Haikyuu! ~ Introvert ~

Chapter 9: Run

The next morning, Rei decided to resume her running training. It helped to distract her from unwanted thoughts that crept back into her head all too often. Back in England, she would usually run seven kilometres to school with her heavy backpack in tow, so take note of how she told Yachi that she did some long distance running back there. Some actually meant her running to school, getting the bus back at the end of the day, going for a two kilometre run and then doing homework. Because of this, Rei was incredibly fit, but she was, unfortunately, by nature a lazy couch potato that watched anime all the time. Basically, she was high-level trash.

Karasuno was only five kilometres from her house, so she decided to up her game and run there and back, lugging her bag along with her. She thought this was why she was so short compared to other people her age in England, her heavy bag was evidently compressing her spine, and she had theorised that she would look like Gollum by the time she graduated. But, as much as she may end up looking like Gollum, she had realised that girls her age in Japan were remarkably short, and with Yachi being fairly average height this meant that for once Rei had the pleasure of looking down at people.

But the volleyball club members are unfairly tall...

Rei had quite an accurate schedule, and had to wake up early in order to get to school on time, but unfortunately she was not a morning person. At all. She would get up, get dressed into her running gear, feed the cat, feed herself and pack her uniform in her bag so that she could get changed at school. Well, that was the plan. She often found herself falling asleep on the toilet, on the sofa or even completely unable to get out of bed, often hardly able to open both eyes.

However, today that was not the case and she practically jumped out of bed, scaring Guchi off of her legs as she did so. Rei had decided to go to the morning volleyball practice, so that she could still run home in time to do some work, and she would have to apologise for her behaviour from yesterday.

Normally, she wouldn't be so outgoing and determined about life, but that was when she had no friends and for some reason having Yachi as a friend made her like this, so she didn't want to think about how she would end up if she made friends with the hyper people from the volleyball team. Oh well, she needed some life energy.

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Rei focused on the steady beat of her trainers against the tarmac of the road, cancelling out all unnecessary thoughts and being especially careful not to get too focused on her breathing.

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Her bag kept banging against her spine, and she began to wish that she hadn't left so many books in there. The coal black of the backpack stood out against the bright yellow fabric of her top, the bold colours drawing the eye almost as well as the way she seemed to  float along with beautiful, refined form.

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The highest floors of the tallest Karasuno building came into view over the top of the hill and she pushed steadily on, a faint burning in her thighs and calves.

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The early morning sky was still smeared with soft shades of red and orange, twirled white and grey clouds floating lazily across as a cool spring breeze blew Rei's short brown locks into her face.

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As she jogged through the gates an into the empty courtyard, she changed her direction and headed straight towards the gym as she slowed her pace and began to recover her breath. She lifted her left wrist and looked at the chunky watch that hugged the skin, damp with perspiration.

Tch.

Her time was slow for such a distance, though her mental excuse-making kicked in and she decided that it was because she had taken a few days off to travel and get settled in.

Twenty minutes? I need to get that back down to seventeen...

Rei finally reached the doors of the gym, and she stood for half a minute to completely regulate her breathing whilst listening for the sounds of balls hitting skin and floor, though she heard nothing. Maybe I'm early?

"UUUUOOOOOHHHHH!"

"Ah." Rei turned around to see the raven haired tall boy racing against shorty ginger, sprinting full pelt right towards her. She stepped nimbly aside as they went hurtling past, their momentum taking them well past the entrance and Rei. She hopped up onto the steps and out of harm's way as they came flopping back towards her, wheezing and resting their hands on their knees.

"Rei-san!" Panted Hinata as he walked towards her.

"Ooh, a wild shorty appeared."

"I'm the same height as you!"

"No, I'm a bit taller, see?"

"How tall are you?! I'm 165cm!"

"168."

"That's almost nothing!"

"It's infinitely bigger than nothing. You are still shorter than me. So, hello Shorty."

"Gaaaahhh... Even Rei..." Hinata looked miserable, but snapped out of it when Kageyama came towards them.

"Hey Kags."

"Hi." Hinata stared as the pair began to talk about... Strawberry milk?

"...And as I walked past the shop, I saw that there was a big sale on dairy products! You should totally go get some!" Kageyama nodded, but then looked distraught.

"But my mum doesn't like me drinking that stuff... I have to buy the cartons here..."

"Oh, what a hard life you live. So, the Kageyamamama is strict, huh? Must think of an action plan..." A wide and evil grin began to spread across her face.

"Uh, that's not really necessary..." Kageyama started to say, but was saved by Suga coming to unlock the gym doors.

"Oh, Rei! Um... I'm sorry about what happened the other day..." Said the silver-haired third year, but was cut off.

"No, that wasn't anybody's fault except my own, I've got to apologise to Tsukishima and the others for that." She bowed her head slightly in an apologetic gesture.

"Oh, don't feel bad about it, I'm sure it's fine with them."

"Thank you very much." She said as he slid open the doors, letting them step inside. Rei felt quite content in the brief silence that followed, until...

"I still won, though."

Dammit Hinata.