THE SOUND OF HUMMING. It was heard throughout the halls. Thrumming a familiar tune from the vibrations resonating in her earphones. It was a typical school day. The hallways still empty. She was the first one from her class to arrive. The keys she was holding jiggled on her tread.
The student then retrieved her phone in her pocket. Scrolling for another playlist. The first one she played was an upbeat music that was becoming popular recently. She followed with the lyrics, singing every word until she came across the signage of her room.
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Class II-5
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She then held the handle and opened the door. But not when hearing a certain commotion a few distance away. Looking out, the noise came from the gym. Unfortunately, it was usually like this as her classroom was near where the volleyball team practiced.
Shrugging it off, she proceeded to open the room. Ignoring the clamor that was starting to bustle. The latter then plopped down on her seat, putting her bag on the side.
She could often hear their petty fights. Screaming nonsense here and there. However, even with their fickle arguments, they seemed to be passionate enough to their club that they would come to school earlier than the whole student body.
"Gyahhh—!"
The ruckus continued to escalate.
"What did you do, BOKE?!"
She turned up the volume, wanting to drown out the hubbub. Continuing to hum to the beat while tapping her fingers on the table.
It was indeed a typical day in KARASUNO HIGH.
She then saw some of the players running through the halls, passing by her classroom.
"Hey—you two—stop it already!"
A senior tried to chastise, running after the first two. She shook her head, stifling a laugh at the scene before her. Unlocking her phone, she then checked for the time. Classes would eventually start three-quarters of an hour later, and students should begin to arrive a few minutes from now.
The players would then come running back to the gym exactly two minutes after—at the mere mention of their captain's name.
As she had alluded the thought, loud and brisk steps began to echo. Hurrying through the hallways of the building. Precisely on time.
"It's all you're fault, TEME!"
A shrill voice uttered between fast breaths, running quickly as if everything depended on it.
"My FAULT?! It was you who—"
"Both of you—SHUT UP!"
The other player attempted to defend but was then interrupted. Still, a vein ticked on his face. Completely irked with the latter's accusation.
Their upperclassman was the one who stopped them—having enough with their childishness. The two abruptly halted their banter—not wanting to make their senior angrier than he currently was. Truth be told, he can be a lot scarier than their captain if he wanted. Quite out of character to his usual serene nature.
She watched them while leaning on her hand. Looking through the glass windows separating the hallways. They just moved past her classroom again at lightning speed. The song that was playing on her earphones was perfect as the background music for their little marathon.
She smiled at the timing.
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2:20 ────────•─ 2:27
⇆ ||◁ㅤ❚❚ㅤ▷|| ↻
𝙎𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙪𝙣, 𝙧𝙪𝙣,
𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮, 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮, 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮
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The first bell reverberated throughout the school. One by one her classmates then began to pool inside. The previous noise then subsided and was later replaced by the arriving students.
She retrieved her notes from her bag, zipping it close. There would be an early pop quiz first thing in their class today—unbeknownst to her classmates. Their teacher would arrive in class bearing this news. Much to their chagrin.
Flipping through the pages, she scanned the outlines with acute interest. Already understanding each idea.
She then lowered the volume on her phone, trying to focus with the words and their meanings. Somehow, she was a little distracted today. Looking to her right again, she saw through the window the students passing by her classroom. A group of people animatedly talking with each other.
It was the KARASUNO VOLLEYBALL TEAM.
They were walking to their respective classrooms as classes were about to start. Laughing about something unequivocally funny. It blared across the halls, then disturbing the other students. Their captain began to warn them about being too loud. Apologizing to some who were coming in their way.
"Hey, keep your voices down for once!" A person with dark hair and brown eyes said to them, glazing over intimidatingly. "The others are looking at us."
They immediately became silent, giving a sheepish grin to him. "Ano—sorry, captain!"
The players then hurriedly fastened their pace—not wanting to face the wrath of their senpai.
It was already lunchtime. Her classes were just the same as always. After the bell rang—signaling the end of the morning period, she immediately picked her bento box-planning to eat outside her classroom.
When the teacher exited the premises, her classmates began to move along to have their lunch. Chatter arose as they had talked about something to the other students. She then took her headphones, plopping it into her ears.
She began to leave the room, stepping outside with the bento on her hand. Listening to the music that was playing on her phone. She then turned around in another hall, choosing an alternative route for her destination.
She knew that they were there walking by, and she did not want to get involved with their ruckus.
"Hey! Come on—I think it's better if I do ten laps than five!" A loud voice continued to press, his words echoing in the hallways.
"Yeah—yeah—" The other person with him drawled sarcastically. "I bet it would, but then you'd get tired after that. You still need to practice on your receives."
The former cringed at the idea, but he then shook his head. "No, I won't! I swear! I'll even run through these halls in less than three minutes to prove it to you!"
The person in question began to scoff. "Oh yeah? I bet you won't." A smirk then plastered on his face. "If I win—I'll get half of your lunch today." That smirk then broadened into a wide grin.
The girl can still hear their conversation resounding even if she was in another hallway ahead of them. Somehow, she already knew the result of the bet. She smiled at the thought. The latter would eventually get the other's lunch—much to the former's annoyance.
"Deal!" He replied, his tone laced with determination. He planned on running around the halls where the room of the first year students were located. But then, it was near to the faculty's room.
He then stretched his arms and legs before positioning himself in a running stance. He saw his fellow player looking at his phone, setting a timer.
"Go!" He signaled to him, the numbers began to count rapidly in milliseconds to seconds. Without wasting time, he moved briskly after his teammate's cue. Running like his life—well lunch—depended on it. Because it was.
"Gyahhh!" He screamed as some sort of battle cry, running off through the building. His fellow player then internally facepalmed—wondering how he was associated with him. He watched as he turned around a corner, somehow picking another route for his run.
"Tch." He smirked as he looked on the numbers flashing on his screen. He picked the longer route—that was a wrong move. "Oh well, more lunch for me."
Going around another corner, he passed through the rooms of the third years down to the school's library. He was hoping that he would come back just in time. He did not want to give out his lunch—knowing what he had today was his favorite.
Pivoting again through another direction, the hallway was a little unfamiliar to him. He was running aimlessly in the building. Now realizing it, he halted on his tracks. He had not been in this side of the school before.
Well, he had not been able to explore around the area that much, because he was always in the gym for volleyball practice. He then slowly began to walk, already forgetting the bet.
There was a door leading outside of the school building. He was currently in the first floor, almost about to complete his run. He knew that he should turn around and go back, but there was something nudging inside him to open it.
Holding the handle, he began to push it open. Sunlight beamed through his eyes, he then immediately closed them. Not that prepared with the imposing brightness.
Slowly blinking, he proceeded to adjust his eyes. His breath hitched as he finally saw the scene in front of him. There were various shades of florets blooming in plant pots. A small, purple-tinted flowering tree perched in the center. It was actually beautiful to look at.
It boggled him how he only knew of this place just now. Something like this would be famous around the school. But why hadn't he heard of this before?
In his entrancement, he moved closer—not knowing that there was something on his way. He then began to trip on a watering can, his face planted on the grass. Thankfully, someone was not there to witness his embarrassment.
He hurriedly went up, dusting his uniform. He then looked up to see more of the garden, but when he did—his eyes came in contact with another person.
Somehow, she looked unknowingly more surprised seeing him than he was to her.
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