Author's Note: Oh my god, almost 13,000 words. That's wild. But this chapter needed a rewrite. I'm so glad you guys follow and favorite, but how did you put up with all the mistakes I made!? I'm so impressed and touched and excited to share this newer version with you. I really hope you enjoy reading this newer version as much as I did writing it. Let me kno0w what you think, and stay tuned for the next revision and the next chapter of Jack of all Trades!

Love ya!

Silky

Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.

Chapter 4: Growing Pains

"You're getting better, little bird." Kotomi looked up from her position on the ground, not seeming convinced. It has been a whole month since she started training with the mystery boys, and while she was gaining muscle, she still had absolutely no battle sense.

"You're still wiping the floor with me." She shot at him, rolling onto her stomach so she could pick herself up.

"But of course," Oikawa shrugged dramatically with a sardonic chuckle. "Don't think you can catch up with me so easily, since you've never fought a day in your life."

He looked back revel in Kotomi's frustrated expression, but instead he found her looking towards the city, her expression empty. In the last month he was training with her, he occasionally caught expressions like that. It was a bit strange to see her so quiet, since other days it seemed like she never stopped thinking, and she always had a retort to throw back at him.

"Kotomi-chan?" The dark-haired teen looked back at him as if she was jolted back to reality.

"No more 'little bird' or 'Kotori-chan'?1" Oikawa blinked. He covered it up by scoffing and crossing his arms.

"You were off daydreaming, I had to get your attention."

"Right, sorry. It's just…no, it's nothing." Kotomi looked up at him and smiled gently, hopping to her feet.

"Let's keep going!" Oikawa found himself smiling as well, as he took his stance again. When she threw a punch at him, he observed the muscle on her arms. Her knuckles were already rough. It was more progress in a month than expected. Did she practice by herself, too?

"Keep your eyes on me, Oikawa-san!"

Her expression was wild, her bright blue eyes shined like a kid who was just about to overtake the fastest kid in the race, as she feinted a right hook and switched to a roundhouse at the last second; and even though he caught both, Kotomi's expression never dampened.

He was so impressed by her progress. And that smile. It managed to distract him enough that her elbow collided with his face. It was enough to make Oikawa stumble backwards in surprise. Kotomi gasped, and threw her arms into the air, whooping so loudly that it echoed.

"Yes!" Kotomi's cry of joy had Oikawa grinning alongside with her, even though his jaw ached with the promise of a new bruise.

"I got you! Just you wait, Oikawa-san! Soon I'll have you begging for mercy!" She laughed in a way that made Oikawa think that maybe she was spending too much time with Kuroo and Bokuto.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, brat," he breathed. They locked eyes and zeroed in on each other. "You're worlds away from me." Appreciation time was over. He didn't like how smug she looked.

But would take this over that empty expression any day.

A Few Days Later

"Bokuto-san, please hold still." Kotomi scolded, huffing and blowing a piece of hair out of face. She sat with Bokuto underneath the tree, shielded from the glaring sun. Kuroo and Oikawa stood nearby, refreshing themselves with the cold tea Kotomi brought with her today.

"But it hurts!" Bokuto whined and tried to escape the pain-soaked cotton ball Kotomi was trying to put on his cut. Since he and Kuroo often came by to help train Kotomi too, she decided it was only fair to extend her first aid to them as well.

"I guarantee an infection will hurt a lot worse than this. How did you even get like this, anyway?" Bokuto looked away, huffing angrily.

"Iwaizumi is tough bastard." Kotomi's eyes sparked with interest and she leaned in, head tilted in intrigue. She was just getting to know Bokuto, but she knew he had a lot of pride for his combat ability. For him to openly admit he got destroyed meant there was absolutely no contest.

"Do you think he'd be willing to teach me too?" She asked. A pair of tanned, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Kotomi blushed slightly as she looked at Kuroo, but he quickly rested his chin on top of her head while Bokuto complained about her lack of bedside manner.

"You've already got these three men throwing themselves at you every day and you want more? You're so greedy, little bird." Both Kotomi and Bokuto's faces turned bright red at the suggestive way he said it, and Kotomi covered her face while Bokuto protested a touch too loudly.

"Don't say things like that, Kuroo! You'll corrupt her!" He practically shrieked. Kotomi covered her ears now. While the two boys bickered with each other, Kotomi felt the prick of irritation coming from nearby.

What now? She asked no one in her head as she spotted Oikawa watching the exchange while biting his thumb nail. Why is he so annoyed?

When did they get so close? Oikawa watched their interaction with slightly narrowed eyes. When he noticed Kotomi was watching, he huffed and turned his head away. Kotomi shrugged, and decided to break the cat and owl fight up before they gave each other more injuries.

"I know what he means, Bokuto-san." Kotomi said plainly. "I'm your age."

"Hah!?" Bokuto shrieked even louder. Kuroo clicked his tongue and snapped at his friend.

"Aaahh, you're too loud, Bo!" Oikawa brought his finger to his mouth, moving before he even realized what he was doing. The next thing he knew, he tasted copper.

"Kotori-chan! Look, I'm cut too!"

"Uwah!" Kotomi almost fell backwards when Oikawa practically threw himself at her girl and presented his new wound. The blood ran down his finger and bottom lip.

"Okay, hold on…" Kotomi pulled out a needle and thread with a dead expression, which sent a jolt of fear down his spine.

"W-Why do you need that!?"

"Just trust the process." She advanced on him as a smile turned her lips upward, but didn't reach her eyes. Oikawa turned 3 shades paler.

"Get away from me! Never mind, I'm okay!"

"Ehh, but you're cute like this, Oikawa-kun!" Bokuto and Kuroo shared a knowing expression while Oikawa fled from a laughing Kotomi.

"He definitely got jealous, just now. How immature," Kuroo scoffed. Bokuto crossed his arms.

"Hmph! He should grow up!"

"..."

"..."

"When did she start calling him by '-kun?'"

"Not fair, me too!" The two got up and started chasing Kotomi. No more training got done that day; when they didn't return on time, Iwaizumi arrived to the tree to find the four of them collapsed up against each other. Kotomi and Oikawa were keeping each other propped up, Oikawa's head resting on top of her head which laid on his shoulder. Bokuto leaned on Kotomi, while, Kuroo leaned on the former, his arms crossed and head drooped.

Iwaizumi sighed and approached them, his eyes fixated on Kotomi. Slowly, he reached into the inside of his jacket and produced a pocket knife. He inched closer with the knife drawn, the point making contact with Kotomi's neck. She didn't stir even a little. This complicated partnership could be solved with one twitch of his wrist, just one-

Suddenly, Oikawa shifted, adjusting his position on Kotomi's head as he groaned in his sleep. Kotomi nuzzled him and giggled, a serene smile relaxing her expression further. Iwaizumi stepped back and dropped the knife, which woke up Bokuto.

"Oya...? Iwaizumi..." Like a line of dominos, the others quickly woke up too, including Kotomi.

"You guys are late." He growled, stepping on the knife and pushing it behind his other foot.

"Ack, Iwa-chan, you're like a mom..." A drowsy Oikawa mumbled, rubbing his eye. Kotomi stood up slowly but she perked up when she noticed Iwaizumi. He flinched when she approached him.

"Iwaizumi-san, when is the next time you have a day free? Do you think you could help me with something?" As Kotomi made her pitch, Iwaizumi pretended to adjust his boot, and picked up his knife. Mindlessly, he slid his finger against the sharp edge of the blade, not caring if it cut him. Kotomi was so wrapped up in her attempt at persuasion, she didn't notice the way his expression darkened with guilt when he stared at the tiniest little red dot on her neck.

One Week Later

"Thank you for coming, Iwaizumi-san." Kotomi was a little tense around the dark-haired friend of Oikawa's, as he was the coldest of them.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Iwaizumi sounded skeptical, with good reason. They were the same age, but he was bulkier and taller than her. While she didn't seem nearly as fragile as she used to be, he could still snap her in two.

"Yes. Please don't go easy on me. I won't ask you to stop." Kotomi tried not to falter under his hard gaze, but she admitted internally that she was glad that it was Oikawa she met under the tree. There was no way she would have survived throwing a book at Iwaizumi.

"Did you bring what I asked you to?" Kotomi nodded and held out a small wooden crate filled with small mason jars filled with a pink liquid, pink flowers suspended inside them.

"Here. It's a month's supply of coneflower tea. It's good for the immune system and infection. You can drink it, or apply it when you're cleaning wounds. But it's not a substitute for serious wounds. So use it for minor injuries." Iwaizumi took the crate, brows raised.

"You made these yourself?" Kotomi nodded.

"I got the flowers from our gardens. I studied the properties, so I can assure you there is an effect." Iwaizumi sighed. Kotomi looked very proud that her work with natural remedies was coming along, and that she was able to test them out with her friends. But her inner celebration was quickly cut short.

"Alright, then." He placed them aside. Kotomi jumped in her skin when he cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Then like you asked, I won't stop even if you ask me." Kotomi took her fighting stance, eyes sharp and alert.

"Alright, here I go." Kotomi broke into a run at him as she did with everyone else, but at the last second, she pivoted around him. He didn't turn right away to watch her, knowing that was what she wanted. She was small, so he expected her to aim low as the smaller guys would. He knew Kuroo had also trained with her before, so the cat man probably would have taught her what Kenma did. As she ducked to tackle his knees, he turned and grabbed the back of her shirt, spun around and kneed her in the stomach. She coughed and fell to her knees with a loud grunt.

Iwaizumi backed up to watch her, waiting for her next move. He didn't expect her to lunge at him again just a second later, even with pain still registering in her eyes. He snatched her by the collar of her shirt but instead of trying to get away, Kotomi threw herself at him, grabbed his head and headbutted him, forcing him to let go of her. While he's stunned, she circled around him again and hopped onto his back, putting him in a sleeper hold, her legs wrapped around his waist to keep herself anchored there.

"One, two, three-" She counted. It was her first time trying this. Iwaizumi growled and tossed his head back, slamming Kotomi in the face which knocked her off his back and onto the ground again. Iwaizumi grabbed his neck, rubbing it out. She had quite the grip for someone so slim.

"Shit. Now the back and front of my head hurt... but that was good…" He turned to congratulate her for managing to get her arms around him. He turned to find her still on her back.

"Ah." Was all he could say.

"Well, she didn't ask you to stop." Kuroo muttered, seeming a little disturbed as he looked down at the unconscious preteen propped up against the tree.

"If I hadn't, she would have choked me out." Iwaizumi stated, though there was concern in his eyes. Oikawa and Bokuto, however, were too busy nagging Iwaizumi for a change. Bokuto was throwing a tantrum in the backdrop of the other three, throwing rocks and calling Iwaizumi expletives he typically tried not to use around girls.

"Did you have to go for her face?" Bokuto yelled in astonishment.

"You're a monster, Iwa-chan! What kind of man gives a girl a nosebleed!?" Oikawa almost screeched. He was too busy holding a tissue to Kotomi's face to keep the blood from getting all over.

"I had to meet her resolve." He shrugged. "Since she was so serious, it was important I meet her with my own resolve too." When the answer didn't placate Oikawa, his longtime friend looked confused. "Besides, I thought you hated her?"

"I did." Oikawa admitted this quietly, Bokuto's ranting still faintly echoed behind the silence. Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. "But hating someone like her leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Kuroo listened and pursed his lips.

"She is hard to hate, especially with that pretty face of hers looking at us so innocently. Those eyes should be a weapon..." He tried to joke, but the window for changing the subject had already passed, so Kuroo closed his mouth again.

"Aren't any of you in the least bit concerned?" Iwaizumi asked. This stopped Bokuto as he tilted his head to listen. Iwaizumi's eyes flashed down to Kotomi, as if to make sure she was really unconscious.

"She's a threat."

"She's not." Oikawa's eyes were suddenly serious as chocolate brown met coffee brown. A smile crossed his features.

"Kotori-chan just wants to protect herself and her loved ones, and she doesn't know anything, so she's not a threat." Iwaizumi seemed unconvinced. "She's been helping us a lot. No one who was so suspicious would let us know as much as she had." Bokuto and Kuroo looked away in their guilt, especially the former.

"We're friends now," Bokuto suddenly said. "Can we stop talking about her like this?" He bit his lip.

"We can't be friends for real, Bo. We can't even tell her who we really are..." Kuroo reasoned, but he seemed just as displeased with the thought as his two-tone haired friend. Bokuto slumped forward, hugging himself and looking at the ground.

"But-! Why not? She's a cool person. Even if she knew, she would never hurt us-!"

"People will do incredible things to protect the ones they love." Iwaizumi reminded them. "Just like what we're doing, I'm sure she's capable of those things too." He tossed a lazy wave over his shoulder as he started to walk away. "I'm heading home early, make sure she's okay before you let her go home!"

Oikawa opened his mouth to protest, but closed it a moment after, sighing a little. After a few minutes, Kotomi woke up suddenly, eyes wide.

"Iwaizumi-san! Again!" They managed to calm themselves by then.

"He left already, little bird." Kuroo crooned.

"Never mind that, Koto-chan! How's your head? Your head!" Bokuto made odd little grabby motions toward her, which made her inch away from him. He looked like a creepy old man like that.

"It's fine…" Kotomi seemed a little put out, deflating as she blew the strands of hair out of her face and replaced Oikawa's hand at her nose with her own.

"I can't believe I was knocked unconscious."

"Don't apologize, you did great." Three pairs of eyes regarded Oikawa with surprise, shock and confusion. "He almost got pretty serious. Even though it was your first time."

" ...How unpleasant, you've never praised me like this before." Kotomi visibly shuddered and leaned away, much to Oikawa's outrage.

"Fine! Have it your way! I won't say anything nice ever again!

"Why don't you show us what you did, little bird? I'm so sad I missed it~"

"Show us, show us!" Bokuto and Kuroo looked intrigued.

"You guys are the worst to me." Oikawa growled, ignored again.

"Got it! Ah…" Kotomi beamed with pride as she tried to stand up, not realizing that she was even falling over until she hit the ground again.

"Uwahhhhh!" Three pairs of hands caught her. Chaos exploded from the mouths of the surprised teens.

"Koto-chan! Is she dead!?"

"Kotori-chan!"

"Little bird!"

Akashi Residence- Kotomi's Room

Today was the first time in a long time that Kotomi had seen Momoi. Two months have passed at this point with the two only catching glimpses of each other or spending a day a week together. With Kotomi either training or sparring, and Momoi hard at work doing her analysis and strategizing with the data teams, there was little desire to talk about work.

"Koto-chan, you seem like you've grown so much…" Kotomi glanced up from her book to blink at Momoi, offering up a proud smile as she raised one arm to flex it, half joking, half serious.

"I've been exercising a lot. What do you think? Do you think I look imposing?" Momoi nods and giggled as she cuddled up to her friend and sighed happily.

"I'm a little jealous and terrified." Kotomi's eyes unwittingly traveled down to the other girl's chest, brow twitching in irritation as she noticed that while Kotomi had a fuller figure than before, there were places she couldn't improve by training that Momoi just seemed blessed with.

"So, has anyone caught your eye yet, Sa-chan?" Momoi giggled and shook her head, cheeks turning as pink as her hair as she held them in her hands.

"No, Tetsu-kun is all I need, of course! I bet he looks so cool, now..." Kotomi couldn't help feeling pity for any boy who set his sights on Momoi. Kotomi thought Kuroko was pretty cool, too, so no one stood a chance.

"They'll be coming soon in just two and a half years, now." Kotomi sighed. "It really feels like no time has passed at all."

"It's because we're so busy, these days…" Momoi looked down. "And even when they come back, things won't be the same. We're going to be working. You and Tetsu-kun will be on the field, and I'll be in the labs. We won't be able to spend time under the tree so much, anymore."

"Of course, I'll make time for you guys! And they'll do the same for us. It's part of growing up, I suppose."

"What about whoever it is you're seeing down by the tree?" Kotomi froze just for a moment, and quickly played it off with a laugh. Momoi was observant. She should have known she was going to catch on, even with how little Kotomi saw her. She hasn't been lying per se, but she wasn't going to deny being secretive.

"Well, they're getting busier these days. So I might not see them as often anymore."

"Will we get to meet them, do you think? Will the others get along with them?" Honestly? There was no way they were going to get along without serious intervention.

"Uh..I think they'd need time to warm up to them. They're pretty shy, so I don't want to overwhelm them." Momoi pursed her lips and Kotomi knew where this was going.

Momoi took Kotomi's hands and Kotomi instinctively squeezed them.

"You trust me, right?" Momoi asked while she fidgeted and stared intently at a candy wrapper sitting on the bed.

"Satsuki? What's wrong?"

"It's just…you've been keeping a lot of secrets. Signing up to be an on-site medic, meeting up with some secret group of friends…?" Kotomi's brow furrowed.

"Oh, Satsuki, of course I trust you. More than anyone in the whole world. I just…I don't know much about these friends myself."

"Then, aren't they dangerous?"

"No, they're good people. A little rough, but good. You can trust me on that." Momoi was honestly shocked by the development. Ever since they met, Kotomi was always wary of strangers. She held others at arms' length, which made her a loner in school and just about anywhere else. It seemed to suit her just fine before; but with everyone gone, she couldn't help but wonder if this new attachment was borne from the loneliness Kotomi felt in their absence.

Hearing her speak fondly and with certainty of someone else made her feel a bitter contradiction of being happy for her, but also feeling a myriad of less than pleasant emotions as well. Kotomi sensed Momoi wasn't get convinced everything was fine, so Kotomi leaned in hugged her friend tightly.

"I promise I'll tell you everything soon. I just need more time…" Kotomi pulled back from their hug and looked Momoi directly in the eyes. "I understand if that upsets you." Momoi stared at her for a long time, before her shoulders slumped. The pink-haired girl huffed and Kotomi knew it was okay, now.

"Well, I am a little annoyed," Momoi puffed her cheeks out for a moment before she exhaled and smiled. "I trust you, Koto-chan. There's a reason you haven't told me yet, but I'm sure you will." Kotomi looked a bit misty-eyed when she threw her arms around Momoi, nuzzling her face into her peach-scented hair.

"Sa-chan, I love you!" Momoi laughed and squeezed Kotomi so tight the dark-haired girl wondered if Momoi had been working out lately, too. Suddenly, Kotomi yawned. Between the training and the worrying, she felt drowsy all of a sudden. "Shall we nap a little before dinner?" Momoi shook her head and cuddled up to her best friend a little more.

"I want to have all your time right now, Koto-chan. So, let's hang out and talk and then we can sleep." Kotomi smiled blissfully and nodded.

"I like the sound of that." While she was glad the talk about her new friends had passed, Momoi brought up an idea that Kotomi hadn't given much thought. Akashi and the others meeting Oikawa and his friends. Even though the potential chaos gave her indigestion, it also sounded like a lot of fun.

I'm sure they'd get along great, eventually.

Plum Tree

"Iwaizumi-san?" When she came to their meeting spot, Kotomi was surprised to see not Oikawa, Bokuto, or Kuroo under the tree as per usual, but the elusive and magnanimous Iwaizumi himself. The young man nodded to her politely, hands stuffed into his pocket. "What a surprise."

"Am I not welcome when I'm not kicking your ass?" Kotomi twitched, laughing.

"That's not it! I just don't see you that often, and I didn't think you would come on your own..." Honestly, she thought that maybe Iwaizumi didn't like her at all. She couldn't read him.

"Those three have got something going on today and tomorrow. I came to see how you're doing for them." Oh? Now that was yet another surprise. Was this about how he knocked her unconscious the other day?

"I'm alright. Thank you for humoring me. I just wanted to see how well I've been progressing. Bokuto-san spoke so highly of you that I really wanted to see it for myself."

"Hm." There was a long silence, and Kotomi felt itchy as the silence made her skin prickle. Suddenly, Iwaizumi broke the quiet.

"You're getting better. Trashykawa said that you're a little harder to dodge nowadays." Kotomi brightened and huffed triumphantly, crossing her arms.

"I-it's all thanks to all of you." Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes at her, and pursed his lips.

"So, we're all buddy buddy now, huh?" Kotomi was caught off guard by the question, cornflower blue eyes widened.

"E-excuse me?" Iwaizumi examined her alarm closely, but shortly after he waved away the question polluting the air.

"Never mind. Forget I asked. I'll leave you alone since you seem fine."

"W-Wait!" Kotomi stood up and grabbed Iwaizumi's hand. She let him go just as quickly when his gaze locked onto her with a snap of his previously turning head. "Sorry! I just...I was surprised. I didn't think you...considered me a friend?" Iwaizumi looked up at her with a raised brow.

"I never said I did. I was talking about the others. They seem to like you, at least."

"I do! I consider them my friends! At..at least I hope they are. I'm not very good at being friendly with others, but they make me laugh and I feel really energetic around them."

"But you don't know anything about them." Kotomi tilted her head.

"What else do I need to know? They're good people." His eyes widened at this. "Of course, I'm curious, but I'm sure that you have your reasons for being secretive. I just hope that it isn't because you think that I would think differently of you." Iwaizumi scoffed to disguise his perplexed expression.

"Oikawa gives you too much credit." He murmured under his breath.

"What?"

"None of your concern." Iwaizumi quickly shut down any avenue for questioning his verbal spillover. He wasn't going to get friendly with her just because the others did. Kotomi felt a wave of anxiety towards his cold attitude. She had never felt this way before. Oikawa was just as cold when, if not antagonistic when they first met. So why did this bother her so much? She had to say something.

"I don't expect us to, but I hope we can all continue to see each other and get alone like this…as friends." Iwaizumi stared Kotomi down, but she remained steadfast, the only sound at the moment the tree branches rustling against each other from a sudden breeze. After another beat, he sighed and turned around, starting to walk away as he called out over her shoulder.

"Make sure you let them know how much you like them!"

"Huh? Wait! Iwaizumi-san?" He turned back to look at her. Kotomi was staring wide-eyed at him, confusion etched all over her expression. "Was that some sort of test?" He smirked a little in response.

"I just wanted to know where you stood on those idiots. They'll come up with all kinds of crazy ideas." He paused when he hears the soft thudding of footsteps behind him, almost toppling over then he felt hands as they found purchase on his back. Kotomi tugged on his sweatshirt, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Then I like you too, Iwaizumi-san!" His eyes widen at her declaration, staring down at cornflower blue with his own dark brown eyes. "I want to know more about you, too." Iwaizumi's eyes shaded over as he placed his larger hand over hers and brushed it off like a bug on his shoulder. He walked away, and this time Kotomi stayed put.

"Let's hope that's still true in the end!" Kotomi paused, staring after him. That uneasy feeling was back.

When was the end?

Citadel-Downtown

It had all happened so fast.

"That'll be 550 Yen, please." Kotomi placed her chips and box of cookies in her bag, carrying a jug of barley tea as well. Iwaizumi's words resonated her. She wanted to get to know the four of them better. Today she hoped to sit and listen to them and their stories. Just like she did with Tetsuya and the others.

It happened as she walked out of the corner convenience store, and Kotomi heard it before she saw it. A heavy booming sound made her ears ache and shook the earth under her feet so much that she stumbled. Her eyes snapped towards the sky as she saw a cloud of smoke and ash, the smell of burning itching her nose.

As panic began to rise, people ran for cover. Kotomi dropped her snacks, frozen in place. A strange emotion choked her chest as she stumbled forward as started walking, then started jogging, running, and the next thing she knew she was sprinting in the direction of the crowd, shoving her way through fleeing business men and store owners. There had never been an explosion within the borders of the city before. All defense mechanisms existed outside the area. Kotomi reached into her bag and her hand brushed against her mini medic kit which contained the bare basics.

Kotomi didn't know how much she could help, but something compelled her to move forward as the air around her started to darken with soot and ash and smoke.

"You!" A fireman suddenly grabbed her by the waist as she was running and immediately pressed a mask to her face.

"You can't be here, miss!"

"Let go!" Kotomi wrenched herself from his grasp and ran forward despite the firefighter calling behind her. She adjusted the mask on her face, but her eyes began to tear and burn.

In the chaos of the smoke, she saw the silhouette of a person. They were wearing tactical gear and a mask. They turned their head to her, and Kotomi's heart leapt out of her chest as she recognized a messy head of chocolate brown locks.

It couldn't be...

She rubbed at her eyes, but tripped in her moment of blindness and fell to her knees with her palms landing on something wet. When she looked up, the figure was gone. With bleary eyes, Kotomi looked down, her hands stained red. Her heart stopped as she followed the trail of liquid to the source.

"Help me…" A young woman was collapsed, unmoving on the ground. Half of her body was trapped beneath the rubble of a nearby collapsing building. The only thing moving were her lips, a small line of red dripped down her lips and chin from the head wound she sported.

"Hang on. It's okay, I'm a medic." She immediately reassured the woman, as per her training. But her voice was shaking, and her hands fumbled as Kotomi reached up and started pushing on the debris. She cleared glass, chunks of wood, and concrete. With a grunt and a push, Kotomi managed to free the woman's body from the debris, but Kotomi already knew that the woman would not be able to walk on her own. It was then that Kotomi noticed the long strip of wood which impaled her abdomen. Kotomi paused to slow the rushing of bile up her stomach, a ball of ice burned coldly in her stomach. But she pushed on, trembling fingers reached for her medic kit.

Don't remove any obtrusions, it will speed up blood loss. Remove victim from danger.

"I'm going to move you, okay?" She pulled her handkerchief from her bag and pressed it to the wound on her head, pressing hard despite the pained whimper.

Head wounds are often superficial, but when you aren't sure, act as if it's life-threatening.

"I don't want to die." The woman whimpered, and Kotomi released a shaky breath and smiled as calmly as she could manage.

Be reassuring. Fear means faster heart rate; faster heartrate means blood loss.

"You won't. It's okay." Kotomi reached down and slipped an arm around her waist and threw the woman's arm over her shoulder, and kept the injured side away from contact. She staggered slightly under the weight. Thanks to Oikawa's training, the burden was manageable. She carried the woman until firefighters intercepted them. One had to catch Kotomi as she collapsed and immediately released the contents of her stomach onto the ground. Even with the mask, her head spun and her vision blurred. She heard distant shouting, and felt someone wrap an arm around her waist and lifted her to her feet again.

Kotomi looked down at her hand as she walked, still stained in the woman's blood, only for a clear liquid to drop down onto it. Only then did she realize she was crying. But they weren't from fear or pain.

Where have I seen this all before?

City -Ambulance

They helped her wash away the blood from her hands, did preliminary examinations on her health, and asked her how she was feeling. Once the air literally cleared some from the city, Kotomi got quite the scolding from the first responders. She knew they were going to tell Masaomi, but the question was whether he was going to do anything about it. But that was a concern for a later date, as she now had to talk her way out of this situation.

"I was close by, and I knew people were danger. My intention wasn't to undermine your authority, or do your jobs for you. I just knew people were hurt and needed help." With a sympathetic look from the officers and the firefighters, one placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That's very good, young lady, but you should think about how your family would react if you had gotten hurt. There may have been a second explosion, or the culprits may have been in the area." Kotomi tried not to tense, remembering that chocolatey color she spotted in the midst of the chaos. There was no way she couldn't recognize it, but she couldn't believe it, either.

"You're right. Please forgive me."

"I still have to inform your guardian."

"I understand." She needed to confirm it right now.

"Go home, alright? I think you've had enough excitement for the day. Just be more careful, next time." Kotomi bowed and ran off. She hoped that they were there, that her hunch was wrong. They were waiting underneath that plum tree for her, and they were going to ask why she looked so scared.

Because it wasn't Oikawa she saw in that madness.

Because they had nothing to do with it.

And when she saw Oikawa's silhouette in the distance as she came closer to the tree, her heart lifted and the relief filled her chest.

Just for a moment.

"Kotomi!" Kotomi smelled metal in the air before she saw them closer. From the distance, she saw an amorphous blob gain shape. She recognized chocolate brown and spiky black hair.

"Oikawa-san!" As she ran to meet him, her expression grew more alarmed and wide-eyed as she took everything in. Oikawa was carrying Iwaizumi, holding his friend by the arm and waist.

They were covered in ash.

And blood.

Oikawa was crying.

Iwaizumi wasn't moving,

His tactical gear was bloody. His mask hung from his tightly clenched fist.

"Please, help him! Please…" Kotomi bit her lip so hard that she tasted the copper herself. Oikawa looked terrified. Of her. Even though they were the ones carrying guns and knives in their holsters, Kotomi noticed.

Because both of them knew the power the dark-haired girl currently had.

Liar. They lied to her. This whole time.

"Why did you come here?" She asked.

"Kotomi-"

"Why did you come?" Kotomi's voice rose toward a shriek in the end. "If you hadn't come looking like this, I wouldn't have to face such an awful truth-!" Oikawa blanched, rage filling his eyes.

"I didn't have a choice!" He snarled, but then reeled backwards immediately; he averted his eyes, and Kotomi's gaze was drawn to the glass shard about the width of three of her fingers embedded in Iwaizumi's stomach. As they spoke, blood dripped onto the ground. It was a mystery how these two even made it here without being noticed. But Kotomi's head was in disarray, and she had to ask her questions before she came to a conclusion.

"Were you using me this whole time?" She knew it wasn't the time to ask, but she had to know. Even if she knew that he was going to lie to her again. Oikawa stared at her as he thought, but he didn't have the liberty to consider his options for long.

"Yes." He finally answered, and lowered his head. "Even so, please help us." Kotomi shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She reached into her back and checked her kit before she turned to him again.

"Put him on the ground."

55 Minutes Later

"He'll be alright. Glass is a little easier to remove than anything else. Just be glad that there was only one piece." Exhaustion racked her voice as she placed the glass shard on the ground beside her.

"Will he live?" Oikawa asked softly. Kotomi had never seen Oikawa like this, before. He was sitting with his back to her and an unconscious Iwaizumi, shoulders lowered, head rested in between his knees.

"The wound needs to be irrigated later. I can…I can try to stitch it. I think he needs a hospital."

"We can't go."

"But- "

"We can't go." Kotomi tugged Iwaizumi's shirt up a little farther, so she could scrutinize the shoddy patchwork she did while stitching up his wound.

"Then we watch closely, make sure it doesn't get infected." Oikawa glanced over her shoulder, but Kotomi refused to meet his gaze. If this hadn't been a life or death situation, Kotomi knew she would have lost it at the discovery of the truth, slapped him and screamed and pounded the ground with her fists. In her 14 years of life as she knew them, Kotomi had never thrown a tantrum. And never in her life had she wanted to so badly. They sat in silence until Oikawa spoke first.

"I didn't know where else to go." He whispered.

"I know."

"Don't let him die." He begged.

"You're being dramatic, he won't." She reassured as per her training, numb.

"…Aren't you going to ask how?" His voice was even quieter, if confused.

"It's not good to ask victims of trauma about their trauma right away."

"How do you know that?"

"The doctors used to say that over and over about me." Her passive expression complemented his shocked one while she poured some disinfectant on a cotton pad. "Did you think that I was born into money? I was probably a lot like the other kids at one point; no family, no home, probably abused. Hold his hand." Oikawa did as he was told, but his eyes never left Kotomi's face. She gently ran her hands through Iwaizumi's hair, surprised by how soft it was, despite its sharp appearance.

"Iwaizumi-san, I'm sorry," she murmured. "It's going to sting." When the pad touched his wound, Iwaizumi's eyes flew open and he screamed.

When Kotomi finished, she sat back with a heavy sigh, and wiped away the sweat on her forehead with her arm. It was sloppy, but the wound was somewhat clean and closed, now. Iwaizumi had woken up to scream in pain before passing out again. Kotomi turned to Oikawa, who was cradling his hand from how tightly Iwaizumi squeezed it. But the typically animated, whiny young man didn't make a single sound the entire ordeal.

"Is your hand okay?" When he didn't answer her, she sighed and started to pack up. She needed a bed. To cry in? To sleep in? She would only know the answer when she got there.

"Why did you help us?" Kotomi paused, looking down at her hands, slightly bloodied, burned, and sweaty. She sighed.

"Why do you think?"

"Answer the question." Kotomi laughed at his audacity, and smiled politely at him.

"No." Kotomi flinched when she was grabbed and whirled around to look at him. Instead of worried or sad, he looked furious, chocolate brown turned dark as he gripped her shoulders tighter. Kotomi slammed her fist into his chest, but she remained calm. If he wanted a reaction, she sure as hell wasn't going to give him one.

"Don't fuck with me. Why? We saw you. You saw us. And then we came to you, dressed like this. You helped a woman who was hurt by us. So tell me, why aren't you asking? Why are you helping? What are you thinking?" Kotomi stared up at him, unreadable.

"I don't know." His eyes widened and his grip on her loosened.

"What the hell do you mean you don't know…?" Kotomi took his surprise as a chance to turn the tables and asked a question of her own.

"What about you? Why bother training me so hard when you knew that you were my enemy?" Oikawa scoffed.

"I didn't think you would keep at it this long." He admitted. "Why did you help Iwa-chan, even if you found out we've tricked you?"

Kotomi glanced back at Iwaizumi.

"He tried to tell me what you were up to." His eyes narrowed and tightened on her shoulders again. "Why do you think that is?"

"Stop dodging and answer my question." Kotomi glared at him, reaching up slowly with both hands, and then suddenly slapped his face with both palms.

SMACK. Oikawa released her to hold his now stinging cheeks and glared at her. He growled and got in her face.

"You haven't figured it out, Shittykawa?" She cried in exasperation, slapping herself on the chest. "Because no matter how we met, or what you planned, didn't we become friends? Or was it just me who thought that!?" Oikawa's eyes widened as he stared up at her, never having seen such an expression on her before.

"How could I not? You all seemed to genuinely want the best for me. You were so nice, and made my days so fun." She coughed out a laugh, but it burned her throat so much that her eyes teared up. "I suspected you from the beginning, but I just thought that I was a bad person. I've always been that way."

"Kotori-chan-"

"But I helped you, I laughed with you, I sparred with you. I trusted you. So, I pretended not to notice. No, I chose not to look! I kept you a secret from my best friend, and the people who raised me."

"Hey- "Kotomi didn't realize how loud or frantic her voice was getting. It all poured out of her now that she had time to breathe.

"I've always been able to ignore people and keep them away. I thought all I needed was Tetsuya and the others. It's all I cared about. I was using you too! So why did I become the idiot you were all laughing at in the end!? Even now, I still helped Iwaizumi-san, after you admitted to using me!" She rambled on and on, her fingers threaded through her hair. These were all things she had held in all this time, even from Momoi now.

"And even when I wanted to doubt you, then Iwaizumi had to go and try to tell me the truth. How could I just leave him to die after doing something like that!?" Surely, this is what he meant when he expressed his concern about the nature of their relationship. He was trying to warn her, in his own way.

"I'm so humiliated." Kotomi finally admitted as she covered her face. Her voice trembled, even if no tears would come. "I'm a fool...because I still can't hate you. I want to keep on being friends with you...I don't want our time together to ever end! I want to know more about you, Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san, and Iwaizumi-san...I'm sorry, everyone...I'm sorry..."

Suddenly, Oikawa wrapped his arms around her, wound tightly around her as he pulled Kotomi close. One hand crossed her back to hold her shoulder, the other held her by the waist.

"That's a stupid thing to decide…you really are a freak." He hid his face in the crook of her neck, holding her so tightly that Kotomi turned pink in the face.

"Let go." Her arms were cramped up against his chest, and it rendered her immobile.

"No."

"I hate you." She murmured.

"No you don't."

"You just said I'm a freak." She complained.

"And I'm friends with a freak." Kotomi pouted that now familiar minty, pine scent of his reminding her to breathe. It was so draining, to be so emotional. And it was irrational. How was this friendship going to work?

"Kotori-chan…" Kotomi looked up at Oikawa, her eyes widened as Oikawa started to lean in. His face closed the distance between him. His eyes concentrated on her parted lips. But Kotomi felt a jolt of panic. Was he about to-

"Oika-" A rock suddenly flew out of nowhere and beaned Oikawa in the head, which earned a squawk of pain. Kotomi looks to the source, cheeks pink. Was he just about to—

"You've got some nerve, Shittykawa." Despite his now throbbing forehead, Oikawa gasped and ran over to his friend, kneeling by him with teary eyes.

"Iwa-chan!" Iwaizumi kicked him weakly, growling in irritation.

"Don't shout... You're a pain..." He grunted and held his wound. Kotomi snapped out of her daze and kneeled by him, touching his shoulder. Iwaizumi flinched, glancing up at her as if he was afraid she was going to hit him. Instead, Kotomi offered him a precious pain killer capsule. She got into the habit of keeping a few on her for headaches during studying sessions late at night.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do much more than this. You'll be in a lot of pain later, so use this when it's unbearable. I'll try to bring more next time." Iwaizumi glanced at her, and then away.

"Right. Thanks…" Kotomi pursed her lips, placed a hand over Iwaizumi's and squeezed it securely.

"You tried to warn me before, didn't you?" His widened dark gaze found her blue one as she smiled without humor but plenty of gratitude. "You're much kinder than you let anyone believe. I'm still not ready to forgive you guys just yet, but...I'm very relieved that you haven't left us yet. Thank you, Iwaizumi-san."

Iwaizumi felt his chest tighten as she stared, unable to utter a single word. But the moment was short-lived, as Oikawa placed his hands on their foreheads and physically separated them.

"Hold on, Kotori-chan! Let this guy die, after all! I've been worried about him and he went and threw a rock at me!" Oikawa pointed while he made his accusations.

"Shut up! This wouldn't have happened if you had just moved when I told you to move back in the city!" In response, Iwaizumi kicked at Oikawa's feet, but the brunette only hissed and pounded his chest in warning.

"Ow! Iwa-chan!" Kotomi blinks, raising a hand. How did they still have this much energy?

"Maybe you guys shouldn't—"

"Shut up while I'm hitting you, Shittykawa!"

"Ow! You bastard! Ow, Iwa-chan, ow! Stop!"

"You tryin' to kill me, Shittykawa!" Kotomi felt a vein pop in her a head. Her voice shook a bit as she tried to remain composed.

"Guys…" She mumbled.

"Don't bite me, you—" The top popped off on her patience and she opened her mouth wide to shout at the highest volume she could conjure from her throat.

"HEY!" The two boys stopped bickering long enough to gape at Kotomi, whose voice had dropped an octave and raised in volume. They both shrunk away from her glare.

"Iwaizumi-san. Oikawa-san worked really hard to get you to me, don't be hitting him, even if he deserves it." He grunted in agreement as a bead of sweat slipped down his temple.

"Yes, ma'am." He huffed.

"Oikawa-san. You were crying over Iwaizumi-san dying, don't aggravate his wound or I'll kill you myself. Understood?"

"Yes…" Oikawa's felt his cheeks warm, inexplicably. This didn't escape Iwaizumi, who looked a mix of confused, shocked, and creeped out.

Why the hell does he look so pleased? Her expression softened with their agreement and truce, and she clapped her hands together, smiling gently.

"Good! You two should head back. Come back here if Iwaizumi starts feeling any soreness or you see any red around the stitches. We should be able to remove them in two weeks. Try to see about irrigating the wound with clean water, okay? And let me know if you need anything for anyone. I'll see what I can do."

Without waiting for a response, Kotomi turned around to continue cleaning up. As Oikawa struggled to his feet with Iwaizumi staggering in tow, Kotomi suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and before I forget, we don't have to train tomorrow." The two of them shared a worried expression as Kotomi continued. She gave them a sweet and innocent curl of her lips.

"Tomorrow, all 4 of you are going to be my punching bags. As revenge for causing me so much trouble." Both their mouths fell open to gape at her sudden confidence.

"W-What makes you think we'll just agree to that!?" Kotomi's smile only widened, but the threat was palpable.

"You won't. But it will happen. I'm still pretty upset, you know."

The two exchanged the same expression this time.

Cute, but terrifying!

"Be careful heading back. Iwaizumi-san, please don't let your stitches open up." She adjusted the wrappings she had put around Iwaizumi's mid-section for extra cover before she pulled away, satisfied. As she inspected her work once more time, Oikawa smiled gently as he watched her. The smile didn't feel forced like it had when they first met. It was a quiet, fond curve of the lips that Iwaizumi had goosebumps from witnessing.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kotomi." Oikawa murmured, placing a single hand on her head. Kotomi pouted and smacked his hand off with a half-hearted glare.

"I'm still mad. Let me beat you up tomorrow and we'll be even." Oikawa chuckled, but the sound came so naturally that Kotomi felt her cheeks warm at how much she enjoyed such a sound.

"You wish. I'll still wipe the floor with you." He helped Iwaizumi turn to walk away, glancing over his shoulder to look back at Kotomi yet again, He couldn't help noting how dirty she looked from all that happened today, and yet her eyes shone brighter than ever; her shoulders still stood tall. She noticed his stare and raised a hand to wave.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" She called, to which both of them sent her a silent nod. As he and Iwaizumi disappeared under the cover of the setting sun, Kotomi turned to leave, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder when she paused.

Wait…he just used my name without honorifics just now.2 But rather than feeling insulted, Kotomi smiled, despite her aching legs, drooping eyelids, and stinging finger tips. She took a deep, calming breath as she walked with her head turned up at the sky, wondering if she would finally get to learn more about Oikawa and the others now that the truth was out in the open.

But eventually she gave up wondering; it was something to consider another day. It wasn't as if the answer was going to change anything, anymore.

As the two boys walked home, Iwaizumi finally mentioned the elephant in the room.

"The hell was that creepy ass smile on your face when she was nagging us? I didn't take you to be a masochist." Oikawa flinched, trying not to drop Iwaizumi.

"I am not! But isn't she really cute when she's mad!?" He snapped back vehemently. "It feels crazy good to have a pretty girl worry about you, Iwa-chan! It's a shame you can't appreciate Kotori-chan's beautiful heart!

"Oh, shut the hell up, you freak! I was a little caught up in not dying!" As the words sunk in, Iwaizumi lowered his gaze "I thought I was going to die." But Oikawa smiled and looked up at the sky, his expression soft.

"We really made a great friend, didn't we, Iwa-chan?"

"…Yeah, I know."

"I want to spend even more time with her."

"Yeah."

"You guys can stay home though, since she likes the most."

"Shut up."

Two and a Half Years Later…

Sounds of gunfire and a thick smoke filled the air as a soldier who lay prone dragged themself on the ground as they searched fruitlessly for safety. There were no allies in sight. With nothing else to do, they rested their head on the dirt and resigned to die.

"EM KF-16 active and providing extraction!" A hand planted itself securely on the soldier's shoulder; a strong shake jarred them back to alertness. Above them stood a young woman with dark hair and light blue eyes. She smiled while she did a preliminary examination, and stopped when they hissed at her fingers brushing against their ankle.

"I venture your ankle is broken, but if you can move the other leg, we can make it to an extraction point." She explained as quickly and clearly as she could amongst the noise.

"Affirmative." They answered. Immediately, they were hoisted up onto their good leg, and one strong arm wraps around their waist, the other angled down to lean on a much shorter shoulder. They begin a swift, but careful maneuver around disturbed dirt where land mines lay, over various debris, and the medic kicked away a stray rifle left behind by some unlucky soldier. They stopped, however, when they came across another unconscious body. She called out to them, but received no answer, and resolved to grabbing the person by the arm, pulling them up and slinging them over the other side.

"I'm gonna ask you to help me walk and support him, soldier, can you do that?"

"Affirmative, ma'am." Without need for another word, they were back to moving through the battlefield, and eventually took refuge behind flipped cars and broken concrete walls. It was a slow progression, but safe. They stopped behind a concrete slab, and the medic dis a preliminary check on the unconscious soldier.

She flipped their wrist over, noting the bright red stain there. Then, she lifted their helmet slightly, taking note there was red, too.

"A head injury and a wrist injury. Unresponsive, which might denote head damage." She noted to herself. She peered slightly over the concrete, and reached slowly for the gun holstered on her hip.

"We're going to charge out. I'm going to carry this one, but I need you to run close behind us." She kneeled by their injury, pulling out her bandages, which were hanging securely on her backpack, and wrapping his leg tightly with swift flourishes of the arms and dexterous movements of her fingers. She then hoisted the unconscious person over her shoulder again, and looked to the young man. She smiled gently; her air was quite soothing, despite the atmosphere.

"We'll be alright." The conscious soldier tensed at the certainty she spoke with, feeling a surge of confidence from her words. They smiled right back.

"Ready? One, two…. three!" She ran, or rather stumbled while carrying the unconscious man, with the other soldier right behind her. She scooped up a fallen trash can cover, her eyes scanned at least 15 feet ahead of her. So far, so good.

Click. Spoke too soon. Kotomi's hand went for the gun, but it was too late. It came from a blind spot, which was obscured by the soldier she was holding. But she barely managed to dodge the shot, and fell backwards in her haste. She looked up at her assailant, their gun trained on her as they emerged from their hiding spot. They fired once and hit her square in the chest. She fell back with the impact as red spread across her bullet proof vest.

"Ow!"

"Gotcha." The sound of gunfire spotted, and the two 'injured' soldiers straightened themselves, sighing. She shot up and groaned loudly, kicked her legs in childish frustration and glared at the small splatter of red on her chest.

"Curses!" The assailant laughed a bit and removed their helmet, revealing a kind-faced young man just a few years her senior, with large bushy brows, warm, coffee colored eyes, and head of scruffy hair the color of chocolate mousse.

"That's a new one! Even when you're killed, you speak so properly, Kotomi-chan." He held out a hand and Kotomi took it, standing up so she could dust herself off.

"Well, I know it's a simulation. It's hard to know if that's how I'll really react."

"I hope we don't find out any time soon. You're just beginning your deployment as a medic. Warzone 13, right?" Kotomi nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear. The young man touched a lock of her hair, smiling fondly.

"Your hair is pretty, but have you thought about cutting it? It might be dangerous."

"Mm, I asked Riko-chan to help me cut it next week. I want to look cute tonight." Kiyoshi chuckled. The gap between how she was while working and how she was normally was endearing.

"Do you have a man to impress?" Kotomi's cheeks turned pink and she huffed as she shook her head.

"I've too many troublesome men in my life to worry about for that, Kiyoshi-senpai." He laughed at this, ruffling her hair with an affectionately large bear-like hand.

"Make sure you don't end up dating a troublesome man, then." She sighed and crossed her arms, turning to the fallen 'soldiers', who pulled off their helmets to reveal a blonde head of hair pulled back into a ponytail and beautiful eyes of emerald green, and a brunette with short caramel brown hair and eyes to match.

"Thank you for your help, Alex-sensei, Riko-chan." Alex threw her arms around Kotomi, something she's just learned to expect from her personality type, in these last two years. She nuzzled Kotomi affectionately.

"Anything for you, cutie pie! I can't believe you're really going, soon!" Kotomi placed a hand over Alex's mouth, trying to crane her neck away from the blonde's kisses.

"I can't believe how much you've improved, Kotomi-chan." Riko nodded in approval. "As I thought, cultivating this kind of talent is incredible! It's such a shame that we have to end..."

"Yes, training is officially over at the end of the month, which is why…" Kotomi took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "I need to hear what you guys think." Kiyoshi and Alex exchanged a look, nodding to one another.

"From what we've seen, extraction is not a problem for you. You're strong, careful, and calm." Kiyoshi began. "Even when you had another pair of eyes, you kept vigilant. In fact, you became even more so after picking them up."

"Your medical response is excellent, as well." Alex added, smiling proudly. "You assessed initial wounds and made educated guesses that were accurate enough for the circumstances. It's important not to take injuries at face value."

"And I felt very assured when you told me it would be alright. I felt calmer around you…but…" Kotomi huffed in upset, whining as Riko began what she was waiting for.

"You can't hesitate." Kiyoshi finished. "But I know you already realized that." Kotomi couldn't protest. He was the one with battlefield experience, after all. A former captain whose knee was severely injured, which removed him from the battlefield and put him in the medical field, where he had access to rehabilitation care and ran extraction simulations with medics-in-training. Kotomi came at the right time, getting to be his guinea pig for the program.

"You moved slow on the draw. You noticed my movement, but you ignored it. In cases like this, when you're responsible for other people, you need to follow those hunches. And you can't hesitate on the kill." Kotomi deflated on this, avoiding eye contact.

"It's scary to kill, especially when you're trying to save people, but—"

"I'm not afraid to kill," Kotomi stopped Riko mid-sentence; Kotomi's sharpened and narrowed. Her grasp on the prop gun tightened and her finger twitched at the trigger.

"I know I have to kill to protect those around me, but…" Kotomi bit her lip.

What if I'm not sure I want to kill the person on the other side of that gun? Kiyoshi watched her a moment, then ruffled her hair again, chuckling.

"Then again, you might have also just been distracted by something else." Kotomi giggled. He was too nice, sometimes.

"Okay, I think she gets it. We have time to work on it, after all. You have a month to get everything together, isn't that right? Go home for today. You have a big night ahead of you." Riko said with a smile. Kotomi's eyes lit up, and Riko preemptively grabbed Alex by the back of her shirt to keep the woman from pouncing to hug the teen.

"A-are you sure it's okay?" Riko covered her mouth to hide a giggle.

She obviously wants to go home…so cute...! Kotomi had no idea why the three of her mentors were wearing such soft expressions, but she liked how happy they looked.

"Yep! It's not every day they come back from training, after all. You guys are having a party, right?" Kiyoshi asked. Kotomi nodded eagerly and ran for her stuff, shedding her medic packs, one at her side, her hips, the large one on her back, and her tactical gear.

"Thank you, guys! I'll see you tomorrow!" And with that, Kotomi was out the door. She leaped over benches and bike racks as she ran. Downtown was busier than normal, as everyone was preparing for the return of their family. The air was so light and energetic that Kotomi felt lightheaded. Meanwhile, her mentors chatted as they tidied up training room.

"She's so cute, it hurts. Is that girl really 16 already?" Alex stared her hands in disbelief, as if horrified she didn't to hug the dark-haired teenager. "All that time has passed, she's so good with people now..." She sniffled and wiped away a tear. "I remember when I almost mistook her for a lost child the first time she walked in here..."

"She's a hard worker, I like her. It'll be a little quieter here in a month. It hasn't been this quiet since your boys stopped visiting, Alex-san..." Riko sighed, holding her cheek. She turned to Kiyoshi, looking for him to agree with her, but his solemn expression muted her own joy.

"Teppei…? What's on your mind?" Kiyoshi blinked and looks down at Riko, smiling fondly, which made the young girl blush slightly and avert her eyes.

"It's nothing. I'll miss her, too. It's just…I've been in contact with Hyuga and Izuki lately. To check in on Alex-san's boys for her every once in a while."

"Even though outside contact isn't allowed, I guess you have connections like that, huh?"

"I'm grateful; even if those two dummies could write letters, they wouldn't." Alex whined.

"I actually asked about Kotomi's friends for her, so I could give her some good news." Kiyoshi continued, but his subdued expression made Riko blink cluelessly. Why would he seem so solemn about something like that?

"Why didn't you say anything...?" She asked with caution. Kiyoshi took a deep breath as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I heard some nasty rumors...and I don't think she would have liked them."

Akashi Estate

Kotomi threw the front doors open and dodged servants carrying the favorite dishes of her friends. Onion gratin soup, tofu soup, red bean soup – why did they like soup so much - even vanilla shakes, a big chocolate cake, and teriyaki burger steak. She passed Momoi, who is dressed in a pretty cocktail dress, trying to fix her hair. It has been 3 years, after all. She wanted to show Kuroko how much she's grown into a woman.

"Koto-chan! You're not showered yet?" She called after Kotomi.

"I'll be there in a moment!" She answered back before she disappeared into her room. Kotomi wanted to dress nice for them, too. She wanted to show them how capable she's become.

Once showered and clean, Kotomi wore a long-sleeved silky blouse and pleated skirt with stockings to hide all the small scars and marks she accumulated over the two years of intense training. She was anxious for more than just their return. She knew they were going to find out about that fateful choice she made 3 years ago, eventually. She just had to make sure it wasn't tonight. She was lucky enough with avoiding Akashi's father so far, so she was confident she could keep doing it.

Tonight was just to focus on welcoming them home. Kotomi looked at herself in the mirror, pushing some hair behind her as she smiled and giggled to herself. As a final touch, she pinned some white flowers clips into her side ponytail. She rarely paid so much attention to herself these days, so dressing up was a nice change for a special night. Kotomi smiled and hurried downstairs.

Mou, I can't wait one second longer! Hurry and come home, guys!

Well, she started excited, at least. As soon as Kotomi came down, Momoi suddenly confronted Kotomi with a concerned and wary tone.

"So, have you given any thought to how they're going to react to you being a medic in the Warzone they're assigned to?" Kotomi stood there for a solid 30 seconds before her mouth fell open. All she could do at the moment was pray that she misheard Momoi.

"What Warzone are they in...?"

"I just saw your placement today at-wait! Kotomi-chan!" Momoi managed to grab the smaller girl by the waist to prevent her from sprinting away.

"I didn't know I'd be with them! They're going to see me on the roster as soon as they look!-"

"Then you need to tell them before they see it! They're going to be here any minute, where are you trying to go!?"
"Sa-chan, can't you tell them for me?"

"You're the one who signed up behind our back, so you have to tell them." Momoi retorted, surprisingly strong for how dainty she looked. Kotomi shrieked she heard a maid make an announcement.

"They're coming, everyone!" The maids hurried to stand by, while Momoi struggled to keep Kotomi in place. She grabbed Kotomi by the shoulders and forced cornflower blue to meet cherry pink.

"Koto-chan! Don't worry about it right now, they're home so they won't look at the records! But don't run away and ruin their first night home!" Kotomi inhaled sharply as she realized how right Momoi was, and how shameful she was being. She took Momoi's hands off her shoulders and nodded.

"You're right...I'm sorry..." Kotomi turned to the door, but Momoi held onto Kotomi's hand, half for emotional support and half just to make sure Kotomi didn't try to bolt again. But as the door began to open, the two of them straightened out. Kotomi felt her knees shaking, as she realized that this really, truly it.

Three years ended tonight. Right now.

Don't cry in front of them, don't…! Her eyes lit up when she saw their silhouettes, tears already blurred her vision. She looked to Momoi, her anxiety over confessing her little deception now disappeared. But when she turned her head, the pink-haired girl was already ahead of her.

"Tetsu-kuun!" Momoi wailed as she threw herself at a figure obscured by the servants blocking the entrance. Kotomi giggled and ran over to follow her best friend, but she stopped dead in her tracks, stomach going cold when she saw them.

"Momoi-san, we're home." Kuroko looked relatively the same, but his voice was deeper and he had definitely gained quite a bit of muscle.

"Shit, Satsuki move, I can't wait to put all this crap down." Aomine no longer had that boyish charm and sunshine smile. His smirk was far more...weighed down was the only way she could describe it.

"Take a shower first, fool. You smell like death." Midorima's voice was colder, and his posture was rigid, like he was tensed enough to snap right in half.

"I wanna eat…Sa-chin, where's the food?" Kotomi strained her neck to look up at Murasakibara, as he still towered over his now much taller friends. He was built like a building, broad shouldered even with his poor posture.

"Never mind that, we're home, guys!" Kise had lost most of his baby far around his cheeks. He was no longer a cute, boyish model, but slim-faced and lean, like the kind she would see in a fancy magazine in Akashi's father's office.

"We're home." Akashi was currently turned away, discussing something with the head butler, but Kotomi could see the same changes in him as the others.

In these last 3 years, Kotomi and Momoi had changed quite a bit too. Momoi had gained an incredible figure, her adorable baby cheeks slimmed somewhat while maintaining a youthful, classically beautiful face. Kotomi noted with incredible irritation from time to time the size of Momoi's chest. It seemed almost criminal to have that much cleavage to oneself. She was best described as an angel, a beauty with no blemishes and knew no time.

Kotomi, on the other hand, had graduated from looking like a doll, having also lost some of her baby fat around her cheeks. She sported quite the figure as well, sculpted and firm, but with wider hips and thighs than Momoi due to all the squatting she did while sparring. She wasn't flat-chested, but it certainly wasn't anything to write home to, either. She wasn't without her battle scars either, sporting one here and there from her many training sessions. Kotomi had a wildness to her that Momoi lacked, despite both of them still knowing how to behave as wards of the Akashi family.

But the boys…or rather, the young men standing before them were on another level. They were all much, much taller. That was the first thing the two girls noticed. Kotomi felt proud of the 4 inches she had grown, but even then Kotomi's favorite purple giant towered over her, even more so than when they were 13. They were bulkier, too. The 3 years of physical training had done wonders for them. Lithe, but powerful bodies primed for combat. But Kotomi felt unsettled.

No.

She was being paranoid. She knew they would be different when they returned, so she was overanalyzing them. She was just misreading them. They were still her boys.

"Kotomi…?" Six pairs of eyes turned to the dark-haired girl, and she jolted and looked them over one more time, cornflower blue irises in full display. She realized that while Momoi had been exchanging hugs and warm welcomes, she was standing dumbstruck. The way their eyes seemed to brighten lifted Kotomi's dampened spirit. Kise stepped forward. His sunshine had too been diminished, despite his bright smile. He opened his arms for her and beckoned to her as he always did.

"No way…!" He cried. "Is that really Kotomicchi? Look at you!" Looked her up and down, seeming awed.

"You're all grown up…!"

See? You're imagining it.

"I'll say…" Aomine looked her up and down, quite obviously pleased.

You've just forgotten. It's been so long, after all.

"Aomine, you're absolutely vile." Midorima's voice contained more hostility than before, as if the green-haired teen was fighting back much worse.

"What? There's nothing wrong with admiring her hard work, right, Kotomi?" Aomine's grin was less like a ray of sunshine and more like a maelstrom.

They're still the people you've always known.

"He's right though, Koto-chin got sexy." Murasakibara stated matter of factly, which earned a choked sound of indignation to bubble up in Midorima's throat.

Just be happy they're here again. Kotomi's face heated up. She suddenly felt a pair of strong, warm hands envelope her in a hug. Kotommi felt a chill as it traveled down her spine.

When did he get here...?

"Kotomicchi, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment…you're so warm, and soft, you smell the same as you did before we left." One of Kise's hands came up to caress a lock of her hair. It was the same as always.

"Kise-kun, you're bothering Kotomi-chan." Kuroko had yet to push Momoi away, but his eyes were trained intensely on Kise and Kotomi, and more specifically on where Kise's hands were.

Why wasn't it the same?

"Please let her go."

"Eh? But…" His arms tightened around her slightly, and his voice strained like Kuroko's demand choked him.

"Ryota." Kise tensed and immediately removed his hands, to both Kotomi and Momoi's astonishment, though he kept one hand around her shoulder to keep here where she was. The previously silent Akashi Seijurou moved from his spot and approached Kotomi with a smile. If it weren't for Kise there, she would have taken a step back.

The red-head looked down at her with a fond smile, replacing Kise's hand with his own as he took a lock of her hair and brought it to his lips. His one golden eye reflected her own bewildered expression back at her.

"It is true, you both have grown to be so lovely. We've missed you. I'm so moved to return home, and I'm happy to announce that we've kept our promise." Kotomi swallowed something bitter.

I didn't make that promise with you. She bit down on the inside of her cheek to avoid saying something so outrageous.She swallowed her pervasive thoughts and looks at the floors, releasing a shaky exhale. Midorima raised a brow, seeming concerned.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice suddenly quite gentle compared to the hostile tone he used with his fellow soldiers.

"Kotomicchi, you look pale all of a sudden." Kise worried. Momoi looked concerned as well, but she knew a little more about what could be causing such anxiety. Kise pushed back her bangs to feel her forehead while he pursed his lips. She glanced up at the redhead, and by Akashi's expression she knew that he might have an inkling as to what was making her so antsy.

"You don't have a fever…"

"I understand if you're overwhelmed." Akashi practically crooned to her as he took her hand in his and stroked the back of it with his thumb and smiled serenely.

So perceptive…His imagined purr caused a ripple in her spine.

Kotomi shut her eyes. This is what she wanted. This is all she has wanted for the last three years. Don't ruin it for yourself. Kotomi quickly lifted her head and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I just…I can't believe you're here. It feels like a dream…" Kise looked like he wanted to jump her again, but Akashi's presence at her side prevented it.

"Are you sure? You can rest if you need to," Kuroko asked, seeming unconvinced. Kotomi shook her head frantically.

You're being so selfish, she chided herself. They're returned from war and you're not happy to see them? She looked for something to excuse her behavior.

"I actually…I've been so excited I haven't eaten since last night." It wasn't a lie, but rather something she realized just now. They all stared at her.

"…"

"WHAT!?" Even Momoi shouted this.

"Koto-chan, it's almost been 24 hours! And you were out all day! You didn't eat anything?"

"A-Ahahaha...I forgot...?" She scratched her cheek.

"Kotomi-cchi, you're shaking!" Kise held her hands in his, and Kotomi looked down at how the slender digits of her fingers trembled in his.

"Idiot, how do you forget to eat?" Aomine asked. Even he sounded concerned with that slow, lazy drawl she was still getting used to.

"It's good to be hard working, but this is just careless. What are you even doing that makes you forget about eating?" Midorima sounded like he was asking a question more than he was nagging.

"Koto-chin, I'll feed you, okay?"

"She can eat by herself, Murasakibara-kun…" Kotomi visibly relaxed as Kise led her to the dining room, the others close behind. Her lips turned up in a smile as she realizes that while much has changed about them, they were still her friends. Change was hard, but it was doable, right?

She turned to Akashi, who wasn't following them.

"Are you coming, Sei-kun?" Their entourage paused when she asked this, but Akashi smiled the way he used to, as if he was waiting for her to ask. She felt her cheeks warm in a nostalgic way. Her heart stirred and skipped a beat, as well.

"I'm sure my father is waiting for me to greet him, so I'll join you all later. Just enjoy your time together."

"You guys will be here for a while, right?"

"Yes, we have an assignment here, so after the break we'll be here a little while longer than others." Kotomi nodded, unsure of how to feel about the news. She wanted to ask what their assignment was, but Kise lost his patience and pushed her along again, gushing about her hair and how long it's gotten. So she shook off the fear and anxiety, the anxious expression Momoi shot her, and the uneasy shivers Akashi's golden eye sent her.

Everything was fine.

1 Kotori AKA 小鳥 ことり- "little bird"

2 This could denote an extreme sense of closeness or disrespect in Japanese culture, depending on the context. In this context, obviously, it's positive. It's on the level of family, close friends, and even lovers. Not to mention, Oikawa didn't call her by his nickname for her.