•Book 1 • To Defy Fate • KageHina•

•17•

Together with Hinata, I fall down on a small but soft patch of grass next to the road. My lungs feel like they're about to explode, pumping oxygen in and out at a very fast rate.

Both of us are unable to say anything for a while. I can't even form any thoughts. I need to calm down...

I need to think about what happened. Someone was chasing me and Hinata. Everything went exactly as I thought it would... Yet Fortuna saved me.

What is Hinata thinking right now? He must understand even less of the situation than me. How will I explain this to him...?

'Are you... Okay..?' I manage to bring out in between my breaths.

He hums shortly. 'What...?' He, too, can't say much yet. But I know what he means.

I force myself to catch my breath quickly. 'I'm so sorry.' The first thing I feel I should be doing, is apologize. Which is funny, because normally I never feel like it.

The small boy turns his head to look at me, still panting. 'Kageyama.'

'I know. You want answers. But I can't give them. All I can say is that someone is trying to kill me. And if you get too close to me, they'll come for you, too. I'm sorry.'

'What?!' Hinata finds the energy to yell again. 'Someone's doing what? And me too?! You should've told me that before!'

'I didn't know until just recently. I am so sorry for getting you involved.' For the first time since all of this happened, I feel like crying. I have hurt Hinata. I have scared him. Surely, now that he knows all this, he will leave.

Never have I called him my friend. Never have I thought of myself as lonely, but now that he's about to leave..

He was the only person willing to talk to me, to spend time with me. I may regret admitting this, but... Every second with him was so much better than all those years I spent alone.

'Hey, Hinata... Can I make a selfish request?' I ask him, staring at the clouds again.

He stays silent again. Probably because he is at a loss for words. I use the opportunity to talk.

'I know I'm just some angry asshole, and I know that I am putting you at risk... But I think you were right. I was lonely. You showed me that. And now I don't think I can take it to return to that. Please.'

It sounds like I'm begging. Maybe I am. I don't know anymore, nor do I care. Never in my life have I felt so desperate. And today has shown me that I might not even have that long anymore. So it's okay to be selfish for once... Right?

Hinata still doesn't answer. I turn to look at him. Is he even awake? It seems so; his eyes are wide open, looking at me. How did I not notice? Normally, his gaze burns holes through my skin...

'I promise, if I live to tell the tale, I will tell you everything. And I know this is weird to hear, because we haven't known each other for that long... But I need you to trust me. I need you to get through this with me.'

'Kageyama.' He finally speaks up again. 'That thing I wanted to say. Let me say it tomorrow. After that, we'll see if I stay.' For some reason, he sounds distant. It hurts.

Damn it, I hate how emotional I am getting over this. It's just a boy. One like many others. So why? Why can't I just be normal? Why do I risk my life for him? Fucking shit.

'Tobio...' A new, soft voice pops up. 'You absolute donkey!'

I am about to sit up, when I get kicked in the side. 'What the fuck? That hurts!'