synergetic | Lunch Date

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flayn goes to rikkai

Lunch Date

Yukimura ascends the staircase to the south wing roof once the lunch bell rings. As expected, Marui jumped at the chance to be a model for him and Flayn. Yukimura shared that bit of news in art class, where they were then able to confirm a date and time for Marui to pose for them.

The other piece of good news he saved; art project discussion belonged in art class, but he didn't want to exacerbate the extra attention Flayn was receiving from talking to him (tempting as it was to actually do what Yanagi suggested as a solution). Besides that, if she was as delighted at her wish being granted as she was at its being floated, that was something Yukimura wanted to enjoy privately. His own misstep the prior morning was his, and at the same time, it wasn't something they couldn't have recovered from. It was the attention from the other students that made Flayn uncomfortable and put an end to their banter. Yukimura would remove that factor from the equation this time.

A heavy door seals the top of the staircase from the rooftop outside it. On reaching the top, he takes a peek outside to confirm two things: that he was the first there, and that the light sprinkle of rain last period hadn't left the space too wet for eating lunch.

What he sees instead brightens his anticipation, and with a small smile, he waits quietly for Flayn to find him at the top of the stairs.

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"Odd ones, mostly about me being..." She sought a way to soften it, not wanting to make anyone sound too bad. "A bit too self-assured, I suppose. I certainly feel more confident lately! I suppose the difference from how I was when I arrived is just off putting."

Which was to say, she mostly didn't understand it, either.

"It is only classmates, however! No one in the tennis clubs has been any different, which is what is honestly more important to me."

Too self-assured? Is that a gender difference? Yukimura doesn't understand it that well. Flayn isn't boastful or attention-seeking. She doesn't voice agreement to compliments paid to her. What's the problem? More curious, it's only with classmates. That says to Yukimura he is probably correct that the issue is not Flayn's behavior; if it were, the response would not be isolated to one group like that. But he's in her class. If something had happened there, wouldn't he have seen it for himself?

"That's strange. I wonder what the problem is. I haven't noticed you act in an off putting way at all. But I'm glad you haven't seen issues with the tennis club; I'd be concerned if you did. Confidence is a good thing to have among athletes. If someone in the tennis club spoke of it like a problem, that says to me that confident people intimidate them. Then, doesn't that make the real issue their confidence instead of yours?"

"Wouldn't it require a good deal of confidence to say something like that to someone, though?"

She can't quite imagine it, unless such things were directly affecting others.

"It is mostly from people I haven't spoken to much, as well. So it is very confusing."

"Not as much as it would take to actually talk to you about what's bothering them, right?" It was a thin line here too, the difference between using an indirect but socially acceptable means of communication and simply speaking ill about someone as an alternative to trying to solve the problem. It seems to Yukimura that Flayn was doing well to notice, but she wasn't being given much to work with.

"Maybe you can help them out and ask yourself." It's what he would do. (Yes, and look how far you've gotten with girls, Seiichi...)

"That seems more like it would be proving them right," she said slowly. "Thinking everyone is going to like me is just what they're expecting. I must be unexpected!"

She brightens up a little at that prospect. She'd surprised herself a lot already, after all.

"But I would not stop you asking, since I am somewhat curious."

Yukimura... doesn't really follow her train of thought. But she seems to be feeling better about it, in any case. He chuckles with amusement.

"You certainly are that," he grants. "I like that about you. It's refreshing."

Just the sound of his laugh gave her a happy, almost floating feeling in her chest, but then he talks, too. Her face warmed up in a way he had to notice.

"I-is it?" she wondered, mostly for lack of anything better to say. "I-I can't imagine... I mean, that..."

Honestly, she wasn't sure what she meant, but she was smiling, trying to figure out how to say it.

He does notice, and he feels just a little guilty for enjoying it so much. The socially correct response should have been for Flayn to vehemently downplay herself (was that the reason she was getting words about being too self-assured?), but Yukimura personally likes this much better.

"What's wrong?" He asks, still smiling. "Did I embarrass you?"

The proper thing for him to say next should have been an apology. Instead, after a pause, it's a quiet "Cute..."

Flayn instinctively just wants to hide her face, even if... what he says...

"I-I don't think I mind being embarrassed, if you're the only one who knows," she admitted, unable to really justify grabbing her school bag and holding it between them. Because it wasn't just embarrassment. It was a little bit... gratifying... to receive positive attention that wasn't from the one person who was supposed to pay attention to her no matter what. With Yukimura, she could almost believe he actually did... think...

Yukimura can't help a genuine laugh into his hand. This is refreshing too: being able to sit and have a conversation with a girl who was responsive to being teased without completely shutting down.

"Is that so? Then I promise to keep it a secret." It's more than a fair price to be able to keep talking with her like this.

"Promise to talk about something else, too," she said quickly. "I don't want to talk about me, whether you think i-it's cute or not."

She was blushing intensely at this point, especially once she actually repeated the words.

"Talk about yourself instead, please! Why did you want to bring me up here?"

"That's a dilemma," Yukimura admits. "I wanted to meet up here so I could get to know you better. I don't know how I'm going to do that if you don't want to talk about yourself."

"You could not do that playing tennis?" she asked. "I suppose it is easier to talk when we're not all sweaty."

Her voice levels out, but her face still feels a little warm. Why her? Surely, not simply because she's the newest girl in school... He's too thoughtful to be swayed by something like that.

"I don't think there is much to myself besides school and tennis," she said, and she mostly wanted that to be true.

While playing tennis? That's a concerning thought-- shouldn't you be concentrating on the game? Well, she is new to Rikkai. And she's probably never seen how he plays before. If Marui is her basis for comparison... maybe the misconception should only be expected. Yukimura did choose him for a reason.

"I doubt very much that's true," he offers politely to her assessment of just how much there is to her. "But since you raised the subject of tennis, why don't you tell me what you've learned from playing with Marui?"

"To be tricky but reliable!" she said quickly. "And to be tenacious mentally as well as physically."

Her enthusiasm ticks back up and her blush is, at least, not blindingly hot.

"Now, it is your turn! You must tell me what you've learned from him, with so much more time, so that I know what I must learn next!"

Yukimura likes her answer. Marui has been a good teacher if she's learned those things.

He isn't expecting it to be turned back on him, however, and the reversal causes just the smallest of starts. She asks with such gusto, too, he has to answer it.

"What I've learned from him...? Mmh..." He hums thoughtfully over his memories of Marui over the years. A fond smile makes its way to his face without his ever realizing it.

"More than tennis, Marui has taught me about strength, and the different shapes that it takes. Naturally, he's a strong tennis player, too. But what makes Marui truly remarkable is his attitude. He understands the power of positive thinking better than anyone else, and wields it to great effect in the face of adversity. When his back is up against the wall is when he shines the brightest; that's the kind of person he is."

It takes him a moment to realize that he's answered her question in the literal sense, however... He looks at her a little sheepishly.

"Sorry. You were interested in what you could learn next from him, but I didn't answer that well. I think you understand that kind of strength already."

It's Yukimura who struggles with it. To this day, even. But then, people like Marui and Flayn wouldn't be so remarkable if it was something anyone could attain.

Edited 2024-03-07 23:36 (UTC)

"But you made good on your other goal," Flayn said reassuringly. "I feel like I know you better, since now I know some of what you value."

She took a sip from her thermos, absently wishing for hot tea and cakes. They would pair so well with the flowers and being so much closer to the sky.

"And you remind me, too, how I must go forward now. It is well to listen to criticism meant kindly, but I do not know enough to say how the girls in our class mean what they say. It may be best to just hope they are mistaken, and go about as I was, yes?"

...But what about getting to know her better? Is he so terrible at this? Flayn speaks with such ease about understanding what he values now. Can he say the same of her from the response she gave? Reliability... tenacity? Was that it? He just isn't sure it applies the same way.

She really is a lot like Marui to be able to read people so well, though, isn't she? Like Marui all around: warm and positive, good with people, relaxing to be around... They'd make a good match, he thinks with some chagrin.

It will be interesting to see their doubles at the tournament.

"Yeah, I think so, too. It doesn't sound as though they know you very well. If they did, they'd surely see how easy to like you are. --Oh. Before we leave the subject, though: do you have time after practice Thursday?"

"Oh, I should, I think," she said, feeling her face warm up again when he said easy to like.

What, what, what could that possibly be leading up to? He did ask her to have lunch alone, maybe... maybe the next thing to do... is outside of school? Also alone? Possibly?

How many more times is he going to make her blush before he's satisfied?

"Great," Yukimura said with an I've got a secret smile. "Tell me more about your doubles."

"Well, they cannot be just mine," she said, surprised by this swerve. "That defeats the point of it being doubles."

She mirrors his smile, though, wondering.

Hearing that softens Yukimura's smile.

"You're right. Every combination is a bit different. But I'm interested in what you consider your strengths and play style. Do you know?"

It's possible she doesn't; she hasn't been playing that long yet.

"I mostly do what Marui-san tells me at this point..." She brightens up. "Like Kuwahara-san does! That is a good strategy, is it not? I understand they are a storied pair..."

Yukimura laughs politely. "I see. They are certainly an extremely strong pair. Well, let's just do our best then."

He makes a mental note to probe Marui later instead.

Her head tilts. "Wait, 'let's' as in let us?"

Is there an us?

"I am not sure I am understanding you properly."

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