Nakano was lying on her bed, waiting for Tobio to text her back. She'd messaged him earlier, hoping to chat with him, but he'd replied that he was just sitting down to a late dinner with his family and could he text her after that? She'd said of course, and then spent a little time getting everything organized for the rest of the school week. Once that little chore was done, she decided to simply kick back and wait for her best friend to finish dinner.
It had been a typical Monday - and yet it hadn't. All the boys were back, and it felt good to have everyone come together again. She hadn't been the only one to feel that way - Tadashi had greeted Tsukishima so enthusiastically at morning practice that Nakano had seriously thought the boy was going to toss his arms around his best friend and hug him. The very idea had made Nakano chuckle at the time - and she did so again now recalling it. Tsukki had given Yamaguchi a decidedly unimpressed look. "You saw me on Friday, Tadashi. I've only been gone two days. Quit looking at me like you haven't seen me in six months," Tsukki had groused at the pinch server, rolling his eyes.
"Sorry, Tsukki," Yams had replied brightly.
"Shut up, Tadashi," Tsukki had said, sounding slightly annoyed.
Nakano had laughed at the reversal of the pair's usual lines. And then continued to snicker at them all day, as Yamaguchi was hanging on Tsukki's every movement and word like a puppy, and staunchly defending him from any and all perceived dangers like one too. Nakano had pondered what might have inspired this new level of attachment for the freckle-faced boy, and thought she had a pretty good idea. Tsukishima grew steadily more irritated with the whole thing, and by the time they were walking home, the blonde had had enough.
"Ugh, Tadashi, what the hell?" Tsukki had finally yelled at him in response to Yamaguchi's latest verbal gushing about Tsukishima's clear vast improvement thanks to his experience at the training camp. "What has got you so damn wound up?"
Tadashi had looked nervously between his best friend and his best friend's girl and had begun rubbing the back of his neck, his cheeks beginning to blaze. "Well, Tsukki...I...uh...I wanted to ask you...well, actually, both of you, I guess...but Naka-chan almost certainly won't mind...but you might...and so I..."
"Spit it out, Tadashi. Just get to the point already," Tsukki had demanded, although Nakano could see his eyes had softened a touch. She'd snickered behind a hand, watching the rather adorable dynamic between the two boys. Were she and Kageyama this cute when they did best friend stuff? Kags probably would not appreciate that description.
Yamaguchi had taken a deep breath and squared his shoulders, looking ready to enter the lion's den. "So, would it be okay if I...uh...asked Yachi to join us for lunch at school?"
Nakano and Tsukishima had looked at each other and blinked. The girl had once again covered her face with a hand to stop herself from laughing out loud while Tsukki had rounded on his old friend. "Are you serious? That's what all this has been building up to? Did you really think I'd say no?"
"Well, yeah, Tsukki, you might. Yachi can be a little...squirrely. And I know that sometimes annoys you," Tadashi had replied.
The blonde had considered this for a moment. "Okay, fair point," he'd said, "but I also know you're hoping to officially become her boyfriend, Tadashi. So of course Yachi can join us for lunch. Every day, if you want her to." The blonde had paused, a little color rising to his cheeks. "Except for on Wednesdays," he'd muttered, eyes dropping to his feet.
Nakano smiled at the memory, recalling how sweet Kei had looked as he all but admitted he too was rather fond of 'Best Friend Lunch Day.' The three of them had agreed that Yamaguchi would invite Yachi that evening to have lunch with them tomorrow, and together they would offer the girl an official invitation to be part of their lunch club. Tadashi had been overjoyed at their generosity, and had waved them goodbye as they parted with almost as much enthusiasm as he'd welcomed Tsukki back that morning.
"Can you believe him?" Tsukki had asked Nakano after Yamaguchi had headed on his way.
"Actually, I think it makes a lot of sense, Kei. This is kind of a big step for the two of them. Almost an acknowledgement that what they've got happening here is a relationship - something neither one of them has been able to fully commit to yet. Yams says he wants it to be one, but I'm thinking that now that he's actually facing the idea, he's feeling a little nervous about it."
"So why would that make him want to cling on to me?"
"You're his best friend. Your relationship is safe, secure, and well-founded. His relationship with Yachi is new, and fragile, and about to tip over into something a lot more serious. That's kinda scary, don't you think?" Nakano had arched a brow at her boyfriend significantly.
"Alright, alright, I get it, Roses. I still think it's ridiculous though, to be that wound up over lunch."
The girl had slapped his arm, making the blonde pout. "Smart ass. You know this isn't about lunch. It's about what we became after the whole lunch thing started."
Tsukki had looked the strawberry blonde in the eye, a magnificent smirk taking over his face. "Is it time? 'Cause I've been dying to pay Tadashi back for the 'fun' he arranged before our first date."
Nakano had chuckled. "I know, love. But we don't want to scare Yachi off. What did you have in mind?"
Her sassy boyfriend had proceeded to outline his plan, and Nakano had to admit, it was a good one. Maybe a little over the top...okay, maybe a lot over the top...but definitely a fitting way to get back at his best friend, and tease the two shy teenagers a little bit, especially after all the drama that surrounded their first kiss. Nakano found herself looking rather forward to tomorrow's lunch.
A chiming sound signaled an incoming text, and Nakano grabbed up her phone to see if it was her raven-haired best friend.
My Big Bro 🤗
Sorry about that Naka-chan. What's up?
Queen Setter 🏐
No problem Tobio-chan. Have a good dinner?
My Big Bro 🤗
Yep. Mom made pork curry.
Queen Setter 🏐
LOL No wonder you didn't want to text until you were finished.
My Big Bro 🤗
So what's going on?
Queen Setter 🏐
Look Tobio, I need you to do something for me. Or actually, stop doing something.
My Big Bro 🤗
Am I in trouble?
Queen Setter 🏐
LOL No, not really. And I know you're probably just messing with him. But please stop telling Hinata that he's useless without you.
My Big Bro 🤗
But he kinda is.
Queen Setter 🏐
KAGS!
My Big Bro 🤗
What? Without me to set for him, he's not worth a whole lot on the court.
Queen Setter 🏐
UGH TOBIO 🤦♀️
My Big Bro 🤗
You know it's true Naka-chan.
Queen Setter 🏐
Tobio, that is very much not true! Does Hinata need to work his fundamentals? Yes. Is he still learning? Yes. But he is not useless! And based on what I saw today, he's already done a fair lot of improving in just the last five days.
My Big Bro 🤗
You think so?
Queen Setter 🏐
He almost received your serve today, Kags. That's pretty impressive for Hinata.
My Big Bro 🤗
Almost doesn't count for much in a real game, Naka-chan.
Queen Setter 🏐
But he needs to have the confidence to know he can make it happen in a real game. And he's not gonna have that if you keep tearing him down all the time!
My Big Bro 🤗
But he knows he needs me. I'm not telling him something he doesn't already know.
Queen Setter 🏐
Tobio, you are missing the point.
My Big Bro 🤗
Well what is the point?
Queen Setter 🏐
The point is confidence. He needs to know that he can do what needs to be done when he's on the court - even if you aren't there.
My Big Bro 🤗
But I'll be there.
The girl groaned, holding her head in her hands. At times like this, her best friend could be so dense.
Queen Setter 🏐
Forever?
My Big Bro 🤗
I mean, why not?
Nakano's head whirled. Was Tobio thinking only of volleyball, or was there more to this conversation than she'd originally thought? Should I ask, she wondered, should I really go there right now? No, she decided, if we're going to talk about that, I think that needs to be done in person. Better keep this focused on volleyball only, for the moment.
Queen Setter 🏐
Tobio, yes, right now, and possibly for the next several years, you're Shoyo's setter. But even now, you're not always on the court with him.
My Big Bro 🤗
What do you mean?
Queen Setter 🏐
What about when Suga gets subbed in?
My Big Bro 🤗
But that's only if I'm hurt, or exhausted.
Queen Setter 🏐
Yes, but Shoyo needs to know he can continue to play his best even if you are not his setter. Why do you think I worked so hard to learn to do the minus tempo quick with him? So he could see for himself that he didn't need you to do that!
My Big Bro 🤗
That's why you did that? I thought you wanted to learn to do it so you could use that when you play for the girls' team.
Queen Setter 🏐
Well, yeah, I mean that's great too, but honestly right now I'm much more focused on getting Shoyo to where he needs to be. We need all of us at our best for Nationals, don't you agree?
My Big Bro 🤗
Of course, but I don't get why you think he doesn't have confidence in himself. He always seems to think he can do anything!
Queen Setter 🏐
Does he? Or does he just *try* to do anything? Does he really *believe* he can do it, or does he just throw himself into it, and hope for the best?
My Big Bro 🤗
Is there a difference?
Queen Setter 🏐
Yes, Tobio, there's a big difference. You're right, Shoyo knows his weaknesses. And he's working on them as best he can. And he's doing really well. All I am asking is that you don't let him create another weakness by telling him he's useless without you. Because if he ends up believing that, then it will be true.
My Big Bro 🤗
Huh?
Once again, the girl sighed deeply. Maybe I should have had this conversation in person too, she lamented to herself.
Queen Setter 🏐
If you say it to him enough, Shoyo will end up completely believing he's useless without you. And then, if he's forced to work with Suga or someone else setting for him, he'll choke, because he'll think that nothing he does will work if you're not the one setting him up.
My Big Bro 🤗
You really think that could happen?
Queen Setter 🏐
Yes, Kags, I really think it could.
My Big Bro 🤗
Well, okay, I guess that wouldn't be good. I mean, it's not like I say it to him all the time or anything. But I'll try to remember not to say it again.
Queen Setter 🏐
Thanks, Tobio-chan.
My Big Bro 🤗
But I tend to just say whatever I'm thinking at him, so I'll probably forget.
Nakano rolled her eyes. Yeah, definitely should have done this one in person, too, she thought.
Queen Setter 🏐
I'll remind you by smacking you upside the head.
My Big Bro 🤗
Naka-chan!
Queen Setter 🏐
What? If I do that a few times, I'm sure you'll remember.
My Big Bro 🤗
You are an evil little sister.
Queen Setter 🏐
You are so mean to me.
My Big Bro 🤗
Look who's talking.
Queen Setter 🏐
Hey Tobio?
My Big Bro 🤗
Yeah?
Queen Setter 🏐
Love you, big bro.
My Big Bro 🤗
Love you too, little sis. You're a good coach - looking out for all your players. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
Nakano's eyes widened at the boy's praise for her coaching. Was this good coaching? I was just trying to stop you from being too much of an ass, Tobio, the girl thought.
Queen Setter 🏐
Goodnight, Tobio-chan.
Nakano sighed, setting her phone up to charge and getting ready to complete her night routine before bed, when a knock sounded at her door.
"Come in," she called.
Ogawa Tanjiro opened his daughter's bedroom door, giving the girl a hesitant smile. "Hey, Little Warrior...can we talk for a few minutes? I've got something I need to tell you."
Nakano felt a cold shiver run down her back at the the look on her father's face.
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima jammed his hands deeper into the pockets of his coat and ran a little faster. It was almost two o'clock in the morning, and he was once again running to Nakano's bedroom window. When he was alone in his bed, he was a fairly light sleeper, so when his phone went off just after one-thirty in the morning he'd sat almost bolt upright, grabbing the phone and growling at it.
Until he'd seen who was calling.
Nakano had tried hard to keep the tears out of her voice, but he could tell she'd been crying - and quite possibly still was. She'd begged him to please come over to her window as soon as he could - she'd tried but couldn't sleep and had to talk to him. And so here he was making his way once again to the girl's bedroom in the middle of the night. He was, quite frankly, very, very worried. What could have upset her so? His still slightly sleep-muddled brain tried to think back over the last two days to figure out what he might have done to hurt her, but he honestly couldn't come up with anything. He would just have to wait and find out what was on his girlfriend's mind. He could see her silhouette in the window as he approached the yard, wrapped in a blanket and watching for him.
The instant he was inside her room, the girl quietly slid her window shut against the cold and wrapped the blanket around them both, burying her face into his chest, her hands gripping lightly on his coat, tears already splashing onto the fabric as she shook with silent sobs. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight to him, crooning soft comforting noises and feeling thoroughly confused. What on Earth had happened?
He gave her a few minutes to just let out some of the emotions, letting her cry and snivel against him as he stroked her hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back. He was about to make a sarcastic quip about always seeming to wind up with her snot on him when she suddenly looked up at him. The sheer anguish in her eyes stopped his breath for a moment, and he gathered her in close again. "Roses? What's wrong, love? Tell me what's happened."
"Kei," she began, very clearly trying to get herself under control so she could speak, "I...I don't know how to tell you this..."
The boy felt like a spear of ice suddenly pierced his heart. He swallowed hard, trying to remain calm. "Just tell me, Roses. Whatever it is, whatever I've done, I promise you, I'll make it right."
"Oh no, no, it's nothing like that at all!" the girl gasped out, tossing her arms around his neck and clinging to him once again, hands slipping up to run through his sleep-mussed blonde locks. "It's nothing you've done! It's...it's what I'm going to have to do. I can't believe this, Kei. I can't believe Dad would do this."
Fortunately, Nakano was still hugging Kei tightly, the boy's face leaning against her shoulder, as he suddenly realized what this was all about. He tensed, worried she'd see the slight look of relief and amusement on his face, but she didn't, and his tension was something he could play off of, make it seem like he didn't have any clue about what must have happened in the Ogawa household tonight. "Have I done something to upset Ogawa-san?" he asked, letting a little nervousness permeate his tone.
"No, love...ugh..." the girl pouted, pulling back from him and taking his now worried-looking face into her hands. "I can't think of a gentle way to say this, so I'm just going to come out with it." Having said that, she paused, looking as though she were gathering strength.
"Just tell me, Roses. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together," he said, employing all his strength of will not to smirk at the girl.
Nakano took a deep breath, then launched into a rushed explanation. "Every year there's a Navy Christmas party - a dance. All the officers are expected to bring their spouses and their high school aged children. It's almost a sort of...right of passage for the kids of naval officers. Like a debutante's ball, almost. Well, this is my first one, my debut, and tonight, Dad informed me that my escort for the event has already been chosen. It's this coming Saturday night, and I have to go to this stupid thing with...with...someone who isn't you!" The girl burst into tears again, burying her face in Kei's chest once more.
Kei felt a terrible conflict within himself - her crying was breaking his heart, and she was suffering like this for no reason - he was the escort her father had chosen for her, after all. But he knew this was something Ogawa-san had been looking forward to - playing this prank on his daughter. He agonized for a long moment - should he reveal the surprise to the girl and make her feel better, but spoil Ogawa-san's big moment? I think I'd better stick to the plan, Tsukishima decided, Nakano will forgive me in the end...I don't know exactly how her dad would react to my turning traitor, and I don't think I want to find out. He once again fought to school his features to something that suggested 'I'm not happy but it isn't your fault.' I need to strike the right tone here, he thought, slightly jealous but understanding enough that she won't try to push too hard against her dad's wishes. I also have to pretend I have no clue what's happening. "I...I don't understand. Am I not allowed to go because my family isn't Navy?" Kei's voice was slightly annoyed, slightly jealous, and slightly pleading all at the same time.
"No, it's not that. Dad said he was sorry, but arrangements for my escort had already been made. I can't take you with me, even though you're my boyfriend. It's not fair!" The girl pounded a fist on him softly, her voice carrying the full weight of her irritation even though she was smart enough to keep her volume low. "I can't believe he would do this to me! I told him there was absolutely no way I was going with anyone other than you...and he...he..." The girl sighed, almost seeming to deflate. "When my dad makes a decision, you don't cross him. He informed me in no uncertain terms I will be going to the dance this Saturday and that was that. I...I'm so angry with him, Kei. But I can't defy him."
The boy had not considered the idea that his girlfriend might actually get genuinely angry with her father. But it was clear to him she was, because she was now almost shaking with pent up anger. I need to find some way to deflect this, he thought, I don't want her relationship with her Dad to suffer for the sake of what amounts to a practical joke! "Nakano," he began, his voice sounding like he was struggling to keep it even, "did your dad say who would be taking you to this party?"
As he'd hoped, the question brought the girl up short, distracting her from her anger and making her think. "No...he actually didn't say. I got so mad at him for the very idea of him choosing someone else to be my escort that I didn't even ask who it was going to be." She seemed to consider the concept for a moment. "It's got to be Admiral Iida's youngest son. The Admiral has been joking with Dad for years about how his youngest boy and I are the same age, and that they should get us together sometime. I bet it's him."
Yes, Kei thought, perfect. I can work with this. "The Admiral's son? So you're saying this whole thing is politics, essentially."
"What?" Nakano queried, looking at him in confusion.
"Admiral Iida is essentially your dad's boss, right?" Kei asked. Nakano nodded. "Well, I can imagine that it would be very hard for your dad to say no to anything the Admiral asked of him, especially given the strict hierarchy of the Navy. You don't disobey a superior officer without a hell of a good reason, right? I mean, I know this isn't exactly a matter of national security, but..." Kei trailed off, hoping the girl would come to the right conclusion.
"I guess so. But the Admiral has always seemed like such a nice man, I would think my dad would be able to explain that I already have a boyfriend..."
"Heck, it's possible this all got arranged long before I was your boyfriend, and the Admiral just sprung it on him again now that the dance is around the corner."
Nakano suddenly gave him a curious look. "You're taking this awfully well..."
Uh-oh, Kei thought, danger zone! He clicked his tongue at the girl. "Look, I'm not thrilled. But...I...I know you love me, Roses. And that you'd choose me if you were being given a choice. And...I want to believe that your Dad approves of me as your boyfriend. I mean, he's told me so, in many, many ways - sometimes even straight out. Did you ask him why, when he told you?"
Once again, the girl suddenly looked thoughtful. "No...I was so upset at the idea of going to this stupid thing with some other boy I just lashed out at him. And then he put his foot down...and that was it. We didn't really talk so much as have a shouting match. That he won."
Kei kissed his pretty girl on the forehead. "Look, I bet this kind of thing happens a lot. I mean, it's the Navy, right? And I...I'm trying not to be jealous, Roses. Because even if you have to go to this party escorted by...by...some weird guy..." Kei growled the phrase out, "I know you'll be there only to support your dad. And that if this guy you end up going with tries anything..."
"...I'll kick his ass right there on the dance floor," Nakano finished for him, her own voice becoming something of a growl.
Kei chuckled. "That's my beautiful badass babe." He cuddled her close, hoping he'd managed to pull this one off and keep the girl from being suspicious of him. "I love you, Roses. And I know you love me, even if I..." The girl suddenly turned a glare on him, and he subsided. "...uh...I mean...even if you have to go to this thing with whomever your dad picked."
Nakano snuggled up into Kei's arms once again, kissing him sweetly. "Oh Kei, I love you so much. I'm so sorry about all this...and I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful, understanding boyfriend." She kissed him again. "I was so afraid to tell you about this...afraid you'd be so angry, so upset. So jealous. I've been just lying in bed, crying and worrying about how to tell you...I just couldn't take it anymore."
It suddenly struck the boy that it was the middle of the night, and they both had school in the morning. "Roses, you've not had any sleep yet?"
"No, not really," she said, suddenly having to stifle a yawn.
"Then, as much as I hate to leave you, it's time for me to go home. Try to get as much rest as you can, love. It's going to be long day for you tomorrow on such little sleep." He moved towards the window, the girl followed, clinging to his arm. She pulled him down into a kiss one last time before opening the window for him.
"I love you, Tsukishima Kei. You really are amazing."
"We'll get through this together, Roses. And please, don't fight with your dad. Talk to him," Kei said, once again swallowing a smirk, knowing that the last thing the man probably wanted was to talk more about this with his daughter. Serves him right, at least a little, for upsetting her so, the boy thought, but at least I know that Saturday is going to be one hell of an amazing day for you, Roses. "Or talk with your mom. I bet she can tell you lots of tales about things like this happening to her over the years. Okay?"
"Okay," the girl replied softly.
"Now get to bed. I'll see you again in few hours." He kissed her sweetly on the forehead, slipping back out the window and into the cold, headed home.
He looked back quite a few times, seeing the the girl still in the window until he was too far away to properly make out what he was seeing. As he once again broke into a jog, the boy breathed a deep sigh of relief. You owe me, Ogawa-san, he thought, then chuckled. I intend to remind him of this when I come asking for Nakano's hand in marriage. I think it's entirely possible the girl might just attempt to kill both of us on Saturday night. He was already plotting, rethinking his plan for Saturday, making sure that everything would be so over-the-top incredible for his lovely lady that she'd simply have to forgive him. And if none of that works, he mused, slipping back into his own house, I'm going to totally throw Ogawa-san under the bus for this one. It was all his idea, after all. Kei laughed quietly to himself as he made his way back to bed at last.
🏐🏐🏐
"So, do you guys eat lunch in the gym every day?" Yachi asked as she looked around the familiar space with wide eyes, feeling as though she were seeing it for the first time.
"Nah, only on Tuesdays and Thursdays really," Yamaguchi replied, "'cause that's when Naka-chan does her leg workouts."
Tsukki swallowed the bite of curry bun he was munching on. "And actually, that's really only for the winter - once the weather improves, we usually eat outside, and then Naka-chan just comes in here for her workout after that."
Nakano smiled and nodded, being rather absorbed in exercising her legs at the moment. She'd been feeling rather tired all morning, thanks to the mess of the previous evening, and she found the workout to be rather invigorating. She had decided to work out first and then eat today, and her mouth was already watering at the thought of not only the sushi in her own bento, but also the curry bun from Tsukki's that the blonde had promised to save for her.
"Thank you guys so much for letting me join your lunch group," Yachi gushed, eating a little more of her cold soba, "How long have you guys been getting together like this?"
"Wow...since like, April, I think, right Tsukki?" Tadashi said, looking at his best friend.
Nakano finished up her exercises, settling herself down to sit between Kei and Tadashi. "Yep. It wasn't all that long after I joined the team. Remember, Tsukki? You came barging in on me in the storage room that day, and started demanding that I stop overworking myself."
Tsukki chuckled. "Mhmmm. All because Tadashi made sure I was alone for lunch...he knew my curiosity would get the better of me." The boy smirked at his best friend, then turned and kissed his girl, handing her a curry bun.
Yamaguchi turned a fabulous shade of red. "You knew?"
Tsukki scoffed. "Well, it wasn't all that hard to figure out, Tadashi. Nothing ever came of your so-called 'meeting with sensei' so I figured you just said that so I'd follow after Nakano and find out what she was doing every day for lunch."
Nakano laughed. "Of course, at the time, Tadashi, I don't think he had a clue that's what you were doing. You really are the best wingman ever," she said, giving Yamaguchi a high five as Tsukishima glared at them both.
"So, are you saying you were trying to get them together as early as April, Yamaguchi? I thought Nakano and Tsukki didn't start dating until July," Yachi turned wide eyes on the dark-haired boy next to her.
Yamaguchi chuckled. "Well, kinda, I guess. I don't think either one of them was really aware of it yet, and I didn't really know Naka-chan all that well...but I could tell Tsukki was fascinated by her."
"Fascinated?" Tsukishima scoffed, "I think that's going a little far, Tadashi." Nakano gave the blonde a withering look, at which he chuckled.
"Tsukki, all I had to do was mention Nakano and you'd start rambling about her, wondering about what she was thinking and trying to figure out why she was doing this or that thing you'd noticed. You'd go on for twenty minutes at a time! I think fascinated isn't going far enough. You were kind of obsessed," Yamaguchi said, grousing just a little at his salty friend.
A soft ruddiness began to make itself known on Tsukishima's cheeks as the pretty strawberry blonde object of his affections snuggled up to him. "You might as well just admit it Tsukki, that was the real start of all this, wasn't it?" Nakano cooed, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Tsukishima looked between his girlfriend and his best friend, his expression caught somewhere between irritation and outright aggravation. Suddenly, his eyes softened, and he once again leaned over and kissed his pretty girl's forehead. "You had me at 'Enter Sandman,'" he admitted in a rather gentle tone. Nakano blushed and giggled.
Yachi was looking between the couple and their freckled bestie. "So, are you telling me that forming this lunch club was kind of the start of your relationship, and Yamaguchi was the one who pushed you to do that?"
"I'd say that's a reasonable explanation of what happened," Nakano replied brightly, "and now, you're joining us, Yachi! So...I guess this means..."
"...the start of another relationship, hmmm?" Tsukishima finished, cocking a brow at the other couple. Both Yamaguchi and Yachi were turning delightful shades of red.
"How long do you think it will take?" Nakano asked her boyfriend.
"Well, it took us about three months, right? But then again, we are definitely a little more...expressive than these two."
"Mmmm. But they've already kissed. And there's kind of been a lot of back and forth here, you know. Heck, they've even already been on their first official date."
"Ah, I'd forgotten about that."
"So, where does that leave us?"
"Two months?"
"Seems about right."
"What are they talking about?" Yachi asked Yamaguchi.
"How long it's going to take before the two of you finally just accept that you're boyfriend and girlfriend already," Tsukki said, smirking at the pair.
Yachi started, her eyes going wide and her cheeks flaring. She suddenly found her bento absolutely fascinating, staring down at it as she used her chopsticks to push around the last bits of her meal. Yamaguchi blushed as well, but was also giving Yachi a rather sly look as his hand reached out and gently took the little blonde manager's unoccupied hand. "Can we at least tell them, please? I mean, they are my two best friends," Tadashi said softly.
"I-I-I guess, th-that's fair. O-okay," Yachi stammered out, not looking up.
Tsukishima cocked a brow at his old friend. "Tell us what, Tadashi?"
Yamaguchi looked up at the blonde couple, his smile wide. "Yachi accepted me as her boyfriend last night," he said, pride and happiness evident in his voice.
And then Yachi slapped him on the shoulder, making him wince and laugh at the same time. "Don't say it like that!" the girl yelped out, "it makes me sound like I was being all high and mighty about it or something..." Yachi trailed off as she realized that slapping the boy also probably made her look pretty mean-spirited. "I...oh...I'm not like...oh man..." The blonde gave up, burying her face in her hands.
Nakano laughed heartily, clapping her hands. "Oh Yachi, that's wonderful! Don't be embarrassed - it's a great thing! You guys are finally official and I'm so happy for you!"
Tsukishima caught the brunette's eyes, giving him a nod. "Nice work, Tadashi," he said softly as Nakano continued to fangirl at Yachi over her newly-formed relationship. "But why exactly are you keeping it a secret?" the middle blocker asked a bit louder.
Nakano caught that and scoffed. "Says the guy who wanted to keep our relationship secret at first too." Tsukishima glared at her. "As I recall, that lasted all of a day, and you were the one who ruined it by kissing me in the middle of practice."
It was Tsukishima's turn to scoff. "Because someone came bounding into the gym, no metal braces and no wheelchair, showing off her sexy legs to a room full of guys. I had to make sure they all understand that you are mine," the boy responded, leaning over and kissing Nakano on the cheek as she giggled.
"Fair point," the setter replied.
Is this what it will be like for Yamaguchi and I, someday, Yachi thought, to be so comfortable showing affection in front of our friends. I somehow never thought Tsukishima would ever be so...so...easygoing about this kind of thing. But it's like he just can't help it. He wants to show everyone that Nakano is his girl. The little blonde smiled, realizing that Yamaguchi was still holding her hand as he smiled at his best friends. I guess this is a pretty good start. I've just pretty much admitted that I have a boyfriend. Yamaguchi Tadashi is my boyfriend! She smiled brightly, cheeks flushed, looking around at her friends as if she'd just exclaimed that sentence to the world. Now I just need to find a way to tell my mom. A small shiver ran through her. One battle at a time, she thought.
"If you guys don't mind, we're really kind of keeping things a little quiet right now, though. Yachi hasn't told her mom yet, so we're trying not to make a big deal out of it until she does," Yamaguchi said.
"What do you think I'm going to do, Tadashi, hire a skywriter?" Tsukki said, letting the sarcasm flow freely.
Nakano smiled kindly at Yachi. "I know how that is, Yachi. But you know what? Just talk with her. You might find it easier than you think it will be. And if you need some support, we're right here for you, both of you."
"Thanks, guys. You're the best," Yachi said softly, giving Tadashi's hand a gentle squeeze.
"So, what are you going to do tomorrow, Yachi?" Tsukishima asked.
"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, looking at the middle blocker curiously.
"On Wednesdays, we don't meet for lunch, Yachi. Wednesday is 'Best Friend Lunch Day' - Tsukki and Tadashi eat together alone, and I have lunch with Kageyama. So you'll have to arrange to eat lunch with someone else tomorrow." Nakano explained.
"Oh! Yes, I forgot about that part. I'll have lunch with Kogami-chan - she's my best friend in class. In fact...she's the only other one we've told about...uh...us...uh...b-b-b-being a c-c-c-couple. Because I used to eat with her every day, so I wanted to tell her why it would only be on Wednesdays from now on," Yachi spilled out, stumbling a little over her words.
"Well good, I'm glad that's settled," Nakano said, beginning to pack up her bento.
"Mmmm, me too," Tsukki began, a slightly teasing note to his voice. "And I'm looking forward to the next part of this. So...when should we set up for our first swap?"
Yachi looked at Yamaguchi, who shrugged at her. "Swap?" he asked, his voice dying and mouth dropping open as he looked at his two friends.
Nakano was giving Tadashi what he could only call bedroom eyes, her hand looking like it was itching to take hold of his own. Tsukki meanwhile, was staring almost hungrily at Yachi, his tongue darting out to lick over his lips seductively.
Yachi looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights, virtually quaking in fear.
"You know, Tadashi," Tsukishima said, his voice husky, "now that you and I both have girlfriends, we can share, just like best friends should." He leaned over slightly towards Yachi, who turned pale. "Right, Naka-chan?"
"Uh huh," Nakano said lowly, her hand finally giving in and taking hold of Tadashi's, "Sharing is caring, after all."
"And we do care a lot about our teammates," Tsukki said, giving Yachi a leer.
"W-w-w-wha?" Yachi stammered out, her voice barely audible.
"It'll be fun, right, Yachi?" Tsukki continued in his sexiest tones.
Yamaguchi looked beyond confused, with a generous helping of fear, and something on the order of anguish mixed in. He tried to shake Nakano's hand loose, but she held on. "Tsukki? What are you doing? What the heck is going on here?" The boy sounded like he might burst into tears, deck his best friend, and run screaming, in that order.
"Oh don't worry, Tadashi," Tsukki said smarmily, turning his attention to the boy and reaching into his pocket. He tossed a handful of condoms across Yamaguchi's lap. "I'm very well prepared," he finished, sarcasm once again dripping from his words.
Tadashi's eyes went as wide as saucers. "You...this...I..." he stuttered out.
Nakano chuckled, using the hand she was holding to pull the completely shocked boy into a side hug. "Gotcha, Tadashi."
Deeply relieved laughter flooded from the greenish-haired boy, and his body visibly sagged against Nakano. "This - this was all to get back at me for what happened before your first date, wasn't it?"
"Told you we'd be more subtle, Tadashi," Nakano said, as Tsukki just gave his best friend a superior smirk. Yachi suddenly giggled, and Yamaguchi boggled at her.
"We really did get you, didn't we?" the little blonde chuckled out.
"You...you were in on it?" Yamaguchi gasped out.
"Well, we didn't want to do something like that to her and have run her screaming from you and your kinky friends, Tadashi. I wanted to get you back, not ruin your relationship," Tsukki said, giving Yachi a small smile, "Well done, Yachi."
"Yeah, you handled that like a pro!" Nakano said, resuming the process of cleaning up.
"It was worth it," Yachi replied, tidying up from her own lunch, "I thought the boys went way overboard with what they did to you Tsukishima, so I figured a little payback was in order."
"Who knew you had such a sassy side, Yachi," Yamaguchi muttered as he and Tsukki cleaned up both the condoms and their bentos, "I'm surprised you didn't play along with them like you wanted a girlfriend swap."
"They asked me to, but I knew if I did that, you'd figure out immediately it was a put-on," Yachi replied, blushing, "plus I wasn't entirely sure I could pull that one off at all. But I can do nervous like nobody's business!" the girl said proudly, making her friends laugh.
Soon the two couples were headed back towards their classrooms, the two girls walking in front with the boys behind them. "Don't look now, Yachi, but I think we'd better be careful of those two boys behind us," Nakano mock-whispered, making sure the guys could hear her, "I happen to know they both have condoms in their pockets!"
"Shut up, Naka-chan," the two boys chorused.
"Sorry, not sorry, fellas," the strawberry blonde replied, laughing.
Yachi smiled at her friends, and her newly minted boyfriend, feeling happier than she could remember being in quite a while.
🏐🏐🏐
Nakano was making her way amongst her players, trying to get each of them settled. Everyone was on edge - somehow anything involving Date Tech always seemed to get the whole team riled up. And they would be arriving any minute to play some practice sets with Karasuno and once again allow them to test out their new serving strategies. She knew this was going to be a rough day for them - they hadn't played together properly in more than a week, and that week had been full of changes for all of them. Kinoshita looked excited, wanting the chance to serve and test his mettle against a real opponent. Tadashi looked nervous, afraid of falling behind, afraid his senpai would outdo him. Tanaka appeared to be attempting to find his zone, trying to be cool and calm while obviously boiling over with excited energy. Sugawara was freaking out, constantly glancing at the doors to the gym as if he were expecting demons to come strolling in any moment. Daichi seemed almost too focused - he was currently gripping a volleyball in his hands so tightly it seemed like he might just pop the thing.
And then, they walked in. Date Tech had arrived, and things began to get weird.
Their new starting line up was impressive. Aone was as intimidating as always, and Koganegawa seemed to already be growing into his role as setter and blocker. And then there was their new captain, Futakuchi. He seemed to be settling in quite well, finding his captain energy and being able to both lead his boys and rein them in when necessary.
Wow, Nakano thought, this is really going to be a hell of a day.
The girl couldn't help but laugh as Tadashi seemed to bristle all over as Koganegawa called out to greet Tsukki - using that exact nickname. The blonde didn't even particularly react, not even with an automatic 'don't call me that', and Yamaguchi was ready to defend his territory with all his might. And then Kageyama looked over, seeing the boy getting all friendly with one of his hitters, remembering Hinata saying that the broad-chested setter from Date Tech had gotten Tsukishima hitting higher than he himself was doing...and suddenly, Kageyama too was glaring at the happy-go-lucky Date Tech first year. If the boys could shoot lasers with their eyes, poor Koganegawa would have four holes clean through him, Nakano thought, making her way over to her oblivious boyfriend.
"You certainly are well-loved, Tsukki," Nakano told him, making the boy look at her curiously. "Koganegawa seems to think you guys are best buds, which is sending Tadashi into a fit of jealousy. Meanwhile, Kags knows the Date Tech setter was able to get you hitting at a higher impact point, thanks to Shoyo's little comment the other day, so now he's jealous as well."
"What?" Tsukki replied, looking around at his teammates in irritation, "What the hell is wrong with these guys today?"
Nakano clapped him on the shoulder. "Nothing at all, Tsukki. But you are their teammate, and they don't intend to share you with some other team at this point. Consider it a testimony to how well our team has come together over the past few months."
Soon enough, the first set was underway, and it was immediately clear that Date Tech's new iron wall was nothing to sneeze at. It was obvious that they'd spent a great deal of time working on their signature defensive moves, and it was equally clear that Karasuno was off their game. Nakano listened to Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei discuss Date Tech's new blocking system. "Bunch shift blocking is a royal pain in the ass, and Date Tech has gotten incredibly good at it," the girl muttered during a lull in their conversation, "Plus, right now, our guys are trying to mesh back together after having been apart for almost a week. Everyone is bringing new moves to the court, and it's going to take us some time to integrate all that in. This is not going to be an easy day for our boys, but it's a day they need to get through."
Ukai and Takeda exchanged a glance as they mulled over the words from their student coach.
As it turned out, she wasn't wrong.
Nothing seemed to be going right for Karasuno. Date Tech's new iron wall was well-nigh impregnable, and Asahi was once again being shut down at every turn - even with Hinata bouncing around as a decoy. The whole team just seemed to be out of it - not quite all there. And then, just when Nishinoya made a great save with his Rolling Thunder and things seemed to be looking up - Kageyama called the libero out for being in the way of the spikers. He's absolutely right, Nakano thought, but the team thought that was a positive, and now Kags has turned it into another problem. He's on edge, I can see it. They all are, but Kags is the worst right now. I think all that goody-two-shoes stuff might just come to a head, right here, today.
Every attempt at finding a rhythm seemed to go south for Karasuno. Asahi, Tsukishima, Tanaka - all of the boys seemed to be getting shut down, or were unable to properly synch up with their setter. And it certainly didn't help when Date Tech's retired third years showed up to cheer their boys on, banner and all. Nakano rolled her eyes and decided that at this point, the best thing to do was ignore Date Tech and focus on her own boys. She tried to consider ways she could step in, things she could do to try to help...and then it came to her.
Maybe the best thing she could do for Kageyama right now was let it happen to him. Let him lose his temper. Let him find out how to deal with his frustration and still work as part of a team. It wasn't going to be pretty, and she would definitely be there to support him if he had some valid points to make, but he needed to know that losing his cool once in while was not going to be the end of the world. The pressure was building - Kageyama was getting more and more frustrated as his hitters failed to put his sets away. And the rest of the team was either apologizing (Asahi), or arguing with him (Tsukishima).
It wasn't long before it happened.
The set ended, badly, and the team gathered around the coach's bench. Nakano caught the look on Kageyama's face, and turned to Coach Ukai. "I think this is going to be...rough," she said, making the coach look at her quizzically.
Asahi turned to face the glowering Kageyama. "Uh...uh...hey...Kageyama, check this out. There's something I wanna..."
"Just shut up and listen," Kageyama seethed at the ace, "The sets I'm giving you are excellent! You need to start scoring some points!" As soon as the aggravation exploded from him, Kageyama suddenly realized what he'd just done. His teammates were looking at him...almost like his middle school team had. Was it too late? Was the damage already done? Was this going to end just like it did in middle school?
Naturally, Tsukishima cracked a smirking smile at him. "Look everyone! We've seen the return of the King!" Nakano dropped her head into her hands, completely unable to believe that her boyfriend chose this moment to make a Lord of the Rings joke.
Kageyama was desperate to find a way to salvage the situation. He stammered in fear, bowing low. "I apologize..."
Shoyo broke in before he could say anything else. "You know, I always wondered - what's wrong with Kageyama being the King?" Kageyama looked at Shoyo like he'd lost his damn mind. "Is it that he's too self-centered? Or that he's bossy? I mean, either way - it doesn't really matter! If I don't agree with what he says, I just ignore him."
Kageyama gulped. Was being ignored better or worse than being hated?
Coach Ukai began to chuckle.
Nakano moved over to stand closer to her blonde boyfriend. "Seriously?" she whispered at him, "The Return of the King? You know that went right over his head, don't you?"
"Mmmm," the blonde hummed, beginning to clean his glasses, "but it wasn't for him, now was it?" Nakano chuckled softly in reply.
Meanwhile, Tanaka decided to speak up on the issue of Kageyama's royal attitude. "He can be completely right, but well, if he's a dick, no way I'm gonna do it."
Sugawara scoffed. "Yeah, okay, Tanaka, whatever - if someone gives you instructions you're gonna totally follow 'em. Just because you're so strict about maintaining team etiquette." Nakano began to snicker behind a hand at the very mention of her rowdy senpai and the word 'etiquette' in the same sentence.
"Yeah. True," Daichi agreed.
Asahi looked at Kageyama, a little embarrassed. "Well, I would appreciate it if you were a little more nice about stuff."
Hinata looked Kageyama full in the face again. "See? It doesn't really matter if you're the King or not." Now Kageyama seemed really confused. "Oh come on, man. Isn't being the King supposed to be like, awesome?" Kageyama began to feel like Hinata was mocking him, flipping from confusion to anger in a split second.
"There is no better set than the one that is easy for the spiker to hit," Coach Ukai intoned, making the players start and focus on him, "and it's definitely true that you only find out what that is by communicating. And men, I really don't think that means you're not gonna fight sometimes."
Asahi tried again, ever the gentleman. "Ugh. I'm sorry, Kageyama. I've been trying to time my hits in a way that they don't match Date Tech's block attempts. But I still can't quite get it to work against these guys. Your sets are great, though. So, keep doing what you're doing. They're probably gonna keep blocking me for awhile, so I'll apologize now. My bad."
Tanaka was not quite so gentlemanly. "And I'm still trying that super sharp cut shot. I mean, what better time than practicing against Date Tech? And you can just deal with it."
Kageyama furrowed his brows at his senpai, still feeling pretty aggravated. "I can't promise I will."
Tanaka just laughed. "Fine with me!"
Nakano crossed over to Kageyama, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Remember when I said you could be direct without being a jerk?"
"Yeah," Kageyama replied.
"Apparently, I was wrong." Tobio gave his best friend a look. She laughed. "But it's okay, Tobio-chan. See, no one here is abandoning you. Don't expect them to just roll over and take whatever you dish out, though. It's okay to feel frustrated, and to express it. It's okay to fight with your teammates, as long as at the end of the day, you guys remember you're a team. Work through it, and make it better on the other side. Now get back out there and start making it better. Let's see if we can take the second set, hmm?"
Kageyama caught Tsukishima giving him a deeply irritated look. "Can you tell your jackass of a boyfriend to get his act together and start playing like he means it?"
Nakano laughed at him again. "Nope. If you think he needs to be doing something different, communicate with him yourself. If I think you're right, I'll back you up. But you need to find some balance for yourself, Kags. You can't be a goody two shoes all the time, but you also can't go back to being a despot king either. You're gonna need to find a way to balance the two. So get out there and start doing it!" She shoved him towards the court, making him turn a mock glare on her.
And sure enough, the girl was right once again. Things did improve, but not until Kags and Tsukki had a few more tussles, and both started putting in some effort to actually work with each other. Karasuno did take the second set, and several others, during their time with Date Tech. As predicted, it was a long and exhausting day, but Nakano felt the team came through it well, and was better for it. And now, she knew they could continue to improve, to grow stronger, as they worked through the final weeks before the National tournament.
It had been a long and tiring day, and the girl was more than ready to go home. As they came down the steps from the changing rooms, Tadashi was drawn to the gym doors by the sounds of serving from within. Kinoshita was still working with Nishinoya, the middle blocker sending a strong serve over the net to the libero, making Tadashi gasp and cry out.
"What is it?" asked Tsukishima.
"Hisashi's getting better, more consistent with serving the ball to one spot. I think he's aiming it there." Yamaguchi clenched his fists, determination and frustration warring for control of his face. "I can't let him beat me!"
Nakano was about to say something, but Tsukki beat her to it. "There's nothing wrong with having more good players on the team. And he's not replacing you or anything." Nakano covered her mouth with her hand, silently marveling at her usually salty boyfriend's gentle encouragement of his best friend.
"Uh," Yamaguchi stuttered out, a bit nonplussed by Tsukki's statement, "Yeah, but that's not...what I meant!"
"Oh. Okay," Tsukki said, turning to begin the walk home.
Nakano chuckled, putting an arm around the pinch server's shoulders. "That was a good start, Tsukki. But there's more, Tadashi. Don't you dare forget who it was who caught us up with Shiratorizawa during the finals. And consistency comes from practice. Don't forget, Kinoshita's your senpai. Yes, he's learning new techniques, but he's still got experience on you. So, keep working. I'll add some drills for you, and for the team, based on what we've learned from our serving intensive. That said, if having a rival on the team is a motivator for you - go for it! Set your sights on beating Kinoshita. A friendly rivalry can make all the difference - right Kei?"
Tsukishima contemplated a sassy reply, but in the end, the girl was right. "Right, Naka-chan," he said, moving the girl from his best friend to cuddle close to him.
Yamaguchi couldn't help but chuckle. "You two really are something else," the boy said.
🏐🏐🏐
It was quiet, and Tsukishima recognized this kind of quiet for what it was.
It was the kind of quiet that fell between him and his girlfriend when Nakano was contemplating something rather deeply.
Once Tadashi had parted from them, the couple had headed towards their neighborhood, walking in their favorite way. Nakano had gone quiet almost immediately, and after the madness of their practice, Tsukki had welcomed the silence. But as it lingered, he began to realize Nakano's thoughts were far away, and he wondered what the girl was concerned about. I'm sure at least part of it is the dance this weekend, he thought, considering whether or not to bring it up or just leave the topic be. I know she'll know I'll have noticed her mood, he reasoned, internally wincing at how very much like a patented patch of Boku-ramble that sounded, and if I don't say something, she'll wonder why. Maybe I'll keep it generic - let her bring it up if she wants to discuss it.
"What are you thinking about, Roses?" he asked the girl, rubbing his hand softly on her shoulder.
"Hmmm?" the girl hummed, startled out of her reverie. "Oh, sorry, love, I guess I am a little lost in thought, aren't I?"
"Wanna talk about it?"
The girl was silent a few more moments, then suddenly asked a question. "Kei, do you think I'm a good coach?"
He shot her a look that clearly questioned her sanity. "Are you kidding? You're a great coach. I'm always amazed by how you're able to assess a person's emotional state and give them exactly what they need to motivate them to continue on."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, look at what you did today. I watched your face when we were playing in that first set. You could see Kageyama was starting to lose it, and I could tell you wanted to reach out to him, try to calm him down. But then, your face changed. It was like you instinctively knew that what he really needed was to lose it, that talking him down would only delay the inevitable and make it harder on him, and all of us. So you did for him what he needed, instead of what would maybe have made you feel better. Or even made him feel better in the short term. I mean, let's face it, the King's a pain in the ass, but having him lose his shit at practice is way better than having it happen during a real match."
Nakano chuckled. "Well, you're not wrong. It was like an instinct - I just felt that, if I'd have stepped in, we'd still be stuck in the same place. And we can't stay stuck - we've got to move forward if we're going to have any kind of real shot at Nationals."
"You did the same with Tadashi, too. And you're way better at it than I am."
"Huh?"
"I was trying to make him see that he wasn't about to be replaced. I thought he was worried that if Kinoshita was better than he was, he'd never get the chance to play. And maybe he is, a little. But you took it that step further, knowing he needs the pressure of a rival to push him forward. You just seem to have a real gift for knowing what people need to hear to break them out of whatever headspace they're in and get them set on the right path. Remember what happened after the game against Wakunan? When Tadashi told me how you'd yelled at him, I was totally shocked. I never thought you'd do something like that to a player who was feeling down. I started to ask him if he was alright, and he said he was better than alright - you'd given him just what he needed to come back from what had happened. He said if you hadn't given him that kick in the ass, he probably never would have been able to do as well as he did against Seijoh or Shiratorizawa. So it's not that you're just mindlessly positive and enthusiastic, Nakano. You've got a real gift for giving your players the exact kind of encouragement they need. And we're not even going to talk about everything you've done to help me." The blonde gave the girl a fond squeeze, making her giggle. "So, yeah, I'd say you're an amazing coach. What brought this on?"
Nakano once again looked thoughtful. "Something Suga-san and I discussed when he was my official escort home one day last week. He said it would be a shame if this year was my only time being a coach - that I should maybe consider coaching as a career."
"He's not wrong. I know we're going to miss you terribly next year when you're on the girls' team. And if you think you'd like to coach in the future, I'd say that would be awesome. Suga's right - you've got a real talent for it. Do you think you'd want to be a coach someday?"
"Well, after listening to him and to you, it certainly seems like something I should give real consideration to. I'd honestly never really thought about it before Suga brought it up. I have to admit, I am enjoying being a student coach for you guys. I guess I'd always been so focused on becoming a player again, I'd never really given much thought to coaching. I always thought I'd study to become an athletic trainer, so when I could no longer play competitively, I could still be involved with a team, you know?"
"Options are always a good thing, Roses."
"I think I might talk to a few of the other guys, too. I think you and Suga might be biased."
He cuddled her close again. "I know for a fact I am, but I'm also not wrong, beautiful." He smiled softly as the girl giggled. "Anything else going on in that head of yours tonight?"
Nakano gave forth an explosive sigh. "I have to go dress shopping with my mother tomorrow. I swear I'm going to pick the world's ugliest dress, just to spite my dad."
Tsukishima scoffed. "Now who will that really punish, Roses? You'll be the one wearing the thing. Seems to me you might as well pick something you'll enjoy having. I promise that you and I will find a way to make some good memories in whatever outfit you'll be wearing this weekend."
She gave the boy a look. "Oh? Planning on taking me dancing, lover boy?"
He stopped them from walking and took the girl into his arms, kissing her forehead. "If that's what you want, Roses. I know you're upset about this - believe me, I understand. But you'll get through it. And then I swear I'll erase any bad memories you have from the event and replace them with wonderful ones. Because I love you, Roses." He kissed her again, this time on the lips, and then got them walking again. "Did you talk to your dad about this any?"
"No," the girl replied, pouting, "he got called in to base and he won't be home again until Friday evening. I swear, I think he arranged this so I couldn't argue about it with him." Kei hid his smile, he wouldn't be at all surprised if Ogawa-san had done exactly that. "I'm going to talk with Mom tomorrow as you suggested, though." She looked up at him lovingly. "You've really been so amazing about all this, Kei. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised."
The blonde clicked his tongue at her. "Look, Roses, I won't say I'm not jealous...but I know this isn't your doing. And I know if this...escort...of yours tries anything, you'll skewer him. And..." Nakano watched as red seeped across his face, "...and I promised myself I'd never let my feelings of jealousy hurt you again, ever. And that's a promise I'm going to keep." That's all true, he thought, I will never, ever let jealousy get the better of me again.
Nakano stretched up and kissed the gorgeous blonde's reddened cheek. "Best boyfriend ever," she said, smiling as they made their way to her front door.