Stormy Summer

A Temperate Offer

The next days went similar to the first day of school.

In the mornings, we would walk to school a few trains after Akaashi. During class, we got used to taking notes, though occasionally, Anna or Charlie still asked to copy ours. We all got better at Japanese, too. Rose, Charlie, and Anna didn't need to ask for translations as often, which was mostly due to the additional Japanese lessons that we have during the time, we usually would have our PE class, which was useful, since Charlie wouldn't be able to participate much anyway. During lunch breaks, we would sit outside on the rooftop, eating our lunch, on these days, Bokuto-san and Akaashi-kun would most often join us. If the weather was bad, we'd eat in our homeroom, our tables pushed together. And after school, we'd either stay behind and watch the boys practice and then walk home together with Akaashi-kun and Bokuto-san, who got off at the same stop, or we'd go to the grocery store before heading home without watching their practice.

Today was Friday. We've been here for almost two weeks already and the boys just finished with their afternoon practice. They played a short match. 3vs3 with Bokuto-san, Akaashi-kun, and Washio-san on one team and Anahori-kun, Sarukui-san, and Konoha-san on the other team. Washio-san is a third-year Middle Blocker, Anahori-kun is a Setter, like Akaashi-kun, and a first-year. Sarukui-san is a third-year Wing Spiker, and lastly, Konoha-san is a third-year Wing Spiker, as well.

Rose stretched her arms over her head and yawned tiredly as we went outside the gym, changing our shoes as we did so.

Outside, we waited for the boys to finish cleaning up and changing. We were all somewhat lost in thought as Bokuto-san threw himself at me, engulfing me in a very sweaty hug from behind. I immediately tried to escape his hug, as my heart skipped a beat at how sudden it was and my face scrunched up slightly. He didn't stink, but it was still uncomfortable. To my left, I heard Rose snicker lightly as I gave up trying to push Bokuto off me.

"We won! Did you see?" he asked, excitedly, briefly hugging me tighter before letting go and slinging his arm over Rose's shoulder "Wasn't it awesome?" how could he have so much energy left after all this? It's incredible.

"It was awesome, Bokuto-san," I replied, smiling tiredly at him, Rose nodding in approval. He frowned at me as he removed his arm from Rose's shoulders, pointing his finger at my face accusingly "I told you to drop the formalities! You're not even this formal with Akaashi!" he exclaimed, seemingly agitated. I can't tell if he's being serious sometimes. Is he seriously upset about this?

He did tell us to drop the formalities, since, at least Rose and I kept adding the 'san' to his name. Anna still kept calling him 'Owl-kun' and Charlie just called him 'Bokuto-kun'. If I remember correctly, she's probably older than him... She's the oldest upon us girls and Bokuto and I should be around the same age, though I doubt he knows that.

"Even Steve-chan addresses me less formal than you!" he continued, referring to Charlie... At first, Charlie didn't like being referred to as 'Steve-chan' but I guess she's just accepted her fate by now. There was no stopping Bokuto with this.

I sighed.

"Okay, okay, I got it... Sorry, Bokuto," I said, yawning at the end. Bokuto nodded in approval, just as Akaashi-kun made his way over to us. He stopped next to us for a few seconds "Can we go now?" he asked, looking tired. Or bored. Maybe both? Without waiting for us to reply, he went on ahead, leaving us to catch up to him.

Akaashi-kun walked in front of us, Anna and Charlie right behind him, Anna was complaining about the idiocy of some characters in a book she had been reading.

Bokuto walked between Rose and me in the back and chattered on about Volleyball. Not that we minded, though. It was nice listening to Bokuto, talking about something he was passionate about. Everyone needs something they're passionate about. And because it's Bokuto, he made every little detail sound like a fight sequence out of an action movie. So, hearing about it from his perspective made it sound exciting. I smiled slightly at his view on how the 3vs3 match went.

Once we got off the train, we only walked together for a few minutes, before Bokuto had to take a turn.

"G'night, everyone!" he called over his shoulder as we waved him goodnight before we went after Akaashi-kun who already went on after mumbling an almost silent "goodnight," to Bokuto.

The next morning, I was just getting ready in my shared room when there was a knock on the door. Not thinking too much about it, I called out "Yes?" There are only a few possibilities for who it could be and what would happen. If it were any of the Akaashis, they still wouldn't come in even if I had said that they could come in. I'd have to open the door or they'd just talk through the door with me. If it were Anna, she wouldn't have knocked and instead just walked in. Charlie or Rose would come in if I told them they could. Any of these outcomes would have been completely fine by me. So there had been no need for me to worry.

What I didn't expect was for me to come face-to-face with Bokuto as he opened the door, I quickly turned around, now facing away from the doorway. As I looked at the doorway over my shoulder, he seemed frozen in place. I quickly put on a shirt before turning back to face him "I didn't know you were coming over today, Bokuto-san," I said, still slightly embarrassed. Bokuto seemed to be released from his stupor as he pouted at me, taking these few steps toward me before flicking my forehead.

"I told you, it's not 'Bokuto-san', Sally-chan!" he empathized the 'san' as I brought my hand to my forehead, lightly rubbing the spot he had flicked.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "still, I didn't know you were coming over today?" I asked again. He hummed in thought.

"You have a Tattoo?" he asked instead of answering my question. My eyes widened slightly.

"You saw that?!" As far as I know, in Japan, High School students aren't allowed to have tattoos, it's usually against the dress-code. It's not that I thought Bokuto was going to tell on me but, I was still kind of flustered that he'd seen it.

"Only slightly," he muttered, looking away slightly. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's blushing... Maybe he's ashamed because of the position of the tattoo? The tattoo was under my left collarbone, so it might be possible that this is the reason for his bashfulness. Maybe he thinks I'm angry that he saw it?

Before I could comment on it he stated the reason for his sudden appearance "There is a practice match today. You want to come?" he questioned, sounding somewhat hopeful.