Genius (Kageyama Tobio)

16

The next day was when Takeda announced their Golden Week Training Camp, and the fateful match against Nekoma High. 

"Cats vs Crows? I can't decide if that's disgustingly cheesy or actually motivating." Noriko commented.

"For once, I actually agree with you." Tsukishima sassed, matching Noriko's disturbed expression.

"Now I can't decide if I want to switch to being excited or take this opportunity for us to not dislike each other. Think you can be pleasant with me?"

"Probably not, you're a little too spoiled for my tastes."

"Yeah, you're a little too pompous for my tastes too. Better leave it as is then." Noriko nodded, before chuckling to herself. At least it was fun bantering with him, if anything.

When practice ended, as usual, Noriko joined Shoyo and Kageyama.

"I wonder if things would go smoother for Sugawara-san and Nishinoya-san if Asahi-san came back." Hinata pondered.

"Who knows?" Kageyama replied uninterestedly. Noriko elbowed him in the side lightly.

"Shouldn't you show a little more interest in your teammates?" The girl teased, watching as he glanced down at her then quickly looked away as if it burned him.

Hinata frowned, his expression serious for once. "I heard Asahi-san takes all the blame upon himself, but don't you think Sugawara-san is like that, too?"

"I'm surprised you caught that. You're more aware than you let on, Sho."

Kageyama glared down at Hinata, who now had Noriko's attention to himself. "I guess they both have a sense of responsibility, even though you don't win a game by yourself."

"Y-You should talk! I clearly remember your words..." Hinata flattened his hair down to look like Kageyama's, lowering his voice in a harsh deadpan. "'I wish I could receive, toss, and spike all by myself.'"

Noriko snorted, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Shut up!"

The girl only laughed harder when Kageyama got angry and tried to attack the ginger boy, with Noriko halfheartedly pulling him back by the sleeve. "Calm down, Kageyama, it's not like he's totally wrong. But, don't worry, he doesn't pull off that attitude the way you do. Or the hair, for that matter."

Kageyama froze in the middle of getting ready to hit Hinata, and for a moment, Noriko could've sworn his cheeks were red, but she must've been imagining things in the darkness.

"C'mon, let's get practicing or else you're wasting my time." Noriko said promptly, trying not to dwell on whether he was blushing or not.

The next hour was spent practicing outside the way the boys had had to do before they were let onto the team, with Noriko throwing the ball for them and giving gentle pointers to Hinata (Lord knows Kageyama wouldn't be any constructive help to the ginger).

"Hey, do you think we should go talk to Asahi again?" Hinata wondered.

"Huh? Why would we do that?" Kageyama said in a monotone, with his eyes only focused on the volleyball.

"Are you gonna try to convince him to rejoin the team?" Noriko inquired, looking at Hinata and no longer paying attention to the rally.

"Shouldn't we?" Hinata replied simply, his head cocked to the side.

Noriko giggled, ruffling his hair. "Yeah, I think we should."

Scowling, Kageyama ripped Noriko's hand away from Hinata's head.