AN: Well, it's been over a year since I've written for this fic. Let's see how this goes!

As the three new underclassman in the volleyball club, of course we were bound to gravitate towards one another.

Of course we were going to huddle together before the morning practices, and wait for each other after the night ones were over.

Of course we were slowly going to become best friends, becoming closer and closer as our years in high school slowly grew shorter.

And of course two of us were going to grow even closer.

Asahi was kind of the middle part between us for the longest time. He was the one holding us together, even if Daichi led us on as a group. We could confide in Asahi.

"Hey, Asahi?" I can remember Asahi glancing up at me while he re-tied his athletic shoes. His hair was growing out even more now, the ends were around the middle of his neck. He said he wanted to grow it out enough to put it in a bun.

"Mm?"

"Daichi's kind of cute, isn't he?"

Asahi drew the loop in his shoelaces too far, one of the ends coming completely out and leaving only one loop. I couldn't help but smile.

"Uhh… is he?"

"I think he is."

"I-I see…."

I assumed that Asahi assumed that I liked Daichi. Or at least thought he was cute. Asahi looked too nervous to ask further. That was okay. I just kind of wanted to tell him. Asahi definitely deserved to know.

I didn't really mention it again until… Actually I didn't mention it, now that I think about it. Asahi did. When he saw me looking a bit longer than I should have at Daichi's bare back in the changing room. I smiled and winked back at him. Asahi knew.

One night when we were cleaning up the practice area I heard the two of them saying some sneaky stuff. Well, I heard Daichi saying sneaky stuff. I don't really remember what was being said, only that I really wanted to go kick something and make out with it at the same time. You know, to assert dominance. I guess it must've been some jealous reflex.

The next morning I kissed him. Asahi had gone to get some water, so we were alone. We were the same height, now. I had barely been taller than him in our first year. I don't think it was a very good kiss, but it still left my cheeks hot and heart pounding with excitement. I wasn't nervous of getting rejected. I just wanted Daichi to know, and stuck with the first method that came to mind.

After taking a step back, I saw that Daichi was speechless and red. Asahi returned, water bottle in hand. We continued on with our school day. We walked home normally. When Asahi turned onto his street, Daichi looked at me nervously. I quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek and bid a good night.

The next week went on the same. God, this man was either slow to learn or slow to buck up. Either or. I would've gotten tired of it if I didn't experience that same rushing excitement every time I kissed him. But I didn't do on the lips. Only the first time I did. The other times I kissed him on the cheek, or the back of his head, or I stood up on my tip toes to place one on his forehead.

Daichi finally said something about it when Asahi went to go get water in the morning before school again. I could hear Daichi breathe in and out, see him straighten his back, ready to ask me a question.

"So, Suga,"

"Yes, Daichi?" I turned to properly look at him, excitement pumping through me. It was all I could do to not betray my sudden need to move my limbs.

"Are… are we dating?" He asked it incredulously. The tone of his voice was enough; it wasn't forced or unwanting. It was Daichi saying he hoped we were.

"Daichi..." It was all I could do to not act like an overjoyed idiot. "Didn't you know?" A large smile lifted my lips, a tinge of mischievousness and teasing in my voice.

Daichi went red. "S-so… yes?"

Stepping that space between us, I placed my arms around his shoulders, a smile still brightly painted across my face. "What do you think?" I said, pressing a kiss on the corner of Daichi's mouth.

"I'd say yes…" There was an undercurrent of laughter in Daichi's murmur, his lovely brown eyes glancing into mine as he leaned forward, pressing our lips together into a soft, chaste, sweet and actual first kiss. "Definitely yes."

Asahi returned a little bit later with a filled water bottle, a weight almost visually lifting off his shoulders when he saw us holding hands.