Sincerely, Me [Kindaichi Yuutarou] | ✔

Catch

"Phew!" Kindaichi tilted his head back and let the cool water soak his face, sighing in bliss. "Thanks, Iwasaki-san."

She shrugged. "You were looking particularly thirsty." Shino stepped back from him, off to tend to another matter that involved her, the team manager. "It's important to keep hydrated, Turnip-san."

Which reminded him: Iwasaki Shino cared for nothing, apparently, and at this point in time, Kindaichi had given up on trying to correct her. He knew she was too smart to not remember his name, but it seemed that she wasn't bothered about it.

After he had finished the bottle of water, Kindaichi got up from the bench again, intent on rejoining his team in their practices.

"Goddammit, Kunimi!" Mizoguchi was barking at Kindaichi's best friend. "Move any slower and I'll be calling up animal protection services to demand why your mother has seemingly married and consummated with a sloth! That was an easy receive—my six year old cousin could have gotten that!"

Irihata was absent today, and would be for a few days, having some other business to see to. He'd left Mizoguchi in charge, naturally, and the boys had exchanged grins when Irihata couldn't see. Mizoguchi had always been tough on Kunimi, but his toughness comically increased when Irihata wasn't around, and the younger coach was prone to making comments about Kunimi's genes that were not always appropriate. But Kunimi didn't mind, nor did the boys. And if at any point Kunimi did mind, it was more about the fact that he was getting too tired rather than being offended at Mizoguchi's insults, which were mostly given out in the heat of the late spring afternoon.

"Yo," Kindaichi said casually as he sidled up next to Kunimi.

"Yo yourself," Kunimi returned without even looking at the other boy, obviously bothered that he was being forced to move excessively.

Practice wrapped up an hour later, and Kindaichi and Kunimi followed Iwaizumi and the rest of the team outside, where they would chat for maybe five or ten minutes at the front gate before going their separate ways. Kindaichi halfheartedly noted that Oikawa hadn't joined them, which wasn't unusual. They all knew that Oikawa sometimes stayed behind to practice his spike-serves, and no one but Iwaizumi interfered with his extra practice. Iwaizumi was the one they all trusted—even the coaches—to call Oikawa out on his bullshittery and his hardheadedness.

Most of the time, Oikawa would be outside with them, teasing and bantering, but whenever something important—or even semi-important, really—came up, it was a known fact that he had about a ninety-five percent chance of staying back for another half hour or so. And it just so happened a volleyball team from another school would be coming over to their gym for a practice match next week.

"Ah~" Kindaichi tucked his arms behind his head as he headed home with Kunimi. "I'm starved—I can't wait to eat dinner."

"Yeah. Hey?"

"Hm?"

"Have you noticed that Iwasaki-san never walks or bikes home with us?"

Kindaichi blinked slowly. "Yeah... Yeah, I have, actually." Now he felt a little bad—he should have extended his friendship even further. Now the girl was probably feeling like she didn't belong with them. And, in a sense, she didn't. Not until she finally came out of her shell, and the two boys didn't know when that would ever happen. He forced himself to change the subject a little. "Hey, uh, do you remember what she said the other day? On her way to the roller rink?"

"About how she didn't feel anything with us?"

"She was just pulling our leg, right?"

Normally, Kunimi would be inclined to agree. But that simply didn't sit right with him. "I don't think so. And I don't think she was exaggerating either. That's not part of her character."