Under the Gym Lights • Oikawa Tōru ✔

page 10 • freakykawa

The crowd at Sendai Municipal Gymnasium nearly deafened your ears by the end of the match.

Aoba Johsai won against Karasuno; a very, very close match, it was.

You hated to admit it, and you would probably never admit it out loud; Oikawa was doubtlessly the best player of the match. You didn't need a book called 'Volleyball for Dummies 101' to understand that fact, it was as simple as ABC.

After Karasuno's greeting, you mentally debate about going over to congratulate Iwaizumi. After all, he was legit nice to you, and he really did his job well.

You'd sneak around at a time when Oikawa was no longer around.

Or better yet, you'll meet him sometime after school tomorrow. No way would you want to risk bumping into Oikawa. Your luck was twisted enough as it was.

Mei was boosting some morale into Sugawara and the others, and you wished you could do the same for the two you were close to; Kageyama and Hinata were too upset to talk properly, and you could tell they were fighting back tears.

"Alright guys, the Spring Tournament is gonna come soon, you guys better not get too depressed and slack off for that okay?" You yell out loud, wrapping your hands around the two. This was made difficult by the fact that Hinata was shorter than you, and Kageyama was taller.

God forbid they be the same height but noooo.

"Alright, let's go get some food, guys." Ukai-kun, their coach calls out. Eiko, Mei, and you clap as the boys walked off. You really couldn't think of anything else to say, and both Eiko and Mei decided it was best to give the entire team some time to think things through.

"Alrighty, now that match is done, let's get back up to the stands!" Mei claps her hand, Eiko following her like a little puppy.

"Huh? Where? What?!"

"Don't tell me you're not going to watch Seijoh's match in the quarter finals, you loser." Mei glares at you.

Haha.

Hahahahaha. Watch Oikawa play in a match?

Lol, nope.

In fact, you even lift your leg up to walk away when Mei grabs your uniform collar.

"Not so fast, hotshot. You're staying."

"I'm not staying for that freak! His plays freak me out! And I hate him!"

"You're gonna stay for Tooru if you ever want French toast made by me again."

Goddamit.

In defeat, you walk from the Karasuno stands to the Seijoh stands, getting yourself a spot in the back line and taking a seat. You prayed that he didn't see you, and somehow, your wish did come true.

But not it the way you might have hoped it to.

Oikawa didn't get to notice you at the stands because he was fully crushed by the opposite team.

Ever single trick he'd try, it was brought down brutally by force, by Shiratorizawa.

And that was the first time you saw tears welling up in his eyes as he scrunched his face at the defeat.

"Wow, Tooru sure does cry ugly." Mei thinks out loud.

"It's kinda sad, they won against Karasuno, but whatever they practised so hard for, got wrecked by brutal force," Eiko adds.

Oikawa Tooru was hell for you.

Horrid hell.

But you didn't like the scene of him hardly able to contain his tears when Seijoh gave their final greeting.

Even Oikawa has feelings, after all.

"You know, I'll catch up with you guys later. I.. I think I have something I gotta do." You tell your best friend and sister before you walk down the stairs. You wait for the team to come out to the building porch.

"Oikawa?"

The brunette notices you standing a little away from him. He then averts his gaze and looks at the ground with a frown.

"Did you come to make fun of me? To torment me, and say something like 'ha, that's exactly what you get for being a big dope'?"

Part of you began to rage at his choice of words. What a freak! And here you were, trying to do a nice gesture.

Damn, this guy makes it hard for you to choose your words.

"No. I watched your match with Karasuno too. You did well. And well...." You pause when you see Oikawa's eyes go wide. He wondered if he was hearing properly; it was the first time you had openly complimented him after all. He takes a couple steps closer to you, away from his teammates.

"Well. You'll do better. And just know that you didn't play badly. Er.. Yeah."

So much for boosting the freak's morale.

Oikawa blinks at you at least eight times, before he sighs.

"You're right, [Name]-chan. I really do need to work harder to beat that Ushiwaka in the Spring Tournament."

"Yeah, you can do it." You say, and for a second, the two of you exchange genuine smiles.

"Does this mean you'll walk home with m-"

"Fat chance, bye."

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a/n: pls feel free to use this comment section to rant out how much y'all h8 oikz k c;