I watched all practice as he picked on Tanaka. I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't sure if I would make it worse but after he corrected Tanaka for not calling someone else's ball I was about to lose it.
Tanaka on the other hand was taking everything in stride. He didn't seem to let it effect him, though I'm sure it was.
"God. He's pissing me off." I hissed to Sugawara as he got a drink.
"Why?" He asked, apparently not noticing how my dad was treating Tanaka.
"He's just acting like a prick for no reason. He's treating Tanaka like a rookie." I frowned.
He looked at me then Tanaka, "Don't think too much about it, okay? I'll step in if he's pushing Tanaka too hard, I'm sure Daichi will as well."
I gave him a glance through my eyebrows and nodded, "yeah, okay, thank you."
"No problem." he waved me off and walked back to the court.
After practice I helped take down the net, talking to the first years as Tanaka avoided me like the plague.
"What's your favorite color Sakai?" Hinata asked.
"Uhm. I guess I haven't thought about it much since elementary school..." I said, pausing, "I guess I'd have to go with red."
Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were laughing at my answer. I looked at them with a raised brow.
"What's your favorite color, Hinata?" I asked in return.
"Probably black or orange." He replied.
"Why?" I inquired, confused about why there was two.
"Because that's the school colors." He said with a smile. "What's yours, Kageyama?"
"Black." He replied.
"Is that because it's the schools colors?" I asked.
"No." He replied curtly, tossing a ball into the ball cart.
"Did you know that black is every color mixed together?" Yamaguchi perked up, "I learned that from Tsuki."
"Yamaguchi." Tsukishima glared at him.
His eyes widened and he stiffened up, "Sorry Tsuki."
"Did you know that white isn't a color?" I asked the group.
"Obviously." Tsukishima said at the same time Hinata said, "What?"
They both glared at each other and I turned just in time to see a shocked look on Kageyama's face.
While the tallest and shortest first years were at each other's necks I rolled the cart to the storage room. Nishinoya and Tanaka were talking when I walked in and once Tanaka saw me he backed up to the wall.
"Hey guys..." I said, pushing the ball cart in.
"Hey Hoshiko, I heard about your dad and Tanaka." Noya said, frowning slightly.
"Yeah... my dad told me I wasn't allowed to go anywhere with him alone again." I looked down at my shoes, feeling frustrated.
"I've been obeying the ten foot rule all day too." Tanaka added.
"Why don't all three of us go out then? You're not alone with Tanaka and he can still stay ten feet away!" Noya said with a smirk.
"Hey, that's not a bad idea!" Tanaka agreed, about to take a step forward to high five Noya but stopping and looking at me.
I took a couple steps back so they could high five.
Yamaguchi walked into the storage room, rolling in the net cart that had the poles and rolled up net on it, "What's going on...?" He asked, looking at the way we were all standing.
"Coach won't let me near Sakai." Tanaka crossed his arms.
"So all three of us are going out tonight!" I added cheerfully.
"Uh... I feel like I'm missing information." He said, pausing, "That sounds like a bad idea regardless."
"Hey! Stay out of it. This is big kid stuff, you wouldn't get it." Tanaka grilled and the libero nodded along.
"But Noya isn't big." Yamaguchi pointed at Noya.
"HEY! YOU KNOW WHAT HE MEANT!" Noya said, getting riled up. He threw off his elbow pad and threw up his fists, "I'LL SHOW YOU BIG."
I glanced at Tanaka who was looking between me and Noya, who was just a little too far for him to pull back.
Seeing this I decided I should probably leave before I witness a crime.
I walked with Hinata and Kageyama to the store where Kageyama got milk and a meat bun (weird combo) and Hinata stole three impressively large bites of Kageyama's meat bun.
"So what did you mean when you said white isn't a color?" Kageyama asked me. Or at least I assume he was asking me, he wasn't even looking in my direction when he asked, he was too busy trying to protect what was left of his meat bun.
"Oh!" I said, once I finally understand he was talking to me, "White isn't a color because it's the absence of color. Similar to how black is every color white is none of them." I explained.
"That's really cool." Kageyama said. I could tell he was deep in thought by the weird look on his face.
"The way you explained it made it make a lot of sense!" Hinata smiled.
"Thank you, I used to be really big into art so I took some classes about it." I elucidated.
The rest of the guys had already been through and I just had to keep the shop open for another hour and a half.
I sat and finished up school work while the last few customers came in, texting Tanaka and Noya about the plans in the meantime.
About fifteen minutes before closing my dad popped down to help tidy everything.
"You know Tanaka barely talked to me today because of you." I said, finishing up my english homework.
"Glad to hear it." He replied, sweeping down an aisle.
"He's one of my closest friends you know." I let out a huff.
He looked up, though I was still looking down at my papers, "Maybe some distance will be good for you then."
I let out an aggravated growl, "That's so- UGH! You know I'm having a hard time making friends here!" My eyes flew up to meet his, a frown prevalent on my face.
I saw his expression change to shocked, "I-I didn't know that." he said softly, "But... that's because you don't ever tell me anything!" He threw an accusatory finger in my direction, "I ask you about your day you reply "good." I ask you to come to me for questions and you call your mom. I ask you to tell me the truth and you lie." He said, throwing up a finger for each thing he listed.
My frown grew and tears started welling up, "Well I'm sorry I'm having trouble trusting someone who IGNORED ME for the first FIVE years of my life." I slammed close my english book and gathered my homework before storming upstairs.
I had to have the last laugh. I wasn't going to let him get the best of me.
12/17/2021
Unedited
wc: 1142