𝑆𝐼𝐿𝑉𝐸𝑅 𝑊𝐼𝑆𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐼𝐴. haikyuu

━━ＲＯＫＵ

She then arrived at the said location. It was not that far from her classroom. Nao then knocked softly at first, waiting for someone to answer. But no one did. She began to knock again. Still, there was no one. The latter then contemplated on whether to open the door by herself. Isn't that some kind of trespassing?

Well, this was school property and she was a student here. And besides, she would only wait inside if there was no one there yet. The staff would then arrive sooner or later.

Nao held the handle, rotating it clockwise. She pushed the door open. As she did so, she was met with a pair of familiar golden eyes staring back at her.

TSUKISHIMA KEI.

"You?!"

"You—?"

Both of them uttered at the same time. Who would have thought that the two would meet here? Her clairvoyant skills were now getting rusty.

And why is he even here? Nao pondered. She was looking at him suspiciously.

Tsukishima then smirked. Oh how the universe works. He was just thinking about her.

"Well, well, well." The latter began to say. "If it isn't—Joōsama."

Joōsama? Nao repeated in her mind. Queen? What is he getting into now? She then weighed up if she should continue going inside. But she did not want to give him what he wanted—especially how he was now smirking in smugness.

She held her chin up—not one to back out in a challenge.

"So—" Tsukishima began, looking at her with interest. "To what do I owe the pleasure of Joōsama's presence?" 

Nao proceeded to go sit in one of the chairs adjacent to the sofa where he was sitting. She just ignored the latter, getting one of the magazines placed on the coffee table.

Tsukishima then feigned being affected from her blatant disregard. "The silent treatment. I see."

His elbow leaned on the cushion's armrest, tilting his chin on his knuckles. "I know where you got that from."

Nao just proceeded to ignore him. Reading the magazine between her hands. It was actually pretty interesting. The subject was about breakthroughs in modern science.

"To be honest—I don't know what you see in him."

What is he even talking about? Nao asked herself while looking at the illustration in the article. Hiding her face from the magazine.

She then tried to sneak a peek. She saw he was resting his head on the sofa looking at the scenic painting placed on the wall. Tsukishima was holding his stomach. His face a little scrunched up. He grew silent, focusing on concealing the ache on his abdomen.

"Are you alright?"

Nao asked, closing the magazine she was reading. She was now looking at him, concern laced on her features.

Tsukishima was surprised with the unexpected change, but he did not let it show. He then smiled coyly.

"Oh so her royal highness is now showing some speck of emotion for her one lowly subject?" 

Nao just brushed off his sarcastic tendencies.

"You should know I'm serious in asking you." She told the latter, crossing her arms.

"I don't see why you care all of a sudden." He evaded her keen eyes. Feeling an odd emotion out of the blue from seeing how her attention was now all in him.

"I can see you're uncomfortable." Nao began to say. "But you should believe that there are a lot of people who care for you."

Tsukishima then simpered, looking at her in an ingratiating manner. "So you care for me?"

Nao was quite taken aback from his question, her cheeks colored in shades of ruby. "Eh—?!"

Tsukishima then laughed at her reaction. His boredom now nonexistent. "You know Joōsama—I'm really flattered."

He gave her a small smile, proceeding to gaze through the single window in the room. "But—" Tsukishima stopped, returning his gaze to her. "thank you."

Nao could not believe what she was hearing. Tsukishima Kei—thanking her? "O-oh well—y-you're welcome."

"Another thing." He then smirked at her in a teasing way. "You look like a narwhale with that red bump on your forehead." The middle blocker bluntly snickered. It then became a full-blown laugh, his arms clutching each of his side.

"What?!"

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