Hinata paced down the hall, his eyebrows scrunched up to form an unhappy 'W' on his forehead. Yesterday's fiasco had caused him extreme embarrassment and probably hate from Sugawara Kaoru. "I'm such an idiot!!!" the redhead yanked his hair in agony, yelling.

"I'm glad you acknowledge that, but stop being so loud," Kageyama quipped as he walked past.

"Kageyama!" Hinata suddenly grabbed his jacket sleeve. "Help me find Kaoru-san so I can apologize to her!"

[Recap]---

To everyone's surprise, Kaoru hit a perfect receive to Kageyama after Asahi's serve. He had been aiming at Yamaguchi, but Kaoru had suddenly appeared alongside him and perfectly received it. "Not bad," Kageyama grinned slightly, tossing to Tsukishima.

Kaoru just kept his eyes on the ball. For some odd reason, it felt as if he had no aura or presence at all, Tsukishima noticed with curiosity. Kaoru kept moving, gliding effortlessly to receive the volleyball straight to Kageyama. Finally, after two points, Hinata was up to serve.

Aw man, of all people to be up for a serve, it's me! I have to make a good impression on Sugawara-senpai's cousin since he sounds like an amazing volleyball player! Hinata fretted, squeezing the ball. "Here goes!!!"

He threw it up and aimed, but his eyes were closed. Again. And the volleyball ended up hitting the back of Kaoru's head. Everybody stared as time seemed to stand still as Kaoru fell forward, and his baseball cap flew off his head.

"Ka-Ka-Ka-Ka...Kaoru's a GIRL?!" Hinata yelled.

[End Recap]---

After that, before even checking on Kaoru, Hinata had bolted for the bathroom and stayed in there for at least half an hour. When he finally emerged, still slightly grey in the face, the team explained that Kaoru had left after getting a bloody nose.

"C'mon, Kageyamaa," Hinata begged. "Please help me find her!"

"Find who?" a girl suddenly popped out of the second years' classroom.

Hinata and Kageyama took a step back away from the peppy girl with slight caution. "Ah...we're looking for Sugawara Kaoru-san," the setter explained to the girl slowly.

"Oh! Kaoru-chan? I'm looking for her, too, and it seems like my idiotic brother wouldn't help, so let's team up!" the girl announced, pointing a finger at the two.

"...Haaai?!"

-

"So...you're Misa-san...?" Kageyama was trailing after the beautiful brunette they had encountered earlier.

"Yeah~ But call me Misa-senpai! It sounds more official and better!" she held up a fist with shining eyes. Meanwhile, she had her other arm wrapped around Hinata's neck.

"P-Please...let go...of meee!" a blushing Hinata protested as he was dragged along.

"Nope~ Too cute to let loose~" Misa-senpai winked, cuddling him even tighter. "It's not often I get to catch a shota like you at school, fufufu~"

Kageyama pretended not to notice. "Practice is almost starting, so we might as well head back to practice, Hinata," he listened to the bell toll. "The apology can wait."

"Ooh, what are you guys practicing?" Misa suddenly perked up.

"V-Vo-Volley...b-ball..." Hinata gasped, still flailing.

"Ehh?! Really now? My brother is on the team, too! I guess I'll have to let you go then," Misa sighed, releasing her death grip as Hinata hacked for air.

The two raced away from the beauty and barely made it in time for practice. "Oi, I already warned the others about being late," Coach Ukai was at the door growling at them.

"Sorry, Coach," the two quickly got ready to stretch with the others.

Hinata looked over at the other upperclassmen and realized Sugawara was next to him. "Oh, Sugawara-san," he looked over. "Ah, have you seen Kaoru anywhere by chance?"

Suga blinked with slight amusement. "Well, yeah, she's-"

"Right here." Hinata fell over at the sudden appearance on his other side of said girl. The only thing that had changed was that Kaoru wasn't wearing a cap now, and it was obvious that her long platinum blonde hair was tied into a neat bun.

"E-Eh?! W-When did you get here?!" Hinata pointed accusingly at the girl.

Kaoru stared apathetically back at him. "I've been here..."

He calmed down his breathing, then stared at his shoes as he finally mumbled, "Ah...sorry about yesterday. How's your nose?"

"Haah...? Oh, that. It's fine. It was an accident," she gave a hint of a smile as the group finished up their stretches. "It didn't hurt that much."

Before Hinata could say anything else, a piercing "KAOOORUUUUCCCHHHIIII!!!!!!!" echoed through the gym. Bewildered, everybody turned to stare at the girl in the doorway.

"Ah, it's that Misa-san- I mean Misa-senpai we ran into earlier!" Hinata leaped to his feet.

"A-A-Aniki?!" Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi turned to Tanaka in surprise as his jaw dropped. "W-What the heck are you doing here?!"

Misa had her arms wrapped around Kaoru's neck already, and her head was resting on Kaoru's. "I was looking for my Kaorucchi because she suddenly disappeared after school," she pouted, cuddling the ever-nonemotional Kaoru. "Who knew she was in the gym with the volleyball guys?" Suddenly, she turned, her eyes burning with passion as she spotted Kiyoko. "AH! MY RIVAL!" she pointed directly at the manager. "HOW DARE YOU STEAL KAORUCCHI FROM ME, SHIMIZU?!"

"Hello, Misa," Kiyoko barely glanced at the overprotective brunette as she filled water bottles.

"Ah, Kaoru-san- well, I mean, Sugawara-san-" Hinata stuttered.

"Kaoru is fine," she nodded.

"Kaoru, eh?" Tsukishima walked over, towering over the girl. "Why don't you go and play on the girls' team instead of being here?" he asked, frowning.

Kaoru blinked. "The girls' team is full, and..." her voice lowered, "There are...people who don't want me there. Besides, ...I don't think I like playing volleyball anymore."

"Ehh?!" everyone kind of stared at her. "But..." Yamaguchi argued, "You're pretty good!"

Kaoru just gave a slight smile. "Sorry. But I'm just here to watch my cousin's last year in high school sports," she said with a straight face. "It'll have to be something important to change my mind-"

"All right!!!" Take-sensei ran into the gym, his glasses falling off his face. "I did it!!!"

Everybody turned to look at him. "What is it, sensei?" Kageyama asked.

"Guess what? Another match!!! Against Nekoma!!!"

"But- How?!" Daichi's eyes were wide open with surprise.

"Isn't Nekoma in Tokyo?" Misa piped up as she stepped on her brother. "Like, our rival?"

Take-sensei nodded. "It's in a month!  Well, actually, it's a small tournament for both the girls and boys team for volleyball, and other schools will be there, including Aobajousai High."

Coach Ukai grinned, patting his back. "Yosh, let's prep a lot this time!"

"Osu!" everybody yelled.

"Well, we'll only be able to play one set though..." the sensei rubbed his head sbeepishly. "It was one of the conditions..."

Tsukishima stared at everyone getting pumped up then noticed that Kaoru seemed faintly interested. "Nekoma.." she mumbled. "I was invited to go there..." she suddenly turned to Tsukishima. "Do you think...Daichi-san would let me go see it? Maybe even...play a little against them?"

"...Why wouldn't he?" Tsukishima looked away, slightly caught off guard.

"Tsukki's blushing," Yamaguchi giggled.

"Shut up," he growled. "Besides, we can't have a girl on our team. Isn't it against the rules?"

"That's true," Suga came from behind, clasping Kaoru's shoulder. "Sorry about that, Kaoru-chan."

"I see..." the small spark disappeared from her eyes.

Hinata ran over. "Oi, I think she could! Let's just ask!!!"

-

"No."

"See?" Sugawara sighed.

But Kaoru didn't back down. She stopped Daichi in his path again. Everybody had left except for those three, and she didn't want no as an answer. "Daichi-san," she tried again. "Please? Just this once...and then I won't play volleyball anymore."

"I don't want someone on our team playing just to give it up," Daichi surprised her with the cold response. "Now I have to lock up," he tried to go around her.

"A match," Kaoru finally blurted out after a moment of silence. "How about a match to prove it to you? How serious I am for once?"

Daichi narrowed his eyes. "If Coach approves...then we'll talk further." He slammed the gym door shut.

"Yooosh!" Hinata grinned, clasping her shoulder.  "You can do it!  Ah man, it's late, see ya, Kaoru!"  He ran off.

Sugawara, who had been waiting outside for his younger cousin, sighed a bit with relief, resting his hand on Kaoru's head.  "Let's get you home."

===

Surprise, surprise!  I did it before I said I would because...I just had to!  There were some changes I had to make, and thank you so much Lilgamergirl for the cover!  I just love it like crazy!!!  Please look forward to the next chapter coming out on Sunday!  And yes, I kind of went against you, Luka...forgive me, but I just had to!  It's my lovely readers, after all!