Through the Boundaries ~ Kageyama Tobio

11

Saerin lingered around the court after practice, cleaning up the stray volleyballs when a voice called out loudly from behind her. Turning, she saw a girl rushing towards Kageyama, her eyes alight with excitement. She barely spared you a glance, moving directly towards him, and in an instant, latched onto his arm.

"Tobio! It's been ages! Remember me? It's Sakura from middle school!" she chirped, leaning into him with a familiarity that instantly made her stomach twist.

Kageyama's face contorted into a mix of confusion and irritation, but he didn't immediately pull away, clearly unsure how to respond.

Sakura didn't wait for him to speak. "I couldn't believe it when I heard you were here! Still playing volleyball like always," she gushed, ignoring the clear tension from Kageyama. Then, without missing a beat, her gaze slid over to you.

"And you are...?" she asked, her tone deceptively sweet but her eyes glinting with something colder. "Oh, are you the new girl hanging around Tobio? I hope you know him as well as I do. We go way back, don't we, Tobio?"

She forced a smile, feeling a pang of discomfort. Her words hit a nerve. Were they that close?

Kageyama still hadn't spoken, and the awkwardness of the situation only grew. Saerin stepped back, unsure of how to handle the tension bubbling between the three of them. Before she could respond, Sakura continued.

"We spent so much time together in middle school," she said, practically cooing as she looked at Kageyama. "I was always there to support him, you know? So loyal..."

Something about her words felt off, but she couldn't help the doubt that seeped into her thoughts. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the unease stuck. Maybe she did know him better than she thought. Deciding it was best to avoid further tension, she mumbled an excuse and left the gym, her mind swirling with uncertainty.

In the days that followed, the distance between her and Kageyama grew. Every time she saw him, Sakura wasn't far behind, clinging to his arm, throwing subtle looks in her direction. It was clear she enjoyed getting under her skin.

For Kageyama, however, it was torment. He couldn't stand Sakura's clinginess, nor could he understand why saerin was suddenly avoiding him. Every time he caught sight of her leaving or purposefully distancing herself, an uncomfortable ache settled in his chest. He missed her, her presence, the ease of the conversations between the two of you, even her occasional teasing remarks. And yet, he had no idea why things had changed so abruptly between you two.

His frustration boiled over during practice one day, and his teammates felt the brunt of his short temper. No one could get the ball past him, and every miss was met with one of his scathing remarks.

"Damn it!" Kageyama growled, sending another ball flying across the court as the players exchanged nervous glances.

Sugawara, always perceptive, caught Kageyama's gaze lingering on the door where you had just left, Sakura not far behind.

"Something wrong, Kageyama?" Sugawara asked quietly, his tone gentle but knowing.

Kageyama clenched his fists, fighting back the urge to snap. He didn't need Sugawara to point out what was already gnawing at him. Something was definitely wrong, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Sakura had everything to do with it.

Later that evening, Kageyama found himself outside the gym, waiting by the back entrance where he knew Saerin would pass by. His mind raced as he replayed the past few days, his frustration building each time he thought about Sakura's interference. He didn't want this. He didn't want to lose whatever was slowly growing between the two of you, but every time he tried to approach her, she was already gone, slipping away before he could get a word in.

Just as he was about to give up and head home, he spotted her walking toward the exit, alone this time, thankfully. He pushed off the wall, his heart pounding harder than he would ever admit.

"Wait," he called out, stepping into her path before you could avoid him again.

She paused, a hint of surprise flashing across her face before you looked away. "Kageyama," she murmured, but there was a tension in her voice, something distant that hadn't been there before.

He didn't mince words. "Why are you avoiding me?"

The bluntness of his question caught her off guard, and she swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. The truth was that she didn't even know where to begin. Part of her had assumed it was obvious, but seeing him standing there, confusion clouding his usually sharp features, made her realize that maybe it wasn't.

"I'm not—" she started to deny it, but the look on his face stopped her. "I don't know... It's just..." she hesitated, unsure how to phrase the storm of emotions she'd been wrestling with. "I thought maybe you and Sakura had something going on. She seems close to you. And the way she talks—"

"Sakura?" Kageyama's eyebrows shot up, and his face twisted in disbelief. "You thought—?" He cut himself off, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "She's nothing to me. I barely even remember her from middle school. She's just—" His words trailed off as he tried to find the right way to explain without sounding too harsh. "I don't know what she's been saying, but it's all lies."

Her eyes flickered with uncertainty. "But why didn't you say anything? You just let her..."

Kageyama huffed, clearly frustrated with the entire situation. "I didn't think I needed to. I thought you knew me better than that."

The words stung a little, but she couldn't deny the truth in them. Maybe she had jumped to conclusions too quickly. But how could she not, when Sakura had seemed so intent on driving a wedge between you two?

"I guess I overthought it," she admitted quietly, her voice wavering. "It's just... I've never really been good at this kind of stuff, and I was embarrassed. When I gave you that painting, I thought..." she trailed off, suddenly feeling silly for even bringing it up.

Kageyama's face softened, though his expression remained guarded. "The painting? What about it?"

She bit your lip, feeling the weight of her own vulnerability. "I don't usually give people things like that. It... it meant something to me, I guess."

Kageyama was silent for a moment, the realization hitting him harder than he expected. So that's what it was. He had dismissed it, thinking she was just being kind, like she always was. But now... now he saw it for what it really was: a gesture, something deeper.

Before he could respond, the gym door suddenly swung open, and Sakura stepped out, her eyes lighting up when she spotted the two of you together. "Oh, Tobio!" she sang out, her voice dripping with false cheer. "I was looking for you. You left so quickly."

Kageyama's jaw tightened, his entire demeanor shifting back to that cold, closed-off version of himself. But this time, you saw through it. Saerin saw the frustration, the annoyance, the way his gaze lingered on you before flicking to Sakura.

"I'll talk to you later," he muttered, his voice low but firm as he turned his back on Sakura, walking away without sparing her another glance.

Saerin stood there, watching him leave, her heart heavy but somehow lighter at the same time. The distance between you two hadn't been entirely bridged, but something had shifted. And even though Sakura's presence lingered like a bad memory, she couldn't shake the feeling that
things between her and Kageyama weren't as hopeless as they seemed.