𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 | 𝐤.𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨

thirty-seven

TOHOKU REGION TRACK&FIELD FINALS

ayako

the week after the volleyball prefectural finals, came my regional races.

regional qualifiers and semi-finals had went by quickly, and here finally came the big day.

finals. 

where my fate of going to nationals or not would be determined.

only the top two of each event would be advancing to nationals, where the national semi-finals and finals would be carried out in january after winter break, in tokyo.

and that was where i was going. not getting into the top two wasn't an option.

i drummed my fingers against the railings, as i leaned over to watch the currently ongoing race.

but in reality, i was barely paying attention to the race.

instead, i was trying to calm my nerves, before my event.

i wasn't going to lie, i was scared.

i had never felt scared at regionals, not until this year.

because i had met with defeat at inter-high, and i was afraid of meeting it again.

"you nervous?"

i spotted a bed of raven-black hair come up next to me from the corner of my eye, and turned find kageyama, arms braced against the railing.

"yeah, i am."

he let out a long exhale.

"because of what happened at inter high?"

i nodded.

he shifted his body closer to mine, that our elbows were touching.

then he spoke again, his voice coming out softer than it formerly was.

"don't be. it's going to be different from the interhigh, because you've improved-a lot, and you're going to go to nationals, just like how the volleyball team did."

his words brought a smile to my face.

"i guess you're right, kageyama."

after the confession after the volleyball spring high finals, nothing much really changed between kageyama and i, though we had both agreed we were-kind of?-dating.

we hadn't went for our 'first date' or anything, though. because my regionals came up right after, and i practically spent most of my time before and after school hours on the track training.

but he would still wait for me to walk home, though. no matter how late i ended my practice.

and we'd occasionally make a stop at the vending machine, when i was feeling extra stressed about regionals, or when my timing hadn't been cut as much as i wanted it to.

so yeah, basically the same old things. they still made me happy, though. i was happy whenever i was around him.

"miyazaki," his voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"hm?"

"d-do you want to...uh go out together? a-after the meet is over," he asked, stuttering at every word.

i nodded, smiling. "sure."

he returned me a small smile as well.

i then turned back to the track, to realize that the 400m boys' race was going to be starting soon.