I Need You || K. Shinsuke [ON HOLD]

Chapter 9 - Again?

3rd Person POV

(timeskip, after a few days)

If anyone from the Inarizaki volleyball club were asked to identify the young lad walking behind a 65-year-old woman, they probably won't even recognize him (despite his physical appearance).

In fact, anyone who knows and has heard of him would most likely think that their eyes were deceiving them.

Kita Shinsuke silently trailed behind his grandmother who was busy chatting with a friend. He was clad in a casual attire: jeans, a loose white shirt with black stripes, and sneakers. His hair was still the same, not a single strand out of place and he still radiated the same aura.

He was still the same Kita Shinsuke.

Or at least that's what other people would think.

There was one problem, though. A subtle thing that meant everything wasn't in its rightful place.

He wasn't looking up.

The man who was confident in everything he does and always had his chin up suddenly believed that the pavement they were walking on was the most interesting thing in the world. With tense shoulders and disarrayed thoughts, worry began to seep into his veins.

Who would've thought that the oh-so-great Kita Shinsuke would fall victim to feelings of anxiety?

Who could blame him though?

Because even the toughest of men would get nervous if they were about to introduce their (only and very close) friend of the opposite sex to their parent who's been rambling on about future marriage plans, domesticity and grandkids ever since they reached high school.

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(flashback)

"Shin."

"Hm?" Kita stopped wiping the dirt of the balls as he focused his attention on the girl who was doing the same task. Her eyes were still focused on the ball, her expression showing that she was eager to remove all the grime and dirt on the ball, which Kita found amusing. Akane, Shinsuke and Rintaro were the only ones left in the gym. The boys were the ones assigned on cleaning duty while Akane volunteered to help them because

a) she doesn't have a shift in the cafe
b) the coaches and the captain didn't mind
c) there's no homework; and
d) "just because."

Kita was beyond grateful because although Suna would follow whatever he says, he has a tendency to half-ass anything related to cleaning. Which is why he was just asked by his upperclassman to lower the net and pick up stray balls.

"You mentioned that you live with your grandmother, right?" The girl stopped what she was doing and gazed into his brown eyes.

"Yeah, and?"

"Great!"

She placed the ball to her side, stood up and started walking towards the bleachers. Suna paid her no mind, the music playing through his headphones was probably very catchy. At this point, Kita was confused. But he still waited patiently until the dark blue-haired girl was standing in front of him with her figure casting a shadow on his. In her hands, she held three pieces of paper. She motioned for Kita to take them and he obliged.

"Grandparents' Day?" he questioned as his eyes scanned the tickets.

"The owner of the cafe I was working at said that he wanted to make his grandfather's 70th birthday celebration memorable. What better way to celebrate it than to throw a party with fellow grandparents, right?"