YOU'RE IN MY HEART. 𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘢 𝘺𝘶𝘶

02 | familiarity

It was lunchtime, and [First Name] Sakai was mindlessly roaming about campus, looking for a location where she could spend her time alone. She hasn't really toured the school yet, so she's taking her time touring herself around the unknown campus while sipping her strawberry milk. She wasn't very hungry, but she found comfort in drinking it, so she did so.

She proceeded to the rear of the school and heard a ball bouncing, which drew her attention. Aside from the echoed sound of the balls, there was also a squeaking noise, indicating that individuals were playing. She suggested a gym. Was it physical education? She headed towards the gym, stopping when she saw the main door open. While drinking from the straw, she looked around the gym and noticed that there was no teacher there. A class without a teacher? Maybe a club?

Her gaze scanned the entire gym and saw that they were all lads playing volleyball. "Yup, clearly a club," she says, nodding to herself as she finds the answer to her own question. She put down her strawberry milk and became lost in thinking, "Volleyball, huh? Sure has been a while," she says slowly, biting her lips.

"No, I can't be getting involved in volleyball," she murmured, frustratedly brushing her hair with her right hand. "Not just now, at any rate."

"Who are ya?" a voice behind her inquired, widening her eyes and prompting her to turn around. She was confronted with a shorn head with a widow's peak and delinquent blue-grey eyes. He is about medium height and has a slender yet powerful frame. He appears to be frightening."I, um," she stuttered, "I'm just looking around, I swear! I'm new here!"

She quickly defended herself, saying, "I'm not sure whether it's not allowed to watch the volleyball team practice, but I recently transferred here and was exploring the campus myself."

"Hey, now!" the guy shouted, raising his hands to stop himself from laughing. "It's not a crime, don't worry! You're allowed to watch here, I'm part of the team," he continued, pointing to himself with his right thumb and his left palm on his waist.

"Oh, well, that's a relief," she said.

"What's going on here?" a short black haired guy with dark brown eyes wonders as he exits the gym, followed by a light grey haired guy with hazel-brown eyes and a birthmark mole beneath his left eye. They both exuded a soothing atmosphere that eased the girl. "Tanaka, you're bothering girls again?" said the dark-haired guy, glaring at the person in front of her.

"Hey, I wasn't!" said Tanaka. "She was watching from here, and I questioned who she was because I hadn't seen her before, and I'm now in second year!"

"Oh?" the light grey-haired man replies quietly, glancing at her. "Are you new here?"

She nodded slowly, noticing Tanaka's eyes gleam as he moved closer to her. "Can you tell me your name? What year are you in? Are you a first-year student?"

She took a step back, moving away from him in an attempt to avoid his sight. "She's new here, and you're already tormenting her personal space," the black-haired guy said, pulling Tanaka away from you. "Get inside, I'll deal with you later."

"O-Okay!" Tanaka said, his spine quivering.

"Sorry about that, he can be a nuisance at times," the black-haired man replies. "My name is Daichi Sawamura, and I'm the captain of the male volleyball team."

"My name is Sugawara Koushi, and I'm a third-year vice captain." He grins warmly at her.

She was agitated, and he is adorable. That was not something she expected to observe on her first day.

"I'm [First Name] Saiki, a first-year student," she says, and they hum in response.

"We're here to practice," Hinata says, greeting Kageyama and another youngster. She believes it was the same person who was ranting before she left the classroom. She believes it was him because she felt another tug in her chest. "Oh, it's [First Name]-san!"

"Yeah, hello," she says hesitantly.

"Why are you here? Do you also play volleyball?" Hinata exclaims.

"Oh, no no, I'm not a big sports fan," she says, adding, "I'm actually on my way out right now."

"Sure, but you should come see our practice sometime!" Hinata says with a smile.

"Why?" she asks, tilting her head.

"You could enjoy volleyball; it'll be great!" Hinata says, shaking her head.

"Thank you for the offer, but for now, that's not one of my priorities," she responds, "but good luck with your practices and matches!" she says shyly as she looks at them. They returned her grin and waved farewell before entering the gym. However, not all of them did.

The guy who had been with Kageyama and Hinata was still standing there, gazing at her. "D-Do you want something?" she says, thinking he was staring at her because of how she reacted earlier when he entered the room.

Instead of responding, he simply stared at her, his hands in his pockets. He turned his head to look at her. He wasn't even trying to be subtle. She looked at him as if it were a natural reaction; for some reason, he seems like someone she knows, yet she has never seen someone with hair like that in her life. He was somewhat taller than she was, yet she was drawn to his gaze. She noticed a gleam of shine she hadn't noticed before.

Nonetheless, she had the impression that she had seen those eyes before.

She didn't realize they were looking at each other until Tanaka interrupted, "Hey, Noya! You comin-? Oh, you're still here!"

She flinched at his presence, and hurriedly bowed, "I'll leave!" She swiftly say and walked fast, away from the gym.

—

She sat on her chair, contemplating. Who was the person?

Suddenly, as if on cue, an image of the guy flashed across her head, her pulse racing rapidly once more. She has no idea who that person is; she has never met him, and he is not from her middle school or area. There was no shift or situation that brought her to meet this person. But why does she have the impression that she knows him?

Those eyes.

She had the feeling she had seen those eyes before. But she didn't get his entire name; perhaps she's just mixing people up. Perhaps she wasn't thinking clearly. "What was his name again?" she wonders aloud. "Noya?"

"Nishinoya-senpai?" a voice behind her says as she returns her gaze to Kageyama.

"Nishinoya? Is that his name?" she questioned as he took a seat.

"Yeah?" Kageyama says, doubtful, "unless you know another person by the name 'Noya,' that is."

"No, I don't know of any," she said.

"Do you know Nishinoya-senpai?" Kageyama inquires. "You certainly appear to know him."

"I don't know a Nishinoya. I don't know him." She retorts, But I feel like I do. She wanted to add something but didn't.

"The one you were staring at outside the gym earlier," Kageyama deadpanned. "Are you sure you don't know him? You and him were clearly looking at each other for five minutes."

"Wait, what are you on about?"

"Remember when the door was open?" Kageyama asked, "the two of you were looking at each other, like if you'd known each other for years."

"I don't know him," she said, shrugging.

But why does he look so familiar?