Through the Boundaries ~ Kageyama Tobio

2

Kageyama couldn't get her out of his head.

He hated that.

It had only been a couple of days since he'd first met Saerin, and yet every time he closed his eyes, her calm, amused expression flashed in his mind. It was all incredibly frustrating—especially when he'd been so rude.

As he stood in the gym, tossing the ball between his hands, the thud of it hitting the ground after each set pass echoed through the empty space. Practice hadn't even started yet, but Kageyama was trying to distract himself. Anything to stop thinking about that girl.

But it wasn't working.

"Hey, Kageyama!"

Hinata's loud voice cut through the gym as he rushed in with his usual enthusiasm. "You're early today!"

"I'm always early," Kageyama muttered, turning his back on Hinata. He didn't want anyone noticing the extra tension he'd been carrying lately.

"You sure? Because it looks like something's on your mind," Hinata teased, leaning in close. "Could it be... Saerin?"

Kageyama's eyebrow twitched, his hands gripping the volleyball a little tighter. "Shut up, dumbass."

Hinata snickered but thankfully dropped the subject as the rest of the team started to arrive. Kageyama tried to focus on practice, but his passes were a little off, his sets not as sharp as they usually were. He could feel his teammates' eyes on him.

"Oi, Kageyama, your toss was a little short!" Nishinoya yelled, catching the ball and grinning mischievously. "What's up? Got someone on your mind?"

Tanaka jogged over, laughing. "Yeah, looks like you're off today, man."

Kageyama glared at them both, irritation flaring up inside him. "I'm fine. Just focus on your own game."

But even as practice went on, his thoughts drifted back to her. He hated that he couldn't stop thinking about how awkward their first meeting had been. If he ever saw her again, he'd—what? Apologize? Try to be less of a jerk?

As if.

———

Two days later, Kageyama found himself standing outside the library, his backpack slung over one shoulder. He didn't even like going to the library, but Coach had assigned them to review some game tapes for strategy, and of course, Kageyama had been the one stuck with the responsibility.

"Just get it over with," he muttered to himself, pushing open the heavy doors.

Inside, the quiet hum of students working filled the air. He spotted an open table near the back and made his way over, grateful for the peaceful atmosphere—until he saw her.

Saerin was sitting a few tables away, her head bent over a textbook. She hadn't noticed him, but Kageyama felt his stomach twist. Why was she everywhere?

He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to leave before she saw him, but it was too late.

Saerin glanced up, her gaze catching his. For a second, neither of them moved. Then, to his surprise, she smiled, a polite, amused smile that made him feel completely off-balance.

"Oh, it's you again," she said softly, her voice cutting through the quiet. She didn't seem bothered by their last awkward encounter.

Kageyama shifted awkwardly, his hands tightening around his bag strap. "Yeah... me," he mumbled, unsure of what else to say. He knew he was coming off as cold again, but he didn't know how to fix it.

Saerin tilted her head, clearly picking up on his discomfort. "Are you here to study too?"

Kageyama swallowed, feeling the urge to turn and run but knowing that would only make things weirder. "No. I'm... here for volleyball stuff."

She nodded, that same amused expression on her face. "Volleyball, huh? You're pretty serious about it."

"Yeah," Kageyama replied bluntly, not sure how else to respond. He could feel his palms growing clammy as she kept looking at him, her calmness only making him more flustered. "It's... important."

"That much is obvious." Saerin smiled lightly, but there was something knowing in her gaze, as if she could see right through him. "I'll let you get to it then."

Kageyama nodded stiffly, turning quickly and walking toward the open table he'd seen earlier. His heart pounded in his chest. He hated that he couldn't act normal around her—she didn't even seem to care, but that only made it worse.

---

Later that day, as practice wrapped up, Kageyama's mind was still racing from his second encounter with Saerin. Unfortunately for him, his teammates weren't about to let things go unnoticed.

"Hey, guys, I've got an idea," Tanaka said with a grin, gathering the rest of the team in a huddle. "What if we get Kageyama and Saerin to spend some more time together?"

Hinata's eyes lit up. "Oh! We should totally set them up for something!"

Kageyama, overhearing, shot them a glare. "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

Nishinoya laughed. "Come on, we're just helping you out. You clearly need it."

"I don't need help," Kageyama growled, his fists clenching. He was already irritated from the library encounter, and now his teammates were making it worse. "Stay out of it."

But they didn't listen. Tanaka smirked. "Too late. We're already planning something."

"Don't you dare—" Kageyama began, but his warning was drowned out by the group's excited chatter.