✧ With Love ✧ || A Haikyuu Fanfic

✧ 10 || For Our Team ✧

Koushi Sugawara's POV

I gently placed the pillows in their respective spots on the sofas in our living room. To prepare for today, I worked with my mom to clean up our house completely-not that it was too messy to begin with.

"There's pop in the fridge and I brought some bags of chips for later, too. Remember to give the snacks to them!" my mom called out from the kitchen.

"Alrighty!"

"I'll be home by around 10," she said as she grabbed the keys to her car and walked towards the front door. "Take care! Love you!"

"Love you too."

The slam of the door told me she had left. I walked into the kitchen to see if everything was alright.

The doorbell rung a bit too soon. After creating a group chat, everyone agreed to come at around 4:30, but there were still 45 minutes left. The only person who couldn't come was Kiyoko, due to reasons she hadn't specified.

I walked over to the door, wondering who might be there, and opened it. I was greeted with a half-smile from a familiar looking face. Rain poured from the grey clouds above, splattering on the ground as they fell. Despite the anxiousness I felt, I gave him a warm smile.

"Why are you so early? There's still about 45 minutes left," I said.

Daichi smiled at me as he rubbed his hair which had been completely drenched in the rain along with his clothes.

"I just thought it would be nice to help you fix the house and all."

Is he really going to act like nothing ever happened between us? But I went along with it. "Oh, well I just finished cleaning everything up."

I opened the door wider as I welcomed him in. "Jeez, Daichi. You're soaking. I'll go get you a towel and some fresh clothes. I don't want you catching a cold."

He gave me a nervous chuckle as he took off his shoes. "Are you sure? I think I'll be fine."

I sighed and shook my head. "Go to the bathroom. I'll drop off everything you need there."

He finally nodded and headed off, leaving behind a small trail of water on the ground.

I smiled to myself and clutched my chest, feeling the pounding of my heart against my ribcage. Having a crush on your best friend was so bittersweet.

After pulling out a fresh towel, I went into my room to go get some clothes for him. I pulled out a simple white shirt, a black hoodie, and some grey sweatpants.

"Here," I said, handing him his clothes once I had reached the bathroom door.

"Thank you," he said, his teeth chattering.

He turned away and closed the door behind him. I couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked. But that smile of mine had faded away almost instantly as I felt a tug on my heart. My crush on him already dragged me down, I shouldn't let it affect me even more.

I walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. I stared off into the distance, letting my mind wander.

Without another word, Daichi sat down on the couch to my left. It snapped me out of my thoughts.

Silence.

Not a single word came from either of us. The more time passed, the more the pressure grew to say something. Daichi was a coward. He wasn't going to break the silence, so I knew I had to do it.

"Are we going to pretend nothing happened?" I asked with a bitter chuckle.

He looked up at me for a moment but quickly broke eye contact. "...is there anything else we could do?"

I looked down and gripped the edge of the sofa. "We could date, but you've already declined," I mumbled under my breath.

"You know..." I looked back up at him. My voice shook slightly as I spoke. "You never told me why you declined. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I deserve an explanation."

His gaze met mine. He wore the same expression he had when I told him about my feelings. And in an instant, every emotion I felt that night flooded back to me. It was slightly refreshing to feel, but that expression of his worried me.

He opened his mouth but I looked away and raised my hand in the air, my hand loosely folded to make me point at the ceiling. "Don't-" I cut him off. My voice was strong and unwavering. "Don't yell at me. I'm not willing to listen to that anymore." Not again.

"I wasn't going to!" he said back, defensiveness and desperation dripping from his voice.

I dropped my hand and closed my eyes with a sigh. "Sorry. Go on." I looked up at him, softening my once sharp gaze.

"I wish I could apologize a million times over," he started, a bitter smile finding its way on his face, "and I know that even then, it wouldn't be enough." He fiddled with a loose thread on the hoodie I gave him. It was odd to see him this nervous. "I did it for our team, Sugawara. I'm just worried that maybe... maybe you might get distracted by a relationship?"

And I whispered only one word.

"...what?"

He looked down at the ground, ashamed. But that didn't matter because I didn't care. I couldn't care. I couldn't think. I couldn't feel.

"My apologies for my language but what the fuck?"

"I... can't explain. I'm sorry..."

I got up immediately. "I need time alone. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't," he whispered, his gaze stuck to the ground.

I walked away, my hands folded into shaky fists, my eyes filled with tears. My wobbly legs somehow led me to my room. I slammed the door behind me and sat down against it.

"Fucking coward!" I mumbled through my gritted teeth as I pounded the ground with the bottom of my fist.

I wanted to yell, but I knew I couldn't do so with him at home. I buried my head in my hands, as if my neck wasn't enough to hold the weight of my thoughts. I took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm the thrashing of my heart. I was still shaking, violently. Surprisingly, I didn't cry.

I was shocked with the amount of anger that had washed over me. But I couldn't help it. He was choosing a sport over me. It was our last year here, and I was already so overwhelmed with the stress of carving a future for myself. Homework and tests were piling up, the pressure to become better at volleyball was pounding down on me, the pressure of holding in all of my emotions was building up. And he decided to make it worse by rejecting me over something as simple as a sport?

I was beyond angry.

✧✦✧

This was not planned, whatsoever. I had no intention for so much angst, but am I angry?

F u c k n o

I think I'm just so good with angst that I don't even have to try, it's just second nature. This part was meant to have the study meet-up with everyone including some plot points (you'll see them in chapter 13 :D) and then some romantic tension. This was *not* expected but very much welcome. So after making the first tiny plot point very, very long, I've decided to make this a chapter of its own and add everything else in a separate part.

I love drama. I don't get to see a lot of Daisuga drama, which is mainly why this book was created in the first place. Writing drama is just as fulfilling as reading it.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this! To everyone who is still reading, thank you so much for doing so. We are 10 chapters into this journey! Woo!

If you liked this part, feel free to vote! Make sure to wash your hands and stay safe!

With love,
Kiri ✧