2

Tendou Satori felt a bit odd about this development. It had been a week since the opening ceremony and the encounter of this odd predicament. He and his friends had fully adjusted to the development, but…

"Hoshi, you should drink more milk." Yamagata joked throwing another carton of milk to the small girl. The group were at the cafeteria, enjoying their free period due to the teachers having a meeting for another hour. Only a few were staying at the cafeteria; most were in their classrooms.

She laughed, a tick mark on the side of her forehead. "No, no, Yamagata-san, you should drink it. After all, you are the libero." She caught the carton and threw it back to him.

Yamagata shook his head. "I insist, Ho-shi-chan." He caught the carton and threw it back to her. One was getting more annoyed; the other was enjoying it.

The carton of milk kept flying between the group. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

And finally, he had enough.

Soekawa slammed his hands on the table. "Can you both stop that?!" Yamagata jumped in his seat. Yoshikami took advantage of this and threw the carton full force at Yamagata.

The libero noticed it immediately. The carton spun, looking like a ball. So, instead of catching the ball normally, he locked his arms and received it. All eyes turned to the flying carton in the air.

Tendou's eyes sparkled as the carton spun in the air and shouted. "Semi!" The setter looked up from his sleeping position in surprise.

"Huh?!" He received the full force of the carton. The carton ripped and the contents spilled onto his head, face, and top uniform. It dripped down his chin as he sat there dumbfounded. "…"

Ohira, Soekawa, Tendou, and Yoshikami turned away, backs hunched as they quietly laughed to themselves. Yamagata looked like he had just murdered someone.

"Semi-san, I'm sorry!" Yamagata apologized, standing up and bowing.

Semi didn't reply, preoccupied in wiping off the milk from his face.

Finally, after a few minutes, he stood up and glared at Tendou. "I'm going to kill you!" Semi jumped out of his seat and ran to Tendou's.

Tendou jumped off his seat as well. "Wha- It wasn't me, Semi!" He prolonged the setter's name as they ran out of the cafeteria.

Yoshikami giggled and turned to Yamagata who still looked like he murdered someone. "Yamagata-san, sorry for doing that." She meant the milk. Yamagata, still dazed and in shock, nodded and sat down.

They got back to eating their snacks, before the throwing contest had happened. Well, except Soekawa, who was still standing, hands on the table, existence forgotten. After a few seconds, he sat back down, eating his bread with silent tears running down his cheeks.

Ohira looked at Yoshikami, who was drinking her 2nd carton of milk, and realized something. "Hey, Hoshi. I forgot to ask but which middle school did you come from?" He then pointed to himself, Soekawa, and Ushijima. "We're from Shiratorizawa Middle School." He pointed to Yamagata, who still looked dead inside. "Yamagata is from Oritata Junior High School." He pointed to the cafeteria doors. "Semi is from Sanjor Junior High, and Tendou is from Nishitaga Junior High."

Yoshikami looked up at the tall teen and shook her shoulders. "Let's just say somewhere near Kakuda."

Soekawa looked up from his bread. "Where do you live then, Yoshikami-san?" He got slapped by Ohira who's glare said 'you're not supposed to ask where a girl lives.'

Yoshikami didn't seem embarrassed by the question and answered, "In Shiogama." Again, she shrugged her shoulders at the wide-eyed looks from the boys. "My parents decided on it so I just went there."

Yamagata, snapping out of his dazed look, entered the conversation. "That's a bit far, isn't it?" Soekawa hit in the head.

Yoshikami shrugged again. "As I said, my parents decided on it." Ushijima suddenly standing up caught all their attention.

He bowed at them. "I'm leaving first." He picked up his tray of trash and began walking away. Jin nodded at Ushijima.

"He's right. We should go too. Class is starting in a few minutes." Soekawa also stood up and picked up his tray of unfinished bread. Ohira and Yamagata followed in suit.

Yoshikami waved at them. "I'll catch up, Reon." She went back to sipping her milk. Ohira smiled at the girl and patted her head.

"Don't take too long." Yoshikami smiled back and gave him a thumbs up.

Ohira separated from Yamagata and Jin once they reached 3rd floor. He yawned and went to his seat, beside Ushijima. There were ten rows of seats that were separated into six columns. His seat was at the 2nd row and 3rd column. Ushijima's was at the 2nd row and 4th column.

He waved at Ushijima who nodded at him and returned to reading his notes for the next class- History. Ohira followed in suit, knowing there was a quiz after the teacher's lecture.

The bell rang, signaling the start of 5th period. The teacher entered right after the bell rang.

"Alright. When I call your names, raise your hands and don't make a sound." The class remained silent and the teacher proceeded. "Akagami. Atsushi. Aomine." This continued on until it was the last name.

"Yoshikami?" Ohira looked behind him, where Yoshikami's seat was situated. However, it was only her bag and no sight of the small girl. The teacher sighed and closed the attendance book. "Alright then. Let's start with the 1st world war. Can anyone tell me what happened?"

Ohira was genuinely worried for the small girl, that he didn't even take note about the lecture at all. He was just sitting there, confused, looking at Ushijima once in a while, hoping he had also noticed or at least cared. But Ushijima was just looking up and down, taking notes and listening to the lecture.

Ohira looked at the teacher whose back was turned to them and poked Ushijima. The teen looked at him, gaining his full attention. Ohira leaned down and whispered, "Do you think something bad happened to Hoshi?" Ushijima tilted his head. Ohira sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yoshikami Hoshi." Ushijima paused for a moment then shrugged, returning his gaze to the teacher in front.

Ohira sighed, wondering to himself why he asked the wrong person.

"Then, that is it. Everyone, take your time studying. We will have a quiz in 5 minutes." There were little to no grumbles from the students. "Time starts now." The teacher pressed a button in his watch then sat down, opening a newspaper. Silence took over the classroom as the students looked over their notes. Ohira studied, though he was still quite worried for Yoshikami.

A few students jumped hearing the beeping of a watch and all eyes turned to the teacher who stood up, placing the newspaper on his desk. "Alright then. We will now proceed."

The loud slide of the door caught everyone's attention. And there stood a small girl in casual clothes, drenched from head to toe. Whispers echoed loudly in the room. Ohira's eyes widened at the sight of Yoshikami. The teacher raised a brow at this.

"And you are?"

The girl stared at the teacher blankly. She whispered for only the teacher to hear. "Yoshikami, sir. Sorry for being late." She walked towards him, leaving a trail of water, then handed him a paper. "I was at the nurse's." The teacher looked like he didn't believe her, but accepted the paper anyway.

"Right… take your seat. The quiz is about to start." Yoshikami shrugged and walked to her seat, passing through Ohira and Ushijima.

Ohira turned to her to ask, "Hoshi, what happened?" But before he could ask, Yoshikami raised her hand to stop him then sat down, avoiding everyone's eyes.

The teacher coughed, straightening the stack of papers in his hands. "Alright. We will now proceed." Papers were passed and silence again struck the classroom. Even the students' writing was quiet, near to deafening silence. However, there was a sound that nerved most students in the classroom. The drip drip of water against the tiles. The students kept quiet and focused on the quiz.

Ohira looked down at the quiz and it was simple really. However, three of the ten questions were essay types. There was only fifteen minutes to answer.

After ten minutes, one by one- students stood up and passed their paper. The teacher began checking them as soon as it was given to him. Ushijima stood up right after the first student who passed. Ohira followed after the tenth one.

Yoshikami followed after the second to the last student. The students began murmuring at the sight of her. Ohira could only look at her in worry.

"She's done? She wasn't even here during the lecture…"

"Did anyone see her cheat? Kitsune, she was seated beside you…"

"I doubt she even answered. I saw her pen stop writing after five minutes."

"Just leave her alone already. She was bullied on the way here."

Ohira stiffened hearing the last statement. Was she? He didn't know, but the way she acted- her clothes being wet, could only direct to that. Bullying. She was being bullied. But who would be threatened by a small girl?

Ushijima returned to looking at his notes, clicking his tongue once in a while. He circled statements in his notebook then closed it, an annoyed glare in his eyes.

After another ten minutes, the teacher stood up with a grin. "Alright. We have two students who perfected the easy quiz. Now, after hearing your names, stand up and get your paper." Students leaned over, excited to hear who perfected the difficult quiz that could only be answered if they were available during this period's lecture and last week's lecture.

"First is Ushijima Wakatoshi." Gasps of astonishment and sighs of disappointment echoed in the room. Ushijima stood up and got his paper, but the teacher stopped him from returning to his seat.

The teacher coughed. "Next is…" His brows furrowed, looking up from paper and to the students. "…Yoshikami Hoshi." All eyes turned to the small girl in shock. There were some watching her in disbelief. And others in fiery.

Yoshikami stood up and got her paper. The teacher's eyes widened in realization, but coughed again.

"These are the two students who perfected the quiz. I expect a lot from both of you. Especially you, Yoshikami." Gasps echoed around the room. Ohira was just genuinely confused.

Yoshikami shrugged. Ushijima and she returned to their seats.

Ohira sighed after getting his paper. It was an 8 over 10. Two of his answers were wrong regarding who won the war and who stopped the war. But his thoughts were mainly on Yoshikami. He wanted to ask what's wrong, but the bell rang signaling the end of class.

And Yoshikami disappeared into the sea of students rushing out of the classroom before Ohira could even grab her.

Ushijima watched the small girl exit the classroom in a flurry. He looked down at his answers- though he found two of his essays badly described- the teacher perfected it. He stood up, pack his stuff and turned to Ohira who was standing dumbstruck, staring at the door.

"Ohira, practice is starting soon." He said and entered into the sea of students. Ohira's jaw dropped and he groaned out loud.

"Why can't any of you even wait for a second?!"

But they already disappeared into the sea. Ohira could only cry out in despair.