one step further // haikyuu x OC

things that are bad for the heart // 41

~Asahi Azumane~

I swear I'm not a negative person. Just a worried person. Sometimes. I haven't been known to do well with keeping a positive mindset. Sometimes I'm a mess. A third-year ace who almost quit the volleyball club entirely... it really makes me wonder how a girl in the first-year class can parade around with such rambunctious confidence. Wasn't she anxious about being a new student - from another country no less? Wasn't she worried about not being able to play with her team after the third years retired? Wasn't she afraid that her injury would come back if...?

You know, I was seeing a lot from her. Stuff that I could learn from her and use in my life. To not be afraid of superficial things. You could say she kind of inspired me to be more reliable. And one day, my chance to prove how reliable I could be had arrived. Unexpectedly. And not just that, the situation was also one I wasn't prepared for...

.

.

.

"Um... why did you drag me to an empty part of the hallway?" I asked. She looked around and sure enough, no one was around. Just us. She seemed nervous.

Oh God... what is this?

"Asahi. Can I trust you?"

"Mm-! What..?" I was so thrown off guard. This situation was random and that made it kind of nerve-wracking.

"Can I trust you?" She asked again, more seriously this time.

"Uh... well... yes. But what's this about?"

"I knew it!" She grabbed my forearms and started bouncing excitedly. "I need your help, Asahi!"

So confident and comfortable...

"Alright, alright." I sputtered. "I'll help you, but what is it?"

She let me go and leaned closer. "You can keep a secret right?"

"W-well it depends, Toshiko just tell me. The suspense is bad for my heart."

"Haha! Asahi-senpai, you're young and healthy! Don't act like you're an old man!" She smacked my back enthusiastically and laughed. "But anyways, I'm going to confess to someone...!" Finally, she broke into a blushing mess. Whispering and muttering and fidgeting in embarrassment.

"Really?? Why do you want me to help...? Do I know him?"

Her whole face was bright red, and she tripped over her words and struggled to look at me at all. This was new. And it made me feel... better? Like, she felt less like an obstacle and someone who could do something I can't. More like someone who was relatable.

"It's... S-Su...."

"Huh?"

"Sugawara..."

...

"Haaaah?! You're gonna confess to-!" In my shock, my voice echoed down the hallway, and before I could finish my sentence she covered my mouth with her hand.

"The whole school doesn't need to know!" She pulled away and crossed her arms, Toshiko was unable to look at me in her embarrassment. "So... will you help me?"

I sighed. I've never been involved in a situation like this before. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had to prove I could be reliable. To someone who already was looked up to and admired. So I agreed. And we came up with a plan.

xxx

It's Friday... today's the day. I wonder how she must be feeling? Because even I feel nervous for this...