Author's Note: (Quick note that this takes place at Touou, not Teikou.) Some elements are similar to Whimsical but will ultimately differ quite a bit (hence the angst category). Also using some elements from the early episodes/chapters of KnB for this chapter. Just as a note, I will be gone for a week so no updates until the 14th or 15th. Hope you enjoy!

One

"Huh? Sorry, I think I heard you wrong, Kana-chan. Who did you say you like?"

"Aomine Daiki-kun," the shy girl answers back timidly.

This information comes as a great enough shock that the first girl ends up choking on her juice. Rasping for breath, she crushes the empty carton in her hand while trying to regain composure under the concerned gaze of her best friend. "Agh – are you serious? Is my hearing messed up? You like that lazy guy?"

"L-lazy?" she echoes back in disbelief. "But Daiki-kun is a really good player, Suzu-chan."

Suzune's face contorts in disgust as she rolls the crumpled container in the palm of her hand. "I think... you are misunderstanding something really important here. Players like him are the absolute worst to have on your team."

"You're just saying that because you're a volleyball player."

The brunette clicks her tongue in dissent. "That has absolutely nothing to do with it. I am in the same class as him, I would know. You should trust me on this. There are way better guys than him for you to think about dating, Kana-chan." The end of that sentence is punctuated with a firm nod.

"Actually," Kana starts with some hint of hesitation. Her eyes briefly wander around the half-empty classroom before she leans forward, hand cupped around the side of her mouth. "I was... hoping you wouldn't mind delivering something for me to him."

"D-Delivering? You can't mean...?!"

To answer the question, the darker haired girl withdraws a decorative letter from the confines of her desk and passes it over to her best friend. She then places both hands together and supplies a pitiful look while saying, "Please. I know I can only count on you for this. Just deliver it to him for me?"

"Hell. No." As though to emphasize this point – and with the lunch period having already come to an end – Suzune moves to leave her chair and scuttle out of the classroom before her friend can pursue the conversation any further.

She does not get far and is delayed by a hand that seizes her wrist. "Wait, Suzu-chan! Please, I really need you to do this for me. Don't you know how many practices I've come to watch you in? How many games? Can't you please–" Kana's desperate pleading seems to gain the attention of a few others occupying the classrom, who turn their gaze to survey the situation.

Suzune clamps a hand over the other girl's mouth and shines a grin at her peers, speaking through gritted teeth in a low whisper. "Okay, I get it already. I'll deliver your stupid love letter to him and then no more favors."

"Uu afta lufly ha..."

"I can't even understand you."

With begrudingy glare, Kana quickly peels the offending hand away from her lips and takes a gasping breath. "I said, you absolutely have to make sure that he accepts it. No matter what. Or the deal is off and I will stop making you lunch boxes from now on."

"Wha?! That seems awfully harsh."

"Just do it."

It is this entire scenario that has her lingering after school despite the absence of a volleyball practice. And her first intended stop is the gym, where she finds the tall, dark-skinned player mysteriously absent. In his place is a cheerful pink-haired girl – Momoi, if Suzune recalls her name correctly – who promptly informs what Suzune already knows to be true: that Aomine Daiki always skips practice.

"Where the heck am I supposed to find this louse anyways?" she grumbles under her breath.

It is somewhere near the basketball field that she spots what she is looking for – in the form of a hulking figure that is far less imposing than usual when he is collapsed on his back with a magazine spread out over his face to block the rays of the sun. The only identifiable characteristics that reassure her that he is the one is that patch of unruly blue hair, dark as midnight, coupled with his tanned skin.

Even upon her approach, he does not seem to stir. Fast asleep, she assumes. "Hey, Aomine, wake up." Prodding him seems to do little more than elicit a grumble as he rolls over on his side. The magazine that had been spread across his face tumbles unceremoniously to the ground while he mutters beneath his breath.

"Go away," he tells her gruffly, in little louder than a whisper. Moments later and his breathing has already evened out again. He can fall asleep that fast? It comes as little surprise considering Suzune's awareness of his reputation as a grade-A slacker.

Nonetheless, he will soon discover that her persistence is unmatched – and her methods quite crude. Suzune grins to herself as she kneels down and extends a hand toward him. Just a little closer, inch by inch, and then she gingerly pinches his nose with her forefinger and thumb. Since he is sleeping with his mouth closed, this should be the most effective way of rousing him.

A moment later and he is choking and sputtering, slapping her hand away. A vein pops out on his forehead as he lividly jolts upright, a fierce glare directed at her. At least until, through his bleary vision, he realizes that she is someone he recognizes. And then his gaze wanders–

"Where do you think you're looking?!" Suzune exclaims with a fist raised, ready to pummel the pervert whose eyes momentary linger on her chest.

"Tch, they're small," he grunts at her with disinterest. Then, boredom lingering in his eyes, he reaches for his magazine and abruptly stands, brushing himself off.

Suzune grits her teeth in frustration. This is the kind of personality she detests dealing with the most. She has half a mind to cram the letter down his throat and make him eat it, rather than deliver it as Kana has instructed. Is this really the kind of person that Kana wants to be with? Despite Suzune's own reservations, she takes a deep breath before suddenly thrusting the letter out toward Aomine.

"What?" he stares at her with a deadpan expression, finally cocking a brow at the letter. His gaze wanders toward her face. "Your chest isn't big enough. Not interested."

Her jaw literally drops in response to his rejection.

Completely unfazed in contrast, the taller man cracks his neck before promptly heading the opposite direction. He does not seem to pause to consider how brusque and disrespectful his behavior is. No, more to the point – he does not seem to care either way.

Determined to see this through, Suzune charges after him and claps a hand against his shoulder, which proves difficult due to their height discrepancy. But it is enough to give him pause to peer over his shoulder at her. "I never said this was from me. Even I have standards, you know. This is a letter from my friend. Just take it." Again she thrusts it, though this time right into his face.

"Annoying. If she doesn't–"

As though she can already predict the question about to escape his lips, she interrupts with a loud, "No! If you are going to ask about her chest size, don't even think about it. Just take the letter."

His eyes narrow as though irritated with the turn of this conversation – or perhaps the fact that they are having one at all – and he shakes off her hand. "Che, persistent." That comment seems more to himself than her and it comes with no explanation. Though she can assume he's complaining about her.

While he stalks off, Suzune is left behind in her frustration, letter still held within the firm grip of her hand. "I swear... AHOMINE!" she screams at him, "I will follow you around every day until you accept this letter, mark my words!"

As ominous as that threat seems at first, he is the type to merely shrug it off. Evidenced by the fact that he does not pause for a moment to take heed of her words as he ambles away. The usage of that nickname does not even elicit a response. But despite how unaffected he seems, Suzune is determined to hunt him down and deliver the love letter.

In the morning, Suzune arrives early thanks to practice. And she traipses straight to the classroom with the love letter in hand. She bolts noisily in through the sliding door – gaining the attention of her classmates who suddenly fall quiet as she advances straight for the occupied desk near the windows.

"A-ho-mi-ne-kun~"

His gaze shifts to her momentarily although he seems somber as ever. "You some kind of stalker?"

Despite the vein bulging on her forehead, she slaps down the love letter against the surface of his desk. It is a little crumpled by now but largely intact. Certainly the contents will still be readable – which Suzune figures is of prime importance. "I fully intend to see you read this today. I will spend lunch with you and I will tag along after school if you don't."

"Huh? Is this a confession?" a murmur runs throughout the classroom.

Suzune blanches at the notion, realizing that, to outside eyes, this whole situation seems pretty bizarre. She immediately recoils, leaving the letter behind. This whole thing has turned out to be incredibly embarrassing. "A-Anyways, take it, okay?"

As she starts to walk away to her desk, she feels something light poke the back of her head. Initially after spinning around, she sees nothing – only to belatedly spot the love letter on the ground, folded in the form of a paper airplane. Although, given the thickness of the envelope, not a very effective one.

"A-ho-mi-ne," she seethes out in anger as she kneels down to retrieve the letter.

"Told you before," he reiterates again with bored expression, "Not interested."

In her endless frustration, the next words she blurts out are completely unintentional with an utter lack of forethought. "I will buy you lunch every day for a week if you just take this stupid letter and accept it already!"

The shrill sound of her voice silences the rest of the classroom as though all of her peers are looking expectantly between her and Aomine. That they have an audience for the whole exchange is probably further reason for him to reject her again. Yet there seems to be an almost challenging grin that surfaces on his face.

"Oh yeah? For a week, huh?"

"What? Think I won't?" she barks back.

"Hn... I'll accept it," he concedes after a moment of contemplation. "If you can get me the on sale sandwich from the cafeteria every day for the next week."

Suddenly she is given pause to consider. On sale? Sandwich? Her mind reels in slow motion until she realizes the implication here. That is the very item that the upperclassmen have staked their lives on getting. It is almost always sold-out as soon as lunch starts. Getting there and retrieving it – not alone once but every day for a week? That is absolutely impossible.

Suzune thinks to call him out on his absurd demands but in the face of disappointing Kana, what alternative does she have? A resigned sigh passes through her lips. "You swear?" she clarifies with narrowed eyes and an accusing finger pointed in his direction.

"Yeah. If you can do it." He cocks his head to the side and leans back in his chair. It is these small, arrogant gestures that push her to the edge of her patience.

"Fine. Okay, starting today until the end of the week. And once I have managed it," she pauses to take a couple steps toward him, nearly shoving the half-crumpled letter in his face, "You will have to eat your words and accept this letter."