29

There was a huge problem. Too big of a problem. She was just planning to visit her friends for a short while, but how the heck did it become like this…?

"Come on, Hoshi! Just stay longer." Her tall friend wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She raised a brow at this and shooed him.

"Kuroo- I'm tired as is from practice matches. I need to visit my boyfriend too-" But another pulled her small body into an embrace. A very, wet embrace. "Ew, Kotarou! Get off!" She struggled to get out of the very much sweat situation. And why is she having a sense of déjà vu?

"Mou, come on, Hoshi! We barely see each other!" The white and black streaked hair teen moped. He had a firm hold around her waist- which meant he was actually kneeling on the ground to hold onto her.

"Obviously, because we're in different schools!" She managed to finally get out of it after a few more spins and shivered at the feeling the sweat on her skin. Having her sweat was fine, but someone else's sweat was just gross.

She quickly jumped behind Kuroo when the owl captain tried to trap her again. She hissed at him.

Kuroo laughed then saw someone outside the gym door. "Ah! You over there, wait a sec! Karasuno guy! With the glasses!" Yoshikami blinked and faced at the doors. There stood a tall, blonde guy wearing glasses.

She looked up at Kuroo who motioned for the guy. "Can you come block for us for a bit?"

Thanks to that, the owl grabbed hold of her again. "Ey, join us too, Hoshi!"

"Kotarou, your sweat is gross! Get off!" She placed her palm over his face, but he simply laughed.

"Join us, join us!"

"Er…I'm already done for the day…so please excuse me…" It was a different voice from any of them here in the gym, so it was definitely the blonde glasses guy. But whatever, her focus was busy with the clingy owl.

"There's no point of practicing spikes if you've got no one to block them… C'mon help us out here!" Bokuto said, most likely to her and the blonde guy.

"Don't ignore me and-"

"Why me? Ask someone from Fukurodani." Her existence was ignored by all of the boys in there. A large tick mark appeared on her forehead. She quietly seethed there while still trying to get out of her friend's grip.

"Please stay, Yoshikami. Bokuto-san behaves considerably well when you're here." Akaashi looks over at her pleadingly.

The short girl grumbles. "Grr, fine. Just let go of me!" But she got ignored.

Akaashi turns his attention to the blonde. "Everyone runs away from Bokuto because his spiking practice doesn't seem to end."

After Kuroo strikes a nerve, the blonde strolls into the gym looking really annoyed. "By the way, why is an elementary student here?" There was a pause then and there. Yoshikami's left eye twitched but the look on the blonde was one of complete cluelessness. She could hear her friends stifle their laughs- even Bokuto wasn't trying to hide it.

"How the hell did I move from middle schooler to elementary?!" She shouted and the third years burst out laughing.

"Let go of me so we can start with this!" She snarled, finally landing a blow on Bokuto's stomach. He fell down on his knees and groans out in pain.

After all that, they were finally playing. The short girl stood beside the blonde and it just made her really short then and there. 188 cm with 165 cm. The irony.

"Are you sure? You can just watch, you know." The blonde talked to her like she was a child and her eye twitched again.

"I'm a third year at Nekoma." The look of disbelief on his face made her shout. "I'm serious! Geez, here I'm helping a noob at blocking…" She took a look at her back and saw Lev being tortured at receiving.

"Huh?" The blonde sounded annoyed. But what she said was true. She was watching their practice matches after all.

She scoffed, but then smirked. "How about you show the lil me how to do a block?" The blonde narrowed her eyes at him, but clicked his tongue anyway. She smiled and went to the with Kuroo.

"Oi, what are you planning?" Kuroo asked, raising a brow at her.

She grinned. "Making your matches a bit more interesting."

Her prediction came out correct and all the spikes blew through his weak blocks. She sighed and pinched her nose.

"I think I'll join in-" She raised a hand. He looked down at her in surprise.

"No, I'll do this. Hinata is a middle blocker like me." She smirked.

Kuroo smirked at her back. "Oh~ I see what you're trying to say." She began to walk away when the third year realized something. "Wait, how do you know…?"

"Kotarou, how about you block against two?" Yoshikami grinned at the excited glint in her friend's eyes. "Though a shortie like me shouldn't be a problem, right?" She looked up at the blonde innocently.

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue and looked away. She shrugged.

"Yay! I'll definitely spike through you, Hoshi!" Bokuto shouted with a huge grin. The short girl hummed in response and raised her arms to prepare for the block.

Akaashi sighed. "Be a bit more serious, Bokuto-san." But the white and black streaked hair teen was already ready for the run up.

"Here we go!"

"First…" The blonde glared at the short girl from the side. "…make sure you close off a straight from him." They both move at the same time towards the edge of the net then jumped. Yoshikami saw Bokuto's eyes flicker to the edge of her arms and a small smile appeared on her lips.

She quickly moved her arms and blocked the ball from passing through her arms. A loud, resounding bam echoed throughout the gym.

"What?!" Bokuto exclaimed in surprise as he landed on the ground with a soft thud.

However, Yoshikami was rubbing her arms in pain. "Ugh, still hurts no matter what… guy spikes are really hard…" She then slowly turned to the blonde who looked at her wide-eyed. "…that's how to block, Glasses-kun."

Bokuto nodded in agreement. "Mhmm! It's just like I suspect. Your blocks are really weak- like look at Hoshi!" The short girl snarled at the teen.

"Quit it! I mean, if he was the teeniest bit serious about blocking, he'd be as good as Kuroo."

The blonde scoffed, catching Bokuto's and Yoshikami's attention. "I'm still young and developing, you see. My physical strength and HEIGHT still have ways to go." The short girl's eye twitched when he emphasized the word looking down at her.

"Oi" She and Bokuto yelled out in response.

"Tsk, if you say such easy-going things, Hinata-san will take all the good parts for himself. Act like a middle blocker- you both have the same position." Yoshikami clicked her tongue. "Jeez, at least try to compete with a short-" Her mouth was then covered by a large hand. She was about to bite, but saw the look on the blonde. Her brows immediately furrowed at the blankness in his eyes and the grit in his teeth.

But as quick as it appeared, it disappeared. He laughed with a brow raised. "That's plain avoidable, isn't it? Hinata's innate abilities and mine are different, after all."

She looked at Bokuto who stared at her too. She jumped upon hearing a thunder of footsteps.

"Ah! You're still practicing spikes?!" Her head quickly snapped at the overly familiar voice. "Wah, Hoshi is here too?! I wanna block Hoshi's spikes! Can I block? I'll block okay!"

She wanted to say okay, but realized her mouth was still covered…and it was by Bokuto. She quickly elbowed him again.

"It seems I've been relieved of duty. I'll be heading out then." The blonde bowed and Yoshikami gasped, reaching out for him, but a hand grabbed for hers. It was Kuroo. He shook his head, telling her with his eyes 'don't'. So, she sighed, dropping her hand, and watched him leave.

"Looks you really stepped on a landmine, Yoshikami." The short girl groaned, hearing Akaashi's voice.

She scratched her head and scrunched her nose. "I mean, he's tall and all. I'd expect him to be like Kuroo who'd easily be provoked."

"Oi." The black haired third year pouted at her bluntness. Then he sighed. "Who'd have thought that Glasses-kun wouldn't view a shorty as an equal, but someone he can't match?"

Yoshikami glared at the double doors where the blonde exited. "I just thought that maybe he'd…" Then she sighed. "…whatever, I'm going home. Being here lost my will to stay." She tried to walk off but was grabbed by Bokuto.

"That doesn't even make sense!" She was locked into another embrace. She growled and tried to elbow again, but unfortunately, missed.

"Get off of me, Kotarou! Play with my kouhais over there! I need to go visit Sendai!"

Ushijima sneezed and a question mark appeared on his head. "I didn't do anything to catch a cold though…" He looked at the door and pursed his lips. "She said she'd be here by night. Where is she?"

At the same time as he said that, the door slammed wide open making him jump from the couch. Right on cue, a short girl appeared looking quite exhausted. He quickly stood up and grabbed her before she could drop on the floor.

He chuckled. "Are you that tired from practice matches, Hoshi?" She shook her head and snuggled into his chest.

"No…Kotarou wouldn't let me go...at all…" She groaned, wrapping her arms around his waist. He immediately stiffened upon hearing it. "…just glad you're here to welcome me…" She giggled happily.

Ushijima narrowed his eyes at her. "Did he hug you?" She nodded, too tired to speak. She squealed when she felt her feet leave the ground. The short girl looked up at Ushijima in confusion but he had a blank look on his face. She pursed his lips, but she was just too tired. Right after that, she was thrown into the bathroom.

"Ey, I just wanna cuddle!" She shouted, but then groaned in pain after landing on the tiled floors on her butt. After that, a bunch of clothes were thrown on her head.

"Wash yourself first." He narrowed his eyes through the small gap he left on the door. "I better hear running water and splashes." Then the door slammed close.

Yoshikami cried out. "Ugh!" But immediately stood up to shower. She puffed her cheeks throughout the time she was in the shower.

Ushijima was on the couch reading a book when she walked into the living room of the small apartment. She immediately jumped into her lap right when he turned a page. He stiffened at the sight of his large shirt and shirt. It fit her…so adorable.

"There, I'm clean. You read your book. I cuddle." The short girl grinned, eyes sparkling with glee.

The tall boy blushed and put the book down. "With you here- I'd rather cuddle with you." She squealed as he showered her hair with kisses, pushing her down on the couch. There was enough space for the two to lie there on their sides and cuddle.

He held her waist with his left arm while his right arm was used as a pillow for her head. Even right now, she looked really small. Her feet barely reached past his knees. He chuckled.

She looked at him and puffed her cheeks. "Mou, what are you laughing for?" She brushed his face with right hand and he leaned against it, smiling softly.

"I'm just happy."

She furrowed her brows. "Happy? What for?" He chuckled again.

"Being with you." He turned his head and kissed her palm. "I'm really happy to have met you."

She blushed. "I'm still shocked…even after nearly three years…I mean, me of all people." She giggled.

He frowned. "I'd rather it be you than anyone else. After all, you taught me to expect the unexpected." He then smiled, laughing softly. "Hey, we haven't done it right?"

Yoshikami's face immediately burned red. "Th…Of course not! Mou, don't just say it out loud…" She pouted. "I mean…I don't even think it fit…" She whispered the last part, avoiding eye contact.

Ushijima grinned and pulled her body closer, whispering into her ear. "Why don't we try to find out?" She immediately pushed him away. The redness on her cheeks turned even redder than before. She really deemed the possible in impossible.

"Wha…No way! I'm not ready…" She bit her lip, looking down in embarrassment. For someone so adorable, he didn't expect her to do something that looked remotely close to being erotic. He shook his head, definitely not telling her that.

He smiled and pulled her back closer then kissed her on the forehead. "Just tell me when you're ready then, okay?" He locked eyes with her and kissed her nose. "I don't want to do anything that would force you."

She pouted. "Mou…stop teasing me…" She slapped his chest softly.

"We should head to bed. I'll be on the right side." He stretched his arms. His eyes flickered over her frozen body on the couch. "Or would you rather continue where you-?"

Yoshikami immediately jumped off the couch. "Y-Yea, definitely time for bed!"

Ushijima chuckled and held out a hand. She immediately intertwined her fingers with his. They smiled at each other then walked to their bed room.

Where there were two separate beds for them to sleep in.