"What's confusing? Did you think I was some dumb meathead or something?," she snapped at him.

"Wha-no! It's just..that kinda pisses me off," he pouted this time.

"Eh."

"I mean, you're taller than me and pretty good as an all-rounder on the court. You get good grades without studying. And you can go back and forth on an even keel with Daichi! That's really not fair," he blurted out his honest feelings, then realized what he said and fumbled hard for some sort of apology. Kitsuna laughed loudly at him, and he meekly laughed alongside her while looking away.

"Anyway, you don't have to walk all the way over here y'know," they stopped in front of her house.

"Huh?," Suga looked back at her, not following.

"Oh. It's not like I mind really, but you keep turning around and going back that way. If you live somewhere before here you can go ahead and go home," she pointed back the way they came, and he felt flustered again. He didn't know she had picked up on that.

"Well, Daichi'll kill me if I don't," he tried that as an explanation.

"Hah? How's he gonna know that?," she gave him a deadpan stare.

"Ack! Well.."

"He'll only know if he follows us. And if he's gonna do that, he can walk me home himself instead of makin' you do it. I'm not a baby, I can get home on my own," she complained pretty openly about that, making him laugh a little.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be a bother."

"Hm? Oh, no! Like I said, it's fine. Um, thanks. Good night," she turned and headed inside without waiting for a reply.

The next day after class, Kitsuna followed Daichi so he could show her the keys and the clubroom. He showed her the spot for the keys, then they headed up the stairs of a building beside the gym. He opened the door, looking at her, and clammed up when there were a series of shouts from the guys inside who were in the middle of changing. Her face went blank, and she spun around to look the other way. Daichi closed the door, apologizing profusely.

"Wait, you guys study in there?," she asked, quickly recovering. If she had really been embarrassed at all to begin with. She was always weirdly unbothered by stuff like that, something made worse by her time in and out of hospital rooms.

"Huh?," Daichi had only had the door open for a minute at most, and hadn't really noticed what was happening inside.

"That's gotta be murder on your backs, hunched over chairs n' stuff. Oh right, exams are coming up soon, aren't they?," she continued her own little monologue, glancing at her friend finally for a response of some kind.

"Right. Us third years usually study in there, when there's time. Suga helps the others sometimes, too," Daichi decided to just roll with it.

"Hm. If you guys want somewhere else to study, you could always use my place," she offered out of nowhere, sending him for another loop.

"Huh?"

"I mean, Asahi won't go in there right now, will he? I dunno what his grades look like, but if you guys study together that'll make it awkward won't it?," she raised her brows at Daichi's stunned face, unsure if she said anything super weird.

"Oh. Are you guys not friends anymore? Uh, sorry."

"No! That's not it. I just, are you sure?," he switched gears slowly. He knew she paid more attention to things than she ever let on, but it was a surprise every time she caught onto something that way. They hadn't even talked about the situation with Asahi or Noya in front of her, but she was aware of it at least somewhat. And was being considerate of Asahi's cowardly ways, despite knowing him the least out of everyone on the team.

"Right. I guess I can give you a spare key, in case I'm not there. I'll bring it tomorrow," she spoke so matter of factly, as if this was any other conversation.

The next day she made good on her word, handing Daichi the key after practice. Suga watched the exchange, clearly confused.

"What's that for?"

"Huh? Oh. Um, she said we can use her place to study instead of the clubroom. Something about it being uncomfortable, and it helps Asahi out a bit right now," Daichi answered, still struggling to accept how nonchalant she was about it.

"Eh?"

"Oh. You guys gotta bring your own snacks, though," she added at the end.

"I see. You just wanted to mooch food off us," Daichi sighed. That was a more believable reason than any of the others she gave.

"What?! No!," she pouted, making Suga laugh. "Text me beforehand, so I don't leave a mess in the living room."

"Right, will do. Thanks," Daichi tucked the key into his pocket.

"Yeah, thanks," Suga added. She waved from the door, already heading out to get changed before the others filled the clubroom. She rushed back out in record time, with her shirt still unbuttoned, startling the others at the bottom of the stairs. She skipped the last few, nearly slipping in the dirt but catching herself on Daichi's shoulder.

"Shit! Is Take still around?," she blurted out before catching her breath. The boys looked at each other, confused.

"Uh?"

"Uh, Takeda. I meant to ask him something before he left today," Kitsuna's ears reddened somewhat when she realized her mistake.

"No, don't think so," Tanaka answered. The girl groaned, then adjusted her bag and stretched out her arms and back.

"Maybe he's still at the store. Sorry, I'm goin' ahead. 'Night!," she waved behind her and took off at a light jog at first, then a full sprint. The others exchanged glances again, and Suga noticed the suspicious look Daichi wore.

"Real quick, any of you know much about games?," the captain asked the others with a dead fish stare.

"Huh? Like, sports games?," Suga asked.

"No. Nevermind. Let's go," he kept that look on his face, but shifted his tone. "That idiot didn't give anyone her number, either, did she?,"

He glanced at Suga for some reason, but he just shook his head. They headed out, making a stop at the store for another evening was no sign of Kitsuna, so Daichi asked the store manager for her number instead with a brief explanation.