"We are deeply sorry! Please accept our humblest apology!" The restaurant manager respectfully bowed to Hitomi, shaking in his boots as he didn't dare to look her in the eye. She could see the rivulets of sweat rolling down the back of his neck as he bowed his head low. It was even further than the standard ninety-degree bow. If he went any lower, he might even hurt his spine.

His other employees looked on in worry and confusion, wondering why he was so fearful of such a young girl. If they didn't know better, she looked like she could have just been another waitress. They, however, quickly bowed along when they were glared at by their manager.

Even Hitomi was a bit taken aback. She had only come in here to ask for them to prepare her and Nishinoya's meal to go, but it appears she has caused a misunderstanding. She didn't recognize the restaurant manager, but he certainly recognized her.

After some prodding and receiving his business card, Hitomi realized that this café was associated with a few chains connected to her family. By coming to the back room and asking that they package the meals instead, she inadvertently implied that she was dissatisfied with their service.

Of course, dealing with that waiter was less than ideal, but Hitomi wasn't the kind of person to punish an entire establishment for the fault of one worker. In fact, she had expected this kind of thing in any restaurant she went, but it's obvious that the manager wouldn't know or understand that.

She sighed in slight annoyance. It seems as though she was so excited about the food and sweets that she failed to do some more proper research on the establishment. After some thought, this place did seem a little bit more upscale than just a regular, local, mom-and-pop place. Not to mention the prices seemed a little high when she was looking at the menu. Not that she was short of money, but it was something she came to know through experience of her family dealings.

Her small sigh of annoyance and the furrow in her brows caused the manager to jump, his cold sweat worsening. In reality, he had nothing to fear as Hitomi was just frustrated with herself. It wasn't that she wouldn't have come to this café if she knew about its association with her family. Just that she preferred to avoid misunderstandings like this.

She's dealt with certain businesses before on behalf of her father. She didn't mind it, as this is probably the kind of work that she should get used to for the future. She just hated the status that came with it. She hated having to deal with all these people.

The suck-ups. The fakers. The ones that always hid behind a mask.

"As compensation, please do not worry about the cost of your meal! It is completely complimentary!" The manager spluttered out, hoping to salvage the situation.

Ugh. There it is.

The sucking up. The fear in his eyes, and the hope that followed after it. The kind of hope where someone believed they could have something to gain. A scene that could easily turn into an abuse of authority.

Hitomi really hated this.

She didn't like living like this. Being treated like this. She hated the other 'elites' who abused their power on the innocent, and tried her hardest not to act the same.

Of course, she was cold by nature, but not like that. She brushed people off easily for coming on to her but she didn't demean people. Liking someone and treating them with respect were two different things. She tried to give people respect because she knew what it was like to be given none. To be used and then tossed aside right after. To only be considered because there was some sort of merit involved.

The girl sighed again, once more putting fear in the café manager. "There's really no need for that. I just wanted to make your lives easier by ordering our meals as take-out instead since it is rush hour after all. By freeing up a table, you'll have more customer traffic, thus having the opportunity to make more money." She explained, reaching into her bag for her wallet.

"You did nothing wrong, so please raise your head. I'll be paying by credit card." She handed him the shining gold card without so much as another glance, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. The man gratefully accepted it, boisterously and repeatedly mentioning how kind and generous she was.

After that whole ordeal, she finally received two plastic bags of their packaged meals. She thanked the staff and promptly walked back to Nishinoya.

He didn't even notice when she came back. Normally, the moment she stepped anywhere close to him, his head would shoot up like a puppy hearing its owner. He seemed in deep thought, and Hitomi could almost see a gloomy aura around him.

He was only snapped out of it when she placed a bag in front of him. He jumped in his seat, looking up at her in surprise.

The girl held up her own bag. "I asked them to pack up our food instead because it's so crowded in here." She jerked her head in the direction of the exit. "I already paid. Come on, let's go." She said, already walking before receiving a response from him.

Nishinoya quickly stood up from his seat and grabbed his bag of food, so startled that he didn't have time to question it or be upset that he let her pay for both their meals. Once they were outside, Hitomi unwrapped her small sandwich to nibble on it.

The libero just followed her mindlessly, still mulling over his thoughts from earlier. "Hitomi-chan…I'm sorry…" He mumbled scowling down at his feet.

The girl stopped walking, his apology surprising her. She turned to him, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Sorry? For what? You didn't do anything wrong." She asked. She hoped that it wasn't yet another misunderstanding.

Nishinoya's hands tightened into fists. "I was causing trouble again, right? That's why you didn't want to eat at the café…" He revealed, surprising Hitomi once more. Rather than the sadness that she's seen before, it was more like he was just disappointed with himself. She hadn't expected him to be so…sensitive. It wasn't a bad thing, just something unusual on such a bright and positive guy like him.

"It had nothing to do with you. I just wanted to get away from that waiter." She explained, her confusion slowly turning to one of concern when Nishinoya still chose not to look at her.

He grit his teeth, preparing to ask his next question. "When we first met…Was I…Did I…" Did I annoy you this much? He wanted to ask. He really wanted to ask, but couldn't bring himself to. If he finished the question, he might actually get an answer that he didn't want to hear. When did he become such a wuss!? If he was in the wrong, then he should own up to it and make it up to her!

He just didn't want to look bad in front of the girl he likes. He didn't want to be hit with the potential reality that, all along, he was just a nuisance to her. That he was just like that creepy manager from the convenience store, or those annoying boys at the library, or that pushy waiter at the café.

Seeing him struggle, Hitomi got the gist of what he was thinking. "Nishinoya-kun, trust me. If I didn't want to hang out with you, I definitely wouldn't be here right now. If anything, I would've ditched you at the library instead of suggesting we go to that café." She sighed, smiling with sympathy. "Or I could've even left you at the café. You were so deep in thought, I doubt you would've even noticed until it was too late."

He finally looked up at her, meeting her eyes with his own hopeful ones. She looked away, going back to eating her sandwich. He did annoy her a lot at first, but she was beginning to feel thankful for that. Not that she would let him know that yet, of course.

"Now eat your food. There's no outside food allowed in the theaters." She instructed him. Nishinoya tilted his head in question. She pointed in front of them, and that's when he realized they had been walking towards the movie theater. He really wasn't paying attention to his surroundings lately. She just captivated his thoughts so easily.

"There's still time to watch a movie…Unless you don't want to…" Hitomi suggested, causing the darkness in his eyes to completely dissipate. He sparkled, his usual idiotic smile on full blast.

Good. Hitomi much preferred this side of him.

"I want to! I definitely want to!" Nishinoya shouted, immediately digging into his plastic bag. His appetite returned in its entirety as he ate everything in just a few seconds. He always ate with gusto, but this seemed to be for a different reason. The relief that washed over him when Hitomi assured him that he wasn't just being a nuisance was so euphoric. Without all those worries and anxieties, he was free to feel hungry. It was like the type of hunger one felt after a hard day of work. Different from your average, everyday hunger.

Hitomi smiled to herself. A smile that was starting to get wider and wider every time she met with him. He really was like a child. It was like his mom had just told him that he could go and play once he finished all of his vegetables. When he was done, he wiped his mouth with one sweep of his arm and grinned. "That was delicious!" He exclaimed.

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "With how fast you scarfed that down, I don't think you could've tasted anything." She joked, finishing her own sandwich in a much neater way. "So, what movie do you want to watch?" She asked, looking up at the different movie posters.

"Anything you want to watch, Hitomi-chan!" Nishinoya enthusiastically responded. Hitomi sighed, having expected that from him. Honestly, she didn't have a preference, but it seemed like he did.

Despite what he just said, it was clear that his gaze was gravitating to one particular poster. Following his gaze, Hitomi's eyes fell upon an over-the-top action film. She chuckled at how this was obviously the type of movie that he likes. It suited his loud and energetic personality.

Even if she didn't know that, he was already so easy to read. It was all over his face, with his big smile and bright eyes. He was the type that wore his heart on his sleeve, leaving all of his emotions bare. That's why she let her guard down so much around him – because he didn't have one up at all.

"How about that one then?" She asked, already knowing his answer.

When Nishinoya saw that she was pointing at the movie he was hoping to see, his smile somehow grew even wider. His eyes twinkled as he looked up at her. "Sure! Let's watch it! I'll go and buy our tickets!"

Hitomi was already pulling out her wallet. "That's fine, I can pay for mi—" She was cut off when he suddenly grabbed at her wrist. She looked at him in surprise, startled by his swift motion.

His eyes met hers with a fierce determination. "No way! I can't let you pay for it! Especially after you paid for our lunch! Just wait here!" He dashed off without waiting for her response.

The girl stared at his back as he ran up to the ticket booth. Her eyes slowly travelled down to the wrist that he had just grabbed. She cradled it in her other hand as thoughts swam in her head.

She was used to guys always trying to impress her with their wallets, as if her affection could be bought. It was yet another thing men did that disgusted her to no end.

Yet…What Nishinoya was doing now…It didn't seem all that bad.

She couldn't tell what was so different. Maybe because it was a sort of exchange like he mentioned? It seemed fairer since she had already paid for lunch. Not that she would have demanded him to pay for the movie tickets anyhow.

Hitomi shook her head, forgoing these confusing thoughts and feeling a strange heat on her cheeks. When she noticed that Nishinoya was running back to her, an unknowing smile graced her features. He had two tickets in his hand, raising them high into the air and waving them around with an excited smile.

They entered the theater together, finding their seats just before the movie began. Hitomi settled in, peeking at Nishinoya from the corner of her eye. He was nearly bouncing in his seat, anxiously waiting for the movie to start.

The girl chuckled. She wasn't all that interested in the movie, but Nishinoya was certainly amusing. She leaned back into the cushioned seat, relaxing as the movie started.

Unfortunately, her relaxation was cut very short.

"UOOOHHH! SO COOL!" Nishinoya's shouts were continuously heard by all patrons. Pretty much every time something happened on screen, his voice could be heard.

With every shout, Hitomi sank further and further into her seat. She hid her face behind her hand, avoiding the glares from the other moviegoers around them.

Eventually, somebody complained to staff and they came in with a flashlight, shining it directly at Nishinoya. "Excuse me, sir. We're going to have to ask you to leave, as you are being a disturbance."

The libero's face blanched at that and he grew pale. He quickly turned to Hitomi, but she had already gotten up. She was well on her way out of the theater, not even waiting for him. He bowed to the theater staff and quickly followed after her.

Hitomi didn't slow down or stop to wait for him until they made it outside. Watching her from behind, Nishinoya saw her shoulders shaking. Oh, no…She was definitely mad at him now! First the library, then the café, and now this! What was wrong with him!? "H-Hitomi-chan! I—"

He was cut off by the girl's sudden burst of laughter, her shoulders shaking along. His initial confusion was short-lived, very quickly giving way to feelings of awe. He stared at Hitomi's beautiful laughing face with pink cheeks and a clenching heart.

He didn't care about if she was laughing at him or not. He was dedicating all of his brain power to memorizing this one moment. The curve of her lips. The crinkle of her eyes. The way she clutched at her stomach. Her melodious laughter. Everything.

"I really can't take you anywhere, can I?" Hitomi joked between laughs. Rather than being angry, she found humor in how ridiculous this all was. Honestly, she should have expected this. A library and a movie theater? The top two places they had to be quiet in? What was she even thinking, bringing him along to both?

She figured she didn't need to warn him again about being quiet in the theaters because she assumed he had already learned from the library incident. Apparently, she was wrong. He really is like a child. Can't sit still and can't behave himself. She laughed again at the whole situation.

When she started to calm down, Nishinoya faced her. "Hitomi-chan! I'm really sorry!" He shouted, clapping his hands together and bowing.

He wasn't looking, but Hitomi smiled gently down at him, her finger wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. "It's fine! I'm laughing, aren't I?" She asked rhetorically.

It's true that she really wasn't mad. They had finished much of his summer homework, so she didn't mind getting kicked out of the library early. Those boys were also out of line, but she was used to that kind of thing. The waiter at the café was the one at fault. In fact, she commended Nishinoya for being able to hold in his outbursts so well that time. He was definitely at fault for the movies, but she wasn't very invested in the film to begin with. All in all, there wasn't much reason for her to be that upset.

Really, watching him throughout the day was far more interesting. It was like when she saw him being so passionate, talking about volleyball. That childlike excitement and that innocent joy. When was the last time she felt something like that? Though it might not seem like it, his enthusiasm was contagious.

Even so, Nishinoya was still upset with himself. Today definitely could've gone better. He could've done better. That's why he was so frustrated.

If he had any hope of seeing Hitomi more and spending time with her, it could not be like today. If this became a repeated thing, he was sure that he couldn't continue to rely on her kindness.

Yet again, the boy was consumed by his thoughts and hadn't even realized that they made it to the convenience store by both of their houses. This is where they agreed they would split ways. The end of their 'date.'

He had to say something. Anything. Whatever it took to get her to give him another chance, so that he could make things right. So that he could prove that he wasn't just a nuisance. That she meant so much to him.

Hitomi stared at him, almost being able to see the gears turning in his head. It was obvious that he was stressing over what to say. Over how to ask her out again. The aura around him wasn't as depressive as that time he lost his volleyball match, but Hitomi still didn't like seeing it. It wasn't like him.

"Nishinoya-kun…" She called out, making him look up at her attentively. "I…had fun today…We should do it again another time." The girl suggested, flashing a gentle smile.

At first, the boy didn't react. As if he hadn't heard her. After a moment, his eyes slowly widened as he processed her words. His cheeks started to hurt, as his smile was getting too big. He quickly stepped forward, closing the gap between them. "Really?! You mean it!?" He asked, looking up at her with hopeful and expectant eyes as he held both of her hands in his.

The sudden close proximity and the heat of his thin hands startled Hitomi. She looked away in embarrassment as she answered. "Y-Yeah. After all, I never got to try the café's shaved ice…"

Nishinoya laughed, the sound tickling Hitomi's ears. "We can go there again! Next time, I'll make sure you have the time of your life, Hitomi-chan! I promise!" He exclaimed, his hands confidently squeezing hers. "I'm gonna go plan out our next date now! Call me when you get home, so I know that you got back safely!" He waved back at her as he ran off.

He had no doubt that she was just saying all that because of her kindness and generosity. She was giving him a second chance, and he definitely wouldn't waste it.

Unbeknownst to him, she really did mean it. Hitomi probably enjoyed today more than she has any other day in the past three years.

She continued waving back, smiling at his retreating form and strangely looking forward to their next meeting.