Akaashi's 18th (and the events that followed...)

22. Hinata - Mystery

Bakageyama had been playing better than usual, that much Hinata could tell. Why? He didn't know. But he had to find out. Perhaps it had something to do with the men in tracksuits with the olympic logo printed on them. But then again, maybe Hinata was just reading into things too much.

This match had been tough, but not nearly too tough to handle, as Kageyama set him the ball faster and more accurately than ever. Even though most people knew about their quick attack now, and could sometimes preempt them, there was still no way they could catch up to Hinata's speed and Kageyama's creepily meticulous work. They were invincible together.
So where had he gone?

Oh, there he is... Hinata marched up to the edge of the court, where Kageyama was talking to those men in tracksuits. However, he was stopped halfway by two bodies in suits. He looked up indignantly, but then broke into a grin. "Suga-san! Daichi-san!"

"Hey, Hinata!" Sugawara smiled cheerfully. "I saw you in the match - you were brilliant!"

"Arigatō!" Hinata replied cheerily, feeling himself glow from the praise - but then he noticed something. "Daichi-san..." he looked down for a moment, seeing their intertwined hands, before taking in their overly relaxed stance and slightly red faces. "Wow, you and Suga-san, that's great!"

Hinata glanced at Sugawara, who raised an eyebrow at him, whilst Hinata tried to figure out whether his assumption was correct. Sugawara grinned at him. "Yeah, we're together now." He chuckled a little awkwardly, coughing.

"So Daichi-san," Hinata began, trying to keep the smirk from showing on his face. "Do you think Sugawara-san is pretty then?"

Daichi choked, and Suga laughed. "Well..." he scratched the back of his neck. "I think so, yes. I mean - obviously he's not just pretty - but he has pretty eyes, and his hair is nice - soft - I mean..."

Sugawara patted him on the back, smirking. "It's okay, Dai. Sorry Hinata, he's new to being in a proper relationship where you don't just giggle with each other and only talk when you give each other good luck charms." Was Suga passively-aggressively talking about Yui? "Anyway, speaking of awkward relationships, how are you and Kageyama?"

"Huh?" Hinata genuinely didn't know what Sugawara was talking about. "We're not..."

"I know, I know," he laughed. "I just think your friendship is a little, well, intense? I guess that's the word for it." He glanced at Daichi, who nodded.

Hinata looked through their arms, at where Kageyama was talking to the tracksuit men. Somehow, the setter had grown even taller, and was nearly as big as these huge athletes who were talking to him earnestly, almost as an equal.

The setter was muscled, too. The rigorous training schedule they had developed - as running to school together had become too easy - meant that Kageyama had developed quite a toned body, especially prominent in the lean muscle encasing his upper arms and thighs, which were currently dripping with sweat from the match. His dark fringe clung to his forehead, which he flicked out of his face as his eyes stared seriously at a piece of paper in his hand.

"...Hinata?" His head, suddenly a little warm and fuzzy, snapped back up to meet Daichi's incredulous expression. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry."

"No problem," Sugawara answered. "However, we do need to go speak to Nishinoya." At that, Hinata caught a mysterious, cheeky glint in Suga's eyes. "We'll see you soon, though. We want to come back for a day and play some volleyball with the third years before they leave, too." With that, they bowed their heads and waved behind them, leaving Hinata to wonder what was going on with his setter.

He stepped closer, hiding behind a camera, but could only hear sides of the conversation.

Not far... one of the men said.

...and the other guy? The other man asked. 

...be fine...just him...little but powerful...can't rely on the fact that...

...don't care, he caught Kageyama saying with a firm nod of his head. ...long as I can... top of the league...great to know... arigatōgozaimashita... brilliant opportunity.

Hinata's legs itched to leap forwards and intercept their conversation... However, he couldn't stay. He really, really needed the toilet.

(Word count: 715)
(Total word count: 25,366)