different (wakatoshi ushijima x OC)

Chapter 22: Old Friends

haruka ishiwaka's point of view

It was the start of another round of excruciating training, but this time it's for the summer tournament and to say it was hell was an understatement since it really felt like actual hell. 

The training was more intense compared to their last training for the Interhighs. This time the coaches made them play against college students. College freaking students! They also made them run around the school premises or even around a particular path in the prefecture, which was longer. 

It was absolute hell since the person she chose as a running partner was Toshi since the coaches urged that the captains be partners.

Right now, the team was on their daily run around the prefecture just after a practice match with the college students. Me and Toshi were very much ahead of everyone but I was already panting heavily with just one kilometer left on the run. While Toshi was just running normally.

"Wait!" I finally said as I stopped and leaned over whilst resting my hands on my knees and continuing on breathing heavily. I could feel and see as my sweat drip from my forehead towards the concrete pavement of the sidewalk.

"You okay, Haru?" Toshi asked with concern and a slight pant as well. I felt him place his hand on my back as he wait for my reply.

"Just tired that's all." I managed to breathe out from. I looked up from the ground to connect my eyes with Toshi's. "Why don't you go ahead, I'll try to catch up."

"You won't be able to catch up if I start running now." He told me. Though he told me this in a modest tone but I could really hear the arrogance in it. 

I just rolled my eyes and waved him off. "Fine fine, whatever you say. Just you go ahead, I'll probably meet you at school. Stay clear of cars, alright?" I told him as I pushed him forward to start running again.

"Are you really sure? I don't mind waiting for you though." He pushed once again to which I again rolled my eyes to.

"I'll be fine, just go ahead. I'll start running again in a few minutes." He made sure I was breathing fine, and not panting anymore, before glancing to me once again to make sure I was fine. I nod at him reassuringly before he took off running towards the school and finishing the last kilometer.

I let a few minutes past, hoping that my other teammates or some of his teammates might pass by already so that I could run with them but no, no one passed by at all and that's after a few minutes! This really made me realize how ahead me and Toshi was. We probably both rested for five minutes but no one really passed by. Are they okay? Did they pass out?

That was the most realistic thing that could happen since before they started running the practice match against the college students were intense and also difficult because they older and also more experienced as well. That was my conclusion as to why I was panting hard though, since back then I didn't even pant this hard unless we reached school.

I gave up the idea that the others might come in the next minute, that's why I finally started running back to school. I started with a slow jog but as I approach the last few meters, I started sprinting already.

As I turned the corner to enter the campus, I bumped into a stranger. Startling us both.

Familiar orange hair greeted me from a few inches below me. I looked down at the face to see none other than my dad's (Hiroshi) neighbor, Hinata.

"Shoyo?" I asked the boy in front of me with a wide smile. Oh, how I missed this ball of sunshine.

"Haruka-senpai!" The orange haired boy beamed at me with excitement at my presence.