Sunshine...?

24

"So, our team won the game yesterday?" Yachi tipped her head to one side, trying to process what you were telling her.

You nod. "Yeah, they were amazing, Hitoka. You should've seen how well they played, even though their ace and libero weren't even playing with them." After a fairly long talk with Sugawara after the practice match, you ended up learning the reasoning behind why there were a few missing players, one of which being the only libero the Karasuno team has.

Yachi's eyes widened. "Wow. That's amazing. How are you friends doing with everything they dealt with yesterday?"

You shrug. "For the most part, they seem pretty happy that they had beaten a powerhouse like Aoba Johsai, even if it was just for practice. Though, our first year setter seems a little off after having a talk with his former senpai. It seems like there's a lot of tension between the boys. I just hope that Kageyama will be alright by the time they start with tournaments."

The blonde girl nods, not fully understanding what you were talking about. "I sure hope everything will be alright. So, since you've been spending a lot of time helping out the team lately, based on what you've been doing would you say that it'll be relatively easy for us when we join in a few months as managers? Like, are the tasks we'll be given easy to do, or will they be challenging? Also, do you think the team will be ok having me around? Are they scary? Should I try practicing my social skills again?"

You hold your hands in front of you, stopping her from rambling. "Whoa there. Calm down, Hitoka. One question at a time. The tasks themselves are simple enough, they just take a little bit of effort and some time to adjust to it. I'd say it shouldn't be too hard for us to get accustomed to the position. The guys on the team, plus the current manager, will love having you around. They're really friendly guys, I can't say that any of them are particularly scary. And, yes, you might want to try talking with other people some more. The better you are at communicating with others, the better you'll do in the club."

Yachi lets out a breath of relief. "Ok. Sorry for bombarding you with questions. I'm just nervous. I mean, we already decided what club we're gonna be joining. It's just that we decided to wait a few months before actually joining. Do you think they'll be upset that we waiting so long before joining once we figured out we're gonna join?"

You shake your head. "No, they know the plan. I explained that you need some time to prepare before joining any clubs, and that I was going to focus on school for a little longer before filling out the application form. They're totally understanding of everything, and are waiting patiently for us to be ready to spend the time as members of the club. I can promise you, there's absolutely nothing to worry about."

She nods, smiling slightly. "That's good to hear. What about the situation with your best friend, or crush? How should I refer to him?"

You feel your face heating up. "Let's not focus on the details about my relationship with Shoyo. And what situation are you talking about?"

"Well, you two had your first fight ever yesterday just before leaving for the game. I know you said that you two worked everything out, but is everything really fine? Aren't you still upset that he won't tell you everything now? I mean, you've said before that there were never any secrets between you guys until more recently."

You sigh, leaning your hand into the palm of your hand (you have your elbow propped up on the desk). "I mean, I'm still upset over it, but there's nothing that I can do. I kinda just have to wait until he's ready to open up to me. When that'll be, I have no clue. I'm a patient person, though. I promised to always be there, so it'll be best to let him do things on his own terms. I can't rush him, it might create more problems between us."

Yachi tipped her head to one side. "Are you ever gonna tell him how you feel? I mean, you've been silently falling completely in love with him for years. Don't you want him to know, and hopefully feel the same way?"

"There's nothing I'd love more than to know Shoyo returns these feelings of mine. Unfortunately, he seems to have a few too many problems that he needs to deal with first. I don't want to risk overwhelming him by adding my feelings for him on top of all the issues he's trying to balance out. My feelings don't take priority until I know he's in a state to handle them."

Yachi hums. "I think you should still make it clear to him that you like him as more than a friend. I mean, maybe it'll get through to him just how much he cares. That could end up being the push he needs to be able to tell you everything that's been going on with him. It's at least worth thinking about, right?"

"You have a point." You glance out of the classroom window. "I guess I'm just a little nervous about what might happen. He's been my best friend for our whole lives. It would be awkward to just confess my feelings then have him not feel the same. I don't want to risk ruining our friendship with more complicated feelings. And I want to show him how much I care by putting his feelings first. I don't want to make a move if it'll just make things worse for Shoyo. Does that make sense?"

She nods. "I understand what you're trying to say. You're a good friend. I still think you should take a chance with him. The worst that can happen is he rejects you."

"No the worst that can happen is I completely lose my best friend, and then we never speak to each other ever again."

The blonde blinks a few times, unsure of what to make of your worries. "Wow. And I thought I was bad about being pessimistic. You should talk to a counselor or therapist with how much you're worrying about what might happen if you were to confess your feelings."

You look down at your desk, slowly moving your arms to bury your head in them. "I just think it's too soon. I don't want to mess things up. I was hoping Shoyo would come open up to me before I started thinking about letting him know how I feel. I just don't want to chase him away before he decides to let me in."

Yachi gently pat the top of your head. "Just give it a chance. You never know what might happen until you build up the courage and try your best. You can always find a way of keeping your friendship intact regardless of the outcome."

"I guess you're right. I just need to get some advice from other people. I think I know who I should go to during lunch."