Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kenma Kozume was lost. 

His volleyball team had been invited to a practice match with Karasuno High, and as usual, Kenma found himself engrossed in his video game.

Before he knew it, his team was nowhere to be seen.

Kenma settled on a ledge near some gates, bag discarded beside him. He sat with a slouched back, holding his reassuring handheld device.

Patiently, he waited, confident Kuroo would find him eventually. Until then, Kenma was content lost in his game, immersing himself in his focus. He ignored the meowing cat at his feet or the single feather of a crow lazily descending from the sky.

Kenma was deeply engrossed in his game when the sound of footsteps suddenly caught his attention. Before he could look up, a cheerful female voice pierced through the air. 

"Hey!~ What are you doing here all by yourself?" the voice inquired.

He looked up, a look of surprise crossing his face. Kenma was caught off guard by the idea of someone, especially a girl, engaging him unexpectedly.

Kenma observed the girl before him, taking in her short and thin figure. 

The girl's orange hair, short yet captivating, appeared like a living mix of sunshine and dancing flames. Each strand exuded a lively, playful energy that reflected her enthusiastic nature. 

However, what caught his particular attention was her shirt—the Karasuno logo boldly imprinted on it. Given her appearance, it was logical to assume she was a member of the Karasuno Women's Volleyball team.

Kenma found himself struggling to articulate his thoughts, his usual composure thrown off. He was not accustomed to people, especially girls, initiating conversations with him.

"Um...I’m just..waiting." He answered in a small voice.

Kenma assumed the girl would have taken her leave after his awkward response. However, to his surprise, she continued to engage, displaying genuine curiosity as she inquired, "Waiting for who?"

Kenma found himself becoming increasingly puzzled. He initially suspected that the girl had come over because he was sitting in an unusual location. However, their continued conversation indicated a genuine curiosity rather than mere nosiness.

"For my classmate to find me." Kenma muttered, returning his attention to his game in hopes to put an end to this odd interaction. 

It wasn't that he had anything against the girl; he had just met her after all. 

However, there was an uncomfortable feeling within him, as he wasn't accustomed to receiving attention off the court, let alone from a girl.

She continued to talk, asking if he was lost. In response, he merely hummed, acknowledging the question. His focus remained fixated on his video game. 

Was his behavior coming across as impolite? He silently hoped she didn't perceive it that way. It was just his nature to be a bit awkward.

"Is that a fun game?" She inquired, moving closer. Her curiosity was evident, her eyes wide and bright as she flashed a warm grin. 

Kenma found himself uncertain how to respond to this unexpected interaction.

"Not really... I’m just trying to pass the time." He said as he continued to play his video game without much expression on his face.

Kenma wondered why she wouldn't simply leave him alone. It wasn't that he was angry; he just felt uneasy.

He doubted she was flirting with him; girls never showed interest in him compared to someone like Kuroo. But he didn't particularly mind since he was more engrossed in his video games and volleyball.

The girl continued to catch him off guard, and he found himself blinking in surprise when she exclaimed, "Oh! Are you a volleyball player?? Those are volleyball shoes."

Her excitement was palpable, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Kenma was unmistakably out of his comfort zone. 

He muttered a brief response, "Uh. Yeah," barely concealing his growing discomfort. He averted his gaze, keeping his focus on the game rather than maintaining eye contact.

The Karasuno member's grin widened with excitement, and she introduced herself, "My name is Hinata. Shoyo Hinata. Nice to meet you! What’s your name?"

Kenma caught himself looking at her once more, but his gaze swiftly averted, hiding behind his locks of hair.  

Shying away from the bright, eager brown eyes, he offered a soft response, "Kozume.."

Hinata posed a question, her head tilted with innocent curiosity. "Kozume? Is that your first name?"

To Kenma's surprise, he found himself actually responding, his gaze flickering away. "No..It's actually Kenma." His voice tinged with a hint of unease.

"Are you in high school?" She posed a question, her voice filled with an unyielding enthusiasm,

It was a strange occurrence. Despite displaying zero enthusiasm throughout the conversation, Hinata continued to display a genuine interest in him.

"Yeah." Kenma then answered her question simply. 

Hinata, then revealing herself as a first-year, followed by asking him about his grade. Kenma calmly replied that he was a second-year. To his surprise, Hinata began profusely apologizing due to the difference in their grades. 

Kenma, genuinely not caring about the concept of hierarchical status within athletics, stated that he found such distinctions utterly pointless.

"Oh, is that so? Um, do you like volleyball?"

"Not particularly." Kenma found himself continuing to answer her questions despite not caring about the topic at hand. 

He noticed a change within himself. Typically, when faced with uncomfortable situations, he would simply stands up and leaves. 

Yet, in this instance, his body remained still, and the words just kept flowing out of his mouth.

Kenma answered with surprising honesty, his usual apathy somewhat softened. "I kind of just do it." he admitted. "I don't dislike it, but I don't like getting tired. But uh, my friend likes to play and he needs me. So I play too."

Hinata leaned back against the fence, assuming a comfortable position next to him as she remarked, "Ah... Well, once you get used to it, I'm sure you'll like volleyball too." 

Despite Kenma's gaze being fixed on his game, she still sent him a warm smile.

"I don't really care, It's only while I'm in high school." Kenma responded, his apathy evident.

Hinata, intrigued, inquired, "What position do you play?"

"Setter." 

To his surprise, Hinata got extremely excited upon his answer.

"Really?? You're a little different from our setter. Our setter is so more intense." She moved her arms around in a chaotic manner as she attempted to convey the energy and intensity of her teammate.

It was almost funny. Kenma nearly chuckled at Hinata's animated movements.

With more energetic gestures, Hinata exclaimed, "I'm a middle blocker!"

She then appeared a bit downcast, adding, "Oh, you probably think it's kind of weird, right? It's normally a position for tall guys, after all."

Hinata graced him with an awkward smile.

Kenma met her gaze as he responded honestly, "Nah, I don't think it's weird."

His words seemed to catch her off guard, and he continued to share his perspective. "I get told stuff when I go to matches too. They say: 'The setter position is for the most talented player, but why him?' Because I'm not particularly athletic to begin with, you see."

Hinata empathically responded, "Oh, that's mean." 

Kenma nonchalantly resumed playing his game and stated, "I don't care." 

Hinata offered him a smile and encouragingly stated, "That's the spirit."

Hinata's curiosity piqued once more as she inquired, "So does your school have a good volleyball team?" 

Kenma casually continued playing his game as he replied, "Well, I heard we were good a long time ago. But we fell into decline."

"As of recently," For a split second, Kenma noted a change in his own tone, a hint of self-assurance emerging. 

As he locked eyes with Hinata, his gaze was intense ever so slightly, and he declared,

"I'd say… we're pretty good."

Hinata's face was filled with surprise for a brief moment. 

She couldn't help but wonder what caused Kenma's brief shift in demeanor. The declaration he made echoed with a newfound confidence, as if his words were backed by a hidden strength she hadn't seen before. 

She pondered if it was the mention of his team that triggered this change, a subtle indication that Kenma cared more about this sport than he initially let on.

“Hey, which team do you play for-“

Hinata's words were abruptly interrupted by a male voice calling out, "Kenma!"

Both Kenma and Hinata turned toward the source of the sound with surprise etched on their faces. 

Kenma then exclaimed, "Kuro," before swiftly standing up, grabbing his bag and said, "Gotta go."

Hinata attempted to say something, but everything happened too quickly. Kenma was now standing beside his friend. Half-turned toward her, he waved goodbye with a smile. "See you later, Shoyo."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at the exchange.

Hinata was left watching the departing figures of Kenma and his friend, still taken aback and slightly bewildered.

Kuroo walked alongside Kenma, still astonished. "What was that?!" He chuckled, a mix of surprise and amusement in his voice. 

"What?" Kenma responded with a nonchalant eyebrow raise. 

"Don't 'what' me! Did I just catch you flirting with a girl?!"

"It wasn't like that." kenma stated, maintaining his aloof and unbothered demeanor.

Kuroo looked at him in disbelief and retorted, "Seriously? Then, what about that 'See you later, Shoyo,' together with that flirty smile on your face?"

Kenma responded to Kuroo's statement with a nonchalant shrug. "It was just a friendly goodbye." He stated matter-of-factly.

Kuroo remained unconvinced.

Not buying that at all.

"Just a friendly goodbye? Since when do you give friendly goodbyes like that to girls? No, scratch that, since when do you even give attention to any girl?!?" 

Kuroo couldn't help but get excited, exclaiming, "I never thought I’ll ever see the day when you will willingly converse with a girl.”

Kenma scoffed at Kuroo's incredulous remarks, rolling his eyes at his friend's exaggerated reaction. 

"You're overreacting." He said, his tone tinged with annoyance. "It was just a friendly conversation, nothing more."

Kuroo smirked at Kenma, finding all this so amusing and adorable.

"Oh, come on, don't give me that 'it was just a friendly conversation'. I saw the way you were smiling at her."

"You're seeing things." Kenma grumbled at Kuroo's relentless teasing, his annoyance growing. "I was just being polite. It's not like I was flirting or anything."

Kuroo chuckled. "Come on, man. You were totally playing it cool, pretending to act all shy and cute. I could almost see the hearts in your eyes."

Kenma groaned, exasperated by Kuroo's relentless teasing. 

"You're delusional." He muttered, sighing in frustration. "I was just being friendly. It's not like anything romantic was going on. I literally just met her. And besides, I'll probably never see her again. She is from Karasuno High volleyball team, as you sure noticed. Anyway, I don't care. Like I said, I was just being polite. So, drop it already."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Relax, man. I was just messing around." He chuckled, unable to resist teasing his aloof friend.

"But seriously, you really were being all shy and cute with her. It was kind of adorable, to be honest."

Kenma's irritation intensified, and he sped up his steps, determined to distance himself from Kuroo's relentless teasing. 

Kuroo chased after him, laughing and exclaiming, "Alright, alright! no more teasing! No need to be so grumpy, Kenma~!"

"Shut upp!"

__________

That night, at Nekoma's dorm, Taketora was engaged in conversation with Inuoka and Shibayama.

"About our destined opponent, Karasuno. Do they have a female manager or not? I bet a yakisoba bread that they don't."

"What? I'd prefer that they did, so my bet is that they do."

"Me, too."

"Jackasses! Won't it make you mad if they do? Uh, What if they had a beauty for a manager? I won't ever forgive them! I never will."

Kenma attempted to ignore Taketora's loud voice, focusing on his video game. 

However, when Yamamoto mentioned a rumor about Karasuno having a female member in their team, Kenma suddenly froze.

"What?" Kenma uttered, his shock evident. "Did you just say Karasuno has a female member?"

Yamamoto was surprised that Kenma had actually been listening to their conversation.

He then nodded slowly and said, "Yeah. But I'm sure It's just a false rumor. It's too ridiculous to actually be true."

Yaku walked by and interjected, "I didn't expect you to be anti-girls, Yamamoto."

Yamamoto protested in a melodramatic fashion, exclaiming, "It's not like that! I meant it's just too unrealistic. Just what kind of girl would want to join a team full of boys when she has the option of a women's team."

"He does have a point." Kuroo remarked casually.

The other team members joined the conversation, sharing their thoughts.

Some expressed excitement, claiming it would be every boy's dream to have a female teammate on their team. Others were more skeptical, responding with comments like "only in your dreams". Others stated that there were co-ed volleyball teams where both genders played together.

Kenma didn't pay any attention to the ongoing conversation.

His mind was consumed by thoughts of Hinata Shoyo. 

He remembered her mentioning she was a middle blocker and that people often assumed the position was meant for tall guys. 

Kenma now realized that she had said "guys," not "players."

Could it be that Karasuno did actually have a female member, and that girl was the very same one he met?

"I'm kind of looking forward to it. Our match against Karasuno."

Kenma didn't even realize he had spoken aloud until the room fell into a profound silence. 

He became acutely aware of the eyes of his teammates fixed on him, their expressions a mix of disbelief and surprise.

Yamamoto was the first to speak up, his voice tinged with shock as he exclaimed, "K-Kenma, who has no will to play, is actually looking forward to a match?!?"

Kenma rolled his eyes and tried to ignore Yamamoto's outburst, redirecting his attention back to his video game.

Kuroo found himself smirking, sensing that Kenma had been behaving strangely since meeting the orange-haired girl. Kuroo was already looking forward to tomorrow, eager to witness how Kenma would continue to surprise him.

Yamamoto continued to demand answers from Kenma, his loud voice getting on Kuroo's nerves.

The captain finally snapped, shouting, "Shut up, Yamamoto! If you've got so much energy, I'll make you run 20 laps outside!"

"S-Sorry!"

And indeed, Kenma was looking forward to tomorrow match.

X

Chapter Text

The early summer sun glinted off the pavement as Karasuno and Nekoma formed neat lines outside the gym.

A quiet intensity hummed through the air—five years had passed since Neko-Karasu last match. The two teams faced off, crows and cats ready to clash again.

Hinata—her fiery orange ponytail bobbing behind her—scanned the opposing roster, excitement coursing through her veins.

And then she saw him.

Blond hair. Slouched posture. Eyes flicking down to a handheld console in his pocket like he wished he could disappear into it.

Her jaw dropped. “No way!” Hinata breathed.

The boy from yesterday.

The one she’d met in the middle of the street, who talked about video games and spoke so softly it made her lean in to hear.

Her heart jerked. It was the boy from yesterday!

Her jaw practically dropped. No way.

“Hey!” she blurted, loud enough to startle a few teammates. She pointed at him like she'd caught him stealing something. “You’re with Nekoma?!”

Kenma flinched under the sudden attention, his eyes darting to the side, then to the ground. “Yeah,” he mumbled, voice almost inaudible.

Hinata stormed across the invisible boundary between teams, stopping just short of his personal space. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Kenma’s shoulders curled inwards. “Because… you didn’t ask.”

Hinata's eyebrows shot up. “But you said, ‘See you soon’ You must’ve known something.”

Kenma scratched the back of his neck, clearly wishing he were anywhere else. “Your t-shirt said ‘Karasuno High School.’”

Hinata blinked at his words, her brows pulling together. Maybe there was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes—small, but unmistakable.

Honestly, she didn’t know why she was reacting like this.

They were practically strangers.

But still... they had talked. They’d had a good vibe, hadn’t they? It wasn’t just her imagining it.

So yeah—it felt a little like betrayal.

It had been one thing to see two girls standing among Karasuno’s team when they first arrived—already an unusual sight on a competitive boys' team.

The cute short one, all fire and motion, eyes wide and filled with energy. The pretty girl with the glasses, cool and collected at the back, blended into the team like she belonged there.

But this?

A full-on scene had just happened.

Between Kenma—Nekoma’s quiet, cat-like setter who avoided social interaction like it was a virus—and a girl. Not just any girl. A girl from Karasuno. An opponent. In front of everybody.

Nekoma? Nekoma lost it.

The moment Hinata’s voice rang out—"Hey, you’re with Nekoma?!"—followed by her very public confrontation with Kenma, every head on Nekoma’s side turned.

Kenma, as always, was not built for public spectacle. His ears were pink, his eyes avoiding everyone and everything.

But it was too late.

The attention had found him—and so had Yamamoto.

“WHAAAAAT?!”

The roar came from Nekoma’s side, sharp and loud enough to make Hinata flinch so hard she nearly stumbled back.

A tall, energetic player with a shaved head—Yamamoto Taketora—exploded toward Kenma, face a blend of awe, shock, and... was he crying right now?!

“KENMA!!” Yamamoto’s voice cracked at least twice as he pointed dramatically at Kenma like he was accusing him of treason. “KENMA!  WHAT!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?!”

Kenma flinched. “Stop yelling…”

“STOP YELLING?!” Yamamoto repeated at an even higher pitch.

“I WILL NOT STOP YELLING! DID I JUST WATCH YOU HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THIS CUTE TINY GIRL FROM THE ENEMY TEAM?!”

“Her name is Hinata...” Kenma mumbled.

“YOU KNOW HER NAME?!?”

Yamamoto shouted, grabbing the poor setter by the shoulders and shaking him like a maraca.

Yaku was no better. “Wait, wait, wait—since when do you know girls?! Is she your girlfriend?! How—how did this happen? We’ve been staying in the same building this whole time and you never said anything!”

“Wait, wait, wait—what!!! Kenma has a girlfriend?!” Inuoka couldn't believe his ears. 

“How’d they meet? Don’t tell me it was over video games—oh my, it was over video games, wasn’t it?!” Kai said.

“Kenmaaaa, you sly cat!” Yaku said.

Fukunaga, ever quiet, tilted his head slightly and said, “...Kenma's got game.”

Kenma looked like he wanted to die on the spot.

His face was redder than a Nekoma jersey.

“S-She’s not my girlfriend!” he yelled, trying to dodge Yamamoto’s hands and failing miserably. “We just talked!”

“Bro, she looked mad at you!” Yamamoto shouted again. “You got in trouble with a girl you’re not even dating yet!”

Fukunaga gave a soft hum. “...Dramatic.”

Kenma shot him a side glance. “You're not helping!”

Kuroo, arms folded across his chest, smirked. “You looked like you got caught sneaking out after curfew.”

Yamamoto finally turned to the others, still stunned. “That cute girl just called him out like they were exes or something. Did anyone else see that?!”

“Everyone saw it, idiot,” Yaku snapped. “The entire building saw it.”

Fukunaga, silent as ever, just stood there, watching Kenma. “...That was the most social interaction I’ve ever seen you have in my life.”

Everyone paused for half a beat, stunned at the truth of it.

Then Yamamoto lost his mind again.

“KENMA’S BEEN HOLDING OUT ON US! HE HAS A SECRET GIRLFRIEND FROM KARASUNO!”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Kenma snapped, ears turning red.

“You talked! You bantered! There was emotion! That’s basically marriage in Kenma-language!” Yamamoto yelled.

“I hate all of you,” Kenma muttered.

Kuroo clapped a hand on Kenma’s shoulder, still grinning. “Too late. This is the most alive Yamamoto’s been all week. You’ve doomed us all.”

Hinata’s face turned the color of a tomato. “Wha—No! I’m not—!!”

And then it hit Karasuno.

They had seen the exchange.

They had heard the yelling.

They had watched their tiny firecracker of a middle blocker march up to a stranger from Nekoma, confront him, get weirdly emotional, looking like someone had personally offended her honor.

And now, Nekoma was howling about “Kenma’s girlfriend,” and poor Hinata had just exploded with a flustered denial.

Karasuno detonated.

“WAIT—WHAT?!?!”

Tanaka nearly choked on his own spit, whipping his head around to stare at Hinata like she’d grown a second head. “HINATA, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! GIRLFRIEND?!”

 “I-I DIDN’T SAY THAT!” Hinata screeched, waving her arms in pure panic. “THEY said it—NOT ME!”

Nishinoya gasped so hard it was audible. “OUR LITTLE HINATA IS IN A CROSS-TEAM LOVE AFFAIR?!”

“I AM NOT!” she wailed.

Sugawara, eyes wide and sparkling with far too much amusement, leaned over to Daichi and whispered, “Should we call it ‘VolleyLove’ or ‘Enemy Setter x Tiny Spiker’?”

Daichi ran a hand over his face. “Can we not start a fan club in the middle of a practice match?!”

“Too late!” Nishinoya cried, practically vibrating with excitement. “I ship it!!”

Asahi looked genuinely distressed. “Wait... is this allowed?”

“Of course it’s allowed!” Tanaka shouted. “But only if he treats her right!”

“HE’S JUST A GUY WHO LIKES VIDEO GAMES!” Hinata shouted back, red in the face, hands flailing like she was trying to bat away a swarm of bees.

“Ohhh, so you did talk to him,” Nishinoya and Tanaka were killing Hinata. “He must’ve made quite the impression.”

They had these silly faces. 

“He didn’t! He—he tricked me! Kind of!”

“Kinda sounds like he wooed you,” Nishinoya whispered with wide, dramatic eyes.

“NO ONE WOOED ANYONE!”

Kageyama, who had remained weirdly silent through most of this, finally turned and looked at Hinata like he just remembered something.

“…Is that why you were distracted this morning?”

Hinata looked like she was about to throw her kneepads at someone.

“That’s it!” she shouted. “We’re done talking about this! Focus on the match!!”

She stomped toward the gym with a face like molten lava.

Sugawara leaned toward Daichi again. “Think we’ll get to meet him after the game?”

“Only if we survive Hinata’s wrath,” Daichi said dryly.

Tanaka and Noya already had nicknames prepared.

“Blonde Gamer Boyfriend.”

“The Cat She Tamed.”

They were still whispering them as they filed into the gym.

And in the middle of it all, Hinata buried her face in her hands.

And on Kenma's side, things weren't any better. 

The gym doors slid open with a metallic rattle, and both teams filed in under the soft screech of their sneakers on the polished floor.

But the chaos didn’t stay outside.

“Kenmaaaa,” Yamamoto hissed in a stage whisper, still vibrating with energy as they crossed the court to their warm-up spots. “You didn’t deny she was cute.”

“I didn’t say she was cute,” Kenma grumbled, eyes avoiding everyone.

“But you didn’t say she wasn’t,” muttered Inuoka, nudging Fukunaga, who only nodded sagely with a quiet, “Hmm.”

"I'm going to hack your phone if you don't shut up," Kenma said flatly.

“Romantic and threatening,” Yamamoto said, mock-swooning. “He really has changed.”

Over on Karasuno’s side, Hinata had just tied her shoelaces so tight her foot was going numb.

“You’ve been betrayed by a gamer, Hinata,” Tanaka said solemnly, eyes blazing with exaggerated emotion. “Say the word and Noya and I will take him down.”

“Operation Cat Smack,” Nishinoya whispered, fists clenched.

“I’m fine!” Hinata barked, still blushing furiously. “It was just a misunderstanding!”

Before things could escalate into a full dramatic reenactment, Daichi stepped in, arms crossed and voice calm but firm.

“Enough,” he said, and it cut through the teasing like a knife. “Let it go. We have a match to focus on.”

Tanaka and Noya froze mid-scheme. Even Hinata paused, the tension in her shoulders slowly relaxing.

Daichi looked at each of them in turn. "Let me be frank. We've all just met. We're awkward and fragmented. But regardless, we're facing our first match. We know nothing about Nekoma's team, nor the kind of walls we'll hit. But when we find a wall, that's our chance to jump over it."

His eyes met Hinata’s for a second. “So keep your heads in the game.”

Across the net, Kuroo clapped once, drawing Nekoma’s attention.

“All right, cats,” he said with a grin. “Say it with me.”

Kenma’s shoulders sank visibly. “Do we have to—”

“We're like the blood in our veins.” Kuroo began, loud and proud. "We must flow without stopping. Keep the oxygen moving and your mind working. Let's do this!"

The rest of Nekoma joined in with a chorus of, “Yeah!”

Kenma mumbled, “This is so embarrassing...”

“Don’t be like that,” Yaku said, slapping him lightly on the back. “It gets us in the zone.”

“I’m already in the zone,” Kenma muttered. “You’re pulling me out of it.”

“Too late!” Yamamoto chimed. “You’re connecting whether you like it or not!”

Kenma groaned.

The whistle blew. Both teams snapped to attention.

The court fell into silence.

And just like that, the match was about to begin.

The air was electric.

Whatever tension had lingered from earlier now coiled into focus. The teasing, the questions, the red faces — all burned away under the sharp light of the gym and the thrill of competition.

This was what they came here for.

And neither side planned to lose.

Karasuno shifted into formation on one side of the net.

And then—

“Wait… she’s playing?!?!” The words burst out of Yamamoto before he could stop them, loud and full of disbelief.

Nekoma’s entire front row had snapped their eyes to Hinata.

There she stood, just across the net. The same tiny orange-haired girl they’d seen outside, the one who’d marched up to Kenma like she knew him in a past life, the one who had emotionally stunned their usually unshakeable setter.

Only now, she was in a jersey. Kneepads on. Eyes focused.

“Wait. Hold up.” Inuoka blinked like he was seeing a glitch in the game. “She’s not the manager?”

“I thought she was like the pretty girl with glasses,” whispered Yaku, pointing subtly toward Kiyoko, who was holding the clipboard on Karasuno’s bench.

“Same!” Yamamoto nodded. “The energy was so manager-coded!”

“Noooope,” Kuroo said, grinning as he leaned back slightly, arms crossed over his chest. “She's on the court. That means she’s a player.”

Kenma stared across the net, amber eyes fixed on the short girl now bouncing lightly on her toes, focused, ready to spring.

He felt it, deep in his gut.

He’d hoped she might be something more when they met yesterday—her energy too wild, too bright to just be someone handing out towels.

But this? He hadn’t seen it coming.

Still… it kind of made sense.

Of course it was her.

“I’m sorry,” Yamamoto said, holding up both hands like he needed to call a timeout on reality. “We’re seriously about to go head-to-head with Kenma’s girlfriend?!”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Kenma hissed through clenched teeth, mortified.

Yamamoto ignored him completely, talking louder now. “This is messed up! You can’t fight your own heart on the battlefield, Kenma! That’s betrayal to the soul!”

Kenma turned slowly toward him, his expression blank but his tone seething. “If you keep talking, I'm going to reveal all your secrets to the world.”

“Oh my--Kenma’s got protective boyfriend energy!” Yamamoto howled.

“Shut up!” Kenma hissed again, but his ears were turning red, and the damage was done.

Meanwhile, the rest of Nekoma still looked stunned, staring at Hinata like she’d just stepped out of an alternate universe.

“She’s so short,” Inuoka muttered.

“But she’s got that wild spark,” Kuroo added with a glint in his eye. “This is gonna be fun.”

"Oh, one last thing guys!" Yamamoto started off dramatic, as always. "Final reminder before we go in—Karasuno’s number 10? Yeah. Super cute. But!” He paused, holding up a finger like he was making a solemn announcement. “She belongs to Kenma. So no drooling! Eyes up, hearts locked.”

The entire team broke into chaos.

“WHAT—” Kenma jerked upright, his face went bright red. “I—What are you talking about?!”

“You did not just say that out loud.” Kai said. 

Yaku, wide-eyed, whispered, “But she really is cute though.”

Fukunaga gave a deadpan, “...Mm,” which somehow made it worse.

Kuroo grinned, ever the instigator. “Rules are rules, Kenma. Yamamoto’s got a point.”

“I hate all of you,” Kenma muttered.

Yamamoto just beamed. “It’s okay, man. We support your forbidden romance.”

Kenma didn’t respond—mostly because he was too busy considering the possibility of jumping ship to another school.

On the other side of the net, Hinata glanced up—locked eyes with Kenma for the briefest second—and smirked.

Kenma blinked.

She didn’t look embarrassed anymore.

She looked excited.

And that—that—made Kenma straighten up.

Because maybe Yamamoto was being dramatic (he always was), but this wasn’t just a game anymore.

This was about to get interesting.

The ball sailed from Kenma’s hand with quiet precision.

It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t showy. Just exactly where it needed to go.

Asahi stepped in to receive—

Thud.

The ball hit his arms and rebounded higher than intended, too much spin.

“Oi! Asahi-san!!” Nishinoya barked from the back, eyes wide. “That's what you get for ditching a month!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Asahi winced, already moving back into position.

But the chaos didn’t matter.

Because Kageyama was already under it.

The second his fingers touched it, Hinata was gone.

A blur.

She didn’t hesitate. Didn’t check the toss. Her eyes were closed—and she still jumped.

Faster than anyone could react.

CRACK.

The ball slammed into Nekoma’s court like lightning off a rail.

It tore past Kenma’s left shoulder so fast it ruffled his hair.

Not one part of him had even twitched in time.

The ball hit hardwood.

Whistle.

Silence.

Then—

“What just—!!” Yamamoto stuttered, eyes wide.

Inuoka flinched so hard he nearly stumbled. “That was—! That was crazy fast! How?!”

Yaku’s eyes were wide. “A quick attack from a place like that?!” He turned to Kuroo, disbelief in every syllable. “How’d they pull that off?”

On the sidelines, Nekomata's jaw was on the floor. "What the heck was that?! Your girl jumped with her eyes shut. She couldn’t have seen the set!”

Takeda and Ukai giggled in pleasure at seeing how their opponents were taken by surprise.

Back on court, Kuroo was the first to snap out of it. “Well, crap,” he muttered. “They’ve got that kind of weapon?”

Yaku nodded, still staring at Hinata like she was some kind of volleyball cryptid. “She’s fast. Faster than I expected.”

Kenma remained still, amber eyes on the girl who had just landed light as a feather on Karasuno’s side of the net. She bounced back into formation with a grin, turning just slightly to glance his way.

He blinked once.

“She’s good,” he said calmly, mostly to himself.

“She’s insane!!” Yamamoto replied, shaking his head.

Kenma’s gaze lingered, not on her smile, but on the steps before it. The way she’d leaned in, the rhythm of her run-up. The point of contact.

Quietly, behind narrowed eyes, he began calculating.

She jumps before the toss is even made. They rely on perfect timing. If I break that rhythm—

He kept his thoughts to himself.

Kenma’s heart was racing.

Not pounding from nerves—but something else. Something wired into his spine.

He couldn’t even name the feeling.

But the echo of that smack was still ringing in his ears.

And then—

“Nice quick,” he called softly toward the net.

Hinata lit up. “Thanks!”

But even as she smiled, Kenma’s brain was already tearing the move apart.

He wasn’t loud. He wasn’t flashy.

But he was watching.

And the next time they tried it—

He’d be ready.

X