"Kangen Yuuma," The pudding head boy started while his face is fixated on his handheld device screen, as usual. "3rd year, Class 4. He's never left the top five ever since his first year." Somewhere around his game, he suddenly paused when he comes to question why he and Megumi are talking about the boy.

"Uh, why are we talking about him again?" He stared at the female intently as she looks down with a flustered face—totally easy to read. "Wait, don't tell me…"

Megumi immediately held the boy on his two shoulders and shook him, "Too loud! Don't continue!"

He rolled his eyes while muttering, "You're the loud one here." Sighing, he continued, "He's pretty much close with Kuro, the fact that they've been classmates since the 2nd year. He's pretty nice—from what I heard from Kuro, that is. Why are we talking about him again when you don't even have a slight bit of a plan to approach Kangen-san?"

"Just getting to know him makes me feel better." Answered the female with such dreamy eyes as she props her cheeks on her hands.

Once again, the pudding head rolled his eyes and questioned himself why out of all people did he have to talk to a hopeless romantic like Chiyo Megumi.

"He's good at volleyball and plays the guitar. I don't really know why he didn't join the volleyball club when he had the chance." And yet, he questions himself why he's talking about him to her.

"Really, sounds cool." A smile was evident on Megumi's face. Kenma liked her smile; he basically liked it better than seeing her frowning.

Without realizing, the two became close friends without officially announcing that they were. It somehow just happened, and Megumi liked the fact that they unexpectedly became close—it was better than awkwardly asking 'can we be friends?' It was just not her style, being the shy one and all.

"Why didn't you join the martial arts club when you had the chance? They surely need experienced people like you." Kenma brought up when he remembered Megumi was a taekwondo player.

Megumi shook her head, "Nobody would ever believe in me if I tell them I used to represent my old schools."

An eyebrow raised in Kenma's face. "Then beat them up."

"I can't do that, stupid." Chuckled Megumi.

"So you're planning on not joining any club at all?" Asked the pudding head, "Then again, it's not a compulsory…"

Outside the classroom was Kuroo Tetsurou and his fellow third year volleyball club member Morisuke Yaku. The short libero started wiping fake tears as he watches their setter talk to someone other than the volleyball team. "It's such a miracle to see Kenma talking long sentences… Better yet to a girl!"

Kuroo silently watched while shushing Yaku, as they both wait for a good opportunity to break the two's conversation and take Kenma away for practice. "I was so sure that girl was a silent type. Who knew she could be this loud."

"How was she able to do that? It took me months for Kenma to look at me straight in the eye and make him talk two to three words!" Muttered the volleyball captain as childhood scenes flash back on the back of his mind.

"Opposites attract, but similarities binds two people together." Yaku smiled.

"I'm opening the door."

With that, Kuroo slid the door wide open and purposely yelled a loud greeting to the two. Megumi flinched while Kenma kept his poker face on as he was already used to surprisingly seeing Kuroo show up out of nowhere.

"It's time for practice, Kenma!"

And once again, he was surprisingly dragged away in front of Megumi.

"What does that Chiyo girl have that I don't have?" Kuroo easily spikes the ball Kenma has tossed to him then looked at his best friend when he landed.

Kenma raised an eyebrow as he takes a new ball from the basket, "Uh, what?"

"Chiyo Megumi," The bed headed captain repeated, "How could you easily talk to her? It has just been a week or two—I don't fucking remember—since school started. It took me months to talk to you for heaven's sake!"

"Are you saying that I might replace you because I get along with her better than you?"

Kuroo desperately nodded, the pudding head tried to contain the rolling of his eyes but it wasn't possible.

"I might consider, since I hate you and all." He muttered, although it was still loud enough for the volleyball captain to hear. He received a pat from him.

"Anyway, what's Kangen-san like?"

Kenma's question surprised Kuroo, but he still answered his best friend. "He's one of those really nice dudes in class. Like, super nice, even though his best female friend is a total bitch."

The pudding head setter threw the ball up and readied himself to toss it to his best friend. "Really…"

"I bet Chiyo likes Yuuma that's why you're asking."

"No harm in telling you."

"Heh, of course. We trust each other 100%." Answered the captain and went for the jump to spike the ball.

Kenma hummed and left the court to take a break, leaving Kuroo by himself who was waiting for another toss. He rolled his eyes and chased after his best friend who practically left him.

"Are you okay leaving Chiyo alone? She looks like she constantly needs somebody to be with." He asked.

Once again, the pudding head hummed as a reply while taking one of the bottles on the bench. As of this moment, he couldn't think of anything else but Megumi at that time. Especially of what Kuroo had just said. "Kenma, you're ignoring me." The captain added.

"I'm not."

"You are."

He truly was ignoring his best friend in his way. Because what if she was being bullied again and the words are taking a toll on her, again? There isn't even a month of school and yet everyone around her is being cruel judgmental people.

"Kenma."

That girl's no good when she's alone.

"Kenma, oi."

Why do I care anyways, she's no better than anyone… Although she IS just like me, but worst.

"Kenma, seriously you're spacing out, why are you staring at Tora's butt from afar?" Taketora, who heard Kuroo's statement, turned and glared at him.

The pudding head blinked a few times before looking around his surroundings, completely unknown of what was happening. "What?"

With that, his best friend shook his head and was only able to tell him to go back to practice. Kenma was able to nod and casually walk back to the court while rethinking about the thoughts about Megumi he just had a while ago. Seriously though, she's not important to me.

She isn't. But I just can't help but look after her.

Megumi spent the whole hour after class reading a book. When she realized the time, her feet quickly shifted and she immediately placed her things on her bag then ran out of the classroom—only to stop her tracks when she saw Yuuma pass by the corridor.

12 inches. Their distance was approximately 12 inches. He was smiling, it made her blush—but sadly, the reason for his smile wasn't because of her.

But in 0.01 seconds, she was able to pull off a smile and skip her way out of the campus.