streets ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ hq / shirabu kenjirou

25: what any good friends should do

"Y/n, you have to get out of bed sooner or later. You're gonna fall behind with your school work. The volleyball coach keeps calling and asking about you. I can't keep letting you stay home."

You bury your face deeper into your pillow, trying to block out your mother's voice. "I can't go back to school, mom. I can't leave this house ever again." Your head felt dizzy from all the crying you'd done in the past couple of days. You hadn't showered or eaten much either, so you felt slightly nauseous and your body felt like it had completely shut down. As much as you knew you were abandoning your manager duties, you hoped Kiyoko and Yachi sympathized with what you were going through. You hoped they understood that you just could not face Daichi. And if that meant staying locked in your home until he graduated, then so be it.

"Your dad left some toast and some rice in the kitchen for you, if you do decide to at least get out of bed. I don't know what's going on or what happened, but I pray that whatever it is goes away soon. I hate seeing you like this, N/n. Whenever you feel like talking, just let me know okay? I love you, sweetheart." Your mom sighs, shifting on her feet. It was weird for your parents to see you like this. There was usually a bright smile on your face all the time. You were the source of comedic relief in your family, so watching you fall apart apart before their very eyes was extremely disheartening. She kisses your head before leaving your bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

As soon as the door closes and you hear your parents leave the house, you let out a quiet sob. You felt so tired and you wanted nothing more than to feel like you again. But you couldn't bring yourself to move a muscle. Everyone kept texting to check in on you, but you gave up on responding. Everything just seemed worthless at this point. You seemed worthless at this point. All of this because you were kicked out of some group chats? Was that who you were now? You really let go of your morale because three boys grew impatient and couldn't wait around for an answer anymore?

While you were curled up in your bed, a certain setter was pacing back and forth in front of your house. He runs a hand through his hair, the grip on the phone in the other tight as he held it up to his ear.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, don't you think it'll be a little redundant if I skipped school to comfort her and she just turns me away?" He asks into the speaker. His nerves were bouncing around in his stomach, his eyes flickering up at the house before him.

"I don't think she'll do that. She probably needs the company. At least that's how Hinata made it seem when he was texting that 'Protection Squad' group chat." A voice answers.

"How do you even know that? You're not in it?" A second voice says.

"I think Wakatoshi mentioned it." A third chimes in. 

"Yeah he did. He was telling us." A fourth voice adds.

"Anyways, that's besides the point. You should just go and knock on her door. What's the worst that can happen, Shirabu? She clearly values your friendship." The first person encourages the second year.

"Tendou's right. I don't think she'd turn you away." Reon emphasizes the previous statement.

"Even if she does, at least you'll get to physically see her and check in. It's been a couple days since anyone physically saw her you know. And by anyone, I mean you." Taichi attempts to convince him.

"I agree with Taichi. It wouldn't be a complete waste of a day. You'd be able to assess how bad the situation actually is." Goshiki says, nodding even though Shirabu can't see. "You've got this, Kenjiro."

His four teammates hang up and he sighs. They weren't wrong. He was the last person to see you before things started to derail and he figured he should be the first to make sure you hadn't fully succumbed to your tendency of overthinking, though he figured you already had since you weren't talking to anyone.

Just as he was about the walk up to your door, he caught sight of someone familiar coming down the street. The grey haired third year paused once the pair made eye contact. With an eyebrow raised, he got closer. "Shirabu? What are you doing here?"

"Um— the guys, Tendou, Goshiki, Reon, Wakatoshi, and Taichi suggested I came to see how Y/n was doing because I was the closest to her on the team. I could ask you the same, Sugawara." The younger boy replies.

"Yeah, the team voted and I got nominated to do the job. It was either me or Shoyo, so everyone thought it'd be better if I came because they didn't trust him." He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck. "So, who's knocking? You or me?"

"I'll do it!" The two turn at the sound of an unexpected voice. Oikawa comes between his fellow setters and raps his fist against the door, his height allowing him to reach above the other boys. "Guess we all had the same idea huh? Iwa told me it'd be better if I came because he and Makki wouldn't know what to say and the first and second years suck at showing emotion."

Back upstairs in your bedroom, you raise your head. Who was at your house this early in the morning? You choose to ignore it, snuggling deeper into the mattress. Your eyes aimlessly stare at the wall across from you. There's another pound on the wood, more persistent this time. With a low whimper of pain, due to your body becoming accustomed to not moving from the same spot for days, you force yourself out of bed. When you pass your mirror, you take a glance at your state. Your face was oily and splotchy from a constant rotation of crying and sleeping. Your hair was matted and your pajamas felt like a second skin. You overall felt disgusting, but you just didn't have it in you to perform any basic self-care necessities.

With each step down the stairs, your body felt heavier and heavier. The distance between you and the entrance to your home seemed like lightyears. You hardly had the energy to even bring your frail, shaky hands up to the lock and knob. Your droopy eyes widened when they adjusted to the three males standing outside.

"W-what are you guys doing here?"

"What any good friend should do."