Author's Note: This story is much different from some that I have written before, it's a very experimental style. I'm definitely hopeful that everyone is in character, if you notice any inconsistencies please let me know and I will do my best to correct them. That said, I'm only up-to-date with the anime at this point and working on catching up with the manga so there could be some discrepancies as a result?

Please note the summary may seem a bit deceptive if read literally, it's meant to be interpreted symbolically. I hope you enjoy!

everywhere i see your face

shifting constellations gaze

夏：error in judgment

Her fingers fumble with the lens, trying to get it to focus properly. The sweat on her hands makes each movement slippery and clumsy. Just as she is about to snap the photo, her hand slips and she ends up with a picture of the ground rather than the relay that the boys in her class are performing in. Frustrated, she slumps down onto the ground, holding the camera at arms length.

"Just snap photos as inspiration hits you," the teacher had advised.

The whole reason she's doing this is to avoid anything athletic in the sports festival, and the only way the teacher seemed content to let her off was to rope her into helping out the photography club with photos for the yearbook. He didn't seem to understand that the fine art of photography required far smoother hands than hers.

When she had explained as much to him at the time, he had replied with, "But don't you take photos all the time around school with your phone? This won't be much different. You're just borrowing equipment from the photography club. You'll get used to it quickly!"

His confidence had been sorely misplaced. The more she studies the mechanical device in her hands, the more she thinks it doesn't belong there. Taking pictures of the scenery with a phone is completely different than what is expected of her here. Snapping moving objects takes far more finesse.

Although she is supposed to be dedicating herself to taking photos in memory of the sports festival, Yuzuha lifts herself from the grass and starts back toward the school. She cradles the camera in one hand, a strap secured around her neck in case she drops it. God knows how much she would have to pay if she damaged the equipment.

And while for the moment she is forsaking her assigned duty, she decides that a trip to the fountain to take a drink will refresh her. The teacher has to forgive her that at least. She's not running away—this is just a break.

Her free hand sweeps across her forehead, brushing back the curtain of silver hair almost hanging down in her eyes. The chronic bedhead of untamed hair wards off any people who might otherwise think she is approachable. The sloppy, semi-unkempt appearance of her uniform just further reinforces her status as a loner—even if that's not what she wants to be.

Just as she is approaching the fountain, she's mildly startled to see someone already there. She ducks back behind the corner of the building beside her, peering out warily like an animal stalking its prey. Her nervousness subsides initially as she realizes that it's not an upperclassman standing there. But she quickly reassesses her relief when she recognizes the head of raven black hair and that permanent glare that seems to be etched onto his face.

Kageyama...

Despite being in the same year, he's in a different class. But of course she still knows who he is. She's overheard a few of the girls from her class talking about him. Though she's not sure what part of that permanent scowl seems to attract them to him.

But then she sees it, as he lifts his head after taking a swig of water from the fountain. He's not frowning at all—in fact, his face looks relaxed. Even though he's not smiling he looks happy—content.

Her breath hitches in her throat as she lifts her camera, stepping out from her corner. He's just standing there without moving, his eyelids shut. If it's like this, then he won't even notice if she takes a picture.

Yuzuha's heart is hammering noisily in her chest as she adjusts the settings, zooms in, and then—snap! The sound of the shutter satisfyingly echoes around her, and she's rewarded the moment the polaroid comes out. She holds it nervously in her hand, waiting impatiently for it to develop.

Yet while she's loitering, she doesn't realize that Kageyama has also heard the noise. At least until she peers up and catches him staring at her. And this time, he doesn't look half as peaceful as before. In fact, his face seems to have contorted into a mild look of surprise and indignation.

"You," he growls out in a low voice as though he has finally realized what happened.

She hops back a step defensively, turning left and right as though trying to find some kind of escape. Finally she settles on a safe route and she peels away, running as fast as her small legs can take her. It feels like she's fleeing for her life—and judging by the noisy sound of pursuit behind her, she may very well be right about that.

Yuzuha keeps the polaroid safely pinched at the edge between two fingers. She desperately wants to see how it developed, but for the moment, she needs to find some way to dodge and not get cornered by the man desperately chasing her.

"You! Wait!"

She darts around a corner, sailing up the stairs as quickly as she can take them. Since she doesn't have much experience with exercise and athletics, she finds herself taking labored breaths as she runs across the metal railing on the second floor of the utility building. A lot of the club rooms are located here. Maybe one of the doors is unlocked and she can go inside, she hopes.

Skidding to a halt at one of the doors, her hand slips as she grasps at the door knob. But much to her relief, it eventually twists open and she's able to dart inside and nudge it shut before Kageyama can round the corner after her. Maybe he won't guess that she disappeared into one of the rooms, but if he does, she has to try to hide inside.

Taking choking breaths, she scans the darkness for anywhere to hide—but this is one of the empty club rooms and there's literally nowhere left for her to run. Her heart drops into her stomach and she shrinks back behind the door, hoping that if he just swings it open and takes a cursory glance inside, he'll miss her.

As expected, the knob rattles as the door swings open. And she knows if he hears her breathing, he'll realize instantly that she's in here. She drops the camera, allowing it to dangle from her neck while she clamps a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her noisy exhaling.

The anticipation is too much for Yuzuha and she snaps her eyes shut, desperately waiting out the next several seconds. It's cut short as she hears the sound of an open hand slamming against the wall beside her head, and her eyelids are startled open. She shrinks back as she finds herself on the receiving end of a death glare.

"Oi." He has a scary look in his eyes. "You took a picture of me just now, didn't you?"

She tucks the polaroid behind her skirt, desperate to hide it from his view. No matter what, she doesn't want to give it up. It was the first good picture that she took. "I-it didn't turn out... I l-lost it as I was r-running from you."

"Don't lie," he warns. "I saw you hide it behind your back just now. Hand it over."

As his face presses closer toward her, as though trying to intimidate her, she squeaks. Perspiration is beading across her forehead, sweat pouring down her face. Her social anxiety makes confrontation the most nerve-wracking thing she has ever had to endure. And Kageyama's terrifying presence is the most miserable thing she's ever been met with—especially when he's emitting such a dark aura.

Despite her reluctance to concede to him, she lifts her trembling hand toward him, holding out the polaroid. She hasn't even gotten the opportunity to see it herself, but there isn't much she can do if he's going to demand it. He does have the right. She didn't even ask to take it.

Kageyama swipes it from her the moment he spots it. And he eyes it with a discerning gaze. His cheeks suddenly tint with a rosy color and he glowers at her. "Why were you taking a picture of me?" His voice is measured with frustration, though he's clearly doing his best to restrain his emotion.

"I-I was just going—it was an a-accident," she explains frantically, tripping over her own words. Realizing that what she is saying makes no sense, she makes an attempt to correct it. "I mean, it... I was just..."

"Are... you crying?"

It takes a moment for her to realize that there is indeed tears spilling down her cheeks. She tries desperately to wipe them away with the back of her hand, but they just keep coming. "S-sorry, I... I'm a c-crybaby, so..."

Despite seeming so fierce just moments ago, Kageyama now looks completely defenseless as he watches her silently. In fact, he seems almost bitter about how things have turned out. His lips stretch into a resentful, wry frown as he shoves the polaroid back at her. "Stop crying," he demands.

Almost immediately she sobers up, standing rigidly straight as though she regards him as having the same authority as a teacher with the way he commands her.

"No one else is going to see this, right?"

Technically she is supposed to submit all photos that she takes, whether they're duds or not. But if she admits as much to him now, he's sure to shred it right in front of her. Surely an exception can be made in this instance. She gives a shaky nod of the head. "Y-yeah... just me."

"You want it that bad?"

"I... I do..."

He regards her quizzically, clearly not understanding her desperation for the photograph. "You're weird," he decides as he thrusts the polaroid into her face. "I'll let you keep that, but don't go around taking pictures of people without asking."

The severity of his voice gives the impression that he's issuing a threat. She recoils as she clutches the photograph to her chest. "Y-yeah, o-okay..." There are still tears in the ducts of her eyes as she listens to the echo of his footsteps fading away. And once he's gone, she slumps against the wall and falls to her bottom, finally peeling the photo back to take her first peek at it.

Yuzuha's cheeks color a dark shade of red as she studies it. That expression he was making at that time—it's completely different from what he showed her just now. He looked serene then. The Kageyama just a moment ago was scary and unapproachable, but the one she had photographed is so captivating that she feels her heart thumping. And this time it's not because she's scared or nervous.

—

Intuitively, she realizes that it's wrong. Morally, she realizes that it's wrong. But that doesn't stop her.

"Until how long are you planning on following me?"

Her shoulders tense as she watches him start to turn around. Yuzuha ducks behind the closest corner, too afraid to peer back into the hallway to see if he's looking back in her direction. It's shameful to admit, but she's been following him for the past two days since the sports festival ended.

No matter how much she looks at that picture, she can't believe it's the same person as the one that chased her down after she took it. It's as though she feels compelled to follow him and see him make that expression again so she can confirm that it wasn't her imagination or some error in the photograph when she took it.

"You can't just hide. I know you're there," he says as he peeks around the corner at her, those brows furrowed down against his eyes in an intense glare.

She chokes out a squeak and backpedals, clumsily tripping over her own feet and landing with a noisy thud on the floor. The impact may shock her more than being called out to by Kageyama. Either way, the waterworks start all over again and the tears are swelling in her eyes.

"H-hey, why are you crying again?!"

Those haunting jade eyes of hers peer up at him like an injured fawn, and even Kageyama can't help but flinch away. "Y... you..."

"What is it? You have something to say?"

He sounds even more intimidating when he's trying to coax her to talk. Kageyama probably intends to encourage her to speak her mind, but instead he sounds like a gangster trying to interrogate her. She leaps to her feet and takes a few retreating steps back. "You're scary and mean!" she finally blurts out before running off in the opposite direction, leaving Kageyama standing there, gaping in disbelief.

During lunch, where he might rather not talk about the odd experience, he nevertheless relays it to his teammate as though it's some vain hope that Hinata can contribute some words of wisdom. He ought to know better. He really ought to.

"She's a stalker," Hinata decides.

"I know that!" he snaps back impatiently. Although he's not entirely sure. Do most stalkers recoil in fear the moment they're caught? Aren't they usually more... persistent and crazy than that?

"But you made her cry?"

"I didn't do anything!"

Despite his friend's protestations, Hinata can't help but snort in laughter as he rips through his sandwich. Then an idea occurs to him and his face instantly lights up. "Maybe... she actually likes you? Maybe she's trying to confess?!" He's so excited by the possibility that he nearly leaps out of his chair.

"You have mustard on your chin," Kageyama points out, a vein popping on his forehead.

The redhead's immediate reaction is to wipe it away with the back of his hand but Kageyama throws a small stack of napkins right at his face. Hinata should be annoyed by it, but instead he cracks a grin. "Thanks!" He seems the complete opposite of the girl who is intent on following Kageyama around. Hinata is cheerful, easygoing and resilient. He bounces back from whatever Kageyama says without a second thought.

But this girl...

"Girls are a little bit... delicate?" Sugawara explains thoughtfully when Kageyama seeks him out for advice at practice later that day. "Maybe you should try asking her... nicely." There is a nervous smile on the upperclassman's face as he clarifies with the "nicely," as though he expects Kageyama to rough her up.

"I tried," Kageyama complains, clearly in a foul mood.

"Maybe... you should try smiling at her as you say it?"

That does seem like a more effective approach to the matter. Perhaps if he can go without triggering her fear response, he can get more than a muttered jumble of words out of her. Kageyama simply isn't accustomed to such squeamish people.

So the following day...

"Why are you following me?" His lips stretch out into what he thinks is a a pleasant smile. In reality, that dark aura is still emanating from him and the way his lips stretch out is clearly strained by murderous intent in Yuzuha's eyes.

"I... I'm sorry!" she screams out along with the tears that have started spouting from her eyes again, and in moments she's dashing away at light speed.

Dumbfounded, Kageyama stares after her without a clue as to what he must have done this time to have scared her off. It seems like no matter what approach he takes to trying to rectify this situation, it ends with him being the bad guy.

So this time at practice, he approaches the only other spineless person he knows in school.

"Senpai, how do I approach a girl if she's scared of me?"

Asahi shrinks back, startled at being addressed so suddenly. "H-huh? Sorry, you're asking me for advice?" His eyes go round in shock.

Kageyama gives a sharp nod.

"Well, uh... maybe you should start by not glaring...?"

"I tried smiling at her."

Those brown eyes of his avert to the ground, and his jaw tightens. "Uh, Kageyama... maybe smiling isn't the best..." It's as though Asahi can recall the times in the past that Kageyama smiled at him or Hinata—and how terrifying it had been. There was nothing kind about the way Kageyama smiled. In fact, if the ace had to guess, he was quite certain that Kageyama didn't know how to wear a friendly, welcoming smile.

"It's not?" Kageyama's voice hitches in obvious surprise. He seems puzzled by this conflicting advice.

"Maybe... in a soft voice?" Asahi advises uncertainly.

"I see..."

He implements this idea the very next day at lunch time when he catches her following after him again as he's on his way to the cafeteria.

"Why... are you following me?" His voice is soft, he's sure. It's meant to sound almost sugary sweet, but perhaps for that reason it's twice as devastating when Yuzuha hears it. It's as though it's some kind of foreboding sign of the apocalypse—like he's trying to coat his murderous intent by sounding nice.

She screeches like a banshee and runs away this time without even a coherent word, and he's left standing there with his mounting frustration.

Although the next person he intends to ask should be the captain of the team, but Sawamura appears to be too busy. That leaves him with two of the most unreliable upperclassmen, and it's coin flip as to who would be more unhelpful than the other.

"You're asking me for advice?!" Nishinoya's face lights up as though he's crossed some kind of remarkable milestone, much like when Hinata first addressed him as "senpai."

Kageyama averts his eyes. He instantly assesses this as a mistake and inwardly admonishes himself for being stupid enough to ever approach someone this annoying for advice. It's clear to him that Nishinoya is as equally inexperienced as he is with girls, if not significantly worse.

"Corner her!"

"...Hah?"

"Yeah!" Nishinoya declares with a clenched fist raised into the air. "If you corner her, then she'll have to face you!"

Won't that just scare her more? He recalls the first time they "met," and how she had been pressed up against the wall with her eyes round in fear as though she thought he might tear her to shreds. Every time she had opened her mouth, she'd stuttered or stumbled with her words too.

"Oi! Tanaka!"

Kageyama blanches as Nishinoya calls over the other unhelpful upperclassman.

"Kageyama is asking about—"

He shoves a hand outward, clamping it against the shorter boy's mouth. That death glare appears on his face again as he smiles down at his "senpai." Even the usually oblivious Nishinoya freezes up as he realizes just how deadly serious Kageyama is about keeping this from getting out to the entire team. Although in hindsight, Kageyama realizes that by approaching Nishinoya, it is inevitable that everyone else will quickly find out.

—

The polaroid peeks out at her from the safety of her desk, and she smiles at the photograph as she waits impatiently for the lunch bell to ring again. Even though she's perpetually terrified of the boy in the picture, she can't shake her habit of following after him at lunch. By now she realizes that it's inevitable that he will confront her again. He has tried several days in a row to attempt to ask her why she seems so intent on him, but each time her anxiety seizes her and she's fled the scene without a second thought.

She sighs wistfully to herself. While it's true that Kageyama's face is scary by itself, it's only because he's always glaring or wearing that terrifying smile. If he would just look at her like he did in this picture, she thinks she could talk to him.

Alas, Yuzuha recognizes how unrealistic such an expectation would be. It's better if she can just tell him honestly how she feels. She has realized it in these past few days as she has followed him around and watched him struggle with how to confront her without sending her running with her tail tucked between her legs. She realizes that despite how rough he seems on the outside, there's something deeper inside. He is considerate in his own way, even though he struggles with it.

When the bell rings, she slips the photograph back into the confines of her desk and stands abruptly. She made extra for her bento box today. It's far too advanced for her, she realizes, because she'll never be able to invite him to eat with her, even if she has secretly come to develop some feelings for him. For someone as skiddish and cowardly as she is, Yuzuha reasons that she's better off with her fantasies than the real person. Actually talking to Kageyama is too scary.

Regardless of the futility, she carries the wrapped lunch box off as she darts out the door, scrambling off toward Kageyama's classroom. She peers out from around the corner and watches for him to come out. He's always alone when he comes out, or occasionally accompanied by that fiery redhead that laughs so obnoxiously that it even hurts her ears. But although Kageyama seems snappy and impatient with the other boy, there is that occasional look of satisfaction in his eyes that makes her realize that they're definitely friends.

Today plays out like any other. At least until she realizes that he's taking a long, winding way to the cafeteria this time. In fact, she's beginning to wonder if he hasn't decided to go eat outside. Or maybe he's trying to lure her out? Or shake her off? Or—

While she's preoccupied by her own paranoia, she doesn't realize until it's too late that he's started approaching her. Instinctively, she turns to run—but since he's already closed off her escape, the only thing to do is retreat in the opposite direction. But that turns out a futile effort, because the door in front of her ends up being locked. That's when she realizes that she's been trapped.

"Hey."

She stiffens at the sound of his voice and drops her lunch box to the ground, curling instantly into the fetal position as she clamps her hands over her ears. "I'm sorry!" she yells out instantly as though her apology will convince him to leave her alone.

Rather than snap at her or threaten her as she anticipates, he kneels down beside her and grabs her lunch box. He holds it securely before he looks at her, those intense, narrowed eyes staring her down.

"S-scary!" she squeaks out as she shrinks back, snapping her eyes shut.

"That's just how my face looks," he says, clearly irritated at constantly being labeled "scary" and "mean."

Yuzuha gulps, swallowing the lump that has formed in the back of her throat. And she peeks out between the fingers that are covering her face. "Th-that's not true," she mumbles quietly in protest. "K-Kageyama-kun's face is... it's... s-serene..."

"Serene?" He chokes back in disbelief.

"S-sorry!"

There is a pause before he heaves a sigh, realizing that he must have snapped at her. It's clear that he's unaccustomed to dealing with such people, and he hangs his head, rubbing at the back of his neck as though he's trying to calm himself down. His temper is too short, and he's too easily frustrated. It makes talking with her the biggest test of his patience that he's ever had to endure.

"I... I think it's... refreshing," she tests out nervously. Each word sounds more uncertain than the last, but she's peeking out at him again. "I... I like... your face..." The moment Yuzuha realizes exactly what she has said, her cheeks rapidly heat up, and her heart is hammering so noisily in her chest. A voice booms in her head, telling her to flee.

A hand clamps down on her shoulder, locking her in place. "Is that true?" He seems skeptical as he studies her expression.

"I'm not lying," she says finally. It's the first time she hasn't stumbled with her words. But instead, she has tears already forming in her eyes.

"Don't cry again."

"Sor—"

"And stop apologizing."

Yuzuha stiffens at the command, unsure of what she should do. She blinks rapidly, trying to hold the tears back. But it's hard—she's been so used to sobbing and balling whenever anything frightened her or made her nervous. It's never been something she could help.

"You... do you like me? Is that why you keep following me?"

Since she suspects if she opens her mouth, she won't be able to restrain the tears anymore, Yuzuha just gives a small nod to confirm what he's asking. But since she can already anticipate what he's going to say, she cuts in before he can respond. "C-can I... not follow you anymore?"

He seems to be at a loss. "Don't you have any friends?" he asks finally.

"Um..." Looking abashed, she shakes her head. "I don't... have any."

This makes things more difficult. It is annoying to be followed by someone that doesn't even seem to want to communicate with him. Although talking to her is also the biggest strain on his patience that he's ever experienced. If he weighs the two, he supposes her following him is slightly less annoying than having to talk to her. And she doesn't look like the type that can be easily discouraged. Considering the fact that she doesn't even have any friends, he almost feels pressured. That seems backwards—he's supposed to be as cold-hearted as so many people seem to think he is.

"I-it's okay!" she reassures quickly, as though she's noticed him trying to process all of this information to come to a decision. "I'm... fine not having any friends. I-I won't ask Kageyama-kun to be my friend. That would be... too much... I just want to... follow you."

"..." That makes even less sense, and it's completely strange. Who would want to just follow someone without making contact with them?

"I'm... asking for something impossible, right?"

He is silent for a moment. This whole situation doesn't quite make sense to him. Kageyama is used to something he can straightforwardly rationalize. That's what makes volleyball so much easier. He may be an athletic genius, but when it comes to his social skills, he's rather poor. Being friends with this girl really isn't anywhere on his priority list and he doesn't have even the slightest inclination to humor her request.

"It's fine," he concedes at last. "But only for a while. Until you get over being terrified of me."

"Y-yes!" she exclaims excitedly, a clear look of delight on those gentle features of hers. Those jade irises regard him fondly as she gives him a small smile. "Th-thank you, Kageyama-kun. I think... I can start trying to work up the courage to talk to you more this way..."

He might rather she not. Frankly, Kageyama isn't really sure how he should feel. This isn't the first time someone has been scared of him, and he's not particularly pleased with the idea that he's utterly terrifying. Talking to this girl is almost like accepting the ultimate challenge for him to calm himself and talk to others reasonably. It's like a test that he can put himself through to strengthen his communication skills. If he looks at it like that, it's not entirely unacceptable.

At least that's what he thinks until practice that night, where everyone seems to notice a certain unwanted presence peeking in from outside the gym.

"Kageyama, you have a stalker," Tsukishima announces to him.

"I know that."

"Go take care of it."

The problem definitely hasn't been resolved at all. If anything, she took his reluctant acceptance of her plea as license to follow him more.