"I heard coach Nekomata muttering about a certain school who kept begging for a practice match with us." Kuroo said to Kenma while the Nekoma Volleyball club was having their stretching before practice.
"Ah, that. Yeah, he kept excusing himself from practice for three straight days because someone wouldn't stop calling him." Nekoma's libero, Yaku Morisuke added.
Every member seemed to agree with what Yaku mentioned since they all nodded after. And as if on cue, assistant coach Naoi arrived the gym with an important announcement.
"Okay, everyone listen up," He took all of the volleyball club members' attention who all gathered in front of him. "So, after quite a few days of thought, Coach Nekomata finally decided to have a practice match. It's in Miyagi... I'm sure we all know what school I'm talking about, yeah?"
A few of the members looked at each other in confusion, while others smiled at the thought that Nekoma was finally having another Battle at the Trash Dump after so many years. Naoi continued his announcement about a training camp at Miyagi, as they were invited by several schools for a practice match there.
"Karasuno... Right?" Kenma asked Kuroo who was just beside him and nodded.
Before practice resumed, the Volleyball team was visited by a certain scarlet eyed female. She was hiding behind the door to the gym, and Kenma was the only person who noticed here, betting she has been there for more than 20 minutes.
"Gumi," He called out which made everyone look at the doorway and smile.
"Ah! Chiyo-san's here today also!" Cheered Inuoka.
"It's really nice to see Chiyo-san visit the club again." Smiled the libero, Yaku. "I hope you also enjoy today!"
Kuroo smirked, "Eh, she just wants to see a certain someone..." He muttered then glancing to Kenma who gave out an evident smile. It made him smile at how his best friend could occasionally smile because of Megumi. "Why don't you come inside now, Chiyo? How long have you been in there?"
"Um," She excused herself and starts walking inside, inching her way to the group. "23 minutes... Or so."
Knew it. The setter thought while heaving a sigh. He watches how Megumi nervously walks to the bleachers to take a seat.
"Kenma-san's watching her again,"
"Ah, I knew he likes her."
Kenma immediately shot a glare at Inuoka and Shibayama once he heard them talk about him and Megumi. The two first years flinched and went back in position as the practice finally starts.
Everyone liked the thought of someone watching them practice. They really liked Megumi too, and she felt happy knowing they welcome her even though she wasn't part of the club. It has been her third time visiting the team, and she already feels comfortable with them. Although she couldn't deny the fact that she's still having trouble talking to the other members.
"You guys are going to Miyagi? For practice matches? When?" Megumi asked while Kuroo, Kenma and she walk to the train station. The two best friends nodded.
"Cool, I'm going to Miyagi as well. My taekwondo mates and I are going on a joint training with the Miyagi team." She said while smiling. Kenma nodded, still kept pondering why she didn't join their school's taekwondo club, she could've been a big help to the team.
Kuroo felt as if she was only talking to the pudding head. Whenever he tried calling out to her, her voice softens and she couldn't look at him in the eye, then she just goes back to Kenma in a different approach which felt uncomfortable since he feels left out.
"Kenma, tell your girlfriend to talk to me the same we she talks to you. Please. This feels very uncomfortable." He whispered to the pudding head.
"How about you try being nice, then?" Whispered Kenma back who was busy pushing random buttons in his PSP. "Gumi will feel at ease if you show her that you're a trustworthy person."
Kuroo sighs and faced Megumi who was right next to his best friend. He cracked up a smile, trying to be a nice looking person. "Hey, Chiyo." The female immediately looked up, her eyes quickly avoided his gaze because of habit. "Are you going to Miyagi alone tomorrow?"
Her eyes moved down as a sign that she is trying to think of words to say, "Um, yeah. I'm the only one who's still here in Tokyo. My teammates already arrived Miyagi."
"How can you go there when you don't even know how to travel alone?" Kenma butted in the conversation, finally turning off his handheld device.
"My cousin lives there, so I've been visiting Miyagi since I was small. I know how to get there."
"Don't call for us when you get lost." Muttered the pudding head. He completely read her mind. She still gets lost sometimes.
The train slowly stopped at the station, doors started automatically opening and the people inside were getting ready to leave. The three stood also to leave the train.
As they start walking out of the station, Kuroo stopped his tracks making Kenma stop also. Megumi was already a few inches away from them as her house was farther and she needed to get home as soon as possible to get ready for tomorrow. She stopped when the middle blocker called for her, "Chiyo."
She turned to face him with wonder, "Yes?"
"Go to school tomorrow at five. The volleyball team's going to Miyagi by bus. We're willing to let you come with us." He said.
Megumi immediately felt embarrassed at the thought and shook her two hands. "Ah, no, no it's embarrassing. I'm not part of your club so I really can't do that!"
"We insist though, Kenma might even enjoy the whole ride because you're—" Kuroo suddenly felt a painful sting on the back as the pudding head slapped him. "It'll be fun." He tried to smile even with the painful feeling.
Megumi looked down with hesitation. It was nice of them to let her ride with them, but it seemed wrong since she wasn't part of the club. "Hey, we'll let you think about it. We'll wait for you for 15 minutes after 5."
The female nodded, thanking the both of them for the company and started walking first to get home.
"So, what are you planning?" Asked Kenma who was filled with confusion since the time Kuroo asked for the female to ride with them to Miyagi.
"I really want Chiyo to feel at ease. I want to let her know that not everyone in school are the same."
The pudding head hummed as they walk, "She would be a good manager for the team since she's really responsible."
"That's my plan."
By the time 5AM struck, the last few of the Nekoma volleyball team arrived at the meeting spot of the school. Namely, Kenma, who was as usual fixated on his PSP screen, and Kuroo who was still yawning.
"Good morning!" Kuroo greeted with a wave. Kenma muttered a greeting as well while walking to the group. He seems to be really good at multitasking as he wasn't actually looking at where he was going.
"Let's wait for Chiyo. We'll leave in 15 minutes." Announced the middle blocker captain.
Meanwhile with Megumi, she found herself sitting down on her bed staring at the bag she prepared for today while pondering whether to join the volleyball club's bus or not. She thought about the pros and cons about it and before she knew it, the clock suddenly struck 5.
Her eyes widened as she saw the clock continue ticking. That's when she finally decided to join them, "But fudge, it takes me 20 minutes to arrive school!" She quickly took her bag and ran to the station—she thank the gods that she lived close to it.
Her feet shifted back and forth inside the train worrying that they might leave her. Ah, stupid Megumi. She thought over and over again. It was already 5:17 when she finally lost hope that they'll still be there. That's when she finally decided to sit down.
Just when she was about to try and calm down, her eyes saw a familiar short stature sitting just across her. Yuuma was happily talking to a girl beside him who Megumi thought that it was Hayama Miyano, his best friend.
She felt a stroke of jealousy as she secretly watches them. How she wished that she could also be his friend. Just a short exchange of words will be okay. It is partly her fault that she couldn't get what she wants, her anxiety always gets the best of her making her feel scared.
Roughly a few minutes later, the train stopped and by the time the doors automatically opened, Megumi ran out and rushed to Nekoma High.
"Kuro, it's been 20 minutes. She's not gonna come." Kenma said with a slight disappointed tone.
Kuroo's eyebrows furrowed as he continued staring at the gates, waiting for the female. "Kenma, were you expecting this?"
The pudding head looked down as he felt even more disappointed about Megumi. "I… Actually thought she was going to come. But there was also a part of me that expected she won't come." I wanted her to come, though.
"U-um!"
The familiar voice made him look up and there he saw Megumi running up to them. Both their faces lit up at the same time seeing each other. "I'm sorry I'm late!" She yelled.
"No, you were just in time!" Inuoka chimed.
Kuroo rolled his eyes, "How is 5:23 just in time?"
Yaku patted his back, "Now, now, Kuroo. We're not going to be late anyways." He smiled and was one of the first people to bother walking inside the bus.
Naoi called the remaining people who seemed to forget they were on their way somewhere. After everyone made their way inside the bus, Megumi eventually had to sit right next to Kenma for the whole trip.
"Do you prefer the window seat?" The pudding head asked who looked willing to give his window seat to her. She guiltily nodded feeling a bit embarrassed that he had to change seats for her, since the only difference was it was just a window seat.
Once everybody were all set for the trip, the car engine starts and finally, they were on their way to Miyagi. It has not been twenty minutes yet Megumi already started feeling dizzy and queasy which made her rush to her bag to find a Ziploc. Kenma watched her rummage her bag rapidly, a few things falling here and there, then he realized that she wasn't feeling well. Talk about late, Kenma.
"A-Are you—Gumi, are you okay?" He asked as his mind blacked out from panic. He couldn't think of anything to help her with her problem. "Do you have motion sickness?"
The female quickly nodded, now covering her mouth using her one hand while continuing on finding a Ziploc with her free one. The pudding head quickly looked through his bag to try searching for one—knowing he put on inside yesterday—but no luck.
Everyone turned their attention to the two by the time they saw them start panicking. "Ziploc, Ziploc… ZIPLOC!" Megumi yelled which made everyone rush through their bags and tried finding a Ziploc—even the ones who knew they didn't bring one made them immediately rummage through due to panic.
Yaku was the one who saved the day by finding one from his bag. He patted the female while she was vomiting. "You didn't tell us you have motion sickness. How come you don't vomit when you're in the train?"
Megumi sighed heavily, wiping her mouth with a tissues then Kenma offered her water to drink. "I've been using the train for years now, I somehow got used to it."
"Seriously, you guys don't know how I suffered two years vomiting in the train…" She added while remembering the old days, giving the pudding head back his water bottle. "… I had my best friend take care of me every school day…" Her tone seemed to lower as a certain boy with round, golden-colored eyes crossed her mind.
"No wonder you hesitated in joining us for a ride…" Said Kuroo.
"… And asking for a window seat." Kenma added.
The dizzy feeling went back which made her lean her back on the chair and close her eyes. "Let me get some rest… I don't want to vomit again…" She said in a hushed voice.
Everybody nodded and decided to lower their voices as they converse. The almost silent bus and the cool air conditioner of it made Kenma drowsy and he eventually fell asleep, unconsciously leaning his head on top of Megumi, while her head was already leaning on his shoulder.