Kaori's POV-

A week has passed since I began my time at Karasuno. Michimiya Yui made it her top priority to ask me every day to join the volleyball team. It became routine for me to politely reject her. Though, with every passing day I reject her, the more motivated she became. It's almost surprising how passionate and serious she is about having me join, but I believe that she only wants me because of the repertoire I'm known for.

"Kaori-chan?"

I turned around at the sound of my name to see a girl five inches taller than I, me being five foot one. She had short chestnut hair, black eyes, and a light trace of freckles around her nose.

She appeared to be the same year as me, but not in my class. She was very familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Before I could speak, the girl grabbed both of my hands and decreased the distance between us. "It is you right? Hey, you look a little different now, but I can still see that it's you."

That's when it dawned on me. This girl was one of my old teammates back at Yukigaoka Middle.

"Aria-chan?" I asked more than said.

She nodded ferociously and pulled me into a bear hug, towering over me. I wasn't used to her being this tall. When we were younger she was only two feet taller than I was.

"You're so cute now. Are you wearing contacts nowadays? You cut your hair! How did I not see you before? Why didn't you contact me when you moved back!?"

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't think anyone would remember me. It's been nearly two years."

"How could I forget? You were a big part of the team! Saito Sora! Haha, it's not like we had any time to forget about our Ace and we were always being bombarded with questions by… How are you and Hinata-san now?"

There were two things that hurt in what Aria was saying.

We separated from our hug and I plastered on the best smile I could. "He thinks I'm an entirely different Saito Kaori. I guess it is possible for there to be more than one person with my name in the world."

"…He's an idiot… Even if it was someone with the same name, you still look like you. Are you going to tell him?"

"No…you know how I left things…"

"This is stupid, Kaori-chan!"

I shook my head, wanting to change the subject. "What about you? Are you still playing as a middle blocker on the team?"

Aria shook her head. "I wanted to try something new, ya know? I'm in track and field now." I could sense there was a deeper meaning to her change of heart, but I didn't press on it.

Since it was lunch we ate together and continued to catch up. It felt nice to have something from my old life come back to me, but it won't last.

"Saito Kaori!"

I bit my lip.

Not again…

"If you join the volleyball team today, I will give you this special edition keychain!"

I looked up at my senpai from my seat while Aria was confused. Michimiya was holding up a keychain of a popular, but ugly-looking, duck.

"Sorry, Michimiya-senpai. I still refuse your offer." I bowed my head sorrowfully and went back to my lunch while Michimiya left in disappointment and growing ambition.

"You haven't joined the team here yet?" Aria asked me as if it was unheard of. I shook my head. "But you love volleyball!" I curled my toes inside my shoes.

"Times change, Aria-chan."

Flashback Start:

I didn't think I couldn't play anymore after the funeral. No, this started before the funeral was even being planned.

I looked down at my calloused hands as it had begun to sprinkle. Friends and family made their way to their cars.

I couldn't bring myself to move from my spot in front of the now closed casket. My brother stood a few feet away in his black suit, watching over me as I examined every rough piece of skin on my hands.

I was in a black, long-sleeved lace dress that went down to my knees with black flats. My hair was elegantly tied up into a bun with a black cloth covering it. Underneath the skirt of my dress I worse black stockings.

"Nee-san…," Nao mumbled as the rain began to pick up. He opened an umbrella and stood beside me to make sure neither of us got too wet.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my hands together to feel the damage on my hands.

This was the same feeling those hands used to feel like. Those hands that I can no longer hold anymore. Those hands that will never be there to guide me. Those hands that were always heavy in my own, but later became too light.

For once in my life, I didn't want to escape my problems by playing volleyball. To my despair, volleyball became a part of my problems.

Flashback End:

The next day, Aria barged into my classroom right as the bell rang for lunch and dragged me out without telling me a thing. Due to the shock I experienced, I instinctively grabbed onto the nearest person with my free hand who sadly was Kageyama.

Once I was released, Kageyama and I fell to the floor of what was the gym.

"Tch. WHY DID YOU DRAG ME ALONG TOO!?" I wasn't paying any attention to Kageyama's venom-like words, but the view in front of me.

The volleyball net was set up, the balls were out, and standing in front of the net in their PE uniforms and knee pads were a few of the members of the Yukigaoka girls' volleyball team. The girls that were in my grade as well as my senpais that were on the team.

"What's-"

"Kaori-chan, think of this as a little reunion for us. There wasn't enough of us in our year to make a game, so we asked a few senpais that were on the team our second year to come." Aria stood beside the girls.

"… There still wouldn't be en-"

"You surprisingly brought Kageyama-san along with you…and we've also asked the captain of the girls' volleyball team to attend as well."

As if on cue, Michimiya Yui appeared in the doorway of the gym in her uniform. "Let's do this!"

And with that, Kageyama and I were forced to participate and change into our PE uniforms. I was given extra kneepads and my hair was tied back into a high ponytail. I didn't have a head band and there were no extras on anyone, so I decided to play without one seeing as it shouldn't be a big problem. I made sure I was wearing a sweatshirt and pants.

Why am I doing this…?

I came out onto the court with mixed feelings.

Flashback Start:

When I first moved to my new school, I was put through a trial run with the middle school branch's volleyball team. My skills were deemed high enough for high school level and I was moved to that team. I instantly became a regular as a wing spiker and college scouts/journalists would constantly be all over me. I didn't mind the attention since I blocked them out when I played, but for my new teammates it was another story.

"Saito Sora. You certainly live up to your name," said the captain of our volleyball team one day after practice. I blushed and graciously thanked her for the compliment. I looked up to everyone on the team since they've had more experience in games than I have, but that admiration didn't come off right.

"You must think you're better than us, huh? A third-year middle schooler playing in the high school division as a regular, not to mention that all the magazines and even Coach are calling you the Ace," said another of my teammates. "How do you think that makes our poor Captain feel seeing our previous Ace out of her games?"

"I-It's fine, everyone. I don't really mind since we're all winning as a team in the end," said the previous Ace. She was a first-year high school student with long blond hair and blue eyes. She was of foreign blood, but born in Japan.

"Jennifer-chan, you're being too soft. You worked your ass off to get that position and she just took it away!" shouted another teammate.

I bowed to Jennifer. "I'm sorry! I didn't know! I'll talk to Coach about switching me out."

"No, no! It's fine really!" Jennifer said, pulling me up out of my bowing position.

"You're too nice for your own good, Jen-chan. People will walk all over you… People like Saito who come from a mediocre town and family take advantage of people like us because they're jealous." My teammates were all going against me except for Jennifer.

"No! That's not how it is at all!" I tried to reason. Jennifer wrapped her arms around me as if to protect me from the words of others.

Jennifer made a vow to me help me become a better player that day, but little did I know the true meaning behind that vow.

Flashback End:

I looked down at my soft hands. Over the course of a month the damaged skin rejuvenated into smoother, softer skin. These weren't the hands of a volleyball player.

"Kao-chan! We're deciding teams!"

I looked up and saw one of my senpais waving at me. I jogged over, everyone—minus Kageyama—smiling at me.

This didn't feel right.

"I'll set," I offered. The girls looked at me in surprise.

Aria held up her arms in an 'x' motion. "Rejected."

"What?"

"Kaori-chan will be a wing spiker."

"Eh? Hey, hold on-" I was cut off as the teams were split off.

On my side, Kageyama was setting and the rest were old team members of mine. On the other side, Aria was a middle blocker while Michimiya was a wing spiker. The captain of the boys' team, Sawamura Daichi, kept track of the score. I didn't even notice him appear.

This is stupid…what will this prove?

Sawamura's POV-

This was a good way for Kageyama to practice tossing to people with different hitting preferences. He didn't look happy to be playing with the girls, but I was sure he was grateful to be on the court.

The girl that Michimiya has been after for the past week, Saito Kaori, didn't look interested in the game at all.

"Oi," Kageyama said once the score was 7-16, his side being down nine. Everyone watched as Kageyama walked over to Saito.

"Shit." I was worried that he'd be rough on her like how he was with Hinata. I was about to intercept Kageyama, but then…

"If you're not willing to play your heart out on this court, then you're weak," Kageyama said to Saito with his dark persona. Saito's eyes widened as she stepped back, surprised. "The only ones who will remain on the court are the strong. So get off. I won't toss to someone so incompetent."

Saito's head dropped down, her bangs slightly covering her eyes as Kageyama crossed his arms with his usual frown and turned to get back into his position.

"…We all have been having a hard time in our own way, Kaori-chan," Miura spoke up and Saito looked up to listen with the blank look of someone in deep thought. "We needed something to help up start believing again… We needed to see you fly once more... Being able to play with you again…is something precious to us. Our time together was cut short too… If you're really not into this… Sorry for pushing you too hard." Miura gave a small but sad smile.

"…" Saito held up her hand with a stoic look on her face. "It's my turn to serve, right?"

Somehow, despite the lack of expression on Saito's face, the mood lightened. I tossed her the ball and she went to the service box. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She spun the ball in her hands and started up into a run, tossing the ball into the air, slamming her hand into it as she completed her jump serve. The ball was returned with some struggle considering that a lot of the ex-members of the Yukigaoka Middle School team didn't join volleyball in high school and thus were out of shape. The ball was sent to Michimiya, who spiked it down. Someone on Saito's side saved the ball and Kageyama ran to retrieve the ball. It looked as if Kageyama was going to set to the left-wing spiker, but out of nowhere, Saito shouted, "RIGHT!"

Saito, who was in the back row on the left side, dashed around to the right as Kageyama set backwards to her. Saito was nowhere near the ball to cleanly spike it, but out of nowhere she leaped forward into the air, her face showing determination and intense concentration on the game. Miura and another blocker from the other side were ready to block the spike.

Saito's arm was raised and her body was curved outward, as if trying to cut through the air. It looked as if she were a bird, taking flight through the darkness. In a split few seconds, Saito's body contorted inward, her right hand contacting the ball and sending it through the blocker's arms. Everyone on the opposite side didn't have enough time to react from the initial shock of the attack. Kageyama, with his usual frown, nodded in contempt.

Kaori's POV-

"The only ones who will remain on the court are the strong. So get off. I won't set to someone so incompetent."

I'm not incompetent…and I'm not weak…

I went to the service box, getting ready to serve as my thoughts began to fester.

Am I strong…? If I'm questioning it, then I must not be. What am I then?

I spun the volleyball in my palms, feeling the cushions with a sense of longing.

What…is this feeling…?

I took a deep, heavy breath.

Not being able to get the ball…not being able to stay on the court anymore…

I stopped the ball from spinning in my hands and served it across.

I DON'T WANT THAT!

Sawamura's POV-

The game ended, 25-18. Saito's side won. Once Kageyama and Miura spoke up, something in Saito must have changed because she started to call for hits not knowing if they'll come, but graciously taking whatever she could get. If someone fell to save a ball or fell and lost a point, she would encourage them to shake it off and focus on the next point. Anyone could tell the difference between her in the beginning and the end. Anyone could see how much she loved this game and how much her fight energized everyone. Her spikes even made me want to jump in play. I didn't care if it was with her or against her. She truly was fit to be called an Ace.

"So this is Saito Kaori's power…," Michimiya said to me once everyone thanked one another for the great game. "She is someone we desperately need on the team… With her on board, I just know we can win. She can rally everyone to work harder…even me. The girls' team needs a beacon to give us hope once again, to keep us fighting even when we lose the motivation to. She's the one who will save Karasuno's Girls' Volleyball team from falling further into the ground, even if she herself is in the process of falling."

I smiled to myself and pat Michimiya on the head. I was reminded of how I felt about the new members of the boys' team. Even we had a chance at redemption.

Michimiya was not happy with me petting her so she ran away to Saito, asking her to join volleyball, but Kaori still rejecting in the end. It was quite comedic.

Though Saito was still being stubborn, I could see her sporting a Karasuno uniform sometime soon.

I doubted her at first, but after watching her expression during the game, there was no doubt left in me regarding her representing our school.

Kaori's POV-

I stared at my right hand while I was leaning against my left hand, with my elbow propped up on my desk.

I recalled the one set game I played during lunch and smiled to myself. My hand was still a little red and stinging from playing. It made my blood rush.

Playing with Aria-chan and the others again almost felt like old times… They're all up to their own activities now. They've moved on from volleyball. I also need to move on…

I looked up at the board.

Old town. Old me… No. Old town. New me.

Hinata's POV-

On my way home from practice, I noticed boys from Yukigaoka Middle School exiting a café ahead of me.

"Ah!"

Did I look like them last year?

"Naoko, you're heading back to school?" I overheard one of the boys asking.

Out of curiosity I tuned into their conversation.

The boy with brown short, ruffled hair nodded. "My older sister is picking me up there."

"W-We should walk you back. You might get lost on your way back," one of the boy's friends said.

"Hell no. You just want to see my sister."

"Well you never invite her to practice. Not all of us have met her you know."

"And none of you will."

"We could tell the fangirls that there is a high schooler crushing on you and they'll do the work of finding her for us."

"Idiot. She has my surname."

I-Is this what kids talk about these days?!

The boy who was the topic of discussion turned his head around because he dropped his tennis bag. He turned around and picked it up. When he stood and looked up, his eyes made contact with mine and widened.

"You…," the boy said to me. It took me awhile to realize that this boy knew me, and yet I didn't know if I knew him. The boy noticed my confusion and pulled up his sleeve to show off a white sweatband with the initials S.N. sewed on.

That sweatband was something I could never forget because I was the one who gave that to him.

"N-N-No way!" I shouted, pointing at the boy in front of me. His friends were confused on what was happening between us. "N-Nao?!"

The boy nodded, giving a small smile until he realized something I did not and quickly spun around on the heel of his foot to leave. He told his friends good bye and walked off in a hurry.

I-If Saito Naoko is here… Then…

"H-Hey!" I ran after him, finding it easy to catch up since I was always the faster one. I tackled him to the ground, ending his means of escape.

"Got you!"

"Damn your legs…," Naoko muttered.

We both got up and I grabbed Naoko by his shoulders. "Where did you disappear to?! I heard you moved one day out of nowhere!"

"…Osaka… Otou-san got a job offer and we had to move out there quickly."

"But…you're back now?"

My shoulders shook as my heart started racing out of my chest from long and overdue anticipation. I needed to know for my own sake.

"Since last week…about… I should really be goi-"

"Is Kaori back too?"

"…"

I looked at Naoko dead in the eyes as my memories of Kaori started pouring out all over again. "Nao!" I didn't mean to shout, but I couldn't control myself. I've searched for Kaori around town for so long. I just needed to understand why she did what she did and how that freedom she told me she wanted went. I just needed to see that she was alright.

Naoko looked at my volleyball jacket. "She goes to your school…" Naoko averted his gaze.

"But…the only one who transferred last week was…!" I let go of Naoko and fell back onto my butt, looking down as I tried to piece everything together.

"Sorry, you just remind me of someone I knew."

"Oh, am I this person?"

"I don't think you'd be asking me if you were."

I clasped my hands around pieces of my hair, lightly tugging at it.

"Why would you… Why didn't I… UGH! I'm an idiot!"

Naoko looked around, got restless and crouched down, leaning his weight against me. I stopped my inner turmoil moment and looked at him.

"...I'm lost…" Naoko murmured, hiding his face from me.

…You still suck at directions…

I pushed aside my feelings and grabbed Naoko's hand, leading him to my house so I could search up the directions to his house. If I could guide him home I would be able to settle things with Kaori once and for all.

Kaori's POV-

I was waiting around Yukigaoka's entrance for Naoko, but he wasn't around. I heard my phone ring and I looked at it to see a message from the boy himself. He messaged me to head home by myself and that he was going to his friend's house.

I sighed and made my way home. I walked down the main street looking at all the shops.

"Oh, Saito-san."

I turned around and saw Kageyama.

"Kageyama-san. Heading home?" I asked, waiting for him to catch up.

He nodded and we decided to walk together. It was a silent walk and by the time we got to our houses, my mom opened the front door.

"Kao-chan! Welcome home!" my mom shouted. I slammed my hand into my face, embarrassed. "Oh, is that your friend?"

"H-Hello-" Kageyama was cut off.

"You should join us for dinner!" my mom beamed, coming over and practically dragging Kageyama into our home.

Sorry, Kageyama-san…

While waiting for dinner, I showed Kageyama to my room to waste time. I pulled out a table and some cushions for us to sit on. When he sat down, I opened the window and tried to crack a joke. "Behold the infamous window." He narrowed his eyes at me and I stopped laughing.

Okay…not funny? I thought it was.

"Ho ho ho..."

I stared at Kageyama, wondering if that sound came from him.

W-Was that him trying to laugh?

I shook my head and made my way out of the room with the excuse of getting us something to drink.

Kageyama's POV-

I looked around Saito's room.

Is this what a girl's room looks like?

From my seat on the floor, I could see a few brown boxes under her bed. Now, it's not good to go through people's possessions, but I ignored that unspoken rule. The door was shut anyways, so it wasn't like anyone would walk by and see. I slid one of the boxes out and opened it. The first thing that caught my eye was a pair of red glasses. I picked them up and examined them.

Saito-san wore glasses? She must be a contact person now…

I put the glasses on the table next to me and continued looking through the box. I found trinkets and small plushies. Buried under all this stuff was a photo album. I opened it just as the door opened.

Kaori's POV-

I walked in with two mugs full of hot chocolate. I expected to see Kageyama sitting just as stiffly as I had left him, but things didn't go like that.

"Huh…" I stared at Kageyama who stared back at me in fear because he was caught doing something he shouldn't have. I closed the door behind me with my foot and placed the mugs on the table and sat beside him, trying to process everything. It was one of the boxes under my bed, and thankfully not the worst box he could have grabbed.

I didn't know what to do. Hit him? Scream? Scold? Deny? I took a deep breath and leaned against the frame of my bed.

"Just ask me what's on your mind… I don't know how to react."

"…You and Hinata…"

I nodded. "Before I moved the summer of my second year of middle school."

"But you two act like complete…"

"Strangers?"

Kageyama nodded. "… Is it alright to ask what happened?"

"It'll come out eventually, right?" I scratched the back of my head and took a sip of my hot chocolate. "I was the one who broke up with him… Two days before school ended for break, my father told my family the big news that he was promoted and his new job was located in Osaka. We were all happy for him…until we realized we all had to come with him. If we moved and Sho… Hinata-san and I were still dating, then it'd become long-distance, right? Long-distance is hard…and I didn't want him to feel tied down to me if he found someone else to love while I was away. I didn't want his life to stop and just focus on trying to keep in contact with me, so I made up a lie to break his heart. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't come find me; that he wouldn't chase after me. I made my teammates promise me that they wouldn't tell him my true intentions."

"…" Kageyama grew silent as he looked through the pictures of me and Hinata.

I started laughing out of nowhere. "I'm despicable, right? A coward? Whether you say it or not, I know what I did was wrong. I should have told the truth, right? Maybe end things on a truthful note rather than a false one? Well, I didn't tell the truth, did I? I don't even have the face to confront him now. He even believes I'm not the Saito Kaori he knew. Even more lies since I played along!"

Kageyama seemed startled by my outburst.

I hunched my back and hanged my head down with my hair falling over my shoulders to shield most of my face. "Why am I even telling you all of this? We aren't really friends, are we? Doesn't matter... You'll just leave me in the end anyways… Everyone always leaves…"

"…Saito-san…" Kageyama sounded as if he understood me a bit, but that didn't seem logical.

I straightened up, tears starting to form in my eyes as I leaned my head back.

At the time, I wasn't registering what I was revealing. Everything flowed out comfortably as if I was talking to my best friend. "It's scary to have so many people around you who don't really care about you. You feel alone despite being surrounded by your so-called friends. You didn't do anything wrong and yet…to be treated like a disease…"

I lost track of everything that was happening around me at that moment.

Flashback Start:

During practice, my teammates would purposefully give me terrible tosses when the coach wasn't looking. When I had to rally with a partner, my partner would make my time difficult by hitting anywhere away from me. I would use up too much energy at the end of practice that it hurt to breathe. I was in-shape, but I wasn't track star in-shape.

When I would shower in the girl's locker room, they would mess with my things. They would cut holes in my clothes, put things in my locker to frame me for stealing, write hurtful notes, throw my items all over the floor, stuff trash in my locker, or hide my things around school and make me find them with riddles. Jennifer was the only one who ever really looked out for me on the team and treated me as her teammate and her friend. I never told any adult about what happened since it was something I could bear for now, especially since I had someone to stand up for me. I knew that things would get worse if I told on my teammates. They never let me forget that.

Today was different from the team's usual pranks. I took out my contacts and showered. After my shower, when I went to my locker and changed into my uniform, nothing happened. Everything seemed fine. Though, I couldn't be sure until I put on my glasses and cleared up my vision. I was near-sighted, but I could only clearly see one foot in front of me.

I couldn't find my glasses.

"Looking for these?"

I turned around and saw my captain holding my red spectacles with the rest of the team surrounding the two of us. I stepped towards my captain. "Can I have my glasses back?"

"Tch, disgusting," my captain said as one of my teammates next to her pushed me back roughly enough to make me fall onto the floor. I held myself as I looked around. I couldn't see their faces, but I could feel the hate everyone had for me.

The captain walked over to me and bent down to my eye level. "Saito-chan, you don't need these. They are only a hindrance to the team's performance. Let me help you in disposing them." She dangled my glasses in front of my face before she stood up and threw my glasses down on the floor in front of me. I flinched just as she stomped her foot down on them.

I opened my eyes to see the frame broken in two with cracks and shattered glass. I covered my face with my hands, not wanting to see anymore. When everything was blurry, it made me dizzy. This situation only made things worse.

Everyone was laughing as Jennifer broke through the crowd and fell to my side. I didn't even notice I was crying until she wrapped her arms around me.

"It's okay… I got you," she whispered to me as she scolded the team, saying how childish they were being. She even collected the fragments of my wrecked glasses onto a handkerchief.

"Neh, Riri-chan," Jennifer said as we were walking home together. "Have you ever thought about laser eye surgery?"

"That's a lot of money…"

"Nonsense, I'll even pay for you!"

"Y-You really don't have to!"

"Don't worry a little hair on your head about it. We're friends, so I don't mind. If we correct your vision, the others won't have any glasses to break or contacts to mess with."

Originally, I invested into getting contacts strictly for volleyball games when I played, but recently I started using them more during practice since my teammates found it necessary to aim for my face.

"I…" I sighed. "Jenny, I'm scared of things like that. Lasers and needles."

"Oh! Ah… Here! I'll stay by your side and hold your hand throughout the entire procedure!" As if to prove her point she grabbed my hand and held it tightly in hers.

It took a few more hours, but Jennifer eventually convinced me to go through with the procedure. Just in case I bailed at the last second, I asked my parents to buy me a new pair of glasses, the exact same model as my old pair. I never got to use them, but they served as a great reminder of my past.

Flashback End:

I snapped out of my train of thought since my mom started yelling from downstairs that dinner was ready. Kageyama, who apparently put everything he took out away while I was out of it, and I awkwardly made our way downstairs. I wiped my face with my sleeves before my mom would see and put on my good girl attitude.

Naoko's POV-

"Thank you for the food," I said, bowing to Hinata's mother.

"It's no problem! Come over to eat whenever you want! It's been a while since I've last seen you. Make sure you bring your sister along next time too!" Hinata's mother said, petting my head. It felt nice, but I still kept my frown plastered on my face. It was normal for me to frown no matter what. I gave up on smiles a long time ago.

Natsu, Shoyo's younger sister, jumped onto my back, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Nao-nii!" She nuzzled her face against my shoulder blade. "Are you leaving already?"

I nodded and bent down so she'd get off. She spun around to get in front of me and showed off her hair.

"Look, look! I'm going to grow out my hair like Kao-nee! Hehehe, but my hair won't grow fast for some reason…" She pouted and I patted her head.

I wonder if short hair just runs in their family…

"I got the address on my phone," Hinata said, emerging into the main room. He looked at me. "Ready?"

I nodded and put on my scarf. Hinata's mother laughed and fixed my scarf since I apparently really suck at putting on a scarf efficiently enough to keep me warm.

Hinata opened the door and it was pouring rain outside. We all stood at the doorway, watching the wind blowing the rain at a rapid pace.

"… There was no forecast for rain…," Hinata's mom murmured.

"We can take an umbrella," Hinata said, determined to go through the rain.

"Oh no you don't. It's a storm out there. I am not letting you two out there. Wait till the storm gets calmer and if it doesn't, you're welcome to sleep over Naoko. I'll call your mom and tell her."

"…" I looked outside the door once more before signing in defeat. "Thank you…"

Kageyama's POV-

Saito walked me to the front door and leaned against the wall while I was putting on my shoes. Things have been strained between us since she caught me going through her things.

Should I apologize?

"… Let's end our interactions with one another now…"

"What?" I asked, not sure I heard her right as she opened the door and looked out.

"Ah! It's raining…it's really pouring huh? Is it fine for you to go home with this weather? You are just next door though…" Saito walked out in her sandals.

"O-Oi!" I reached out to grab her, but she was already more than an arm's reach away from me. I stepped out to the porch while she stepped out into the storm standing a few feet from the porch. She was getting soaked.

"It rained like this before…in Osaka…that night…but something is missing…"

It's been bothering me since she started acting crazy in her room, but the look in her eyes were dull.

She turned and looked at me. "Go, Kageyama-san… Leave me already before I get attached…before I start believing you're really my friend…"

"What are you talking about, Stupid!" I shouted, closing the front door so her mom wouldn't hear us over the dishes she was washing. "I thought you were smarter than this after that set we played, but you're a bigger idiot than I thought!" Saito flinched and looked up at me as I went to the edge of the porch where it was still dry. "I don't remember being your friend in the first place!"

Saito frowned and looked down as if she understood me completely.

"Tch. Friendship isn't something you need to establish! It just happens and one day you just realize that the relationship has been like that. It's a mutual understanding from both parties! I don't know in what moment we became friends, but we are. Why would I just abandon my friend!? That's ridiculous! Maybe people left you in the past, but I'm not them."

"K-Kage…" She looked taken aback. Her eyes started to become more emotional. She was starting to let her feelings show. I stepped into the storm with her so I could yell in her face.

"I don't know what happened in your past, but for me… Being alone is the worst thing in the world. I…made my whole volleyball team in middle school despise me because of how arrogant, over-competitive, and demanding I was. In one of our biggest matches, when I set the ball…no one was there to get it. No one wanted to play if I was out there on the court."

Shit… Now I'm starting to…

Despite the rain disguising my salty fluids, Saito hugged me.

"…"

Neither of us spoke. I didn't hug Saito back. We took this moment to share this feeling of mutual understandings of being alone.

"Please… Rely on me before you push me out for no reason," I said. "Despite all of my downfalls as a person…trust me." Saito, whose face was buried into my chest, nodded her head.

Saito let go of me and held out her pinky. "I promise…" It was childish, but I proudly returned her gesture.

For once Saito gave a genuine smile despite how wrinkled her face was getting from the rain and tears I assumed she was shedding.

BOOOOM!

Lightening erupted and in that blinding momentary flash, I felt a body launch itself onto mine and cling for dear life. I had my arms hovering over the body in the air, stiff. Once I regained my vision, I saw Saito holding me. I silently gasped when I realized she was shaking tremendously. At this point, I couldn't tell if it was from the cold or lightening.

I rushed her inside just as her mom walked into the hall. She was surprised and rushed the both of us into two separate bathrooms.

I was given clothes to change into despite saying that I could change into my uniform or shower at my own house. Moms sure do know how to force you to do things.

In the shower, I thought about everything Saito told me thus far. I was able to deduce a few things: Hinata was an even bigger idiot than I thought, Saito had a lot of mental scars, and all this somehow connects to Saito not wanting to play volleyball anymore.

There wasn't much about myself to share, so I felt determined to find out everything I could on the real Saito Kaori. Maybe my investigation shouldn't start with the girl herself yet. I could do a search online of her name and see what comes up or check out new tabloids from Osaka around the time she was there.

I was sitting in the kitchen figuring out my courses of action. I was being forced to sleep over by both Saito's mom and mine. They were speaking on the phone once I got out of the shower. Saito came down to the kitchen in a thermal, long-sleeved shirt and sweats. She sat across from me with a blank-look on her face. I tried my best to copy her expression, but I ended up glaring at her.

Her face scrunched up in surprise. "W-What did I do now?"

"…Nothing."

"… Your face looks scary when you're feeling neutral."

A vein popped out of my head at that insult. I crossed my arms and looked away from Kaori "Tch. I was born like this."

"Sorry, sorry!"

BOOOOOMM!

I watched as Saito flinched and covered her ears with her hands, shaking.

"You're scared of thunder?" I asked.

She nodded. "It wasn't always like this…" She trailed off, looking at my clothes as if in a daze.

I looked down at myself. The shirt and shorts I was given were big on me, but I made it work somehow.

"Those…are my father's clothes…," Saito mumbled.

"You dad? He must be tall… Oh, where is he? Does he work late?"

Saito stood up. "Yeah…late… Let's go to my room."

We spent the rest of the night talking on the floor of Saito's room. It was mostly jokes and casual conversation, but it held a lot of meaning to two people who don't normally socialize whole-heartedly. We didn't even notice we fell asleep until we woke up on the floor with piles of blankets covering us separately and well as pillows under our heads. It must have been Saito's mother who did it.