Ah, it was that time again. Time to choose a drink to have at lunch.

Kageyama's hand hovered over two buttons, trying to choose. Grapefruit or Mango...? Hm. He always had trouble choosing the flavour of his drink. Maybe it wasn't so much because he cared about the flavour, though...

Maybe he liked to stand here for a long time in case he overheard Hinata practising. He'd heard so many things when he was standing here. Kageyama told himself it wasn't exactly eavesdropping because Hinata had a big mouth and shouted more than he talked. Well, that's what he told himself.

After a few moments, Kageyama sighs a little and hits the button for the grapefruit flavoured drink. As he retrieves it from the bottom of the vending machine, a shadow looms over him and he looks to the side to see girl #1.

He tries not to glare too much as he straightens, so he was now looking down at the girl, and says "Hinata's not here"

She seems to take that as a personal insult and glares back. '"I know that he's not. I'm here to talk to you"

Kageyama takes his time before replying. He removes the straw from the back of the drink and stabs it into the small sliver circle on top of the carton. She's watching him intently, waiting for him to say she could speak to him.

Kageyama raises the straw to his lips and finally replies. "I'm not interesting in talking" and with that he turns away from her and walks off, finally slotting the straw between his lips.

"Hey! I just wanted to ask a question about Shoyo! You're so rude, Kageyama-san!" As she's talking/shouting, she chases after him.

Knowing he wasn't going to escape her until she asked whatever dumb question she had, Kageyama stops walking and turns to face her again. She practically runs into him before stumbling back in shock.

She then grins up at him, confirming to Kageyama that she was as stupid as he thought if she couldn't tell that he really didn't want to be talking to her right now - or ever.

"So.. You and Shoyo sure spend a lot of time together, don't you?"

Kageyama raises an eyebrow. This is her question?

"Of course we do. We're on the same team and practise together almost everyday. It's not abnormal" He doesn't know why he's so defensive. He just blames it on his personality and low tolerance for stupid people. Also the fact he dislikes this girl.

"You even spend time together after practise" She points out, like it was news to him.

Kageyama was tempted to walk away again. Instead, he answers "The whole team spends time together"

It's silent for a moment and then the girl scratches the back of her head and asks, with a small blush, "Can I ask you a question about Shoyo?"

Kageyama sighs "You can ask"

She hesitates for a moment before she asks, in a very soft voice that suggested she was trying to be gentle and understanding, "Are you two secretly dating? Is Shoyo gay?"

Kageyama freezes, a whole load of emotions going through him.

She thought they were dating?! Why on Earth did she think that?

Kageyama stares at her for a long time, trying to see if this was some kind of joke and that, any minute now, she'd laugh and shout 'got ya!' before Hinata rounded the corner. It's the kind of dumb prank that he'd pull.

When none of that happen, Kageyama sucks in a breath.

"No. We're not.. Dating. Hinata isn't gay"

She frowns "Are you sure? Because every time I ask him to do something with me, he says he has plans with you. You're different with him too. Softer. Sounds like you guys are dating to me"

"...What?! No! You have it all wrong. We're not dating! We're just teammates!"

She crosses her arms, not convinced. "Are you lying because you're both guys?"

Kageyama's anger was slowly rising now, his face becoming darker and darker. He towers over the girl, glaring at her. "I am not gay and neither is Hinata"

She shrinks away, replying in a small voice "I- I don't believe you"

Kageyama stares at her again before huffing and stalking in the other direction, barely aware he'd crushed his drink and his hand was now sticky from the sweet grapefruit juice.

Two hours later, girl #1 was bugging Kageyama again. This time, at practise.

"Are you gay?"

"Is Hinata gay?"

"Are you guys dating?"

"Why are you hiding?"

"Kageyama-saaaan, answer me!"

She was so annoying. How the hell did Hinata put up with her? Oh, wait, he didn't. He blew her off and said he was always with Kageyama, just another reason that she seems to think Hinata and Kageyama have some kind of thing.

"Kage--"

Kageyama cuts the girl off. "Hinata! Get your dumb ass over here!"

Hinata freezes where he is on court, recognising the voice of an angry Kageyama easily. It was a tone he knew all too well. Hinata turns slowly and his eyes widen when he sees Kageyama should beside girl #1. He slowly jogs over and Kageyama grits his teeth.

When the short, orange haired boy finally arrives, Kageyama doesn't hesitate to grab him by the hair and push him towards the girl.

"Tell this girl that we're not dating and that you're not gay so she'll leave me alone. Go on, tell her"

Kageyama lets go of Hinata, who had been saying 'ow' over and over. Hinata rubs his head, glaring at Kageyama, before he looks to the girl in front of him who had big hopeful eyes as she glazed at him like some previously under star in the night sky.

Getting ticked off again, Kageyama hits Hinata around the head. "Tell her then, dumbass!"

"Oh! Right!" Hinata laughs, grinning at the girl. "No, Miko, we're not dating"

Kageyama frowns. Why does he seem so okay with being asked if he was gay and dating the boy he's sworn he will defeat?

"And you're not gay?" Girl #1 asks.

Stupid question, Kageyama snorts.

"Uh..." Hinata scratches the back of his head.

Wait. What?! Why is Hinata hesitating to answer?

Kageyama peers at his short teammate curiously. He'd never thought about it but he supposes that Hinata could be gay... It's not like Kageyama had ever said and Hinata hadn't ever said anything or dating anyone.

"You're not gay, right, Shoyo?" The girl asks again, face growing worried.

"Well.. I.. Uh. I don't know?" Hinata shrugs. "I've never liked anyone like that, boy or girl. So I can't say no I'm not gay because I don't know for sure that I'm not. You know?"

Kageyama rolls his eyes. Of course. Stupid Hinata. Doesn't even know his own sexual preference.

"Oh..." She trails off, shoulders slumping. "You've never liked anyone?"

Kageyama can see the exact moment realisation dawn on their dim Hinata. His eyes grow wide and he tenses up, staring at the girl before him as he realises that his words may have hurt her.

Why didn't it surprise him that Hinata couldn't see this girl fancied him?

"Miko... I, umm... Volleyball is what matters to me right now. I'm not looking to date anyone. I- I just want to play Volleyball" Hinata offers a smile. "Doesn't mean we can't be friends"

"Friends?" She asks, outraged. "I don't want to be friends, Shoyo!" She was sobbing now, drawing the attention of the rest of the team.

"Miko... I... I'm sorry" Hinata didn't look as guilty as he could be. Mostly, he looked nervous about sensei approaching.

Before sensei could get anywhere near them, however, girl #1 let out an angry cry and slapped Hinata straight across the face before she turned and rushed out of the gymnasium in tears.

Kageyama glanced at Hinata, realising that red mark on his face was technically his fault for calling Hinata over. He opens his mouth, about to give one of his apologies that was littered with insults to the point it didn't seem like an apology but he doesn't get there. Before he had go anything, Hinata looks at him and grins, wrapping his short arms around Kageyama's waist for a moment.

"Thank you, Kageyama! She won't bother us at practise anymore. I know she annoys you" He laughs, squeezing Kageyama tighter.

Grunting, Kageyama pushes the short boy off him and glares. "How the hell do you know she annoys me?" He half wondered, half shouted.

Hinata just giggles. "I can see it on your face, silly" and with that, Hinata rushes off to go practise receiving with the other.. leaving Kageyama to explain to Ukai and sensei why the girl, Miko apparently, rushed off in tears.

Damn it, Hinata.