𝟭. 𝙃𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 || 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 [✔]

Chapter 29: Path Cross

𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞
#102323
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Aeris and her four friends were walking together down the hallway, half chatting, half dragging their feet as they made their way to their classroom. The morning rush had already passed, but the school still buzzed with leftover energy—doors sliding open, students swapping notebooks, someone laughing too loudly in the distance. Aeris wasn't looking ahead when she suddenly collided with a figure turning the corner.

She stumbled back. "Takeda-sensei! I'm so sorry!"

Her friends gasped and bowed immediately, murmuring apologies like a well-practiced chorus.

Takeda-sensei blinked in surprise, then relaxed when he recognized them. "Ah, Nanachan—perfect timing. I was actually just looking for someone who could help me."

Aeris straightened, brushing loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Sure, sensei. What do you need?"

"I need you to tell Daichi and Asahi to come to the faculty room after school. I require their help with something." His tone was rushed but grateful.

"Sensei, where's their classroom again?" Aeris asked politely.

"Upstairs. Year 3, Class 1," he answered, already shifting his weight like he was ready to sprint off again.

Aeris gave him a reassuring nod. "We'll tell them."

Takeda-sensei smiled, relieved. "Thank you. I'm counting on you." Then he hurried down the hall, weaving through students like someone on a mission.

As soon as he disappeared, Aeris turned back to her friends. "Okay, you guys go on ahead. I'll catch up later."

They headed down the hallway toward their classroom. Koharu, however, slowed her steps and nudged Aeris.

"My classroom's near the stairs anyway. I'll go with you."

Aeris grinned. "Alright. Let's go before the bell rings."

They started toward the stairwell, the sound of their footsteps mixing with chatter from incoming students. Koharu peeled off at the landing with a quick "See you later!" and Aeris continued climbing toward the third floor, glancing at each classroom sign as she passed.

The upper hallway was quieter than the lower floors, and she walked a little faster, hoping to catch Daichi before his homeroom teacher arrived. She rounded the last corner—

—and collided with someone again.

Aeris jolted back. "Oh my—sorry! I wasn't looking—"

Daichi steadied her by the shoulder before she could stumble. "It's fine, Aeris-chan," he said with a warm smile, the kind that made him look even more like the reliable captain everyone knew him to be. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." She caught her breath, then let out a half-laugh. "Actually, perfect timing. I came here to—"

"Dachi-san?"

The unfamiliar voice came from behind Daichi. A girl stepped forward—pretty, composed, and just the slightest bit startled to see someone else there.

"Daichi-san," she said softly.

Daichi turned. "Yui-san. Good morning."

Yui blinked at Aeris, momentarily thrown off. "Oh—I'm sorry. I didn't realize Daichi wasn't alone."

Aeris shook her head. "No, it's fine. I just needed to tell him something from Takeda-sensei."

Daichi tilted his head. "From Takeda-sensei?"

"Yeah." Aeris cleared her throat, trying not to feel awkward between them. "He said he wants you and Asahi to go to the faculty room after school. He needs help with something."

Daichi nodded. "Alright, thanks. I appreciate you coming all the way up here."

"Not a problem." Aeris offered a polite smile, then remembered the one thing she kept forgetting to do with seniors. She bowed lightly. "Also—I'm Kageyama Aeris."

Yui blinked, then stepped forward, returning the bow. "Michimiya Yui."

"Nice to meet you," Aeris said.

Yui's expression softened, though there was still a hint of surprise lingering in her eyes—probably because Aeris had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. But she didn't seem bothered, just caught off guard.

"Well, I should go. I don't want to be late." Aeris stepped back, checking the time.

"See you at the gym later," Daichi said.

She nodded. "Yeah. See you."

Aeris headed back down the hallway, her pace quicker now that homeroom was close to starting. She could hear Daichi and Yui talking behind her—something quiet and casual—though she didn't pay it much attention. She had her own things to think about, like whether she would get scolded for being even a minute late or whether her teacher would be too distracted to notice.

As she reached the second floor, a teacher passed by with an armful of worksheets and called out, "Walking, not running!"

"I am walking!" Aeris insisted—but she slowed down anyway, because arguing while technically running defeated the point.

Daichi's shout echoed through the gym as the team finished their tough training session. "Good work guys!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with pride.

"Osu!" the rest of the team replied in unison, their voices filled with exhaustion yet determination.

As they wiped the sweat off their brows and caught their breath, Aeris approached Daichi with a mop in her hand. Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she leaned in closer to him. "So, who's that girl?" she asked, hoping to gather some information. Sometimes, she pretended not to know things so that she could gather tea from both sides.

"You mean Yui-san?" Daichi responded, raising an eyebrow. Then he went to the closet to get a mop "She's the captain of the girl's volleyball team."

Aeris's eyes widened in surprise. "What? There's a women's volleyball team?" She followed Daichi, going to corner of the gym to start mopping.

Daichi chuckled. "Didn't your class president tell you? She's been leading the team for quite some time now."

Aeris scratched her head, slightly embarrassed. "Well, maybe, I think. I was to busy to notice, But where do they play?"

"Right beside this gym," Daichi replied, pointing towards a nearby door.

Aeris frowned, perplexed. "That's the basketball court."

Daichi nodded. "Yes, but they have half of it reserved for their games and practice."

Aeris shook her head in disbelief. "Well, that's unfair. You guys have the whole court."

Just as they were about to continue their conversation, Coach Ukai's voice boomed across the gym. "Ay you two, hurry up! We need to get home."

Startled, Aeris and Daichi sprang into action. They swiftly cleaned the gym floor, ensuring it was spotless before the team headed home.

After closing the gym, the team exited and headed home. They parted ways only when they reached Coach Ukai's store.

"Nanachan, what were you talking about with Daichi-san?" Tobio asked, curiosity lining his voice.

"Yeah, you guys were seriously talking," Tanaka chimed in. "Daichi, you're a popular man. I'm jealous."

Aeris scoffed at their banter. "Funny guys, I wasn't talking about Daichi. I was talking about a girl I met earlier. Her name is Yui."

"Oh, the girls' volleyball team!" Tanaka and Nishinoya exclaimed simultaneously.

"You guys, need to chill," Aeris playfully scolded.

The team, then talked about the Karasuno Girls' volleyball club, and before they knew it, it was time to part ways.

« ֪ ׅ ֹ =͟͞ ♡ 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗.