Stormy Summer

A Sunny Reunion

I looked up at the familiarity of the nickname and locked eyes with a tall guy with black hair, sporting the sweatpants and club jacket of the opposing team from today. I thought hard on where I knew that nickname from. A lot of people used to call me that when I was younger... But we were visiting Japan on all these occasions...

He does look familiar... That bedhead...

My eyes lit up in realization as I couldn't help but break out into a huge grin, "Kuro-chan!" I exclaimed. He grinned, ruffling through my hair, messing it up even more than Bokuto did earlier. "Mom told me that you were in the area for a student exchange, but I didn't know you were this close!" he momentarily looked toward Bokuto's direction before grimly adding, "Or that you went to the stupid owl's school," surprisingly, Bokuto didn't retort anything, but before I could look at him, I was engulfed in yet another sweaty hug, this time by Kuro-chan.

"Y-You two seem... close," Bokuto said, almost quietly. I turned my head to his direction. He wasn't smiling. I turned my head up slightly to look at Kuro. "Of course, we're close, right, Nacchan?" Kuro spoke in a teasing, almost mocking voice as he smiled down at me, though his eyes were trained on Bokuto. I glanced at Bokuto again. He seemed troubled by something. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's angry or frustrated. Kuro hugged me tighter for a second before letting go.

I turned to Bokuto, who was standing next to Nekoma's setter, who seemed oddly familiar, and Rose, who seemed to have wandered over to stand next to Bokuto during my exchange with Kuro. She seemed confused more than anything. Maybe a little worried too.

"We're cousins," I cleared up the situation, motioning between Kuro and me. "My family used to visit his family when I was younger," I added. Bokuto visibly relaxed at that and Kuro-chan protested, "Aw... Nacchan! You ruined all the fun..." he slurred.

"Huh?" I turned my gaze to him, "What fun?" Kuro looked taken aback, looking at Bokuto for a second before backpedaling "Ah... No... Nevermind..." he looked somewhat guilty, or nervous, "Anyway... Didn't you use to call me 'Kuro-nii'? What happened to that?" he hastily changed the subject. I decided to let it go, for now, placing my hand on his shoulder, having to reach up since he, too, was much taller than me, "That was before Auntie told me that I'm older than you!" I grinned at him innocently, "You should be calling me 'Natsu-nee', Kuro-chan!" I grinned as he scoffed.

"Just by a few months", he reminded me, as he messed up my hair again, pushing me away slightly.

"Wait... We're the same age?" Bokuto seemed shocked at the revelation and I nodded, "I was born in July," I clarified and he seemed lost in thought.

"You're older than me, too..." he mumbled out, to which Kuro-chan just snickered. "Only by two months... But still... I thought you were younger since you're a second-year?" I nodded, "Because I was born in July, I started school a year later than others, born before then," I motioned toward Rose, next to Bokuto, "Rose is a year younger than me. So is Anna... Charlie is a year older than me..." I trailed off, "Anyway school back home starts in September, so that's why I started a year later than others who were around my age," he nodded slowly.

My eyes landed on Nekoma's setter again, "Long time no see, Natsu," he nodded at me, and my eyes filled with recognition again, as I finally remembered why he seems so familiar, "Ken-chan! I almost didn't recognize you! Though... you haven't changed much... You've dyed your hair," Ken frowned as Kuro-chan snickered, "You haven't changed much either... You still have the same bead head," I grinned as Kuro-chan frowned at me.

Bokuto looked between Ken-chan and me, "You two know each other as well?" Ken was prompt to answer, "Kuro and I have been neighbors since we were young. Kuro used to bring Natsu along when we met," though his answer sounded bored, I almost felt like he was bothered by my presence back then. Though... I guess he was bothered with Kuro-chan's and my presence back then...

Bokuto turned to me, looking as though he wanted to say something, but he just looked to Kuro-chan and then to the floor, avoiding eye-contact.

I seriously wonder what's going on in his head lately. I turn to look at Rose, who just shrugged at me. Before any of us could say anything though, the coaches were calling for Bokuto and the others. They quickly made their way over, lining up. Rose and I trailed behind, keeping our distance, not wanting to disturb them, but still waiting for Bokuto and Akaashi-kun. We turned to look away from them after a while and just chatted about the match, Bokuto's strange behavior forgotten for now.

Suddenly, a roar rang out.

Rose and I slowly started walking back as we saw that the scream came from a giant guy, who was now running toward us. Kuro-chan shouted at him to stop, though he didn't seem to listen. As I took another step back, I bumped into someone's chest. I looked up and behind me to see Bokuto, who was scowling in the direction of the mountain, who still didn't stop. I was about to leap behind Bokuto, where Rose was already hiding when suddenly, two arms stopped me from doing so.

Bokuto pulled me closer to his chest as I desperately grabbed at his arms, and just before the giant, who didn't seem to take notice of Bokuto, ran into us, he was grabbed by the collar, "I told you to stop, Lev!" Kuro-chan seemed furious, as he kicked the giant away from us.

"Are you okay, Nacchan?" Kuro-chan asked, sighing as he turned to us. I nodded, though I was still slightly shaken up, Kuro-chan nodded, "You okay there, too, Hana-chan?" Kuro called out, presumably to Rose, who was still too shocked to answer. Who wouldn't be shocked if a tree sprinted toward them?

The giant groaned as he lay sprawled out on the ground, "They saw the match, I just wanted to ask them what they thought..." he whined... What? That's it? Why did he charge at us, then? And why didn't he stop running? He almost ran right into Bokuto and me...

I looked from the mountain on the ground up at Kuro-chan with a bewildered expression, as he clicked his tongue and yelled at this giant, called 'Lev', to shut up.

Rose came out from behind Bokuto to see the culprit laying on the ground and Kuro-chan screaming at him. She looked to Bokuto and me and took a deep breath, "What happened?" she asked. I just shook my head. To hell, if I know what the hell just happened.

She raised an eyebrow as she saw me still clinging to Bokuto's arms as though my life depended on it. I blushed lightly as I loosened my hold on Bokuto's forearms, though he didn't seem like he was letting go any time soon.

Before we left to go home, Kuro pulled me to the side, "So? How have you been? Surprised to see me again?" I nodded. The last time Kuro and I saw each other was at our grandparents' funeral, "I actually didn't expect to see familiar faces altogether," I started, "I also didn't know you became captain of a volleyball team," I smiled up at him, "Though... It's been bugging me for a while now... Bokuto's a captain, too, right? Why is he wearing the number 4 instead of 1?"

"The Ace traditionally wears the number 4. Bokuto's an Ace, as well," Kuro sighed, frowning slightly.

"But I've seen other teams where the Ace doesn't wear the-" I was cut off as Kuro flicked my forehead, "I said traditionally, Nacchan!" I glowered at Kuro, as I rubbed my forehead. First Bokuto, now him...

"Anyway, how are the two of you getting along?" Kuro changed the topic, as a teasing smirk took over his features, "You seem to be close," his smirk only grew in size as an arm wrapped itself over my shoulders, though now his smirk was directed to the person beside me.

"What are you two talking about?" Bokuto asked.

"Nothing much," Kuro replied, "See you around Nacchan," he waved over his shoulder as he left.

What was that all about?