NINETY-SIX. GF-FORHIRE
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"OH HEY, IT'S YOU." Kuroo grinned as he sat on his seat located beside the vacant seat in between him and the tall middle blocker of Inarizaki.
Suna glanced to his left and nodded at the bed-haired captain of Nekoma who he'd been acquainted with during the opening day.
"You aren't with your setter?" Suna asked, knowing that usually the two came in a set.
"Nope." Kuroo shrugged, glancing at the vacant seat at the front where Suna's companion, the current best setter in high school, Atsumu Miya, was also supposed to be. "I'm guessing you aren't with yours either?"
Suna hummed in agreement, eyes going back to the court where Japan was playing against Netherlands.
Kuroo nodded in understanding, glancing around the VIP section. The population in the seats wasn't even close to the number there was on the first day.
There was only him, Suna, Tendō— who he is yet to be acquainted with, Kiyoko of Karasuno, and—
"Kuroo-san, Suna-kun." Someone greeted from Kuroo's left, making him turn around to look at who it was.
Suna nodded at him in acknowledgement.
"Akaashi?" Kuroo looked behind the boy who was in a beige shirt paired with plaid pants. "Where's Boku-bro?"
"He's babysitting Daiki." The setter said, sitting in between the two middle blockers.
"Ah Boku-bro's young boy." Kuroo nodded, having met Daiki before.
Suna just hummed, thinking that 'his young boy' was another term for 'his kid'. Not his place to judge if the ace has a kid already.
Akaashi hummed. "Who're we playing against?"
"Netherlands." Suna told him.
"Is it looking good?" Akaashi asked.
Kuroo pointed at the scoreboard. "Take a guess."
48 - 62, in favor of Japan.
And it was only the second quarter.
Akaashi had a sharp intake of breath. "Woah.."
"Woah is right." Kuroo agreed, looking at the lineup that was matching Netherlands' aggressive play. "I watched a replay of their match against Belgium and Philippines yesterday— it wasn't nearly as fast-paced and aggressive as this."
"It's only been one evening.." He leaned against the back of his seat, humming in curiosity. "I wonder what changed overnight."
-
Flashback to earlier, a scene during breakfast, which Ymari cooked after Ushiwaka left..
"Aho your mom's scary." Hanuka immediately deadpanned the moment the blue haired boy entered the dining area.
He tch'ed as he sat in front of her. "What? You're a pussy if you—"
"Don't act like she didn't just rat your ass out last night because she saw your subscription to an explicit magazine." Wakamatsu hit the boy's back, laughing as he and the rest of the holy Hakuou trio got inside the dining room.
"There's food in front of you, have some respect." Utsui rolled her eyes at the boys' banter and shoved bacon in her mouth.
Jordan chuckled, looking at Aomine as she drank her second cup of coffee that morning. "I didn't even train with her, but your mom has a really strict training regimen."
He rolled his eyes. " 'Course she does. She always goes on about training, development, and crap. That's all she ever talks about."
"Kise-san's training with us was rather unconventional but effective— I now see why she has the best team in Japan." Inosuke hummed, looking at the Niiyama girls who reddened at the sudden compliment. "She is strict though."
"No kidding, they're all strict" Takemichi groaned, banging her head on the table. "I trained with the carrot-top's mom and—"
"Who are you calling a carrot-top?" Midorima sassed from the dining room's doorway.
Takemichi glared at him while Takao laughed from behind him.
"HAHAHA, she called you a carrot-top, Shin-chan!"
"Urusai, Takao." Midorima sashayed into his seat, with Takao following after.
"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted—" She cleared her throat, still glaring at Midorima, "— I trained with Sen-san, and I feel like my body's been fed into a titan, but chewed, spat out, and chewed again!"
She frustratedly banged her head onto the table again, making everyone jolt at the movement that nearly sent their plates flying.
"Oi, raise your head, and keep the vulgar words to yourself— you're disrespecting the food." Ryuguji shook her.
"My speed's gotten better though.." Hanuka started talking about her training with Dei Aomine again. "Kasai-san and I went up against each other and I almost got past, which is new."
Kasai, who was upstairs putting her jersey top on, sneezed, making Saito and Seinaru look up. "Bless you."
"I can hold my own against Saito-san now— still can't get a rebound past her, but still, that's a major improvement." Ichigo pitched in.
Saito sneezed, making Seinaru and Kasai look at her. "Bless you."
Utsui hummed in approval of all the improvements they've gotten overnight. "Then I trust you'll win the two games for us today?"
The five starters looked at her, determination glinting in their eyes. "Hai!"
-
"It definitely wasn't magic." Akaashi said, looking at the speedy and aggressive plays. "Was anyone subbed out yet?"
"Only the blonde, Takemichi." Suna, who's been there since the beginning of the match, told him, eyes not leaving the court. "Exchanged for Chiyo earlier, but subbed back in after five minutes— she was subbed out to tie her shoelaces.."
Kuroo and Akaashi sweatdropped. What an unconventional reason for player substitution.
Kuroo glanced at the court, but his eyes narrowed on something, or rather someone in the VIP section whose presence he wasn't able to acknowledge earlier.
His eyes narrowed at the female seated on the vacant seat that was supposed to be beside Sakusa and shrugged off the familiar appearance.
Kuroo's eyes went back to the court, but this time, they were looking for someone in particular.
Once his eyes caught sight of a familiar ravenette who was talking to her coach, presumably about game plans, he absentmindedly hummed.
"Kenma's lucky to have her."
Akaashi froze, while Suna glanced at Kuroo in curiosity.
"Kenma?" Suna asked, fox eyes slowly tracking over to look at whoever Kuroo was looking at, and sure enough..
He was looking at Atsumu's girlfriend.
"Is that your setter?" Suna asked, eyes lingering on Ymari.
Akaashi tensed. As far as he knows, Atsumu was Seinaru's real boyfriend, who may not have any knowledge about her work as a girlfriend for hire. Though Kenma being a client didn't come so much as a shock to him, as it was already shocking enough that someone like Bokuto-san became her client, he didn't want the girl's relationship with her true boyfriend to be ruined because of his shortcomings as a friend to Seinaru, who didn't put a stop to Kuroo's big mouth— despite knowing that Kuroo might not know about the whole 'for hire' thing either.
"Kuroo-san I don't think—"
"Yeah." Kuroo nodded. "My best friend and setter, Kenma.. is dating Seinaru of Japan's Olympic team."
Suna's world stopped. His breathing halted. He felt himself drown underwater and he struggled to resurface.
Akaashi nearly died right then and there.
"I used to think people of that standing would date someone who ranked internationally too, honestly." Kuroo commented, unaware of the turmoil he suddenly put the two in. "I was kinda surprised when I found out about her dating Kenma."
He looked at Akaashi and Suna who were as pale as paper. "What? You two look like you've just seen a ghost."
Suna was the first one to break out of his trance. He looked at Akaashi, who knew about Atsumu and Ymari's relationship, for a fleeting moment, before standing up.
"Excuse me for a moment."
He walked away, making Akaashi look at his retreating figure rather worriedly.
Will he tell Atsumu Miya?
Will Seinaru's relationship be at risk because of this?
Somehow that didn't sound so bad.. but then again..
He shook his head in shame.
It was wrong to wish that that'd be the case.
Akaashi excused himself to take a breather, making Kuroo look at the hall opening where the two just exited in confusion.
"You know, Kuroo, sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut."
His eyes snapped forward, recognizing the voice. His eyes landed on the girl who was sat on the seat that was supposed to be beside Sakusa. His eyes widened in recognition of the older girl. "Alissa-san? What the hell?"
Alissa Haiba, a client Ymari had in July 2012. The same case as Kiyoko, except, this time, she dealt with third year college boys, dressed up as Seijuro Sano.
The light gray haired girl grinned at the captain of her brother's volleyball team. "You said she's dating Kenma-chan, right?"
Kuroo nodded.
Alissa clicked her tongue. "You know you shouldn't just reveal those sorts of stuff to other people."
"Huh? Why?" Kuroo asked.
"You might be overstepping boundaries set by people involved." She lectured him, careful in choosing her words so she doesn't reveal anything more to Kuroo.
"Has Kenma-chan ever asked you to keep silent about his relationship with.. the girl?"
Kuroo blinked, remembering the shopping trip where he, along with Suna and the others were deemed chaperones of the girl. "Yeah."
Tendō, who was listening in on the entire conversation earlier finally stood up, leaving the area with narrowed eyes.
Kenma— that bleached blonde that shrimp from Karasuno kept talking to during the opening? That Kenma?
He knew that there'd be a lot but he'd be lying if he said that it didn't sting his part even if just a little.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and trekked towards the vending machines in the side of the hallways.
He inserted cash in the slot and clicked on the iced coffee option before being let down.
The vending machine spat out his money.
He frowned, holding back an audible groan.
Now this was a sight to see. Tendō wasn't usually one to break down.
Perhaps this turmoil was caused by the overwhelming feeling of crushing defeat.
He knows a man who's in love the moment he sees one.
And quite unfortunately, the three behind him earlier were in fact in love.
With the girl he was also in love with.
He left the arena, on his way to a coffee shop somewhere.
As if Ushiwaka, Oikawa, Kageyama, Bokuto, Sakusa, or Miya weren't enough threats, there were actually more.
And this time, they were also good at the only thing he thought he was good at. They were also middle blockers.
Tetsurō Kuroo, Nekoma's captain, the middle blocker who taught Mr. Vanilla everything he knows.
If that isn't threatening enough in itself, he doesn't know what is.
Then there's the middle blocker he's read about in volleyball monthly more times that he should.
Rintarō Suna, Inarizaki's sly middle blocker who had peak power and utmost precise movement when it comes to blocking.
He was considered one of the ten best middle blockers in high school at present, ranking second to one of the twin towers of Mujinazaka who was top one.
Tendō didn't even make the cut for top five, landing at number six last time he checked.
He entered the coffee shop, Starcoffee and ordered a large iced coffee, with two shots of vanilla and a blueberry cheesecake.
Luckily there weren't many people here.
Only a few foreigners who must've taken a break from watching games and some locals.
As he went to find himself a seat, holding onto the receipt handed to him, he overheard someone by the counter, where he just left, talking.
"It's scheduled right after the game, yeah." The stranger spoke into his phone.
Normally, Tendō wouldn't really care.
But something urged him to listen in on the boy's conversation over the phone.
And so Tendō found a seat close to the counter so he could hear clearly.
He pulled out his phone pretended to take immense interest on Starstagram as he continued to eavesdrop on another person's conversation while waiting for his order to be served.
The boy with bleached blonde hair cropped to the sides, showing his natural brown clean undercut roots, blinked as he listened to the person on the other side speak. He seemed to be of a high status.
Aside from his black and white iconic pair of socks that peeked out between the hem of his pants and his shoes— which coincidentally had ying-yang symbols on it— a pair he'd seen a certain someone wear on Starstagram before— the boy looked well-off.
He was wearing a plain white short-sleeve shirt from Starcci tucked in light beige colored slacks and a thick belt that was presumably from the same brand, white rubber shoes, and to top it all off, was a buff beige colored cardigan that screamed Staruis Vuitton.
There was a frown on his face as he replied. "No, I don't think I'll be having any trouble."
His rich coffee colored eyes caught Tendō's who he felt was looking at him, before he looked away.
Tendō, though caught staring, wasn't fazed and went back to pretending that he was minding his own business.
"It's been a few months and I most likely still need more time to recuperate, but there's no better time to do this than now." The faux blonde hummed in appreciation when the woman at the counter gave him his takeout order.
Coincidentally, Tendō's order was served at the same time.
He thanked the waitress and then indulged himself in his food as he continued eavesdropping.
"Her team's just about to end the game, so I'm on my way there now." The faux blonde spoke into the phone.
Tendō froze mid-bite of his cheesecake as he watched the faux blonde exit the coffee shop.
"Her team..?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Thcogs in his head started working as he processed the blonde's words. The only games in the team category in the area was basketball, all the rest were at least two towns away. Surely the blonde wouldn't have bought coffee here knowing that he'd be travelling far to watch who Tendō guesses, is a special someone's game.
Not to mention, the boy looked familiar.
A bit too familiar for him just to be a stranger that he could have just met in Tokyo just now.
His mind racked where he could have seen the faux blonde before.
School?
No. The boy from earlier looked to be athletic. Tendō's very knowledgeable about the athletes enrolled in Shiratorizawa, so he couldn't have been a schoolmate he's seen in the hallways before.
The VIP section?
Nah, everyone there's a client.. he couldn't possibly be one since Tendō knows he would've recognized those designer clothes the moment he spotted them, since they would stand out.
Volleyball?
Tendō aggressively drank his coffee as he recalled his past games.
Then it clicked.
He was the captain of Johzenji High School. A school with minimal tactics that made it to the quarter finals in the inter-high last year.
He would've recognized him at first glance if he'd seen him in casual wear that wasn't so dazzlingly expensive.
However, there was also this naging voice at the back of his head saying that he'd seen the boy elsewhere.
He aggressively drank his coffee again, before getting a brain freeze.
He flinched at the cold when..
The lightbulb finally flickered.
He was looking at his coffee one moment ago, but now he was back in a certain someone's living room.
The flashback was so vivid that he didn't even notice the ripples that happened when he went back to that one specific moment in the past.
It was the first time that he and Ushijima were invited the girl's home. The day the training started for the ace. He remembers looking at the interior design of the home in awe. The chandelier, the high ceiling, the expensive sofa sets, and the monochrome palette that decorated the home was etched onto his memory.
Somehow as if he was in that very living room right now, his eyes skimmed the side table near the television set that had a single photo frame on it.
It wasn't family.
It wasn't her team.
It wasn't her.
It was a framed image of her with a group of young teens who he assumes was her friends.
It was taken after the girl's last championship game in the first year of middle school.
She was in the middle wearing three medals, two for special awards and one for the team champion award, sandwiched between two brunettes, one who he was sure was the female Futakuchi on the Japan team wearing a gold medal and holding a huge trophy, and another was the twin male that they'd went up against before. Beside the female Futakuchi were three boys, who he'd seen in the sponsored advertisement for the Japan male team. On the other side, stood to the left of the male Futakuchi was a boy with long brown hair that looked to be in a neat man bun.
He looked so familiar to him that night but he shrugged it off, because he was far too occupied by his jealousy towards Seinaru holding Ushijima's hand seconds prior to comprehend anything.
But that was him.
The faux blonde must be that one.
That could only mean one thing.
He was there for Seinaru.
He didn't even realize that the coffee had run out until he coughed due to the bits of excess ice he was inhaling.
Goddamn it.
He silently peeved while he cleaned his table and threw out the trash.
Why did he have to fall for her of all people?
He stuffed his hands in his pants' pockets aggressively as he stalked outside the coffee shop.
It would've been easier if he hadn't fallen at all.
His eyes grazed the huge billboard posters that hung outside the arena he was walking to.
Five exceptional women in Youth World basketball, and the one who ranked first was her.
His miracle girl.
He looked at her gorgeous blue and green eyes that never failed to knock his breath away with a single glance, her signature beauty mark under her left eye, her lips pulled into a stoic line, and her perfect shooting form in the poster.
Tendō's aggression slowly dissipated the longer he stared at the poster in the middle.
He's right, it definitely would've been easier if he hadn't fallen at all.
But even so..
He'd rather be damned to hell than not to have fallen for the enigma that was her.
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