A VOICE WAS CALLING HER. She then looked up from listening in her earphones. The afternoon's classes just finished, and she was about to pack her things.
"—excuse me." It was her classmate, nudging her and pointing at the classroom's door. She then removed her earbuds. "There's someone looking for you."
She nodded, peeking outside to know who was out there for her, but she only saw the person's back against the door. She then stood up, going near the person her classmate was talking about.
As she exited the room, she stopped on her tracks—eyes gazing widely. She did not expect him to be here.
Sensing someone approaching him. He then turned around and saw his fellow schoolmate staring at him with a surprised expression. He wondered what made her flabbergasted. Is there something on his face? He tried to wipe it off with his hand.
Noticing that there was nothing, he sheepishly chuckled. Subsequently making a feign cough as he tried to compose himself. He looked at the paper that he was holding. Slightly squinting his eyes to read on its small characters.
"Are you—" He began to tilt his head, he observed that the Kanji printed on the paper were pretty close and small. "F-fu—Na—" He tried to pronounce it, but he had a hard time saying her name.
"Fuji Nao."
She began to help him. The latter then beamed, his hazel-brown orbs highlighted the birthmark mole beside his left eye.
"Fuji Nao. Alright—thank you." He repeated her name. "Ano—you're under Takeda-sensei, right?" He asked, scratching his cheek.
"Here's your paper. Sensei said that it was mixed up with the other sections. He told me to give it back to you." He then handed it to her.
Nao stretched her arm, reaching for the paper. "Thank you."
They remained standing. Not sure what else to say or do.
"I-I—" He began to say "I—" Stuttering while trying to shake off the impending awkwardness.
"You know I like what you've written there."
He told her as he scratched the back of his head. "Especially about your perception on akai ito. It was also my topic on sensei's class—the red string of fate."
He avoided his eyes away from her sharp and perceptive ones. Light red streaks on his cheeks.
Nao was taken aback, quite dumbfounded. She did not know how to reply to that. Her face tinted in a subtle color similar to his. "U-uhm..."
"Ah—I'm Sugawara Kōshi!" He proceeded to bow, introducing himself. "A third year from Class 4." He smiled while looking at her.
SUGAWARA KŌSHI.
Nao already knew him. Just before all of this. He was the vice-captain of the Karasuno Volleyball Club. One of the setters in the team.
Suga looked from her to his watch. Shocked at the time it displayed. He proceeded to panic. "I should—" He began to say. "I should get going now to our practice!" He told her.
Nao then nodded to him. "Okay. Be careful, Sugawara-san."
Upon hearing it, Suga gave her a kind smile. "Thank you!"
He then proceeded to run to the gym. Nao watched as he went for his volleyball practice. Although he suddenly stopped in one corner, turning to the latter. It then surprised the girl.
"By the way, you can call me 'Suga'." He said to her. "Sugawara is kinda too long to actually say." He proceeded to laugh thinking about it. Nao then smiled, also chuckling.
"Okay—Suga."
Suga then happily grinned as he heard her say his name. He was about to take a step towards the corner, but he then halted—looking at her direction again.
"And also—" Suga began to say. "—it's nice to meet you." There was a faint shade coloring his cheeks.
"Nao."
Nao proceeded to take a deep breath as she went back to the classroom. Her heart pounding in her chest. She just talked to one Sugawara Kōshi!
And he just read her paper! Her face started to color like a ripe tomato. There was nothing more embarrassing than that!
She looked at the paper between her hands, scanning the things she had written on it.
It was about the legend of the red thread of destiny connecting two people. Her face grew a brighter shade upon reading her essay about the legend.
She did not want to imagine Suga's reaction when he read it. Out of all students that Takeda-sensei could have asked—why was it have to be him?
Nao placed the paper in her bag, and the other things she left on her table. She put her earphones on to drown out her thoughts. Still—on the bright side—she praised herself for remaining calm back there while talking to him.
She started to carry her bag and walked out of the room. Thinking about it, Nao expected someone else to return it. It should have been another student from her class. But it was Suga instead.
Nao heard the squeaking sound of shoes and the consecutive hit of balls on the floor. She was passing by the indoor gym where the volleyball team practiced. This route was nearer to the school gates than the one in the main entrance of the building.
The doors were open. She can see them practicing their spikes and receives. She saw a member with grey hair setting to the players.
It was Suga.
He was encouraging them to do their best. And then, a flash of vermilion proceeded to smash the ball to the other side of the court. In an incredibly fast speed.
It was Hinata.
Nao already knew about his superhuman agility, however she could not help but still gape at his show of strength. He was truly a great asset for the team.
Noticing herself watching their game, she continued on walking towards home.
Odd things were happening today all of a sudden. The very people she was avoiding were popping out from different places out of nowhere. And both ways somehow led the two in her direction.
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