Chapter Six
Friends
(Part Two)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Haikyū! related. I only own the story written here on this website and the original characters associated in the timeline.
Once the whole nudity ordeal quieted down, Rei made a haste exit from the baths to her temporary bedroom. She hid into the safety and privacy of the it, yet her face persisted on burning and the red flush mercilessly reached down to her collar bone. She tried her best to calm her speeding, mortified heart and giving it a few minutes, the steady beats returned. However, it didn't mean her mind wasn't on over drive.
It's just never in her life Rei felt so.. so... humiliated!
Yeah there were close calls back in America with her old friends when she was changing outfits, but relating the situation, Rei never had two [or more] schoolmates [of the opposite gender] she personally knew view her fully naked. She was hardly accepting the idea of public baths in Japan and of course, that incident had to transpire.
Rei was always given the worst of luck.
And she was so preoccupied with her chaotic thoughts, it took a small chill to abruptly remind the school girl her state of undress. Better get clothes on before anyone else decided to have the same idea about opening closed doors.
The sixteen year old quickly threw on her undergarments, a light green tank, and black sleep shorts before history could repeat itself. Rei attempted to keep herself occupied with setting up her futon and unwillingly found herself quickly assembling her bed faster than she wanted too. She then proceeded to flip the light switch, tucked the plush blanket to her chin, and shut her eyes tight with hope of her brain switching off.
But, remember, the God of Luck was not on her side.
The memory replayed over and over under those eyelids - and the more it repeated, the hotter with embarrassment she got. Rei had to kick off the blankets, the air of her temporary bedroom helping cool her flushed skin. Rei, remaining on her back, pressed her warm forearm over tired eyes and released an annoyed groan from her lips.
The blonde was currently fighting an internal battle, one where she compared herself to how dumb she was overreacting about a stupid matter versus to how she was berating herself for not beating the shit out of them for peeping. When truly breaking it down who was at fault, it was both parties that were to be blamed. Rei was new to their system for using the bathroom. She had lacked communication [something the volleyball team rely on and off court, it seemed] especially when the guys never had a female sleepover during training camp. Kiyoko probably stayed at her own house to avoid the problem altogether. Nevertheless, both Nishinoya and Tanaka should have known that if the screen door was shut, it was shut for a reason. Although they were caught off guard as well since they were only clad in nothing but loose towels on their hips, at least their privates were covered from any curious eyes - not saying Rei would have stared.
Blowing out a sigh which played with her bangs, Rei came to a conclusion; for her able to sleep the night, Rei had to confront her embarrassment and the guys. The temp manager did not want to let that predicament create any awkwardness between her or the team. She also wanted to apologize on her part, but also warn them all, although not everyone caught a glimpse of her nude body, next time if anyone will attempt any peeping, Rei will place them six feet under. Better to cover all ends, in this case, her own. No pun intended.
The Murata hadn't bother turning her lights on and exited the room, shoulders squared back and ready. As she went to take a step into the dark hall, a scream pierced the once quiet hallways, shaking Rei for a few seconds. She stood there petrified until the laughter of Tanaka echoed with Hinata's boisterous voice, snapping her from a frozen posture. It was not long until the team libero's own unhappy tone was added into the careless banter. Rei was glad she was awake before all it because if otherwise, waking up to their yelling would have gave them an even more grumpy Rei on their hands.
"All of you, quiet down!" The captains serious tone eventually joined in, handling their... eccentric personalities.
Rei finally turned a corner, then lord and behold, the three noisemakers were put in their places, all on their knees and scolded by Daichi, the captain looming over them. The blonde held her laugh, chiming in behind the third year with her typical joking, as if earlier never happened.
"I'm glad you're actually doing your job as a captain."
Rei was grinning, expecting at least one of them to comeback with some witty retort or the two perverts excitedly call her name, but as a wave of awkwardness fell over the group, her smile faltered while their eyes avoided her own and their dark blushes dusted their cheeks. Their reactions had her own color and gnaw on her lower lip shyly, however Rei scratched her warm cheek nervously as she tried to help ease the awkward aura she foreseen.
"Well, don't all speak at once," she half-joked, despite the pit of concern dwelling inside the sixteen year old. Luckily, her words caught Daichi's attention and he finally glanced up from the floor yet he didn't say anything in return.
Guess she had to do all the work or else those guys will probably avoid Rei altogether. "Hey, guys. Let's just pretend what happened earlier, never happened at all. And won't happen again. Okay?"
So you all can get on with your lives and I can keep whatever little shred of dignity I had left. Rei internally begged.
As usual, the third year was first to break the silence, his smile hesitate but in some measure, sincere. "What happened earlier, Murata-chan?"
Initially, Rei had to take a moment to process what he meant or if he was playing a joke. He was one of six (or seven, Rei couldn't recall exactly how many) members who were first to the scene, surely seeing everything. Not before long as her tired mind clicked, she realized what he was playing at. He was being a gentleman, avoiding anymore unnecessary embarrassment for the temporary manager. Rei couldn't help but grin in return, and had to hold back the temptation to hug him in thanks [she didn't want to invade his personal space unlike some team members have done with her - she may come off like a hypocrite].
"Right everyone," adding Daichi, ordering rather than asking, his words directed to the kneeling three. Although their faces were still tinted rosy red, they nodded and played along for the sake of the blonde. He turned to her, further informing her, "I'll be sure to tell the others."
Rei's smile gotten bigger. "Thanks."
And as smoothly as that went, Rei was able to place aside the incident and have a good night's sleep - until her phone's alarm clock rang at eight in the morning. Damn training camp.
The spring sun was bright in the sky, shortly blinding the temporary manager as the team met outside for their morning jogs after the short breakfast. The air was crisp, the frosty clutches lingering in the early day. Rei had to wear her blue sweat jacket, one similar to Kiyoko's. The beauty had old outfits in her closet from her second year, and better than having them collect dust, she shared them with the Murata.
Speaking of Shimizu, the third year greeted her once in earshot. "Morning, Rei."
The blonde attempted to put aside the persisting grogginess, a weak smile sent back to the girl. "Morning, Kiyoko."
Once next to each other, they walked side by side, following the team to the designated starting line for warm ups. "Did you sleep fine?" Kiyoko asked, keeping up the small banter. Rei shrugged, her mind returning back to the bathroom incident again.
"Considering the rather interesting events that unfolded last night," she drawled, peeking at the corner of her eye to how Kiyoko raised a curious brow. "It could've been better." Immediately after, the second year explained what she meant by the comment and Shimizu had to suppress her chuckle with the back of her hand. Rei blush warmed her cold cheeks, a pout directed at the dark hair beauty. "Yeah, you think it's funny..." she mumbled, lips pursed.
Kiyoko patted her on the back, feeling for girl. "My offer is still there if you want to sleepover my house. My parents will not mind," she replied. Without little convincing, Rei immediately accepted with a firm nod and it made Shimizu smile.
They end the conversation there and settled themselves near coach Ukai. Rei was then handed a notebook and flipped it open, spotting the neat handwriting of the third year. Reading it, there were all the names and dates to the beginning and to the end of the training camp, along with times, receives, serve successes, and more. It was the book to record the team member statistics, one similar to the match statistics book Kiyoko has shown in the past to Rei. She borrowed a pencil, and with Shimizu handling the stopwatch, they were ready to start the run.
"RYAAAAA!"
At the start of Hinata's voice, the warm up began, carrying the energized shout to the girls ears and causing Rei to wince. It didn't help when the coach yelled right after, almost deafening the blonde manager.
"HINATA, SHUT UP! YOU'LL GET WORN OUT SHOUTING POINTLESSLY LIKE THAT!"
"One would..." Rei mumbled annoyed, whilst a pinky finger itched the inside of her abused ear. "Only if they were human. That boy has way too much energy to be even consider a human being." And speaking of that boy, when the loud voice carried away until he first rounded a corner, the sixteen year old sighed exasperatedly.
"It won't be long before he makes it back around," Shimizu warned, earning a grimace from both the high school girl and the coach.
However, the beauty was proven wrong when Kageyama was the first to appear eleven minutes later, his gaze just as confused when the three spectators tilt their heads puzzled.
"Where is that idiot-Hinata? He was ahead of me." Rei swore she seen his eye twitch at the statement while she was writing his time from Kiyoko's stopwatch.
The coach then face-palm himself, realizing why the brooding setter was first to finish the warm up lap rather than the usual draw between the quick duo. "Kageyama - go find him." Tobio nodded and backtrack his steps, passing by his fellow team members whom also gave weird looks.
"Coach, were we suppose to follow him?" Tanaka questioned while Nishinoya and Sugawara both watched the first year slip away from their sight.
Ukai only sighed, so Rei took his frustration as for someone else to explain. "He went to fetch Shōyō. Seems like he got lost in all his earlier excitement," Rei answered, her concentration mainly on the marked times she was scribbling down in the notebook, missing Nishinoya and Tanaka's sulking.
"Oi, why don't you call us by our first names?"
Rei did not even bother to look up from the book, her voice monotone as she wrote Sugawara's record as well. "Be happy enough I even pay attention to you guys unlike Shimizu. I should join her and ignore you both," Rei paused, giving it a moment before shaking her head. "But you two weirdos would still get some joy out of it."
The mention of the third year immediately switch their attention from Rei to Kiyoko, their eyes morphing into hearts at the beauty. "You're looking lovely this morning, Kiyoko-chan!" they yelled in unison, crowding her. Of course, the beauty shot a playful glare at Rei for throwing her under the bus. The Murata only pretended she miss it, her fake whistling following shortly after.
"Hey, Rei-chan," the silver haired setter greeted as he looked over her shoulder at the notebook. The blonde stopped her oblivious act and shifted the page towards him, allowing easier access for Sugawara to read.
"Not too shabby, I would say," Rei commented. "I know it's faster than I would have ran." She was truthful on that - Rei wasn't out of shape, but running or anything cardio related wasn't her forte. Also, most males are physically faster than females, whether she wanted to agree with biology or not.
Sugawara smirked at Rei's honesty, returning his gaze with the blonde to the scene before them, both chuckling as Shimizu tried to escape from the duo. "Oh, I know Daichi said to not bring it up," he began, Rei passing a subtle look back when he started scratching his cheek shyly. "But, I personally want to apologize for last night."
Rei, forcing herself to tame her blush, elbowed the third year in the side roughly to cover it up. "Apology now accepted," she feign a nonchalant attitude, although internally she was victoriously smirking at him when he rubbed the new sore spot. "And don't think since you're a grade higher, I won't be afraid to beat you up for telling anyone what you witness."
Now it was his turn to flush, and Rei knew it was not from his previous run. She shot him another glare, one saying 'you better stop thinking about it or else I'm going to have to whack it out of your head'. His blush receded right away, rather quickly, and it gave Rei an opportunity to tease Mr. Calm.
"I guess it was easier done seeing that I don't have much to look at, huh?" Her rare gutter joke definitely caught the level headed third year off guard, the familiar dust returning at full force. It had tongue-tied the silver haired setter, and he knew better if he remarked against or along with her joke, it would earn another gut jab. Rei was surely enjoying the show as she watched him suffer in his silent struggle, totally forgetting about others around her had ears. She was woefully reminded at Nishinoya's objection, his loud voice ending her sweet torture.
"Rei has the body of a goddess, Sugawara! Why aren't you telling her that?"
A blonde brow twitched and a vein popped on Rei's temple at his commentary out burst, and what made it worst was the few remaining members finally appeared next to the rest of the group, minus Hinata and Kageyama, hearing Yū's words.
"Nishinoya! Shhh!" Tanaka failed miserably shushing his loud mouth partner in crime, his eyes shifting on a fuming Rei. He was not helping the situation either since he was barely holding his snickering on how oblivious the libero was acting. However if it was not for him nudging the short male's attention from Sugawara, her fist would have collided with Yū's head. Instead, he ducked just in time and bolted away towards the gymnasium, far from her wrath.
There would have be effort involved chasing him down, so Rei decided to inflict the closest person in her vicinity which unfortunately resulted in being Tanaka's arm.
"Rei-chan! What did I do!?" Ryunosuke whined, his hands raising up in defense meanwhile everyone else were quick with backing away a safe distance from the temporary manager. Rei quickly huffed and teal eyes narrowed dangerously at the wing spiker, but not without an unquestionable clenched hand raising at his absurd questioning. That had him scurry not too far behind Nishinoya.
Rei then sent an apologetic look to Kiyoko to when she missed the remaining times. Favorably on her part, Kiyoko was great at being awesome, well prepared, and knew exactly how to clock multiple times on the stop watch. The Murata loved Shimizu's efficiency.
It took not a minute later for the first year duos to arrive after the scene and thankfully, next part of practice was moved inside, away from the morning chill. Rei and Kiyoko kept to mostly the sidelines as they continued the warm ups, which consisted of jump-blocks, sprints, diving drills, and serving. Time passed by faster than Rei could keep up, and before she knew it, dinner was about ready to be serve.
The beauty had sent Rei to round up the boys, something the second year did really well (but regarding it involved food that time around, just uttering the word 'dinner' had them racing back to the dining area with no other thoughts – if they had any to begin with). She chuckled at her own jester at the team and continued walking casually down the hall until she saw the familiar outline of both Coach Ukai and Sugawara. She slipped near the end of the hallway which connected to the open area, about to announce food will be ready, however the serious look on the setter and coach's faces had her snap her mouth shut.
"If we can achieve wins with Kageyama rather than me, then I think you should choose him without hesitation," the third year setter admitted, vexing the curious blonde hidden in the hallway. She knew she was eavesdropping, but couldn't stop herself when she heard him add on more. "S... sorry for saying something so impertinent… I've played alongside Daichi and Asahi since we were first years. I want to stand with them on the court, for as many plays as possible.
"So when Kageyama is exhausted, or when something or other happens, even is it's a stopgap measure or a substitute. Even if others think "Poor guy, and he's a third year to boot", if it will increase my chances to play in the game, none of that matters," he expressed, Rei slowly understanding what the setter was going on about. "Even though I'm not a regular setter, I definitely won't give up on playing. To that end, I'd like more chances," Sugawara passionately said, adding on, "I will convey my thoughts to other third years, as well."
A chill ran up Rei's spine at his disclosure, his determination definitely felt by the blonde. She heard the coach's remark on what Sugawara talked about, Rei's eyes opening up to what the third years ramble was about. The Murata never really considered who were the regulars were going to be before that encounter with the two. Now with having the thought in mind, Rei worried for everyone. What if others weren't as calm and forgiving as Sugawara? Will it cause any tension or unwanted fights between the members? Or will they get along, like none of it matters? She was sure the latter was the least likely. Sports are competitive and despite the team needing each other to fight against their opponents, they will always be thinking about competing against each other; to remain on the court.
Rei did not enjoy the possible scenarios running through her head, most of them ending up with the team arguing or worst, dropping from the club. Whether which outcome happens, they were not what Rei wanted. She was starting to.. tolerate them. And she believed they were warming up to her as well.
What a pain, she minded not without rubbing her temples. She had to get her head straight and off the topic. More she thought about it, the more it made her regret creating friends with a sports club. And the more it made her wish to return to America - where she already had her friends and no worries.
Uh oh. Rei is actually concern for the team? Looks like it!~
Btw - sorry for the long ass wait. I've been working doubles, hanging out with my rabbit (Cody) and then had the biggest writers block for this and the next two chapters. I actually don't like how this chapter turned out, regardless I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer! But! On the good note, I already have chapters regarding after the preliminaries. Lol way to keep in order, Toni! -smacks self- Also enjoy the cover art. I keep changing it around here and there, whenever art strikes me!
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Sirana: Hey hey! Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed him! He is somewhat of an important character, but I don't want to spoil how/why. Thanks again! And i will finish reading your story! I just wanna be able to review right after I do!
Facie: Kiyoko and Rei's friendship is just beginning, so there will be more interactions of the two. I cannot wait to bring Yachi in too! The trio will be fun to write for!
FlowerSilverStar105: Give Rei some time and she'll start to show her more endearing qualities. And for a Nishixreader - I've been thinking about it, but as of now, I got no time! Thanks tho!
Guest: And more you get! Thanks for reviewing!
LynnnSmith: Pairings? I don't want to spoil it, but there are possibilities between the club members and Rei herself liking each other... But don't worry! There are no love triangles, squares, octagons, etc! Just gonna be some misunderstandings and confusion amongst the members.
CartWheelou: Update it has! -sprinkles glitter around-
Jane416: Hey thanks for the multiple reviews in one go! Ahah! I appreciate you joining along!
THANKS AGAIN FOR FOLLOWING, ADDING TO ALERTS LIST OR REVIEWING! EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!~
And happy holidays if I dont update before then!~
- motorsandcandies aka Toni
Next Chapter: Sleepovers - where Rei gets to hangout with Kiyoko outside of practice and talk about... what is this? - girl things?
Stay Tuned!~