#15 | why is bowling so hard

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you pulled up to the bowling building five minutes early. knowing how punctual the king was, he would probably yell at you if you were thirty seconds late.

your palms were sweating slightly. you wiped them on your jeans aggressively. you took multiple deep breathes before opening the door.

the lights to the right of the room were off. blue led lights illuminating all the alleys and dim lights cascading onto the front desk in front of you.

"do you have a reservation?" the lady clicked her pen and glanced over at you from her computer.

"oh uh... barou shouei?" you managed to peep out, your fingers fidgeting with one another.

the lady nodded and heaved a sigh and glanced over to the said male. he was already throwing practice balls down the alleys. his form was immaculate, you shuddered slightly.

"boyfriend?" she grinned teasingly. your eyes shot to her in defense.

"no!" you cleared your throat immediately and smoothed your voice out. "i mean no... just friends i guess.."

"ah i see.. well.. good luck with that. he looks competitive." she glanced at barou and smoothed her shirt out. you gave her a soft smile before turning to walk over to the male.

your presence was found known by your foot steps. barou was sure to have super hearing. how could this guy hear your foot steps over the music playing in the background?

"your here."

"yeah, i'm so evident on winning your forgiveness." you spoke. sarcasm lacing your lips.

barou cracked a small smile but turned away in a second so you wouldn't catch.

you did.

"ohohoh did i make the one and only barou shouei smile?" you nudged his side.

he shot a death glare at you.

"shut up. let's get this over with."

you looked at the screen and then at him. "did you... pick out names for us already?"

your words came out with disbelief. you looked up at the names on the high television.

'dumbass'

and

'the king'

"yeah. i did." he grinned widely. not one of those sweet grins, more like the shit eating grins. the teasing ones that make you want to rip all your hair out in anger.

barou shouei loved to rage bait you.

"okay so it's your turn, go on 'king'" you mocked, hands finding their way to your hips.

"you better watch."

he grabbed one of the bowling balls effortlessly, like it was a feather in his palms. he pulled the ball behind him and in a swift movement, got a strike.

barou, expecting you to be proud of his doing, found you to be looking at the alley five rows to the left.

it had a group of rowdy teenage boys throwing bowling balls in the alley randomly. a pink and blonde haired one was throwing one of the balls up in the air and managed to catch it before it fell directly on a long pink haired boy.

barou scoffed, an irk marking his forehead. he glanced back at you. his fists clenching slightly, breathe becoming irregular as millions of thoughts ran through his head like the flash.

why were you observing the idiotic boys instead of him?

your focused should be on him and him only.

he looked at the television that showed him with ten points and you with zero.

"hey." his voice was firm and filled with brimming anger.

you turned back to him with a confused look and then groaned when you read the television.

how the hell would you get a strike!?

you trudged to the bowling balls like it wounded you. taking a red one in your fingers and running your hands over its smooth edges.

barou, who was watching you immensely, stiffened up at your actions. but went back to his nonchalant format like it was nothing.

you swung your arm back and let go of the ball in your grasp. barou's eyes narrowed slightly.

it went straight, good start.

then.

right into the gutter.

you threw your hands up in defeat. barou choked back a laugh and put his hand over his mouth to stifle it.

"shut up! this is my last straw." you turned away from him, embarrassment washing over your features.

it was barou's turn again, he grabbed one of the bowling balls and swung it with ease.

another strike.

you bit the inside of your cheek in pure agony.

so much for earning his forgiveness.

you were absolutely screwed.

you grabbed one of the balls and prayed to God you would hit down at least one pin.

you threw it back and it rolled to the side, then straight, then to the side again last minute.

again into the gutter.

barou crossed his arms over his chest like a disappointed parent.

"geez, do i have to put the kid rails up?"

you grimaced at him, "shut up.." you had little to no fight in you. you felt utterly embarrassed and horrible about yourself.

being next to a bowling god as a pure amateur was enough to get the tears flowing.

not that you would even think about crying in front of the king.

barou didn't move to get one of the bowling balls, he just examined your features.

"i can teach you."

you glanced up at him. his face was stoic as normal.

"what?" you furrowed your brows at him.

"how to bowl." he cleared his throat. "i can teach you."

you nodded hesitantly, he made his way to the bowling balls, grabbing one and then walked over to you.

he handed you the ball and you stuck all three fingers in the holes. you held it in your hands delicately.

he stood right behind you, close enough that you could feel his hot breathe on your neck. it sent shivers down your cold spine.

he moved his hands to grip your wrist where the ball was positioned. the touch of his hands sent electric jolts throughout your body.

"you're going to have to swing your arm back like this.." he slowly moved your hand back and then let go, letting your arm go limp. the ball still in your hand.

"and make sure you take a few steps back and then walk into it." his soft breathe tickled your ear, the atmosphere getting too uncomfortably warm for your liking.

instead of moving immediately, he stood there for a second. the proximity was sending you over the edge. his hands ghosted over your waist for a moment but fell back to his sides as he let out an airy breathe out of restraint. finally backing away from your figure.

you took a few steps back with the ball in your hand, then stepped forward twice and swung your arm. mirroring barou. well not exactly, he had the build of a giant.

the ball went straight first, then your nerves shot when it started drifting to the right. you crossed your fingers which didn't go unnoticed by barou.

it drifted more to the right and then got closer to the pins.

then.

it hit one down.

you let out a big breathe, as if you were holding it for centuries. you let out a squeal and ran over to barou to give him double five, in which he hesitantly returned.

"your happy and all, but you do realize that that point went onto my score board."

"UGHHHHH!!"