The Shy Empress

Chapter Fifteen; Broken

Chapter Fifteen

Kuroo left. He hadn't even come up to the stands after Kashiya had entered the gym for the starting ceremony. Kashiya knew he had lied. He didn't ditch school, he didn't even have school today. He was supposed to be back in Tokyo, playing in their prefectural finals against Fukurodani. But instead, he came here. He came to see her and then left after she ditched him.

To say that she felt bad was an underestimation. She felt more than bad for just ditching on him like that. She hoped he'd make it back in time for their match against Fukurodani. Hell, she hoped he'd even be able to play in the match at all. She didn't even notice how her thoughts had trailed off, as she then only saw Ushijima spike and Nishinoya there to receive.

"Remember, when Ushijima spikes, he'll spike at full force. He wants to scare you, wants to show you that there is no chance of you beating them." Kashiya said as she looked at the boys. She had stood up in her seat on her bus to Sendai, Takeda was driving. Since she had her seat in the back, the others all turned to face her.

"He believes that it's just pure luck that you made it into the finals and he believes that they'll be able to set this 3-0 or maybe even 3-1. He believes in his team, no, rather his school, the undefeated Shiratorizawa Academy. He will definitely try to show you all to your place, which is not the finals, as he thinks. But I know that you belong there. I know how hard you have worked for this. You deserved this."

Nishinoya's receive went off. Shiratorizawa cheered. They scored their first point. Kashiya though didn't worry. She knew that after a few spikes of Ushijimas, he'd get used to them. And she definitely wanted to see Ushijima get annoyed again, hell, his whole team. She wanted to see them get annoyed by her team.

A smirk spread on her lips as she watched their opponents. One of them found her gaze, Shirabu and he ended up seeming slightly creeped out by her smirk.

"Oi, what's up with Azumane-chan over there?" Shirabu asked his comrades quietly, to which Ohira said "I don't think I want to know that." They nodded in agreement, until they noticed Tendo and Kashiya having a staring contest, her with her creepy smirk and Tendo also with a creepy facial expression.

"She thinks we will lose." Ushijima all of a sudden bluntly said, snapping Tendo out of his staring contest and making him look at Ushijima. "Really?" He asked him in disbelief.

—

"Oi, Kuroo, where are you?" "I'm on the train." "To where?" "Tokyo." "Huh? Kuroo, where were you?" "Miyagi."

"HUH?!" Yaku then yelled through the phone "WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING A MATCH SOON, KUROO! AGAINST FUKURODANI, IN THE FINALS, IF YOU'VE FORGOTTEN THAT!" Kuroo let out a sigh as he leaned his head back against the glass window of the train. He knew he probably not only wouldn't make it in time to the match, but also not have the concentration to play.

His mind was clouded with only one girl. Kashiya. He knew that she still had to feel at least something for her, but it seemed like she gave her heart to Tsukishima. He really cared for her but to her it probably seemed like he had dropped her the past few weeks.

He knew he had. But he also knew that this wouldn't have worked out to begin with. She lived in Miyagi and he in Tokyo. They lived too far apart, they couldn't possibly date in this situation. Well, they could try, but it would only end with broken hearts. They probably wouldn't have made it to the end of his graduation. Then he could've moved to Miyagi, find some place to study there, so he could be near Kashiya.

"Just get back in time for the match. Otherwise, I have no idea what Coach Nekomata will do to you." Yaku then said and again, silence was hovering over them, before he then asked "You were there because of her, weren't you?" Kuroo sighed and mumbled "Yeah, I was. I mean, they're playing in the finals again...and I thought I could make her happy by coming by and visiting on such an important day for her, y'know?"

"What did she do?" Yaku asked and again, Kuroo let out a sigh. "She rejected me...she's together with that blond middle blocker now, the boy with the glasses, Tsukishima." Again, silence. After a short pause of no words being said, Yaku said "I'm really sorry about this, Kuroo. Just...try to clear your mind and get back as fast as you can. We need you for the match."

"I'll try. Oh, and Yaku? Please don't tell anyone that and just tell them I had a job interview to attend or something like that..." Kuroo quickly said. "Will do. But I'll at least let Bokuto know when I see him. He's your best friend, he should know the real reason." Yaku said, before he then hung up, after Kuroo let out an agreeing hum.

The bed-headed captain sighed as he shoved his phone in his pocket and closed his eyes, trying to relax and get a certain someone out of his mind.

—

Kashiya watched the boys with a small sigh now escaping her lips. She should've cleared things up at least. She hated this feeling of guilt that was nagging her. "Kashiya-chan, what's wrong?" She suddenly heard shining say next to her, quietly, so only Kashiya heard.

"Kuroo was here." She simply replied and pressed her lips to a small line, as a receive of Aniya then again went off. Damn Ushijima and his left handedness. She felt a hand take her own and squeeze it gently, as the third-year beside her then said "Don't worry about him now. You can worry about him later."

At those words, Kashiya nodded and mumbled "Hai." Then she tried to concentrate on the game.