Haikyuu! ~ Introvert ~

Chapter 8: Friend

"Because it's polite, Tsushitshima."

The third years stood in a stunned silence as the two second-years, Kageyama and Hinata all held their hands to their mouths and stomachs, trying not to laugh. Tsukishima glared at her with a slight edge of surprise.

"T-that was great, Rei!" Gasped Hinata. Rei seemed shocked with herself, and stood up suddenly.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for! You just reminded me of... My brother..." She began to apologise, but trailed off as a shadow seemed to pass over her face. Rei suddenly turned on her heel and began to walk briskly towards the door, one hand clutching the other, but didn't get far as she walked straight into someone's chest.

"Oh, sorry..." Rei slowly looked up at the person who had spoken, and she saw a young man with a swept back shock of blond hair, who then took a step back as he looked at her face. He stepped to the side, and she brushed past him towards the exit. The club members watched as she disappeared through the metal doors and into the slowly darkening evening.

"Sorry I'm late, the person who was supposed to take the next shift was stuck in traffic. Anyway, who was that?" Her eyes were so intense...

"That's fine, Coach, and as for your question, that was the girl Yachi had been talking about, Koizumi Rei." Said Daichi, looking slightly distressed. "She was getting along well, especially with the second-years, but then she saw Tsukishima, said something about him reminding her of his brother then ran off."

"Really? Oh, well, let's get back to practice, then maybe Yachi could see if she's okay tomorrow?" Ukai said, scratching his neck.

"Ok, is that alright with you, Yachi?" Daichi asked, turning to the short blonde.

"I-I'll do my best!"

"Okay, everyone, practice hard! We're going to the nationals!" He shouted, clapping his hands together to get them moving. Then they dispersed, beginning to practice spiking, tossing and blocking in small groups.

"Hey, Tsukishima, you bastard! What did you do to her? How dare you make her sad!" The two second-years shook their fists and yelled at the bespectacled blond, who just raised his eyebrows and looked a touch uncomfortable.

"I don't know, it's not my problem."

"It is! You're the one who made her run away!"

"Her choice, not mine." He may have looked cool and calm, but was admittedly slightly confused by her actions, though he didn't let that show. She said I reminded her of her brother...? Doesn't she live alone? Well, I'm not going to intrude, it's not my problem after all. Right?

"Hey, Tsukishima, listen when your senpais are talking to you!" Noya reached up, the tips of his fingers waving at the bottom of the blonde's line of vision.

"Huh?" He said, brought back from his thoughts. "And for what reason should I listen to you? I have no obligation to do so, especially when it's you two."

"HAH?!" They chorused, but were quickly silenced as they felt a dark presence behind them.

"What are you lot doing?" Said Daichi, his voice barely above a whisper, and yet it sounded so dangerous.

"O-oh, nothing, don't you worry, Captain."

"Right, good. If it had been anything bad, I would have had to punish you." A deadly smile was on his face as he turned and walked away. You could have heard a pin drop.

"S-scary..." Trembled Hinata, hiding behind Kageyama who looked like all the strawberry milk had run out, a.k.a. traumatised. They slowly began to resume their practice, all thoughts of Rei shocked out of their heads.

•••

If someone had thought Rei looked even remotely detached yesterday, it was nothing compared to now. She was constantly zoning out in class, she had a hollow look in her eyes and kept walking into both people and objects (namely desks, and once even a wall).

Yachi was in lots of Rei's classes, having both been placed in top sets for their subjects, and she watched all this with worry. She had only known Rei for two days, and yet she could tell that she was unusually quiet, strangely withdrawn and haunted by something, something overshadowing.

She had told Daichi that she would talk to her, to see if she was alright, so as soon as the bell for lunch went she hurried over to Rei's desk. As she approached, Rei looked at her, and, after a delay of about a second or so, plastered a big smile on her face. But, in that second or so before she smiled, too big and too bright to be genuine, Yachi had seen such an empty, hollow sadness reflected in her eyes that she couldn't help but gently put her arms around Rei.

She tensed up, as someone normally would had someone they barely knew hugged them, but relaxed after a while as Yachi's warmth seeped into her. The fake beam was gone, replaced with a shaky, honest and tender smile that truly reflected how weak she was feeling.

"Rei, I don't know what happened, and you don't have to tell me what it is, but if there's anything I can do to help I will. Because, um, you know, that's what friends do, right?" Rei's eyes widened as she said this, and Yachi felt slightly embarrassed. "A-ah, sorry, I shouldn't presume anything..."

"No, thank you. Friend."