Childhood friends

4. At Nationals, He Pops The Question

"Finally, tomorrow are the finals! I can't believe we made it this far!" You cheered, having won your semi final match of the middle school nationals.

Riko smiled at you. "It's because we have an ace like you, Y/n. Everyone on this team doubts that we would've made it this far if you weren't on our team. Enjoy these wins, Y/n. You truly earned them."

You beamed at your friend. "Thanks, but I couldn't have done all this on my own. Volleyball is a team sport. The best six players on the court are the winners. No one player alone can win a match, they need their teammates. This win isn't mine alone, it's for all of us. We couldn't have gotten this far without the team as it is."

Your teammates looked at you with awe. "You're amazing, captain!"

You laugh, rubbing the back of your head. "Aww, it's nothing. I just value the team I had the honor of working with. I don't think this team is weak. Everyone that's a part of this team is strong. And I know, even without us third years, you will all be great next year. You'll make it to nationals again and make sure our school's name is well known. Now, let's go back to our inn. I want to wash up and get some well earned rest before our match tomorrow."

As you all walked out, a familiar face popped out.

You greeted him, like always. "Hey, Taichi. How was your match?"

Kawanishi smirked at you. "We won. I was able to see the last of your match. Congrats on winning."

"There's nothing to it. I was dealt the best hand possible. My team is the best team there is. I'm confident that we'll keep winning." You smiled brightly at him, leading your team out of the stadium.

You were stopped when a certain sound hit your ears, causing the boy that was walking beside you to frown.

"L-L/n-san!" A boy from the boys' volleyball team ran up to you, nearly tripping over his own feet as he stopped in front of you.

You give a confused smile. "Hello. Did you need something from me?"

He nods, his black hair falling in front of his face. "I - I saw your match, well, the end of it. You were amazing!"

"Thank you."

Kawanishi tensed, having a feeling of knowing where this was going. "Come on, Y/n. Let's go."

"I really like you, L/n! Will you go out with me?!" The boy blurted out, bowing to a perfect 90 degrees.

You took a few steps back, being caught off guard. You give a sad smile to the boy. "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested." You walk away, Kawanishi following close behind you.

The boy with the light brown hair glared at the boy before turning to you, jealousy surging through him. "I can't believe he would do that."

You let out an awkward chuckle. "Honestly, it's becoming a bit much. Boys from all the teams here, even older guys that don't seem to care about age, have been trying to ask me out during the whole tournament. I must seem cold to keep rejecting everyone."

Kawanishi smiled, happy to hear that no one can steal your heart. The smile quickly vanishes when he thinks about all the other guys that have even attempted to ask you out. "Just don't pay attention to them. They're not important. What's important are these matches. You need to give your all to your games, you don't need boys distracting you with something like their feelings."

You sigh. "That's harsh. I feel bad for the poor guys."

The boy beside you shrugs. "You only need one guy in your life, and that's me."

You laugh a bit, quickly calming yourself down as you walk through the streets. "I mean, you are the only guy I'm close to, and I kinda hope it stays that way. I don't need the drama that comes with surrounding myself with boys. I'm just focusing on school, volleyball, and my two precious friends."