Ushijima Wakatoshi stares a lot. Not in a creepy way, but in that quiet, steady way that makes your heart skip. He watches you when you’re focused on work, eating your lunch, tying your hair, or talking to someone else.

“You’re staring again,” you teased one afternoon, nudging his shoulder as you sipped your drink.

He didn’t look away. “You’re very cute,” he said flatly. Straight, serious, like it was the simplest fact in the world. And it was you knew he meant it.

“You say that every time,” you smiled, cheeks heating a little.

“I do,” he replied calmly. “Because it’s true.”

Later, he handed you a small carton of milk. “Here. Drink it.”

“For me?” you asked, laughing softly.

“Yes. Milk is good for you,” he said, shrugging, as if that explained everything. You shook your head but accepted it anyway.

He didn’t spoil you with flowers or gifts. But he remembered the little things, your favorite snack, the exact way you tie your hair before practice, your ramen order, even the color you said looked good on him. And sometimes he’d bring you small gifts volleyball gear, or a tiny snack he knew you liked just to see you smile.

“You always remember everything about me,” you said one evening as he sat beside you, quiet but steady.

“I notice,” he replied simply.

Out of nowhere, when you were sitting together, laughing over something silly from practice, he leaned close and murmured, “You’re mine.”

You blinked at him, startled, heart thudding. “Excuse me?”

“You’re mine,” he repeated, his voice calm, almost like stating a fact. “I’m your boyfriend. That’s all you need to know.”

“I… I know,” you said, but your face warmed. “It’s just… you’re so serious about it.”

“I mean it,” he said softly. Then, without another word, he handed you your favorite snack and ruffled your hair lightly small, quiet gestures that spoke louder than any words ever could.

When you were upset or tired, he noticed. He didn’t need you to say anything. He would quietly make sure you were fed, hydrated, and rested. When you were happy, he would be right there beside you, steady, unwavering.

And sometimes, you caught yourself thinking: maybe this quiet, unshakable, utterly devoted love your boyfriend Ushijima Wakatoshi was everything you ever needed.