A few games later Akaashi and Yana took a break while the other three continued their shenanigans. "So, you and Bokuto?"
Akaashi smiled softly and nodded. "It took a while, but we got there in the end."
Yana met Akaashi during the volleyball summer training camp when he was still a first year. It was obvious from the start that there was some very intense pining going on. While she didn't explicitly state that she shipped them. Bokuaka was her OTP and no one could convince her otherwise. Yana tried her best to make as many 'coincidental' meetings as she could for the pair, so it was incredibly gratifying to hear that after an entire year the two of them had started dating.
"What about you?"
"Um." Yana was genuinely surprised that Akaashi asked about her love life in response. She was expecting him to go on about Bokuto or just change the topic entirely. Maybe having an outside opinion would help her arrange her scrambled thoughts. "Well you see, I like this person. And recently he revealed that he liked me too."
"Alright." Akaashi nodded for her to continue.
"But I feel kind of hesitant going into a relationship. It's not his fault at all, I just. My last relationship was really bad."
"Do you want to date him?"
Yana nodded.
"But you're scared of what might happen after?"
"Yes" Yana looked down at her shoes. She shouldn't be scared. Oikawa wasn't Iseri and would never do anything of the sort. At this point it just felt like this silly irrational fear. Being confessed too wasn't something to complain about.
"I may not be qualified to say such things since I'm not too sure on who this guy is, but I'd say take the jump. If you like him and he likes you then give it a shot. As you know, when I asked Bokuto to be my boyfriend I didn't know if he liked me in the same way, I didn't even know if he was into guys or not." Akaashi waved as Bokuto started running towards the pair holding and giant stuffed owl. "You might find it scary at first, but I can guarantee you. If it's what your heart wants, you won't regret a thing."
---------
The day had gone as smoothly as they all hoped. Kenma of course, managed to use his tickets to trade for 'Ultimate Prize' which was -unsurprisingly- a new game.
Kuroo on the other hand, held three matching keychains. The first part had two graham crackers as its design, the second was a toasted marshmallow and the final piece was a block of chocolate. The three keychains were the components needed to make 'smores. Kuroo handed the cracker keychain to Kenma "You can have this one because it matches your hair." He handed the marshmallow one to Yana, "Marshmallow for you because you are the softest squish, and finally the chocolate keychain for me, because I'm the best part." Kuroo winked at his unamused audience.
"Bro...that's like poetic."
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Bokuto and Akaashi had left a little before dinner leaving the trio alone again. "So, what next?" The group had lost track of time while they played and now it was a little too late to send Yana back home. It would take Yana a few extra hours by train to make it out to the country and none of them liked the idea of her going back alone late at night.
"We can have dinner and a sleepover. Our families were planning on having dinner together again anyway." Kuroo looked at his childhood friends. "We can bring Yana with us, I'm sure they'll be happy to see her."
"If it's alright."
"Yeah" Kenma took out his phone and sent a text message along with a photo of Yana, Kuroo and himself.
Kenma: We have a +1 for dinner tonight! [Insert Photo Here]
Kenma: Also, can she stay over for the night?
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No sooner than Yana had walked in she heard Kenma's parents call her name and pull her into a hug. "Yana, my baby! It's been so long! We missed you. How are things over there? Oh yes, and we already called your parents and told them you'd be with us for tonight."
Yana returned the hug just as happy to see them. Kenma and Kuroo's parents both treated her like she was their own daughter. "I missed you too. Thank you for letting me stay over again."
"It's no problem at all! We still have some of your stuff here." They released Yana from the hug and went back to the kitchen to finish off dinner.
Yana had forgotten about her 'sleepover bags', Yana had one in both Kenma and Kuroo's houses. Both bags had her pajamas, toothbrush and an extra set of clothes for the next day. "You still have my sleepover bags?"
"Well yeah, it's not like you were leaving forever." Kuroo shrugged.
"Kids! It's dinner time!" Kuroo's father called for the trio.
- ----THE NEXT DAY-----
"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Come visit soon, ok?"
"I will." Yana grinned and used Kuroo's words. "It's not like I'm leaving forever."
Thankfully, this time there were no tears during the goodbyes, only the promise of meeting again in the near future. She gave one more overly exaggerated flying kiss before she boarded the train.
- ----A FEW HOURS LATER-----
"Oh my god! Yana! I didn't expect to see you here on a Sunday."
Yana had just exited the train as a familiar voice called out to her. "Hey Rini, how are you?" Yana had never seen Rini out of uniform, or rather out of school at all so meeting her at the train station was a bizarre experience. Yana was shocked when she turned to face Rini. The only things that Yana recognized were Rini's hair color and her voice. While Yana did toy with the idea of Rini dressed in a sweet Lolita style she didn't actually expect to be right.
Rini had to walk over to Yana so as to not trip over her own pastel blue high platform heels. Her long hair was curled in twin pigtails and she was wearing a ruffled baby doll dress that matched her shoes. "I'm pretty good." she straightened out her dress once she had reached Yana. "I just finished my cosplay shoot! Oh, and I somehow managed get a date with Aiko!"
"Wait what!? Really?! Did he finally catch on?"
Rini sighed and looked at her feet while the pair continued to walk. "No. It's more like I convinced him to let me help him go grocery shopping. We are going together tomorrow afterschool."
That sentence alone broke Yana's soul. "Are you alright?"
Rini pepped herself up faster than she fell. "I'm great. There is always next time." Rini huffed with newfound determination. 'While I still breathe, I hope!" It was admirable. "Guys are so much work" She pouted. "They can be so...so yes, but at the same time, like no. Stop doing that to my heart."
"Oh, trust me I know, Oikawa is such a pain in the ass sometimes and we aren't even dating, but sometimes he comes up with the cutest things. Like fireflies? I mentioned that like once th-" Yana stopped mid-sentence. Her mouth had ended up running and did not stop till it was too late.
"I knew it!" Rini squealed, delighted that she was right about her prediction. "May I just say, Fireflies?! Do you know how super adorable that is!?" Rini held Yana's hands and shook them. "How long have you been dating? When did you start? Who made the first move? First base?" She wriggled her eyebrows "Or further ohohoho, how scandalous."
"We aren't dating."
"But why?! You should ask him then!" Rini pouted. It was obvious there was more to Yana's story than she let on.
"No, I'm not going to ask him!"
Rini paused for a moment as her mind went through all the fanfic scenarios she could think of. You may think it silly to compare fanfic romances to real life romance but there were some similarities that couldn't be denied. It wasn't even a moment later when she found her answer "Oh my gosh. He asked you, didn't he?!"
Yana didn't say anything.
"Oh my god. He did." Rini shook Yana's hands up and down with more gusto than necessary. "But, why aren't you dating yet? You didn't reject him, right?"
Yana gave Rini the very simplified version. "My past relationship went badly. My ex kind of put me off a little." Yana didn't really want to share all the details of her 'experience' with Rini. It wasn't something Yana enjoyed bringing up, so she kept it short.
Rini puffed up her cheeks before she let go of Yana's hands. "I think you need to hear this then." Rini stood up on a nearby bench and cleared her throat. "DON'T LET THAT EX MESS YOUR FUTURE UP LIKE THAT! THAT MEANS HE WON! NO GIRL YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT! JUST BECAUSE HE MADE YOU FEEL UNEASY DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO COWER TO THAT FEELING! YOU WILL HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS! SCREW THAT DIRTBAG! GO GET YOUR MAN!" Rini seemed to get louder the longer she talked.
"Rini, shh." Yana looked around at the spectators who had come to see what the commotion was about. "You're being too loud."
Rini ignored Yana's protests and stood taller than before. "NEVER FORGET..." Rini pointed at Yana "...YOU ARE A QUEEN!"
Yana covered her bright red face with her hands and let out a long high-pitched whine. Please end me. While Rini's speech was very uplifting and appreciated, Yana just wished Rini would have chosen a better time and place. Yana was standing in the middle of the square with a little Lolita girl shouting that Yana was a queen. Yana couldn't express in words how incredibly embarrassed but flattered she was.
Rini didn't even bother hiding her shit eating grin. "I'll break the kneecaps of anyone who says otherwise!" A breeze a little stronger than usual blew at Rini's dress causing her to squeak and jump off the bench.
Yana quickly caught Rini from the jump. There was no way Rini was going to land safely while she was wearing those heels. In her haste Yana had misjudged the direction Rini was leaning to and the pair fell flat on their rumps. "Oww..."
Rini's shoulders started shaking in silent laughter before she burst out in infectious giggles. Yana wasn't sure why she found herself laughing so hard but once she started, she couldn't stop. It was laughter that Yana felt in her lungs, so hard that it took her breath away. To the onlookers the pair probably looked like they were crazy, but for Yana, this laughter created a small vacation. A blessed relief from the earlier distress that shoved its way into her brain, it was that moment where her doubts were dispelled. Yana knew exactly what she was going to do.
"Thanks, Rini."
"No problem. I want to be the Maid-of-Honor though."
-------
Yana pulled out her phone and started walking.
Yana: Meet me there in 20mins