maid café special (3/4)
"Let's check out Class 1's maid café!" Umeda Haruto, one of Kageyama's classmates, nudged him and another boy excitedly.
"Oh, a maid café?" the other boy, Ito Minoru, repeated. "Kageyama, do you want to come?"
He made a small sound of agreement, only half-listening as he followed the other two boys to the other classroom.
"I wish our class did a maid café," Haruto complained. "I bet Yuki-san would look super cute in a maid outfit."
"Yeah, but we would have to dress up too," Minoru retorted.
"Worth it," Haruto sighed, just as they reached the classroom entrance.
Kageyama remembered distantly that this was Hinata's class, but his brain didn't make the connection of maid café and Hinata until they walked into the room. He almost wouldn't have recognised her if it hadn't been for her hair – after all, he had never seen her in anything other than the school uniform or volleyball uniform, though he had to admit to himself that she pulled it off well. It was, for lack of any better terms, cute.
Granted, all the girls wearing the costume looked nice – there was something attractive about the combination of the skirt and the over-the-knee socks, and the costume itself was a pretty, feminine style. But as always, his eye was drawn to Hinata. The costume lent her a dainty, girlish air, so different to the girl he knew that couldn't help but stare. Her hair had been let down from its usual high ponytail, tied into two pigtails over shoulders, and she even walked differently, trotting from table to table in her heels. But it was the expression on her face, sweet and welcoming as she smiled and charmed the customers with her usual brightness, that most unnerved Kageyama.
It was nothing like the wide grins that seemed permanently etched into her face during volleyball games. As he watched, she bowed politely and smiled prettily at a guest, eyes curving into half-moons. It was still a nice smile, he concluded, but it just didn't seem real to him.
"Kageyama, if you keep scowling like that, you'll scare away all the girls," Haruto scolded, before he whistled softly. "Man, they're all so cute!"
"Did someone catch your eye?" Minoru followed his line of sight to Hinata. "Oh, wow! She's really pretty!"
Kageyama bristled slightly at his words, though he wasn't sure why – after all, Minoru wasn't entirely wrong. "She's from the volleyball club," he ground out.
"Is she the manager?" Haruto asked, taking notice of their conversation.
"No, she's a middle blocker," Kageyama said simply.
"A blocker?" he repeated, frowning in confusion. "But she looks so small and cute. Man, I never would have guessed she could play volleyball!"
His response made Kageyama scowl. He had heard people say similar things before – he'd even had similar thoughts himself at one point – but it frustrated him when people underestimated Hinata, especially now that he knew how good she was. Even though part of their strategy was understanding and expecting that opposing teams would underestimate her and using that misconception against them, it was somehow worse to hear it off the court. At least when they played, Hinata could easily prove them wrong, but here at school his classmates couldn't care less. There was no easy way to explain her role on the team and he already struggled to communicate with his teammates – how could he could even begin to describe her incredible speed or her insane jumping power; the fact that she had the sheer athletic ability to match his tosses and pull off such a ridiculous and powerful move, how it made her into the greatest decoy; how vital she was to the team? There were just some things you had to see in action, and Hinata was one of them – Kageyama knew nothing he said could convince his classmates, especially not when they were busy ogling her.
He knew why. Hinata was cute, especially in her costume and with makeup drawing attention to her big eyes and her sweet smile, but it irked him that they only saw her as a pretty girl or someone to date. There was so much more to Hinata than just her looks – she was a talented volleyball player, a valued teammate, a fellow student. Besides, as pretty as this version of Hinata was, Kageyama couldn't help but compare it to the Hinata he had seen a few days ago at practice. Her hair had been pulled up into her usual ponytail, the stray strands plastered to her face with sweat as she panted with exertion. But it was the unabashedly fierce grin on her face, the wildly triumphant look in her eyes as she met his gaze, reflecting his own exhilaration after performing their quick attack, that had struck him hardest.
Ad then she was standing in front of them, a welcoming smile pasted onto her face as his classmates gaped at her. "Welcome to Class 1's maid café! May I please take your order, sir?"
"I-I'll have the chocolate cake, please," Minoru stuttered, unable to meet her gaze when she looked at him.
"Can I have the chocolate eclairs?" Haruto flashed a grin at her, despite the blush on his face.
"Of course," Hinata said cheerfully, before her voice dropped into her normal pitch. "Oh, Kageyama."
"I'll have the cream puffs, please," he said simply.
"Oh, they're really nice! Good choice," she said approvingly. Kageyama had been watching her closely enough – knew her well enough – to see her expression change, her polite smile shifting to something more genuine as she looked at him. He felt his scowl relax a little as he met his gaze – smiling would never come as naturally to him as it did to her – but Hinata, reading the small change in his expression easily, simply smiled back at him. It was just a natural, friendly grin, one that he had been the recipient of many times before, but the sight still hit him like a volleyball to the head.
Kageyama dropped his gaze hurriedly. "Thanks," he muttered, feeling his face start to burn as she told them that she would be back with their food soon.
As she left, his classmates elbowed each other obnoxiously. "Wow, she's even prettier up close," Minoru said with a wistful sigh.
"I didn't realise you two were so close, Kageyama!" Haruto hissed. "Do you have her number? Can you give it to me?"
"No," Kageyama said, a little too quickly as he fought down a surge of revulsion at the idea. "Ask her yourself," he added shortly.
"Do you think she'd give it to me?" Haruto brightened at the prospect. "Hey, maybe I'll ask her when she brings our food."
"You should go for it!" Minoru urged.
Kageyama said nothing. He had a sinking feeling that Hinata, as sociable and friendly as she was, would give her number out easily. But even if Haruto was successful, Hinata was usually busy with practice and rarely checked her phone. There was a reason that most, if not all, members of the volleyball team were single – there was just no time to date with the amount of training that they did.
"Alright, I'll do it!" Haruto agreed enthusiastically, but to Kageyama's amusement, he lost his bravado as soon as Hinata returned, only managing a shy thank you when she set his plate down in front of him. It was only when Minoru nudged him that he found his voice. "Um, excuse me, Hinata-san?"
"Yes?"
"You're really pretty!" Haruto blurted, his words coming out in a rush. "Can I please have your number?"
The polite smile faded from Hinata's face as she blinked at him, taken aback by his abrupt request. "I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are," she said blankly. "I don't give my numbers to strangers."
Kageyama almost felt bad when he saw Haruto's crestfallen expression. Almost, because Hinata was starting to look more and more uncomfortable as he spoke. "Please! I'm Umeda Haruto, from Class 1-3!" he declared. "May I have your number?"
"I…" Hinata's gaze darted to Kageyama's for a brief second, but the alarm in her eyes was unmistakable.
"She said no, Umeda," Kageyama said bluntly.
He could see that Haruto wasn't entirely convinced, that he wanted to ask again, but before he could say anything else, another girl in costume came up behind Hinata. "Is everything alright?" She was smiling politely but her gaze narrowed quickly when she took in Hinata's discomfort and Haruto's pleading expression. "I'm sure it's not an issue, but if anyone bothers our staff, they will be asked to leave."
Haruto finally noticed Hinata's unhappy expression and seemed to deflate, especially when pinned with the other girl's glare. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"Thanks, Mami-chan," Hinata said quietly, smiling at her.
The other girl softened, appeased by Haruto's apology and Hinata's smile. "Let me know if you need any help," she said finally, before turning back to the table. "Enjoy your food!"
As she strode away, Hinata in tow, Haruto dropped his head onto the table. "I'm an idiot," he groaned.
"Yes," Kageyama agreed, trying not to feel too vindicated by his classmate's suffering.
Minoru patted his back comfortingly. "Maybe you should try to talk to her at school instead," he suggested.
But Haruto didn't seem too keen on the idea, continuing to mope as they ate their desserts. He was too embarrassed to even look at Hinata when she approached them afterwards, half-ducking behind Minoru – although them was maybe the wrong term, since she'd come to ask Kageyama for a photo.
"I already took photos with the rest of the team," she pleaded. "Even Tsukki!"
Kageyama was not surprised by this. Hinata had a special place on the team, and not because she was the only girl. Her bright and enthusiastic personality brought laughter and life to their club, and she had a natural charm that endeared her to almost everyone she met. All of this, in combination with how the costume exaggerated and amplified her cuteness meant that Hinata could have asked for the moon and the team would have at least tried. Even Tsukishima – or maybe Tsukishima especially – didn't stand a chance against her simple request for a photo.
He agreed and followed Hinata to the photobooth, his classmates trailing behind them. Despite her ribbing, Kageyama couldn't manage a smile for the camera, but his lips did curve up into the smallest of smirks when he noticed the envious looks his classmates were shooting him.
"That looks nicer than your actual smile," Hinata observed. "I never realised you liked having your photo taken so much."
"I don't. You're the one who asked me, dumbass," he retorted.
She didn't even react to the insult, simply giving him an unimpressed look. "You said yes," she pointed out dryly. "But thanks for coming to visit."
Kageyama made a small sound of acknowledgement. It had been his classmates' idea, but he figured he would have tried to find her at some point during the day.
"See you on Monday!" Hinata grinned brightly at him, no doubt thrilled by the prospect of returning to practice.
He nodded simply as they left. Once they were outside, and Hinata was out of earshot, Haruto heaved a dramatic sigh. "She's so pretty when she smiles," he said admiringly.
"Kageyama, you're so cool! How do you stay so calm around her?" Minoru said incredulously.
"We're on the same team," he said matter-of-factly, as if that explained everything. And to Kageyama, it did – they were friends, yes, but being teammates meant that they spent all their time together, which had inured him to the effects of her charm.
Well, most of the time, he corrected himself, as he remembered that easy smile she had given him in the café – softer, somehow, than her usual exuberant grins, but still just as bright as the sun.
thank you for all the favourites, follows and reviews! and also for the well wishes - I tested negative and am back to work. Hope you all stay safe and healthy!
Kageyama: yeah maid costume is cute but you know what's cuter? a volleyball uniform