Chapter 1

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous for her first day of high school. She had spent the entire summer getting ready, catching up on books, studying things she had forgotten. She had to be prepared. Not only that but she wanted to make a good first impression. She didn't want to be known as the dumb girl in class. Not only that, but she wanted to be recognized. She wanted friends. Her one and only friend, Suda Tameyoshi went on to Aoba Johsai but since Tobio didn't make the team, they had to go after a different school. Luckily, one of those schools just so happened to be Karasuno High. She imagined running into the boy that she saw at the tournament. Not that it would likely happen considering he was an upperclassmen. He wouldn't even notice her if he saw her. He didn't even know who she was. He didn't even see her at the tournament so how could he even know her.

She fiddled with the bottom of her blue skirt looking at herself in the mirror. She didn't consider herself overly pretty. She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't noticeable either. Everyone said she looked like her brother which was obvious because they were twins. Her straight black hair hung to her mid back, the top layer she pulled back into a braid though baby hairs hung out around her face. She didn't like the way her legs and knees looked so long in these leggings, but it was her uniform and she had to deal with it.

"What do you think?" she turned and looked at the phone where her best friend was displayed playing video games.

"Looks good," he brushed off.

"You didn't even look," she complained.

"What do you want me to say its just a uniform," he answered.

"It's not just a uniform," she rolled her eyes. "It's the first outfit he might see me in."

"Who says you'll actually see this mysterious upperclassmen?" Suda asked looking into the camera.

"Maybe he will, maybe he wont," she said. "But I still have to be prepared."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," he shrugged.

"You still didn't answer my question." she responded. Suda Tameyoshi had been her friend since primary school. They had the same classes up until middle school and he was the only one who didn't make fun of her because of who her brother is.

"It looks fine Temari," he responded setting down his game controller.

She gasped in desperation plopping down on her bed.

"It's just not meant to be, I guess." she sighed.

"Oh come on, you haven't even started your first day yet." he responded.

"What if I don't make any friends?" she wined.

"You will, you have a great personality everyone is going to love you." he answered with a smile.

"Yeah, until they find out I'm Tobio's twin." she complained.

"You don't know that, this isn't Kitagawa First." he said. "Who knows the team might be different, maybe your brother will finally get his ass handed to him."

Temari shrugged. "It still sucks you wont be here."

"It's going to be okay Temari, if anything happens just call me okay?" he said and she nodded. "You got this, just walk in like you own the place."

"That's easy for you to say." she rolled onto her stomach placing her chin on her arm and holding her phone in front of her with the other.

"Stop stressing yourself out," he said leaning down to look into the camera. "I gotta go, I have to start getting ready, but don't stress yourself out okay?"

"No promises," she said.

"Temari," he scolded.

"I'll try my best," she said giving him a fake smile.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself. "Call me at lunch okay?"

"Okay," she said. "Bye,"

"Bye," he responded then hung up the phone.

She walked over to her desk and put all her books and notebooks into her bag as well as her sketch book and drawing pencils. Tobio had practice after school and she wasn't allowed to walk home without him so she had to stay. It allowed her to get her homework done, but it was annoying having to wait. She grabbed her bag then ran downstairs where Tobio was frantically running around trying to put his clothes in his gym bag.

"Where's my sweats?!" he exclaimed running past her.

"I don't know, did you wash them?" she asked walking over to the counter. She grabbed a muffin from the muffin tray sitting in the middle of the counter then jumped up and sat on the counter while she watched her brother frantically run back and forth looking for his sweats. She delighted in watching the chaotic scene of Tobio tripping over his own gym bag as he realized his sweats had been laying on the couch.

"That's not funny!" he yelled at her.

"What's not funny?" Their older sister Miwa asked running into the room.

"Tobio tripped," Temari giggled.

"Shut up!" he exclaimed.

"Hey don't talk to your sister like that," Miwa scolded.

"She's your sister too," Tobio grumbled.

"That's why I don't tell her to shut up, now come on get your shit and lets go I'm going to be late." Miwa grabbed a cup of coffee and walked over to the front door. She was the only of the three that could drive so she often drove them to school then they had to walk home. Temari jumped off the counter throwing her backpack over her shoulder.

"And you call me the clumsy one," she taunted as she brushed past Tobio who was angrily shoving his clothes into his bag.

As she walked out of the house she could hear her brother angrily yelling back at her but she didn't pay attention to what he had to say. She jumped into the front seat of her sister's car and they waited for Tobio.

"This kid is going to make me late," Miwa grumbled then honked the horn. "Move your ass Tobio!"

Temari watched in the rearview mirror as Tobio huffed and puffed out to the car. He threw his gym bag in and slammed the door behind him.

"Hey watch it hot shot," Miwa glared then through the car into drive. Her driving was terrifying and half the time Temari preferred to walk, but on days like today, she woke up too late to walk.

When they arrived, Temari was amazed at just how massive the school was. Towering over her at three stories high, she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. "Just how many kids walked these halls?" she thought.

"Alright guys have fun," Miwa said pulling up the drive.

Temari watched all the other kids stepping out of vehicles, walking their bikes, hanging out with their friends. She watched as many beautiful people walked by and she just wanted to shrink back into the seat. She was nobody compared to these people.

"Well are you coming or not?" Tobio asked standing outside the car. Temari nodded and grabbed her backpack.

"Hey," Miwa said grabbing Temari's arm as she opened the car door. Temari turned back to her older sister, admiring her short black hair hugging her face. "You don't have to rely on Tobio for everything. High school is going to be the best years of your life, enjoy them."

Temari nodded. Though Miwa was eight years older than the twins, they looked to her most as a mother figure. She was the one who broke up the fights and tore away the claws.

Temari gave Miwa what she hoped was a reassuring smile then stepped out the door. She looked for Tobio, but she assumed he got tired of waiting and walked off without her. She knew it was ridiculous but she felt as if all eyes were on her. She thought about what her sister said. She was right, these were supposed to be the best years of her life. She had to hold her head high and embrace every experience life gave her. With every step forward she took she felt a little more confident. "Hey this is pretty easy," she thought strolling up the walkway and into the school. She walked around the massive building looking for her own locker. Each hallway was lined with what must have been hundreds of lockers. Finally, after the fourth hallway she'd been down, she found her locker: 137A. It was a top locker but she had no problem reaching it. She opened the empty locker and pulled her back pack to her knees. She opened it up and began to put her books inside her locker. First period was biology, then history, then mathematics, then lunch. Those were the three books she would take. Her literature and art books would remain in her locker until after lunch break. She didn't know what time the opening ceremony was supposed to start, so she had to hurry.

As she hurried, the zipper on her back pack stuck and to make matters worse, as soon as the zipper stuck the bell rang signaling time to gather for the ceremony. "Crap!" she thought. she struggled with the zipper frantically yanking it from its position. The halls filled quickly and people pushed past her shoving her deep into the lockers. Suddenly someone came from behind shoving her right shoulder out in front of her. Her backpack was still attached to her hand however, and as one side of her body moved quicker than the other her back pack ripped open even further, all of its contents spilling out onto the floor.

"No!" she cried diving to the floor trying to grab her papers, drawings, as well as pencils and pens. People around her kept moving and she did everything she could to not get stepped on with little success. All of her drawings had spilled out of her binders and were now getting ruined by muddy foot prints. Panic welled up inside her, she had to save them, she couldn't loose her drawings again!

As soon as the panic began, the feet faded and she was finally able to sit upright on the floor brushing off dirt from the few drawings shed managed to grab. She then surveyed the hallway finding more of her drawings scattered everywhere. She ran to them trying to pick up them all.

"Here let me help," a familiar deep voice filled the hallway. She looked up to find the kind eyes of the boy from the tournament holding one of her drawings out to her. His short brown hair perfectly combed and his smile perfectly white. He wore the same black school uniform that her brother and every other male student had to wear. The drawing he was now holding out to her just so happened to be a drawing of a female profile, one like her own. The dominant drawing was of the girl looking to the sky with a smile while an underlying sketch of the same crying out in pain. He looked down at the picture noticing dirty footprints. He took back the drawing and attempted to wipe the dirt off as much as he could. "Sorry, I know its not much." He gave her a sheepish smile then handed the drawing back to her.

"Th-thanks," she said her cheeks warming to the touch. She reached out and took the drawing quickly shoving it into her back pack. The boy stared at her for a minute in what looked like a questioning gaze. Had she done something wrong? Did she say the wrong thing? Oh no... did her breath stink? No she brushes her teeth twice a day it couldn't be that.

Before he said anything, the boy turned. Temari thought he'd leave without another word. After all she was just a first year. However, after a couple seconds he returned with more of her drawings and some pencils. She couldn't help but smile.

"T.K.," he mumbled then looked from the drawings to her. Oh no here comes the criticism. He was probably going to make some comment about how weird her drawings were or walk away making some kind of stupid remark about how weird she was. "Were you at the middle school summer tournament this past year?"

What? How could he know that? Did he actually see her?

She shyly nodded shoving more of her drawings in her bag. "My brother played," she answered quietly.

"And these drawings, they're all yours right?" he asked.

She nodded scared of what he was going to say next as he towered over her. She finished putting her belongings back into her backpack then stood up. The boy handed her the rest of her drawings that were in his hand then turned and dug through his backpack pulling out the familiar purple hardcover of her sketch book that she lost last year at the tournament. "Is this yours?"

Excitement filled her as she stared at the sketch book she thought she had lost. So many of her amateur and private drawings were in this book. She was so terrified they'd end up in the wrong hands, or even worse in the trash.

"My sketchbook!" she exclaimed, the excitement overwhelming her. "You found it!" She reached out to grab it and he gladly handed it over. "Where did you find this?" She opened it to make sure they were her drawings and flipped through the pages taking in the familiar scent of ink on the paper.

"When you left the bleachers it fell out of your bag, we tried going after you but you were too quick." he responded standing straight and putting his hand against the back of his neck. Suddenly she realized he had to have gone through her sketches to know that her initials were in every corner of her pieces. Almost instantly her cheeks felt like they were on fire and she could feel the perspiration gathering along her temples and on the palms of her hands. "I hope you don't mind, I looked through it trying to find your name. Those drawings are amazing."

He for sure saw the one of himself. Oh this was so embarrassing!

"Thanks," she said barely above a whisper looking at the ground before shoving the book into her bag. She grabbed the zipper, desperately trying to zip it closed again so she could escape further embarrassment.

The boy stood there watching her for a second and then reached his hand out. "Here,"

Without looking into his gorgeous eyes, she handed over the backpack. When she did so, his large hand brushed her own leaving a warm trace across her hand. She looked up at him and watched his large hands, veins and muscles popping out under his soft thick skin. It took all of two seconds for him to maneuver the zipper out of its entanglement and zip it closed.

"These things can be pretty tricky sometimes," he said then handed it back to her.

"Yeah," she responded quietly. "Thank you for the backpack... and the sketchbook."

"Of course," he said. "I'm Daichi by the way, Daichi Sawamura." he held out his hand to her. It took her a second to realize she was supposed to introduce herself next. She had never had a boy as handsome as him even breathe in her direction. This was foreign territory. She held out her own hand and met his, letting him engulf her.

"Temari Kageyama," she said nervously finally looking up into his smile letting a smile of her own cross her lips.

"Kageyama," he said as his brow furred. "Your brother applied for the volleyball team. You're both first years?"

She nodded taking her hand back. "Twins," she responded.

"Does that mean you play too?" he asked.

"No, no, definitely not," she almost laughed. He looked down at her questioningly. "No, I'm not cut out for that, the lights, the noise, all the people staring, it's not really my thing. I prefer the library or tree to draw under."

"Interesting," he smiled.

She smiled unintentionally pulling her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Hey what are you two doing here?" Temari looked down the hall to see an older gentleman in a suit holding a coffee cup staring at them from behind a door. "Daichi just because your captain of the volleyball team doesn't mean you can skip opening ceremony."

"Sorry Mr. Hoitsu, I was just showing around this first year. We'll head over there now." Daichi answered giving a smile and a thumbs up to the teacher. Daichi then turned to her and held out his hand. "Shall we,"

Temari turned and closed her locker door then followed Daichi down the hall.

"Blame everything on the first year, huh?" she joked shyly looking at her feet.

"Hey everyone has to start out at the bottom," he joked back and she giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it, I might not allow it next time." she said.

"Allow it, oh really?" he asked his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

"Yeah, someone's gotta burst your bubble every now and then." she smiled glancing at him.

"You know what Temari, I think we're going to get along really well." he chuckled. His laugh was contagious and she felt herself giggling along with him.

She followed Daichi down the hall around a maze of corners until they reached the main gym. This was much larger than any volleyball court she'd been in. Bleachers stretched almost ten feet into the air, hundreds of students crowded them.

"Normally first years stand over there," he pointed to a spot across the gym where she spotted a bunch of nervous, rowdy freshman. She desperately hoped her brother wouldn't see her. "But you can stand with me for now," he looked down at her giving her a playful smile. He then turned to the crowd of bleachers and she followed. He walked halfway up the rickety steps to a pair of unoccupied seats. He stopped and motioned for her to go first so she did and he followed. Everyone was standing so they stayed standing.

"Yo Daichi!" she heard a powerful voice come from behind them then the slap of skin as she looked over to see the buzzed haired guy from the tournament standing behind Daichi with his hands on Daichi's shoulders. Of course she had noticed Daichi's broad muscular shoulders, but she didn't realize just how solid they were until she saw them in comparison to another guys hand. "Where were you my man? You almost missed the speech."

"There was some stuff I had to take care of." Daichi answered then looked at Temari and gave her a wink. She giggled to herself and turned away looking at the faculty at the gym floor trying to quiet everyone.

"Woah," Daichi's friend exclaimed. "Daichi whose the babe?!"

"How many times have I told you not to say that?!" Daichi scolded.

"Alright everyone quiet down," A man in fake brown wig stepped up on a mic'd pedestal.

As he did so, the student body quieted and sat down in the bleachers. The man went on to introduce himself as the principle and introduced most of the administrative staff. Then he went into a long speech about pride and following rules and a bunch of other administrative crap that no one ever paid attention too. When it was all over, the student body was dismissed and she followed Daichi and his friends out of the crowded gym to the halls.

"Oh man what a snoozer," Daichi's friend yawned interlocking his fingers behind his head. "Hey wait," he stopped suddenly remembering she was with them. "I've never seen YOU around here before. I would've noticed a gorgeous girl like you." she assumed he meant well, but he was kind of scary in the delivery of those words.

"Tanaka, calm down you're going to scare her." The grey haired boy came into view.

"What it was a compliment?" Tanaka exclaimed.

Daichi chuckled. "Guys this is Temari, Temari this is Sugawara and Tanaka. She's a first year so be nice."

"What?! You let a first year sit with us?!" Tanaka exclaimed pointing to her in a dramatic motion.

"She's cool," was all Daichi said with a mysterious smirk. She looked at him in wonder. What was that supposed to mean?

Before anyone could say anything else, the bell chimed signaling it was time to go to first period which for Temari was 2nd year Biology. When taking the entrance exam, she had scored so high that most of her classes were second year classes.

"Well, see you guys at practice." Sugawara said lifting his hand to wave as he walked away.

"Yeah, see you guys later," Tanaka said walking away.

"I guess that's it," Daichi said shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, guess so," she sighed a little disappointed. All she wanted was to be in his presence.

"What class do you have right now?" he asked.

"Um," she said softly pulling out a neatly folded paper from her pocket. She examined the sheet finding her class list. "Class 1A with Mr. Toishi."

"1A... Isn't that the advanced placement class?" he asked curious.

She nodded shyly. "I've always been in advanced placement classes."

"Amazing," he breathed with a smile. "Do you know how to get there?"

Temari shook her head. "I have no idea where I'm going."

Daichi chuckled. "Come on, follow me,"

She did as told.