After two weeks, the summer vacation is here. You'll be resuming the away games at Shinzen High this time. You left Miyagi in the middle of the night, to be able to arrive in Tokyo early in the morning. Once you arrived in Shinzen, the sun had already risen. The managers have gathered in the cafeteria to prepare breakfast.

After spending some time in the cafeteria, you head to the gym to observe the game. It was surprisingly new to you considering most of the members are trying their new set of skills. You have to admit that they've been messing it up and the punishment was to run back and forth in a small hill just outside the gym.

It's amazing how your team lost to all of their games for that day. Evening came, the members of your team decided to polish their plays. Shimizu told you that it was ok for the two of you to stay behind while the managers prepared the dinner. You saw Yamaguchi talking to Tsukishima, the megane was clearly not in the mood for something. He left without saying anything with Yamaguchi frowning at his retreating figure.

"Tadashi, is something wrong?" You approached your freckled friend.

Yamaguchi sighed, "Ne, (L/N)-san, do you think Tsuki will improve if he tries harder?"

You were kind of taken aback by his question, his eyes fixated on Tsukishima from afar, "He's in that kind of mood again? Did something happen to him in the past that made him like that?"

Yamaguchi only answered with a sad smile, "I think you should ask Tsuki about that. Well, I'll go practice a few serves."

You nodded, following Yamaguchi's figure walking towards the cart full of balls. There's definitely going on with Tsukishima but you can't tell what. You noticed that he's the only one who isn't doing any extra practice after the matches. It bothered you, the last time you saw him like that was before the Inter-High Preliminaries.

"(L/N)-san, can we ask you a favor?" You turn to face Kageyama and Hinata. It was a little surprising for you to see them practicing together, "Can you help us with our practice? Toss for us?" Kageyama asked.

"Sure," You smiled at them and followed them towards the court.

Their extra practice went on until the dinner was ready. In the middle of helping, you saw Tsukishima returned to the gym, looks like he forgot his knee pads. There was something in his eyes when he watched his other teammates give their full effort in practice. As if he was judging them. You've been noticing ever since the first time you join the club that he has a negative view about people who are exerting effort for something.

It was the same the next day, you seem to be losing all of their matches and they've been running up the hill a lot of times. It's been testing and improving their stamina and endurance at the same time.

At some point, you and the other managers got to serve the boys with watermelon that was given by the parents association of Shinzen. Everyone seems to be enjoying the sweet, watery taste of the fruit in the middle of summer. You stood there outside the gym while serving the boys with more watermelons. Tsukishima threw the rind of his watermelon after finishing one.

"Kei, aren't you going to eat more?" You asked him as he walked away.

"No, I'm fine, thanks anyway," He answered while having his hand at you.

You frown, couldn't shake off the feeling that this training is changing the boy you like. There must be a reason and you want to find out but you're too scared to ask him personally. He might think that you're being nosy all of the sudden. Well, all you can do was sigh at the moment.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't be sighing like that. What's wrong?" You looked up to see Nekoma's very own Haiba Lev towering in front of you.

"Oh, hello, Haiba-kun," You said with a smile.

"Lev!" You heard Yamamoto called out from behind, "Stop bothering, (L/N)-san!"

"Eh!? I'm not bothering her! Am I, (L/N)-san!?" Lev turned to you.

You shake your head a little, "It's alright, do you want some more watermelon?"

"I'm full! Thank you," Lev grinned, "Hey, (L/N)-san! Do you have a boyfriend or someone you like!?"

"Eh!?" You blush by the sudden question, "I—I" Your eyes automatically turned to find Tsukishima looking at your direction with an irritated look, "No, I—"

"You can dream, Lev! Why don't you learn how to block first before asking someone out!" Kuroo hollered, earning laughs from the other players.

"Kuroo-san, you're so mean!" Lev whined.

You can only laugh with them after that, secretly thanking the captain of Nekoma for saving you from being the topic, especially with other people around.

Time went by fast and another day ended with your team losing all of their matches again. The same as before, the team was in for another extra practice. You were currently gathering the balls scattered on the floor when you heard the team captain from Fukurodani asking Tsukishima to block for him again.

Again? Which means Tsukishima was practicing last night but in a different gym. But it seems he just turned down Bokuto's offer. While you stood there, Nishinoya approached you, asking you how to set the ball more easily. That's when you noticed that both Sugawara and Kageyama are busy with their own practice. You tried your best to help him in a way that he can understand easily. Just then Nishinoya got it eventually. After thanking you for the help, he left to practice in the corner. You resume picking up the balls and carrying them back to the cart.

"You seem to know a lot in volleyball," A voice spoke behind you. You turn to face the captain of Nekoma. If you remember correctly his name was Tetsurō Kuroo.

"I was a volleyball player," You answered shortly.

"Was?"

You nodded while pushing the cart, "I played as a setter back in my middle school team."

"Oh, I didn't know if I haven't heard you giving advice to your libero about tossing. I told myself that you know your way around the sports, didn't expect that you're a player yourself. Why did you stop though?" Kuroo was walking beside you.

"Personal reason," You turn to him, "I should get back and help my team. It's nice talking to you Tetsurō-senpai,"

That conversation weirds you out, he doesn't seem to be the type to start a conversation, especially to a girl. But then you didn't mind it though, maybe he was just trying to get along with you. You turn to look at him over your shoulder, he wasn't there anymore.

You couldn't seem to find Yamaguchi, you wanted to talk to him about Tsukishima. According to Hinata, he went after his close friend, he also heard the freckled boy screaming Tsukishima's name. That got you worried, afraid that they got into a fight. The memories of Hinata and Kageyama on each other's neck flash in the back of your head, sending a shiver down your spine. You decided to follow Yamaguchi just to make sure no fights break out during this camp.

As you walked down the open hallway trying to find any of them. Just then you see Yamaguchi casually walking towards you, he seems surprised to see you there. He smiled as he approached you.

"I kind of knocked some sense into Tsuki. You know he hates hot-blooded people right? That's why he messes around Hinata or Kageyama when we first met. Lately, this practice has been getting into him. It affected him to a point that he told me that there's no point in getting fired up about everything, it won't change the fact that we are losing our battles." Yamaguchi gave off an airy chuckle, "I guess because of what happened during our middle school. He got disappointed that he couldn't recover from it. But I think he's going to be ok now."

"So, I got worried for nothing then," You stared at the starry sky.

"I'm sorry about that, (L/N)-san!"

"No! You did what you have to do Tadashi! He needed someone to help him see a new perspective. It's the first time you stood up to him, it's great that you know when not to tolerate his actions." You smiled, "I'll go check him out. You probably should head to the cafeteria, dinner should serve any minute now."

Yamaguchi nodded, "Thank you for always being there for Tsuki, (L/N)-san!"

You wave at Yamaguchi's retreating figure, after seeing him off. You went to the next gym to check out what the megane meant when he told Yamaguchi that there's something he needed to do. You squeaking of shoes on the wooden floor, the ball being hit, and familiar cues. You peek inside the gym to see, Tsukishima playing with Kuroo, Bokuto, and Akaashi. Is this what he meant by needing to do something? Well, it doesn't matter anymore as long as Tsukishima's in his self, you're alright.

That same evening, after taking a bath. You were walking down the hallway wearing your white tank top and gray sweatpants. The hallway was dimly lit while you made your way back to your room. You were about to go up the stairs when you saw a shadow figure near the vending machine. Your eyes widen, heart racing against your chest. The figure stepped out of the shadow, under the moonlight. He looked at you with deadpanned expression while sipping in his juice box.

"Damn, Kei! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Your hand on your chest, "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm having a drink," He answered, stating the obvious.

"I can see that. What I meant is, why are you hiding in the darkness? You'll scare the others if you do that!"

He pulled the straw away from his mouth, "You're just a scaredy-cat,"

"Call me that again and I'll punch you," You threatened.

He snickered, "With that height? I doubt you can reach my face with your fist."

"Fine. I'll reach for something easier," Your eyes traveled down to his bottom part, "It will be so damn painful, you just wish you never mess with me in the first place," You had a sly smile on your face.

"Are you a pervert?" He asked nonchalantly.

"What the hell, Kei!?" You covered your face in disbelief, "You're hopeless," You began ascending on the stairs.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Getting the hell away from you obviously," You answered without looking back.

"I was hoping to talk to you about something," He said, earning your attention.

"Really? And what is that?" You asked, taking one step down the staircase.

"Let's go somewhere private," He said, walking down the stairs.

"Is it necessary for us to leave the school building?" You asked him from above the stairs he was taking.

"If you want to hear me out, then yes." He replied, continue to descend the flight of stairs.

You see Tsukishima sitting on the stairs that lead to the parking lot in front of the main building. The sky was clear with the moon shining brightly with stars scattered around it.

"Well, what do you want to talk about?" You asked, settling beside him.

"I heard from Yamaguchi that you asked him the other day why I was mad at hot-blooded people."

You shrugged, "I remembered when you got mad at me for telling you that you should try your best because everyone is trying their hardest to be better and that one time I gave you your development plan,"

"Well, I..." Tsukishima took a deep breath, "It all started during the 5th grade. I think it was around the first time I met Yamaguchi and when he decided to join volleyball..."

You felt a different kind of aura around Tsukishima as he told you a little of his past. A calm and gentle feeling.

He finally had the guts to tell someone about why he did not give too much effort and too passionate about every little thing that he does. It was because he was scared of suffering about it in the end. He didn't want to share the same fate as his brother. He wanted to avoid the disappointments he'll be facing if he fails.

"Truth to be told, it's been years since nīchan and I ever had a decent conversation. Whenever he's around, we only see each other during meals, if not I'll be cooped up in my room trying to avoid him as much as I can."

"Eh~? It doesn't look to me that way when I first met him." You said.

"Well, he's trying to fix our relationship," Tsukishima replied.

"So, what made you change your mind?"

"I think you know," He looked up the sky, "Yamaguchi confronted me, telling me that was getting lame. To think he actually looked up to me. And because I got a satisfying answer to a question that I've been thinking for a while."

You stretch your arms up, "I hope you find your passion someday, Kei. But for now, I like the idea of you taking the practice more seriously."

"Hai, hai," Tsukishima said, "I haven't said it to you, didn't I?"

"Said what?"

"Thank you," Tsukishima said with his cheeks blushing, though it wasn't noticeable since your surroundings were poorly lighted.

"Ara~" Your eyes sparkled, "Are you that embarrass to thank me, Kei?" You laughed, "I didn't do anything."

"There is," He interjected, "Despite my attitude, you still choose to stay."

"That's what friends do or am I the only one thinking we're friends?" You cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You are..." He trailed off, "You're my first female friend,"

You didn't say anything, knowing it would embarrass him more. Instead, you just smiled at him, leaning back with your hands planted firmly on the ground. You felt a warm hand enveloping yours, then you find yourself looking at your hands on top of each other. A blush coming out of your cheeks. You turn to look at Tsukishima, he doesn't seem to be bothered at all. There was a small smile on his lips as he looked up to the sky.

"Tsuki..." You said.

It was a breathtaking view.

The next day, another set of games and your team is losing again but it didn't matter to them as long as they can try their new skills in a match to see how well did they improve. You noticed that Tsukishima's in his usual mood though. Just then, Bokuto tried to smash the ball but he's certainly going to get blocked and did a feint instead. Some may not have noticed the change but you did. Tsukishima's block was different from the other blocks he did before. Is it because he finally found the reason he needed to get motivated?

Whatever it is, you're just happy to finally see Tsukishima taking the training seriously.