A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I really am sorry. To somehow make it up to you, I'll have you know that I wrote this chapter more than a few times feeling that each one just wasn't the right one. But anyways, here it is!

Thank you also for fav-ing and following this. I really didn't expect it to get this big! I literally jump for joy if someone follows or favs, so really, I can't thank you all enough.

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Haikyuu! The plot and OCs however, are all mine.

12:51 AM, the clock reads.

There she lay again, on her bed, looking at her ever blank ceiling a few days after a certain boy had asked her for a rather ridiculous favor. So far, it seems nothing much has changed, except that instead of just staying away from her, some girls suddenly found the guts to talk about her too loudly in the hallways. She doesn't mind, she finds it amusing actually, that they would bravely insult her in public by raising their voices a bit but suddenly fall into a hush if she were to merely glance their way.

All bark but no bite.

She had to give it to him; he was really admired by the female and male populace, some in ways much more disturbing than the others. In a sense, he was attractive, physical-wise, and she wouldn't deny that. She cannot help but wonder what would happen if his fans were to see a different side to him.

But he isn't the reason why she was awake at this hour. She had a recurring nightmare to thank for that, yet a tiny voice in her head tells her that it was a memory she is too afraid to recall.

And she doesn't know what to think about that.

Somehow she found herself in the spot where she first laid eyes on him. There she was again watching him, curious. The question still lingers, why put so much of your effort in a club?

As if hearing her unsaid question, he turns to her and waving in an exaggerated manner with a smile on his face. Like last time, the crowd around her squeals at the hope that he was waving at them and eagerly wave back.

She doesn't. Instead she looks at him, with her eyes narrowing slightly and he chuckles.

'Just what are you playing at, Oikawa?' She thinks as he turns to participate in the practice game again.

She watches him play and before she knows it, she was again, completely against her will, captivated at how he easily commands the team, how he is like the glue that sticks them all together. She notices the effect he has on his team, how they all somehow reassured to have him on the same side. Somehow she thinks that they are only relived to not have someone like Oikawa as an enemy, a person who can easily find your weaknesses and has no qualms about exploiting them if they are to his advantage.

Another reason as to why she was wary around him– and she still wonders what possessed her to talk to him a few days ago, a realization that came to her when her brother was freaking out –because if she so much as lets her guard down a bit around him, even for a moment, there was a chance that he would find her weakness. So she is constantly on guard around him even during their small interactions, yet something is bugging her, telling her that her being on guard was exactly what he wanted.

Either that or she is just way too paranoid about someone coming close enough.

But of course, she must humor him to an extent, he had something she wanted back so talking to him isn't completely out of the picture yet.

'He was trouble', she thinks to herself, 'but how can someone so cunning look so beautiful?'

He serves yet again, body and mind completely in tune, eyes focused, zoning in on the ball and the net, with each and every movement measured and practiced– from the way he tosses the ball in the air, runs, to the way he jumps up, and when his hand finally touches the ball, her hand itches for a pencil.

She was walking out of the gym, a few minutes after their practice ends choosing to let the crowd disperse first, headphones in place, her hands holding her phone as she receives a text form her brother, Aoi.

Chihiro.

I'm picking you up today. No girls are scheduled for today.

Aoi.

P.S. Don't talk to that boy. I mean it.

It was quite amusing to see her brother fret over such a matter when he could have been considered a serial dater. His reaction when he rushed over to her after reading one of her messages that concern her sudden friendship with Oikawa was seesawing on the border of hilarious and embarrassing. It didn't help that he was overreacting and lecturing her in public about that matter either.

Aoi,

Go ahead.

Chihiro.

P.S. Okay, I'll talk to him then.

"Cherry-chan," A voice she knows too well says from behind her. She turns her head to look at him and of course, is greeted by the topic of her and Aoi's conversation.

Speak of the devil and he shall arrive.

How fitting.

"Oikawa-kun," she nods her greeting and then proceeds to walk again, without turning back. She lets out a sigh of distress when she hears footsteps trailing after her.

"Ah, how mean!" He chides, "And you rejected my wave a while ago too, how cold!"

She pauses in her step, turns to him for another time, and glares a glare that usually works on the rest of her peers for disturbing her. To her disappointment, he isn't even bothered by it all. She was somehow annoyed that she wasn't surprised that he could just brush her glare off to the side.

He then tilts his head to the side, "Don't tell me you've become mute, Cherry-chan."

"Maybe I don't want to talk to you right now." She says coldly with a 'smile' of her own plastered on her face.

A saccharine coated smirk takes place on his face, "And then maybe you wouldn't mind it if I showcase this around school either."

She froze, staring at him with pure distaste on her face, "You wouldn't dare."

He smirked, raising an eyebrow, "Try. Me."

The stare off began as the temperature around them seemed to have dropped below zero degrees Celsius. If another person walked by and witnessed the exchange, shivers would run down his/her spine, and not the good one at that.

A beat.

Another.

A part of her tells her just to go with it for a while, seeing as the sketch going around would no doubt spell TROUBLE; caps-locking it for emphasis, a much needed emphasis. Honestly, she didn't pay attentions to the rumors around her or concerning her, but being linked to him was another matter entirely.

She didn't need those girls who have just sprouted backbones to suddenly become braver. Heaven save her if they decide to bully her into staying away from their beloved– that, she would not mind, she has more than half a mind to rid herself of his presence.

Then again, it wasn't her who seeks him out, but the other way around. He seeks her out on purpose; not minding that they were in a crowded hallway, or if she was busy minding her own business in the classroom and during break. Currently, she's been looking for new hiding spots because somehow, he always, always, manages to find her without fail.

It scares her actually, because if he can find her, that means he has noticed patterns. That means that he can read her and her movements.

And all this trouble because he asked her (or, you know, threatened her) into being his friend.

But then a question nags her, why did she give in?

She sighs self-deprecatingly because once again, she gives in into his whims. "Fine. What do you want?"

The smile she has learned to dislike was once again on his face. Oh how she wishes to slap it off.

"Ne, Cherry-chan, I noticed that you've been… on guard around me."

She involuntarily steps back and calmly asks, "On guard?"

Of course on the surface she wouldn't look troubled. No, she kept her poker face on, hoping that she'll win and that he would drop the matter even if she was guilty of the said accusation.

He makes a tutting sound like that of a mother's, one that signaled you were in deep trouble.

"Did you think that you could fool me, Cherry-chan? I've had countless people on their guard for just being on the same court or room as me. So I'll ask again, do you think that you could fool me, Cherry-chan?"

Damn.

But of course, she has to bounce back. "I'll admit that. I am on my guard around you, so what?"

He tilts his head to the side and looks at her questioningly, "Why?"

"Well… you're you."

"By being 'me', did you mean being charming and charismatic? Why? Afraid I'll steal your heart?" He asks arrogantly to which she replies with a scoff.

"Excuse me?!" She puts a hand on her chest, "I'm on guard because as much as you let this cheery persona out, you're a monster underneath and no, you wouldn't even come close to stealing my heart."

Looking straight into his eyes, she doesn't see even a flicker of hurt but rather an excitement he can't quite hide at hearing her words.

"Oh, but the first time we met, you almost smiled at the prospect of being my friend."

Tooru was met with silence and a heated glare from the dip dyed person in front of him. He also takes note of the light blush staining her cheeks.

"My, my," he says in a dramatic manner, "Was that moment a slip-up? Did the Akane Chihiro slip-up?"

"Hah!" Chihiro exclaims challengingly, "Right now, aren't you the one whose personality is slipping? I mean, what would your fans say at seeing you like this?"

He wasn't even damaged by her statement instead, he lets a Cheshire grin make its way onto his face with his eyes slightly narrowing.

"Ah, but this is who I am, so I can't say that I'm slipping but I can say that you're not worth the hassle of putting that mask on. You're worth so much more than that, Cherry-chan."

She laughs bitterly, "So I'm worthy of seeing the monster that your really are, Oikawa-kun?"

"But knowing you, it should be similar to be looking into the mirror." He says that with one of usual smiles and the only thought that crosses her mind is that his words do not match the expression on his face.

In an odd way, she isn't completely hurt about that statement that he made. Rather, it felt bittersweet to hear that term being said directly to her, in front of her face, and not whispered when they think she isn't looking.

She doesn't know why but it just feels good to finally have someone say it to your face. The odd looks and whispers she'd receive were alright at first. But as time passes by, it just gets annoying to hear the same words they say over and over again when they think she couldn't hear them when she has two perfectly good ears. On days when she felt down, she would turn towards those who were murmuring and ask them what they needed politely and they would become a stuttering mess.

It feels good yet it still hurts.

It just hurts a tiny bit.

It hurts because in the depths of her heart she knows she is. She tells herself that it was because she ruined her father's picture perfect family by suddenly barging in the picture but her subconscious tells her that it was something more than that. When she does try to find out why, she only comes up with a blank. So maybe it hurts her because she doesn't exactly know why she brands herself as a monster.

She'll never let him see that tiny bit of hurt though.

Chihiro sends him a smirk, "Thank you for pointing that out, really."

"You're welcome," Tooru says cheerily while winking."But I would really appreciate if you aren't so guarded around me. To prove my point, you still are right now."

"Then take that appreciation and give it to someone who wants it then." She tells him blankly.

She then turns around and proceeds to walk once more. Chihiro groans when she hears footsteps catching up to her and groans louder when she feels his presence right beside her.

They walk together in silence until they reach the entrance of the school. It was a good silence, because she didn't have to deal with him talking. Sadly, he didn't share the same sentiment with her.

"Are you busy two days from now, Cherry-chan?" He suddenly asks her out of the blue.

She looks at him with one eyebrow raised. "Oikawa-kun," she asks not even bothering to hide the disgust in her words, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Tooru looks at her eyes widening slightly at her words, "No… unless you want me to. I wouldn't mind, but I'm pretty sure Iwa-chan would hit me again if I ditch practice."

She lets out a breath of relief, thanking whoever was watching out for her, but scrunches her face up when remembering something he said, "Iwa-chan? Who's she?"

It was that moment when she hears him laughing for the first time. She didn't know if it was genuine or something he does on reflex, but she likes the sound of his laughter, like he was just a child not knowing the woes of the world. She didn't have that kind of pleasure when she was young.

"Cherry-chan, Iwa-chan's a guy." He manages to say out between laughs. "What made you think he was a girl?"

She looks at him with confusion etched upon her features, "You call him Iwa-chan."

"It's just a thing I do, don't worry." He says wiping the sides of his eyes as if tears were falling from them from laughing too much. "He's the team's vice captain."

They walk again in silence until he breaks it, again.

"So… two days from now there's a match against a certain school and I want you to watch, assuming they'll win the match before they face us." He shrugs like he knew they would be their opponents, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Sure." She answers before she could stop herself.

Why had she agreed?

She didn't know.

But the allure of seeing him in an actual match would surely be a sight. The irritation in his voice when he was talking about this certain school made her curios as to what they did to deserve the aggravation that was coming off Oikawa. She'll admit she wanted to see just how much more of a beast on the court he'll be when faced with an actual opponent, that opponent being one that annoyed him was just the cherry on top because then, she'll see more of him than she usually does.

She already has a feeling that he's slowly piecing her together, managing to read her further than she reads him. She can't have him find out another thing to hang over her head, so why not snoop around as well to find something she can use as leverage with him? That way, she isn't the only one at a disadvantage.

And though she's already berating herself for agreeing, it does actually have a hand in deciphering the man beside her.

Though she doesn't want to admit it, she also wants to go and bring her notebook with her, just in case she is hit with another wave of inspiration. He doesn't need to know that and end up threatening her again.

"Don't get your hopes up though; I'm not going to end up as another one of your fans." She dismissively says as she picks up her pace, leaving him there standing.

He is left there, looking after a girl whose hair was dip dyed with the color of red.

This girl was different. That much he knew. There was something behind those grey eyes of her that spell out fragile if someone were to look deep enough. Well, it may have been easier for him to notice that since his insight is something one should be proud of.

Her eyes, though usually lit with anger, annoyance, and wary whenever they meet, held a secret that just basically entices him to find out. With her being that guarded made it hard but it also confirmed that she was hiding something she'd prefer he wouldn't find out. Another reason why she was that guarded may be because she knows that he could read her in a moment of weakness, and he's amused by that. She knows just how bad he actually is. He wants her to guarded, really, he does. Because the higher you raise the walls you use to keep everyone out, the more effect it'll have when it all comes crashing down.

They tell him that he specializes in finding out another person's weakness. The first step to finding her Achilles' heel was her eyes.

They say that the eyes were the mirror to the soul, and they couldn't be more right.

He needed to find out why they always looked so sad, so lonely or squeeze the reason out of her.

As she finally leaves his line of sight, her last words echo in his mind, and he is so relieved that she wouldn't end up to be another one of his fans, so, so relived and just a little disappointed.

THANKS FOR READING.

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Until next chapter,

Ciao!

LuceyLacie