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Hinata Shouyou was sure of most things in his life.
He was sure that he loved volleyball, that he enjoys the company of his friends, and that someday he wants to stand on the opposite side of the court from Kageyama Tobio and win.
But other than things that came to volleyball Hinata was quite oblivious. Which is why he has no idea why his heart panged a little when Kageyama didn’t text him back, or when Kageyama got confessed to, which seemed to be happening a lot lately. A little pastel colored or creamy white note was left on Kageyama’s desk politely requesting he be at a certain place at the back of school.
Kageyama always went, no matter how many times he got confessed to in a week. He never got angry or cold with the girls either. In fact, it felt as if the usual Kageyama was switched out completely for someone with pre-programmed manners. However, that didn’t stop every confession from ending the same, with Kageyama head facing toward the ground in apology and a heartbroken expression on the girls face.
At first when the confession first stated, Hinata didn’t mind that much. As long as they didn’t intrude too much on him and Kageyama’s lunchtime practice it wasn’t a big deal. But then the confessions started happening every single day and Shouyou started to get fed up with it.
This is was around the time that Hinata watched the confessions. It just so happened that the balcony around the school roof stretched all the way to back. So Hinata grabbed his lunch and made his way to the back, watched the confession and hurried back to their usual spot before kageyama came back.
In the beginning Shouyou convinced himself he was just watching because he felt pity for those girls. Until that is, he explored the depths of his own feeling and discovered something. He didn’t really feel bad for those girls. At most he felt a bit apathetic but that was only when a confession had turned horribly pathetic and the girl was blubbering while begging Kageyama to date her.
After a month or so of watching, Hinata became curious of what was going through Kageyama’s mind when he rejected them. He always kept his head bent toward the ground in such a way you couldn’t see a single expression.
It was eating Hinata up inside though, just what exactly what Kageyama was feeling. Shouyou himself didn’t even know he cared so much considering it was just Kageyama.
Ah, Kageyama
His fiercest adversary, His formidable ally, and most of all… His best friend.
But…Hinata realized, his emotions went a little deeper than that. When he thought of Kageyama he thought of heart thumps, little skips in the beat he found himself unable to explain. When he thought of Kageyama he thought of milk cartons and juice boxes, all the years of competitions trying to finish first. Most of all, when Hinata thought of Kageyama he thought of volleyball and the ability to soar over their opponents. Of the handmade set of wings Kageyama had crafted just for him, without Kageyama he would be just as grounded as before while tossing volleyballs against the wall while watching everyone else progress and get further out of his reach.
Yes, they were close, was the conclusion he came to.
Kageyama Tobio wondered where in the world Hinata had gotten the idea to start watching his confessions.
Doesn’t that dumbass have better things to do, He wondered as he watched the spot of orange bop around the roof out of the corner of his eye.
Kageyama was already embarrassed enough when the rest of the boys in his class oohed and ahhed every time a new letter was on his desk. To now have Hinata take an interest was about more than Tobio could take without breaking.
He got ragged on enough with people asking why he always turned down his confessions, he simply shrugged and pretended like he didn’t have the answer to that question when actually he did.
It had taken three years of volleyball to figure it out, but he was in love with Hinata Shouyou and unless that distractingly bright orange head of his was the one handing Kageyama a letter, a confession wasn’t going to be accepted.
Even then, Tobio wasn’t sure if he would accept it, considering he and Hinata hadn’t reached the summit together yet like they promised. He was still waiting for Hinata to catch up.
So for the rest of their third year he pretended as if he didn’t notice Hinata peering down at him every time he received a confession, or quickly scurrying away to their usual eating place when Kageyama had finished rejecting the girl in front of him.
Yes, Kageyama Tobio was going to attempt something he wasn’t good at, and wait patiently.
Someday, someone even better will come and find you.
He’s finally here, thought one Kageyama Tobio from his side of the court.
The MSBY Jackals had just beat the Schweiden Adlers in Hinata Shouyou’s debut game.
It was time to shake hands.
Hinata approached Kageyama from his side and Tobio moved closer.
Something close to a glare was on each of their faces and the atmosphere around them became tense,
Until the façade was thrown away and frowns were replaced with bright smiles. It was almost as if the sides of the net had been shoved aside as the two men embraced each other.
“So I did some thinking while I was in Brazil”, Hinata whispered in Kageyama’s ear.
“Later”, Kageyama replied. In my apartment was tagged onto that in his mind.
Yes, Kageyama Tobio had suffered through many confessions to finally get the one he wanted, and now that it was in his grasp he could wait a little longer.