From the outside the establishment looked like a quaint and tastefully decorated coffee shop. The pair were seated in a booth beside the window and out of the way from most of the other tables. The menu choices seemed to be a variety of finger foods, and a huge selection of drinks. Everything from milkshakes and smoothies to juice and coffee. A waitress promptly came over to take Oikawa and Yana's order.
"White chocolate and caramel latte please" Oikawa gave his signature smile to the waitress before he turned to Yana.
Taking the cue, Yana was next to order, "A Mochaccino please."
The waitress nodded and just as she came, she left.
"Project?"
"Yana-chan, this is a date!" Oikawa gasped. He really didn't want to work on the project. He brought the things he needed for the project but that didn't mean he wanted to actually work on it.
Yana already knew Oikawa had no intention of working on their project, so she came prepared. "I know, I know." She rummaged in her bag before she found what she was looking for. "Here." Yana passed him a little USB. "It has everything I have on it. You just need to cross reference it with yours."
"Yana-chan..." Oikawa looked up at her in awe. He took the USB and carefully stashed it away for him to use later. "You came here for a date. Like a proper date, I'm touched"
Yana looked to the side pouting. "Do you think I'd really try to look pretty if it was just a study date?" Yana mumbled, just loud enough for Oikawa to hear.
Oikawa clutched his shirt over where his heart would be and fake swooned, "Yana-chan! You dressed up for me!" He smirked, "Though, you look pretty no matter what you wear."
The tips of Yana's ears turned a bright red, but other than that she didn't react. It was then that Oikawa noticed that whenever Yana was flustered or embarrassed the tips of her ears would turn red. Her expression may not show those two emotions, but her ears certainly did. Oikawa thought it was the cutest thing he had ever seen and that's a lot of things. People usually fell for him, not the other way around. I am definitely not falling for her, what the hell am I thinking about?! This is Yana-chan! Iwa-chan's cousin. I'm not falling for my best friend's cousin, that's crazy talk.
"Here are your drinks. Please enjoy" The waitress put down both drinks.
Yana nodded a quick thanks and took a small sip. It was nice. The last time she had a Mochaccino was the last day she lived in Tokyo. Honestly, she was kind of surprised. Looking back on it now, since she moved here, the days passed as quick as light, she didn't know when it happened or how it happened but eventually, she enjoyed her time in Aoba Johsai. For a split second she considered it was Oikawa then dismissed the thought. She refused to humor such a ridiculous idea. She was enjoying her time because of the volleyball club and all its members. Emphasis on the 'all'.
"Oikawa." A few seconds passed. "Oikawa. Hello?" No response. "Oikawa, come back to earth."
"H-hm? Yes? Sorry I was thinking."
"A dangerous pastime" She nodded playfully.
"I know, right?"
The pair laughed at their own senseless humor. They chatted round a wide variety of topics to try and find one that wasn't just volleyball. Despite the frequent topic hopping the conversation was still uplifting and littered with smiles. Yana had spent a considerable amount of time with Oikawa, they were in the same class and club, but this was probably the first time they had a conversation just for the sake of enjoying each other's company.
-------
"Really? [--------------] All the way out there?"
"Dude, why them? We are right next to Nekoma, why bother going that far out?"
"Because they went to Karasuno. Why don't we [-------------]"
"I bet it's because [---------------]"
"No. That's not the reason, it's just a coincidence that [---------]"
"Whatever [-------------], if you're sure."
--------
"What is that? A cow?"
"No!" Yana pouted as she showed him a drawing of a pelican.
"Let me see closer" Oikawa moved his hand closer to Yana's hand to reach for the paper but instead ended up grabbing her wrist by accident.
----------
'Zumi! You know you aren't allowed to see them! What do you think you are doing? I'm the only one who is allowed to touch you.'
---------
Yana jerked her arm away and slapped Oikawa's hand off her wrist, the motion knocked over one of the empty cups. A silence that seemed to last an eternity was broken by the sound of shattering glass.
Oikawa saw in her eyes, the windows to her soul, fear was etched in Yana features as her facade crumbled into a grimace.
"S-sorry" her voice was small as she apologized. Her hands were visibly trembling. The room seemed like it was spinning as her ears burned from a high-pitched buzz. "I-I uh, I'll see you in school tomorrow." Yana hastily pulled out money to pay for both of their drinks and a little extra for the cup. She gave him a shaky smile before she left the stunned Oikawa sitting at the booth.
- ----THAT EVENING-----
"Kuroo. Kenma." Yana whimpered as she lay on her stomach under her blankets. "I totally fucked up."
"What'd you do?" Kenma asked as he tried to shove Kuroo away from his apple pie.
"I freaked out when he grabbed my wrist then I knocked over a glass and finally I paid and practically ran back home." Yana plopped her face into her pillow. "I did text him earlier though, I said I was sorry and that it was just a thing I have a bad reaction with. He seemed to take that as an answer."
Kuroo and Kenma froze with a frown on their faces. "What do you mean he grabbed your wrist?" Kuroo's voice was low and deliberate. Call them overprotective but it wasn't without reason. There was a very good reason for them to react that way.
"No, no! Nothing like that. It was just an accident!"
"That's what you said before." Kenma clicked his tongue agitated.
"This time it is. Ok? I promise." Yana tried to calm them both down "See I'm fine! Plus, he is Hajime's best friend! They've known each other since they were kids. Nothing like that would happen."
Kuroo sighed and dragged a hand down his face. "Fine. Fine."
"If he does anything. I mean anything. You will tell us. Got it?" Kenma crossed his arms and waited for Yana to respond.
"I promise I will." Yana smiled. A warm fuzzy feeling bubbled up inside of her. She always thanked her lucky stars that she was blessed with the two best damn friends in the world. Yana honestly didn't know where she would be without them.
- ----THE NEXT DAY-----
Yana had told Hajime that she was going to go on ahead. It was Oikawa's turn to open up the Gym which meant he would be the first to be there. She needed to apologize to him.
As soon as she got to school and spotted the brunette, she immediately beelined her way to him. "Oikawa!"
"Yana-chan. Are you ok?"
She quickly stopped him before he could say anymore. "I'm sorry. It was my fault and I even ditched you after that too." Yana fidgeted in place a little. "I, um. I don't really like having my wrists grabbed. Hands are fine, just not wrist. It's because..." She paused trying to figure out a way to tell him. There were memories she'd rather never have to look back on again.
"Stop." Oikawa pet her head gently. "That was my bad. You don't have to explain yourself to me. You don't need to force yourself to tell me." He grinned and smoothly transitioned to a different subject. "Besides, I got to spend most of my afternoon with a cute girl and even finished off cross-referencing the project." He handed her the USB and flicked her nose in the process. "Aren't I just the greatest partner ever?"
Yana scoffed and rolled her eyes playfully. "I don't know about that. You chose Aliens as our topic. Aliens!"
"I don't see what's so wrong about that." Oikawa shrugged proudly.
- ----AFTER MORNING PRACTICE-----
"Everyone gather around." Coach Irihata blew his whistle to get the rest of the team's attention. "As you all know, the Inter-high tournament is coming up. of course, our aim is to win first place." He paused for a moment. "A school from Tokyo reached out to us recently." The Coach snuck a look at Yana's reaction."
"A school from Tokyo?" Kindaichi perked up.
Yahaba was the next to speak "Oh, what if Yana knows them?"
"That'd be kind of cool" Hanamaki nodded.
The coach waited for the team to settle down before he continued. To be perfectly honest, he was surprised that a big school from Tokyo contacted him and asked for a practice match. The two schools had no prior connections. He wasn't saying he didn't want the offer; he was just curious as to why them. "We will be up against Shōsha Academy's Boys' Volleyball Club."