𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 ⇒ sugawara koushi

⇒ chapter seventeen

SINCE THE TRAINING
camp, Sugawara and Kawamoto were both changed people. In a good way and in a bad way.

Koushi decided to focus more on volleyball and training to fulfill his desire of playing setter in his last year of high school. It was only normal, since he enjoyed playing with his teammates so much.

As for Shiori... Well, things took a turn for the worst as she spent less time with Sugawara and more with Tsukishima— who wasn't exactly a likable or friendly companion. But what other option did she have? Oh how she wished she hadn't become self-aware. The saying, 'the less you know the better' really did apply in all situations. Ignorance was bliss for her, and now? Not so much.

Of course, despite the boy being so busy, his observance never failed him. It was obvious to him that she was avoiding him and increasing her time spent with Tsukishima, who wasn't exactly a likable or friendly companion. At first, he genuinely thought that his brain was playing tricks on him, but as time passed along with the training camp it became clear that that wasn't the case.

It wasn't that he wanted it to continue, in fact every minute they didn't talk felt like an hour and the days felt like months. But practice had gotten busy since the inter-high prelims were coming up and Sugawara genuinely wanted to practice hard to be able to win for his teammates, friends, and well- for the person who gave him such hope, Kawamoto Shiori. Plus, he didn't want to bother her as she now had more work than ever— creating individual diet plans for each team member. That, and she was spending an awful amount of time with Shimizu recently— they had even being going home together after practices.

Sugawara stared at Shiori, who was giggling alongside Kiyoko who tried to shush her- despite chuckling along with her.

It was a scene that made his heart soften and thump loudly at the same time.

"Just a second," Ittetsu stopped them, breaking Koushi out of the trance he had been in despite being in an important after-practice team meeting. "One more thing... Shimizu, Shiori-san?"

The boys eyes widened in shock, some of them letting out a sounds of surprise.

"I'm not good at cheering, but..."

Kiyoko took Shiori's hand in her own and jogged over to the latter that lead up to the second floor of the gym.

"Sensei, if you will," Shiori called out, giving him a nod.

"Leave it to me."

Takeda jogged over and went up the latter to go up to the second floor.

"Sensei, I can carry it," Shiori offered, only to be shaken off by by the adult.

"Don't worry about it!"

"What's going on?" Questioned Nishinoya, voicing his teammates inner thoughts.

"Here we go!"

Shimizu and Takeda spread out the banner and swung it over the balcony railing, Shiori smiling happily in the middle of them, looking down at the boys' reactions.