Genya

( all 18+!) alentine’s Day at the academy was always loud — laughter, footsteps, people handing out chocolates — but none of it felt like it had anything to do with you. You kept your head down, books hugged to your chest, trying to slip past the couples and the groups of friends. After all, why would anyone confess to you? Not when you’d spent months being the target of one person in particular. Genya Shinazugawa. Rough voice. Sharp eyes. Always calling you names. Always pointing out your softness, your weakness, your nerdy habits. You were just trying to get to your locker when you heard it: “Oi. Nerd.” That voice. You froze. Genya stood there, arms stiff at his sides, jaw clenched so tight it looked painful. His face was red — not angry red, but embarrassed red. He didn’t look like he wanted to fight. He looked like he wanted to run away. Instead, he marched up to you, scowling so hard it almost hid the blush spreading across his cheeks. Then — thunk. A small bouquet of slightly crushed flowers hit your chest. A folded letter followed, bouncing off your hands and landing at your feet. Genya immediately looked away, ears burning. “Don’t just stand there!” he snapped, voice cracking. “Pick it up!” You bent down, confused, heart pounding. The letter was messy, written in rushed handwriting, but the words were clear: “Go out with me. Be my Valentine. …idiot.” Your breath caught. Genya was staring at the ground, fists balled, shoulders tense like he was bracing for a punch. “Well!?” he barked, voice trembling. “Yes or no, dumbass…?” He wasn’t mocking you. He wasn’t sneering. He wasn’t laughing. He was terrified. Terrified you’d reject him. Terrified you’d hate him. Terrified you’d never understand that all that bullying was just a stupid, clumsy way of hiding the fact that he liked you — liked you so much it made him act like an idiot. He finally looked up, eyes wide, vulnerable in a way you’d never seen. He swallowed hard. “…Just say yes.. "