LET ME DOWN SLOWLY ⸻ sakusa kiyoomi.

𝐭𝐰𝐨 | recognition.

▛▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝▝ ▜

RECOGNITION !!

▙ ▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▖▟

TO AKITERU'S IMMENSE RELIEF, HE was saved from the relentless and ruthless interrogation conducted by none other than Miho Akane, my middle school friend and ace of Ōkamikumo. My grip on my friend's wrist was tight as I dragged her past Kei and Akiteru, the former whom I swear was laughing at the way I dragged Miho like some sort of mom dragging her toddler kid around - if you ignored the fact that the toddler was 176cm.

"Bruh, Kina! Akiteru-san was about to answer my question on the velocity of the spikes I hit, and how - "

"He's inwardly suffering, you nerd," I said dryly, expression slack and eyes full of mirth as I glanced back at her; Miho yanked her wrist out of my killer hold the moment my grip loosened. She made a big show of massaging her wrist. "I did both of you a favour by doing that, and before you come and scream at me, I'm taking you to Aran-san."

Miho's eyebrows shot up, as she tucked in a strand of raven hair behind her ear, and her disgruntled expression turned into one of immense delight, her violet eyes shining behind her glasses.

"Aran-san as in Ojiro Aran of Inarizaki?" Miho asked, back in her excited puppy mode. "Holy shit, Kina! Damn, you're the best! Now take me there!"

I raised my eyebrows in amusement at Miho's reaction, muttering an abnormally loud "you were pissed like batshit at me earlier, what's with the sudden change of mood?" under my breath. Miho proceeded to playfully smack my shoulder, glaring up at me with a purposely petty smile.

Please tell me again, why am I friends with this girl?

As we weaved in and through the crowds, a few volleyball fans and students from our school recognising us, waving and yelling our names out. The downside of being a favourite to join the National Youth Team? Lots of fangirls and fanboys alike.

Thankfully, most of the people were all away, probably going to the stadiums in advance to get a good view of the award ceremony.

The girls' and boys' volleyball teams' awards were awarded in the same place, similar to the opening ceremony. They would announce the top three of each gender and film the whole ceremony, live streamed on the local sports network. Surprisingly enough, high school volleyball was a pretty popular sport to spectate.

yo. where r u?

Miho and I had stopped at a secluded corner of the corridor, a few meters away from two tall and broad-shouldered guys in green and yellow gradient jackets - Itachiyama Institute, winners of the boys' volleyball championships.

One of my good friends I had first made in the fourth year of elementary school was in the Itachiyama volleyball team, and he was an impressive number 1 high school libero, and only in his second year of high school. I wondered whether one of the two was him. Though, logically speaking, the chance of me encountering him was lower than 50 percent.

Outside the stadium, near the sinks.

I couldn't help but snort at the rather questionable choice of arena Suna and the rest of Inarizaki had chosen to be at.

The area we were standing in was pretty quiet, so my snort kinda echoed, my voice bouncing off the walls. One of the Itachiyama guys jerked his head a little, but didn't face us.

Meh. This is a public place. I'm not causing a nuisance, am I? Miho's head was hovering near my right shoulder, reading the conversation I was having with my friend.