"Nishinoya-kun, can I give you a chance?"

Hitomi had expected to feel something after spilling out that question. Fear, anxiety, regret…and yet, she felt none of those.

Only hope.

It was warm…inviting. She hadn't expected it, but she probably should have. Everything about him was so warm and inviting.

Thinking about it a little, she shook her head. "No, that's not right…Not 'can I give you a chance?' It should be, 'I want to give you a chance.'"

Hitomi smiled bitterly as she looked down at her hands fiddling with each other in nerves. "I want to give you a chance, but I thought it more polite to ask for permission. I'm still a bit confused, or rather worried, but you've never given me reason to be. I think I'm still too jaded and skeptical to really know for sure or to just admit it, but I think I really have come to…l-like you." She stuttered a bit at the end, still not being comfortable with such unfamiliar statements.

"That being said, I think it's better to ask for your permission since I don't want it to seem like I'm leading you on or anything. There's also other things to consider, like how you'll be the one to face all the problems, knowing my reputation. How people will look at you. How they'll judge you when we're out." She frowned, remembering how strangers whispered about him when they were out in public together, simply because he stood next to her.

Hitomi's frown deepened while on that train of thought. "Not to mention our status difference." She flinched in realization. "N-Not that I care about that! It's just my family…" Her speech slowed to a stop as she looked back up at Nishinoya.

The boy was frozen in place. His eyes were wide open in shock. He was staring right at her, but it seemed more like he was staring through her. Most surprising of all was his beet red face. It was almost as if somebody had splattered red paint all over his skin.

"N-Nishinoya-kun…?" Hitomi probed, realizing he probably hadn't even been hearing her. "Hello…?" She hesitantly waved a hand in front of his face.

The libero jumped, finally snapping out of it and falling to the ground. He crawled back a bit in panic as he stared at her. "I–Y-you–w-we…!" His eyes began swirling, his head unable to form a coherent sentence as he was overheating.

Hitomi watched in astonishment as he continued to break down. She quickly tried to cover her mouth, but it was already too late. Her giggles soon ended up in full blown laughter. "What is this!?" She asked in disbelief as she clutched her stomach. "How can you profess your love for me and shout all those embarrassing things at the top of your lungs without any issue and then be like this when I just say I like you! What's with that?"

The girl's laughter stopped as she covered her mouth again, this time in shock. She had just said that she likes him once more, but without any hesitation. Like it was the easiest thing she'd been able to say tonight. She let out a nervous giggle, wholly unused to these emotions.

It was a lot easier to say a second time, only reaffirming her feelings for him.

"...Again…" She heard him mutter.

Hitomi looked at him in confusion. His face was still beet red, but his eyes were no longer swirling. No longer avoiding hers.

"S-Say it…again…" He timidly requested once more.

Thinking about it, Hitomi realized this must have surely been a first for Nishinoya. The whole time they've known each other, she had either been extremely cold or offered the bare minimum in warmth. Only small smiles and brief moments of laughter.

Unlike him, she'd never fully bared her emotions for him to see. So, hearing her confession must have been too much for Nishinoya, despite his own ability to be so open with her all the time. It was one thing to confess himself, but it's another thing entirely to hear her confession.

Hitomi felt a bit guilty about that. She felt guilty for all the times that she couldn't be honest with him. For all the times she put a barrier between them. For all the times she ran away.

She wouldn't run away this time though.

She wouldn't do that to him again. She refused to. He deserved better than that.

Affirming her resolve, Hitomi took a deep breath to steady her thumping heart. She faced Nishinoya head on. She knelt down to meet his gaze, her eyes looking straight into his. She took both of his hands in hers, letting his warmth flow through and give her strength.

"Nishinoya-kun, I like you."

Hitomi tightened her grip on his hands, readying herself to continue but Nishinoya promptly interrupted her by shouting, "Please go out with me!"

The girl's eyes widened, surprised at his volume as well as the request. Hitomi had every intention of asking the very same question after her confession, but Nishinoya had beaten her to it. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

"...Eh? Huh? Wait…How did this become your confession again?" Hitomi asked between peals of laughter. The situation seemed so absurd to her! That she would confess but be immediately interrupted by his confession.

The more she thought about it, the more she giggled. It was like Nishinoya couldn't contain himself anymore. As if he couldn't wait any longer.

Well, Hitomi figured she had made him wait long enough.

"You stole my line!" She teased. Nishinoya didn't seem to hear her though because he moved closer to her, his hands wrapping tighter around hers.

"Hitomi-chan, please go out with me!"

He repeated the request clearly, his eyes looking up at hers. Steady and unwavering.

Hitomi could feel her face heat up and her heart speed up. It was just like when she saw him playing volleyball for the first time. Seeing how serious he was and how his eyes looked directly at hers.

She smiled back at him. "Okay." She responded gently.

Nishinoya's serious face broke into the widest smile she's ever seen. He let go of her hands as his arms raised up in joy. "Yes!" He shouted out, running towards the monkey bars and climbing them again.

Balancing precariously on top, he shouted out, "I'M HITOMI-CHAN'S BOYFRIEND!"

The blush on Hitomi's face flared up with full force. "Nishinoya! You're going to bother your neighbors!" She exclaimed, urging him to come down.

"I'M HITOMI-CHAN'S BOYFRIEND, AND HITOMI-CHAN IS MY GIRLFRIEND!" Nishinoya shouted triumphantly.

At this point, Hitomi buried her face into her hands out of embarrassment. She mentally apologized to all of his neighbors for this disturbance in the night. Hearing Nishinoya jump down from the monkey bars, she peeked up at him.

"Hitomi-chan! I'm the happiest guy in the world! And I'm gonna make you so happy! I promise!" Nishinoya proclaimed, beaming up at the girl.

She giggled, her face still flushed "Gosh…You say some of the most embarrassing things like it's nothing…" She remarked.

"Gramps always told me to speak my mind!" The boy explained.

Hitomi smiled, remembering his grandfather from that time she had visited his home for dinner. Despite the brief interaction she had with the elderly man, she could see how much they were alike. "I should take your grandfather's advice." She commented, thinking about how she wanted to be more honest with Nishinoya.

The girl looked up at the sky and around them, noting how dark it was. "Nishinoya-kun, do you have the time? I should get back before Chiyo-san starts to worry." In her rush to leave, she had forgotten her phone. She knew she had left just before her regular dinner time, but had no idea how long they had been out.

"Ah! You're right! I'll walk you home!" Nishinoya declared.

Hitomi waved her hands in panic, attempting to refuse his offer. "You don't need to do that! Our houses are in opposite directions and I'm sure your mother is waiting for you to eat dinner!"

The boy furiously shook his head. "I'm a man! How could I let my girlfriend walk home alone at night! I'll just tell my mom! I know she'd tell me to do the same thing!" Before Hitomi could reply, Nishinoya whipped out his phone to call his mother. Hitomi patiently and sheepishly waited for the conversation to end, unable to stop him in time.

After he was done, Nishinoya smiled up at her. "She said it was fine! Let's walk you home, Hitomi-chan!" She nodded and turned to walk back but was stopped by the boy's outstretched hand.

Nishinoya offered his hand to her. His cheeks grew redder by the moment. "H-Hand! Let's hold hands!" He demanded, slightly returning to his caveman-like speech the more self-conscious he became of their newfound relationship.

Hitomi giggled, trying to mask her own embarrassment and heartbeat. How many times had she been in this situation? There had been so many times during business parties in which the girl had to deal with unwanted dance requests. So many times some disgusting man would stretch out his hand, requesting hers.

This scene seemed so familiar, and yet, Hitomi could never recall feeling this happy about a man's hand being offered to her.

She gently placed her hand in Nishinoya's. She felt his hand flinch at the first contact, but he quickly tightened his grip. He weaved his fingers between hers, causing them both to blush.

Hitomi looked up at him, only to be surprised at his loving gaze. He was looking at her with such longing and admiration as he firmly held her hand. Feeling her blush deepen, she looked away and covered her face with her other hand. "W-Why are you looking at me like that!? We're just h-holding hands!" She exclaimed, but it seemed as though she was also saying that to herself.

"Just!?" Nishinoya repeated exasperatedly. "Hitomi-chan, I've wanted to hold hands with you for so long! So this makes me super super happy!" He squeezed her hand gently, despite his enthusiasm.

"Let's just get going…" The girl pleaded softly. With all of his sweet words tonight, she didn't think she'd be able to handle much more. Hitomi tugged him along before he could reply.

They began the trip back in a comfortable silence. Well, it was comfortable for Nishinoya at least. It seemed like a flowery aura was surrounding him, as he was fully content holding hands with his new girlfriend.

Ahhh, her hand was so soft! So this is what holding a girl's hand feels like! He'd held hands with his mom and his sisters when he was little, but those times couldn't even compare to the feeling in his heart now.

Nishinoya gently squeezed her hand again, as if he didn't ever want to let go.

Hitomi was still trying to process all of her emotions. Peeking down at their joined hands, she was really hoping that her hand wasn't too sweaty or clammy. She wouldn't be surprised, what with how nervous she was right now.

Ahhh! Her hand's not sweaty right!? Surely, he'd tell her if it was! Or would he…? Nishinoya doesn't seem like the type that would care. He's just happy to even be holding hands with her. That thought seemed to calm her down a bit.

She gently squeezed his hand back, as if she were reassuring herself.

"I noticed this before…" Hitomi started, causing the boy to look up at her as they walked. "Your hands seem rather thin, Nishinoya-kun." She remarked.

The libero lifted up his free hand to look at. "Yeah, you're right! I figure my hands are probably a little smaller than other guys my age." He mentioned while turning his hand around, observing it. "But that's a good thing! As Karasuno's Guardian Deity, these hands are the barriers between the ball and the floor! They're what keep the team alive!" He proudly declared, clenching his hand into a fist.

Hitomi stared at him, a sense of wonder in her eyes. For someone whose least favorite subject was modern literature, his words just now were almost poetic. It showed just how much he loves volleyball and how much he values his team. She smiled at his passion, but then remembered the last impression she made on his teammates.

"Speaking of volleyball, when can I come see your practice again? I'd like to apologize to your team for the disturbance I caused last time…" She asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

"You can come to practice any day, Hitomi-chan! And you don't need to apologize for anything! The guys don't think badly of you!" Nishinoya replied.

The girl shook her head. "No, I should apologize. It wouldn't feel right otherwise." She implored.

Nishinoya smiled at her. He genuinely didn't think she needed to apologize for anything, but he loved seeing her kindness and consideration. "If that's what you want to do, then okay!" He said, squeezing her hand to reassure her.

Hitomi squeezed his hand back as a silent gesture to show her appreciation.

They soon arrived at the gates of her estate. As the gates opened, Hitomi reluctantly let go of the boy's hand. "Thank you for walking me home." She thanked him.

The girl bit her lip nervously. "Umm…Message me…when you get home…" Her words were accompanied by a faint blush, as she was wholly unfamiliar with such tender phrases. She had silently promised to herself and to Nishinoya that she would try to be more honest from now on, and she was making do on that promise.

Nishinoya stared at her in awe, a blush of his own surfacing. He'd always been the one telling her to let him know when she got home safely. He'd also always been the one messaging her when he made it home, even when she never asked.

Hearing her make the request for the first time filled him with such warmth. He wasn't sure it was possible to be any happier than he is now. "Okay! I'll run back as fast as possible so I don't keep you waiting, Hitomi-chan!" He declared with conviction.

The girl giggled. "You shouldn't tire yourself out. Save it for volleyball practice." She suggested halfheartedly, knowing he would run back no matter what she said.

"Don't worry! I have lots of stamina!" The libero replied, just as she thought.

"If you say so. Good night, Nishinoya-kun." She bid him farewell.

"Good night, Hitomi-chan!" He responded in kind.

As Hitomi walked to the front door, the metal gates between them shut. Reaching the large doors, she turned around to see Nishinoya still at the gates.

The boy was waving both arms above his head as he gave her a large smile. Hitomi chuckled, shaking her head at his antics. She nodded to him one last time before entering the manor.

"I'm back." She tentatively called out, only to be greeted by her personal maid.

"Welcome home, Hitomi-sama." Chiyo greeted her. The girl blushed as she looked at the older woman.

Chiyo had a blissful smile on her face. The maid had both of her hands up, cupping her cheeks as a pleasant, pink aura surrounded the woman.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that!?" Hitomi blurted out in embarrassment, already having a few guesses as to the woman's behavior.

Chiyo released a mysterious laugh. "Oh, please pardon me, Hitomi-sama. I was just thinking about how wonderful young love is~~~!" She gently swayed left and right as she reminisced.

"Chiyo-san!" The younger girl pleaded as she realized her maid really did know everything.

Hitomi had bodyguards and people watching her every movement since birth. The girl was so desensitized to the watchful eyes that she hadn't even remembered that there must have been a couple people witnessing her entire exchange with Nishinoya just now. How embarrassing!

Of course, all her actions would be reported to Chiyo, her personal maid. Hitomi just didn't think she'd know about it so soon! She buried her warm face in her hands, not wanting to meet her maid's eyes.

Before Chiyo could continue, a loud grumbling sound could be heard from Hitomi's stomach. The two blinked at each other in surprise. The younger girl was the first to look away sheepishly.

She hadn't been eating much of anything lately while she was stressed about Nishinoya. Now that everything was resolved, her body seemed to be letting her know just how hungry she should be.

Chiyo smiled softly at her charge as she asked, "I'll have the chefs prepare some food immediately. Would you like to have your meal in the dining room or in your study?"

"My study is fine. Thank you." Hitomi replied as she started up the stairs. Pausing at the third step, the girl turned back around to face the maid.

"Is there anything else you require, Hitomi-sama?" The older woman asked, noticing the girl's hesitation.

"Chiyo-san…Thank you." Hitomi repeated, looking firmly at Chiyo.

From the tone of her voice and her gaze, it was clear that the young girl wasn't talking about her dinner like before. Hitomi knew how much Chiyo cared about her. She knew it was beyond a simple need to fulfill her duty.

A professional boundary always needed to be placed between the two due to their differences in status, but Hitomi was eternally grateful to the older woman. She didn't quite know how to express her gratitude with these new emotions swirling inside of her, but she was trying her best.

Chiyo felt a slight sting at the back of her eyes, feeling a set of tears coming. She smiled at the girl tenderly, completely aware of how difficult those words were for her to say. For a girl that was robbed of her innocence and childhood. For a girl that was alone in the world since day one. For a girl that could never be sure who was a friend or who was an enemy.

Chiyo closed her eyes and gave a respectful bow, preventing any tears from spilling so that she wouldn't worry the girl. "I have done nothing worthy of your thanks, but I shall graciously accept your gratitude, Hitomi-sama."

Hitomi smiled and nodded once in acknowledgement. She scurried up the rest of the stairs, still a little embarrassed at herself.

Upon entering her study, she released a heavy sigh of relief. As she leaned her back on the door, she stared at her hands. She blushed as she remembered how warm Nishinoya's thin hands were.

Just then, her phone rang, causing her to jump. She walked to her desk, seeing her phone that was left there. Picking it up, she read the most recent message.

From: Weirdo

Subject: I'm Home!

Text: I made it back home safely, Hitomi-chan! After running, I'm super hungry now! Make sure you eat well tonight if you haven't had dinner yet!

I miss you already and I really want to see you again soon!

Hitomi felt the heat return to her cheeks. He'd always say and write some cheesy lines about how he was already missing her when they had just seen each other, but somehow, she felt like it wasn't so cheesy anymore. She couldn't admit it to herself before, but she could now.

She missed him too.

Even so, she didn't quite feel ready to actually type something so embarrassing this soon. Instead, she opted to simply wish him a good dinner.

She stared at her phone's screen, feeling a bit strange for once when reading his contact's name: Weirdo. She tapped into his information.

Nishinoya-kun

Would you like to save this name for this contact?

Yes No

Hitomi pressed the 'Yes' button with a soft smile, wondering what Nishinoya had as her name in his contacts. She giggled, thinking it was surely something ridiculous.

The next time they meet, she'd be sure to ask him.