Akaashi Keiji

Akaashi Keiji was a gentleman, but it wasn't hard to notice that he acted differently around you. He carried your backpack without you asking, waited outside your classroom after class so you could go home together, showed up every morning to walk you to school, and always stayed at the gate, no matter how late your activities ended, just so you wouldn't have to walk home alone in the dark.

It was normal, right? After all, you were childhood friends. It had to be.

Until people started provoking you.

You were arranging the chairs in the classroom after the teacher left. Most of the students had already gone home, while your friends were still chatting. Then one of them smiled and asked:

"Bia, do you want to get ice cream later or are you going straight home with your boyfriend again?"

You blinked.

"Keiji and I are not dating."

"We didn't even mention names."

They all answered at the same time, with mischievous smiles.

His face flushed when one of them glanced discreetly at the door.

You turned around.

Akaashi was already there, silent as always, waiting for you.

Grabbing your backpack quickly, you said goodbye to your friends and left the room. Akaashi remained leaning against the wall, observing the movement in the hallway. As soon as his eyes met yours, he straightened up and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Hi Bia. How was class?"

Then he extended his arm toward her, in a natural and familiar gesture, offering, once again, to carry her backpack.

"Let me carry this"