≫ Chapter 12 ≪

No One's POV

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A bad mood.

That's what the brunette was filled with. A bad mood.

"Ditchers. Traitors. I can't believe it. Stupid, stupid, stupid!" yelled Hikari, slamming one hand into the wooden table in front of her while angrily gripping her pencil.

"Calm down, Hika-chan. You've got us," Ezakiya soothed, patting the frustrated girl on the back. "Relax, we're here."

"But Mikocchi! What the hell am I supposed to do now?! It's just so fantastically hilarious that both Kei and Tadashi left me! Without any words! And it isn't for a family trip, too," she complained, burying her face into her arms. "They didn't even bother to tell me. What jerks!"

"Don't call your best friends 'jerks', Hikari-san. I'm sure it was for a good reason," Ishinomori sighed, pushing up his glasses.

"Sounds pretty bad to me. For Yamaguchi-san to not text one of his best friends and suddenly leave, there has got to be something wrong there," Naoyuki commented from behind his canvas. "I mean, it would be normal for Tsukishima-san I guess, but Yamaguchi-san? Something's kind of off."

"That isn't even the worst part. They left me here with to rot with Jiji-kun!" Hikari exclaimed, getting out of her seat to curl up into a small ball on the floor.

"Jiji*? Who?" asked the red-head, puzzled.

"She was talking about Sugawara-san," Ezakiya explained.

Suddenly, Naoyuki burst into laughter, as animated tears flowed out of his eyes and grabbed his stomach. "That's a new one, Ayucchi! A new one! Give me a high-five, smart genius!"

She did as he requested and clapped a hand against his, offering her friend a grin. "Arigato na~ At least they didn't take Yoshi-kun. Speaking of which, they don't have practice today, so she should be here in a bit,"

"Hikari-san, someone texted. I think it's Tsukishima-san," Ishinomori notified, tossing Hikari her phone.

"Guh. I let him be. Like hell I'll answer him after he totally betrayed me and brainwashed Tadashi into it," she hissed, catching the gadget but putting it down.

The club president shurgged. "It seemed important, but I guess that's okay. I think it had a picture."

"Check it, I dare you," Naoyuki challenged, eager to know what the blonde first-year would have to say now. The red-head was purely amused.

"Whatever, fine," Hikari scoffed, swiping the lockscreen of her phone tapping the green icon of the Messages application.

Her whole expression dropped as she was tempted to throw her phone up in the air, her mood finally setting on total fire.

Setting her phone down, she muttered, "They did not just."

"Just?" Naoyuki questioned, standing up from where he was behind the canvas and took a peek at the screen of the phone belonging to his friend.

To: Ayu-chan
Fr: tsundere (=_=)
Subject: tokyo
p fun without you~ did i mention? yoshida's here.

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There was no breeze, and not even the usual rustle of the leaves of the trees could be heard in the classroom.

The sun was beginning to set.

Hikari laid still, head under her arms, which were positioned comfortably on the trusty wooden table she'd been assigned to since the first day of class.

Summer was beginning to take its toll on Karasuno, as the air-con was already shut, and the teenager began to perspire. But she didn't bother.

Not even did she care to look at the doorway when it slid open, a familiar voice breaking the tranquility settled in the room.

In all his glory, there he was, his usual personality replaced by a more solemn and genuinely concerned nature. "What could have possibly been so bad that made you stay here? You know it's already five o'clock, don't you?"

She didn't answer.

"Hikari," he called, nudging her a bit. "No kidding, are you sleeping?"

She grumbled a bit, turning her head to the side with eyes still closed. She was definitely asleep.

"Ne, Hikari. You're not supposed to sleep here. It's five in the afternoon. Okiru*," he told her gently, bending down and nudging her again.

Opening her eyes slowly, she then got up in the same manner, stretching before speaking of anything.

Grabbing her glasses, she blinked, turning her head to see her biggest rival squatting beside her desk.

"What, is that your new hobby? Watching people sleep? Kimoi," she stated gruffly, glaring at the silver-head.

"I know I shouldn't be concerned, but just what on earth are you doing here? It's five in the afternoon," he repeated for the third time already.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to talk to you, or anyone, for that matter, so I'd appreciate it if you just leave," she mumbled straight-forwardly, shocking the platinum blonde.

"You usually make a few more comments than that before hitting me with a direct statement. You sure you'll be fine?" he asked, raising a brow.

"No, no I won't be fine. I totally need you for everything," she shot back sarcastically.

"Well sorry for actually being concerned! If you'll excuse—"

"I sulked myself to sleep. Or, I think that's what happened," she answered, shrugging. "Anyways, I think I left my stuff in the clubroom. Domo, for um, waking me up. You didn't have to. Nakano-san would have woken me up anyway."

"Nakano-san? The janitor?" Sugawara asked, tilting his head to one side.

"The janitor. We're friends. I share some of my melon-pan with him during lunch breaks," she commented, chuckling at the thought.

"Care to explain why you sulked yourself to sleep?" he said, standing up.

"What's it to you? Why do you care so much?" she questioned, staring him straight into his eyes, getting up as well.

He watched her put her chair back into its place in silence, looking away. "I don't know, I'm curious. It's not every day you see the Hikari Ayumu sulking herself to sleep until five PM at school."

"My best friends ditched me and took another one of my best friends with them. To Tokyo. And they know how much I've been wanting to see Tokyo now. Kei even sent me a picture trying to taunt me, and it's working. It's working, and that sucks because I'm not supposed to be affected," she explained, the both of them walking towards the classroom door. "They didn't even bother to ask if I wanted to go. Traitors."

"So that's where they went. Those three excused themselves out of practice today, along with Kageyama and Hinata to get a tutor, or something," he remarked, sliding the door open. "After you."

"So they ditched me, took Yoshi-kun and the other first years to Tokyo? I must mean something to them. I'm so touched, I think I could fill up a whole jar with reasons why I'm so thankful for them!" she scowled. "And don't act so gentleman-ly. Kimochiwarui."

"Oh so you don't like it? Alright, I'll do it more~" he smirked, "so what now?"

"Can I show you a picture of something? To tell you how bad it is. I don't know, you don't have to go with me," she shrugged.

"I don't have anything better to do anyway," he told her, "iku yo."

The walk there was silent and short, so it was natural that they got there quickly, to find that the room was devoid of people.

"What's this?" she mumbled quietly, reading a note that was left beside her phone.

Ayucchi, Hikari-san, Hika-chan,
We decided to not come after you because we figured you needed some alone time. See you on Monday. You can talk to us anytime.
♥︎ Naoyuki, Kazue, Fumiko

"Sweet," Sugawara noted, looking over her shoulder, "they left you a message."

"Aish, why are you looking?" she retorted, hiding the piece of paper closer to her chest.

"Was that what you wanted to show me?" he asked.

"No, of course not. It's this," she replied, grabbing her phone and showing him the message she had previously received.

Squinting his eyes at the screen, he read the message present on the screen before him, taking no more than a minute to see the whole thing.

"Are you sure that's not just Tsukishima having character problems?" the setter asked, looking at the screen. "Oh and I've been meaning to ask, why are you so upset about it? I mean, I know why, but..."

Hikari looked back at him, their eyes meeting. "Maybe I wouldn't be half as irritated about it if Kei or Tadashi cared to tell me beforehand."

"Solid point," Sugawara agreed.

"Yeah, sorry for bothering you. You can go now if you want, I think it's time for me to go home. Kaa-chan will be worried. Thanks, I guess, for listening. Also, sorry for showing you such a pathetic side of m—"

"No. You kind of have a right to be that way, and I don't mind at all. Besides, I'm not going to use it against you. You can thank the part of my personality that's tolerant to people," he cut her off, "you're not pathetic."

"Okay, you can seriously stop with the kind-act. It's really creepy," she laughed teasingly, gathering her things from the art room and shoving it in her bag.

"Oh? You want me to walk you home and stop for snacks on the way? My, I can't resist an offer after it's been said like that..." he joked, amused by seeing her get riled up.

"Yamete, yamete," she requested, giving him a playful shove on the shoulder.

"What, don't tell me you can't even handle that! Could it be? You're weak to kind gestures from me?" he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes, a smirk of her own dancing on her lips. "No. Of course not. You didn't let me answer you."

It was his turn to be shocked, his mouth sealed closed as he wasn't able to think of anything to say; she put a finger to his lips.

"Walk me home, I dare you," she challenged confidently, grinning at Sugawara as she felt his lips curve into a smile. "A man never goes back on his words, sou dayo ne? Or are you too cowardly to act up?"

"Mou ii, mattaku," he nodded, leaning in to whisper in her ears. "Challenge accepted."

Just then, the door swung open, revealing Nakano the janitor. "Alright, alright kids, stop flirting. Ayumu-san, you forgot to text me! I figured you were here."

"This isn't flirting, Nakocchi. It's called intense challenging. We challenged each other," she answered casually, stepping away from the faintly blushing Sugawara. "Oh and sorry, I did forget to text you. Jiji-kun over here distracted me,"

"Jiji-kun?! And I so did not distract you!" the silver-headed setter yelled, annoyed.

"Urusai. I'm talking to Nakocchi," she hissed, folding her arms.

"You text each other too?" Sugawara questioned, a little bit weirded out.

"Ayumu-san and I are pretty close. Hasn't she told you? We exchange food during lunch breaks and I'd always wake her up when she stays in the classroom to sulk herself to sleep," the janitor explained cheerfully.

"Weird. So weird!" the younger of the two males exclaimed.

"What's so weird about it? That's rude," Hikari asked, mildly offended.

"Gomen, gomen, I said something offensive. Um, anyway, should we head home?" Sugawara mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"You guys be safe now. Jaa ne," Nakano waved, heading out of the art room.

The other two nodded, bidding the janitor a polite farewell before heading out themselves, the sun halfway submerged as it was quite near to 6 PM.

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"Well, I can head off from here. Mata ashita. Arigato na," Hikari waved, bowing.

"Mata ashita. I told you I could do your challenge, pfft, easy," Sugawara bowed back, only as a sign of respect.

"Whatever. Jaa," she muttered, turning away.

"Good luck with Tsukishima and the others," he said back, laughing a little.

"Which reminds me. Can I ask Daichi to make him run extra laps or something?" she joked.

"The poor thing. Don't be so harsh," he played along, unable to resist a smile.

"Okay, okay, kaasan."

"I thought you called me Jiji?"

"You could be both."

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a/n: THAT WAS SOME FUN CHAPTER TO WRITE I HAD GENUINE FUN WRITING THAT CHAPTER

*Jiji is a rude way to say old man but since like ayu-chan don't care for that shishmadoo, aha

*Okiru means wake up.

ahaha i hope you liked this small update after i havent updates in weeks, gomen gomen

G U Y S  T H A N K  Y O U.

For an ASTONISHING 9K!

:) also, an art feature comes with today's update from the one and only pandi !!

gah thank you so much pandi for this !! It made my kokoro burst :')

ily !! also, if you guys want to know what's happening on the other people's part of the story, go and read pandi's Thirteenth and/or Himitsudesu (peri-chan)'s Stitch by Stitch !! dude they are rlly fricken great and i recommend it 10/10 ;))

i don't think there's much to say so ill end this short.

jaa ne !!

nyx