insouciant || ON HIATUS

ℂℍ𝔸ℙ𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟜𝟙

"Washed, set, and folded." Kiyoko set the bags down, looking as stoic as ever. She handed out the uniforms to the members.

Mamoru accepted his uniform with a polite nod, unfolding it slowly. It was black with a wide orange stripe running down the side and outlined with white. When he saw the number, he closed his eyes and tilted his head down, feeling ill.

13.

Why was it always 13?

Hinata seemed happy with his number, being the same number as his idol, "The Little Giant". Mamoru was curious to know who he was. A thought crossed his mind.

Who did he look up to?

"Let's get practicing!" Ukai's voice drowned his voice. Mamoru sighed. He needed to focus, not stick his head in the cloud.

He drifted after his teammates, sitting his uniform on the bench neatly folded.

Just another day.

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────

"Kenma!"

Kenma?

That sounded familiar...

Mamoru momentarily stopped walking and stared at the boy with dyed hair. Now that he could see his face, he realized it was the kid with the volleyball.

Kenma's eyes flicked towards Mamoru, golden eyes that seemed vaguely catlike. "Oh."

"Oh, Mamoru-kun!" As if on cue, Kuroo made a beeline for Mamoru, slinging an arm around the boy. He still had that ridiculous bedhead hair. "It's been a while, hasn't it."

"A few months," Mamoru pointed out absently, a little uncomfortable with the contact. He didn't shake it off though.

"You know him?" Sugawara asked, surprised.

"I met him and Kenma-san in Tokyo once," Mamoru explained, nodding to Kenma. He wouldn't have recognized him. He didn't expect Kenma to be the one to dye his hair, though the long hair suited him.

"He tripped over the volleyball," Kuroo sighed, reminiscing as if they were old friends.

"That you hit towards me," Mamoru pointed out. He slipped out of his grip and glanced at the tall boy. He'd grown much taller now, a little more muscular.

"Ah, sorry again," Kuroo grinned, dipping his head. "Anyways, you play volleyball now?"

"Now?" Some of his team parroted. Mamoru winced. Of course, being in Tokyo, Kuroo would've heard about his basketball team.

"You played a different sport before?" Narita asked curiously.

"Ah yeah, he was pretty famous in middle school," Kuroo smirked. "He was known as T-"

Mamoru gritted his teeth as panic flitted through his brain. "Please don't."

He left without another word. He wasn't really angry with him, more worried than anything. What happens in Tokyo, stays in Tokyo.

Miyagi was a new start for him.

He entered the gym with the other Nekoma members, who spared him an awed look. In the sunlight, his hair seemed to glow like a halo among his pale features.

"You there!"

A set of arms wrapped around his waist—was everyone so touchy??—and he stopped in his tracks, confused. He couldn't quite see their face since they were hiding their face in his back. He deduced it was female from the voice and slim arms.