star-crossed | HQ

トレックスの家 (treks home)

Chapter 10 - トレックスの家 (treks home)

"Hoshi-chan~!" I heard a voice call as I left the gym. "Let's walk home together!" The chipper brunette skipped over with Iwa-chan, Matsukawa-San, and Hanamaki-San trailing behind him, now with their school bags slung on their shoulders.

"S-Sure!" I smiled as I waited for the pair to catch up.

"I wasn't expecting coach to make you our assistant manager!" Oikawa commented happily.

"I was also quite surprised. I'm more surprised that you didn't already have one!" I chuckled sheepishly.

"Ah, that's because..." Matsukawa-San started, the third years looked amongst themselves as Oikawa looked confused.

"All the girls that want to do it are head over heels for Trashykawa, so it's difficult to find someone suitable." Iwa-chan explained while Oikawa looked hurt (although I'm pretty sure he was internally very smug boosting his popularity).

"No wonder that boy seemed wary..." I mumbled to myself, remembering how that first year was grilling me with questions (I was so afraid I had already managed to do something wrong!).

'Well he has nothing to worry about.' I thought as we all passed our train passes and got the train, I was too deep in thought to join the conversation and I'd feel rude for acting close if we're not.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" I smiled (did I accidentally say my thoughts aloud again?). I squeaked when the train suddenly jerked and I fell into Hanamaki-San, who luckily managed to catch me and balance me.

"Careful there. Might want to hold onto something to stop yourself from falling." He advised as I apologized with a red face, looking up to the hanging loops to hold on to. I stretched my arm, wiggling my fingers to attempt to bring it closer to me. I stood on my tiptoes to reach it, practically hanging from it like a monkey.

"Hoshi-chan's so cute~!" Oikawa-San cooed as I tried to cover my face as best as I could with my free hand.

"You want to swap?" Matsukawa-San offered to swap places so I could hold onto the pole next to Iwa-chan, more my height.

"Yes, thank you Matsukawa-San." I shuffled past him as we swapped.

"No need to be so formal, Matsukawa is fine." He smiled at me, which I returned. I heard a small chuckle behind me.

"Nani?"

"Seems you're fitting in well." Iwa-chan grinned, making me feel fuzzy inside.

"Thank you. I'd like to get to know you all better." I nodded bashfully, feeling a warm aura from the three other volleyball players.

"My favourite food is cheese filled hamburger steak!"

"My star sign is Aquarius!"

"My favourite food is milk bread!"

I giggled at their eagerness, then looked back at Iwa-chan for his fact.

"U-Uh, well, my favourite food is Agedashi tofu..." He grumbled awkwardly.

"And yours?" Matsukawa asked.

"I like all food, but my favourite would have to be..." I thought about it really hard. I could only come to one conclusion, "I don't know if it counts but I really like Gari-Gari kun ice pops, especially soda flavour! And especially in the summer!"

The group stared at me then burst out laughing.

"That's so like you Hoshi-chan!"

For the rest of the journey, we talked about ourselves, answering each other's question, laughing at Oikawa; it made me smile and feel a part of the picture for once.

Once we got off the train, Oikawa, Iwaizumi and I all went one way while Hanamaki and Matsukawa went the other. I waved them goodbye happily then ran to catch up with Oikawa and Iwaizumi who waited for me (it's so strange being waited on, I don't think I can get used to it).

"So how're you finding Aoba Jousai so far?" Iwaizumi started.

"It's really quite something. It's really big and your volleyball team is definitely worth the gossip." I enthused, stopping in my tracks as I caught sight of a certain insect. "Whoa! A cicada this early in Japan? It's not even the season for them!" I squatted by the singing winged bug, catching it between my hands (the feeling of it crawling on my skin gave me the heebie-jeebies).

"A cicada? You used to catch them when we were younger didn't you Iwa-chan?" Oikawa commented, making me turn back with a wide smile on my face.

"Really?!" He nodded, squatting by me to look at the cicada. "Me too!"

I opened my hands to show the little cicada which was resting in the palm of my hands (if I move a muscle it will fly away, steady hands now).

"It's a new one." Iwaizumi commented, pointing to its design on its back. "Periodic if it's out this early."

We watched as it flew from my hands into the night, never had I felt so close but so far away from the boy next to me.