ため野矢の: Because of Noya

希望 Hope

I sighed deeply as warm handfuls of foamy water escaped through the cracks of openings in between my fingers- tickling the soft skin gently.

I looked over at Kiyoko-san, who was resting ever so gracefully in the steamy bathhouse. Her eyelids were closed, but not enough to make her fall fast asleep in the comfortable area.

Not wanting to disturb her, I quietly turned my head down and lied up against the stone wall behind me- ripples of water following the effect.

"Nakemura-san?"

She called through the clumps of steam surrounding us. My gaze turned upwards once again as I stopped picking the pastel pink flower petals from my hand that I caught in the handful of water. I wondered if the ripples of water had awakened her- or if it was just by pure coincidence.

"Yes?"

I hesitantly called back, straining my eyes and ears to see or hear any movement before me.

"You've been more active than I thought during the retreat."

Although I failed at both hearing and seeing her movements, I could sense the light-hearted and honest tone in her voice.

"Well, I guess so. That was out of the blue."

I commented as I drew my slender index fingers across the water, leaving tiny trails of motion to dissipate afterwards.

"Hmm. Just an observation."

She hummed, with no significant movement herself.

"I watched you play volleyball, even. It's no wonder you were with the Queens of the Court."

Kiyoko-san continued. I tensed up, scolding the water around me for copying and acting the movement. It wasn't a talent. It wasn't if I was benched throughout the entirety of games where I was forced to watch what I wanted to become- and never could

"Did you see anything interesting?"

I was surprisingly the one to break the eerie silence that seemed to make the fog even more dense than before.

"You mean when you protected Nishinoya-san from getting hit with that volleyball?"

She chuckled at the memory while I felt redness rising towards my cheeks that were already tainted a light pink from the humid environment I was in.

I couldn't find the words to say back to Kiyoko-san, so I awkwardly fidgeted in the warm water and sank deeper to try to relieve the anxiety.

"You might have been just as fast as Hinata-kun that time."

She continued in hope for a response.

"I don't know how. It just kind of... Happened."

I blew soft bubbles in the clear blue water.

"Say, you and Nishinoya-san are really close, huh?"

She sighed as I jerked my head up at the mention of the libero.

"Y-yeah..."

I gurgled, embarrassed by my action.

"You guys always were. Everyone was surprised- you were and are both so different."

She paused for an explanation.

"I don't think I'd remember how we did it either. It gradually grew as he pulled me along.. Literally."

A faint smile grew on my face.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you two were secretly dating."

Foreign mischief laced in between Kiyoko-san's words.