Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 13: Cat Scratches

        After a long day of training, it was dinner time, we all clasped our hands together yelling in unison:

        "ITADAIKIMASU!" They started scarfing food down their throat. It was pouring real hard just as Suga senpai predicted. I grabbed some tempura and took a bite, hoping that the delectable fried sea food will bring my mind to somewhere else.

        "Your face is pale." Kageyama pointed out.

        "Are you sick?" Suga senpai asked, I shook my head.

        The others studied me as I continued to eat my food in peace. There was a chain of awkward silence that followed after that.

        "Oh yeah, Ayame," Coach Ukai broke the silence, "during that match, when Tanaka and Hinata was about to spike, how did you manage to block it completely?"

        "It would've you taken a lot time to react to their attack, especially with your height since it's more time consuming to reach the highest point of your jump." Suga added.

        "Unless you saw through their attack...?" I nodded. They exchanged confused looks. "Hinata made it very believable though." Asahi pointed out. I gulped some water from the glass and explained.

        "It's not Hinata's fault, but rather Tanaka senpai's." I turned to face him, "you're near sighted aren't you?" The second year looked at me, baffled, but nodded his head.

        "Habits. That's the reason why I saw through their attack. Whenever it's Tanaka senpai's turn to spike, I noticed that right before he bends his knees for a jump, he squints his eyes slightly, as if he was trying to find an open area. But that one time he acted as a decoy, he didn't squint his eyes at all, because he knew that the ball wasn't coming towards him."

        "I didn't even notice that myself..." Tanaka senpai trailed off, trying to recall the event.

        It's my turn to wash the dishes, so I rolled up my sleeves up and started scrubbing bits of rice off of the plate. The rain still hasn't gone away, in fact, the the sound of the raindrops splashing against the cement grew even louder. I felt my throat tighten, like it always does.Everyone headed off to their respective rooms as I continued to do my duties.

        Please, don't do this to me right now...not in this situation. I told my brain.

        "Ayame-san, do you need any help?" Suga senpai asked with a smile. The tight feeling in my throat suddenly faded away, thank goodness.

        "It's fine. I can do it myself." I said as I continued to wash the dishes.

        "I'll go wipe the tables." He insisted, so he yanked a sheet of paper towel from the roll.

        "Excuse me," he politely said. I scooched away from the sink. He dampened the paper towel using the faucet, but as he did, I saw him staring at my forearm.

        Shit, he noticed.

        "What's that, Ayame?" He pointed at the faint scars that was etched along my right forearm. His voice was a little more assertive, which took me by surprise.

        "Cat scratches." I lied, trying my best to keep my composure.

        "I've never known a cat that only scratched a person's right forearm, but not their left." He observed as he continued to stare intently at me. I refused to meet his eyes with mine.

        "How long have you been clean?"

        I sighed, knowing that lies will be futile, "two weeks."

        "You know, you don't have to keep it all to yourself anymore. You have friends now. You can tell us anything. Just remember that." He comforted. That's Suga senpai for you: always saying things that you had always wanted to hear. I tried my best to choke back my tears, luckily, I was able to do so.

        "Thanks, senpai." I said before we finished our chores in silence.