Blessed Beauty

Chapter 26

Hitomi had just gotten out of the bath, a towel draped over her shoulders, when her phone rang. She smiled, already knowing who it was. "Hello?" She answered.

"Hitomi-chan!! I made it back home safely, so don't worry!" Nishinoya's loud voice blasted through the speakers. The girl had made a habit of holding the phone a bit away from her ear whenever he called.

"I wasn't, but that's good." She replied nonchalantly. It was true, she never worried about whether he made it back safely or not. With his energy, she was sure that he'd be able to fend off any criminal. Or perhaps, he would alert the entirety of the neighborhood with that absurd volume of his. Nonetheless, she always appreciated his courtesy calls.

"I can't wait for you to come see me practice, Hitomi-chan!! I can show you just how cool I am, and I'll teach you all about volleyball!" The libero was brimming with joy. She couldn't see him, but she could tell that he was probably bouncing with excitement just from the sound of his voice.

Hitomi furrowed her brows slightly, a bit of hesitation seeping into her voice. "I do want to see, but is it even alright for me to be there?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" The boy asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, for one, I don't even attend Karasuno. Somebody could think I'm trespassing, or that I'm spying. You guys are preparing for the Spring High, after all. Second, wouldn't I be considered a distraction or a nuisance to the rest of your team if I were to just suddenly show up to a practice?" She listed off the reasons, holding up her fingers as she stated them.

"What!? Of course not!! You wouldn't be a bother at all!!! The guys would love to have you there! You came to see the preliminary matches, so they already know who you are! Besides, Tsukiko-chan comes to see Ryu all the time, so you can definitely come! If you're worried about trespassing, call me when you get to my school! I'll meet you at the gates and walk you! Then, the teachers will know you're with me!" Nishinoya reassured her.

He was offering up perfectly valid points. It showed Hitomi just how much he wanted her to be there and just how eager he was. "Okay, but you have practice tomorrow, right? Could you ask your team and coach if I can visit the next day? Just in case?" The girl requested, still a bit unsure.

She sincerely didn't want to be a bother, unlike the last time. Previously, she was more worried about receiving some unwelcome attention from his teammates. However, given the short interactions she had with them after their Spring High preliminary matches, they didn't seem to be too much cause for worry.

She had a feeling that his friends were just as kindhearted as he was. Sure, she might get some stares, but she could at least deal with that much.

Especially if it was for him.

Now, her only concern was if she would be intruding or not. Despite his reassurances, she still wanted to be sure it was okay.

"I'll be sure to ask tomorrow! As soon as I do, I'll let you know!! But you don't need to worry! They'll definitely say yes!!" Nishinoya told her.

The girl smiled, a bit of relief mixed in. "Okay, I'll be waiting then. Anyways, I need to study for a bit and then head to bed. It's a school night." She reminded him.

"Uwahh!! Hitomi-chan, you're so diligent! Even studying on the weekends! No wonder you're so smart!" The libero replied in awe.

"You've already told me that before." She chuckled, imagining the sparkle of admiration in his eyes.

"Because it's true!! You work so hard and you're so smart!!" He repeated.

Hitomi chuckled again, shaking her head. "Okay, okay, that's enough. You should get some sleep too. You have to wake up early for morning practice." She diverted his attention, feeling a little too flattered by his constant praise.