Chapter 26: Reply

"You played games at your room…" Hitori nodded.

"And I thought something else happened…" Nishinoya muttered.

"Like what?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"Um…" Before Nishinoya could answer, Sugawara pulled him away, covering his mouth from Hitori who was looking very cheerful that usual.

"Hai, hai, let's leave it at that." Asked Sugawara. Hitori watched Nishinoya as he struggles to pull Sugawara's hand away from his mouth.

It was 12:06 AM, January 1. Sugawara and Nishinoya called Hitori an hour before just so they could go together at the shrine for Hatsumode. It was not like Tsukishima and Yamaguchi to forget to call her, they would usually go together at the shrine. So, she went with the libero and third year setter instead.

Hitori glanced in front and saw how there were still so much people in front of the shrine. "Damn, so much people as always in the new year." She said as she squeeze her way to get closer to the shrine. Suddenly, a familiar bed head bumped into her causing her to glance at him. "Kuroo-kun?! Why are you in Miyagi?"

Kuroo glanced at Hitori and his eyes widened by surprise. "Oh, Tsubasaki. I came here with Kenma. When I heard he was in Miyagi for winter break, I rushed here." He explained then glanced at the pudding head on his left who was busy playing on his PSP. "Oi, Kenma. Stop playing and give respect to the gods!"

Kenma sighed and turned his PSP off. "Aye, aye, captain."

By the time Hitori heard that, she chuckled. "All aboard the Nekoma ship, or something like that?"

Kenma glanced at the female once he heard the familiar voice. "Hitori, Happy New Year?" He said in a question-like manner.

"You still haven't gone home?" She asked.

Kenma shook his head. "After meat buns, mom took me to our relatives and stayed till the New Year. I have to go back before school starts."

Hitori smiled sweetly. After her confession to him on the way home, Kenma never told her anything and just softly squeezed her hand. For someone else, it meant nothing. But for her, it meant something and it was the best feeling.

That long, long time she and him played games in her room, none of them knew how long, 4 or 5… They just kept playing till sunrise, Kenma's phone had 32 missed calls that time, all from his mother, Mrs. Kozume.

Besides that, nothing happened. After that confession, after that long gaming, nothing else happened. Kenma neither rejected nor accepted Hitori's confession, and they acted as if she didn't say anything.

"So what do you guys call yourselves? Are you together or something?" Kuroo asked out loud, trying to catch Kenma, Hitori, Sugawara and Nishinoya's attention. Kenma kicked his shin, earning a yelp from the Nekoma captain. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Your words, Kuroo. You don't want to anger the gods, eh? Captain." The pudding head answered, eyes half-open as usual as if he was bored. His voice was so low as if he was whispering, Hitori liked that about him. It was as if he was being careful not to make a noise. Soft. Quiet. That was Kozume Kenma's voice. The voice she would want to hear every day, if that was possible.

"… That's unheard of."

After a few minutes or so, the crowds began to lessen until it was their turn to pray. They aligned themselves in front of the offering box. They threw coins, one from each of them and rang the bell together. They all bowed two times then clapped twice before praying.

"I wish for things to stay as they are. Except for Kenma and Tsubasaki, please let them realize their feelings for each other." Kuroo sighed right after.

"I wish for health and happiness for everyone." Kenma still looked bored.

"I wish for good health for everyone. I also wish to be able to cook without blowing up a kitchen." Hitori seemed very desperate.

"More health and happiness for my family and the Karasuno volleyball team." Sugawara prayed with a smile.

"I wish to grow taller!" Nishinoya prayed with all his might.

Then, they bowed once more before leaving. Nishinoya beamed about how he wanted to get an omikuji and so they did. Each of them paid and took one. Hitori counted to three for them to open their folded paper at the same time. Each of them had different reactions once they saw what blessing the got.

"Half-blessing. Said I'll get my wish granted if I work hard for it. I'll also get low marks but I'll pass on tests. As for relationship… I can score one if I want to." Kuroo said, reading his omikuji. "Wow, I might get hospitalized if I don't take care of myself properly. Either from an illness or an accident. I should take care of myself this year."

"Middle blessing. I might exert less effort for everything this year, and I'll still get everything I want." Kenma said. "Also it says here that…" He trailed off and his cheeks went red. "Be honest and tell your feelings to him/her." He muttered.

Sugawara and Nishinoya shared theirs too, half-blessing and small blessing respectively. "I'll meet someone new that will replace my sorrowful love… That sounded kinda dramatic… Sorrowful, huh? I wasn't that hurt…" Said Nishinoya, stealing a glance from Hitori who was obviously clueless about what he was saying. "What did you get, Tsuba?"

Hitori looked once again at hers and said, "Great blessing." Everyone had a jealous glint in their eyes. "I might get everything I want or need if I put action to it. Is what is written here? I also might get sick but it won't be anything major."

"Lucky."

•/•

"So, how did it go when you got back?" Hitori asked Kenma as the five of them walk aimlessly.

"Um… She said it was okay, as long as I didn't skip eating whenever I'm hungry. How many slices of pie did we eat again, Hitori?" Kenma answered.

Hitori looked up as she was trying to recall. They ate five plates of apple pie while playing games. "I don't know. I remember we finished five plates though." Kenma sweatdropped and sighed.

"I gained…"

"2 kilograms." Kuroo finished with a smirk, "Who knew getting a girlfriend would get you fat?"

Both Kenma and Hitori blushed, looking down all at the same time. "We're not together." He said, or let's say muttered. He stole a glance at Hitori who was looking at him blankly.

Then she smiled.

Why isn't she disappointed? Wait, why am I expecting something like that? Stupid, Kenma.

Hitori neither thought about anything. She didn't expect anything. But, she just wished that she'd get a reply from him. Does he like her back or not? She confessed mustering 100% of her courage. It may looked simple and straightforward—she said it with a straight smiling face—but her heart was pounding that time. Pounding loud, as if it was going to explode any minute now. She wanted to hear a reply come out of his mouth, but she got a squeeze from her hand which was just enough for her at that time, knowing Kenma.

"We'll be off then." Kuroo announced and waved to the three Karasuno students, holding Kenma's wrist. They ran off until the three couldn't see their figures anymore.

Both Sugawara and Nishinoya stared at Hitori. "He didn't answer your confession!? That is not normal!" Nishinoya exclaimed. "If I were him I would've said I love you ba—" He cut off once realizing that he's almost as if confessing his love for her. "N-no, nothing."

Hitori sighed and felt Sugawara's hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to his face which was smiling. "But I'm pretty sure Kenma likes you back, Tsubasaki. He could've ran away or something when he heard your confession. But he didn't."

"That's what I'm happy about, senpai," She said, smiling. "I confessed. He squeezed my hand as a reply. But, what I want right now is a clear one… Coming right out of his mouth. I want to hear his voice, that same soft, quiet voice I always hear…"

Nishinoya couldn't help but smile. Sure, it's sad to hear this from the person he fell in love with but then, it's just different now. Especially when his omikuji said something about 'meeting someone new that will replace your sorrowful love'.

"That's good that you know, Tsuba. I'm sure you're not regretting anything, right? After dumping that blonde." He said with a few slaps on the female's back, plus his usual loud laugh.

Hitori shook her head. "I don't regret anything. But, I don't know… About Kei." She held her upper arm with worry in her eyes. "I think I hurt him. I made him get his hopes up by dating him. I just really thought everything was going well."

"But I fell in love with Kenma without realizing it."

•/•

Kuroo and Kenma stayed on his room—rather, the hotel room Kenma's family is currently staying on. The bedhead sitting on the floor while the pudding head was playing his PSP as usual. He pushing the buttons was the only noise emitting from the almost silent room.

"You sure are giving Tsubasaki a hard time." Kuroo said, breaking the silence. Kenma quickly paused his game. Whenever it was regarding about Hitori, he would always pause his game. "What do you mean?"

"She confessed to you and then you didn't even say anything. That was your chance, Kenma." He answered, sighing.

Kenma looked down at Kuroo. "I think… It's my fault. That she and Tsukishima broke up." He said. "She must have had mixed feelings when I accidentally kissed her, and told her that I didn't hate it. She doesn't like me, Kuroo. She's just confused."

"That's not tr—"

"It's true. She dated Tsukishima in hopes of maybe she'll learn to love him. And then I broke in with our weird conversation back then and then at the haunted house… I just… I think everything was my fault." Even if they've been together since they were kids, Kuroo has never heard Kenma raise his voice. It wasn't as loud as a normal yell, but it was loud enough for him to say that his best friend just raised his voice.

He sighed and patted Kenma's head. "Remember how I never really liked her that much at our first meeting? I think months later she opened up to me about you. Then there came a time where she even asked me how you'll react if a girl confesses her feelings to you." He chuckled. "It kinda made me laugh since I never imagined someone liking someone like you. Then it came to a conclusion that she likes—no, loves you."

"That's why I kept telling you to be honest with your feelings, Kenma. Because I've long realized—from the day you told me about 'Shadow-san'—that you took a liking for her… Until it became love that just cannot be thrown away, you know?" His eyes weren't the usual, they were gentle. Kenma's best friend who was a 'provocation expert' talked about his love life with such gentle eyes giving him the hint that he supports him with Hitori. "I don't mind if you get a girlfriend, Kenma. Just don't forget your best friend."

Kuroo took Kenma's phone which was just on the cabinet close to him and dialed Hitori's number. "Tell her." He handed the phone to the pudding head who gulped before taking it from his hand.

"Yes, Kenma?" Hitori answered after two rings.

"Wow, that's a nice greeting." Kenma replied, trying to sound normal as possible. He almost felt stuttering.

Hitori chuckled, "Sorry, then. Um, what do you want?"

"I don't think it's pretty appropriate to tell you this now but… Hitori can… I… Um…" Kenma trailed off trying to find the right words to say it.

"Spit it out, pudding headed cat."

"I love you too." He answered, cheeks turning red, Kuroo letting out a sly grin. "I know we haven't dated and all but you know what, all those times that we had together or while chatting, I think that was enough. I've got to know a lot about you which actually made me fall for you without realizing it so… Um, Hitori… Will you be my girlfriend?"

There was awkward silence right after, Kenma had to check if she ended the phone call but their call was still ongoing. It was Hitori whose eyes widened from shock. Should she say yes? No? Maybe? Is that even a good answer? He heard her take a deep breath.

"…Why not?" She finally answered, making Kenma's heart beat fast and loud as if it was getting ready to explode. "I thought I'd have to wait for that reply longer. Never thought that it would be today."

"Shu-shut up. Uh, actually… Um… I don't know what to say, right after seeing Kuroo's annoying grin while watching me talk to you." Kenma retorted with a sweat drop.

"Let's keep this short then?" Kenma nodded as if he was talking to Hitori face to face.

"I love you too."

"Welp. That escalated quickly." Kuroo commented by the time Kenma ended the call. He grinned slyly with his eyebrows wiggling up and down.

Author's note: YES IT TRULY ESCALATED QUICKLY. KILL MEH. I'm sorry for like, skipping a lot like, the last last chapter was like Hitori's birthday, then next was Christmas and now it's NEW YEARS?! DAHELL CHIHAYA WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?