Stormy Summer

A Tsunami of Questions

The practice match was almost a week ago now. It's Thursday, and during homeroom, our teacher reminded us of the upcoming tests and exams starting the week after golden week. Which is in three weeks already.

We didn't have any major problems. At least none that we couldn't help each other with. Except for one.

Japanese History. We never learned about any Asian history in school. We learned about everything concerning Europe and even a lot about America... But nothing about Asian countries.

We would be fine if everything that is asked on the test was about things we learned during the school year so far... But the teacher said that this test is also meant to freshen up old knowledge... Which we didn't have...

We thought about asking Akaashi-kun, but he always seems like he is too busy with studying for his own exams... We could just use the internet, but we didn't even know where to start looking...

"Can't you just ask Bokuto-san?" Rose suddenly asked during our lunch break, while Bokuto and Akaashi-kun weren't here yet, "I'm sure he's going to agree if it's you asking, Summer," she added with a look in her eyes, that I couldn't quite decipher. I grimaced at her. As if.

"Come on, Summer, just ask him," Rose jumped, just like the rest of us, when Bokuto sat down next to me, "Ask what?" somehow all of us managed to miss the sound of the door to the roof opening quite loudly.

"Ah, Bokuto-san, good that you're here. Summer wants to ask you something!" she grinned evilly as I glared at her. Pushing me into a corner like that...

"What about?" Bokuto asked as he looked at me, expectantly. I didn't even know how to ask yet... Why did she have to say something now of all times?

"Um..." Bokuto raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue as I searched for the right words.

Just say something! Anything!

"Our teacher told us about the upcoming exams today..." I looked away from Bokuto, his intense gaze made me needlessly nervous, "And we need help with studying," I took a small breath as I could feel myself getting even more nervous. I hated being put on the spot like that, "And I was wondering... Would you help us with studying?"

There. I said it. That wasn't so bad now, was it? I turned to look at Bokuto to see his reaction. He seemed to be lost in thought as he just stared at me intensely.

"Say... Are you scared of me, Sally-chan?" he asked, seemingly out of nowhere. I didn't know how to answer his question, as I just looked at him in a mix of shock and confusion, "Huh?" my mind went completely void as he grasped my hand and dragged me away, down the staircase and outside of the building. Somewhere along the way, he let go of my hand, though I didn't dare walk away right now.

He finally stopped walking and turned to look at me when we reached the gym on the other side of the school grounds, "What's wrong?" he asked me. I looked up at him. Shouldn't I be the one asking that question? "You've been avoiding me recently. You won't even look me in the eyes and you seemed so set on not being alone with me, too," he didn't seem angry, "I even asked Hana-chan about it, she said that you get nervous around taller people, but you seemed fine with Kuroo," he continued, "and just now you hesitated to ask me for help," rather than appearing angry, he seemed frustrated, "So tell me: Are you afraid of me?" his eyes looked to be more intense than ever as he waited for me to answer him.

"I haven't been avoiding you..." I started but he interrupted me, "But you have! You even pushed me away the other day after practice!" I shied away from his eyes, "That's because you were sweaty... And... I didn't end up pushing you away, did I?" Maybe I tried to justify it and make it seem like nothing happened. Or maybe nothing happened and this is all just a simple misunderstanding. While I thought he was acting weird, he thought that I was the one acting weird.

Was I in the wrong here?

Could there even be a 'right' and a 'wrong' in this situation?

What even is this situation?

"There! You're doing it again!" he grabbed my shoulders, slightly pushing me back against the wall in the progress, forcing me to look at him, "D-doing what?" I stuttered, perplexed as my eyes widened slightly. He let out a sound that was close to a growl, "You're avoiding eye contact!" he sighed, "Are you scared because I'm taller than you?" he didn't sound convinced, "No... That's not..." before I could explain, he interrupted me, "So Hana-chan lied?" he stopped me as I was about to look away again, I just couldn't stand the intensity of his gaze, "You're not scared of taller people?" he held my chin, stopping me from turning my head away again.

I shook my head slightly, "They make me nervous... But only if I don't know them..." I so desperately wanted to look away. Maybe he did have a point... "But we know each other... Hey! Stop looking away" unconsciously, I turned my eyes away from his, breaking our eye contact, "S-sorry... It's just..."

"Just what?" he pushed on and I shut my eyes.

I could feel the heat cover my entire face as I blushed, "Your eyes make me nervous," I was embarrassed to admit it. It sounds stupid even to my own ears.

"Huh?"

"You always look at me with such i-intensity and... it makes me nervous," I was blushing furiously at this point. When I opened my eyes again, I was almost shocked by the look on Bokuto's face. His eyes seemed empty and his face was unreadable, "Um... Bokuto?" I was uncertain whether he can even hear what I'm saying.

"What about not wanting to be alone with me?" he mumbled, though his facial expression didn't change, I furrowed my eyebrows, "I don't know what you mean by that..."

"When I invited you to the practice match, you refused to go without Hana-chan..." he trailed off as I raised my eyebrow at him, "I just thought that... Y'know? The more the merrier?" he visibly relaxed, "And... I also didn't want to sit upstairs all by myself..." I added almost inaudible to hear. Had he not been this close, I'm sure he wouldn't have been able to hear it.

It would truly be a miracle if he can't hear my heart, which was beating loudly at this very moment. There was no reason to be nervous anymore, right? His gaze had lost all intensity. The only thing hinting at why I was feeling this nervous would be the close proximity of his face. Maybe it wasn't just his eyes that made me nervous? But what else about him could make me this nervous?

Bokuto wouldn't do anything. There shouldn't be a reason for me to get so nervous over him.

"So... You just didn't want to be alone in general?" I nodded and he released me, "So it was all just a misunderstanding?" I nodded again and he sighed as he took a few steps back. He kneeled as he covered his face, groaning, "Is this why you've been acting so weird lately?" I inquired and he quickly looked up at me, "Weird how?"

"Well... you've been..." I blushed again. Thankfully realizing how my reasoning would sound before actually saying it. If I told him that he'd been clingy lately, it might hurt his feelings... And I'm sure it's just his personality. Hugging everyone. I'm pretty sure I saw him hugging Rose and even Anna before...

"Um... Nevermind," I glanced away from him, nervously. Hopefully, he wouldn't insist on me continuing.