The Mixer

Later that evening, Oikawa's eyes snapped open. The clock read 7:00 PM. What was supposed to be a short power nap had turned into a deep sleep, leaving him with exactly fifteen minutes to get ready.

Panic setting in, he scrambled out of bed and sprinted to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth at lightning speed to get rid of his stale nap-breath, then frantically slapped on his toner and moisturizer, because even in a crisis, skincare was non-negotiable.

He threw on a clean, well-fitted outfit, spent a frantic minute taming his chaotic bedhead back into its signature style, and grabbed his keys. Giving himself one final, breathless check in the mirror, he slammed the door behind him and flew out into the night.

.

.

.

The restaurant was loud, chaotic, and completely packed. The university turnout was so massive that their group had been split across three separate tables spanning the back of the dining room.

At table two, Iwaizumi sat staring grimly into his drink. He swirled the amber liquid, took a slow sip, and immediately regretted letting Matsukawa convince him to come.

The atmosphere was stifling.

Suddenly, a wave of excited murmurs and hushed giggles rippled through the front entrance. Iwaizumi looked up, his eyes narrowing. *Of course.* It was Oikawa.

He practically radiated campus-idol energy, wearing a dazzling, perfectly practiced smile that completely hid the fact that he had been sprinting down the street minutes prior. Iwaizumi let out a heavy sigh and looked back down at his glass.

Oikawa offered a charming wave to the crowd as the organizer guided him to table three. The moment his coat was off, Oikawa breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He had actually made it on time.

But a sudden, prickly sensation on the back of his neck made him freeze. Sensing a heavy stare, he glanced cautiously across the aisle toward table one, and his stomach instantly dropped.

Sitting there, wearing a smug, possessive smirk, was his suffocating ex-boyfriend. *Damn it. No one told me he was invited to this!*

Before Oikawa could even formulate an escape plan to the bathroom, his ex slid out of his seat and strolled over to table three, completely invading Oikawa's space.

He slid into the empty seat right next to him, pushing a drink forward.

"Wow, Tooru\~" the ex murmured, his voice dripping with false sweetness. "Did you find out I was coming tonight and got jealous? Is that why you followed me here\~?"

*As if! In your wildest dreams!* Oikawa thought, a wave of pure disgust washing over him. He instinctively pressed himself against the back of his chair, trying to create some distance.  "It's just a total coincidence, that's all... aha... ha..."

Predictably, the ex didn't take the hint. He aggressively scooted closer, his shoulder pressing against Oikawa's. He put on a pathetic, kicked-puppy pout that only made Oikawa's skin crawl further. "Really\~? You're being so cold. I'm hurt, Tooru..."

Meanwhile, over at table two, Iwaizumi was drowning in his own personal nightmare. A girl from the biology department had practically glued herself to his left side.

She was leaning in entirely too close, deliberately pressing against his arm to command his attention. "I'm honestly so surprised, Iwaizumi\~" she cooed, tilting her head flirty and wide-eyed.

"You never come to these kinds of social things."

"Yeah, well... decided I should try it for once," Iwaizumi muttered, keeping his posture rigid. He desperately wanted to bomb this mixer and prove he didn't belong here, but he had no idea how to do it without being completely rude.

"Hmm\~?" She leaned in even further, her breath brushing against his ear as she dropped her voice to a suggestive whisper. "Wanna get out of here with me\~?"

A jolt of pure repulsion sent a shiver down Iwaizumi's spine. Panic flared in his chest. He looked frantically around the room for a lifeline, but everyone was deeply engrossed in conversations.

Desperate, Iwaizumi's eyes swept the restaurant until they locked onto table three.

There sat Oikawa, looking utterly trapped, his face tight with misery as his ex-boyfriend cornered him.

A reckless idea sparked in Iwaizumi's mind. Without a word, he abruptly slammed his drink down on the table and stood up, leaving the flirty girl blinking in stunned silence.

At the exact same moment, Oikawa had finally hit his limit. He tried to bolt from his seat, but his ex-boyfriend's hand shot out, aggressively grabbing him by the wrist. "Wait, where are you going-"

Before the ex could finish, a heavy, solid arm suddenly dropped over Oikawa's shoulders. A broad chest pressed against his back, anchoring him in place.

Oikawa gasped, his head snapping up in absolute shock to see Iwaizumi standing over him, glaring down at the ex with a terrifyingly calm expression.

"Sorry I'm late, babe," Iwaizumi said, his voice deep, clear, and perfectly loud enough to cut through the restaurant's chatter. The entire section went dead silent. The clinking of silverware stopped.

Oikawa's brain short-circuited. *Babe?!* But as his eyes darted from Iwaizumi's intense gaze to his ex-boyfriend's horrified face, his dramatic instincts kicked in flawlessly. He understood the assignment. Leaning back into Iwaizumi's solid embrace, Oikawa threw his head back and let out a soft, theatrical pout. "Took you long enough\~" Oikawa whined seamlessly, instantly casting a fiercely smug, triumphant look at his ex.

The ex-boyfriend was practically trembling, his face flushing crimson with a mix of embarrassment and rage. He slammed his hands onto the table, standing up so fast his chair rattled.

"What the hell?! You don't have a boyfriend! You're lying!" Then he pointed toward Iwaizumi.

"You were sitting way over there, and you didn't even look at him when he walked in!"

A sharp spike of adrenaline hit both Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They had to lock this lie down right now.

"Oh, well, the place is crowded. I just didn't see him walk in through the sea of people," Iwaizumi lied smoothly, his grip tightening reassuringly around Oikawa's shoulder, pulling him just a bit closer.

Oikawa nodded frantically, putting on his best innocent expression. "Yeah, exactly! He was waiting for me."

The rest of the restaurant watched the unfolding drama in breathless suspense. Realizing he was completely outnumbered and making a scene, the ex-boyfriend's face twisted into an ugly, defeated scowl. "Whatever! I'm not done with this!" he yelled, turning on his heel and storming out of the restaurant, slamming the door behind him.

For a long, agonizing moment, a heavy silence hung over the tables. Then, the dam broke, and a tidal wave of frantic whispering erupted.

"Wait... Iwaizumi is gay?"

"I thought he liked girls! Maybe he's bi or pan?"

"Since when are he and Oikawa a thing?!"

The suffocating wall of gossip and staring eyes was quickly becoming too much to handle. Before Oikawa could even open his mouth to ask what they should do next, Iwaizumi reached down, firmly grasped Oikawa's hand, and dragged him out toward the exit, leaving the stifling chaos of the mixer far behind them.

End of episode 2.

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