Edited on 21 December 2020.
❤️
When Atsumu told Momo to meet him by the gate at four, she didn't think she would be greeted with the whole volleyball.
"Uh...hello?"
The tall boy stared at her like she was some kind of exotic animal in a zoo. Being surrounded by ten guys who all were taller than she felt more than being in a jungle than a zoo. A few of them greeted her and introduced themselves to her. Akagi, the libero, noticed that she was much taller than the average woman.
"It's probably because I'm part Irish," explained Momo after Akagi asked her.
"Oh," his chocolate brown eyes winded, "that sounds interesting!"
"Thanks," chuckled Momo and let herself fall behind so she was next to Suna.
"That sounds interesting," he mocked in a deep voice when they were out of earshot.
"Oh, shut up," grinned Momo, "so, got any new tea for ya girl?"
"Nothing, but I think something will stir up when they see the two of you competing together."
Momo didn't miss his sarcastic tone and gave her friend a sharp look. She wanted to raise her voice when she has suddenly turned around. Atsumu grinned down at her and pushed her away from Suna, who threw her a provocative look.
"Well, we have to go now! C'mon, let's go, darling!"
Momo threw Atsumu a stern glanced before they stopped in front of the contest's large start sign. Atsumu filled out the application while Momo and Akagi fell into a conversation about Ireland.
"Good luck," smirked Osamu and clapped his brothers' shoulders.
The team decided to stay and watch the beginning of their contest. A girl from class 2-1 stepped in front of them and grinned brightly at the "couple".
"Welcome! Before you start the contest, we will explain the rules. The contest consists of three tasks. First, you have to race to the cafeteria and eat a bowl of spicy noodle soup. If you have a nut allergy, please tell us no."
Neither Atsumu nor Momo was allergic.
"Great! Okay, after the soup, you will run to the sports field. The second task is parkour. Finally, for your last task, run to classroom 2-1. There you will have to find a specific ball in a ball pit. The couple with the fastest time wins."
Momo wasn't too sure about the contest. Something seemed off about the straightforward race.
"To make the contest exciting and a bonding experience (Momo and Atsumu exchanged a glance), you both will be handcuffed to one another."
For a second, Momo thought she didn't understand the girl currently until another girl stepped closer with silver handcuffs in her hands. Atsumu chuckled at your flushed face, and Osamu and Suna erupted in loud laughter. Suna whipped out his phone and pressed the record button while the girl handcuffed Momo's and Atsumu's hands.
"Your first time?" asked Atsumu with a wink.
"Not yours?"
The metal was ice cold and felt very uncomfortable against their skin. Momo tried her best to ignore her quickened heartbeat.
"It's the excitement and the handcuffs," she told herself when her heart hammered against her rib cage.
Atsumu threw a glance down to his wrist. Momo's hands were just inches from his, and her warmth spreading over his skin. Ignoring the pleasing feeling which bloomed beneath his skin, he dragged Momo to the start line.
"Are you ready?" called the girl.
A few more people stopped to watch. Atsumu and Momo nodded and tensed their muscles.
"Ready, set, go!"
Momo ran as fast as she could. For a few seconds, she managed to head with Atsumu. However, he was too short. Momo didn't know anyone who could run as fast as Atsumu could. Quickly, she fell behind, and Atsumu partially dragged her along. The handcuff cut deeply into Momo's skin.
"Are you crazy?" shouted Momo at the top of her lungs when Atsumu slowed down to be next to her. His golden eyes nearly fell out of his head when she pushed him further. He hid a smirk and sprinted again. Momo gasped as the pain to write increased. She was sure she would have a few cuts after the races. They arrived at the cafeteria a few seconds later. Another girl mentioned for them to sit down at a table. Momo was out of breath, and pearls of sweat covered her forehead.
"One of you has to eat the noodles completely. The other can help with the soup," explained a boy as he sat down a steaming bowl with a spicy red broth a thick noodle in front of them. Atsumu initially took the chopsticks, and Momo let her eyes roll to the back of her.
"Ready? Let's go!"
Momo was used to Osamu's fast eating skills. However, at this moment, she couldn't believe her eyes. Atsumu was eating so fast she feared he forgot to breathe. Osamu would definitely be proud of Atsumu if he could see him right now. Atsumu dropped soul all over the table, and Momo had to press her lips in a firm, straight line so her laughter couldn't escape her lips. His face began to turn scarlet, and within a minute, the noodles were gone. The guy, whose task was to take their time, couldn't believe his eyes. Momo leaped forwards and seized the hot bowl. She didn't care; she was nearly sitting on Atsumu's lap as the bowl burned her skin and the broth of her throat. It felt like some had sprinkled chilly flakes in her throat and burned them now. With a loud bang, the bowl fell to the table.
"Finish!" cried Momo.
Atsumu and her face were scarlet, and both whipped tears from the corner of their eyes. The guy stopped their time, and another person handed them a small milk carton. Both poor the soothing liquid down their throat and didn't care that their clothes got soaked. Afterward, Atsumu let his eyes fall to Momo's face. Her cheeks were still scarlet, and her eyes puffed and watery. She looked like the girls Atsumu saw on Tv when their boyfriend broke up with them.
"What are you starring at, Miya! We have to go!"
Momo pulled hard on his arm and dragged him out of the cafeteria. Atsumu shook his head and suddenly noticed the deep red cuts on her wrist. Before thinking, he grabbed Momo's smaller hand and interviewed their fingers.
"What are you-"
Atsumu cut Momo off as he started to sprint again. Momo wasn't sure she liked their hands together, but she admitted that it was much more comfortable running.
"My god, you are slow," laughed Atsumu as Momo tried to breathe the fresh air. The two of them arrived at the sports field. Momo felt her stomach twist and turn. She pressed her hand against her mouth and closed her eyes as another student explained the next task to them.
"Alright! The parkour consists out of three objects and is one full round, so 400 meters. Is she okay?"
Atsumu looked to Momo, who seemed to start turning green. He shrieked.
"Hey, take three large breaths, okay?"
Momo gave him a look of disgust but did as she was told. Surprisingly, the trick helped her calm down, and her sickness vanished. Atsumu threw the student a thumbs-up. Momo didn't hear the start signal as her head was too concerned with their intertwined hands. Atsumu dragged her along, ignored the sound of Momo trying to pull in a breath with her dry voice.
The first object to overcome was a giant net spanned into the air. It was at least seven or eight feet high. Atsumu suddenly squinted down and positioned himself right next to Momo's knee.
"What are you doing?" asked Momo, utterly confused while sweat dripped from her chin.
"I'll give you're a little push. It will be faster," replied Atsumu. Despite running through half of the school, he didn't seem to be exhausted at all.
"No, that won't work because of the handcuffs."
"Oh, right," sighed Atsumu. "Right, then let me lift you."
"What?! No, I'm way too heavy!"
Atsumu ignored Momo as he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her into the net as far as he could. A small scream escaped her lips, and Momo's heart practically dropped into her stomach. Her fingers grabbed the net, and Atsumu immediately followed. After dragging Momo over the other side, Atsumu ran again. The next object was two springboks right next to each other. Momo didn't have a chance to jump properly over hers as Atsumu nearly dislocated her shoulder. With enormous pain that didn't seem to vanish, Momo barely made it safely over the large box. Atsumu didn't notice the painful look on her sweaty face. He was too concerned with their time. He dragged her further alone and accidentally pulled her by her hurting shoulder. Momo moaned in pain, which finally caused Atsumu's attention.
"Oh, Momo-"
"Forget it," snapped Momo, her voice full of pain, "let win this thing!"
After a few minutes of running, they arrived in classroom 2-1. Now, Atsumu also seemed to be out of breath. His chest rose and fell quicker, and sweat rolled from his forehead down to his neck. Momo couldn't move anymore. Her shoulder seemed to be falling off her body any second, and every muscle in her legs twitched uncomfortably. Atsumu threw a quick, worried look at Momo.
"Your last task is to find a purple balloon with the word PINEAPPLE on it. Ready, go?"
Atsumu and Momo fell into the ball pit and searched every purple balloon. The couple didn't notice how a few guys from the volleyball club came to cheer them on.
"Oh, they look really exhausted," commented Akagi.
"What is the prize?" asked Kita.
"6000 ¥ and the cafeteria's bread for free for the rest of the semester," replied Osamu.
"The cafeteria's bread? Maybe I should compete as well..."
The boys stared in utter confusion at their captain, whose eyes glowed with excitement.
"Got it!" yelled Atsumu.
He dragged Momo out of the ball pit. His hand crushed hers, and she feared that her blood circulation was being cut off. Momo didn't notice how Atsumu dragged her to the finish line. Everything around her was blurrily, and the same black dots began to cover her vision. She didn't feel her legs or the ground beneath her feet. Momo couldn't understand the voices around her, and she didn't feel how Atsumu's hand placed itself on her shoulder. He noticed how her gaze was unfocused, and her breathing didn't seem to so slow down.
"Here, let me uncuff you," said Sakura.
Her dull eyes fell to Momo, who seemed to pass out any second. She bit her bottom lips as her long, almond-shaped fingernails brushed over Atsumu's warm skin. Atsumu was far too concerned with his partner to notice her.
"Thanks," mumbled Atsumu.
"You are probably one of the fastest couples, Atsumu!"
Sakura flashed her long lashes and grinned too brightly at him. She let her hungry eyes linger on his puffed chest and bite the inside of her cheek. Momo was unaware of Sakura's presence. The ginger was too busy to try to calm her breathing.
"I didn't know you and Takeshita are a couple," she spoke with a false smile.
Atsumu didn't answer her. He took a water bottle from the stand and drank it at once.
"Atsumu?"
"Mh?"
His golden eyes glanced down into Sakura's eyes. She was much shorter than him and Momo, who finally managed to realize what was going on. Sakura gave Momo an icy glance before she smiled at the setter with her cherry lips.
"What do you want?" asked Atsumu in a harsh tone.
Sakura twitched awkwardly, and her lips formed a straight line. She glanced at Momo, who nearly choked from the water she had tried to drink. Sakura felt anger boil inside of her, and her patience began to burn away with it. Once more, she flashed an over-the-top smile at Atsumu and asked her questioned again.
"Oh, we are-"
However, Atsumu's voice was drowned by Akagi's and Ginjima's loud cheers. Sakura flicked her tongue and stepped away as Suna's unsympathetic eyes and Osamu glared holes in her orange skin.
"We saw the bord," said Ginjima, "and you two are in the lead!"
"My, my! Momo, have you always been that red?" teased Osamu.
Momo threw him a sharp look before she took another large sip of the calming water.
"Very funny," sighed Momo with a dry voice.
Momo needed a few minutes before she could walk again. On their way to the cafeteria, Suna showed her the couple's pictures and videos during the contest.
"Did I really look like that?"
Momo stared at herself and was disgusted. Her hair was a complete mess, and the baby strands glued themselves to her forehead. Her fair skin was fiery red, and her grey eyes seemed watery. Momo looked like someone had pulled her out of a mental institution.
"You have to delete that picture of me! It's hideous!"
"No way," said Suna, "I can use this."
Momo crocked a brow.
"For what? Blackmailing?"
Suna shrugged his shoulders and shoved his phone deep into his pocket before Momo could get her boney fingers on it. The cafeteria was too crowded, and Akagi suggested to visit Aran's class, who hosted a café. To their surprise, it was a maid café. Osamu and Atsumu wouldn't stop laughing when they saw Aran in a short black maid dress. The dress was too tight and too short for the large man. He needed to wear a pair of shorts underneath the skirt. Despite his dark skin tone Momo was able to see the deep scarlet shade of his cheeks. The twins received a hard hit against their captain's head, although Kita couldn't keep a gentle lip from tugging on his lips. Suna took so many pictures and videos on his phone that he needed to borrow Momo's because his memory was full.
"How many photos did you take?"
Momo scrolled through her photos. The majority was of Aran in his unflattering maid costume. A few were of the twins who got into a fight when Atsumu ate a piece of Osamu's pudding.
"Don't know," shrugged Suna, "maybe 200...300?"
Momo's eyes nearly rolled out of her head. She started up to the middle blocker, who didn't show any emotions on his deadpan face.
"What? Why?! Did you try to get every angle? Oh, my! You actually did get every angle."
"I know," smirked Suna.
When the large campfire outside the school was lit and illuminated the school in warm, orange light, the couple's contest winner was announced. Momo jumped from toe to toe next to Atsumu. The setter gave his partner a short glance and smirked to himself.
"And the winner of the couple contest is Miya Atsumu and Takeshita Momo!"
Momo jumped into the air before she let out a long, high-pitched yell. She dragged Atsumu to the stay by hand and seized the prize to her chest. Her smile was one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. Atsumu could see how it came from deep inside to light her eyes and spread into every part of her. A person smiles with more than their mouth, and Atsumu heard it in her voice, in the choice of her words and the way she relaxed. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.