Hello everyone! This is my first Haikyuu FF so... Yeah, I guess that's about all I need to say. Thanks for reading if you do and enjoy the story!

Gaming on Japanese servers was not working out in the way I had hoped. In my head, the plan was so simple. Step one, take the Japanese I knew and strike up conversations in chat rooms and with the other players I was randomly assigned in my party. Step two, get more confident making conversation and use of my limited Japanese. Step three, be better at interacting with people before I started my exchange trip next year. After two weeks, no one wanted to listen to my horrible Japanese and no one wanted to try and read it either. It was hopeless, until one day.

I had been in a party with 3 other players. Two of them seemed to know each other, the other didn't speak at all. The two who knew each other were nice enough. They let me talk to them a bit and I spent more time decoding their conversation and coming up with replies that I never used in the end just for practice than I did actually playing the game. I mentioned the best I could that I was trying to get some practice in practical use of the Japanese I was learning in my classes and the two who knew each other laughed it off. When they signed off, I was sure that it was a lost cause.

Just as I was about to sign off and give up I heard a small and soft voice. At first I thought it belonged to a young kid, but then I realized it was much too deep to be a child's.

"Hey, I heard you say to the other members of our party that you were looking for people to practice Japanese with." he spoke slow, not in a condescending way, but just a bit slower than one might usually talk. I smiled. It was much appreciated.

"Yes, hello!" I was so excited I nearly yelled in glee, "Do you mind if I practice with you?"

He was quiet for a moment and then I heard a very timid, "Sure, I don't mind."

"Great! Thank you so much!" I was so freaking excited, "My name is Ria."

"I'm Kenma."

"Hi Kenma! That's a cool name! Do you game a lot?"

"I try to, it's much more fun than going to practice."

"Practice? Like for a sport?" I ask. He chuckles to himself a bit. I think I might sound a bit over eager.

"Yeah, I play volleyball for my high school's team." he sounds a bit bored by it.

"Hey Kenma, do you actually like playing? You sound like you don't want to. Why don't you just quit?"

"Well, that's pretty complicated. It isn't that I don't enjoy playing, it's that I don't like practicing and more specifically I've been a bit sick of a certain person." he sounds a little irritated. I'm tempted to change the topic before he leaves my party and I lose my chance to practice.

"Oh, did you have a fight with a friend of yours?"

"No, he's just graduated in March of this year and is worried about me not having any friends now that he left. He decided to pressure me into making more friends because he doesn't want me getting depressed or being lonely. I'm just not good at speaking to people. He isn't even on the team anymore, but since he goes to college nearby he makes it a point to drop by practice often."

"I get it," I smiled, "Talking to people face to face is really scary, that's why I practice here. Think of this as practice for you too and use it to make more friends! The friend who is worried for you sounds like a good friend too. Most people don't think about who they leave behind when they move on in life, but he is trying to set you up for the day he isn't there anymore."

"I guess you're probably right."

"Of course I am!" I scoffed and Kenma laughed, this time it was much louder. It was almost contagious. "Also, instead of trying your skills out on brand new people, why don't you try getting closer to your team first. They already must know you pretty well, so it will probably be less scary!"

Kenma was quiet again. "You know, you are a lot better at Japanese than you seem to think you are."

"It's actually really funny you say that! My teacher tells my I'm really good at it all the time, but I'm just really anxious about when I'll actually have to use it in real life. I'm coming to Japan next year."

"Really? Like for a vacation or a school trip?"

"I'm going to study abroad."

"Wow, really?" It was the most interested Kenma had seemed during the entire conversation.

"Yeah, I'm really excited!" I thought back on the conversation for a moment, "Wait a minute, Kenma didn't you say you were in high school too?"

"Yes... why?"

"Do you mind if we keep talking on more occasions than just today? I just have a few questions about what Japanese high school is like."

"Sure, I don't mind. Accept my friend request."

"Accepted!" I clicked the button, "I have to go, my mom is mad I'm up so late, it's almost 2 am here. Let's talk again soon, okay?"

"Okay."

"Hey Kenma?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being my first friend abroad."

"Sure." he sounded a bit shocked, but then he left my party and I sat back in my chair with my fists clenched.

I jumped up from my seat and yelled, "Woohoo! Yes! Finally!"

"Valeria!" I heard my mom upstairs.

"Crap," I muttered, "Sorry Mom! I promise I'm going to bed now!"

I could barely sleep though, I was so excited to talk to Kenma again. I felt like my heart was skipping beats.