Stormy Summer

A Bonny Prize

"What are you doing?" Rose asked. I could hear how displeased she was just by the sound of her voice, "eating ice cream," Anna replies, matter-of-factly. Rose seemed to grunt a reply as Charlie suppressed her laughter.

"We can see that... why are you all the way over here?" I asked the question Rose most likely meant to ask. Anna turned to me confused her eyes trailing down for a second before meeting my eyes, "Fireflies," was her reply as though the reason as to why she was here was so clear that she deems it rediculous that she'd need to voice it.

"Yeah... Of course..." Rose sighed, "have you seen Akaashi, Kuro, and..." she glanced at me for a second as I mouth 'Ken' to her, "and... Ken?" Anna shook her head, "I thought they'd be with you..."

After a while, Charlie pipes up again, "Maybe we should... split up and look for them?" she sounded unsure of herself. And she should. This is a terrible idea. As I was about to respond, Anna beat me to it, "Great! I'll look over there," Anne vaguely pointed in some random direction and already started walking that way when Rose caught her arm, "Oh no, you're not. You're staying with Charlie and me"

Wait! Why are we already making up teams?

"Are you sure splitting up is a good idea? We just found each other and now we're splitting up again?" I voice my concerns about the idea. Rose nodded, "I know but this way we're more likely to find them," Rose's intense stare makes me unsettled but at the same time, I don't actually know what else to do. Who knows whether we will find them anyway?

"I'm sorry..." Charlie mumbles at the realization that I don't like her idea. I shake my head at her to silently tell her that it's fine and take a deep breath, "Okay... We'll meet over where the firework is supposed to happen later, alright?" I reluctantly agree even though I still don't like the idea.

Everyone nods and suddenly Bokuto and I are standing amidst the fireflies and it's quiet. Too quiet.

Well... This is awkward...

I need to say something.

Anything.

"Any-" I swallow quickly, cringing at myself, "Um- Any idea where they might be?" I turn to look at Bokuto but he doesn't even look at me. In fact, he doesn't react in the slightest as if he hadn't even realized that I'd said anything. Come to think of it... He's been mostly quiet this whole time. It's actually somewhat creepy that he's so uncharacteristically silent.

I try to reach up to touch his hand but realize that he's still holding onto that hand tightly, however, the motion does seem to pull him out of whatever thoughts had kept him motionless this whole time, and his eyes suddenly snap to mine.

At first, I couldn't bring myself to say anything as Bokuto just stared at me, wide-eyed but, swallowing, I took a deep breath, "Are you okay?" I ask quietly, concern lacing my tone.

I should have noticed his off behavior sooner...

What kind of friend am I?

At first, Bokuto didn't answer.

"Bokuto?" I reached my other hand up to touch his arm lightly. Before I could touch him though, he recoiled, jumping back slightly. I tried to mask the hurt I felt in that moment by asking him again if he was alright.

Instead of answering he just mumbled an apology, "we should try and find the others, right?" the grin he sent my way looked strained. Almost as though it was physically hurting him to smile.

I didn't say anything else as he pulled me after him and it wasn't until we neared the throwing booth were we found Rose and Charlie earlier that I realized we had walked past it several times now and still couldn't find any of the others. It was also then that Bokuto spoke up again, "Rose-chan is pretty good at throwing, isn't she?" he asked as we came to a stop in front of the booth.

When I realized he couldn't see me nod from behind him I cleared my throat slightly, "Yeah... she used to play Softball until a year or so ago," I turned to look at the booth as well. She was really good at it, too... I used to go to her matches all the time.

"She played in a softball club?" Bokuto looked surprised, "I didn't take her for the sporty type," he trailed off, "in a non-offensive way, that is," he quickly added as I shook my head, "She didn't play in a school club but in a small local team for younger kids and teenagers," I clarified, "and it's fine... probably..." I tried to reassure him, "I don't know why exactly she'd stopped playing but she didn't like P.E. in school even before that," I explained.

"Wasn't she good?" Bokuto raised his eyebrows

"Depends on how you'd define 'good'..." I trailed off, "she usually never did more than necessary during P.E. and usually, you can't choose what you'd like to do during P.E... Of course, there were more fun topics where we'd all give it our best but other than that, P.E. was just kind of boring..."

Bokuto nodded as he looked back at the booth.

Before I knew what was happening, Bokuto had let go of my hand was already paying the girl inside the booth to play as well. I slowly walked up to him after he threw his first ball. He hit. Just like Rose. Maybe a little better but I couldn't really tell.

After his second ball hit its target as well I spoke up, "You're pretty good yourself," when he didn't respond I continued, "no wonder though, you're a good spiker as well," I watched him as he threw his last ball. Still no reaction, "... and a great Ace as well," I was quieter this time.

Still nothing.

I sighed quietly as the girl congratulated Bokuto and told him that he could pick anything from the prizes in the booth.

Flattery is not going to get me anywhere with this, it seems...

"Do you-" I was interrupted in turning to look at Bokuto again when something got thrust in my face with a force that had me nearly toppling over.