A little note: I don't know what they call the locker change rooms thing in the school gyms. I'm just calling them change rooms.


The whole gym was silent, every pair of eyes watching the speechless Hinata. He appeared frozen for about ten seconds before dashing for the change rooms.

'That was a phenomenal argument,' Tsukishima muttered. Yamaguchi lightly slapped him on the shoulder.

'Don't be so mean Tsukki!' He reprimanded. 'For Kageyama to leave practice after an argument… means that…' he trailed off, looking worried.

'It really was a big one then,' the blonde said, sighing, 'Those hot-headed simple minded idiots.'

'Tsukki!'

'Whatever. Fine.'

'Is Hinata going to be okay?' Asahi asked, expression mirroring Yamaguchi's.

'Of course he will!' Nishinoya clapped him on the back, sending a squeak from the ace. 'Because Suga-san's got it covered!' He was right, they all thought as they glanced about, because the vice-captain was nowhere to be seen. But the captain was still there, arms folded and in a horrible mood.

'Get back to practice!'

'Hinata?' the grey haired setter poked his head in the change room. Hinata was silent on the bench, not turning to acknowledge his senior. Sugawara heard a sniffle and a quiet cough, where he suspected Hinata cleared his throat.

'I'm okay Suga-san!' Hinata said, trying to sound his usually upbeat self and failing miserably. Suga waited at the door, not wanting to invade Hinata's space.

'Do you feel Kageyama is a bit different from usual?' Suga asked. He saw the orange fluff nod.

'Yeah… he always doesn't want to talk even though he needs help. He doesn't hit me so hard,' Hinata absentmindedly rubbed his lower back, 'He… never called me useless before… well not since the beginning where he said he would receive, toss and spike by himself,' he said, sighing.

'When has he been acting like this?' Sugawara prompted, expecting the worst.

'He's been really nice until… yesterday I guess. When we were walking home,' a thoughtful tone entered Hinata's voice. Nice? Sugawara scratched his cheek. To think of it, Kageyama was particularly playful with Hinata regarding the Pocky incident and has been softer towards him over the few weeks after Valentine's Day. Suga paused as he heard a ruckus.

'Ah! Yachi-san! You should check on your boyfriend!' Tanaka's voice carried across the gym. He laughed. 'I'm sorry I forgot because you only started going out today right?' Sugawara' eyebrows shot up in shock. What? His thoughts were echoed by the voices of the teammates.

'Ah- Tanaka-senpai uhm…'

'Really?' Nishinoya joined in. 'Damn, what a lucky guy!'

'I know right?' Tanaka exclaimed.

'Should you really be announcing it like this?' Asahi added in timidly.

'Of course! The faster the better!' Nishinoya whooped and there was loud thudding the floor as he jumped around. Suga heard more mumbles, no doubt of the sarcastic Tsukishima and probably Yamaguchi's response. He turned back to Hinata who was sitting straight up on the bench.

'Hinata, is this true?' the setter asked. Hinata shuffled around.


Kageyama crouched outside, clutching his head. He felt sick and nauseous His stomach churned and his headache pounded. His breath came out in ragged gasps as his heart hammered in his chest. His vision blurred in and out of focus, from the headache or the tears that threatened to overflow. What was wrong with him? He felt so horrible. So guilty. So sick of everything. Volleyball was the last thing he wanted to do because volleyball meant moving. It also meant Hinata. And Yachi-san. It also meant having to face his teammates after that argument. He heard the silence and felt the stares follow him as he left.

'What…' he hardly recognised his own voice. What is it really his weak and croaky? 'What's,' he buried his face in his arms, 'wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Why am I being like this?' He sobbed, wails and retches racking his body. He hasn't felt frustration, anger, guilt and hurt like this in a while. Not since when his team abandoned him in middle school. But here he was again.

Alone.


'No, Suga-san. It's not true,'

'Do you mind if I sit next to you? I'm rather tired standing here,' Sugawara joked lightly.

'Uhm… of course you can,' Hinata's voice trembled slightly. His senpai moved and sat, leaving comfortable space between them.

'How come Tanaka thinks so?'

'Well I was going to the storage room to get more balls when I heard Yachi-san cry out. So I found her on the floor with a box in front of her. Then I helped her up and she said she wanted to ask me something and her face went all red and her voice went really quiet. But Kageyama came in and dragged me out before Yachi-san could say anything. When I went back I asked Tanaka-senpai where she went but Yachi-san already went home. I told him how Yachi-san was acting and then he started laughing and said that she wanted to confess to me!' Suga nodded Hinata along. It was reasonable, Sugawara thought, seeing that Tanaka was a romanticiser and Yachi-san's behaviour pretty much matched a confession. Hinata continued 'But when I went to her today and asked her what she was talking about yesterday, her face went all pale and she started crying.' Sugawara nearly choked.

'What?'

'And then she told me how horrible she felt for dropping the box and mixing up the files that Shimizu-san organised. She wanted me to tell Shimizu-san that she would have to re-organise the files again and she'll take a long time to do it all over again,'

'Oh, I see. Go on,'

'Well, I asked her if I could help her so we wouldn't have to tell Shimizu-san that and just fix it ourselves. She was happy but still kind of upset. So we went to the gym and started organising the files,' Hinata huffed, 'It got really boring so I went to get Kageyama to help us but he didn't want to,'

'Why?'

'I don't know. I didn't explain what I was doing. He just said no and pushed me and went away,'

'I see,' Sugawara's face was calm but also serious. It was almost his game face.

'Suga-san?' Hinata said, peering worriedly at his senpai.

'Don't worry Hinata,' Suga smiled as he ruffled his kohai's hair. 'I think Kageyama will be back to normal again soon.'

'Really?'

'Yes.'

Honestly though, Sugawara wasn't so sure but right now in the meantime, this was the best comfort he could offer.

'Tanaka!' Sugawara called. Everyone snapped to attention at the vice-captain's voice. It wasn't very often that they heard him be so stern and serious.

'Yes?' Tanaka almost stuttered, well aware that Sugawara could be even scarier than the captain.

'You should let Yachi-san speak for herself,' the setter gestured to the young manager.

'Uhm… I'm sorry Tanaka-senpai but me and Hinata…' she took a deep breath, 'are not dating. I'm sorry but I was just asking Hinata for a favour but I got really nervous because I shouldn't be asking him,' she turned Shimizu. 'I'm really sorry Shimizu-senpai but I dropped the box and mixed up all your files but Hinata-kun and I put them back in place during break today!' Shimizu's eyes widened momentarily before she smiled and gently patted Yachi's head.

'Don't feel bad Hitoko-chan,' she said, 'Everyone makes mistakes.'

'Shimizu-san smiled!' Tanaka whispered, raising his clenched fists.

'The fates have heard us!' Nishinoya added.

'Let's pack up now! We'll end a bit earlier today just to cool off!'


Kageyama headed home, leaving behind his bag and clothes at the gym. He didn't want to confront his teammates again. Not after that. They all must think he's revered back into the tyrannical king he was in middle school. Especially Hinata. After all he's done, chasing after him and trying to make him feel better, Kageyama has always turned him away.

He reached home later than usual, walking in a zombie like trance. He went straight up to his room, still slightly dizzy. There was no one to greet anyways because his parents were overseas. Maybe he wouldn't go school tomorrow he thought, as he curled up in bed. It'd just be too much trouble.