YOU'RE IN MY HEART. 𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘢 𝘺𝘶𝘶

27 | advices, feelings, texts

[First Name] Sakai kept glancing at the clock, the minutes ticking by slowly as the practice neared its end. She was anxious, her fingers fidgeting as she replayed the conversation she planned to have with Sugawara. She didn’t want to bother him during practice. She knew how focused and dedicated he was, and she respected that. But Sugawara had assured her that he’d be there to help, no matter what. That comfort was enough to keep her grounded, at least a little.

From across the gym, Nishinoya noticed her restlessness. He watched her, noting the way her hands twisted together and her gaze flickered nervously around the room. It was strange, he’d never seen her this way. Something about it unsettled him, made him feel an odd pang in his chest he couldn’t quite explain. He tried to shake it off, but the thought stuck with him.

Could she be…about to confess to Sugawara?

The idea hit him like a punch to the gut, and he couldn’t help but frown. She was acting exactly like the girls who had confessed to him before, all quiet and fidgety. Was she…really interested in Sugawara? When did that happen? He wracked his brain, trying to recall any interactions they’d had that would suggest something like that. They rarely spoke, as far as he knew. Had he missed something?

As practice wound down, the team began packing up. [First Name] busied herself with her manager duties, cleaning up equipment and organizing water bottles, her movements precise but clearly rushed. She looked like she was trying to distract herself, to focus on anything other than her nerves, but Nishinoya could see through it. He knew her too well, better than anyone else on the team, maybe even better than she knew herself.

Despite his own confusion, Nishinoya couldn’t help but smile. Watching her like this reminded him of the girl he knew from way back, the one who’d always had a bit of nervous energy around her. The one he’d looked for, missed, and somehow found again. She was still the same person deep down, and that realization softened whatever jealousy or frustration he’d started to feel. Sure, he’d confessed to her once. And sure, he’d taken it back almost as fast as he’d said it, but that didn’t change how he felt. He cared for her. Always had.

But he had no right to be upset, did he? There was no official relationship between them, nothing that tied her to him. They were friends—good friends, best friends even. And if she did like Sugawara…well, he’d just have to accept it. He couldn’t force her to feel the same way he did, no matter how much he might wish things were different.

Still, he couldn’t deny that this stung a little more than he’d anticipated.

"Yuu!"

The sound of his name pulled him out of his thoughts, and for a fleeting moment, his heart raced, imagining it was her voice calling him. But as he turned, he found Tanaka barreling toward him, grinning wide. A pang of guilt settled in his chest. Just hearing his first name had instantly made him think of her, almost forgetting his own best friend.

What kind of friend was he?

"Yuu, let's go!" Tanaka draped an arm around his shoulders, completely unfazed. "Man, I'm beat! Let's hit the arcade or something."

Daichi overheard, giving them a disapproving look. "You two seriously want to go to the arcade after practice? You’ll wear yourselves out even more."

Tanaka grinned back, "I need a break!"

Kiyoko, who was walking past, added with a quiet smile, "There are other ways to rest, you know." Her words made Tanaka blush almost immediately, and he chuckled, trying to play it off.

"Right, right, yeah... Anyway, Noya, let's just chill at your place, then!" Tanaka said, giving Nishinoya a nudge.

Nishinoya laughed, agreeing. Maybe a hangout would be good. A distraction, some time to clear his mind and stop himself from overthinking everything. Yet, even as he agreed, he could already feel the struggle creeping in. He knew it would take more than a night of video games or arcades to truly get her out of his thoughts. She was woven into every corner of his mind, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.