égoïste [Akaashi Keiji]

raison #22

"It's Thursday!" Shiori cheered.

It was early in the morning, just as she was walking to school. It was a nice day to walk, and it had become a lot warmer, too.

That's what happens when it's June...summer sure hit a little late, huh, she glanced up at the cloudless sky. Just a little bit.

She was especially in a good mood since her pre-ordered game was coming out that day, and she was going to pick it up and meet with an online friend, too.

I wonder what applepi is like? Are they a boy or a girl? Hm, how long did they play, I wonder? They're really good.

She hummed a light tune as she changed her shoes at the shoe locker area, quickly making her way in to put her stuff at her assigned table, then going straight to the gym to check out the volleyball team's morning practice.

"Good morning!" She called loudly into the gym. Her voice echoed off the walls as she announced her arrival.

"Ah, you're here. And early, too." Yukie commented, munching on a snack. She sat on a chair, noting down something while she watched the practices. She smiled at her friend lazily as she went up to her.

"Hey, hey, hey! Shiori, you're here!" Bokuto ran up to her and grinned widely. "Why are you suddenly here so early? You normally don't come check out our morning practices!"

"Good morning, Shiori-san." Akaashi came up from behind Bokuto. Their practice had temporarily stopped because she had made her appearance.

"Hey, fancy seeing you here miss sleepy head." Konoha teased with a grin.

The other members of the team had stopped too, and come up to give their greetings.

"Morning." She beamed at them. "I'm just here because I feel productive enough to check out how you guys are doing for the Inter Highs. It's tomorrow, after all."

"Boys, get back to practice!" The coach called to the team. He stood on the other side and had sighed when they all rushed off to greet the girl.

The Maebara giggled when they returned to what they were doing before.

"I'm just going to stand here and watch, then." Shiori nodded at them and stood beside Yukie and Kaori.

As she watched, she realised that they improved from the last time she paid attention to them properly. And, once again, her eyes were drawn to Bokuto and his spikes.

"Ah, his spiking form is really good." She was amazed every time she watched him play.

It might have been the fact that he was a powerful spiker, but it was something that just mesmerised her, something that she was drawn to. What she saw really evoked a foreign feeling inside her, and she would've liked to feign that she didn't know—but why, she already knew, long ago.

Her brows creased slightly when watching him spike and serve the ball repeatedly, cheering when he got an ace or when he bypassed blockers. It was interesting to watch, how he was so happy after everything that was a success.

He must be excited for Inter Highs, Shiori rationalised. He must want to defeat those blockers again.

"Shiori! Didya see that?! My straight!" Bokuto pounced over to the girl, seeking approval for his handiwork just moments before.

"Yeah. I saw. It was very straight." She grinned at him when he cheered, high fiving him when he lifted his arms for one.

When he went back to practice after a scolding from Akaashi, the smile faltered just slightly on her lips, but she forced it to stay curled.