Chapter 22

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'Wait there.'

You were still trying to put your thoughts in order when he sent you another message.

'Tendou will pick you up.'

As if on cue you got a message, from Tendou this time.

'I'll be there in five, don't move.'

Your nerves were starting to get the best of you, this was all getting so real all of a sudden. You didn't even know Tendou that well, what would you say to him?

You stood there for five minutes debating with yourself whether you should stay or run away to safety while you still could. Then a small, white rental car pulled up next to you and you realized that your only chance of getting out of this was now forfeit.

Tendou rolled down the passenger window and asked you. "Are you getting in?"

Without further hesitation you nodded and got into the car. This was a unique opportunity and you figured that if you didn't take it, you would most likely never have a chance to meet Wakatoshi again.

As you were putting on your seat belt Tendou quickly told you: "Nice to meet you, you are shorter in person."

What a way to greet someone, and for the record, he was the one that was unusually tall. You may have had a comeback to his little taunt if you weren't preoccupied with trying to get the butterflies in your stomach to fly in formation, rather than fluttering every which way. It didn't work.

"So, we weren't expecting to see you here." Tendou told you after he had now pulled on to the road. His English was not that great but you were able to understand what he was trying to say.

"I was not expecting to see you either. Wakatoshi never told me he played for the national team..." You said as Tendou stopped at a red light.

"Yeah, he usually doesn't talk about that too much." Was his reply. "People tend to treat you differently when they know you're a successful athlete,... when you're a successful anything really."

"I see." Was all you could really say to that and it remained quiet for a while.

"Hah!" Tendou suddenly exclaimed, almost making you jump in your seat. "I'm really getting the hang of this 'driving on the right side of the road'."

All of a sudden you wondered if it had been a wise idea to get into a car with this guy. But even before you could say a Hail Mary he called out again.

"There it is!" He pointed up ahead over the steering wheel. "That's the hotel we're staying at."

You looked at the big building in the distance and couldn't help but think that it must be 10 times more expensive than the little hotel you were staying.

"So you are part of the volleyball team too, Tendou?" You asked him and he grinned.

"I'm more like part of the entourage. They needed another driver, so I volunteered."

A couple of moments later he pulled into the hotel's parking lot. The butterflies you had temporarily managed to calm down by almost forgetting about them, all took flight again at the same time. You almost felt lightheaded from the nerves.

You only noticed that Tendou had parked the car and gotten out when he slammed the door shut. Quickly you grabbed your bag and followed his example. You were making your way around the back of the car when you heard him call out.

"Wakatoshi-kun!! We're here!" He was waving his arms.

You looked in the direction Tendou was facing and there indeed stood Wakatoshi. He looked more like you were used to now that he was in his regular clothes in stead of the volleyball uniform.

Tendou was practically skipping towards his friend and you had to hold a brisk pace to keep up with him.

"Wakatoshi-kun, look what I found on the side of the road!" He called out to his friend in Japanese.

"You didn't find her, I told you where she was..." Wakatoshi replied and Tendou deflated a little as he stood before him. You strategically placed yourself behind Tendou and tried to buy yourself some time to calm down and think of what to say.

Tendou wouldn't have any of it though and he quickly sidestepped and took you by the shoulders to stand you in front of him.

"Hi." Wakatoshi greeted you with a small bow, it seemed he was just as to the point in real life.

"Hello." Was all you could muster and you looked at the ground, feeling lame for not being able to say anything more inspired.

Tendou nudged you in the side though and when you looked up again you saw that Wakatoshi had extended his hand for you to shake. You quickly took hold of it and shook it a little to energetically.

"Nice to meet you." He told you with the faintest smile on his lips.

"Nice to meet you too!" You replied and quickly let go of his hand. "You uh... You looked great out there. On the court I mean, ... playing volleyball?"

You already felt yourself being pulled down into the vortex of awkward conversation, but he simply replied. "Thanks."

Then, before you could say anything else, Tendou interjected. "Maybe we should go to your room to continue the conversation? The parking lot does not set a great atmosphere."

You turned to Tendou in shock. 'Go to his room?'

"We're not allowed to bring in people from outside." Was Wakatoshi's simple reply, which made Tendou sigh.

"I see you're no fun, as usual. We could at least sit down in the lobby, right?" He was already making his way to the entrance of the hotel and Wakatoshi shrugged before following.

You jogged a few steps to fall into step just behind and a little to the side of him. You were not able to see his face, but even if you were you were pretty sure you would not be able to tell if he was feeling as nervous as you were, he was stoic as ever.

It only took a minute or two to reach the hotel, but the silence made it feel like an hour to you.

Wakatoshi's deep voice pulled you out of your daze. "Watch your step."

You had arrived at the entrance and there were a few steps that led up to it. If Wakatoshi hadn't warned you, you would have probably stumbled over them.

You shook your head. 'Get a grip girl! He's just a person, what are you getting so nervous about?'

When you arrived in the hotel lobby you looked around wide eyed. It was obvious that Japan didn't spare any costs on the accommodation of their athletes.

Tendou had already taken a seat in one of the comfortable looking sofas and was motioning the two of you over when you heard a bit of a commotion behind you.

A bunch of Japanese guys had just arrived with the elevator and were happily chatting. They were too far away for you to hear what they were saying, and even if they weren't it's not like you would've understood them anyway.

But then one of them spotted you and called out to you. "Sensei-chan?!"

There was only one person in the whole wide world who called you that. "Oikawa?" You muttered and you had only just turned around to look when you were enveloped in a hug.

You stood there paralyzed for a fraction of a moment when you felt a big, warm hand on your shoulder.

"Let her go." You heard Wakatoshi say right behind you. He said it in Japanese, so you did not know what he said, but to you it sounded like a threat.


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A/N:

Since today is April 1st I was considering playing a prank on you guys, but since I already gave you those horrible cliffhangers in the two previous chapters I decided not to! 。(*^▽^*)ゞ

From now when someone is speaking in Japanese I'll write their words in italics. I hope that makes it clear. (๑'•ω • '๑)

Anyway, as always thank you for reading!! See you Sunday!! (≧∇≦)/

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