So many Exams and Projects to finish but I still find time to write.
I want to thank everyone so far for following, favouriting and reviewing. AND OF COURSE FOR READING IT.
I hope you have enjoyed it so far. And I hope some of you are still hooked.
PandaHee: You might notice in this chapter that it is slowly starting. And yes, he is very underrated. Sadly as well because I think he is the most interesting character. He looks so serious and scary but he is such a cinnamon roll. Luckily I study behaviour occurances and all the sozial stuff. I actually use a lot of the things I learn right now in the story. Tamiko is somehow the person I am, want to be and don't want to be. She is fun to write.
rheascarlet: It has popped up a few times. And yes, you will see. I don't want to spoil it but then again, this chapter should give more hints. And thank you :)
Guest Lili: Yeah, not a very good mum. And yes, Tamiko is having a tough time. Let's hope for the best for her.
The LunaGoddess: And luckily you didn't have to wait for long :) Enjoy ^^
Chapter 7 - A Strange Occurrence
Behind every strong man
stands a woman with concerns
The summer holidays came and went. The day after she had spent the day at Semi's house it was Ushijima's 18th birthday. She had taken the liberty of baking a cake for their little party which they had planned but she didn't bother to stay. Goshiki's birthday was also blessed with one of her cakes. Otherwise she spent the weekdays working or helping the volleyball club while Tobio went to train. In the evenings she knitted a lot. Since the boys had already planned a little christmas party of the volleyball team, to which she had also been invited, she had decided to knit each of them a scarf. It was one of the things her mother taught her. It was at least one thing she was glad to have learned from her. At the end of the school holidays, she had already finished three of the fourteen scarves.
In September school started again but never did she expect that the first day back would be so eventful. A few announcements were made about events and occurrences of the clubs and general school activities. Like always, the volleyball club was praised for their excellent play and the students praised Ushijima and Yamagata. Tamiko ignored the crowd that had gathered in the lunch break. Most of them were girls and crowded behind her, since the new seating the teacher had fabricated required Ushijima to sit behind Tamiko who had been moved to the front window. The squeals and compliments seething with lust made her cringe to the bone. How could girls her age and younger be so focused on boys when there were better things to do? She was sure that some only went to this Academy because their parents were rich enough to bribe the teachers. A few were smart but others seemed to be at the wrong place.
"I like you, Wakatoshi-kun!" one girl squealed. "Please go out with me."
Tamiko's eyes met with Yamagata's and he silently laughed when he saw her roll her eyes. It had been a long time since a girl had asked him this and the two knew the answer was always 'okay'. For a reason that she couldn't think of he always agreed to it. The record lay by 3 days for the longest relationship. He never pays attention to me, one girl had complained. It's always volleyball. Since this happened all the time she was surprised that some girls still tried. The statistics spoke against a long lasting relationship. However, she was still convinced that Ushijima just needed the right person. If he would ever fall in love, volleyball might slip down to priority #2 but that was unthinkable.
"I'm sorry." she heard him say. "But I have to refuse."
It was so polite yet blunt that it hit like a brick. Everyone in the room grew silent and they all looked to the ace in wonder and confusion. Especially the girls.
"Why?" she asked quietly and confused.
Tamiko recognised her as Hiyori, a musically talented girl, rather shy. A rejection like that wouldn't do her heart any good.
"There is someone else who I like." he explained.
Wow, what? This was a world first. Yamagata and Tamiko exchanged worried glances and both headed out through the door. They didn't exchange any words but both ran to the gym where the rest of the team had already gathered for practise. While Tamiko was out of breath from the run, Yamagata told the others what they had just heard.
"What?" Tendou's eyes widened in surprise. "Wakatoshi-kun likes someone?"
"Shhhh." she hissed.
The coach still hadn't arrived in the gym so it was nice and empty. Great for quiet discussions, like this one. The boys huddled even closer.
"Are you sure?" Semi asked.
"We heard him say it to a girl who confessed to him." Yamagata confirmed.
"After he rejected her." Tamiko added.
"Is he ill or something?" Kawanishi asked.
"Probably ate something bad." Shibaru thought out loud.
"No, he meant it." Tamiko nodded when Goshiki poked his head through.
"Why are you all so shocked?" Goshiki asked.
"Ushijima only likes volleyball." they told him.
"I'm worried. Does he even know how to handle a girl properly?" Tamiko asked.
"I guess we have to teach him." Tendou shrugged.
"He wouldn't learn much from you." Kawanishi noted.
Tendou and Kawanishi started to quarrel a little when the school bell rang. Tamiko sighed and waved.
"Well, I have to go back to class. Enjoy your training." Tamiko said and left.
The boys continued their exchange with the witness Yamagata. Goshiki was quietly thinking for himself when something crossed his mind.
"It's probably Kageyama-san." Goshiki blurted out.
The others turned around to face him.
"What?" they said in unison.
"Ushijima-san probably likes Kageyama-san." he repeated more clearly.
"Why would you think that?" Ohira asked.
"It just seems so obvious. Or do you know any other girl he talks to?" he asked them.
This made them think for a moment. It was true. Aside from Tamiko, no other girl had any regular contact with the volleyball club. And in the dormitories, Ushijima usually stayed in his room.
"Wow, who knew you were this smart, Tsutomu-kun." Tendou grinned.
"Or we could just ask Wakatoshi when he gets here." Kawanishi suggested.
"What do you want to ask me?" a voice disturbed them.
They turned around to what they had feared. Ushijima was standing behind them. Before Kawanishi could say anything, Semi pulled him away.
"Are you crazy?" he hissed.
"I'm sure this has gone around the entire school already. Things like this spread like wildfire." Yamagata reminded him.
After a few seconds of a quiet discussion, they turned towards their captain and Soekawa spoke.
"We heard that you like someone."
Ushijima nodded but seemed casual about this.
"And we were wondering who it might be." Tendou added.
Ushijima stayed silent for a moment as his teammates all stared daggers at him.
"It's Kageyama-san, am I right?" Goshiki said and they all looked at him and then back at Ushijima.
He just nodded.
"No way!" Tendou screeched.
"Are you sure?" Soekawa asked.
"You have no experience when it comes to relationships." Kawanishi noted.
"Who said I want a relationship with her?" Ushijima asked.
"Excuse me? I thought you like her which is why you are rejecting others now." Semi told him.
"Just because I like her doesn't mean that I want a relationship with her." Ushijima said.
"Then why did you reject the girl?"
"I have realised that a relationship is a state that doesn't give me an advantage in anything. Rather, it is a waste of time." he explained.
"You really lack experience." Kawanishi sighed.
"A girl is the best thing a guy can have." Tendou grinned, placing his arm around Ushijima's shoulder.
He then told him about all the things that girls provided in a relationship. The others nodded in agreement. Most of them then shared their experience that they had enjoyed most. Semi once received his favourite meal from a girl he had dated and Kawanishi had enjoyed massages from his last girlfriend. Ushijima just listened.
"Man, are you sure you like her? Because if I like someone I would do anything to get her." Soekawa asked him.
"I don't think Wakatoshi-kun can distinguish between liking someone as a friend or really liking someone." Tendou noted while scratching his head. "At least not yet."
Now Semi was boiling with anger.
"If he can't see the difference then I am not letting him near her!" he shouted.
"Calm down, Eita." Ohira said and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
Semi shook off the hand and turned to his teammates in anger.
"No! Tamiko has never been in a relationship. If Wakatoshi can't see the difference, then he is going to break her. You have seen what an emotional wreck she is. I don't want her to suffer any more."
Dead silence followed. They could understand him, at least the third years. It was a fact. Tamiko has always been single. Tamiko hated popular boys. Tamiko was worn out. Ushijima looked at him in silence when Soekawa Jin walked towards him. He positioned himself before him and although he was shorter and younger, in that moment, he seemed older and wiser.
"We shall keep this to ourselves." he said, looking at the others before turning to the ace. "And you should think about what she means to you. The question here is, if she is more important to you than volleyball."
Ushijima was about to speak but Soekawa stopped him.
"Think about it for yourself until you are sure."
Semi glared at Ushijima who glanced back at him when Washijo walked into the gym. The coach gave them instructions and dismissed them to prepare. Ushijima walked up to Semi, who still had his eyebrows knitted together.
"Semi, I apologise for angering you. It was not my intention." Ushijima told him with a slight bow.
Semi glanced at his team captain for a moment. Ushijima was his friend but so was Tamiko. He didn't want her to fall for a guy who didn't even know the difference between liking someone as a friend or as more. Maybe, over time he would realise the difference. If he really did like her, he might be someone who Tamiko needed.
"Just promise that you will stay away from Tamiko." Semi told him. "For now."
"I promise."
"Then let's go and practice."
Over the next few weeks, the rumour turned to fact and it became the hottest topic. Many of the girls wondered who the lucky girl could be. The members of the volleyball club knew but nobody else would even think that it was Tamiko. Not even herself. Out of curiosity, she always listened to the gossip about the mysterious girl. One rumour started that the girl was from a different school or a childhood friend from abroad. That would also have been Tamiko's guess. After all, Ushijima had no close contact with inside the school.
Tamiko wasn't needed at the training sessions which gave her enough time to study and even knit more. It also gave Ushijima time to think. When he was sitting in his room by himself, he thought about if Tamiko was really more important to him than volleyball. Soekawa seemed to understand that Ushijima would only know if he liked or even loved someone, when volleyball wasn't priority #1. He kept thinking. Did he rather want to see her than go and train? He wasn't sure. It was something that would probably reveal itself over time.
