Surprise! Just a little side chapter in Ami's perspective (as well as her relationship with Hanamaki Takahiro). Hopefully it'll give you some insight on the behind the scenes work that the reader doesn't know about!

I've gotten some interest in the reader's friend Ami and it inspired me to write about this! Thus an impromptu chapter was born!

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Ami's eyes scrunched up at the letters on the board, clutching onto her chalkboard eraser tightly. She was having a minor problem. Her arms stretched out as far as they could go to get the rest of the words off the board but to no avail. She huffed. "Where is that Hanamaki guy? He's supposed to be cleaning today too!"

She grumbled and moved away from the board for now, cleaning up all the other things in the classroom. Unfortunately, once she was done doing so, she was met with the same problem with the board. Ami glanced over at the chairs but they were attached to the desks. She quickly tore her eyes away from it. Ami was a prideful individual and didn't want her classmates to see she had to pull over the desk just to clean up the board.

Her eyes make contact with the broom. She could...

A few minutes later, Ami made a makeshift chalkboard eraser extension with the broom and smiled proudly at it. Right when she lifted it up, the classroom door opened to reveal the classmate she thought ditched today's cleaning duty.

"...What are you going to do with that," his monotone voice cut through the silence as she stared back at the invention in her hands.

Ami quickly put it down and huffed at him. "Where have you been Hanamaki-san?!"

He stares at Ami for a moment before walking up to her until he was face to face with her—well, face to chest. Ami froze as his towering body leaned over her and shut her eyes to brace herself.

However, as quickly as he came, the presence was gone. She glanced back at her hand which was holding the broom but missing the chalkboard eraser. Her eyes trailed over to Hanamaki as he easily erased the remaining letters on the board. As soon as he was done, Ami snapped her eyes away from him, irked by how aloof the guy was.

Hanamaki made his way to Ami once more, the crinkling of a plastic bag catching her attention and making her look at him again. He lifts a white plastic bag for her to see, a familiar café logo on the bag. "There were these limited edition cream puffs and I wondered if they would taste as good as profiteroles." He noticed the confused expression Ami had. "Profiteroles are cream puffs from the US, I really like those." After he spoke, he dives his hand in the plastic bag and pulls out the box, proceeding to open it. "Take one. Sorry I skipped out on cleaning duty today."

Ami blinks up at him, surprised at his apology and his rather interesting excuse for not cleaning up the classroom with her today. Not a second later, she beams up at Hanamaki. "Don't mind if I do!" As she takes one, Hanamaki nods at her before closing the box.

"The classroom looks clean already, good work." He nods again at Ami, his usual bored face present. "Also, if I ever come in late again, just leave the things you can't reach." Ami started to open her mouth to argue that she could manage it even with her height but he cuts her off before she could. "—It's not that I think you can't do it, but I would like to help you out too, just like what you did for me today."

Speechless, Ami nods at him to which he returns.

Just like that, Hanamaki leaves the room, leaving Ami to stare at the cream puff in her hand. She felt her warm cheeks and the subtle churning in her stomach. Ami bites into the cream puff with a thoughtful hum.

~~

After that interaction with Hanamaki, her eyes seemed to catch his form whenever he entered the room.

She pinched her cheeks to make herself snap out of it but it was futile. What's worse is that Hanamaki seemed to pop up around her more recently as well: grabbing books she couldn't reach, lending her a pencil when she went to lean over her neighbor to ask...

He did a lot of little things for her and it was so endearing.

As the older sister, Ami was so used to doing things on her own and for someone to offer to help her out just a little made her usual beaming smile brighten even further.

It was official, she totally had a crush on him.

The moment she had this revelation, she called up her very best friend [Surname] [Name].

Ami and [Name] go way back, meeting in elementary school. [Name] was always interested in art. One time, Ami was upset about something that happened earlier that day and [Name] had come to the rescue, drawing her favorite character from the cartoon show they both loved, giving Ami a big hug. Needless to say, they were friends ever since.

She held her phone over her ear and frowned, going through multiple beeps before it brought her to voicemail. Her news could wait. Right now, she needed to visit her very dear friend that desperately needed her daily hug.

~~

Opening the door to the art clubroom, her confirmations were solidified when she saw you painting away like usual. Well, like usual during that past year.

Ami sighed at you, plopping down on the seat beside yours. "Are you staying after club time again?" Her concerned look deepens further when you only nod in response. She glances over at your canvas, taken back by the sudden change in art style. She looks over to you quickly and notices your stiff expression and movements. Her hands clenched at the realization of what had caused you such distress.

She stands up from her seat loudly, making you look up at her curiously. Ami meets your curious expression with a grin. "Hey [Name], you think there's room for one more in this club?"

The surprised look on your face doesn't go unnoticed from her as she plants her hands on her hips, waiting for your response.

"Uh, actually, we were running low on members this year," you say, still a little surprised at Ami's question. "I thought you don't like painting though?"

Ami pouts. "Only because I'm not very good at it..." she trails off. "...Yet!" She gives you a wink. "That's why I have you right?"

Ami inwardly cheers at the smile slowly spreading on your face. "Got it." You point over at the large table at the front, a single stack of papers in the center. "Fill out one of those and you'll be good to go." You turn back to her with a soft smile. "Thanks Ami."

Ami grins at you. "I should be thanking you! You know better than anyone that my drawings are atrocious!"

Ami took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. It's been more than a year since she met Hanamaki and she still liked him a great deal. Currently, she was in front of the gym, waiting for volleyball practice to finish. Her hands clenched at her sides, trying to will herself to stick through with her plan and just straight up ask Hanamaki to hang out.

The year had been good to the both of them, slowly but surely warming up to each other and being good friends. Whenever a limited edition dessert came out, either her or Hanamaki would mention it to the other excitedly. Well, mostly Ami. She was determined to get him to enjoy pastries other than cream puffs.

Sometimes she would think that maybe Hanamaki did feel at least a bit of attraction to her, but she could never be too sure. It was ridiculously hard to decipher his almost always present bored expression. The times she did get him to make a different expression, he seemed to give her a soft smile, making her heart squeeze more than it should.

Ami was brought out of her nervous haze when she felt a hand rest itself on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Oikawa and his broad smile. "Ah, Rudolph's friend! Looking for someone?" Ami wanted to shrink away from his mischievous look but instead stood up a little straighter, planting her hands to her hips.

"Yeah, I was just waiting for Hanamaki-kun..." her voice trailed off just like her courage. She peeks at Oikawa's amused smile before turning away. "B-but I guess if he's busy I'll talk to him another day! It's not that important." About to walk away, she halts in her steps when Oikawa stops her.

"How does a double date sound?" He gives her a wink as if he expected Ami to react this way so he could say that.

Ami blinks up at Oikawa with wide eyes. "Could you possibly...?"

Oikawa holds his hand up to stop her from saying any more. "If you say yes, I'll ask Makki for you!" His grin stretches over his face. "All you have to do is not tell Rudolph, okay?"

She looked down at the ground for a moment, contemplating her options. Unsurprisingly, Ami nods at Oikawa's proposal. "Yes."

Although she knew you didn't think of your relationship with Oikawa as more than a friendship, she had an inkling feeling than it had gotten past that stage a little while ago.

He beams at her response. "We will come pick you up after your club then!"

Right when he moves to turn back into the gym, she calls out, "how do you know he'd want to come?"

All she's met with is a grin and an ambiguous response. "He's not as secretive about those things as he wants to be~"

Blinking at Oikawa's retreating form, Ami mutters, "no wonder [Name] says he's a smug little kid."

~~

Monday arrives and after receiving a text from Oikawa about the details for the double date, she couldn't help but squeal from happiness.

Unfortunately, you did not have the same reaction as her. Even when she said your partner was Oikawa! However, time and time again you agreed to her plans, if only just accepting to be a support for her. It warmed her heart to have such a friend stick by her very momentous occasion like you did every time she told you something that was a very big deal to her.

As much as she liked Hanamaki, she hoped that the date would also go well for the other couple.

However, the start of the date had a rough start. Oikawa seemed to be partly sulking and partly throwing a bit of a tantrum, the chunk of it going directly at you. Ami and Hanamaki shared a confused glance at Oikawa's actions but said nothing if not to hope it would pass soon.

Ami decided to go take a walk around, trying to quell the bad blood that seemed to be forming between Oikawa and yourself. Her brows scrunched in worry but was quickly replaced with surprise when a hand brushed against hers, hesitantly clasping onto it.

"I may have an idea why he's like that," Hanamaki whispers to her, making sure the other couple couldn't hear him.

She opens her mouth, ready to ask why when you cut her off. "Hey Ami, I think there's that new dessert there that you wanted to try! Want to go try it out with Hanamaki-san?" She turns to you, noticing your arm linked to Oikawa's. She feels a squeeze on her hand and glances at Hanamaki who nods at your suggestion. Ami settles by giving you a grateful smile before walking off with Hanamaki.

Right when she and Hanamaki approve of splitting up for the rest of the date, they see you walk off, pulling Oikawa in tow. Hanamaki pulls on Ami's hand, tugging her towards the café. "Don't worry, [Surname]-san can handle him."

Ami nods at Hanamaki's comment and walks with him. "How do you know that?" She peers up at him quizzically.

He spares her a side glance before facing forward again. "[Surname]-san came by the gym after we lost that game," he pauses for a moment before continuing, "waited by the gym doors to make sure Oikawa was okay."

Ami blinks at the new information. So that's where you went. She smiles. "Hm, I guess there's nothing to worry about then~" Ami tugs on Hanamaki's hand, prompting him to move faster. "Hurry, the new dessert seems popular and I don't want it to run out!" She gives Hanamaki a little wink. "Also, I'd like to confirm my suspicions on why Oikawa was acting off today~"