I love this pair so much. I had to write something about them; I had no choice.

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What a day.

"Hitoka-chan, could you wait for me outside the gym after school today? I wanted to talk to you about something."

These simple words, spoken with a smile by Kiyoko Shimizu between classes earlier in the day, had filled Hitoka Yachi with an unshakeable dread. What could she want to talk about? Am I... am I not cutting it as a manager? Is she going to fire me!? Oh god oh god oh god oh...

"Yachi-san, your answer, please?" said the impatient voice of Hitoka's teacher, staring at her with one eyebrow raised.

"S-Sorry, sensei!" Hitoka yelled, louder than was necessary, getting a laugh out of a few classmates. Her cheeks felt hot, her hand tightly gripping a mechanical pencil. She was about to get more laughs at her expense once she admitted she didn't even know what question she'd been asked...

The rest of the school day didn't go much better. No matter how she tried, she couldn't focus on class. Her thoughts kept drifting to whatever it was Kiyoko wanted to talk about. Her ideas on what the impending conversation could be about covered a wide range, including, but not limited to: being fired from her position as volleyball manager, being informed she constantly smelled bad and really needed to do something about it because it was bothering everyone, being told that a corporate takeover of the school was occurring and the new overlords didn't want a volleyball team or manager, and Kiyoko excitedly announcing that she had a boyfriend. It was that last one that seemed the scariest for some reason.

The final bell eventually came. Kiyoko hadn't actually specified whether Hitoka should go change into her manager outfit or not before they talked... She assumed she should. But what if Kiyoko's in the girl's locker room? Would our conversation happen there instead? Would Kiyoko insist the conversation had to happen elsewhere, and so we'd have to change in awkward silence? What if someone walked in and saw us awkwardly avoiding conversation and assumed we were fighting? Then they'd go tell Kiyoko's fan club and they'd form an angry mob at the thought of someone upsetting their idol, and then they would literally murder me, and I'd never find out what Kiyoko wanted to talk to me about!

"Yachi-san, are you alright?" came a voice from beside her. It was a classmate of hers, that she didn't remember the name of, but who'd always been friendly.

Giving her head a little shake, she replied, "Oh, um... yes. Did I not seem alright?"

"Well, you were standing there with a look of utter horror, with your mouth wide open, so..."

"Ha-HA!" Hitoka said, wearing a large forced smile. "Wonderful! Anyway, SO, I gotta go change for volleyball practice..." The two stood and stared at each other a few moments, confusion all over her classmate's face. "...Later!"

She dashed away, refusing to look back.

About ten minutes later, and after both discovering an empty locker room and avoiding any other awkward encounters, Hitoka stood a little ways outside the volleyball gym door, manager clothes on and arms folded. The members of the Karasuno boy's volleyball team waved and greeted her as they walked inside, some of them asking if she was coming in too. A quick mention that she was waiting on Kiyoko was all the explanation anyone seemed to need.

Finally, from a short distance away, she saw Kiyoko walking quickly toward her. "Ah, Hitoka-chan, thanks for waiting!" Kiyoko said, beaming. She seems really happy... Maybe it really is the boyfriend thing! "Sorry, a teacher wanted to talk to me about... Are you okay?" Kiyoko said, her expression becoming concerned part way through.

Damn, not paying attention to my face again! "Uh, yeah, I'm fine!" Hitoka said, shaking her head again and smiling. She couldn't help but notice that Kiyoko wasn't wearing her manager outfit, but decided that little mystery was far less important than the big one she'd been dying over all day. "So what did you want to talk about?"

It almost... it seemed like there was a slight tint of red in Kiyoko's cheeks after Hitoka asked that. It's a boyfriend! Oh gosh, keep it together, keep it together...

"Ah, yeah, well... could we go talk somewhere a little more private?" Kiyoko asked. After a quick and nervous nod from Hitoka, the pair walked around the side of the gym, where people walking to practice wouldn't see them.

Hitoka stared at Kiyoko, who was looking around to ensure they were alone. The sounds of squeaking shoes and vollyballs hitting the ground rang out through the window above their heads. Hitoka shook in anticipation, her fists balled and sweaty. As Kiyoko turned back to look at her, she couldn't help spitting out, "S-s-so, what's the boy's name!?"

With a surprised blink, Kiyoko muttered, "Boy?"

Hitoka's eyes widened a little. "There's not a boy?"

Laughing a little, Kiyoko said, "I mean, there's a bunch of them. Quite a few in that building next to us. But has nothing to do with why I wanted to talk to you."

Eyes dashing about furtively, Hitoka's mind revved into high gear. No boy? Oh gods, was it the smelly thing!? But no, she's smiling... Is it the being fired thing!? Is she happy to see me go? Did she really hate me all along!?

Hands on her hips, Kiyoko frowned. "Hitoka-chan, are you oka-"

"Ohmygoddess, what did I do, why am I being fired!?"

Concern scrawled all across her face, Kiyoko put her hands on Hitoka's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "Hitoka-chan, you're not being fired!" She pulled back a little, while Hitoka blinked back her tears. "I... did I make you worry all day, with what I said earlier?"

Slowly, reluctantly, Hitoka nodded. Not that she was generally a fan of it, but lying in this situation really didn't seem like it'd help matters. She sniffled a little, at the same time vaguely thinking that one of the sounds from inside the gym just now had seemed closer than the others.

"I'm so sorry!" Kiyoko said, visibly flustered. "I hadn't thought... Ugh, I'm sorry, again. I should've realized... But no, I mean, what I wanted to tell you isn't bad like that! I mean, I don't think so... it could be bad for me, because I don't know how you'll take it, but..."

Hitoka's eyes were even wider now, but for a much different reason than before. She'd never seen this side of Kiyoko - the beautiful upperclasswoman always seemed so calm and collected.

As though she'd heard Hitoka's thoughts, Kiyoko suddenly cleared her throat and started over. "Ahem, sorry. Look, Hitoka-chan, I wanted to tell you, especially since the school year is almost over, and as you know it's my last..." Hitoka did know, all too well... the thought made her quite sad, much more than it had before she'd become a volleyball manager - before she'd met Kiyoko. Hitoka stared wistfully at the ground, her mind consumed by melancholy thoughts.

"Hitoka-chan," said Kiyoko, a little louder than she'd been talking, causing Hitoka's eyes to snap to her. She took a deep breath, as though she needed to steel herself for the words she was about to use, and in that moment it seemed to Hitoka as if the whole world, even the practice inside the gym, had gone silent in anticipation. "I like you. I've liked you for a while now." L-like...? As friends, or... could she possibly mean...? "I'd... like to date you, if you're interested." L-l-like a friend date...? "I want to be your girlfriend." Girl...friend...?

"Hitoka-chan," Kiyoko said again, once more capturing Hitoka's wandering eyes. Kiyoko's eyes looked different than Hitoka had ever seen them before... so earnest, and a little afraid. "Do you... like me too?"

An odd gasp was Hitoka's initial involuntary reaction to the question, which seemed to mildly confuse the both of them. Before too much could be read into it, Hitoka practically yelled, "Yes! I like you a lot, you're so kind, and smart, and caring, and so incredibly beauti-" She cut herself off the tiniest bit short, face bright red as her mind caught up with her mouth. To her surprise, Kiyoko was also blushing pretty hard as well.

Nudging her glasses up her nose a little and brushing a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear, Kiyoko stammered, "S-so... Would you... like to be my girlfriend?"

Hitoka couldn't believe it. For her, it had been love at first sight, and how couldn't it be, what with that thick, luxurious hair, and that sexy beauty mark near her mouth... And then she's also been so nice to Hitoka, smiling warmly, telling her all about volleyball and always being willing to chat with her... She had been head over heels for this raven-haired goddess for a long time, but she'd never in a million years have thought those feelings could be returned. She looked Kiyoko in the eyes again, realizing that she'd been taking too long to give her answer. With a deep, excited breath, she practically shouted, "Of course I would, Shimizu-senpai!"

The loud cheering of several people suddenly erupted from above, startling both girls, and not helping either of them with their blushing situation. Smiling down at them from the window was Tanaka, Nishinoya, and practically every other current member of the volleyball team. Tanaka and Nishinoya appeared to have tears in their eyes, in spite of, or perhaps simply in conjuction with, the huge goofy smiles on their faces. Hitoka felt like she was about to melt into a puddle of goo.

Kiyoko looked miffed. She grabbed Hitoka loosely but firmly by the wrist, and led her around the other side of the building, glaring at the group in the window as though warning them not to move to another. Once they were out of sight, she let go of Hitoka's shaking arm, and put one slender finger beneath the girl's chin, lightly tilting it up. Hitoka stared at her, a few tears in the corner of her glossy round eyes. "Hitoka-chan, may I...?" She moved her finger from Hitoka's chin to lightly graze against her lips, that earnest look Hitoka had noticed earlier still in her eyes.

"Y-ye-"

Before Hitoka could finish the word, Kiyoko moved her head forward and pressed her lips against Hitoka's. They were so soft... so warm... Hitoka could feel Kiyoko's arms beginning to wrap around her, pulling her closer, which she gladly accepted, putting her own arms over Kiyoko's shoulders. Turning her head slightly to the side, Kiyoko opened her mouth tentatively, seemingly inviting Hitoka to do the same. Though Hitoka had no prior experience with kissing anyone that wasn't family, and certainly never like this, it felt natural to do as Kiyoko had, parting her lips as well. Kiyoko's tongue quickly but softly moved into Hitoka's mouth, which was surprising but also exciting. Hitoka kissed back, and the two made out in each other's passionate embrace for a good minute or two before finally pulling back slightly.

Breathing heavily for a moment, Kiyoko gave a bright smile. "Oh, and by the way, please, call me Kiyoko-chan. Shimizu-senpai is so formal."

"Hee, sure, no problem, Kiyoko-chan!" Hitoka said, beaming. And then they kissed again, still holding each other, exploring each other's mouths a good three or four more times before they finally decided to return to the others.

What. A. Day.

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This is part one of a series I'm working on about several Haikyuu! pairings. I have at least two more planned, along with a related side series. So, ya know, if you liked this, expect more!