HOME | DD

Description
If being stuck in the storage closet is one of a person’s bad luck instances in the morning, it must have topped the list that have previously accumulated over the hours - tripping over a bucket of soap water, accidentally kicking a cat in the face, get scratched on the thighs by said cat, and waking up fifteen minutes late to miss the bus.

She sighs. The only other occupant in the space would be the usual stray cat that always roams the school grounds however it pleases, yet she doesn’t think that it can make a good conversation company. Not until someone thinks about unlocking the damn closet, anyway.

There’s a bit of shuffling, with the cat’s sapphire-like eyes following her every move, and then she’s settling on the floor in a cross-legged position. Damn be all the manners a local girl should possess; the air in the storage is too dusty, musky, and hot to even maintain a certain look. Who the hell has the idea to not install at least a mini fan in this godforsaken place? Someone must have slipped it off their minds.

She picks at the collar of her shirt, already turned up to avoid the dust from catching, before she gives it a fan. A slightly cool wind comes up to her face and she sighs in contentment, but then the humid air hits again and the grimace she sports is harder than any look she’s ever had.

A chuckle, follow by a faint cough makes her sit up straighter than a ruler, legs clamped shut to avoid any other eye from prowling. What any other eye? The only living beings that are locked in this room is the stupid cat and her, and if there is any other person that she doesn’t know, she might as well start searching-

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I scare you? Ah, I should’ve known this is a bad idea…”

A male.

She’s locked in the storage closet with a male.

With what little light that filtered from the small window close to the ceiling, she makes out a figure. A tall one, by the looks of it; broad shoulders, a nice built. She finds herself gulping nervously at how big this person is. Well, maybe a tad, but it definitely clears the six-feet-tall range.

The shadow moves into the vicinity of the light, and a handsome face, a discontented scowl, and maroon locks makes its way into her vision. Her eyes subconsciously trail downwards, and she finds herself staring at a body clad in a white uniform, the top unbuttoned and opened to reveal the black undershirt beneath it.

She finds herself blushing, and furiously so.

Somehow, him adorning that unhappy face makes him look hot. Not like she knows if any other faces he can make will make him look better.

“Whoa, um-” she stutters, not knowing what to say other than stare. Is that rude? She thinks it is, but then again there’s only two persons in that damn place, and the other third party would be that damn cat, which is as nonexistent as she’s considered it in the first place. “-you’re not from this school.”

His chuckle is melodic, and she finds herself enjoying the rumbling sound coming from his throat. “Samezuka. I came over to visit some friends.”

“I see…”

Well, it’s definitely not hard to place that face on a name, only she doesn’t remember what that name is. He’s been frequenting the school’s swim club for as long as she can remember, and there’s definitely talk that the handsome redhead is a close friend of said club. Not to miss the fact that girls would often try to pry more information about him from the manager, who is speculated to be his sister, but she’s not one who would go to someone in order to learn about someone’s phone number.

Come to think of it, he definitely warrants that kind of attention. His looks are hard to miss, he has the body of a real athlete, and if anyone’s good enough to score with him, she’s definitely the luckiest out of them all.

Silence follows, and there’s fidgeting as well as awkward glances throw across the space. Mouths open, trying to find words to start another conversation, but then they shut.

Neither of them knows what to do or say.

To her surprise though, he’s the first to initiate it, after a long moment of pondering: “Are you from the swim club, too?”

She starts, eyes blinking to his still-frowning visage to catch what he means. “Uh, no, I’m from [Club’s Name], actually.”

“Really? Because you have that keychain and I thought you were…”

His words die down, and he’s back to awkwardly shuffling again, eyes flitting back and forth between her and the floor. Is she imagining it or does she catch the faint blush on his cheeks?

Her eyes go down to the bird-like wooden keychain attached to one of the colorful straps on her phone situated on her lap, and suddenly she knows what he means.

That keychain is hideous. She doesn’t know what makes her keep it. But that green-eyed classmate of hers was kind enough to help her out during one rainy storm, that she couldn’t help but buy one of it to lighten his burden, even if she can’t join his club. Convincing him to take the money and use it for their club funds certainly took some time, but in the end he’d thanked her for it and promised her to make good use of it.

Now, though, she doesn’t know if she’s feeling glad or mortified at having such an item on full display. He must have thought she has bad taste for accessories.

She coughs, trying to flush out the awkward air that’s starting to press her down; she’ll be drowned in it if she doesn’t try to find a way out of it. “So, uh, are you from the swim club, too? I mean, in your school, that is.” Oh god, she sounds like a prying, stalkerish girl, isn’t she? That is, exaggeratedly, on a whole new level of embarrassing, and she doesn’t think she’ll live out of it.

He gives her a frank look. “Yeah. I’m the captain, actually. So…”

Well, that’s one mystery out of the way. At least she knows the reason behind that godly-looking figure- er, not like she’s ogling him or anything. It’s just that he’s so nice to look at, and it wouldn’t hurt to stare at something so-

She stops. What the hell is she doing, thinking about him like that? She doesn’t even know him, much less his name.

He chuckles again, and the sound makes her go red a second time. Damn him, why does he have to be so sexy? She almost wants to throw herself over and just-

Okay, calm down, [Name], calm down. No need to act on your hormones. That kind of attraction needs to go away. Besides, what if that boy spells trouble for her? She’ll never forgive herself if she initiates anything that will only cause her heartbreak in the future.

So she chooses to be silent, letting the dusty atmosphere envelope them once again.

She falls lax against the wall, eyes flitting to the phone on her lap. She’s been trying to call someone for the past ten minutes, but to her utmost luck, it died out the moment she’s about to send a message to a classmate who has the possibility of getting her out of that place. Not knowing what to do, she lets herself be locked in, unaware of another occupant in that place, figuring that club activities will have to end sooner or later and someone will want to use the storage before it ends, anyway.

A sigh escapes her again. This will be one long ordeal. Stuck in the storage closet with a handsome boy - not like she’s complaining, but there are chances that she’ll never score with someone like him, even in this kind of situation.

Besides, what will he want with a girl as plain as her? She’s got nothing to look at.

His voice brings her back, and then she’s staring into a pair of scarlet orbs that are looking at her so intensely, she suddenly feels self conscious about what way she looks. Does she have something on her face that makes him look at her like that?

“You-” he begins, then stops, looking like he’s still trying to find words to say. “-um…”

“Yes?”

She doesn’t mean to say anything, just wants him to finish whatever it is that he wants to say, but she can’t help from letting that one word escape her lips.

Suddenly, the air feels like it’s choking down on her. As if the hot air isn’t doing enough already.

To her surprise, he turns bright pink in the face.

This is a rare occurrence. Rarely has any boy, no matter plain or cute he is, flushes in front of her, least even in her presence. It must be the air, she thinks, it is hot, anyway, and maybe the heat has gotten to him just as it has to her-

He blurts out, and it’s what she doesn’t expect him to say: “I-I lost my phone number, so can I have yours instead?”

She deadpans.

Did he just do what she thinks he did…?

He doesn’t seem to be expecting an answer, though, because he’s attacking her with yet another phrase, “Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears!”

“Um-”

“Are you an interior decorator? Because when I saw you, the room became beautiful!”

“Whoa-”

“I’m not a photographer but I swear I can picture you and me together!”

“Wait-”

“Is there an airport nearby or is that just my heart taking off?!”

“Hold it!”

He flinches, clamps his mouth shut, then stares at her with a face as red as tomatoes. Hell, probably even redder than hers is at the moment. “I… I’m sorry,” he stutters, voice suddenly meek and gentle it makes her want to hug him.

And truth be told, if her heart isn’t still racing from all the words he’s assaulted her with, she’d be doing just that, shyness and self-restraint all thrown aside.

He did just throw her an onslaught of pick up lines, anyway.

“What-” now she’s finding herself incapable of words. Why now, of all times? “-what… how did this happen- I mean, why?”

She wants to slap herself for that. She can’t come up with a better question, can she?

He seems to curl into himself, seemingly embarrassed at himself. “Well, i-it’s not like I’ve been looking… you wouldn’t want to find out why… but I’ve noticed you since last year and… i-it’s not like you ever noticed me or anything…”

“What?” What does he mean by that? She’s confused. And she doesn’t notice him? Does he not know about the many times she’s been looking at his form whenever he comes? All the rumors spreading about him? All the girls that have been fawning over him?

He’s looking at her dead in the eye now, the pink on his face darkening into a shade that resembles fuchsia.

“Don’t you know?” he says, and she swears the whole closet is an oven because the intensity of his stare is deeper than anything she’s ever experienced. “I know all about the rumors. Gou told me- no, heck, she even sent me love letters from them. But frankly, if there’s anyone that I want a number from, it’s you.”

Oh.

Well, then.

She doesn’t know what to think.

But before she can come up with a reply, he clears his throat, then says, “Can I try this again?”

Try what again? But she has an inkling of what he means when she says, “Um, sure.”

He breathes in, and breathes out, then lets the gentlest, widest smile to adorn his lips as he goes:

“Kiss me if I’m wrong, but-” and he’s flashing a grin, showcasing her a set of teeth as sharp as a shark’s. “-dinosaurs still exist, right?”

--BONUS ENDING--

“Rin-chan, Rin-chan, did you finally confess to he--oh.”

Nagisa has been ecstatic all day, giddy with the thought that his and Rei’s plan (Rei because he’s been begrudgingly included) will succeed. Not even once does he think of the consequences when he told [Name] to go to the storage closet to pick up some stuff for them, feigning business as he did so. And now, when he finally slides the key into the lock, he thinks that what he (and Rei) has concocted has finally come to fruition.

He doesn’t think that he’ll be seeing a shirt thrown so haphazardly across the room a second time, more so when it comes to his best friend.

Even worse, the object of said friend’s affection is sitting on top of him, the front of her uniform half-unbuttoned to reveal a pair of lacy white underwear that he’s not supposed to be seeing-

“Nagisa!” Rin is screeching, embarrassed to be discovered half-naked under his crush, more so when she’s peppering kisses all over his torso and damn if only it doesn’t feel this good- “Get out!”

“Y-yes! Right away! Um-”

“Now!”

He throws the door closed behind him, a bright red blush decorating his face as he runs back to the pool, with Rei and Gou shooting him questioning looks as he arrives at the changing room, flushed and a little out of breath.

He’ll have to make up an excuse as to why Rin can’t come to their practice today.

Description
If being stuck in the storage closet is one of a person’s bad luck instances in the morning, it must have topped the list that have previously accumulated over the hours - tripping over a bucket of soap water, accidentally kicking a cat in the face, get scratched on the thighs by said cat, and waking up fifteen minutes late to miss the bus.

She sighs. The only other occupant in the space would be the usual stray cat that always roams the school grounds however it pleases, yet she doesn’t think that it can make a good conversation company. Not until someone thinks about unlocking the damn closet, anyway.

There’s a bit of shuffling, with the cat’s sapphire-like eyes following her every move, and then she’s settling on the floor in a cross-legged position. Damn be all the manners a local girl should possess; the air in the storage is too dusty, musky, and hot to even maintain a certain look. Who the hell has the idea to not install at least a mini fan in this godforsaken place? Someone must have slipped it off their minds.

She picks at the collar of her shirt, already turned up to avoid the dust from catching, before she gives it a fan. A slightly cool wind comes up to her face and she sighs in contentment, but then the humid air hits again and the grimace she sports is harder than any look she’s ever had.

A chuckle, follow by a faint cough makes her sit up straighter than a ruler, legs clamped shut to avoid any other eye from prowling. What any other eye? The only living beings that are locked in this room is the stupid cat and her, and if there is any other person that she doesn’t know, she might as well start searching-

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I scare you? Ah, I should’ve known this is a bad idea…”

A male.

She’s locked in the storage closet with a male.

With what little light that filtered from the small window close to the ceiling, she makes out a figure. A tall one, by the looks of it; broad shoulders, a nice built. She finds herself gulping nervously at how big this person is. Well, maybe a tad, but it definitely clears the six-feet-tall range.

The shadow moves into the vicinity of the light, and a handsome face, a discontented scowl, and maroon locks makes its way into her vision. Her eyes subconsciously trail downwards, and she finds herself staring at a body clad in a white uniform, the top unbuttoned and opened to reveal the black undershirt beneath it.

She finds herself blushing, and furiously so.

Somehow, him adorning that unhappy face makes him look hot. Not like she knows if any other faces he can make will make him look better.

“Whoa, um-” she stutters, not knowing what to say other than stare. Is that rude? She thinks it is, but then again there’s only two persons in that damn place, and the other third party would be that damn cat, which is as nonexistent as she’s considered it in the first place. “-you’re not from this school.”

His chuckle is melodic, and she finds herself enjoying the rumbling sound coming from his throat. “Samezuka. I came over to visit some friends.”

“I see…”

Well, it’s definitely not hard to place that face on a name, only she doesn’t remember what that name is. He’s been frequenting the school’s swim club for as long as she can remember, and there’s definitely talk that the handsome redhead is a close friend of said club. Not to miss the fact that girls would often try to pry more information about him from the manager, who is speculated to be his sister, but she’s not one who would go to someone in order to learn about someone’s phone number.

Come to think of it, he definitely warrants that kind of attention. His looks are hard to miss, he has the body of a real athlete, and if anyone’s good enough to score with him, she’s definitely the luckiest out of them all.

Silence follows, and there’s fidgeting as well as awkward glances throw across the space. Mouths open, trying to find words to start another conversation, but then they shut.

Neither of them knows what to do or say.

To her surprise though, he’s the first to initiate it, after a long moment of pondering: “Are you from the swim club, too?”

She starts, eyes blinking to his still-frowning visage to catch what he means. “Uh, no, I’m from [Club’s Name], actually.”

“Really? Because you have that keychain and I thought you were…”

His words die down, and he’s back to awkwardly shuffling again, eyes flitting back and forth between her and the floor. Is she imagining it or does she catch the faint blush on his cheeks?

Her eyes go down to the bird-like wooden keychain attached to one of the colorful straps on her phone situated on her lap, and suddenly she knows what he means.

That keychain is hideous. She doesn’t know what makes her keep it. But that green-eyed classmate of hers was kind enough to help her out during one rainy storm, that she couldn’t help but buy one of it to lighten his burden, even if she can’t join his club. Convincing him to take the money and use it for their club funds certainly took some time, but in the end he’d thanked her for it and promised her to make good use of it.

Now, though, she doesn’t know if she’s feeling glad or mortified at having such an item on full display. He must have thought she has bad taste for accessories.

She coughs, trying to flush out the awkward air that’s starting to press her down; she’ll be drowned in it if she doesn’t try to find a way out of it. “So, uh, are you from the swim club, too? I mean, in your school, that is.” Oh god, she sounds like a prying, stalkerish girl, isn’t she? That is, exaggeratedly, on a whole new level of embarrassing, and she doesn’t think she’ll live out of it.

He gives her a frank look. “Yeah. I’m the captain, actually. So…”

Well, that’s one mystery out of the way. At least she knows the reason behind that godly-looking figure- er, not like she’s ogling him or anything. It’s just that he’s so nice to look at, and it wouldn’t hurt to stare at something so-

She stops. What the hell is she doing, thinking about him like that? She doesn’t even know him, much less his name.

He chuckles again, and the sound makes her go red a second time. Damn him, why does he have to be so sexy? She almost wants to throw herself over and just-

Okay, calm down, [Name], calm down. No need to act on your hormones. That kind of attraction needs to go away. Besides, what if that boy spells trouble for her? She’ll never forgive herself if she initiates anything that will only cause her heartbreak in the future.

So she chooses to be silent, letting the dusty atmosphere envelope them once again.

She falls lax against the wall, eyes flitting to the phone on her lap. She’s been trying to call someone for the past ten minutes, but to her utmost luck, it died out the moment she’s about to send a message to a classmate who has the possibility of getting her out of that place. Not knowing what to do, she lets herself be locked in, unaware of another occupant in that place, figuring that club activities will have to end sooner or later and someone will want to use the storage before it ends, anyway.

A sigh escapes her again. This will be one long ordeal. Stuck in the storage closet with a handsome boy - not like she’s complaining, but there are chances that she’ll never score with someone like him, even in this kind of situation.

Besides, what will he want with a girl as plain as her? She’s got nothing to look at.

His voice brings her back, and then she’s staring into a pair of scarlet orbs that are looking at her so intensely, she suddenly feels self conscious about what way she looks. Does she have something on her face that makes him look at her like that?

“You-” he begins, then stops, looking like he’s still trying to find words to say. “-um…”

“Yes?”

She doesn’t mean to say anything, just wants him to finish whatever it is that he wants to say, but she can’t help from letting that one word escape her lips.

Suddenly, the air feels like it’s choking down on her. As if the hot air isn’t doing enough already.

To her surprise, he turns bright pink in the face.

This is a rare occurrence. Rarely has any boy, no matter plain or cute he is, flushes in front of her, least even in her presence. It must be the air, she thinks, it is hot, anyway, and maybe the heat has gotten to him just as it has to her-

He blurts out, and it’s what she doesn’t expect him to say: “I-I lost my phone number, so can I have yours instead?”

She deadpans.

Did he just do what she thinks he did…?

He doesn’t seem to be expecting an answer, though, because he’s attacking her with yet another phrase, “Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears!”

“Um-”

“Are you an interior decorator? Because when I saw you, the room became beautiful!”

“Whoa-”

“I’m not a photographer but I swear I can picture you and me together!”

“Wait-”

“Is there an airport nearby or is that just my heart taking off?!”

“Hold it!”

He flinches, clamps his mouth shut, then stares at her with a face as red as tomatoes. Hell, probably even redder than hers is at the moment. “I… I’m sorry,” he stutters, voice suddenly meek and gentle it makes her want to hug him.

And truth be told, if her heart isn’t still racing from all the words he’s assaulted her with, she’d be doing just that, shyness and self-restraint all thrown aside.

He did just throw her an onslaught of pick up lines, anyway.

“What-” now she’s finding herself incapable of words. Why now, of all times? “-what… how did this happen- I mean, why?”

She wants to slap herself for that. She can’t come up with a better question, can she?

He seems to curl into himself, seemingly embarrassed at himself. “Well, i-it’s not like I’ve been looking… you wouldn’t want to find out why… but I’ve noticed you since last year and… i-it’s not like you ever noticed me or anything…”

“What?” What does he mean by that? She’s confused. And she doesn’t notice him? Does he not know about the many times she’s been looking at his form whenever he comes? All the rumors spreading about him? All the girls that have been fawning over him?

He’s looking at her dead in the eye now, the pink on his face darkening into a shade that resembles fuchsia.

“Don’t you know?” he says, and she swears the whole closet is an oven because the intensity of his stare is deeper than anything she’s ever experienced. “I know all about the rumors. Gou told me- no, heck, she even sent me love letters from them. But frankly, if there’s anyone that I want a number from, it’s you.”

Oh.

Well, then.

She doesn’t know what to think.

But before she can come up with a reply, he clears his throat, then says, “Can I try this again?”

Try what again? But she has an inkling of what he means when she says, “Um, sure.”

He breathes in, and breathes out, then lets the gentlest, widest smile to adorn his lips as he goes:

“Kiss me if I’m wrong, but-” and he’s flashing a grin, showcasing her a set of teeth as sharp as a shark’s. “-dinosaurs still exist, right?”

--BONUS ENDING--

“Rin-chan, Rin-chan, did you finally confess to he--oh.”

Nagisa has been ecstatic all day, giddy with the thought that his and Rei’s plan (Rei because he’s been begrudgingly included) will succeed. Not even once does he think of the consequences when he told [Name] to go to the storage closet to pick up some stuff for them, feigning business as he did so. And now, when he finally slides the key into the lock, he thinks that what he (and Rei) has concocted has finally come to fruition.

He doesn’t think that he’ll be seeing a shirt thrown so haphazardly across the room a second time, more so when it comes to his best friend.

Even worse, the object of said friend’s affection is sitting on top of him, the front of her uniform half-unbuttoned to reveal a pair of lacy white underwear that he’s not supposed to be seeing-

“Nagisa!” Rin is screeching, embarrassed to be discovered half-naked under his crush, more so when she’s peppering kisses all over his torso and damn if only it doesn’t feel this good- “Get out!”

“Y-yes! Right away! Um-”

“Now!”

He throws the door closed behind him, a bright red blush decorating his face as he runs back to the pool, with Rei and Gou shooting him questioning looks as he arrives at the changing room, flushed and a little out of breath.

He’ll have to make up an excuse as to why Rin can’t come to their practice today.