one step further // haikyuu x OC

things that are bad for the heart // 41

At morning practice I initiated step one to the plan. I pulled Daichi and Suga aside and asked if we could have a senior meeting in the club room during free period. They immediately agreed, not suspecting anything. Toshiko was smart. She specifically chose to work with me because I was the closest to Suga besides Daichi, but me asking to talk to them wouldn't raise suspicions.

Step two was also her idea, but it was the part I was most nervous for. I had to lie to her teacher. In front of her class. I cleared my throat as I opened her classroom door.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh? Azumane, what brings you here?"

"Hey sensei." Next started the muttering. The chattering.

'Who's THAT?'

'That's Azumane from the third year class'

'I've heard he's a delinquent...!'

'You think so?'

'Look at him, he's so intimidating!'

"Settle down, class..." The teacher sighed and looked at me. "As nice as it is to see you, I need you to take care of your business quickly. You're distracting my students."

"Uh- right! I need an active member of the girl's volleyball club to assist in checking the equipment. Takeda asked me to since it's a shared space..."

"Ah, that's me!" Toshiko announced as she stood up from her desk. She began making her way to the door, but stopped in her tracks when the teacher spoke up.

"Wait a minute." He said sternly, my heart dropped to my gut. "Azumane, why couldn't you get a fellow third year of the girl's club to help? Toshiko is still in class."

"Um- w-well... You see, Toshiko is the only member of the girl's volleyball club right now. Otherwise I would have gotten a third year... sorry."

"It's true... and besides" Toshiko chimed in. "I finished all the exams and started the next lesson already."

"You know you shouldn't work far ahead."

"Ehehe sorry sensei... guess I got carried away."

A female classmate in the corner desk closest to me scoffed, and I saw her roll her eyes. "Kiss ass..." she grumbled. Definitely loud enough for everyone to hear. The girls around her giggled and Toshiko pressed her lips together.

"That's enough, Fukuhara." Sensei scolded. He looked back and forth between the girls and let out an exaggerated breath. "It's alright, go ahead." I think he felt bad for Toshiko and ultimately agreed to let her leave. She thanked him and we were off. I kept glancing down at her as we made the trip to her locker. On the surface she seemed normal. Still... I had this nagging feeling that I needed to check if she was okay.

"So um..."

"It's okay." She filled my silence, focusing solely on opening her locker. "I'm used to her. She doesn't bother me..."

"But still... stuff like that can wear a person down." The locker door swung open. She rummaged around inside.

"I already told her not to mess with me, that day she cornered me with Kojima. Little stabs like what you just saw is all she can do to me. She doesn't scare me." I heard the voice hitch in her throat for the shortest second. "It's not like I did anything to her. All I wanted was to get along with my classmates. But whatever..." Toshiko looked up at me and forced a smile. "Can't please everyone, right?"

Ouch. Seeing her try so hard made my heart ache. Little Toshiko was more human than I realized.

But that's crazy! She's always so nice... how could she of all people have a bully? I want to say something, but what should I say? What am I supposed to do?! What-?