4. Distance (III)
"Caught you."
Akagi jolts, and it takes whatever remaining willpower of hers to stop herself from wrenching her wrist out from the vice grip of one Kaga in alarm.
"Kaga-san!" Akagi exclaims, gathering herself a couple of curious stares from their lingering few classmates who has yet to gone for lunch. "You sure gave me a scare there." She mumbles, dropping her voice a notch, feeling particularly self-conscious of the attention that is placed on them from her sudden outburst.
Despite so, Kaga does not relinquish her grip. And instead, Akagi is surprised to see an amused smile hanging off the edges of the setter's lips.
Because while it's rare for Kaga to approach her first, it's even rarer for her to be in an oddly playful mood.
"I caught you first," repeats Kaga softly, smoothly ignoring Akagi's earlier remark. And if Akagi doesn't know any better, she would have thought the girl had sounded almost petulant. Almost.
Kaga gives her wrist a gentle but hopeful squeeze, tilting her head in a way that reminds Akagi so much of a small innocent child.
"So let's have lunch together?"
Akagi finds herself nearly choking at the most extraordinary way her heart has decided to speed up abruptly, leaping right into her throat as her cheeks begin to burn with a heat that is almost excruciating.
Just how in the world is she supposed to resist that?
"But I…" Akagi glances off to the side nervously. Guiltily.
But she has already agreed to oversee their juniors' training beforehand...
She fidgets with her fingers, trying to ignore the blush that is spreading to the tip of her ears.
A blue bundle— uniquely characteristic of Kaga— is then unexpectedly plopped down onto her desk as it unfurls before her eyes.
"I made you bento."
Akagi gulps, eyes lighting up with immediate interest, and in that moment, it is all that she can see, smell and think about. She feels her mouth begins to water.
This is it.
Her mind has been made up.
Because nothing— nothing— can ever beat Kaga's homemade bento.
Akagi sighs, albeit resignedly, rising to her feet. "Alright, let's have lunch together." She says, flashing her usual megawatt grin at Kaga, who brightens considerably.
Adorable.
"Thank you for the meal!"
Akagi releases a long contented sigh, laying her chopsticks down neatly to rest as she caps her currently empty bento box close.
"As expected, Kaga-san's cooking is still the best," she grins, stretching her limbs out before leaning back against her palms, basking in the afterglow of a well-fed meal.
Kaga lets out a musing hum, finger tapping idly at her chin. "I wonder what Houshou-san would think if she hears of this."
From the corner of Akagi's eye, she catches the near imperceptible teasing lilt of Kaga's lips. To which, she straightens her back and leans in towards her much stoic counterpart in response, resting her cheek against her palm ever so blithely.
"Well then, Kaga-san, I sure hope you can keep a secret."
An elegant rise of a perfectly arched brow.
"And just how are you so sure you can trust me, Akagi-san?"
She holds her stare unflinchingly, allowing the silence— the suspense— to draw out between them painfully.
When finally, unable to resist, Akagi releases a chuckle.
"Because it's you, Kaga-san." Her eyes begin to wander, roving about the stiffly regal form of Kaga with unbidden fond affection before glancing up to look her squarely in the eye. "And I'll be so sure to even trust you with my life."
Kaga smiles, and Akagi notes the hint of a blush against her fair complexion as she lifts a slender digit up against her lips.
"Good call, my lips are sealed."
Akagi grins, watching as Kaga then reaches forth to tie their two empty bento boxes up into a blue bundle, with a kind of an elusive grace and elegance.
It's all very domestic and somehow, it strikes a chord within Akagi.
She'll make a decent wife.
Then again, with her spine as straight as a pole and hands folded neatly atop of her lap, Akagi thinks she is more of a picture of a perfect heiress than a perfect wife. And vaguely, she remembers of a distant time when Kaga still stumbles over herself, and slouches when she thinks that no one is looking.
"Akagi-san,"
Akagi blinks, jolting out of her short reverie, turning to the girl in question who is currently donning a rather peculiar expression— the same one when she is trying hard not to smile but is failing desperately so.
"Yes?"
"You've got a little… something here."
"Here?" Akagi swipes at her left cheek.
Kaga shakes her head, and there is a full-blown smile right on her lips now. She leans in close towards Akagi, faces only barely inches apart. "Right… here."
And right as she makes to pick off the tiny grain of rice that is clinging to the side of her long-time partner's cheek, she is suddenly met with a light prod against her nose.
As Kaga glances down at her with surprise written all over her face, clearly taken aback by her sudden course of action, Akagi could hardly contain herself from grinning cheekily back at her.
"You've got a little something here too, Kaga-san."
Kaga blinks. Once. Twice.
And when it all finally catches up to her, she lays a light flick against Akagi's forehead before breaking away into airy laughter.
It's a nice pretty sound, Akagi thinks, almost like the gentle chime of bells in the distance.
And apparently infectious too.
Body wrecked with peals of laughter, bubbling and spilling out of her in waves, Akagi finds herself ultimately losing her balance and toppling over, but not without dragging Kaga down along with her as well.
And so they both lie, sprawled out on their backs against the tiles of the school's rooftop, heaving and gasping for air as their laughter soon die off into sporadic giggles.
For the longest time, they simply lie there, staring up into the azure blue skies, counting the fluffy white clouds that pass them by— even long after the last of their laughter have left them—, and it is only when Akagi hears the sound of a soft blissful sigh that she finally turns on her side.
Her hair is in a mess, is the first thought that crosses her mind as she lays her eyes on Kaga.
With her rich chestnut hair spilling out of its usual restrains, sticking out at the oddest corners, and her uniform rumpled from their earlier bouts of laughter, she looks like an utter mess.
But it's also the first time that Akagi has seen her looking this liberated and free in a long, long time.
Even despite looking like a disaster, there's just something about the way the sunlight filters down upon her that paints her in this soft ethereal glow, and Akagi is unable to look away. Because somehow, she's drawn in, compelled by this sudden desire to reach out and touch her— to swop her up in her arms and hold her.
Fingers tentatively creeping to cross the distance between them, Akagi is caught by sheer surprise when Kaga abruptly flips over on her side as their gazes clash in a battle of amber.
And then the unexpected happens.
Kaga flashes her a grin, and it's dazzling and radiant in all its glory, and it very nearly sends Akagi's heart spiraling out of control— but not without bringing forth a gigantic grin of her own as well.
It all feels so natural when Kaga, ever so smoothly, reaches in to intertwine their fingers together, so much so that she nearly misses the whole notion until she feels the gentle squeeze of her fingers.
In that very single moment, all Akagi could possibly think about, is how much she has missed seeing that smile, hearing that adorable little laughter and gazing into those beautiful liquid amber eyes.
"I've missed you."
And it's almost like she has stolen the words straight off her tongue.
Catching her sudden slip, Kaga flushes a bright crimson, eyes darting and falling onto everything else that isn't Akagi as embarrassment colors her entire face.
"I-I mean, it's been a long time since we've last had a chance to be alone like this after all…" She falters weakly, and Akagi can almost see her wince internally.
It's adorable.
Akagi smiles then, features soft with affection as she fingers a tuft of light chestnut-colored hair before tucking it gently behind an ear.
"I… I've missed you too. Very much."
And it's nothing but the truth.
She can't even count the number of times she has found herself turning to her side to share an amusing observation— a silly joke or a funny little anecdote— only to find the spot beside her occupied by someone that isn't… Kaga.
It cuts Akagi deep each time.
Especially when she sees and hears of her hanging around Souryuu more often than not, she gets that irrational fear that one day…
One day… Kaga might leave her for good and never turn back.
It absolutely terrifies her.
Because she's that one person in her life she can't afford to lose.
"I'm glad."
The firm but gentle squeeze of her fingers jolts Akagi back to reality and she's immediately greeted by the endearing visage of a sheepish Kaga.
"For awhile, I thought that I was the only one who felt that way." Kaga breathes a long sigh, then glances back up at Akagi with what appears to be a bashful smile. "So that's a relief."
And before Akagi could even stop herself, she has pitched herself forward, burrowing into the slant of Kaga's neck as her arms awkwardly come round to embrace her, bringing her close. Closer.
To feel her breaths, hot against the shell of her ear, and her body heat nestling her in a wondrous warmth while she's enveloped by the fresh scent of pine and snow, it all feels like a dream. And Akagi all but wants to drown in her completely.
Once her demons have calmed, she knows its time that she should draw away, and does exactly so, albeit reluctantly, and stares up into soft amber.
Because, yes, while people have the tendency to walk in and out of her life so very easily, she is the absolute one that Akagi can't afford to lose.
No, she can't.
"Why don't you join us after school, Kaga-san? Right before we start on our club activities." Akagi begins, and already, she sees Kaga cringing. However, it doesn't stop her from trying, nonetheless. "The first years would learn much from you, I'm sure."
Kaga slinks away from her gingerly, stone-cold mask slipping on. And it's nearly hurtful. Nearly.
"Thank you for the invitation, Akagi-san, but… I'll probably be just a distraction."
When Akagi feels her loosening her grip over her fingers, she latches on tightly, inching forward to close the gap between them once more.
"No, you wont." She insists fervently. "At the rate the first years are going, they're going to need all the help they can get and you, Kaga-san, are an excellent teacher. I should know."
Kaga purses her lips, and Akagi notes the way her resolve is crumbling, so she gives her one last push.
"Well, don't do it for them, but at least do it for me. Please, Kaga-san?" She leans in forward, hands grasping at her fingers in fiery determination. "I just want to be by your side again."
And when she has Kaga blushing on ends, rose-tinted cheeks burning and eyes drawn to a void beside her, she knows that the battle has already been won.
"I-I'll try…"
"Akagi-senpai, you were totally awesome in the previous practice match! When you spiked, it was like wham! And when you rushed in for that block, you practically whooshed right in and blew everyone off. It's amazing!"
Akagi merely offers a halfhearted smile and a tepid nod, eyes quickly darting for the entrance of the gym as soon as she is given the chance, seeking out for any trace of that usual lean figure of a certain Kaga, to no avail.
She only sighs inwardly, returning her attention back to the buzzing first years who are crowded around her with hearts in their eyes as she tries to not feel too down over Kaga's lack of appearance.
"You flatter me, Miyuki-san, I'm really not all that great." Akagi chuckles sheepishly, in her efforts to downplay her 'glory'. "It's all about practice and training. After all, I've been playing middle-blocker for quite some time now, it's only expected that I block well after all this years."
What do the good majority of the juniors see in her, is honestly beyond herself. She should probably redirect them back to their case at hand soon, or this whole 'swooning' thing would never end.
Like always.
She smothers down a sigh as she bends over to pick at a stray ball from one of her earlier demonstrations, turning to look over her shoulder at her small group of fervid audience with a small grin.
"Now, shall we pick off from where we've stopped?"
"But Akagi-senpai, you truly are amazing," interjects Fubuki, one of the quieter first-years, but also one of her more... ardent fans. "Your spikes and your blocks, they really are superb. Without them, our team will be ruined. You're practically the core of the team's offence!"
"You're wrong." Akagi murmurs pensively, fingers digging into the leather of the ball.
Fubuki blinks in perplexity, as so does everyone else.
For the first time that afternoon, silence enshrouds the gym.
Akagi smiles then, lips twitching in amusement as she surveys the faces of the gob-smacked first years.
It all makes sense now. Is that what they've been thinking about her the whole time? It's no wonder that they've been idolizing her this much.
"You know? Us, hitters— Souryuu-san, Hiryuu-san and myself—, we really have to give our thanks to our setter, Kaga-san. It is only because of her remarkable sets, that we are able to execute such flawless plays. As a hitter, we're nothing more than just a chess piece to our setter. If it weren't for Kaga-san's quick thinking and efficient use of our abilities during a match, our team will be ruined."
She tosses the ball over to the younger girl, who glances back up at her in surprise.
"So isn't it more accurate to say that it isn't me, but Kaga-san, whom is the core of our team's offence?"
And with impeccable timing, the door to the gymnasium swings open as Kaga glides right in in her full gym regalia, with her knee and elbow pads in tact.
At the sight of the team's official setter, Akagi is unable to stop herself from smiling.
"Ara, Kaga-san… What took you so long?"
"I had to run an errand for Mamiya-sensei. Sorry, I'm late." Turning to the crowd of first-years, she passes a curt nod in greeting.
"And here I was thinking that you wouldn't show."
"I did say that I'll come down now, didn't I?" Kaga mutters, slight pink hinting at her cheeks, but she quickly schools her features together. "So? What are you guys working on now?"
"We've just started on spiking."
"I see…" Humming musingly, Kaga takes a moment to scan through the used court, as if surveying the damage done. Once completed with her scrutinizing, she turns to Akagi with an approving nod and gestures to the oddly silent group of juniors. "Alright, first years, kindly head towards the net please."
Straightening up, the first years immediately fumble to form a beeline by the net without question.
Standing along the sidelines, Akagi watches in amusement at the uncoordinated flails of limbs and jumps of the first-years, in their weak attempt to keep up with the rapid tosses of the stoic setter of the team.
As expected, Kaga is a lot less forgiving when it comes to coaching as compared to herself…
Idly, Akagi wonders if she should, too, adopt the kind of Spartan-like training of Kaga's.
Or would the juniors hate her for it?
She giggles inwardly, she wonders.
"I think we should stop right here."
The quiet intone of Kaga slices through the charged air of the gymnasium as the rhythmic thumps of balls hitting against the court comes to an abrupt end.
Akagi blinks.
That is… fairly quick.
"Eh, already?" She hears a first-year pants.
Glancing up, she's struck by the scene of their juniors bowing over their knees and gasping for air, clearly out of breath; with Kaga off to the side, looking as immaculate as she can ever be, without a single strand of hair out of place.
The contrast, like night and day, is almost amusing.
"Footwork is the basic foundation of a good spike. And yet, you're all still stumbling with it." Kaga sighs, and judging from the strain in her voice and the crease in her brows, she looks to be on the verge of exasperation.
"Akagi-san." At Kaga's sudden address towards her, Akagi starts, subconsciously straightening her spine.
"Y-Yes, Kaga-san?"
"Could you give me a toss please?"
"A toss?" Akagi furrows her brow at the setter, perturbed. And when she receives an affirmative nod from the girl in question, she crouches over to pick at a ball hesitantly, "Alright…"
"I'll only do this once, so please watch carefully."
Legs pumping in building a perfect momentum, Kaga launches herself into the air, body arching into a near flawless form as her palm connects against Akagi's toss, delivering a spike that thunders through the entire gymnasium.
Everyone can only watch, gaping in sheer amazement and awe as the setter falls back to her feet gracefully.
Akagi sends her a small wistful smile.
"You haven't lost your touch."
Kaga shrugs, smiling ruefully. "Old habits die hard."
"B-but, Fuyukawa-san, a-aren't you a setter?" Miyuki sputters, looking up at Kaga in a mixture of wonder and bewilderment.
An amused quirk of a brow.
"Who says a setter can't spike?"
Akagi has to fight down a chuckle at the sight of a baffled Miyuki then.
It's amusing to see the girl at a loss for words for once.
"Anyway, the lesson here is to have a clean footwork and to follow through with your swing. And please be mindful to keep your eyes open at all times." She says, staring pointedly at said-group of people whom could only hang their head bashfully. "We'll be doing another twenty more sets before club activity begins. Please get into position."
Groaning and moaning, the first-years make to disperse into their designated positions once more as Akagi finds the opportunity to sidle up to Kaga, grinning impishly.
"How's it? It's not as bad as you think it is, right, Kaga-san?"
"It's alright, I guess…" Kaga mumbles, in her attempt at nonchalance. But the rosy tint against her cheeks doesn't exactly help her case.
Laughing, Akagi playfully bumps her shoulder against her.
"But anyway, I'm glad to have you around," she raises her fist at her stoic counterpart, grinning brightly, "Partner."
"So am I," replies Kaga, smiling, fists connecting in a gentle knock,
"Partner."
A/N: Whoo~ Sorry for lateness of this chapter. Well, but at least it's a long one. Kind of. Did you guys catch any of the hints and foreshadowing? :B Lol, but anyway, thank you so much for all the favs, alerts and reviews. It means much to me and I really appreciate all of the feedback, so thank you very much! :) Let's just hope the next chapter wouldn't take too long this round, hahaha... :P