A/N: hey yall sorry i didnt update for like a year- i dropped this story because i realised it was cringe but i picked it back up again because of one person saying pls update... also i found this draft chapter that i wrote before and didnt publish! i hope this new chapter meets your expectations!
Hinata POV
"That, Hinata, is how you execute a fast attack."
Hinata watched in awe as his teammate Yamaguchi stood, catching his breath while smiling as though relieved, in the middle of the volleyball court in gym two. His Karasuno teammates were cheering him on and patting him on the back happily, while the other team: their practice match opponents Nekoma were busily saying to each other; "don't mind!"
"Yamaguchi is a good spiker. Who knew the kid had it in him?" Ennoshita remarked cheerfully. "He and Suga-san work really well together!" Hinata nodded, leaning on the edge of his seat, rocking with excitement.
"I'll be a good spiker like that one day." He declared passionately. "I'm sure of it!"
"Of course!" Coach Ukai chuckled. "Better work on your receives though!"
"I-I will!" Hinata promised. Maybe then I can finally go up on the first lineup and not warm this bench for once!
"Nice kill Asahi!" Coach Ukai shouted as the third-year's ball shot right past Nekoma's blockers. The libero miserably picked himself off the ground, apologising profusely to his teammates.
Hinata heard whispers from the Karasuno players on court.
"What do you think Yamaguchi? Should we try that fast attack again?" Sugawara-san asked.
"I'm ready if you are senpai!" Yamaguchi nodded with enthusiasm. At the scene in front of him, desperate envy coursed through Hinata. The yearning to be on court, to play, was too much to bear.
Why couldn't he be there? He practised all day every day from the morning to night. He treated volleyball seriously, never as a hobby. It just wasn't fair. Why did Yamaguchi have to steal his spot? Though, Hinata knew he was no match for the superior spiker. Everyone knew he was guaranteed to take the spot of ace once Asahi graduated...but still...
If only he could work with a setter the way Yamaguchi did. If he had a partner, perhaps, he could work his way up top too. If he could find one, that is...
It was Nekoma's turn to serve. Their captain, Kuroo Tetsurou, hit a powerful serve towards Tsukushima, who was in line with the others ready to receive at the back. Handling it well, Tsukushima hit it to Sugawara who tossed to Yamaguchi with ease and skill. "Nice receive!" The forest-green haired boy was on top of the net in mere seconds and slammed the ball down with extraordinary speed and power, aiming it in a gap between two Nekoma blocker's fingers. The ball ricocheted off the ground without any resistance whatsoever.
"Nice kill!" Yachi-san called from the sidelines along with Ennoshita from beside Hinata.
"Nice kill!" Pushing jealousy aside, Hinata called loudly. Don't worry Hinata, you'll be like that one day.
He slumped back in his seat. Maybe, just maybe, there was a different reality where he wasn't just a bench-warmer? Maybe he could've been the ace, and not some off line cheerer that rarely got a chance on court because he was not good enough? Maybe -
Suddenly, a sharp pain in his head slowed him down to a halt. Everything seemed to go blurry and hazy before him, and time seemed to slow down. He blinked furiously, wondering what was going on, and the last thing he saw before blacking out was the vision of a strange dark blue butterfly flit past his eyes.
You're getting a little too eager, friend.
The rowdy chatter of high-schoolers after school filled his ears as he exited his (classroom??) alongside his swarm of classmates eager to get home and relax for the day. Um where the heck am I..?! He looked around, but all he could see were people, people and more people. Not one familiar face stood out from the crowd. Hoisting his backpack higher up his back, he walked steadily onwards, hoping to find someone to trail behind so he could stop and figure out what just happened.
After a while, be noticed that there was a boy who was sticking closer to him than others. He was also wearing a school uniform of Karasuno, but Hinata didn't recognise him at all. His raven-black hair seemed to shine in the daylight, and the bag on his back seemed tidy and neatly zipped up. His shoulders were hunched, and his face was hidden from him. Who is this guy? Out of curiosity, Hinata leaned closer to examine his face. The boy turned to him and Hinata noticed with a jolt the dark blue eyes that seemed to weirdly stare into his soul. Hey!! His eyes are the same colour as that butterfly I saw just now! His eyebrows were permanently turned downwards, as though he scowled a lot, and his eyes were as sharp as ice and narrowed. Eek!! This kid is scary as heck!
"Um, hi...?" He wasn't really sure what to say.So focused on the other boy's face however, he didn't notice that he bumped into another person. He turned with an apology but the person just ran past, head low.
"Hinata boke! Can't you notice things around you?" The guy was saying loudly. Surprised, Hinata widened his eyes as he turned to him.
"Boke?! I am not a boke!" He frowned indignantly. The guy rolled his eyes, ignoring him.
"Shut up boke." Seriously? I just said I wasn't a boke!
"I'm not a dumbass!" Hinata repeated. The guy just stared with those piercing blue eyes of his.
"You never deny anything. Boke, what's wrong with you? I mean, you've been like this for a few days..." he mused to himself. "But still. Is Hinata in that oh so big brain of yours by any chance?"
"Wh-what do ya mean?!" Hinata's annoyed retort was heard from many. "Who are you and what do you want?" He demanded, taking two steps forward.
"Calm down boke!" The guy sounded surprised. "And get away from me. It's embarrassing." He glanced away for a second. Wha-is he blushing?!
"No!! Who are you?!" He was weirded out, and really really confused. "How do you know my name? Have I met you before?"
"What's this?" At the sound of a voice, the guy froze. Hinata, relieved, sighed internally until he saw what the boy must've saw before him. D-Daichi... his eyes were ice cold and his lips stretched thin across his face. But Hinata was relieved to see someone he knew.
"Oh, Daichi-senpai! This guy somehow knows my name and I don't know how!" He explained, glancing at the guy who seemed bewildered. Daichi looked almost as confused as he felt.
"Hinata, what do you mean?" He asked. "What are you talking about?"
"This creepy guy!" Hinata pointed straight at the guy's face. He tried avoiding his eyes.
"Oi! I'm not creepy!" The guy frowned angrily. "Boke, you're acting stupid. Like you are." Daichi shot the guy a glare that looked exactly like his death wish.
"Seriously, you two are worse than Nishinoya. Do you ever just stop for even a minute?" He sighed. "Well, Suga was always better than me with these things. You two are a handful."
"Daichi-senpai, I actually wanted to ask you about practice tomorrow." The guy said. He seemed unaffected by the captain's words. Daichi nodded.
"Sure, come along, I'm headed to the courts. We can talk while walking." He strode off and the guy followed. Hinata noticed his mouth moving, but couldn't hear what he was saying.
This is so weird...Daichi-senpai knows this guy, but I don't? I've never seen this guy at school before. Such a strange dream this is. Noticing he was being left behind, he quickly ran after them.
"Daichi-senpai! I must ask again, who is this?" He asked, pointing at the guy's face.
"Boke, you're so stupid." The guy rolled his eyes. "Stop mucking around, because you're not getting any tosses after practice if this goes on."
Tosses...after practice? Hinata pondered. "Um?" The guy just parted his hair to the side with an annoyed flash of blue from his eyes and turned back to Daichi.
"Hinata, are you feeling alright?" The third grader's eyes were flashing with concern.
"Yeah...I'm good." Hinata nodded. ...not. Now my stomach's feeling all queasy...crap, am I going to puke?
"I'm going to the toilet." He announced from nowhere. Daichi stared at him before nodding.
Staggering to the bathroom, Hinata locked himself in a cubicle and sighed. Phew, that was close. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of these dream-people. Especially that guy!
"What is up with this dream?" He wondered out loud. "I was at the practice match against Nekoma and then I got here. Somehow." He closed his eyes thoughtfully, although he knew fully well that no one could see him. "So I'm unconscious, and this is like, a dream."
It didn't really feel like a dream.
He sighed. Damn, why couldn't he just go back now?
"Hinata?" Straightening, Hinata stifled a gasp. Was he really just talking to himself and someone had found him?
"Um, yes?" Panicked, he flushed the toilet (for dramatic effect) and unlocked the cubicle. "Ah!"
Standing before him was the guy from earlier. Yes, that guy that was totally not intimidating or scary at all and who Hinata definitely did not want to hide from.
"Boke, class is starting." He said unblinkingly. "Get your ass there because there's a test going on." How can someone be so blunt? Hinata thought, suppressing the wince from those ice blue eyes. This guy is annoying.
"Okay, coming." He walked over to the sink and started to wash his hands, although he could feel the guy's stare burning into his back. He turned, his hands still damp from the faucet's water. "Can you quit staring?" The guy's face flushed.
"Boke, I wasn't staring." He shot back defensively. "Shut up and let's go to class."
"Fine, baka." Hinata muttered as he shook out his hands and opened the bathroom door.
The guy's piercing gaze rested on his, and a shiver ran down Hinata's spine. Was it a shiver of fear, confusion, or something else? He didn't want to know. He gripped the door handle tightly.
"Listen, I'm sorry." He apologised. The guy blinked. It was rather refreshing to see him confused for once.
"Uh, you haven't called me that for days. I thought something was wrong with you." He stated flatly. "I guess the real Hinata's back. Not that it's good."
Ugh, this guy. Could probably even ruin birthdays with his attitude. Hinata thought.
As he opened the door however, as it happened before, the pain in the back of his head started to pulse, and he couldn't help but fall to his knees, wincing. The blurred image of the guy's wide, surprised blue eyes stayed in his memory.
After that, all went black.
