Hinata's View

I woke extra early today. Actually I really didn't sleep much at all last night. It is the first day of my second year. I don't know what it is I'm feeling. For the first time since I started playing volleyball, I'm dreading going to practice. It was only a couple weeks ago that the whole team was together and we won Nationals but now everything is different. The third years are no longer there. How will it be now that Daichi, Asahi, and Suga are gone? Shimizu-senpai is also gone. It feels like there is something missing. The team will be incomplete. I cant believe that we are supposed to just move forward like nothing happened. It was mind-boggling. Our volleyball team, who at the start of the year no one noticed, had taken it all the way and became champions. We stayed on the court the longest. We were number one on all of Japan. Wow. And now we're split up and I don't know how to feel. I guess that's not the only thing that is bothering. Something else had happened at nationals. Something that was really unexpected… Stop.

I don't want to think about it. It's just going to stress me out. Every time I do It just confuses me even more and that's the last thing I want. Im just going to lock it away deep in the darkest place of my mind. That's the best option.

Since I'm already awake I might as well go for a jog and clear my head. Today is going to be an interesting day.


Yachi's View

The alarm went off at 6:30 but I had been lying awake for maybe 20 minutes now. I turned it off and sat up on the bed. The first day of 2nd year was finally here. I felt really uneasy all of the sudden. Well, I guess its not all of the sudden. I've been uneasy about this day for the longest time. It has been this way since Nationals. That day had changed everything.

Since nationals took place in January. It had been really hard to deal with the last 2 months of the school year. I avoided Hinata the whole time. How could I even look him in the eye? Let alone talk to him?! It was just impossible. Thinking about it made my head hurt and my skin feel extremely hot. I mean after what went down it just wasn't possible to go back to the way things were right? At least that's how I felt.

Shimizu-senpai was no longer going to be in the club. I was the only girl now. Oh man that was really going to be hard. I talked to Shimizu-senpai last night and told her about my concerns.

"Yachi-san, I think that you're maybe overthinking." She started, "I know you guys have had some tension for some time now, but its been quite some time. I'm sure Hinata forgot all about it already."

"I know Shimizu-senpai, but what if he didn't. I mean… I haven't forgotten about it… I think about it all the time." I argued, "Plus I basically avoided him for the past 2 months. That's not something he'll just brush off." It was true. During practice, I had kept our contact to a minimum. Outside of the club, I avoided him entirely. It was horrible of me.

"Yachi-san, You know Hinata is not the kind of person to hold grudges. He only has one thing on his mind and that's volleyball. I'm sure if you just try to be friends like before he'll be overjoyed and forget about everything else." Shimizu-senpai's words were so assuring. She made me feel somewhat confident that things could be fixed.

"I hope you're right. The way things are right now just break my heart and I just want things to go back to normal. I miss him." I wasn't lying. I really did miss my friend. "Oh my god! Here I am complaining about my situations when I'm sure Shimizu-senpai is worried enough with her own problems. What with starting University and all. I'm sorry to be such a bother!"

"Don't worry about it." She laughed it off, "Univ is not that big of a difference from high school, plus we're friends aren't we? I really can't do much for you but at least i can listen to your problems so don't hesitate."

Talking to her had really helped me. I felt confident going to bed last night, but here I am back in my old habits and wishing some kind of mild disaster would strike so they would cancel school. I really didn't want to go to class today.


Flashback to Nationals (Yachi's view)

"KARASUNO!"

"FIGHT!"

The team was in a craze. I couldn't stop crying and we were all being so loud. Nothing but happiness was in sight. We were back at the hotel in Tokyo. If you looked at the team you wouldn't think that they had just played 5 sets against Itachiyama Academy. You wouldn't think they had just completely drained themselves in the match against the tournament favorites. No. Not the way they were jumping around and celebrating. No doubt their bodies were moving through the sheer adrenaline and will power. Physically their bodies were spent. But their minds were on fire. Nothing could make them settle down. They shouldn't have to either.

Then I saw him. He who is always exceeding energy past the human norm. His gaze was towards the floor and his breathing was measured. Why was he so calm? I would have expected him to be jumping from wall to wall right about now. It was somewhat disconcerting to see him like this.

"Hinata..?" I approached him, "Is everything okay?"

He looked up. There it was. That piercing look he had sometimes. It crawled up on me like the most dangerous yet silent predator. It made me have to avert my eyes and instantly looked down.

"Yachi-san" he almost whispered it, "we won."

I was dumbfounded. "Yeah… uh…it was an amazing match to witness." I was able to mutter out once I found some of my composure. I finally found the courage to lift my head and look at him again. The warmest smile greeted me. I felt my temperature rise. It was so contagious. It was like looking at the sun.

"I'm so happy!" He finally shouted. Everything seemed right again. Then I noticed he was holding his hand really tightly.

"Is everything alright? Is something wrong with your hand?" I asked him.

"Oh yeah. Don't worry about it, it's nothing serious"

"What happened Hinata?"

"I jammed some of my fingers during the match. Their ace really packed a punch when he went WHOOSH and even more when he BAAAM'D" He explained in his odd way.

"Hinata why didn't you say anything? You could've sprained them or even broken them! We need to get you checked out." I scolded him. He smiled like it was no big deal but I could see past his façade. He was in pain.

"I didn't want to be taken out of the game. I remembered Tsukishima had to leave when he hurt his hand in the Shiratorizawa match. I wanted to stay in the court." He could really be dense when it came to his passion for the sport. He was dedicated to a fault.

"Let me at least tape your fingers and give you something for the pain please." I pled. Fortunately, the game was over so he didn't put much of a fight against my request.

We found Takeda-sensei in the lobby of the hotel. He was apologizing profusely to the hotel management for all the ruckus the team had been causing. We waited for an opportunity to approach him.

"Excuse me Takeda-sensei. Would you happen to know where the bag with the medical supplies is? Hinata has some discomfort and I'd like to tape his fingers and give him some pain medication" I explained.

"Oh, Yachi-san, of course." He sounded somewhat worried, "If it is not with the teams gear bag then it must have been left back in the bus. I'll go fetch it for you guys."

"No, please don't worry, I can get it myself." He looked nervous at the thought so I told him Hinata would accompany me to put his mind at ease. He gave us the keys after that.

The parking garage was really quiet. It was lit by some lights spread apart all through the complex but there was still areas of darkness since they were far from each other. The team's bus was in an area with medium light covering it. We got the supplies and went inside the bus so I could tend to his hand in a well-lit space.

"Ouch!" he winced.

"That's what happens when you don't tend to problems right away. Next time you'll know better" I laughed a little. He was whining so much like a little kid.

"I don't really mind it if I'm being honest."

"Well that's good. If the pain isn't too much then it's a sign that they aren't sprained or broken" It was a relief. It would've driven him mad to sit out practice because of this.

"That's not what I meant." He said quietly.

I looked up at him. That's when I realized this was the closest we'd ever been. I also had technically been holding his hand for the past 15 minutes. I felt my temperature rise and I prayed that he didn't notice. "Oh. Haha what did you mean then Hinata?"

"Well" he started, "if I had complained during the match then I wouldn't have had the chance to spend this moment with you right now. Just the two of us" He smiled again. My heart started racing. I dropped his hand and turned my body to face out the window and the bus and away from him. What was he saying? I could feel the anxiety creeping up on me. There was no way I could face him for the rest of the night. But he wasn't really going to give me a choice. I felt his hand reach for my face. And then he gently turned my face to his.

He was so close. Much closer than before. And he was getting closer. "Are you okay Yachi-san?" I could feel his breath on my skin now. I just nodded my head and closed my eyes trying to shake off his hand. I didn't want him to feel how hot I was. I could feel his breath getting closer so I forced myself to keep my eyes shut. Then I felt it. His lips pressed against mine. They were soft. It was a tender touch. My mind went blank.

I'm not sure how much time actually transpired in that moment. It could've been seconds or minutes. It felt like an eternity. Maybe that's why it felt like a snap back to reality. And that when things went sour. I opened my open and he was still kissing me. It had been a gentle kiss. Then I messed up. I used all of my strength to push him away from me. He was sent back and landed awkwardly on the aisle between the seats of the bus. He groaned in pain.

"Yachi-san, I'm so-"

"Don't do that!" I yelled out. I shot up from the seat and the medical supplies on my lap went flying everywhere. "Just stay away from me!" and I ran out the bus but as I ran past him I couldn't help but steal a glance at him. His face showed confusing mixed with pain and desire to speak out but I didn't give him a chance. I hurried to the hotel.

Back in my room I laid on the bed wide awake. What had just happened? And why did I react that way? I won't lie to myself. I know I have feelings for Hinata. And his kiss made me feel all kinds of things. So why did I push him away? Why did I say those things to him? I just don't think I can be near him for some time without completely melting in his presence. Did that message come across? I feel that I screamed it out in the wrong way. I was just panicking. What's going to happen?


Hinata's View

WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO?

Oh man, I had really messed up. She hates me. She totally hates me. Why did you kiss her? What were you thinking? I wasn't. That's what it was. I acted purely on feeling. What am I, some Animal? Kageyama was right, I am a moron who can use his brain. I was just so happy. I blanked out. And she looked so pretty. She looked beautiful. The way her skin felt as she tended to my hand. Oh man what did I do?

I have to apologize right away. "Stay away from me!" I remembered her last words before she left. Maybe it would be best to not bother her at least for some time. I really don't want to make matters worse. I hope things will be better with time.