Chapter Text
Every time he woke up in the morning; one thing that he did was thank the universe. For life always threw a lot of good things every second he breathed in. Morning greetings from his grandmother, counting all the stuff to brought for school, serene breakfast filled with lovely atmosphere—
Every single day, nothing was amiss, nothing goes out of plan.
Because he knew things that he should embrace, and things that he should evade.
Once he was seated inside his classroom, he would never take his eyes off of the teacher. One hundred percent of his attention would be solely on either the lecture or any kind of information that was out from the adult. But he didn’t know why he had to look outside the window today.
He saw you. You, the girl who was late on your first day of school. Your body slipped through the school gate that was almost closed by the security, and you ignored all the shouting in unison, assuming that you were not late since you could still go inside without begging the teacher to let you in.
Your hair was a mess, teeth clamping on the bread that would fall at any moment. You were an absolute mess, like a storm that barged through everything in your way. There was nothing about you that screamed good news.
First thing that passed his mind was the fact that he did not want to cross paths with you. The second he saw how chaotic you were, he took notes inside his heart to keep some distance, somehow knowing that once he knew you, his life would be filled with a whirlwind of events.
But then you looked up, eyes locked with him.
It was as if the time had stopped, either for you or for him. The petals from the cherry blossoms tree that fell out because of the wind made the ordinary circumstance feel so surreal.
That was until a pebble slipped below your shoes.
In a split second, your whole body was thrown forward. And he was there inside his classroom, eyes widened to see such a powerful looking girl had her face flat with the ground.
“Kita?”
He couldn’t look away, feeling his breath hitched when you didn’t move an inch.
“Kita Shinsuke?”
He blinked, orbs focusing back to the classroom, his gaze greeted by everyone. Students and the teacher had their eyes on him, one of the members of Inarizaki VBC, someone that never made any odd behaviour on the record.
One of his eyebrows raised a little, wondering the reason behind the attention that he got right now—until he looked at himself.
He didn’t even realise as he stood up from his chair the second you kissed the ground. It was as if his mind only focused on what happened outside, his body moved without control as the only thing in his mind was you.
You.
He didn’t answer the call from his teacher, making the entire class widen their eyes. Kita Shinsuke never ignored a teacher before, it was as if he was possessed as he darted his eyes to the school ground where you once were.
And he could feel how his shoulders had slumped the moment he knew you were not there anymore.
“Kita?”
“Yes, sensei?”
“Are you alright?”
He swallowed a huge lump, eyes flickered between the school ground and the teacher. Strange, how someone could make such an impact. He just saw you for maybe ten seconds, he didn’t even know your name.
Yet his mind was predominated by the thought of you, and this bizarre feeling made him frown, since it was the first time he ever felt like this.
“I am alright, sensei.”
“Then sit down.”
It was just the first few minutes he saw you, and yet, he was already in trouble. Not really a problem, but the teacher would think there was something wrong with him. If by just seeing you could make him act like this… Then he didn’t want to know you at all.
He wouldn’t let you in, that was what he promised himself to.
»»————- ♔ ————-««
“So, mind telling me what happened?” Lunchtime became his usual peaceful moment, the time when he enjoyed all the food that nature provided. But today, apparently his friend couldn't stop pestering him, “I heard from Omimi that you behaved strangely this morning.”
He let out a small sigh, resting the chopsticks in front of him with the tips to the left. Ojiro was impatient, and he knew about it. His best friend was always so curious about what happened to him that was out of his ordinary routine.
“It was nothing that should be remembered.” His voice sounded flat as he said it, hand gently dabbed his lips with a handkerchief.
“Really? You literally just ignore a teacher, what’s gotten into you?” The wing spiker snickered, resulting in him to throw a deadpanned look. Instead of quiet down like how his kouhai did when they received such a gaze, his friend’s snicker turned into a boisterous laugh, “You know that look wouldn’t work for me.”
“I know,” He sighed once again, his mind coming back to you, forcefully . After this morning incident he didn’t think about you anymore (at least not all the time). But now as his friend reminded him of the incident, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander to you once again.
“Really, nothing happened right?”
The voice that sounded so mischievous before now lingered with worry. Afraid that something serious happened to him. He was starting to continue his lunch once again, but the question made him stop midair.
“Nothing hap-”
“Oh shush! Don’t make such a ruckus, you dumbass!”
The door to the cafeteria slammed open by the Miya twins, and the familiar voice made him groan internally. Sometimes he just wanted to have one day filled with peace, just one day. Yet as long he breathed the same air as the twins, his life would always be filled with fuss.
“Can both of you just shut up?”
The entire cafeteria went silent when a stranger's voice rang behind the two handsome players. Atsumu gasped at the retort, his hand rested on his chest dramatically as he glared at you,
“Fucking excuse me?”
“Shut up, Atsumu. Fill your mouth with food, not profanities.”
The other twin snorted from the remark that you gave to the setter, feeling like he was in a winning side,
“You too, Osamu. You know he just loves making you mad, why bother noticing him when you can just eat instead? He would stop, at least he would until lunch ended.”
“Oh my god. that’s genius.”
Everyone was flabbergasted from what unfolded in front of them. There was this one time someone complained over the commotion between the two, and they ended up being humiliated on the spot by the setter.
But somehow, not you.
You were so loud as you laughed and dragged the twins on one of the tables (that always empty since people knew it was reserved by the Miya twins, Suna, and Ginjima). Your mouth just wouldn't shut, there was always something rolling down from your lips, and Kita watched you with a little annoyance that exasperated his mind.
What he didn’t realise was even if he felt like he would never want to know more about you, was the fact that he couldn’t look away from your figure.
Still, his friend noticed it anyway.
»»————- ♔ ————-««
“Manager?” Kita Shinsuke always came off like the manager of the team for the first two year he was in the team. He worked fine alone for all these time, so why now the coach suddenly accepted a manager?
“Yes. Manager.” The coach had his arms folded in front of his chest as he eyed the captain, “I feel like we need it. After all, Osamu was the one who recommended her. And I think the team needed some change of atmosphere.”
Change . Why bother a routine that flows greatly for the past years with another thing that could possibly ruin it?
“May I know who she is?”
“(L/n) (F/n), apparently she just moved from Tokyo. Osamu thinks highly of her, even though he didn’t really show it.” Kita could only nod at this, somehow he had a bad feeling, knowing that she was acquainted with the twins.
“Something on your mind?”
The captain shook his head a little, “It was nothing, coach. So, when will she start to be our manager?”
“Ah, it would be today.”
As if on cue, the door to the gymnasium slammed open. Everyone immediately had their eyes focused on the figure who stood at the door. There you were, the trouble, the change, the mystery that he couldn’t pinpoint why you had to forcefully slip in his life—no matter how many times he prayed not to cross paths with you.
A cheeky grin plastered on your face; one that screamed confident. Atsumu chuckled at the vision of you, standing there with your left hand on your waist as if you owned the place.
Kita averted his gaze from you in an instant, didn’t want to catch your attention. At least not now (or basically forever if that could work), he would stall as long as he could. But it was as if luck left him in the dust when he could see you walk towards his direction from the corner of his vision.
“Hello, coach!” You greeted the older man with a wide smile on your face, Doesn’t it hurt? To smile like that? His eyes scrutinized your entire figure as you had a conversation with the coach. There was something warm about you that somehow made everyone enjoy talking to you.
People drawn to you, like you were some kind of chocolate cookies made by a lovely grandmother, fresh from the oven. And by minutes it was empty already, since either adults or children were scrambled to taste the warm feelings.
But unlike everyone else, he took a step backward. He still didn’t want to interact with you as he kept reminding himself that you radiated chaos at the same time, not just some innocent warmth, and he shouldn’t become too attached to such a thing in his life.
Yet you turned around to face him with a gentle smile that never shown before, replacing the cheeky grin.
And he swore that a storm never looked so enticing.
No, like I would fall for that. With his usual flat look on his face, he just nodded a little, at least giving you some respect. He expected you to maybe nod at him too, then turned around to face the coach once again. But no, your eyes glimmered, as if by just him acknowledging you made your heart burst with joy. Strange .
So if you didn’t want to leave, then maybe he was the one who should. Without waiting for another second to pass, he turned around to gather everyone, getting ready for practices today.
What he didn’t know was how you immediately had a pained look on your complexion.
“Don’t mind him, he’s always like that.” You jolted a little when the warm, mature voice from your coach flowed in the air. Turning around, he gave you a reassuring smile, “It’s alright, you have done nothing wrong.”
You calmed down in seconds, eyes darted back to the captain of the team. Your neighbours, the twins, had told you everything about the dreadful player. How he never smiled (at least not in front of them), rarely showed some kind of emotions, as if he was just a robot.
They warned you already to never take anything he said or did by heart, but you couldn’t help it, you were someone that contemplated everything. So to know that you would work together with someone like him, you had to prepare yourself for everything that may come.
And with a little fire inside your heart that flickered higher whenever you saw him, it didn't help with this circumstance you were in. Not at all.
»»————- ♔ ————-««
“I made some lemon water!” Just like a month ago, everyday, you came to the gymnasium with such force, slamming the door open with the usual grin that never withered. The entire team gulped down, knowing the fact how lemon water tasted; weird,
They were all silent, some giving you thumbs up to at least appreciate what you did for the team. And Ojiro, as the kindest person he has ever been, thanked you verbally. While everyone cringed inside their head, you knew one thing that they would love, “And I made you all some onigiri for snacks after practice!”
“Onigiri?” Dashing towards you, the opposite hitter immediately carried the box that you brought. He raised one of his eyebrows when he realised the weight, “This is quite heavy. You brought this all by yourself?”
“From the parking lot to here, yes.” You put your hands on his shoulders, making a small train. “Come on, come on, please put it near the bench, Osamu!”
Everyone chuckled with how you could make everything become interesting. Usually, they would just gather around, practice, take a break, practice, clean the gymnasium and locker room, then go back home to have their long rest for the day.
But now with you here with them, they could see how everything changed. The entire team loves that. They adore how you could lift the spirit by just being there.
Well, everyone except him .
Kita felt so uneasy ever since you became the manager of Inarizaki VBC. It was tiresome for him as he waited for you to open the gymnasium door with whatever shenanigans you prepared for the day.
The second day, you came with speakers, the next day you came with coupons to eat outside, the other day you even brought a fox. Yes, a real fox.
“I found him in the bushes when I walked here!” Your skin was covered with scrapes and bruises, making everyone run to you with a worried look on their faces, “I am fine, I am fine! But this little one needed some ointment, can I grab some from the aid kit?”
You were just a ball of sunshine, one that could make everyone feel so light with just you being there. The positivity that you radiated never once lessening, no matter how bad you looked physically, no matter how the scrapes and bruises could leave some scars on your skin.
And sometimes, he would wonder to himself, what would happen if he let you in into his life?
You eyed the reaction from the entire team, glad that at least they seemed enthusiastic already, even before the practice started. But no, not him, never him. You bit your lips when you met his gaze, the gaze that always pierced right through your soul.
You were not blind, you could see how he never wanted to do anything with you. He always put some spaces between you and him, averting your gaze once in a while, it was as if he was disgusted by just the mere sight of you.
It was not like he hated your guts, no. He appreciated what you did for the team, he acknowledged everything that you did—in his own way.
Kita made sure to put some distance on you, because he still believed that if he pulled you just a little bit closer, his life would change. He didn't know at that time what changed you could possibly give for him.
But years living his life by playing safe, years to never let any types of calamity in, it was all good.
So he turned his back on you once again, focusing on the other things that needed to be done. For the past weeks, he was successful enough to not let you in.
»»————- ♔ ————-««
“Kita-san,” His pupil dilated for a second, recognising the voice that rang through the empty gymnasium, “May I talk to you for a second?” No, please leave me alone.
“Yes?” But his voice betrayed him right now. He was just done cleaning up the locker room, ready to get home. You usually went home with everyone, with the company of the twins. For the past four months, at least you never missed the chance to walk with them.
So he was a little bit taken aback when you decided to stay. Purposely, with the intention just wanting to talk to him.
“Can we walk out first?” Your voice was timid, a total different when it compared to your usual tone. It was the voice that you only gave to him, the only intonation you used when he was around, “The security usually closes the gate around this time."
He knew that, he knew everything about this school. After all, he was already here way before you barged through the school gate that one particular day. But he just gave you a slight nod before telling you to wait outside while he checked up the gymnasium one last time.
One thing that he never wanted to go through was having a conversation with you, alone .
Yet here he was anyway, walked side by side with the one person he always tried to avoid. He didn’t know what you wanted by dragging him like this, he thought that you would start talking the second both of you were out of the school area. But no.
The walk was quiet, as the only thing that could be heard was the footsteps that belonged to you and him. Night breeze touched your hair mischievously, making it a hell mess with just minutes walking with him.
It had been ten minutes, and never once you parted your lips to say something. Did you get tired over managing the team? Or did the twins get you mad by their actions? Was that the reason you walked with him today instead of with them?
“You know, I never saw you as a scary person, Kita-san.”
He turned his head to face you, wondering where that judgment came from. There was a little smile on your face, the gentle smile that was always there when you talked to him. But there was something off about your smile today, and for the first time in forever, he felt lost, “Do you want to know why?”
He wasn’t supposed to be here, to be near you, to talk to you, to let you in .
“Why?”
But he couldn’t help it, as curiosity started to eat him alive by the moment that passed.
“Goodness, I didn’t expect you to ask why.” You snorted a little, really unlady-like, “I didn’t know actually.” Your finger fiddled with the hem of your jacket, feeling like an idiot all of a sudden. Well, you were indeed an idiot compared to him—courtesy from Atsumu.
He waited as he knew that there must be something more that you wanted to tell him, “Maybe because I always look up on you.” You continued, “From Atsumu and Osamu, I know how you always care for everyone wellbeing, I know no matter how impassive you look from the outside, you are actually a huge softie who tries to make sure everyone is in their best state.”
This was the longest time you had ever talked to him. Accurately , it was the longest time you talked to him without him turning his head and leaving you there on the spot.
He could feel blood rushing through his cheek, thinking that it must be from the cold that struck his skin. He tried to twist his mind, that whatever he felt right now—the warm, heavenly feeling—it wasn't caused by you. No, a storm wasn't supposed to feel like this.
You stopped walking when the two of you reached the intersection. You and him live a little bit far from each other, so if you wanted to say another thing for him, this was your last chance.
Your face lit up by the streetlight, with your hand bawled into a fist, gaze pierced into him, you tried to compose yourself.
“ ... ”
He widened his eyes when he heard the words that you said. Rolling from your lips as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Like you have been practising the same sentence over and over again in front of a mirror.
Then just like that, you bowed at him—around ten seconds, he counted it all.
Your gentle smile never once left your face. You waved him goodbye and turned your back on him, leaving him there without giving him the chance to talk.
Was it the same feeling that you felt when he decided to just leave after he was done notifying you about the club’s information? Helpless , like you wanted to burst but nothing came up as you knew the other person wouldn’t listen anyway.
With hearts being tampered, mind clouded with fear, he just stood there as if he just lost the most important person in his life. Maybe, maybe he just did.
Shaking his head, he turned his back towards the opposite direction from where you went. Head hanging low as he realised he never prepared himself for something like this his whole life.
He walked mindlessly, strolling the sidewalk as he tried not to bump into anyone that occupied the way. His hand clutched the fabric in his chest, wanting to rip it apart. It was too much, a sickening feeling that he never felt before.
Kita was sure that he never let you get too close to him. You were just a storm that could make all of his routine changed, the unpredictable force that possibly made his life altered completely by just letting you slide into his life.
He should have said no. He should have said that he needed to go somewhere, anywhere that made you turn your head and leave him alone from the moment you asked him to talk.
Should he run? Should he turn his back and tell you all the words that have been stuck on his throat since the words came out from your lips? What did you want him to say after receiving such an earnest confession from you?
“I always admired you, Kita-san.”
Yet he kept moving forwards, never once sparing another glance to the back. His mind, body, and soul didn’t synchronize as his heart screamed for him to turn around, to just embrace whatever hail life would throw at him the second he let you in.
But then again, why would he chase a storm in the first place?
»»————- ♔ ————-««
“Don’t you think you are a little bit harsh to her?” The puff of air emerged in front of his lips every time he breathed out. “I don’t know what makes you think it was the best for you to rarely acknowledge her presence.”
The captain decided to answer his friend’s question with silence. Both hands tucked inside his pockets as his mind pondered, Isn’t it obvious?
Ojiro could only let out a long sigh when his friend decided to keep silent. He brought his mind back to the time he first saw you in the cafeteria with the twins. Everyone could see that you were a practical sun, someone that could catch up with the famous students even though you were new at that time.
And one thing, one thing that he never erased from his brain was how the captain looked at that moment. There was an awe in his usual expressionless facade, some kind of amusement, appeared the second your voice roared the entire room. But it died down in second, as if it was never there.
“She’s a storm,” Ojiro raised one of his eyebrows, giving his full attention to the man beside him. He was always confused, about almost anything that his friend said, “And I know how storms work, they come to wreck everything. Everything would change once you let someone like her in, either for better or for worse.”
“So you just feel that keeping her away from you was the best thing to do?”
“Yes,” He knew too well that what he said was full of nonsense by now, “Because by then I don’t have to think about what would happen if I let her in.”
“Aren’t you curious about the possibility that may come?”
“Why should I if I’ve already enjoyed my life all this time?” But did he really?
Kita gazed at the tall spiker who now had this mixed expression on his face. One moment his friend looked so happy, like he finally put the pieces together of the reason why he seemed to avoid you. But in a split second it changed to a forlorn look. There was a glint of sympathy as he looked at him.
He didn’t know why his friend looked at him like that. But one thing that he knew was how he didn’t like that gaze, not at all.
The walk home was filled with silence once again, no one spoke anything as both of them were just trying to enjoy the scenery of their neighbourhood. The river appeared still, yet it flowed under the thin layer of ice. Even though the air only filled with the coldness and the ground was frozen, it glitter with the gift of each ray.
“(Y/n), slow down!” The third-years were familiar with the voice, hurried footsteps could be heard from behind them.
“Don’t be a slowpoke, Samu !” Kita turned around, finding you dragging the opposite hitter to god knows where. You never changed, just like months ago when he first saw you on the school ground. Your face never showed any kind of sadness, at least, at least not when the grey haired twin was by your side.
The orange hue of rays adorned your whole figure as you ran, resulting in your smile to look even more magical. You were just a storm , he reminded himself, There was only chaos if he let you get closer.
Your face that was looking at Osamu, now turned to face the road ahead, making your eyes locked with his. And the orbs that were filled with joy and happiness, now just coated with pure surprise.
“Oh! Kita-san! Ojiro-san!” Even since months he gave you the same cold stare, even since months he acknowledged your words and opinion with a simple nod, even since the day after that one fateful night where he pushed you away further than ever.
The smile never wavered from your facade, and you always gave him the same warm look.
“It's a few days before nationals, I hope you guys have a good rest!”
“We will, we will,” Ojiro answered with a deep chuckle following after his words, “You looked happy. Happier than usual I mean. Something happened?”
He expected you to share some information about how this little cafe finally opened, or maybe you would shout and tell them you won the onsen coupon that could be used for the entire team, the information that he got from hearing what you said for the past few days.
It was not like Kita could erase everything about you. No matter how many times he tried to avoid any contact, he always remembered every little thing that came up from your lips. He had it imprinted on his mind, even the things that you blurt from the first few days of your time being their manager.
“Am I that easy to read? But, yeah! This little cafe near my house is finally open!” He felt pleased. Inside his heart, he was beaming due to his successful prediction about the words that you would say, “Though, it’s not the only thing that made me this happy, I guess.”
Your voice trailed over, gazing softly to the man that had his hand interlaced with yours, “This boy apparently had a crush on me for the longest time, and…” You let out a deep breath, as if finally let go of something that you had been holding on for the past months, “And he finally dared to ask me out.”
You were just a storm.
He already made sure not to let you get closer to him.
But why did he still have this whirlwind inside his mind after all this time?
His breath wavered once the statement rolled down from your tongue. You looked at him, with something lingering there in your shiny orbs, something that he didn’t know what it was all about. Or maybe, something that he never wanted to concede since that night.
Winter was always cold, but this moment as you stared at him with the same old look that you always gave to him, he felt like it was the worst winter that he ever had. Your gaze was still the warm and gentle look that everyone treasured.
But right now as you stood there in front of him, hand engulfed by someone else, he could only taste the cold.
“Oh?” His friend was shocked, and it really showed from how his face contorted. A worried glance thrown towards him before flickering back to the couple in front of them, “Whoa, congratulations!” But somehow, he knew that it was coming.
He couldn’t hear the boisterous laugh that aired right in front of him. His eyes locked on your face who kept stealing glances, like you were still yearning for him. But at the same time, as if you said your farewell, and this would be the last time he received such adoration from you.
Why did he just see it now? From all the times you had been their manager, why now he just realised the look inside your eyes? You were a storm, and he never let you in because he was afraid of what you would bring to him.
But it was always there. The thing that you wanted to bring in his life, it was always there, hiding behind your smile, back and forth shown in your eyes, sometimes overlapped by the kindness and fervor that you gave to everyone.
Yet the second you laid your eyes on him, it was just one emotion. Love. A pure adoration that you offer for him to take, but he never let you in.
No matter how many times he wanted to.
In the next second you already waved your hand towards him and his friend, with the other rested gently in the warm grasp of the man who always had his eyes on you. Kita's facade never changed, as he still looked at you with the same straight expression, a contrast to the blister that he felt in his heart right now.
He ignored the pitiful gaze that was given by his friend, he ignored the frigid temperature that nature greeted him with, he ignored the droplets of tears that were cascading down his face at this very moment.
“Aran.” He called out, voice a little bit wavered as he tried to control his emotion. His friend only answered with a small hum, enlightening him that he was there, enlightening him that he listened, “I think it was too late. To keep the storm away,”
“What?”
He chuckled bitterly as his gaze never once left your figure. You looked so happy every time you were with the opposite hitter, a real contrast to every time he was with you.
Of course, what did he expect after all? Osamu always gave you the same warmth that you gave to everyone, Osamu always greeted you with a smile, acknowledging your presence, appreciating every little thing that you did.
Whereas him? He just gave you a cold response, muttering a little thank you and got back to his routine without sparing you another glance.
He thought by doing that, he kept the storm away. He thought by making sure he never had a proper conversation with you, it would keep himself safe. He thought by pushing you away from his life as much as he could, you wouldn’t be here, right inside his heart.
But one thing that he forgot about a storm—
“She’s always there, Aran.”
Was the fact that it came forcefully, without notice.