A/N: I don't own KHR or any of its characters.
SMACK. The volleyball sails straight at Hatsu's face for the 5th time… which, considering the ball has only been passed to their side of the court 5 times, is a pretty high statistic. She dodged the first five, and the score sat at a hefty 5-0, of course not in her favor.
"Hatsu at least try and hit it once! You suck at sports." Saito - her classmate - yells.
"And no one finds it weird EVERY ball is coming to me."
"Because you're an easy target."
To which she halfheartedly shrugs.
Another annoying habit of hers: she never strives for the top. Her grades in physical education must be abysmal, because it literally seemed like taking a single step in either direction was as much as she was willing to input.
Komiya, surprisingly, chimes in in her defense - "She's just a little scared of the ball. Don't be so hard on her." To which the whole class, even the teacher, swoons at her kindness and gentle heart. And yeah, I say "surprisingly" because all the balls aimed at Hatsu originated from her gaggle of girls. Not that I disapprove of her methods, but why the hell would Komiya expend effort over Hatsu? Hatsu, who literally strove - or didn't - for mediocrity.
"...Scared?" Hatsu echoes back.
She looks almost as she always did at school, but I haven't been watching her for nothing. I can see it in the slight upturn of her mouth and the tension in her shoulders. Even the slight tremor in her voice, a mocking disbelief.
Komiya smiles innocently, "Yeah, but don't worry, it's easy once you get the hang of it! Maybe I can teach you a little after class." She smirks at Hatsu.
And at that, Hatsu bursts out laughing.
The laugh echoes and trails throughout the gymnasium.
A genuine, yet spiteful, laugh that no one would expect from Hatsu.
When she finally settles down, "Well I think I've picked up a few things just watching you these past few points, so let's finish the game."
Game on, bitch.
I crouch, hands clasped in front of me at the ready.
When I was in the Vecchio compound, there was no need for socializing outside of training. We were there for the sole purpose of becoming strong assets for the family, nothing more, nothing less. Competition was expected and at the end of the day, it came down to who prevailed over the others in a fight. At school, where bad grades mean a stern warning and good grades mean a star sticker, nothing matters.
I gaze at Komiya with a smirk.
But when pride is on the line, I guess there is no holding back.
SMACK. The ball sails expectedly straight at me. I crouch lower before impact, then swing up with my arms. It easily sails upward in a clean arc toward Saito.
I run quickly toward the net, yelling back "Set to me!"
"H-hai!" Saito yells nervously.
He gently pushes it up in the air and at its highest point I jump into the air, the palm of my hand spiking the ball down with a speed that shouldn't be possible for an elementary school student.
I land on the court, eyes lifting to meet Komiya's wide, confused, and certainly frightened ones.
The class is silent. Hibari blinks from the sidelines.
"Nice pass Saito." I smile at him with a thumbs up.
"N-n-nice s-spike!" He says nervously.
"Let's finish this then." I smile at my team.
The WHISTLE screeches out, signifying match point to Hatsu's team. 25-12 as the final score. The other team learned to avoid Hatsu after a couple points, but it was a lost game either way.
I shouldn't be shocked, having fought one-on-one with her. But still, her school persona is always on. Always lackluster. Why now the change?
The PE teacher approaches Hatsu in the corner, and my attentions turn to their conversation.
"...Hatsu, have you played volleyball before? If you always apply yourself like today you could have a real future in sports!"
"Hahaha I played as a kid - I guess everything came back to me all of a sudden." she explains.
"I can enroll you in an after-school youth volleyball team - you have so much potential!"
"Ah…" Hatsu sweatdrops. "I have extra studies after school so I don't think that would work." (*scoff)
"I can talk to your parents about it, if you need me too. Just think about it, okay?"
"Ah, no it's fine really…"
"Don't worry about anything, I'll make sure you realize your potential" She says with a shining smile, not hearing anything Hatsu has to say, then speeds off to assist another student disassemble the net.
"Um…" But the teacher is already gone.
I watch as Hatsu facepalms - and I'd stake money that she's thinking "What a hassle."
There was an undeniable shift in the body language of the whole class toward Hatsu. Before, she was the average girl who they all greeted warmly and openly. Now, everyone was a minimum of 5 feet away from her.
Hatsu leans down and picks up a volleyball. She lifts it into the air - the whole class tenses, afraid of her weapon - and she tosses it gently into one of the ball bins.
A collective sigh.
Herbivores.
Okay, so… I definitely got my point across, but at what cost…
I could just say I'm some sort of Volleyball prodigy, but completely average in every other facet of my life. That could work… I mean saying I've trained as a hitman my whole life would not fly well. Then again, that would sound so ludicrous everyone would think I was kidding.
I massaged my temples as I walked out of the school grounds.
What a hassle.
Gray eyes meet mine outside the gate.
Met by an even bigger hassle.
I walk past him without acknowledgment, hoping it will deter him, but knowing it won't.
He follows behind me.
I jog slightly and take a right, ignoring him. He does the same.
I sprint around the next corner to the left. He does too.
"Are you some sort of trained dog?" His eyes narrow, but stays quiet. "You can't just follow me around all day. That's harassment."
"We're project partners." He says, as if that explains everything and I am an utter dumbass for even asking and should just go kill myself already.
"Yeah, I know, I was also in the classroom when partners were chosen. We can work on that at your house later."
"Now."
"Later."
"Now."
"Later."
Silence.
"Where do you even go after school?"
Home. What was at least.
"You don't really care, so why does it matter?"
"Tch."
"Ah Chieko-sama came to pick us up!" I proclaim, pointing behind him. Kyoya swivels to see - no one. But I'm already running off in a sprint far away from him.
He sprints after me, "I'll bite you to death."
The chase lasts longer than I'd expect - 3 miles in and many roundabout flips and maneuvers later, he's STILL. FOLLOWING. My feet take me on familiar roads, down a path I trace everyday after school. I don't want them to take me here, but they do.
I find myself at the gates of Suga Kindergarten.
"STOP RUNNING HERBIVORE." Kyoya orders from behind me. Huffing as he sprints up the gates just after I do.
I see a little boy, pudgy with the biggest brown eyes, run out the kindergarten smack into the arms of a woman. I know him. I knew who he was the moment I saw him weeks ago, sloppily running up the sidewalk with an ice cream cone in his hand and this same woman smiling at his side.
She looks at the Kindergarten with something akin to… longing?
"Do you know them?" I ask.
She flinches, as if I'd been the forgotten the moment we arrived. "No."
I open my mouth to protest - she obviously DOES know them - but she beats me to it.
"Let's go back and work on our project."
"Don't order me around, herbivore."
"Let's not go back then."
"We're working on our project, because I said so." I turn and walk in the direction of my house.
I can feel her severe eye roll behind me. "Hai, hai."
A/N: ehm, I have no excuse for how late this chapter is in coming out lol. But here ya go!
