His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 13: Boy, Could He Play Guitar

Friday afternoon practice was going well.  Daichi was grateful for the seeming lack of drama - there had been plenty enough of that for his taste over the past week or so.  He knew that exams were looming on the horizon, and that was more than enough to have to deal with at the moment.  Hopefully all four of the 'numbskull squad' as he often called them (but only to Suga) would pass all of their exams.  This trip to Tokyo was an opportunity he did not want to waste.  Having made the decision to stay in the club until the very end, Daichi's need to play at Nationals was intensifying daily.  He wasn't too worried about Nishinoya and Tanaka - he knew they could pull it out.  Kageyama and Hinata on the other hand...those two he worried about.

At the moment, the team was running a spiking drill.  Nakano was setting balls thrown to her by Coach Ukai, allowing both Suga and Kageyama to practice hitting.  Nishinoya was receiving, of course, and doing a rather impressive job.  Actually, pretty much everyone was doing an amazing job.  There were only two things he'd noticed that gave him pause.  Tsukishima was doing fine, but not much more than that.  Nothing too new there.  He also seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at Nakano, but that too was not entirely unusual for him.  No, what bothered Daichi was the amount of whispered chatter going on between Suga and Asahi.  Asahi was, of course, not the issue.  Suga was up to something.  Daichi was almost sure of it.  

At last Kiyoko declared that everyone had completed the required number of successful hits.  The team took a break as Kiyoko and Yachi handed out water bottles and towels.  Nakano moved to help, but was stopped by Kiyoko.  "Here," she said, handing the girl a water bottle and towel.  "Yachi can help me do this.  You should catch your breath.  It's great that we have so many people to help out now."

"Thanks," Nakano panted, gratefully sinking down and taking a long pull off the water bottle.  Someone sat next to her, doing the same.  It was Asahi.

"Well, hi there, Ace!" Nakano smiled at him, "Nice spikes!"

"Nice sets!" he responded with a shy smile of his own.  "I just wanted to say...uh...I like your new hairstyle."  Nakano had chosen to pull her hair up into a ponytail for afternoon practice.

"Thanks!  I haven't had my hair this short in a long time.  It feels really good."  

"I'm curious about something...would you mind taking your hair down for a minute?"

She smiled and undid her ponytail, as Asahi also unbound his hair.  She chuckled.  "Asahi, are you trying to find out which one of us is longer?  Isn't that the kind of thing boys are supposed to do with..."

Asahi turned a bright shade of pink and waved his hands.  "No...no...I was just..."

Nakano laughed out loud, shoulder checking the ace.  "I'm just teasing.  Come on, let's see who's got longer hair."  They sat shoulder to shoulder, Asahi bending down so the top of his head was level with Nakano's.  

"Wow," Asahi said, holding a little of his hair and her hair in his fingers, "I think I win.  Hmmm...maybe I should get my hair cut..."

"Nope," Nakano said, turning to face him. "Don't you dare.  I like your hair just the way it is, Ace."  She pulled her hair up again, and downed some more water.  

The two continued to chat about the team, the upcoming Tokyo trip, exams, and whatever else came into their heads.  Tsukishima watched them, clenching his water bottle rather tightly.  Since when did Asahi want to spend his break time with her?  What the hell is this all about?  He stared at the pair for the entire break, a fact that did not go unnoticed by several other people in the room.