Chapter Text
You stand under the blazing sun, irritation prickling at your skin as you wait for Kagami. Being one of his closest friends in Seirin, you didn’t hesitate to agree when he invited you to watch a street basketball match, eager to observe the players' skills. Supporting him has always been second nature to you. But as the minutes stretch on and the heat bears down, you can't help but regret saying yes.
He’s late.
You agreed to meet at exactly 2:30 p.m. outside the entrance of Shinjuku Station. But now, fifteen minutes have passed, and all you’ve gotten from Kagami is a brief text: "Sorry, gonna be late!"
To make matters worse, it was the middle of June—Japan’s summer at its peak. As regret and irritation settled over you, a sudden tap on your shoulder made you turn. You spun around to find Kagami, bent over and gasping for breath.
“I’m so sorry–I was caught up in practice.” He pants. “Whatever you want to eat today, i’ll pay fo–”
You give him a smack on the shoulder. “Let’s just go.”
As he regains his composure, he straightens up. Your gaze flickers to his outfit—casual yet stylish. A cap, white T-shirt, plaid flannel layered on top, and a pair of comfortable jeans. He looks good, a voice in your head murmurs. Pushing the thought away, you turn to walk ahead of him. He falls into step beside you.
By the time you both arrived at the outdoor basketball court, it was already bustling, a clear disadvantage thanks to Kagami’s delay. You weave through the crowd and find an empty seat near the front of the stands, choosing a spot with a perfect view of the court. The atmosphere crackles with energy, the crowd roaring in anticipation as they cheer for their teams.
Still annoyed at Kagami’s tardiness, you let out an exaggerated sigh, hoping he’d notice. A few seconds pass, and then—
“H-hey,” His voice is hesitant. You turn to find him rubbing the back of his neck, a sheepish expression plastered on his face. “Uh, I know I made you wait. My bad.”
You arch your brow. ‘My bad’? That’s it?
Kagami shifts uncomfortably under your glare, then suddenly stands. “Hold on. I’ll be back.”
Before you can ask where he’s going, he’s already disappeared into the crowd. You roll your eyes and refocus on the court, but a few minutes later, he returns—this time holding two cold bottles of your favorite drink. He holds one out to you, his expression casual like it’s no big deal.
“Here. Thought you might need this.” He shoves a bottle into your hands. The chilled condensation against your fingers is a welcome relief from the heat. You hesitate for a second before taking a sip, the cold liquid instantly soothing your irritation.
“...Thanks.” You mumble.
Kagami exhales, relieved. “Yeah, yeah.” He slumps back into his seat, taking a swig of his own drink. “So, who do you think’s winning?”
Just like that, the tension between you eases.
Soon enough, the match starts. The players take their positions, and the intense atmosphere grows palpable. The home team starts with the ball and the game officially begins. Kagami’s attention is glued to the game, his eyes focused and his body tense as his eyes follow the ball. He occasionally murmurs comments under his breath, criticising or praising both teams.
Meanwhile, you can’t help but steal glances at him, admiring his intense focus and the way his features harden in concentration. You quickly snap your gaze away, heat rising to your face—though whether it’s from the sun or something else, you’re not sure. The sunlight blaring above your heads causes sweat to form on Kagami’s forehead. Feeling frustrated from the heat, Kagami shakes his flannel off, revealing the shirt clinging onto his skin, outlining his hard biceps. Small droplets of sweat trickle down his neck, over his defined collarbones, into his white T-shir–
What? You quickly snap your gaze away, heat rising to your face—though whether it’s from the sun or something else, you’re not sure.
You shake away the previous thoughts, silently berating yourself, unable to believe you were so blatantly ogling Kagami. Digging through your bag, you pull out your trusty portable fan, perfect for summers like today.
“Hey, need this?” You offer the fan to Kagami, pausing as he takes a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand before responding.
“Actually, yeah. That would be great.” He says with a slight smile, holding out his hand to take the portable fan from you. Kagami takes the fan and turns it on, holding it up to his face and letting the cool air blow over him. He closes his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation.
“Thanks, I really needed this,” he says, his voice slightly muffled by the fan’s whirring.
Noticing you squint against the harsh sunlight, he wordlessly takes off his cap and places it over your head, shielding your eyes from the glare. You glance up in surprise, but he’s already focused back on the game, casually fanning himself—and occasionally tilting it your way to cool you off as well.
A small gesture, but one that sends your heart skipping nonetheless.
–
The final buzzer sounds, signalling the conclusion of the match. The score is close, but the home team emerges as the victor. The crowd roars with applause and excitement as the players exchange handshakes and share congratulations.
“That sure was intense,” You turned to Kagami, satisfied with the outcome of the match.
“They had some really impressive plays. That one block in the final minutes almost changed the whole game!” Kagami exclaims, his voice brimming with excitement. You can’t help but laugh at his infectious energy.
Kagami glances at you, catching the soft grin on your face. His smile deepens, and his gaze lingers on you for a moment. “What’s up?” he asks, his voice teasing. “You’re grinning. Did you actually have a good time?”
“Unexpectedly, yeah,” you admit, though your tone carries a hint of playful sarcasm. “Aside from the part where you made me wait, it was fun.”
Kagami laughs, a mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I could tell. It was written all over your face.” He nudges your shoulder gently, his teasing nature impossible to ignore.
“Really?” you reply, your voice light but with a playful edge, as you try to bury the sudden awareness that he had been watching you during the game.
Kagami tilts his head slightly, noticing the way you avoid his gaze, a subtle shift in your demeanor. He leans in a little closer, his teasing smirk softening into something more genuine.
“You know,” he begins, his tone softer now, “your eyes were practically glowing during the game. And every time the score got tight, you’d bite your lip... it’s pretty cute.”
You blink, caught off guard by his observation, a warm flush spreading across your cheeks. “Did I?” you ask, your voice faltering slightly as you quickly brush off his last comment, trying to mask your embarrassment.
“Yeah,” Kagami says, grinning. “I’ve been watching you all game, actually.” He clears his throat, voice dropping a little, as if sharing something a bit more personal. “You looked pretty focused. Almost like you were living every moment with the players.”
There’s a moment of silence before you laugh, trying to brush it off, but your heart skips a beat. “I guess I got caught up in the excitement.”
You cleared your throat. “Since when were you this observant?”
Kagami smirks, clearly proud of his observation skills. “What can I say? I have a keen eye for detail,” he says jokingly, running a hand through his hair. “Comes with the territory of being a great basketballer, you know?”
You roll your eyes and push him lightly. “Kuroko’s still better than you though–that guy catches everything.”
“Yeah, yeah, you don’t need to remind me,” he groans. “That guy’s like a phantom. He’s so unnoticeable it’s almost like he’s not even there. Except when it comes to basketball–he turns into the damn shadow master or somethin–”
You burst into laughter at his remark, your hand instinctively grabbing onto his arm for support. Kagami’s eyes widened in surprise at the sound of your genuine laugh. He didn't expect his last comment to get such a response out of you.
As he watches you, laughter bubbling up in his chest, something inside him softens. The sight of you, carefree and so caught up in the moment, warms his heart in a way he hadn’t expected. He can’t help but chuckle along, the sound more tender than teasing now.
Still smiling, you catch your breath from laughing, feeling a bit lighter than you had before. Your hand is still resting on his arm, and the brief silence that follows feels comfortable, almost natural.
You glance up at him, noticing the way his expression has softened. The teasing edge in his eyes is gone, replaced by something warmer, something that makes your heart flutter.
"Hey," He begins, voice a little softer than usual, "since we’re already spending time together...how about we grab dinner? I know a place nearby."
You blink, surprised by the sudden shift in his tone. It's not like the usual confident, playful Kagami you're used to. There’s something almost..shy about him at this moment. His eyes flicker to yours before quickly looking away, and you could swear there’s a faint tinge of pink rising in his cheeks, like he’s embarrassed by his own suggestion.
It’s a subtle change, but it doesn’t escape you. The Kagami you know is rarely the one to second-guess himself, let alone seem nervous about asking someone to dinner. Yet here he is, waiting for your response like it matters more than he lets on.
You can’t help but smile at the sight of him.
“Dinner, huh?” You say, your voice teasing but not unkind. “I guess I could give it a shot. What’s the place like?”
Kagami lets out a breath, his grin returning as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. "It’s good," he replies, his usual confident tone creeping back in. "I think you’ll like it."
The moment lingers, the quiet vulnerability you’d seen in him a second ago replaced by the usual fire that makes him so unmistakably Kagami. But something about this moment—the way he asked, so genuine and a little unsure—sticks with you, and leaves a pool of warmth settling in your chest.