(chapter xiii)

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

"Wah! It's Sugawara-senpai!" The moment Yuna stepped into the Karasuno gymnasium, her senses were immediately assaulted by the loud exclamations of a first-year libero. Thankfully, Asahi was nearby to hold back the energetic Nishinoya.

Yuna blinked, startled by the unexpected outburst. She quickly composed herself and glanced at Asahi, who offered her an apologetic smile while still restraining the overly enthusiastic young libero.

Koshi, currently engaged in a practice session with Daichi, turned and warmly waved in her direction. Yuna waved back and made her way to the side, taking notice of the decreased number of team members present. She came to a halt beside the team's manager, Kiyoko Shimizu, who was standing quietly nearby.

Yuna whispered discreetly to Kiyoko, leaning in and covering her mouth with her hand. "Say...are there fewer members these days?"

Kiyoko forced a smile and nodded in confirmation, looking a bit weary. "Yeah, some members quit," she replied, her voice laced with resignation. "They couldn't handle Coach Ukai's intense practices."

Yuna let out a sigh and turned back to the court, reflecting on her brother's subdued demeanor the previous night. "That explains why he seemed down during dinner last night," she mused. "He could barely even eat, which is why I decided to come today to ensure he doesn't overload himself."

Kiyoko nodded in agreement, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I was curious about why he seemed a bit sluggish today," she remarked.

Over the next couple of hours, Yuna kept a watchful eye on her brother, absorbed by the synchronized rhythm between him, Daichi, Asahi, and Yuu. The four of them practiced together the entire time, appearing detached from the third years who were deeply engrossed in their own separate group.

Yuna's thoughts drifted to her own school's male volleyball team and how seamlessly they worked together. She began to ruminate on how their current practice might be going and even found herself wishing she wasn't missing out on the chance to hear Tooru's graceful sounds.

Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted when her phone started buzzing in her pocket. Yuna nervously glanced around, relieved to remember that she had set it to silent. She let out a soft exhale and leaned closer to Kiyoko, quietly informing her that she needed to step out for a moment.

As she looked down at her phone, Yuna's heart skipped a beat when she saw the name of the person calling: Tooru Oikawa. For a moment, she felt a mild panic, but then she recalled that she had recently exchanged numbers with the boys.

"Hello?" she answered the call, feeling a bit self-conscious since she was rarely used to conversing with anyone other than her family over the phone.

"Ah! Yu-chan, I'm so glad you answered," Tooru's energetic voice exclaimed.

She responded with a hum and settled herself down on the steps outside the gym. "Is there something wrong?"

She could hear him chuckling on the other end of the line, followed by his casual reply, "No, I just wanted to hear your voice."

Yuna furrowed her brow, briefly contemplating hanging up. However, despite her skepticism, she held back, not fully trusting his seemingly cheerful manner. She knew him well enough to recognize the forced happiness in his tone.

"Are you still at practice?" Yuna asked, followed by a brief silence from Tooru's end. For a moment, she thought he had hung up, but his subsequent sigh indicated otherwise.

"No, I was sent home...you know, don't you, Yu-chan," Tooru said, his voice laced with a sense of detachment. Yuna found herself looking down at the floor as she listened. "Listen, why don't you meet up with me? Are you busy?"

Yuna blinked at Tooru's words, then turned to the gym's entrance. She paused for a moment, glancing inside the gym to find her brother. As she spotted him sitting on the sidelines alongside the other team members, no longer on the court, she took a deep breath.

"Can you give me a moment? I'll call you back," she said. Tooru agreed, ending the call.

As she stood there, looking at her brother, Yuna felt a pang of concern for him. She knew he wouldn't behave as recklessly as Tooru, but she was still worried. Additionally, the detached tone of Tooru's voice indicated a sense of detachment that alarmed her, fearing the possibility of him doing something reckless.

Yuna stood quietly, as if her worries had somehow been sensed by her brother. He suddenly turned and rose from the bench, making his way over to her.

"Yuna, is something wrong?" her brother inquired. She maintained her gaze on him, realizing that now was the perfect opportunity to mention meeting Tooru.

"I..." Yuna began, but her thoughts were interrupted when a gentle hand rested on her head. She looked up at her brother, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "My friend needs me, but—"

Her brother chuckled and affectionately flicks her forehead, interrupting her. "Go to your friend," he smiled, gesturing with his thumb back into the gym. "Shimizu told me why you came, and honestly, it wasn't that hard to figure out."

"But—"

Her brother firmly placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around and gently shoving her towards the exit. "Go," he insisted. "Just make sure to stay safe."

Yuna looked back over her shoulder and offered a small smile, grateful for his understanding and concern.

"Thanks, Koshi," Yuna muttered in gratitude before quickening her stride and exiting the gym. She promptly took out her phone and dialed Tooru, who answered after just two rings.

"Where are you, To-kun?" she asked.