ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴘ!

Chapter Twelve

It was officially your last day at the national training centre. Memories of the brief greetings, the short and shy hello's and the acquaintanceships you made over your provisional stay may be engraved in your mind. Might even miss the prosaic routine of the boys playing volleyball, catching the stray balls that barely make it your way, handing them their pocari sweat and then eating lunch with your buddies. You wanted to talk to the people you thought were more interesting though. Like Hoshiumi Kourai. He may be a bit boisterous, but you thought he had a nice soul. Along with Komori Motoya, but he's someone you're acquainted with already. Along with his reserving cousin. Sakusa Kiyoomi seemed nice enough, if he opened up to you that is. And that's even if he allows you to step near him. He was someone you'd still label enigmatic.

Even though you thought his smile was... off, he's someone you'd label interesting; Miya Atsumu. You still didn't want to approach him, but you wanted to know what goes on during his volleyball club besides training. Having a fleeting wonder of how he treats his family by his character. You mentally shrugged, assured that the brother he talked about knew how to handle him.

Shifting over some papers that you were tasked with after giving the boys their mineral water, you didn't suspect Hoshiumi to approach you. He never really spoke to you aside from his praise of you avoiding sudden death from that volleyball or saying his thanks for his towel and drink. You blinked at him, wondering what he would need from you when the court was the opposite way. He had a question.

"Why aren't you playing volleyball? You like it right? And you're good at it too. So why not?" he outed and your eyes widened at that. More specifically at him sounding genuine when he asked. Well, he didn't sound how you'd expect genuine to sound, but you knew it was a genuine question by his body language. Unfortunately, you didn't like confrontation, so you answered it accordingly.

"Um, I do like volleyball. And I think I'm good at playing it too, but I'm not playing it right now because I'm on duty, but thank you for thinking I'm good. If you don't mind though, we could play after-" 

"That's not what I meant! I mean why are you here and not a part of your school's volleyball team?" he yells, making up his face. It was funny.

"Oh," sounding guileless. "I stopped playing volleyball and got into another sport. Well, not now, cause I'm a manager, but when I did stop playing, it was because I wanted to expand my interests." He just examined your figure, like he called bull, and had one of his white eyebrows raised along with a fixed lip. 'Why he looking at me like that? I ain't have nothing to do with him. I know I jinxed myself saying I don't mind talking with him, but I wasn't meaning right nah. I mean, I don't know when I could ever talk to him again, but still. He just can't go back playing volleyball aeh?'

"What exactly got your attention other than volleyball?" 'Welp, an opportunity I guess. Sigh.' "I started to play soccer and played until my move here. Which meant I stopped playing volleyball a year ago. If you want to know when I started to play, it was when I was in the fourth grade and I'm a second-year now. Keep in mind our terms are different. Even though I wasn't really into playing it at first, it was fun while it lasted." He listened to your storytime and his face broadcast understanding.

You decided to coddle him a little more with positivity, while being honest, and stir him back to play another game again.

"I really think your plays are cool. I can't choose between your blocking or setting in which is cooler. I'll be rooting for you during nationals." you gave him a smile. Unknowingly, you both opened your maw to propose something, but you were summoned by a coach for another delivery. You smiled at the coach to message you were coming and faced Hoshiumi. You ended with something abrupt, because you still need to learn how to live in society, and you hope this interaction won't haunt you in your sleep.