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Chapter Three: Much Ado About Nothing

A Sunday evening before we had to return to school the next day, Itsuko spent the night at my house and it was just like old times of us sleeping over in each other's bedrooms. We carried snacks from the kitchen up to my room and my parents didn't mind us staying up an hour later as long as we were quiet. Since her revelation about Tendo, Itsuko didn't speak much about boys but her eyes did widen whenever she spotted a cute male model in a magazine or in a movie playing on Tv. I didn't mind mooning over them with her when that happened. At least they weren't wielding a volleyball.

It was one of the best nights we had in a while and we weren't doing anything more than we normally did when we slept over each other's house. Itsuko chatted more than wind up teeth as she went through my CD collection, popping them in the radio and playing random songs as I finished a few school assignments. When I was done, I changed into my pajamas, Itsuko already lounging upside down in her cat printed shorts, legs propped up at the bed with her head on the carpet. She never had any homework to do when we hung out. Either because she did it before she came over or completed it minutes before class. I never personally witnessed the latter, but some people made miracles happen.

I guess that was why I was still alive after the attack of the six foot two volleyball player.

I went downstairs for slices of strawberry shortcake from the fridge while Itsuko painted her toenails. Mom was doing the dishes with her back turned, so I was able to cut slightly bigger slices without her noticing, but she heard me anyway since she asked me without turning around to do a favor for her before going back to my bedroom. I sighed and balanced the set of plates on the flat of my forearm before hiking up the stairs.

The door to my little brother's room was cracked, the bedside lamp flicked on so I peered through the gap to see him sitting on his bed playing another hand held game.

"Do you even have friends outside of virtual reality?"

Koichi glowered up at me from the small blue tinted screen. "Do you plan on still paying Itsuko to be your friend after high school?"

"Dobe."

"Baka."

I rolled my eyes and smiled at his quick banter, one of his more admirable traits as I turned to head back to my room. Then I remembered what Mom asked me and leaned back around. "Oh, Mom wants you to go dry the dishes."

That made him stop and look up from his game. "What? You're supposed to dry."

"Uh, hello... I helped her last night. It's your turn now."

Koichi grumbled something incoherent under his breath before snapping his portable game shut and marching down to the kitchen. I laughed at his grumpy expression, turning away again but the unkempt sight of his carpet made me pause and gaze back inside. Among the discarded soccer jerseys, athletic shoes and notebooks that I was pretty sure weren't being properly used, was his perfectly stacked plethora of Shonen Jumps and monthly sport magazines. One looked like it was just recently read since the front cover was turned over, flipped to the center pages of the magazine.

A full printed article of the Shiratorizawa's Boys Volleyball Team took up the entire page. As per usual, Ushijima took up the center of the team's group photo, his placid expression coming off a little gruff to the camera lens, no more than what he generally looked like...

Still handsome, I thought to myself and gazed at the picture until the returning sluggish footsteps of Koichi snapped me out of my daze and hurry back to my bedroom. I hadn't thought about that tall and stiff athlete for some time now - not that he normally occupied my thoughts since the accident because he didn't. I was just curious if he enjoyed the hayashi rice dish my mom cooked; like Itsuko pointed out before, she went through all that trouble for me and by default, for him too. That was the only reason why I was wondering about him. Not because I thought he was cute.

Shaking my head a little as if to erase the contents of my brain, I trudged back inside my room and shut the door while Itsuko nagged at me on why I took so long.

The waiting line in the cafeteria was short, but lively as I took my place at the far end, checking the clock on the wall for the minute Itsuko would be free from her tutoring lesson and join me at our usual table. Her sessions normally didn't exceed into the lunch hour, but depending on how well she did on the previous exam results, her tutor liked to spend extra time going over the material. A part of me wanted to crack into that colorful merry go round that she called a brain the next time we studied together. She had some of the steadiest grades I had ever seen.

After I paid for lunch, I turned and waved at a group of girls sitting at a table, heading their way when they motioned for me to join them. But a glimpse of a center table made me stop and peer at the lone figure sitting on the bench.

Ushijima.

He was by himself, which was strange since I almost always saw him sitting around his peers and volleyball teammates. Maybe the others were coming later. I was this close to brushing his appearance off, but something came over me then; a warm and gratuitous splatter of emotions that stuck to the bottom of my shoe like crusty old gum, preventing me from going to my friends. Instead of turning away like he didn't exist, I found myself carefully approaching his table.

My heart beat faster with every step. "Uh... Ushijima-san?" He lifted his head, huge hand pausing around his chopsticks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to thank you again for writing me your autograph. I gave it to my brother this weekend. He really liked it."

Ushijima blinked once at my words, like he didn't understand such a small gesture would make me say thank you twice. I tried not to think too hard on why that looked so cute. "You're welcome," he said dully.

I let out a nervous laugh, the warmth that was burning my cheeks now spreading down to my neck. I probably looked like a blown up tomato. I told myself to turn back, to save myself the mortification of doing something stupid, insipid, or otherwise out of character. Where was Itsuko? She could have been there to pull me away from a potential disaster. Unless she was already there, tucked in the corner slurping from an orange juice box, immersed in the latest romance comic, unaware that my nerves were about to cause a nuclear blast. She would do that.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took a deep breath. "Is it okay if I sit?" I asked.

"Go ahead."

I set my things down, feeling like I just stepped into an extravagant renaissance painting encased in a gold frame and I was ruining the artwork with my colored markers. There he was... the Captain and Ace of our volleyball team, sitting quiet and serious in simple gym shorts and a plain black t-shirt. And there I was. I had no idea why. My preferences in company liked to steer clear from the likes of him, especially given the way our first encounter went. But a part of me couldn't exactly help it. I wondered about him, what he liked to do instead of volleyball, if there was other things except that for him, his favorite school subjects and little things that were normal for school mates to know.

He really didn't seem that insufferable. I guess I was about to find out.

"So... do you have a lot of other hobbies?" I said, picking at the contents of my tray while he finished up whatever filled his bowl. "I've seen you practice a couple times. It looks like you'd be good at a lot of things." I conveniently left out how the times I've seen him play was when Itsuko used me as a human ladder to peek in through the gymnasium windows.

"I suppose," Ushijima deadpanned, his brows raising a little at my observation. "I don't do much beside volleyball."

Well, if that isn't shocking, I thought to myself as I pushed food around with my chopsticks. "Your team is planning to compete at Nationals, right? That must be tough."

"We still need to win the Inter-High Preliminaries first," he answered and there wasn't a possibility of an 'if' in his tone. He was certain they were going to win.

"That's not too far away," I noted. "Are you nervous at all?"

"Not really. Feelings of anxiety would also be confessing little confidence in one's team. I don't have either."

Wow. If one thing was for sure, there was a reasonable portion of his body that was made of steel and it wasn't just his arms or legs. And the stranger thing was... he didn't even sound arrogant when he said it.

"Is volleyball something you wanna do, like... for the rest of your life?"

"That's not possible, but yeah-" he nodded. "I will play professionally."

My imagination couldn't help but wander. To be that dedicated to a sport was mind boggling, especially one that seemed to be occasionally injury prone to their players... and bystanders alike. Teammates who competed in high school and University must have been the ones to make it to the big leagues and compete world wide, their games televised on every channel, face printed on every billboard and magazine. Some of them had already accomplished that. And they were already so young. It hit me then just how dedicated our volleyball team was. They never missed a day of practice and were away frequently at training camps.

Their whole life revolved around that ball. Smacking it, studying the momentum of it. I wondered if they went home at night and slept in a ball pit instead of a regular bed.

"That's really cool," I murmured, gazing down at the clouds of steam wafting from my lunch plate. "To be that confident, I mean... and know what you wanna do in the future. My parents found their calling when they were my age and my brother is already into soccer, even though all he does is play Dragon Warrior Monsters all day."

"I don't know what that is."

I giggled at Ushijima's lack of popular culture knowledge. Another cute trait. "It's okay, it's not even that fun." Glancing back at the wall clock, I realized that it was a few minutes before the lunch hour would be officially over, so I collected the tray in my hands and stood. "Well, I better be heading back to class now. Thank you for letting me sit with you, Ushijima-san."

I gave a small bow of my head before turning my tray in back to the lunch line and stalking off to track down Itsuko. She hadn't entered the cafeteria room the whole time and even if she was hiding away by the trash bins, she'd flip and screech my name if she saw me sitting with Ushijima Wakatoshi. And that girl did notice everything. That's how she gained a new crush every week. Having some time to spare, I scanned the halls for her and ended up peering through the door to the library room.

Her mussed blonde head was laid delicately on top of her closed notebook. She probably was in the middle of putting her supplies away and then her eyelids got too heavy and she decided to rest for them for a minute. A minute turning into an hour. Stifling laughter, I rapped loudly on the door frame and she jolted awake, rubbing furiously at her eyes.

"Oh, Chihiro-chan, I was just about to look for you! Mm, I'm starving, what are they serving in the cafeteria?"

Her disappointed wail echoed through the whole school for a whole minute when I broke the news.

"Hey, Otonashi."

I glanced up from my folder at the shadow of a classmate looming over my desk, a devious smirk on their lips like someone just sent them a secret love letter. Only they weren't the object of affection.

"Someone is waiting outside the door for you."

Given that class was over and students were milling around, chatting to each other and taking last minute notes, it wasn't strange for friends to pop in from adjoining rooms down the hall. Itsuko and I normally met each other halfway or at the gates of school if we were busy with another task or made plans to do something away from campus, but it wouldn't be weird for her to ask for me like that. Sighing, I slid my things inside my bag, zipped it up and trudged to the door to see what my best friend wanted to do now.

Heads followed my every step there, grinning like the boy who delivered the news and whispering quietly into each other's ears. But they always did that. So I had no reason to find it odd or implicating. Holding the strap of my bag on my shoulder with one hand, I pushed the door open with the other and froze.

"Ushijima-san?"

There he was again. Standing there... waiting. It appeared like he'd been waiting for me for some time, but his expression didn't prove anything except for his dreary tranquility. I might have freaked out for a second, if I didn't realize he wasn't brandishing a flaming volleyball in one hand, the student body holding a target sign over my head behind me, but that obviously wasn't the case. He was clearly here for something. To talk to me again, but I didn't understand what for or why he would even want to. I thought we talked enough earlier at lunch.

Glancing back at the classroom, I quickly shut the door in the smiling students faces and turned anxiously to the towering volleyball Captain. "What are you doing here? Is... is something wrong?"

"No," his aggravatingly calm voice replied. "I came to return this." He reached into his own school bag then and produced the empty but clean container my mom stored the hayashi rice in.

"Oh, uh..." I took it back awkwardly. "Thank you. But... couldn't you have waited until later? When no one was around?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because..." The explanation died shortly on my tongue. Honestly, I was expecting him to remember why since our brief heart-to-heart in the gym when I confronted him about the rumor, but then again, I could also see why he wouldn't. He told me that time that he didn't pay attention to things like that, so why would he go out of his why to make sure no one had reasons to spread fiction? "It's just that... maybe you could have told me first so we could have discussed where to meet?"

Ushijima frowned then. "I don't understand the point."

"Other students are around and they were staring, so-"

"Do you want me to wait by your dorm room next time?"

Next time? Why would there ever be a next time? "No, no!" I felt my cheeks redden then. His words were so blunt and tactless, I wondered if this was his way of poking fun or if he was just always this forthcoming. "That's, um, not really any better. Nevermind, I guess it's not important. Thank you for bringing this back."

"You're welcome."

Silence washed over us. The halls were empty and most of the students were still held up in the classrooms or away to the front of campus, which was a relief since no one could witness our conversation and twist it out of context. I was already blushing enough as it was. I tried hiding it by breaking eye contact and staring at a faded patch on his volleyball jacket and I noticed the athletic bag he was toting in one hand.

"Are you heading off to practice?" I asked him and he just nodded. "Oh, okay." I fiddled with the container in my hand, wanting to send him well wishes, but I didn't know if that would be appropriate for the situation. Maybe for passerbys intending to take a peep through the window. "Well... Good luck, Ushijima-san. I mean, I know you don't need it, but for you know... whatever happens."

"You could always come watch." he suggested.

"You practice?"

He nodded again. "You'll have a much better view if you come inside. Looking through a window won't help you understand the game at a true athlete's level."

"Oh, no, that wasn't- I mean, yeah, that was me and my friend watching through the window that day, but we just didn't want to intrude."

"You were watching through a window?" Ushijima echoed, brows shooting up.

"Yes... isn't that what you were referring to?"

"No. I only meant to say that you should come inside the gymnasium and watch. I didn't know you had already been doing that from a window." The confused expression didn't dissipate from Ushijima's features and I internally scrambled to make the situation less awkward.

"We don't do it all time! And we weren't watching really. Sometimes we'd pass by and you guys would be inside playing so we'd just take a look. One quick look. Very quick."

"Will you come?" Ushijima repeated.

"Come what?"

"Come watch our practice."

"Well, I wouldn't wanna impose."

"You wouldn't be."

I pondered his offer for a moment and what it meant. Especially if I accepted. It was out of the blue and caught me off guard, but from what I could tell Ushijima was an honest person. It seemed like he didn't do things unless he saw a clear purpose to them and that alone gave him much sincerity.

"Okay..." I answered finally with a smile. "Yeah, that pretty sounds fun."

"I'll see you at the gym then."

"Gym?" My head snapped up to his and I nearly gave myself whiplash. Tonight? He wanted me to go see him tonight? That made me nervous. It was so sudden. I figured he meant for something along the lines of watching his future University matches on Tv or something, but not that. It was so soon. "Oh... you mean tonight."

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"No," I responded and nodded along with him anyway, playing it like I couldn't be bothered. "Tonight. Okay, cool... Bye, Ushijima-san."

I waved at him when he started off in the opposite direction for the exit. My heart hammered in my chest as his words repeated in my head and sunk in slowly, achingly like when you overfill your plate at a buffet but insist to yourself on having the extra serving of dorayaki. I didn't understand what just transpired. Did... did Ushijima ask me out? Was that how boys usually did it? I knew nothing to base my experience on and it made me feel really unprepared. It wasn't like I had boys as platonic friends or never hung out with one on casual terms, but when it came to them making up a percentage of my friends... most of them were girls. It was just the way it was.

So when one of the most well known students in school, the Captain and Ace of our volleyball team, a sport I swore to hate invited me to sit in on his daily practice... I didn't know how to take it. We weren't even supposed to be friends. I was supposed to avoid crossing paths with guys like him. No matter how cordial he was. The more I thought about it, the more nice and well-mannered he became. The nurse was right all along.

And I needed to talk to Itsuko.

I silently dropped onto the bench that Itsuko was occupying, skimming through notes laid across her lap, one hand holding an apple juice box to her lips.

"Itsu-chan," I choked out.

"Yep?"

"I talked to Ushijima again earlier."

She hummed and sucked the juice noisily through the straw, completely distracted. "That's nice. How's his Mom?"

"I- huh? Oh, I don't know. I didn't ask him that. But he... he asked me... to go watch him practice later. Itsu, what if he meant it as a date?"

The last word snapped her out of the study vortex and she pulled the straw from her mouth with a soft pop. She looked up and stared straight ahead at the small field where the horses grazed, fingers clenching slowly around the juice carton. If she wasn't careful, she'd spill sticky apple juice all over her notes and school skirt.

"Ushijima..." She turned her head robotically to me. "Asked you out?"

"I have no idea." I heaved a sigh. "He was so casual about it, I honestly doubt that's what he meant, but... I don't know. I couldn't tell. I don't know what to do."

"You have to go!"

"I am, I am, but... what if people get the wrong idea? What if he gets the wrong idea?"

"That's bad?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed with a distressed groan. "I went through all that trouble of trying to convince everyone that nothing was going on and now this happens. It's all backwards. We're not supposed to be friends. We're supposed to stick to each other's social network and respectfully acknowledge each other's existence without paying attention to it."

The last part might have been wishful thinking and I knew the entirety of my explanation probably sounded like nonsensical mush to someone who had a front row seat in watching my efforts of diffusing high school hearsay come up short, but it was a big deal to me. I thought all of this was over. It was supposed to be the second I delivered hayashi rice to him, to show my gratitude like the school nurse suggested. Third-party induced disillusions kept springing from it and I didn't know how to stop it. Maybe I really should have wrote Ushijima a 'thank you' note instead.

Itsuko's pale blonde brows knitted together and she scrubbed the hand that wasn't clenching the empty juice box over the back of her head in bewilderment. "I don't understand, Chihiro-chan. Why is it so bad to be friends with Ushijima? You said yourself he was nice."

"He is. He's actually really cool to talk to, but... I don't know, it just feels weird, you know? For months, guys so absorbed in sports like him always rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't think people like that and I could ever mix and even though Ushijima is so devoted to volleyball... it doesn't weird me out. I actually find his dedication to be... cute?"

Itsuko was wide-eyed and tense in the shoulders throughout my spiel, and if I had walked in on her conversing privately with someone else with that same expression, I might have assumed she was in disbelief. But then she grinned.

"Chihiro." Her tone was almost as monotone as Ushijima's. "You like him."

"That's crazy. I don't even know him like that. We just started talking a couple hours ago-"

My denial was cut short by Itsuko erupting from the bench, papers flying off her lap as she jumped up and down in a small circles, fists pumping along with the motion. "I knew it!" She sang happily. "I knew it'd happen someday!"

"Nothing's happening! Itsu-chan, be quiet! People are starting to stare!"

Thankfully, she did cease her rambunctious hippity hopping and just stood there clapping and grinning. She was the one who developed quick but long lasting crushes on boys and she always reacted the same way as she did now; with vigor and excitement, but I guess this time was extra special. I'd never openly spoke about a boy with her, at least one that wasn't under her radar, so the changing winds of me prospectively having a crush was refreshing. Only it wasn't a crush. I did not like Ushijima that way.

"What time does his practice start?" Itsuko asked.

I shrugged. "I usually start hearing the balls fly around six-"

Itsuko gasped and covered her mouth. "That means you only have twenty minutes! Quick!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me along with her in the direction of the girls' dorm. "Get changed! Put on a new shirt!"

I huffed and ripped my hand away. "Itsuko, relax. I'm only going to see his team practice for a little while. I don't see the point in changing out of my uniform when I'm gonna go back to the dorm later anyways. Besides, I still have some homework to do."

"Maaaaan," Itsuko whined, kicking a stray pebble with her shoe. "Okay. I guess I better get back to studying too."

Twenty minutes was plenty of time for me to go over some assignments I didn't finish yet and probably would have by now if fate didn't have to run me over with a semi-truck. I sat at a round lunch table and tried to ignore the impending hour as I laid out the work, Itsuko doing the same with her notes. It was peaceful. By that time, most students had retired to the dorm rooms so there wasn't much traffic, except for the occasional students strolling by in pairs or the horses out by the field. Itsuko sipped from a new juice box now, peach flavored. The crazier the day was, the more vending machines she splurged her money on so I knew she was excited about me going to see the team practice. If only I could get her to go in my stead...

No, that'd be worse. I'd never pry her off Tendo's back then.

I waited with wringing fingers and jittery legs outside of the gymnasium for the clock to officially strike six o'clock. Showing up early might arouse suspicions (as if there wasn't enough of that going around) and appearing late would be disrespectful and I didn't want to tarnish an amiable acquaintance with Ushijma or his teammates. The boys and a college team were already inside. I could hear the rolling wheels of the ball cart being brought out and the squeak of their fresh new sneakers against the smooth freshly waxed floor. Breathing in deeply, I slowly poked my head around the open entry, hoping no one would find it weird that I came to watch, but no one really paid attention. They were too submerged in the waves of adrenaline that came along with their sport.

Why am I here? I thought incredulously to myself, feeling very much out of my element and a little uninterested. Or a lot. But Ushijima was polite with his invitation and I would feel worse for blowing it off. When either side of the net was filled with players, I crept closer to the wall and situated myself quietly on the ground, knees tucked to my chest as the first ball was tossed in the air. The direction of my gaze was snapping from left to right, but I couldn't help but linger on a certain player in particular.

Naturally, Ushijima took point and concentrated on nothing except the ball in his hands and the other side of the net. The amount of focus in his brown eyes was mesmerizing. And intimidating. When he smacked the ball straight down to the rival side of the net, it felt like rainy mountains should have replaced the background behind him with dragons roaring overhead, like a level from one of my brother's game. All of Shiratorizawa's players were talented, almost ridiculously so compared to older guys who were well into college and I didn't doubt that they could hold their own against other teams who were on equal level or just plain better.

But as I watched, I realized that Ushijima had a way of making it all look simple. From his serves, to his spikes and the way he controlled the gameplay.

"Ushijima-san sure is great, huh?"

I snapped out of my daze and glanced next to the dark haired boy standing by the water jug, eyes glassy with reverence. He didn't look old enough to be in our school, so I assumed he was also from the college campus.

"Uh... yeah. Yeah, he is," I mumbled nonchalantly despite the voice in my head that agreed along with the boy with more admiration.

I stood up when their coach blew a whistle and slung my book bag over my shoulder. Now that their attention wasn't zeroed in on a colored checkered ball, I felt a bit self conscious in being spotted. It was alright for students of the school to come in and observe, which put the question in my brain why Itsuko chose to lurk outside through the windows as if Tendou had a restraining order against her. Although I wouldn't be exactly shocked if that turned out to be the case.

But I didn't want to leave right away without saying goodbye to Ushijima first. Maybe compliment him on all those 'nice receives' or whatever they said during games. I still had trouble understanding some mechanics and that put me in an awkward spot. What was there to say to a gifted player who most likely heard every praise to be said? So I waited outside by the door again, sitting on the bench where nothing could attack me out of nowhere. One by one the players filed out. The college team, followed eventually by Shiratorizawa's boys' team. None of them asked me why I was waiting there and I wondered if that meant lots of students or onlookers in general came to view a practice meet.

I swung my foot back of forth, staring at the shadow playing over the blades of grass until it was swallowed by an even darker mass.

"Were you waiting for me?"

I jumped up at the voice. "No! I mean, yes, I was sort of. Just... just to say goodbye to you first. Thank you for inviting me. It was cool and I had a good time watching, but I should be going back to my dorm room now."

"I'll walk you back."

"Oh, you don't have to do tha-" My protest was cut short by him taking the lead and walking ahead slowly. When I didn't automatically follow after five steps, he paused, hands in his jacket pockets and gazed back at me. "Okay then," I sighed quietly and trudged up to meet his long stride. We walked side by side in silence for a moment or two, the gentle wind blowing strands of hair around my neck. "So... does it hurt your hands when you receive the ball?"

"Pain resistance is built up over time."

His answer was clipped and dry, but still informative. "Really?" I responded. "That's awesome. You must not feel a thing anymore."

We were half way to the student dormitory unit, with me clutching the strap of my book bag and him with his gym bag. He was so tall he blocked some of the dim light from the setting skyline as we crossed over to the main building.

"So... have you been playing volleyball for a long time?" I asked.

"Yeah," his deep voice grunted. "My father taught me at a young age."

"Whoa, he plays too?" No wonder he was so talented. It ran in the family. "I bet he's proud that you're winning all these competitions. Does he come watch you a lot?"

"No. He's lived overseas for years now."

"I'm sorry." I frowned then, feeling bad that I brought up something so negative. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine."

"Does that mean your Mom watches your games?"

"Sometimes," he answered bluntly yet again. "It was my father who mostly supported my interest."

"That's great," I told him with a smile despite how bleak his parental relationships sounded. I guess he didn't mind though from his calm demeanor. Some people were just born independent. "I'm sure he's watching you wherever he is and happy for your success."

"Yeah," Ushijima grunted again, his tone a little softer and his eyes fell to the ground for a moment. "Maybe."

I twisted my book bag strap between my hands, the gaping silence between us heavy and tense until I stopped in front of the girl's dormitory sign. The boys' was just right across the lot. "Well... thank you for letting me come and watch, Ushijima-san. It was... interesting. I mean, I never knew much about volleyball to begin with and now I feel like I know a little more." I idly kicked at the ground for a second, looking away from his blank but connected gaze. "To be honest, I'm not really into sports that much, but... volleyball looks kinda fun."

"I could teach you."

My head snapped up. "Me?" I almost glanced over my shoulder to make sure a starstruck sports fanatic wasn't ogling the six foot two volleyball Captain and he just wanted to be nice to them. Maybe Itsuko, but it wasn't. It was just us hanging out on campus. "That's nice of you, Ushijima-san, but I don't think I-"

"In order for you to reach your full potential, you would have had to start in childhood, so your ability will be limited," he explains. "I doubt you'll have much talent to play with teams, but the best you can learn is receiving a ball."

If it was some other guy saying in a very deadpanned manner of speaking that given my later age, my future aptitude in volleyball is forever stunted, I might have just dug the heel of my shoes down on his own foot, but Ushijima didn't sound like he meant any offense or belittlement out of it. He was just simply stating a fact. And it was for my own good. I could still learn how to toss a ball or so, but I probably wouldn't be able to hang with the real teams. And that was fine. It wasn't like I had the time or more importantly, the interest in becoming as good as him.

"Oh, so you mean, you'd be able to teach me how to avoid getting hit by a ball?" I replied after a moment.

Ushijima nodded.

"That'd be cool," I confessed, seriously considering the idea. "But I wouldn't want to take up so much of your time, Ushijima-san."

"You won't."

His voice was matter-of-fact and genuine, like it always was, but it didn't make me any less apprehensive. He was so blandly friendly that I felt bad in rejecting his offers, no matter how casual they seemed to be. While it was still true to me that I wasn't fond of extreme loving sport guys like him, Ushijima was proving to be a different case. His passion and born talent for volleyball was some of the most intense I've ever seen. So much that it was nerve wracking to just stand near him, knowing all those characteristics existed in him made him more... intriguing? Attractive? I did feel like I was blushing the more I was around him.

Maybe I was beginning to like Ushijima. Not even in the way Itsuko or the other classmates thought, but there was potential there for us to be amiable academic colleagues. People that saw glimpses of each other in the halls and weren't automatically revolted at the sight. Well, maybe the last part never applied to him...

"In that case..." I started to say. "I'd love to learn."

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow?"

Ushijima was turning away to the boy's dorm hall, but he paused and glanced back at me. "You'd prefer to start now?"

"No, no!" I waved my hands from side to side a little, blushing at his frankness and ability to assume what my thoughts were even though they were actually completely opposite of what I was truly thinking. "I just didn't think it'd be that soon, that's all. Tomorrow... yeah, that's fine. Should I come to the gym again?"

"Yeah. Practice ends at eight."

"Cool. So... goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I waved goodbye at his retreating figure until it disappeared into the sun's setting shadows. I didn't realize just how quickly daylight was fading so I hurried to my dorm room before anyone with an imaginative mind saw us and thought we were arranging another secret rendezvous. Nobody had confronted me since that day by the study tables, but given Ushijima's bold arrival outside of my classroom door, who knew what lies and exaggerations could have been spewing about our supposed romantic connection. Accepting his teaching position wasn't an ideal method in diffusing those speculations, but if I went through the rest of my high school life avoiding him or any guys in the major sports industry, they'd have good reason to think I had something to hide.

Ushijima's sound words about rumors and knowing the real truth behind them should be enough to not let it bother myself held a lot of weight now. He was doing a kind thing by showing me how to protect myself in severe cases such as fatal flying circular objects and I found myself wholly excited for the experience. Not exactly prepared, but I guess it wouldn't be a lesson in defense if I didn't already know what I was doing. The branding at my temple from the ball already proved that. I couldn't help but feel anxious about the whole thing too and it was the kind that had me scared to step foot inside the gymnasium tomorrow. The school's volleyball team Captain, who also just happened to be one of the top three Aces in Japan was going to be waiting for me there and I didn't know if I could stomach it.

But I knew one thing...

I couldn't tell Itsuko.

A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this one and I hope you enjoyed it too. :)

Thank you to everyone for reading! I didn't expect to go this far, but I'm glad I did. See you guys next time!