A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the super long break. I'm at college now! Majoring in creative writing! Anyways, I wanted to make it up to you by having a super long chapter. This chapter is about double the size it usually is, so hopefully this makes up for the long break?

Also thanks to AznMistress, CrimsonRed40, and TheRyomaEchizen for reviewing! I plan on updating a little more frequently, but it really depends on my college schedule. :(

Also this chapter might be weird because my style shifts halfway through and then shifts back. It's a product of listening to CharlieXCX, Magic Man, Bad Suns, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey while writing this.

follow . me

{stuck inside of the wrong frame

i don't feel attached to this name}

til . we . can . reach . that . bright . place

"Oh my God, kill me now," Akahana muttered under her breath to Kagami as she stood with the rest of the Rikkai team. They were all at one of the local tennis court parks for prelims, and Akahana could feel everybody's eyes on the team.

"This is so strange," Akahana whispered.

"What? Being on a tennis team and going to a tournament? I thought you continued playing tennis even after you transferred," Kagami replied.

"What? No! I mean, it's weird because everyone, EVERYONE, is looking at us."

"Get used to it, we're Rikkai. Of course everyone is looking at us."

Even though Kagami had a point, Akahana still felt unnerved by all of the stares. It had been so long since she had been in this situation that she completely forgot that even back in middle school they had been stared at.

The girls had already checked in early and were just standing around waiting for the matches to finally start. The boys were playing on the tennis courts on the other side of the park, and some of the girls had gone over there to chat with them before the match.

Akahana was pretty sure that they were both playing at the same time, so the boys wouldn't have time to watch the girls' matches or vice versa. For that she was thankful. Even though she didn't have any real issues with the boys anymore, she didn't want them watching her play tennis.

Etsumi walked up to the two girls and gave them a gentle smile. "So how does it feel to be back in this sort of scene?"

"Weird and freaky," Akahana said. She took a look around and noticed that none of the other regulars were in sight. "What the heck happened to everyone else?"

Etsumi shrugged her shoulders and gave a sigh, "You know, the boys."

"That explains things," Kagami stated tartly.

"Well whatever. We're going to rock it on the tennis courts!" Akahana enthusiastically shouted. Her fist flew into the air and for the first time since getting to the tournament, people were looking at Akahana not because she was a Rikkai tennis player, but because she was loud and energetic and strange.

"Your spirits have turned around." Kagami nudged Akahana with her elbow and a smile graced her lips.

"I've just realized that it's better to not freak myself out before the match. I mean, I don't want the other teams to think I'm weak, and I certainly don't want my own teammates to think that." Akahana's arms were folded across her chest as she scoped out the other teams in the area. "I don't recognize anyone."

"That could be because they've all grown up and changed, just like you." Kagami gave Akahana a look and the pink-haired girl replied with a cheeky grin.

"Some people actually quit playing tennis when they joined high school," Etsumi said, "but there's no doubt, you'll definitely run into some old rivals." A small smile played on Etsumi's lips, and Akahana remembered that in middle school Etsumi was friends with a lot of tennis players from other schools.

"Well, I hope you're ready for the tournament," Etsumi stated suddenly, her face radiating an excitement that Akahana hadn't seen in a while. Etsumi brought up both of her arms and put them around Akahana and Kagami. "Oh, and before I forget," Etsumi said. "You two are playing doubles."

.

Floods of tennis players and fans glided past Nadeshiko as she waited for Michiru at the front entrance to the tennis park. She really hadn't planned on coming, but she wanted to mend things with Michiru. She averted eyes with most of the people who walked by, even though there really was no need to. Despite what she told herself, she wasn't exactly feeling ready to be back in this scene. And honestly it was strange. It was strange to be here as a part of Rikkai, but not as a part of Rikkai's team. She was part of the school sure, but she didn't feel like she belonged. Especially not here.

"Hey!"

Nadeshiko looked up from her feet and saw a frantically waving Michiru on the other side of the street. The people around her had turned to look too, and once they realized it was no one they knew, they walked away.

Michiru hurried down the crosswalk and smiled bright at Nadeshiko.

"Ready to see everyone again?" Michiru asked.

"Yeah," Nadeshiko answered casually, but her insides felt like they were being melted. Things had changed too much. She had changed too much, and Nadeshiko was afraid that when she finally talked to her old friends again they would look at her with the same look that most girls at Rikkai gave her now.

As they walked towards the tennis courts, Nadeshiko's heart beat like an alarm, warning her that this was not a place she belonged. It wasn't a place where she was wanted, and it wasn't a place where she wanted to be.

"There's the court the team is playing on!" Michiru pointed over to a tennis court partially obscured by clumps of people.

"And the animals have all come to feed on the carcass of the dead," Nadeshiko mumbled. Of course everyone would be curious to see how the old members fared at the tournament. It was the return of the old regulars, and others would want to see how much everyone had changed.

"Oh god, they do not look happy at all," Michiru said, eyebrows knitted and a pout starting to form on her lips.

"What?" Nadeshiko stood on her toes trying to see over the crow. Standing near the fence was a very disgruntled looking Akahana and an equally grumpy looking Kagami. However, compared to the other two regulars standing next to her old friends, Akahana and Kagami looked like they had just won the lottery.

"Oh no, what did Etsumi do?"

.

"You know, when Etsumi-buchou said that we would be playing doubles, I had no idea that she meant we would both be playing doubles . . . WITH OTHER PEOPLE," Akahana whined to Kagami who gave her a stern look and motioned with her head to Akahana's doubles partner standing right behind them.

"Oh god, it's not like she even cares what I'm saying," Akahana groaned. "She's just as unhappy as I am right now. Probably more unhappy. Right?" The last part Akahana directed to her doubles partner who just gave her a glare.

"See? If anything, I'm pretty sure she hates me." And with that statement Akahana reluctantly walked towards the court with her partner to get ready for doubles two.

"Don't fuck this up," the other girl said to Akahana once they were standing on the court across from their opponents.

What the fuck is her name? Akahana thought, trying to remember who her doubles partner even was. She was still wondering that when they shook hands with their opponents.

"Smooth or rough?" the other team asked.

"Uh . . . what?" Akahana asked.

"Rough," her partner answered quickly, giving Akahana venom eyes.

Their opponents from Itoguruma gave each other a knowing glance and spun the racket.

"Sorry, it landed on smooth. We'll serve first," one of the opponents said.

As Akahana headed towards the baseline to receive the first serve she couldn't help but feel like this was wrong. This match didn't feel right, and it wasn't just because she was forced to play doubles with a partner that she didn't even know the name of.

Akahana tried to make out the two other girls across the court, she was positive that Rikkai had played against this exact team back in middle school, but she couldn't recognize anyone on the Itoguruma tennis team. And for some reason she started to panic. What was she even doing here? Playing on this court that she hadn't stepped on in years with a girl she didn't even know as her partner. What was Etsumi thinking? None of this felt right, and she knew that she didn't belong here at this moment.

But when she glanced up and saw Kagami, Ryouko, and Asa standing next to the fence, she felt her heart slow to a normal speed. Ryouko gave her a thumbs up, and it made Akahana feel like smiling again. Sure, she didn't belong next to this strange regular, but she had her own support group who would pick her up if she started to fall too far.

Don't choke, she told herself.

And when the serve came barreling towards her she returned it right down the middle with fire in her veins and victory in her eyes.

.

Surprisingly, Akahana and her partner worked really well together, and so did Kagami and hers. Asa was amazed at how Hanato-senpai was able to keep up with how unpredictable Akahana was. Akahana was just a ball of energy that did as she pleased, and Hanato-senpai matched her toe to toe. Although there was no love lost between the two, their styles worked well together.

When the two had stepped off the court with a score of 6-1, Hanato-senpai had been grumbling something about how they shouldn't have lost even one game. But Akahana-senpai's face was split in a smile so wide she could've blinded the other team with her happiness.

And maybe not so surprisingly Kagami-senpai had won her match too in doubles one. Both Kagami and her partner Isobe were players that relied on the control they had, and somehow that had worked out.

But then it was Asa's turn.

And she wasn't ready.

She remembered how she had looked up to the regulars back when she was a freshman in middle school, and now she was a junior in high school on the same team as them. But she still didn't feel right. They were leagues ahead of her, and somehow she had managed to catch up while they were gone.

"You'll do fine. Why else would Etsumi-buchou make you singles three?" Akahana had said, giving her a slap on the shoulder and one of her infamous grins. And that's what Asa told herself as she panted across from her opponent, the score at 2-1 with Itoguruma in the lead.

I'm not a regular for nothing. Pieces of Asa's wild hair sprung from her braid and clung to her face. She bounced the tennis ball two times, and only two before throwing it up into the air and hitting it with her racket. Her opponent returned it not without difficulty, and as a result it hit the net.

Why else would Etsumi-buchou make me singles three? Asa reminded herself.

.

Michiru had never remembered yelling so loudly before, but when Asa won her match, Michiru's voice burst from her lungs in a loud cheer. And all around her were other members of the team and the school that were cheering. Sure it was just prelims, but it was her old friends that won again. It was her team that won again; it was the team she had grown to love back in middle school.

And she was happy, so incredibly happy that they were all on the right path again, but there was something nibbling in her mind.

She wanted to be there too. She wanted to be one of the regulars playing, and if felt like an animal burrowing into her heart.

Nadeshiko stood still next to her, not cheering but not disappointed it seemed. Her face remained blank, but there was a spark of something in her eyes when she saw Rikkai get announced as the winner of the match.

Just as she was forcing her way through the crowd, something caught her eye. The familiar yellow that the Rikkai tennis teams wore flashed like a flag as the people around her parted to let the boys go through. Michiru still tried to make her way through, but Nadeshiko's hand grasped onto her arm with a force that she forgot Nadeshiko even possessed.

"You don't want to get in the middle of that," Nadeshiko warned, her voice low and strained.

"In the middle of what?" Michiru shook off Nadeshiko's hand and headed over to the team until she was near enough to see Yukimura talking to Etsumi.

"Good job on the win," Yukimura said, his tone light.

"Thank you, Yukimura-san," Etsumi replied flatly.

He gave her one of his smiles and his gaze quickly swept the crowd. Once they made a full circuit, the color of his eyes dimmed a bit, and even Michiru could tell that he was disappointed about something.

Kagami, Akahana, and Ryouko stood away from the boys, but the other regulars from the girls team made a beeline for them. While everyone was distracted, Michiru headed towards her friends and tried unsuccessfully to throw her arms around all of them.

"I am so proud of you guys," Michiru said, her voice muffled.

"Thanks, mom," Akahana joked as she pulled away, her eyes moving away from Michiru's face to lock onto Nadeshiko's. "Oh, hey."

Michiru stiffened. Maybe it was a bad idea to bring Nadeshiko. She had no idea what her friends thought of Nadeshiko now, and the rumors about her were well known. Not that Nadeshiko ever seemed to care what anyone said about her unless it was about tennis.

Nadeshiko robotically made her way over to the group and nodded once at everyone.

"What's wrong with you?" Akahana asked before engulfing the girl in a hug of her own. "Why haven't you tried talking to us or anything? If you keep this up, we'll start to think that you hate us."

Nadeshiko's body visibly relaxed, and that was when Michiru knew things would be okay.

Michiru turned around to go talk to Etsumi but met face to face with Marui. The ever present grin was on his face and he blew a green bubble that popped loudly next to her ear.

"Did you see us play?" he asked excitedly.

"Um." Michiru tucked her hair behind her ear and look up at him. He wasn't much taller than her. In fact, he was the shortest member of the team, and somehow, to Michiru, that made him seem more approachable. More friendly. On the courts he radiated a strength that seemed to only be exclusive to Rikkai tennis members, but in person he sent off a different vibe.

He looked at her expectantly, eyebrows raised in question. And for a second Michiru couldn't answer. She had no problem talking to Yagyuu, and she had never tried talking to the other regulars, but she had talked to Marui already this year so it made no sense that she was suddenly mute.

"I'm going to take that as a no," Marui laughed. "Man, I'm really disappointed that we didn't get to see the girls play. It must have been really awesome though, right?"

"They were fantastic," Michiru breathed, looking away from him because for some reason she just couldn't make eye contact.

Had she actually ever had a real conversation with any of them yet this year? She didn't think so, and Yagyuu didn't count because she was always with him for student council.

"Well I knew they would be good, that's already a given," Marui stated.

Did you really think that? Michiru wondered, because if he did it he would be the first person to admit that the old regulars were still good.

Marui stared at her face again, searching for something, and when he couldn't find it he just gave her a smile. "You're really not talkative today, huh?" He blew another bubble and laughed. "Sometimes you just seem to be so outgoing, and then some days you're like this."

"How would you know how I usually act?" Michiru questioned, finally finding her voice.

"Just a vibe that I get from you. A vibe that you've had since middle school. You really haven't changed at all."

Well neither have you, she wanted to say, but instead said, "Maybe that's a good thing."

"Maybe." He shrugged one shoulder as if to say it is what it is before going back to talk to Jackal.

.

There was the sound of the crowd, rambunctious and animated, reminding her of a giant animal. And here she was, standing on the edge, of not only the crowd but also on the precipice of a mental cliff that she hadn't visited in a long time. And it hurt. Like a rib breaking inside of her chest.

She had seen the Rikkai boys team swoop past the mob, and Yukimura parted the seas like Moses. No doubt he was going to congratulate Etsumi on the win, and although it was expected that the girls would win, there was a string of excitement that connected to everyone spectating.

But as everyone got more and more excited, she just felt ashamed. Ashamed of how she had been acting recently. Years of building back the strength she had lost snatched away by Yukimura. And sure, she had held her head high when she came back to school, but the looks that people gave her weighed her down until she could only barely manage to crawl to school in the mornings.

Anorexic.

She wasn't going to deny it, even though it wasn't entirely true either. That first day when she came back from the hospital, she didn't expect for Yukimura to approach her. His eyes tore at her and stripped her down to her most basic form, and she hated how he could see it.

So she had taken to avoiding him, and his team, and her old team as well. The truth was that as the Kantou tournament approached, she just felt sicker. She was a part of Rikkai by name only, in truth she didn't belong there any more than Atobe from Hyotei would.

And she could tell that she genuinely looked sick, and acted weak, but she couldn't control it. It was a ball of nerves resting inside of her, and when she got agitated it would start to spark and snap at its frizzled ends.

Being at the tennis courts with her team just yards away made her want to stand up again. Want to stand strong again. But how could she come back from the pit she had been residing in? For the past couple of weeks she had faded until she was merely a shade, a shadow that people overlooked because she represented a weakness that others would rather not see. And if she didn't do something soon, she would just sink further into that blackness until one day she wouldn't be able to drag herself up for air.

A girl standing in front of her caught a glimpse of her face and turned around, whispering to some friend.

Of course that would happen, as soon as one person saw her it would spread like wildfire through the crowd until it reached the one pair of ears that she didn't want it to. And he made her knees buckle, he made her breath hitch, he made her gasp for life. But not in a good way. She didn't want him to make her feel like she needed to fight for life beside him. He was a god to the people, but to her he was a personal demon that was the living embodiment of her old dreams and failures.

So she fell. She fell into a dark place, and everyone who saw her could see it. But god she didn't want it to be that way anymore. She wanted to be strong again, but one look from him caused her to freeze up like the Yips had been performed.

She turned and started walking away before he could come and get her. No doubt that he had already heard that she was there, and she honestly didn't know why she came. Was it for her old team? They had such hope in their eyes and she wanted to see it again. It was the same look they all had back in middle school.

"Miu-san."

Shiori froze, heart dangling from her ribcage. She could hear him walk towards her, and when she turned around she was surprised that he had found her. She was far enough away from the tennis courts that she didn't expect for him to chase after her, and no one was with him.

Yukimura's steps were steady as he progressed towards her, and his hand was gentle when he grabbed her arm and forced her to follow him. They stopped at a patch of grass under a tree, and she knew that of course he would bring her somewhere, because if he was going to do anything he wouldn't want anyone to witness it.

"Yukimura-san," Shiori whispered. His name tasted like a cherry, sour and sweet. "What are we doing here?"

He didn't answer at first, just stared at her face until she felt like she was drowning. And there was something there. Something she couldn't make out, but his eyes were the brightest thing she had ever seen.

"I'm glad that you made it here today," he breathed, his mouth very close to her face. And once again her knees buckled, her breath hitched, and she let out a gasp for life.

.

When Yukimura caught word from someone near him that Shiori Miu had been watching the match, something inside of him twisted in anticipation.

"Yukimura, don't," Renji mumbled, so quietly that not even Sanada heard it.

"What?" Yukimura asked lightly. "I'm not going to do anything."

Renji shook his head, and anger smouldered in Yukimura's chest. It wasn't often that other people tried to tell him what to do, because at Rikkai, it went without saying that he always knew what was best.

"Excuse me everyone," he had said brightly. "I'll be right back." And of course no one questioned him, he was Yukimura, but as he turned to leave, Niou gave him a look and a smirk as if he knew exactly what was going on.

Yukimura kept his pace steady, he didn't want to alarm anyone. His jacket hung from his shoulders, flapping like a cape. He saw her silhouette, and the first thing he noticed was how slender she still was.

"Miu-san," he called out, and she froze. His lips formed a smirk, only he could give her that reaction, and when she turned around, he saw the pain in her eyes and the weariness in her face.

He led her away from everyone mostly because he wanted to be alone with her, or at least as alone as he could get at a park.

Shiori said something, but Yukimura didn't hear her. There were her eyes, eyes that were grass, eyes that were meadows, eyes that were moss. Her eyes were the color of life, and they were just so green.

Shiori shifted uncomfortably and he knew she was waiting for an answer, any kind of answer from him. So he leaned in close to her face and breathed, "I'm glad that you made it here today."

She was drowning and he could hear her gulping for air. Her eyes shifted to the ground and he was thrown back in his body. Yukimura leaned away from her, confused.

Yukimura had simply never taken an interest in other people. He had dated before, but it was just something that was expected of him. So he just didn't understand. He didn't understand why he was going out of his way to find this girl. This girl who was a shade. This girl who wasn't a winner. This girl who was sick.

"Yukimura-san, please let go of me," Shiori murmured.

He hadn't even notice that he was holding on to her shoulders, but her knees were shaking so much that he swore she would fall if he let go. Maybe she would collapse in his arms again. He had never held a girl like that before.

Shiori exhaled and he could feel a restlessness in her bones, a need to get away from him, and his hands gripped tighter. Her face was so close he can clearly see the small birthmark under her left eye. Her cheeks were pink and her lips were a rosebud that he would like to taste someday, but right now he could only see how green green green her eyes are.

He could see her drowning in his own eyes. He could see her sucking in air like her life depended on it. He could see her drowning in his blueness, and he wanted her to drown. He wanted to draw a picture of her at this moment and hang it on his fridge.

But what she didn't realize was that he was drowning too. He was drowning in the green of her eyes.

.

"That was so great!" Ryouko gushed. She, Kagami, Akahana, and Asa were sitting in Etsumi's living room, a feast of snacks sat before them in various bowls on the coffee table.

"It sucks that you couldn't play though," Akahana said. She grabbed a handful of peanut M&Ms and threw one up into the air, trying to catch it with her mouth.

"Ow!" Ryouko laughed as the M&M flew into her eye. "Watch it Akahana!"

"Oh, I was watching it. I just purposely threw that into your eye."

Ryouko pushed Akahana into Asa who shrieked as the popcorn bowl she was holding got dumped into her lap.

"Ohhhh, Etsumi is going to be so mad at you!" Akahana exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Ryouko.

"Come on, you guys," Kagami sighed. "We should probably at least attempt to clean this up before Etsumi comes back from the store." Even though Kagami had a stern look on her face, her eyes glittered behind her glasses with laughter.

"You know, don't make me come over there with these peanut M&Ms," Akahana jokingly threatened. "You may have eye protection, but trust me, my aim is spot on and I will hit your cornea if I have to."

"Well you can try, but just so you know, I happen to be a master at dodging peanut M&Ms. I've been training in the art for the past four years." Kagami pushed her glasses up, challenging Akahana who raised her eyebrows and burst out laughing, scattering the M&Ms all over the floor.

"God Akahana, why don't you just make a bigger mess?" Ryouko teased.

"Well, I'm not god, but I appreciate you worshiping me. In fact, why doesn't everyone just worship me? I'd make the best damn goddess."

"Akahana-senpai," Asa piped in, "if you happen to be a goddess, do you think you can make this mess disappear?"

"Haha, nice try. I am not going to be the one to clean this up."

"Not to be disrespectful, but you are the one who made the mess, technically. You dropped the M&Ms and then you made me drop the popcorn."

"Well I am feeling incredibly disrespected." Akahana stuck her tongue out at Asa who giggled at her senpai. "Also, it was Ryouko who pushed me into you and made you drop your popcorn! So it's not entirely my fault."

"They key word here is entirely," Kagami stated, an eyebrow raised at her pink-haired friend.

"I guess I can't be perfect. Even a goddess can make a mess every once in a while."

"Oh Ghandi, please don't tell me you're going to be referring to yourself as a goddess from now on," Ryouko groaned, falling back onto the couch.

"'Oh Ghandi'? Really?" Akahana snickered. "And what if I do? I know I'm a goddess, you know I'm a goddess. There's really nothing else to say." Akahana shrugged her shoulders casually, giving her friends her most wicked smile.

"For your information, Ghandi happens to be a pretty cool dude," Ryouko huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I'm with Ryouko-senpai on this one," Asa said.

"If all of you are going to be gaga for Ghandi, then who is going to worship me?"

"Probably no one. No one wants to worship you," Kagami stated.

"Oh, that burrrrnnnnsss, Kagami. I thought you were my best friend." Akahana shifted until her head rested on Kagami's shoulder. She looked up at the bespectacled girl with puppy dog eyes and a pout to match.

"Sorry, that doesn't work on me. I'm immune, remember?"

"Ugh fine!" Akahana threw her hands up in the air in defeat. She turned her head to Asa, and a grin settled over her face. "What about you, Asa? Will you worship your senpai?"

"Sorry, senpai. I don't think I can." Asa gave Akahana a semi-apologetic look, but her teeth baring grin ruined any semblance of remorse that she was showing.

"No one loves me!" Akahana fake-cried. She grabbed a throw pillow from Etsumi's couch and shoved her face into it, fake sobs wracking her body. Pieces of popcorn had gotten stuck in her hair, and the entire scene was too comical for Ryouko who burst out in laughter herself.

"What?" Akahana hissed. "Can't you see that I'm in pain over here because no one loves me?"

"There's a lot of popcorn stuck in your hair," Kagami pointed out.

Akahana grabbed the bottom of her ponytail and pulled it forward to observe the mess that was tangled in her pink locks. Her mouth turned down and she made an ugly face as she saw the damage.

"I told you we should have cleaned it up earlier, senpai," Asa said behind her fingers, trying to hold back laughter at that point.

"You know what? I'm not that bothered by it," Akahana huffed, standing up and walking to stand directly in front of her friends. Her hands defiantly grabbed onto her hips as she looked down at everyone sitting on the couch. "I'm going to become a new style icon, and watch, soon, everyone is going to be walking around with popcorn in their hair because it's fashionable."

At that moment the girls heard the doorknob rattle, and Akahana dived to the ground to hurriedly pick up the M&Ms she had dropped.

"Shit! It's Etsumi!" she whispered as if Etsumi could hear her through the walls.

Etsumi entered and her face registered shock as she took in the mess and Akahana sprawled on the ground, food stuck in her ponytail. "I don't even want to know," Etsumi said, her eyebrows still raised in astonishment.

"Sorry?" Akahana said, phrasing it like a question.

Silence permeated the air once the girls saw who came through the door after Etsumi.

Shiori stood there staring back at her old friends, her head held high, but her body shaking.

"I ran into Shiori on the way back," Etsumi said, breaking the silence. "She wanted to hang out with us."

Shiori gave a deep sigh before saying, "I want you guys to teach me how to okay again."

A/N: So once again, I'm going to ask for TWO review before I update again. It should be a little sooner especially since I've kind of figured out college. Haha.

I do not own "Salt" by Bad suns.

Also I'm honestly thinking that there won't be Shiori/Yukimura moments for a while after this, what do you guys think?