the trial ➢ 𝘢𝘰𝘣𝘢 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘴𝘢𝘪

ch. thirteen

i spot my bag sitting on the bench.

it's almost like it's taunting me, sitting there as if i wasn't yearning for it last period. i think this was a lesson to always keep my bag on me!

i jog over to the bench, looking through my bag and taking my phone out to check any notifications i could've missed.

i scroll through videos on tiktok to pass time, waiting for practice to start.

mizoguchi blows his whistle once all of the boys are changed. "before we start practice, sensei would like to speak to you all."

the boys are quick to gather around the bench, once again.

"i heard a fight broke out at lunch today," my father starts, looking down at the floor, "i assume it was due to kyotani."

i don't like the harsh tension and horrible aura filling the room right now, so i go around behind the bench to get to mizoguchi, tugging at his shirt. "mizo-chan, can i go for a walk outside?"

"yeah, go ahead."

"um, i might be a little long, though.."

"..don't worry, katsumi. your notes from the past few days have reached my expectations."

"you're the best, mizo-chan!" i tightly hug him around his lower torso before quickly grabbing my phone from my bag and walking away from the sidelines, fleeing out the gym doors.

i jog over to the school, heading up the stairs and to my classroom. i peek through the window, seeing our teacher typing on her laptop, kyotani sat with his head on his desk. i go to the back door instead, peeking through that window to lightly knock so i won't catch her attention. kyotani's head jolts up, looking over his shoulder to me.

'are you okay?' i slowly mouth, pointing at him and putting up an 'ok' symbol. he sends me a thumbs up with a fairly small side smile. a smile grows on my face as i move out of the window's view, sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor, going on my phone.

~~~

"kyo-chan!" i stumble while trying to quickly get up from the floor as the classrooms front door opens, after more than thirty minutes of waiting. i lost track after twenty..

kyotani looks back to me with widened eyes, sliding the door closed after coming out. "w- what the hell are you still doing here?"

"i was waiting for your detention to end! i thought it was going to last forever.." i say as we start walking down the hallway.

"aren't you supposed to be taking notes, or whatever."

"well, technically, yes- but, i asked mizo-chan if i could go on a walk!"

"it's been almost a hour."

"i know! it was actually an amazing opportunity to catch up on my current manga."

he takes quick steps down the stairs. "you're insane."

i hold on to the railing, trying to keep the same pace behind kyotani. "what do you even do in detention? just-"

"sit there? yeah."

"for so long? how do you not die of like.. boredom!"

"gives me time to sleep."

"hm. i guess that could be a plus.. why are you going down the stairs so fast?!"

"like i want to spend another second in here." he abruptly stops going down the stairs, causing me to crash into his back.

i quickly go back up a step, pushing my loose hairs out of my face. "okay, you could've gave me a warning!"

"your reflexes are shit. pay attention next time."

"you are just so rude!" i cross my arms, descending the stairs again, "i need to teach you some manners."

the rest of the walk from the school building to the gym is silent.

i open one of the gymnasium doors, holding it open for kyotani, who doesn't come in. "you aren't coming?"

"can't."

"oh, right.." i look around for something to say. "don't get in another fight tomorrow morning?"

i almost, just almost, get a laugh out of kyotani. "can't promise you that." he walks away with his hands in his pockets.

i go into the gym and to the bench, continuing my almost-manager duties.

~~~

turns out i was upstairs for longer than i thought, because practice was over after only fifteen minutes of note-taking.

the boys are quick to change into their tracksuits, probably eager to go home.

"katsumi-chan! you're coming to get boba with us again, and you can't say no." oikawa orders once he gets to the bench, starting to pull me by my wrists.

"tooru-senp—, wait!" i use all my strength to get him to stop, which he does.

"we're loosing sunlight!"

"i have to ask my dad first—!"

he begins pulling me again. "i already asked him, don't worry!"

the other third years, oikawa, and i leave the gym, walking down to the boba shop in the golden sunset.