1: The Need To Protect Her

It was common knowledge that Hanazono Hikari was not weak. Having defeated a mugger at a young age and only growing from there, Hikari was strong. Ridiculously strong. She could lift weights so heavy that it was surprising her name wasn't in a world record book yet. Hikari trained herself everyday, running around the town multiple times while doing bicep curls and destroying every single one of her school's punching bags.

But despite this, if you said a phrase with the words, "Hikari/Hanazono" and "Fight" in it, within a 35-mile radius of Takishima Kei, he would find you, and he would look at you with a look of complete and utter murderous rage as he viciously interrogated you as to Hikari's location. Once he got a satisfactory answer out of you, he would then somehow teleport to Hikari's side in an instant and fuss and worry like a mother hen. Kei insisted to treat any injuries received and berated Miss Second Place for getting herself into such a situation, all before Hikari could process just what was happening.

The reason behind Kei's concern was simple (and more than a little bit illogical, considering who it was). 'Fights' lead to 'injuries'. 'Injuries' lead to 'hospitalization'. And the idea of Hikari, cold and pale, lacking her usual vigor, almost unnaturally still in a hospital bed led to thoughts Kei really did not want to think about.

He needed her to be safe.

2: The Need To See Her Smile

It was common knowledge that Hanazono Hikari was a joyful person. It was rare to see a moment when she was not smiling, those moments usually being when she was in the presence of someone who angered her or Takishima Kei (Or both at the same time).

But, if you mentioned this to Takishima Kei, he would either painfully torture you (if he suspected that this was said with romantic intentions in mind) or sigh and gaze into the distance wistfully (if you were already in a relationship/already in love/had some other excuse for not pursuing Hikari).

Kei knew most of all how beautiful Hikari's smiles were. From childhood to the present moment, he would always be dazzled by the way Hikari managed to illuminate a room with her smile, time seeming to slow down so he could properly appreciate Hikari's beauty. She seemed to radiate joy and energy with a simple grin, and Kei felt his heart race even after being exposed to it nearly everyday for ten years. Like the most amazing delicacy on earth, Kei wanted, no needed, Hikari to show him that smile, time and time again, because he honestly loved seeing the girl he loved happy.

He needed to see that smile, day after day.

3: The Need To Defeat Her

It was common knowledge that Hanazono Hikari was extremely determined. After all, there wasn't much else you could call someone who chased after a goal for ten years and kept going, despite feeling the sting of defeat at every step.

(That was a lie. There were many things you could call such a person, such as 'obsessed' or ''insane'. It's just that saying such things would most certainly result in death by Takishima Kei.)

If one told Takishima Kei this, he would laugh awkwardly as memories of just how many challenges, just how many losses Hikari suffered through came to mind.

Yes, she was determined. Determined to defeat him.

But that was exactly why Kei was worried.

Their relationship was built upon the concept of 'competition'. They almost never had a conversation without either one of them bringing it up.

If Hikari finally won, then just what would happen to the relationship they had built? Would she turn away, finally satisfied, and never speak to her ex-rival again? Would she keep challenging him?

Kei feared the worst.

And so, he trained himself as well, combining natural talent with effort and discipline, praying he never found out just what would happen if Hikari defeated him.

He needed to keep winning. He had to, in order to preserve his bonds with Hanazono Hikari.

(Until several months later, when he was desperately wishing for Hikari to defeat him and accept his proposal. Oh, how irony works.)

4: The Need To Hear Her Call His Name

It was common knowledge that Hanazono Hikari absolutely refused to call her rival by his given name. Despite 'Kei' being much shorter than the mouthful that was 'Takishima', Hikari was completely unable to call Kei by his first name, odd squeaking sounds and heavy exhales usually replacing the space where 'Kei' was meant to go.

If you asked Takishima Kei about this, he would glare at you as you (probably unintentionally) brought up a reminder of just how distant his relationship with Hikari was.

It was nearly ten years ago that Hikari has decided to call him by his last name, and she hadn't changed that ever since.

...It was a little sad that he had been calling Hikari by her first name for nearly a decade and she never once reciprocated.

But even when it wasn't his first name she was calling, Hikari, smiling and waving as she greeted him with a cry of, "Good morning, Takishima!", was just too cute to handle. His heart was beating madly and he felt insanely happy, and he didn't particularly mind being called by his family name.

He just needed Hikari to say his name with that joyful expression, and he could have enough happiness to drown a person with.

5: The Need To Tease Her

It was common knowledge that Hanazono Hikari despised being called 'Miss Second Place'. It was almost guaranteed that screaming and possibly violence would ensue when Hikari was called by that name.

You didn't really need to bring this up to Takishima Kei at all, considering that he was the only one who called her that.

Because he was the only one allowed to call her that. When he teased her, Hikari turned bright red and flailed and screamed. But most of all, Hikari would always, without fail, gain a look of determination and declare that she would beat him someday.

Takishima Kei was Hikari's one and only rival.

And despite that title not being romantic at all, being Hikari's rival meant that, in her eyes, he was special. He was the one person she needed to defeat.

Because he was her 'rival', Kei had her full attention. And because he needed Hikari to look at him like he was the number one person in her life, he acted the part of 'rival' perfectly, teasing and all, as only Takishima Kei could.

6: The Need To Let Her Know Of His Love

"Studying again, Miss Second Place? You should know by now that no matter how much you try, it'll still be my victory," Kei teased, leaning over his girlfriend to read the words she was scribbling into her notebook.

"Don't call me second place!" Hikari snapped, slamming her book down on the table before her. (Luckily not hard enough to destroy it.)

"'October 10: Basket Ball Match. Loss. 9-6. October 11: Test Result Match. Loss. 100-99,'" Kei read aloud, recalling the few words he had seen before Hikari closed her book.

"D-don't read!" Hikari blushed, flailing as Kei kept reciting dates and losses. "I-it's my book of challenges."

"I see," Kei said cheerfully. "So you can record your losses to remember forever."

"No! That's not it!" Hikari yelled as she turned in her chair to face her rival/boyfriend. "Each and every one of our matches is something special to be remembered, so I'm making sure I don't forget!"

Heart beating against his ribs like a prisoner clawing at the bars preventing escape? Yep. Body temperature rising? Definitely. Feeling oh so very happy and feeling the urge to hug Hikari and never let go? Of course. It was amazing that Hikari still managed to surprise Kei after all those years, even more amazing that Kei managed to make a checklist of all the effects that Hikari had on him, and even more amazing still that Kei hadn't died of cuteness overload yet.

As Hikari's face was pressed against Kei's chest and his arms trapped her in a bear hug, Kei couldn't stop smiling.

"T-T-Takishima!" Hikari protested, blushing redder and redder as Kei refused to let go.

"I'm just so happy right now," Kei muttered, resting his chin on top of Hikari's head. "For ten years, I thought that it would be impossible for us to actually become lovers, but it's actually happening. I can't believe I'm not dreaming."

Hikari froze in his arms, stiffening as she glanced up at Kei.

"T-t-ten y-y-y-years?!" Hikari stammered, freaking out.

"Yes," Kei confirmed, slightly annoyed that Hikari ruined the moment.

"B-but I would have noticed!"

"No, you didn't."

"H-how did I not n-notice?!"

"No idea, considering the fact that I made it as obvious as possible."

"No, you didn't!"

"I gave you Valentine's chocolates for years straight, I literally gave you a heart-shaped cake for your birthday and you didn't notice, I get jealous if you spend a second with any other guy-" Kei's list was cut off when he noticed Hikari grinning ominously.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"'The first to fall in love loses,'" Hikari answered cryptically, turning around in her chair to wrap her arms around Kei, laughing. "That means that I win!"

"What?"

"I fell in love with you a couple months ago. You fell in love ten years ago. That means you were the first to fall in love. I win," Hikari tried to explain in an understandable manner.

Kei tried to wrap his head around it, before giving up and smiling.

"You won the moment you won my heart," He declared, just before pressing his lips to Hikari's.

He really did need to do this more often.

Special A does not belong to me.

I hope you had fun reading this, and have a nice day/night/whatever it is for you in your timezone!

Addition:

I read an article about a unique, one-of-a-kind event for 'Special A' fans.

However, the name was so horrible, no one would ever go.

They called it a 'Special A' Special.

(Just to clarify, there is no such thing, I just wanted to add a pun while I was here. Have another nice day/night/whatever.)