one step further // haikyuu x OC

tadashi's trust // 15

"Kiyoko... what is Tanaka doing over there with that boy from the other team..?" I pointed as I turned her attention to our cue ball friend, who was glowering and bickering with someone on Nekoma's team. Suga stepped in and made Tanaka stop being so obnoxious. Kiyoko laughed a little.

"I wouldn't pay much attention. Doing that is normal for Tanaka." Her soft voice was soothing and I nodded as we kept walking. Despite how obnoxious Tanaka could be, Kiyoko never seemed to sound annoyed with him. Again, I looked over to the group of boys. The mohawk guy who was with Tanaka was looking dumbfounded at me and Shimizu's direction, he almost looked like his feelings were crushed. I noticed Shouyou was talking with someone on the Nekoma team, which was odd.

I didn't think he knew anyone on their team.

Silently slipping from Kiyoko's side I trotted over to the two boys. "Shouyou!" I said happily. "Who's your friend?"

"Ah- Toshiko. This is Kenma, I met him when I got lost on a run the other day."

"Oh so that's how you know him. Hi, I'm Jackson Toshiko!" The boy with two-toned hair struggled to meet my gaze at all, he seemed a little awkward in this situation. I assumed by his stature that he was a first-year.

"Mm... Hi. Kozume Kenma..." His voice was quiet and seemed anxious. I noted this and took a step back from him, so he didn't feel crowded. "Jack...son?" He kept his confused gaze transfixed on something below my neck, away from my eyes. I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder awkwardly.

"I'm a transfer student from the states, so don't worry about my last name. Just call me Toshiko. It's nice to meet you, Kozume. Are you looking forward to the practice match today?" Hinata leaned in my ear and whispered that Kenma was actually a second-year.

Shit, he's actually my upperclassman? I probably sounded so rude!

"Ah- not really. And you can call me Kenma... I like the charm on your bag. You like games?" I looked down to observe which charm he was talking about. The strap on my bag was decorated with many charms and pin-buttons of stuff that I liked or thought looked cool. Adventure Time, bands, Avatar the Last Airbender... the biggest one being a colorful Atari symbol. That was the one I assumed inspired his question, I simply nodded with a smile. Although secretly, I was bad at most video games. But they were still fun.

"Oho what's all this?" A sudden boy appeared and put his hand on Kenma's shoulder. He was tall, with dark spikey hair. A smug smile lingered on his lips. Definitely a third-year. "What business might you have with our setter, short fry?" He leaned around Kenma towards Hinata in attempts to intimidate him. Needless to say it worked.

"Kuroo-" Kenma looked slightly annoyed. "Stop."

"What? I'm just having fun." When his gaze flitted towards me, his playful grin disappeared for a moment, replaced with a slightly agape mouth and wide eyes. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and that seemed to snap him out of it, returning to his ornery attitude. "What about you? What business do you have here, little bird?" He turned his full attention to me now, gaze entrancing and scrutinizing all the same. I didn't falter, however was blushing slightly under his examination.

"Just giving my friend pointers on how to beat your team in the match today. Isn't that right, Shouyou?" I grinned widely and wrapped my arm around Hinata's shoulders, which seemed to make him less scared of the tall guy.

"Oya? What would you know about beating us?" Kuroo spoke lowly and continued the antagonizing charade.

"More than you'd think, kitty-cat man." I scrunched my nose at him before saying bye to Kenma. "C'mon, you should get warmed up, Hinata." I turned him by the shoulders and casually led him away from the two boys, hoping that Karasuno could actually play well against this team that I knew nothing about. As we walked away I could barely make out the two Nekoma members muttering behind us.