Apart

A week had gone by since the incident with Kita, and everything felt like a daze to you; maybe collaterally to a nightmare, but still, it was an eerie occurrence. To you, it felt like the captain was speaking from palpable experience, one that you couldn't truly comprehend.

You even thought back to the episode many times, retaining his kinesics specifically to try and decipher what any of it meant. But, unfortunately, the articulation of his words didn't seem to ring a bell either, which was also deplorable.

"Soulmates. Father. Evil. Remember."

Those words stuck explicitly to your brain like adhesive glue. The echo of his voice kept repeating them every single hour of the day, and it got fucking irritating. You couldn't take it anymore. Some part of you wanted to approach Kita, catechising him until he felt the intolerable pain you felt.

But what was the point, anyway? He was beyond stubborn, and nationals was tomorrow too. Despite your usual muck-around trivialness, you didn't have the strength for any of it. Especially not his shit.

You were so close to quitting―so fucking close, all because of Kita. You didn't know whether forgiving him would settle things or make everything worse. You also had no clue whether he would pull anything else on you.

However, you didn't know how much longer you could tolerate the second-hand embarrassment. Feeling on edge was an understatement; you just wanted to stay far away from him as possible―hence why you hadn't shown up to training since that day.

How could you face him despite that? How could you encounter any of them, for that matter...? Everyone within the gym witnessed the results firsthand―even the mortification you felt after Osamu had to calm you down in the locker area...

It was daunting, to say the least, but after the talk you had with Atsumu's twin, you were glad you had made at least one true friendship within that substandard group.

"Yo! Y/N!" You were quickly brought back to the present by a blonde boy, your senses instantly recognising him to be Atsumu himself. You grunted towards the boy, shutting your locker door aggressively.

You definitely weren't in the mood to play along with his shenanigans today.

"What do you want, Atsumu?" The boy huffed, pushing himself off the locker that was next to yours, strolling alongside you. He scratched the back of his head, "Uhm, aren't you curious to know who leaked that video? Or-"

You turned to face him, a deadpan expression plastered on your features, "That happened weeks ago. I really don't care, and I'm not in the mood either. Why are you asking me now?" Turning back around, you threw a hand over your shoulder in dismissal, "But anyway, if Suna didn't actually leak that video and someone else did-"

You paused, chuckling to yourself, facing Atsumu directly after, "Isn't it obvious they're just as stupid as Suna?" Atsumu raised a brow, folding his arms over his chest defensively, "What do you mean by that...?"

Yawning, you covered your mouth before speaking again, "What I'm saying is, if it was one of his mates that leaked it, they're not really his friend, right...?" You cackled again, "I mean if it was me? I'd keep it for future blackmails..."

Atsumu stood in the middle of the hallway, clicking his tongue in irritation at your snarkiness. You spoke up again before he could talk, "Anyways, I'm off." You casually strolled off, leaving the blonde boy dumbstruck.

He hated to admit it, but what you said may be true; aside from the fact Atsumu genuinely cared for Suna, you couldn't really dismiss a situation you didn't know very well. All you knew was: It got leaked by someone Suna was associated with, friend or not. You didn't know their reasoning nor their motive.

Yet, on the other hand, you didn't particularly care... This was Suna's doing―he wanted a videotape of you, so he received just that. You had no control over who he sent it to, so why should you have pity over him?

"Wait- Y/N! Hold up..." You flicked your eyes in annoyance, turning your abdomen around to face Atsumu again, "Do you want me to buy you food after training? I owe you..." Your eyes narrowed at his last sentence, but you ultimately brushed it off, "No, I'm good. I'm heading straight home."

You tugged your side bag closer to your body, shivering lightly as you felt a familiar presence derive from behind Atsumu. "Atsumu. I thought you were filling up your drink bottle-" The voice was stern and cold; no one else had owned that pitch apart from Kita himself.

The blonde immediately shifted his gaze behind him, you and the other boy instantly locking eyes in the process. Yup, it was Kita.

"Oh... You were talking to Y/N." His facial expression eased off, smiling gently as the two of you met mutual gazes.

Swallowing thickly, you turned your attention away over to Atsumu, furrowing your brows, "You should get back to training. Nationals is tomorrow." Your grim expression slackened, Atsumu turning around with raised brows. You smiled at him, waving him off before you started your journey out of the main building.

Atsumu sighed, "What was that about?" Kita questioned the boy, folding his arms over his chest curiously. "Eh, it was nothin'..." He huffed, walking alongside the silver-haired boy. Kita hummed, his lips curling up into a smirk unconsciously.

"You have history with her, don't you cap?" Kita's facial expression turned sour, probably thinking back to the memories he had with you. "I guess you could say that. We were just childhood friends, that's it." Atsumu raised a brow, "And she doesn't remember you?"

He sighed heavily, releasing the grip he had around his own ribcage, "...She just has a hard time remembering shit." He chuckled afterwards, walking through the doorframe of the school's gymnasium.

"Anyway. Please let the other's know I want them all gathered around after packing the equipment up." Atsumu nodded his head, jogging off. Kita sighed again, turning his body around to stare off into the semi-lit hallway.

He couldn't see you anymore, but being around you again made him feel happy in a sense. Kita knew how selfish he was the other day―causing you extreme humiliation in front of his teammates―he didn't want that sort of reputation. Especially not towards you.

You were special to him. He cared about you―he still does, but everything was a blur to him too. It was just as a struggle for him as it was for you. Obviously, different perspectives play a significant part in recognising those issues, but he promised your father not to say a word.

And he had to keep that. He needed to. Kita wanted you to remember. It wasn't necessarily a game to him, but it would make him feel far more content if you conceded those memories yourself.

Over the last few days of you ignoring his text messages, alongside Osamu's, his concern for you grew. He fucked up so, so bad. Kita wanted to tell you how sorry he was―do whatever it took to make you feel comfortable again; happy.

"Fucking hell..." The silver-haired boy muttered under his breath.

His past really was catching up to him now, wasn't it? It was just a matter of time before it killed him. Not... Legitimately, but he knew losing you would be part of its plan. Kita was a man of many things: Keeping his promises, a man of integrity, value... However, all of those qualities contradicted each other.

He couldn't confess to you, yet he couldn't lie to you either. It was eating away at him to the point it would be on his mind twenty-four seven. Kita even thought about leaving hints for you, like the other day―however, he would do it more appropriately this time.

Still, he didn't know if it was right or not. What your father had told him was a big deal―a very, very big deal. Not to Kita, but to you. He knew it would crush you.

Besides, after all, you hadn't seen your father in five years. So to you, it felt like he was already dead.

"I'm always here for you, Y/N." Your father tightened his grip around the embrace, pulling you away after. "But please, never forget me if something happens." He smiled towards you, caressing the bandages wrapped around your forehead.

Your father wandered towards the door, glancing over at you. You now had your eyes shut, shallow breaths escaping your lips as your chest puffed up and down in a simple rhythm.

He shifted his gaze over and down to a silver-haired child, furrowing his eyebrows heavily. He bent down, "Please never let her go, Shin. This is your job now, and I have entrusted it to you. If she-" He paused, sighing heavily while shifting his attention over to you once more.

"If she knows how any of this happened or where I have gone, it will devastate her." Big, bright brown eyes reflected back at your father, confusion fused with worry in the back of his orbs. He rustled Kita's hair affectionately, pulling him in for a hug.

Kita hummed to himself, sitting down on the side bench. He raised a palm to his temples, massaging them gently as he remembered the distinct memory.

He could remember the way you looked back then―the shallowness in your cheekbones, the washed-out colour of your skin... Even the way your eyes would rapidly locomote from side to side under your eyelids...

Kita murmured to himself again, "Guide her. Never let her go." He sighed, glancing up at the boys who were playing around with the volleyballs.

"But why do I agree to these stupid conditions?" He snorted, his eyes glossing over with tears. Kita quickly tilted his head down to the floor, letting the drops fall off his orbs. "When I-" He took a shaky breath in, "When I saw you that day till now- I knew things weren't going to be easy. It felt like a fucking nightmare, to be honest."

"Cap?" Kita froze, wiping his eyes directly after with the sleeve of his jacket. He glanced up at Aaran, "Yes? What is it?" The boy hesitated to speak, noticing the captain was upset. "It's just about, Y/N... I don't know if you wanna know or not."

Kita sighed heavily, standing up, "Go on, what is it?" Aaran hummed, "Well, she texted the group chat saying she's going to quit before nationals tomorrow." The silver-haired boy froze, eyes widening at his friend's statement, "W-What? Seriously...?"

Kita turned around, raising a digit to his chin, caressing it in thought. He turned around directly after with an outburst, "I'll go speak to her. Surely there's a good reason why she wants to quit so suddenly...?"

Aaran threw Kita a warm smile, nodding his head directly after. "You're right. I'm sure you'll find out the reason, Shin."