Yes. I have no idea what to say. XD. As I am writing this chapter, I am suffering from hunger. Unless you'd want me to ear some flesh-WAIT-I'm no ghoul. Fine. Some coffee will do.

Chapter 5: Ear

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.

The black-headed angel turned a page.

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.

He turned another page.

Sta—

Kageyama slammed the book he was reading.

"If I were you, I'd stop doing that. Unless you want me to wrestle the hell out of you and break your bones."

"Ehhh…how mean…" I said, slumping against my pillow. It was the second day of my second life, and also the first time I'd be going to classes ever since my accident. It does feel weird though. As if my classmates had any idea what I went through. Little did they know that five days from now, I'd be meeting a tragic end. Oh well, as the grumpy angel said, all I have to do is be careful and not cross that road at that exact time.

"You just called me 'a grumpy angel' again, didn't you?" He snapped, throwing the book at me. Luckily, my hands were able to catch the object. It seems that my reflexes have returned.

"Ha! Take that!" I said, grinning at him and waving the book in front of him.

"Hahahaha…look who's gonna be late for school?"

The grumpy angel shoved the clock in my face.

I screamed in panic.

"This is bad this is bad this is bad this is bad!" I yelled, frantically searching for my uniform.

"Hinata?" That was my mother's voice.

"Y-Yes! Coming!"

"Hinata."

"What? I'm in a hurry! Why didn't you wake me up?!" I said, taking my shirt off as fast as I could.

"You've got a quiz today."

"E-Eh…"

Kageyama sighed and pointed at the calendar. The number 15 had a huge circle around it.

My face turned pale in an instant.

"Should be easy for you since technically, you've taken it."

"But I failed that test…" My voice quivered as reality doomed on me.

" A! Remember that properly! Geez, just how much of a failure are you?!"

"C-Can you repeat that one more time?!"

"Hinata! What are you yelling at? You're gonna be late!" My mother's voice echoed one more time.

"H-Hai!" I said, almost tumbling over a pile of books on the floor.

"Oi Hinata!"

"W-What?"

"Come here."

"E-Eh?"

"Your collar. It's a mess."

"O-Oh…"

I walked slowly towards the angel. It was only then that I realized the difference in our heights. Damn. He's tall.

My eyes fell down to his hands. Despite his sturdy look, his hands moved in a gentle way against my collar. Yep. I half-expected him to get me strangled, but it seems that my imagination was just going wild. He really is an angel after all.

"Yoshi. All fixed."

He took a step away from me and surveyed me.

"Now you go, and try not to get yourself killed."

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.

He picked up the book he had thrown earlier from the floor and gently smacked it over my head.

"Ouch! I swear one of these days, I'd get back at you! How come you always hit my head?!"

"Because you're an idiot."

I clenched my teeth.

"Wait till I get taller. I'd get my revenge, grumpy angel!"

"Huh," He merely hissed.

And with that, I left my room, feeling flustered.

The black headed angel leaned against the door as soon as it closed.

"Grow taller huh…"

He closed his eyes and clenched the book he was holding. He then caught sight of the calendar.

"Only five more days huh."

His gaze fell down to the volleyball that he had tossed for a hundred times and more to the shrimp. From the looks of it, the shrimp had been practising every day when he got home. It was full of scratches, and it looked like it would give in any moment from now.

Kageyama sighed once again, tossing the ball to the air.

"Volleyball huh…"

As soon as he caught sight of his friends, Hinata Shouyo had the urge to just jump at them and hug them with all his might. In that time, it had been months since he was able to see the faces of his friends. It felt like forever, but still…it had only been days for them.

"Izumi…Koji…" He said, tears and snot already threatening to fall down.

"Woah…what's with you Hinata?" A boy with messy dark brown hair said, inching away from the ginger (he looked as if he might throw his arms around them any moment).

"It's been so long…" Hinata sniffed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to stop himself from finally crying.

"What on earth are you even talking about?!" Izumi yelled. "Koji, you give this jerk a good hit on the face. He needs it."

"Ahahaha…" This time, it was the light brown haired boy that approached Hinata. "Let's enter the room, class' going to start soon."

"H-Hai!"

The classes went around like ordinary days. The boy could not help but gaze outside the window. Oh how he had longed to just go outside and play his beloved sport! Not to mention that he could play it with his friends once again.

As soon as the doorbell rang, the first thing that Hinata did was approach the two.

"Izumi, Koji! Let's go the court!"

"E-Eh…" Izumi gave a doubtful laugh. "T-The court?"

"Yep! Let's play!" Hinata was literally bouncing like an excited kid.

"B-But that's the woman's court isn't it? We'll get teased again by our senpais for that…"

"We could always use the one in the vacant lot of our school! I can ask Akira-sensei for an excess net—"

"Hinata…" Izumi spoke the boy's name with finality.

"I'm sorry. We can't join you."

Hinata tried his best to smile. He then turned to Koji, but even the other boy turned his eyes away, obviously avoiding his gaze.

"I—I see. I'm sorry."

"We're really sorry Hinata. And besides, we still have a couple of quizzes right? We really need to study."

"N-No! I should be the one saying 'sorry'. W-Well then, I-I'm heading off!" Hinata said, chuckling as he hugged his bag. "See you later!"

Hinata Shouyou had always loved to run. Yesterday, the moment he felt he could make his legs run as fast as it could again felt like freedom—as if he was some soul being freed. But this time, it was different. Somehow, his legs felt heavy like lead.

He knew it. Deep within his heart, he was the sole one who loved it with all his heart. Sure, they were his friends, but still, it was not something that he could just force on them. There were a couple of times that they had been kind enough to go along with his selfishness. They would toss to him, half-heartedly, just watching him jump as high as he could and smash the ball to the ground.

Even so, he was happy with all his heart. Jumping to smash the ball felt like being able to fly. It was his dream all along.

To see the view from above.

But it can't be like this forever. He knew that that day would come. They will graduate from middle high, and it'll be a long time before somebody could toss to him. Not unless he could get himself to a team in high school.

Before he knew it, he had ended up in a vacant lot. Some students were busy taking their lunch. It became pretty noisy when lunchtime came, and it was rather making his head ache.

He sighed, bringing out the ball from his sling bag.

"Well, well, well, if it's not the sissy volleyball freak…" A stiff voice cut across his thoughts.

He felt himself froze. This is bad. He should be running now. He then opened his bag, ready to stuff the ball back and escape, when a lanky lad blocked his view.

"Where do ya think you're going, sissy?" He chuckled. Damn. He was taller than the grumpy angel.

He then looked back, only to find another lanky senior.

"Now, now, don't be too harsh on him."

"Eh? But I heard he's been asking the girl's team to toss to him, how pathetic could he get?"

The three lads fell into a raucous laughter at the same time. Hinata felt the urge to just pick a rock and throw it to them. Heck, he could even use the volleyball to smash it against their faces.

Hinata gritted his teeth.

"What's your problem? I'm not even doing anything to you…senpai…" He managed to add. He was hopeful that respect could somehow settle it for these bullies.

"What's our problem? Shrimp, this is our turf," The tallest one was now looming over him. He had a buzz cut, and it made him look more of an ossan than a regular middle schooler. Hinata took a step back, his fists clenched.

"You play here every break right? Well then, let me tell you…YOU'RE JUST TOO NOISY!"

Hinata's eyes widened. The bastard had just kicked his bag. Not contented, the lad stepped even stepped on it.

"What's so fun with volleyball? It's just some sport where you jump like a stupid insect and hit it. Come on, boxing's way cooler!"

"Nope. Basketball is," the second lad commented, pulling the volleyball out of the bag and spinning it like a basketball on his finger.

"Whatever. All I know is that when it comes to sports, volleyball is just like that sissy toy that weaklings like you play!" The ossan-faced guy kicked the spinning ball from the other one's hands. The ball zoomed right into the third one's grasp. He grinned and smashed it against the wall.

"Stop it! That's my only spare!" Hinata remembered the extremely worn ball he had at home.

"Haha! Catch it then if you can!" The guy said, laughing as he tossed it to his friend.

It then became a game of chase, with the small sophomore trying to get his hands on the ball. He was cursing under his breath. Why on earth did he have to become this small? If he could only be tall as them, no…even taller—

"Like I said stop it!" Hinata yelled, unable to hide the anger in his voice anymore.

"Ooohhh…" The tallest one raised his brows. "You talking back?"

He then grabbed Hinata's mass of orange hair. To them, he was no less than a ball that could be tossed around. Hinata flinched in pain. These bastards!

Hinata grabbed the guy's wrist with all his might.

"Let go of me!" He choked as he struggled to break free of the man's grasp. He was now being raised off the ground with the man gripping on his hair. Is it time to resort to violence? He could kick the man's balls if he wanted to—

The lanky bully broke into a nasty grin. He then turned to his friend, who was now spinning the ball in his hand in one finger.

"Do it."

The guy who was holding the ball broke into his own mocking grin.

Hinata's eyes widened.

Don't tell me they are going to—

"Since he loves volleyball so much, do it the volleyball way!" The lanky guy broke into a menacing laugh as his friend raised his ball at an eye's length, ready to aim it at Hinata's face.

Hinata clenched his fists, closing his eyes in frustration. Why did he have to be this weak?

Perhaps it was exactly because he was weak that he died on that day. He can't even do anything with him being alive at this exact mome—

He could feel it. He could hear the ball zooming towards him, about to land a clean hit on his face.

The zooming sound stop. There was no sting of pain that came from the collision of his face with the strong rubber surface.

"Gross."

Hinata opened his eyes. This voice.

Before he knew it, the sting which came from the lanky guy's grip was gone. What he saw instead was just a looming figure, shielding his view from the unlikely sight.

For just beyond that figure were three lanky guys, all sitting on their own asses and looking horrendously struck at the sight of some sadistic-looking black-haired lad. He was still holding the ball in his hand tossing it with such precision that his eyes need not even looking at it. Instead, they were just fixed at the three lads, his head held up high in the air.

"You call that a toss? Ossan, you're a hundred years early to do even do volleyball. To me, it doesn't even come close to one…" The black-haired boy tossed the ball up high in the air.

And smashed it, right towards the tallest one.

The guy could not believe his eyes. It was merely a hair's breadth away. The ball was still spinning as it hit the spot on the wall just beside his face.

"And I think I heard you call it some sissy game played by weaklings, pfffft…don't even make me laugh ossan. You have any idea how hard it is to smash a ball on the same precise spot again and again?" The black-haired lad with piercing eyes walked towards the three in a dramatic manner, as if he was savouring the look of fear in their eyes. He then slowly bent himself so as to place his lips just beside the lad's ears and whisper.

"But do you want to see me try it?"

The lad's lips merely quivered, unable to utter a word. It was the first time he had felt such fear. The stranger wasn't even more muscular than them to begin with. He was tall, just like them, but not superior in such height. But his piercing eyes and cold voice were enough to make the three of them just sit in silence and not give a fight.

"Answer me…do you want me to try it? Me hitting this thing again and again on that same, exact spot—which is—"

The angel by the name of Kageyama gave a sadistic grin.

"Your faces."

"WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! DEMON!" It was the leader who ran first, almost tripping in a hurry to save his life. His other two friends were no better. They seemed to have pissed their pants too.

Kageyama shook his head. "Gross."

He then looked back at Hinata, whose mouth was just hanging open.

"Oi. Stop gaping at me like that. It's creepy." Kageyama picked the ball, lightly hitting it with his palm to brush the dirt off. "Here."

"They saw you."

"Huh?"

"They saw you! What if they tell the teachers about you? What if they hunt you and they'll found that you're not a human—"

Kageyama threw Hinata a look of disbelief.

"Are you even for real?"

"Eh?"

"You just got bullied, and you're worried about me being the one in trouble? Please, I'm not a weakling like them."

Hinata bit his lips.

"I am the one who's weak."

Kageyama raised his hand over Hinata's head. The smaller one closed his eyes, expecting to get another smack.

What came instead was a gentle warmth on his head from the palm of a hand.

It was a pat.

Hinata opened his eyes once again.

"You are not weak. If people tell that you are, then don't believe them. The only one who you should listen to is yourself. That way, you can become stronger and be sturdy enough to be responsible with your own decision. Only cowards tell other people that they are weak. Understood?"

Was it his imagination, or was Kageyama using a rather gentle voice?

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go get this rolling," Kageyama spoke, smirking as he took hold of the ball.

"What are we doing?" Hinata said, still in a mixed state of shock and disbelief.

"Isn't it obvious? You're going to show me that—"

"You can fly…Hinata!" Kageyama screamed as he tossed the ball up high in the air.

It must have been two hundred tosses this time. Left and right, to and fro, Hinata ran across the makeshift court like there was no tomorrow. Even the angel could not believe such unwavering stamina.

"Are you even human?!" Kageyama groaned in disbelief as he looked at his hand. It was now sore with red marks. Hinata's was no better. His hands were now close to the hue of his hair. Yet the shrimp seemed to pay no heed. He was clearly living the moment as he hit the tosses again and again. Kageyama had to admit though. The shrimp could now receive his tosses perfectly.

"One more time!" Hinata screamed, his amber eyes glimmering under the afternoon sun.

"One more time your face! You've got classes, idiot!" Kageyama finally exclaimed as he grabbed the ball and stuffed it to Hinata's bag.

"Ehhhh…but—" Hinata pouted, his eyes pleading.

"No 'buts'! Now off you go to class!"

"Tch. Fine," Hinata sighed, fetching his bag with a heavy heart.

"Kageyama."

"What—"

"Arigatou."

Hinata's smile could have been blinding as the sun. It was a perfect match to the energetic hue of his hair, much more with the glowing amber of his eyes. Suits his name perfectly.

Kageyama grunted.

"Whatever."

Just as Hinata left with a heart racing out of happiness from a hundred tosses, Kageyama turned his back with a heart that fluttered with a faster beat than usual.

A.N. I am tempted to write a Tokyo Ghoul smutty drabble. Welp. ('Ossan' means "old man" by the way.)