After about two hours of intensive training, during which Hanabi had shown the boys several exercises, they were delighted to be allowed to leave the gym. Semi and Kai had the worst sore muscles of their lives.
Everyone had disappeared so quickly that Hanabi stood alone in the hall with the balls lying on the floor and gritted her teeth. "Idiots." she said, picking up the balls. "Who?" came from behind her, and the blonde twitched briefly and looked up. "Oh, Ushijima, you're still here?" Hanabi asked.
"I wanted to ask you something else." he began, causing Hanabi to tilt her head. "You...talk?"
Wakatoshi looked down at the girl with slightly narrowed eyes. Admittedly, she looked really beautiful and had fistfuls of hair behind her ears. He had never seen a girl talk like that before, especially not to him. Maybe it was because she had grown up with the Miya twins.
"So...what's up?" came from her when she realized that he wasn't going to respond much. "Do you still have time? I wanted to train a little longer."
"Still now?" Hanabi asked immediately. "Don't you know how to take a break? You've been giving it your all for the last few hours." Wakatoshi nodded briefly. "Yes, but I want to do better."
"You already know that you made a deal with me. There was no question of me giving you private lessons." "I know, but the others would laugh at me if I asked a girl for help." the boy said monotonously and almost without emotion.
Even though Hanabi hadn't known him for long, she had already noticed what he was like. He knew volleyball best, but as far as the rest was concerned, he was a disaster.
"Listen, Ushijima..." "Wakatoshi." he said curtly, causing Hanabi to exhale softly. "Wakatoshi, I really appreciate your efforts, but I don't plan to stay longer than a week. Maybe you're very different from my brothers, but I don't think you can make me love volleyball again."
"It's not my plan either. I just want to see this week as an opportunity." Wakatoshi said in response. "Extra training, with no ulterior motive?" Hanabi asked, to which Wakatoshi nodded.
What would be the point if she helped him? Apparently he was still fit enough, otherwise he wouldn't have asked. "All right, Ushiji...Wakatoshi, I'll help you, but don't overdo it."
"I can take a lot." The ace simply said, collected all the balls with her and stood behind the net. "Forget it, Wakatoshi. You're not going to shoot over the net." "Huh?" was all he said before Hanabi started to grin. "You'll see."