you too!”
“Oh! Aki, Like me!”
Nagisa laughed. “Yeah, we already had this conversation dummy!” Kagi had his hair ruffled by Nagisa.
“He ruffles his hair like *I* do..” Hirano said in a low voice.
“Hm? Hirano-san, did you say something?”
“Ah, it was nothing.”
‘Kagi has other senpais too, so of course he would have that kind of closeness with them, but the way they’re so close.. I didn’t expect Kagi-kun to be so touchy with someone else. Ah- WHAT AM I THINKING, I’M NOT JEALOUS. Jealous..? Oh no. Those thoughts again!’
Hirano shaked his head and went back to reality. While he went back to his thoughts, the other two were talking.
***
After talking a long time with Nagisa, both Hirano and Kagi went back to the dorms again.
“That was really fun! But Nagisa-senpai took my whole time alone with you..”
“Time alo- what are you saying dummy..” Said Hirano as he hit Kagi’s back softly, he started to notice he blushed at that, luckily he was kind of behind Kagi, so the other wouldn’t notice.
They had dinner and then went to sleep, tomorrow was going to be a new day..
***
Days passed again, and it was the finals today, Hirano was already in the place of the game, waiting for it to start, he was excited to see Kagiura play again. It always takes his breath seeing him play, all the determination wakes something in him.
Also, Hirano has been thinking more and more that he actually could be having feelings for Kagi, he really felt his absence when he was with his private practice, the jealousy of his other senpai, Nagisa Akihiko, the fact that he was actually nervous for their “break”, even tho he tried to deny it, the fact he was happy waking Kagi up, and that Kagi wakes him up too, and a lot of other things made him almost realize that he actually has feelings for his roommate, Kagiura Akira.
But he still wasn’t sure, he has been a ‘little’ nervous with Kagi since the ‘needy thing’ but he tried to deny it and brush it off, which obviously didn’t work, so he wanted to see one more time if he actually was in love with Kagi, just to confirm it and.. confess. How would he do that after rejecting Kagiura so many times? Would he do it after the game or would he wait more for that? Only he knows.
‘Well, the game is going to start. I have to see if I’m really in love with Kagi, so I can.. confess.. Well- focus on the game first Hirano Taiga! Although, how do you know these kinds of things?’
And so the game started, Hirano wasn’t able to take his eyes off Kagi, the way the brunette was so determined about basketball, the way he was so good at playing that his movements keep the one who looks at him hypnotized, he just loved.. yes. He loved all of it, that’s when Hirano finally realized.. he was in love with Kagiura Akira.
‘I.. can’t believe myself.’ He was blushing and trying to cover his face with both hands.
‘All this time.. no, regret won’t do anything. I have to confess my feelings for him.. but, I’ll do it.. after the game.’ Hirano took a deep breath and made up his mind, he really wanted to confess, and he was going to do it.
The first half was over and while the coach was talking to Kagi’s team about something not important, he decided to look for Hirano. He found Hirano and instantly waved at him happily. Hirano chuckled at this with his cheeks colored of a soft tone of pink and waved at him too.
The game kept going, and Kagiura’s team was winning, Hirano cheered for him, and the crowd was practically wild, family and friends and also partners of the players were really supportive, which made the atmosphere really cheerful.
***
The game ended, and as expected, Kagi’s team won, Hirano got out of the place, waiting for Kagiura on the entrance, and he was nervous. But determined, he made Kagiura wait so much, he practically owed him this.
Kagi got out of the place and looked at Hirano waiting there.
“HIRANO-SAAAAN!!” He hugged Hirano happily.
“Ah, Kagi-kun, congrats! You did so great!” He returned the hug, he didn’t want Kagiura to see him blushing, but he probably would see him like that anyways, since he was going to confess.
“Thanks! You came!”
Kagiura was smiling, this was such a happy moment for him.
“Of course I came dummy! It’s one of your games, I said I’d love to see you play again, didn’t I?” He got out of the hug and ruffled Kagi’s hair.
“Yeah..” Kagi smiled softly.
“Actually.. I have something I want to say now." Hirano was blushing furiously, he tried to think the best way to express his feelings, he even practiced mentally while he got out of the place.
Kagi looked at Hirano confused, but this situation looked like it was going to be a confession, so it got his hopes up, and he started blushing too, wanting to know what his roommate was going to say.
“Please talk.”
“I-“
“KAGIURA-KUUN, ARE YOU HERE? Oh, there you are, hi~”
“Ah, Akihiko-senpai! Do you need something from me?”
While they started talking, Hirano covered his face with one of his hands.
‘Why did HE OF ALL PEOPLE had to come.. and at the worst time! This is horrible.’
“Hirano-san, could we please talk about what you were going to say later? Coach is calling me, I’ll be on the dorms a little later, probably will have dinner outside, could you please tell Hanzawa-san?”
“Yeah, sure, I’ll tell him and we’ll talk later, have fun, bye!”
“Bye bye!”
The kouhai and the other senpai left. Kagiura didn’t want to go, but he couldn’t reject his coach and his senpai, and he probably would know what Hirano wanted to say later, so there’s no problem, right? Also he wanted to accompany Hirano to the dorms, but as said before, he felt like he couldn’t reject his coach and other senpai since he took the lead and made really important things at the game.
Meanwhile, Hirano was embarrassed and going back to the dorms, his confession was interrupted, and he didn’t have the face to tell Kagiura later.
‘Why, WHY DID HE HAD TO COME, I don’t have a problem, it’s just, he has stolen Kagi-kun from me a lot.. NO, he was just practicing and I can tell Kagi-kun later, no problem, yeah, just relax Hirano, and process your feelings.. he called him Akihiko.’
…
“Hanzawa!”
“Oh, Hirano, hii!”
***
After Kagiura came back to the dorms, he found Hirano asleep, he didn’t come that late, but Hirano was already sleeping.
‘Probably he’s tired, he was too busy with the disciplinary committee.. he looks cute sleeping..’ he smiled and then changed his clothes to go to sleep as well.
After the lights went off and Kagiura was sleeping, Hirano woke up, he couldn’t sleep, he was thinking of how can he confess to Kagi.
‘I have to do it properly. I owe him a proper confession after rejecting him so many times, don’t I? But.. I don’t know how to do it, I could try to ask those two..’
After an hour of thinking, he felt asleep, luckily his alarm was on.
The morning went as always, Hirano woke up Kagi, and they had a small talk, then Kagi asked for the ten minutes touch and was going to ask what Hirano wanted to say but decided not to, then he prepared for his morning practice, leaving after that, and Hirano was the one to prepare for his classes and also was trying to prepare himself mentally for what he was going to ask to some friends.
“Hirano, hi.” Sasaki went to his seat.
“Ah, Sasaki, hi. Could I have a talk with you after classes or in recess?”
“Huh? That was sudden, but sure.”
The classes started and Hirano couldn’t exactly focus that much, he payed attention, but the thing that consumed his mind, that got his attention, was the confession.
And so the recess came and both Hirano and Sasaki went to talk privately.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Said Sasaki and then started drinking that sweet drink he likes so much.
“Yahoo~ did you want to talk about something Hirano? Oh, hi Sasaki!” Hanzawa said as he arrived.
“Ah, Hanzawa, hi.”
“Well the reason I called you two here is.. I’m in love with Kagi-kun.”
“Pfft-“ Hanzawa tried to hold his laughter while Sasaki choked on his drink.
“I’m glad you finally figured it out, but I’m still missing the point??” Said Sasaki as Hanzawa kept laughing.
“You see.. I want to confess to him, but I don’t know about this stuff, so I wanted to ask you, since you confessed to Miyano, and Hanzawa, who knows how to give advice, about it.”
“Ahh, well, your kouhai seems to be in love with you-“
“He is. Or that’s what he says..” Hirano blushed a little.
“Well, your kouhai is in love with you, and you can return his feelings, so in that case all you have to do is tell him that you feel the same.”
“Yeah, but.. I rejected him so many times. Also, when I was going to confess, one of his other senpais came and interrupted me. And it’s the first time I’m feeling in love with someone, I discovered I actually was in love with him all this time, weeks ago!”
“Such a Hirano thing.” “Pfft-“ Both held their laughter.
“Hey! Are you trying to start something?!”
“Haha.. no. Listen, if he keeps saying it, if he keeps insisting, it’s because he wants your confirmation, so you have to try and tell him, not that directly as you told us or he could have a heart attack-“ said Sasaki.
“I couldn’t tell him that directly..”
“If you say so- just talk to him. I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear this.” Sasaki smiled.
“Also, try to be more careful, you’ve been interrupted because you were confessing in a crowded place, didn’t you?” Said Hanzawa.
“How- yeah. I think you’re right. I’ll be more careful next time.. I think I already know how to do it, thanks, both of you.” Hirano smiled too, he felt happy to have friends who could help him. He did had his doubts on consulting to them, but he was really determined for Kagiura.
“It’s nothing, you helped me with Myaa-chan, I owed this to you.”
“Oh, so how are things going between you two?” Said Hanzawa.
Sasaki blushed at that, a little surprised.
“Oh! Myaa-chan!”
“Sasaki-senpai?!”
‘These lovebirds..’ thought Hirano as Hanzawa started laughing.
***
Hirano decided that he was going to confess again, he would tell Kagiura how he feels when he comes back from his practice.
The classes ended, the hours passed, and it was time for Kagi to come to the dorms, however, he wasn’t coming, it was one hour late, and Hirano received a text from him.
‘-Hirano-san, sorry for telling you this late, but I’m getting home in 30 minutes probably, Nagisa-senpai asked me to stay a little longer. I already told Hanzawa-san.’
‘- I understand. Just don’t come too late, ok?’
‘-Ok!’
‘Nagisa again..’ he thought. The basketball finals ended, and they won, so why is Nagisa still so close to Kagi?
Hirano recognized he was jealous of Nagisa, but to confirm he and Kagiura are just friends, obviously, he decided to go with Kagi, he knew they were on the gym, and to kill two birds with one stone, he decided to confess to Kagiura on the way home. He went and that’s when he heard..
“Well.. what I wanted to say was.. I like you! Please go out with me! You can take your time to think it..?” Nagisa stopped talking when he saw Hirano.
Then Kagiura turned to look at what his senpai was seeing and when he saw Hirano, his eyes widened.
Hirano faked his smile and waved. Kagiura went with Hirano to clarify the situation, because he was sure the other misunderstood it, even if he wasn’t in love with him.
“Hirano-san!”
“Hi Kagi-kun, just wanted to see how were you at your practice, I’m sorry if I interrupted something. I’ll leave, just don’t come too late-“
“Hirano-san! You misunderstood! I know you’re.. you’re not in love with me, but I want to clarify the situation.”
‘If I had realized my feelings sooner.. I wouldn’t be causing so much trouble now.’
“I don’t think I misunderstood something Kagi-kun, don’t worry, also, you have to answer, don’t you?”
(‘I’m not gonna avoid you, geez.’)
‘I know I said that.. and a man has to keep his word.. but, I don’t think I can talk to him about this right now. I never knew being in love was this difficult. I’m sorry Kagi-kun.’
“Hirano-san. You’re acting really weird, I just want to explain to you-“
“Kagiura-kun, I’ll leave you two to talk, ‘kay? I’m going to be outside waiting, since I know where the guy who closes the gym is. You need to solve this.” Said Nagisa while he patted Kagiura’s back and then left.
“Well.. as I was saying..”
“You don’t have to explain anything Kagi-kun. You should actually be talking to him about his confession.”
‘Why am I so jealous..’
“Hirano Taiga-san.”
Hirano’s eyes widened and he lifted his head to hear what Kagiura had to say. He saw a serious look on Kagi, probably because he didn’t want this to be a misunderstanding.
“Ah- sorry! The thing is, you misunderstood, he wasn’t confessing to me.”
…
“Huh.”
“I mean..! He was, but he was actually practicing for tomorrow, he is planning to confess to his crush! It wasn’t really directed to me, and he decided to ask me for help, since he knows that I’m also in love with another guy and that stuff, he found it more comfortable with someone that has the same case as him..”
“So that was the reason..”
“Hm?”
Hirano started to tear up, and before he could try to stop, he started really crying. He tried his best to stop it but he couldn’t and Kagiura’s expression turned into a worried one.
“HIRANO-SAN?! Why are you crying?!”
“Haha.. it’s nothing Kagi-kun..”
“What do you mean it’s nothing?! You’re crying!”
“Yeah. But these are relieved tears.”
‘When I just realized, I remember I teared up and this happened too, but it was because these feelings were so new to me, and I took too long to finally realize the truth. That I was in love with Kagi-kun.’ Hirano thought.
“Relieved..?” Kagiura tried to put his hand gently on Hirano's cheek and began to dry Hirano's tears, gently stroking his cheek with his thumb. His look softened, although it still showed his worry.
“Yeah. I.. I’m in love with you.” He still tried his best to stop crying, so he could talk properly. He started blushing a little.
“You what..?” Kagi started tearing up and blushing a little too.
Hirano took a deep breath and then talked again, looking at Kagiura so determined and so flushed that it was really endearing.
“I love you, Kagiura Akira, I’m sorry it took me so long, but.. it’s my first time with these kind of feelings. I’m really sorry I rejected you all the time, but as I said, it took me a while to realize.”
Kagiura started crying and getting really flushed, and Hirano did the same as Kagi, but with both hands. Trying to dry his tears too as he looked at him with a softened look. How the tables have turned..
“Hirano-san..”
“Hm?”
“Please tell me this isn’t a joke or a dream, it feels like.. like one..”
“It isn’t. I really love you, I loved you all this time and I haven’t realized until.. some time ago- but that’s not the point..”
Kagi dried his tears with Hirano’s help and stopped crying, they were both looking at each other softly, and couldn’t help but smile and laugh a little, then they got a little closer and..
Kissed, it was only some seconds, but it had such an exciting and warm feeling, and they both felt it that way.
They couldn’t help but smile after that, while looking at each other with soft eyes, and they started holding hands.
***
-And that’s when Kagiura woke up. He looked at the ceiling.
“Was that.. a dream..?”