"Mom! I'm going for a run!" Sugawara called out.

"Okay! Be careful!"

"Thank you!" Sugawara felt his stomach rumble, begging for food. He rolled his eyes and popped a piece of gum in his mouth. "I can't deal with this right now…"

He walked outside, humming at the gentle warmth of the morning sun. Sugawara walked to the end of the driveway and sighed. He started to jog slowly down the sidewalk, taking his time before actually running.

In a way he was metaphorically and quite literally running. Running down the sidewalk, away from his issue as well. He could just go ahead and stop ignoring that maybe the internet was an awful place at the moment and that he didn't need to be looking at articles to get skinnier. He was already one hundred eight pounds. It was easy to lose weight but even harder to gain it. Especially if you couldn't get things in your body to gain anything.

Or if you removed them.

His mother had noticed that he wasn't eating and the sudden loss of weight. So as any worried mother would do, she took him to the doctor.

There he was prescribed medication to allow him to become hungry. One for the morning and one for the evening.

He'd seemed to have been taking them. He ate breakfast and dinner. Lunch was something no one asked him about because his bento was always empty. But no one knew what actually happened.

Everyday he'd get dressed, eat, head to his room to fic his hair and "brush his teeth".

Usually ending in him doing so at least.

What happened before that could easily be inferred, accounting for his weight dropping quickly.

Sugawara stopped running, his breathing heavy. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned back around, startled. "Hello?"

The red head tilted hid head, confused. "You're not from around here."

"Um… no." Sugawara eyed the brunette beside the red head. He seemed unnerved that Sugawara was there except for those loose hold of the shorter male's dark hoodie. "I was going on a run."

"Hm. Why do you seem so nervous? Is my awesomeness making you scared?"

"No."

"You're weird. Cool." The red head started to extend a hand, but stopped when he realized the other male was holding his sleeve. "Wa-kun... Are YOU nervous?"

"Hm? No, I'm alright."

"Alright." The red head extended his hand again and smiled. "The name's Tendou."

"Oh. Sugawara." Suga shook Tendou's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Mhm. You too." Tendou smiled. He gestured to the male behind him. "This is Ushijima. He's really shy."

"I'm not shy." Ushijima said quietly. He nodded to Sugawara. "What school do you go to? I've never seen you."

"Karasuno High. You?"

"Oh ho ho!" Tendou chuckled. "We're from Shiratorizawa High. So kings and peasants meet."

"My school isn't full of peasants. We're all very smart." Sugawara coughed. Jesus Christ why did he forget his water?! He coughed again, light headed.

Ushijima tilted his head, worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry about the joke too." Tendou looked at both of the other males worriedly. "Um… seriously, are you okay?"

Sugawara nodded and held up a finger, signaling them to wait. His sides started to burn and his vision went darker despite the morning light. Ushijima actually stepped forward and extended a hand. "Sugawara?"

Sugawara dropped to the ground, vision now completely dark. He was seemingly unconscious now, laid on the sidewalk. Tendou bent down and quickly took Sugawara's phone from his pocket. "Well apparently he's not smart cause he doesn't have a freaking password."

"You can't just do that." Ushijima mumbled, raising Sugawara's head up. "Sugawara?"

"Ah! I found it!" Tendou held the phone to his ear. "Hello! Oh Jesus- um. Your son just kinda fainted on the sidewalk… sorry."

Ushijima sighed. He pressed on Sugawara's chest carefully. The light haired male groaned and opened his eyes. "He's awake… slightly."

"Oh! Good news! He's waking up. We're near Shiratorizawa. He seems alright. Told us he was on a run… yes. Us. I'm with my friend. He's kinda holding Sugawara."

"Mmm… I'm fine." Sugawara sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry. Can I have my phone?"

Tendou bent down and handed it to him. "It's your mom."

"My mom?! What?!" Sugawara put his phone to his ear and stood up, nearly loosing his balance. "I'm fine mom. No you don't need to come get- okay. Okay I'm sorry." Sugawara sat back down and sighed. "I'll stay where I am."

When he hung up Tendou chuckled. "You in trouble?"

"Kinda."

"Hmm. Wa-kun, sit down." Tendou plopped down on the concrete. Ushijima sat down next to Tendou and put his head against his shoulder. "Aw someone's sleeeepy."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"He's trying to figure that out." Tendou smiled warmly. "That's all."

"Oh. How sweet." Sugawara smiled. He glanced down at his phone and smiled. "Hey Dai."

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Chilling on the sidewalk."

"Um… why?"

"Because I almost fainted on the sidewalk. That's all."

"What?! Are you okay?!"

"Yes. Calm down. Some guys from Shiritorizawa were here to help me. My mom is picking me up soon."

"Shiritorizawa? Huh?"

"I went on a run."

"Oh. I can come over in a bit after you rest."

Sugawara laughed lightly. "Of course. Just don't mess with my cousin."

"Nah I'll just mess with you. You're funny. And from what you've told me, he's not too nice."

"He really isn't." Sugawara paused as a familiar dark colored car pulled up. "Gotta go. I'll tell you when you can come over."

"Alright cool! I'll see you later!"

"Yeah. See you later." Sugawara hung up and stood. He waved to the two on the ground and smiled. "You two were very nice. Thank you very much."

"No problem!" Tendou stood, easing Ushijima up with him. "See you around!"

"Mhm." Sugawara got in his mother's car and sighed. "Hey."

"You alright?"

"Yeah. I just must have not drank enough water. Plus I didn't bring any."

"You're going to lay down and drink something when we get home."

"Yes ma'am… can Daichi come over later? He wants to check on me."

"Um… alright. Just no dirty stuff, okay?"

"Mooooom. I don't do that. Plus he's just a friend."

"Mhm." She smirked. "Just wait a bit."

"Why must I be easy to tease?"

"Cause you're funny. Plus, it's okay. Toughens you up if you want it to."

Sugawara shrugged, looking out the window. "I guess."

"Mhm." She turned into their driveway and sighed. "Has anything been going on at school?"

"What? No." He chuckled. "I'm just a bit tired I guess."

"Just know I'll be here if you need."

"I know. Thank you." He waited until his mother exited the car before getting out and walking inside. Sugawara sat down on his bed and sighed. "Okay…"

He picked up a water bottle, chugging it down. Water was filling. Water was good. Right?

He picked up his phone and held it to his ear. "Hey Dai…"

"Hey. You alright?"

"Mhm. You can come over..."

"Alright. I'll be there in a bit."

"Can you stay on the phone until you get here?"

"Of course I can. So what are you doing?"

"Laying here. I don't have anything else to do."

"Right. Sorry." There was a soft knock and mumbling. "Alright. I'm heading over. Do you have a volleyball at your house?"

"Yep."

"Great. Not that we'll be playing volleyball the whole time of course. I'm just checking."

Sugawara laughed. "Don't be so nervous."

"I'm not nervous"

"Pfft. Whatever you say." Sugawara looked at his doorway, seeing Gin standing there. "Hang on. Hey Gin."

"Who are you talking to?"

"A friend of mine."

"Boyfriend?"

"No. Teammate."

"Mhm. Good. I don't want to hang around more than one of your kind."

"My kind?"

"Yes. Your kind you dumbass." Gin walked away.

Sugawara groaned and flipped over. "Sorry."

"No, it's alright. What happened?"

"Gin wanted to talk for a moment. He's just being Gin. Again."

"And this is why I will only say hello to him. I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Thank you Dai."

"Of course."