𝖲𝖨𝖭𝖢𝖤𝖱𝖤𝖫𝖸 𝖸𝖮𝖴𝖱𝖲, 𝖴𝖭𝖪𝖭𝖮𝖶𝖭 : : 𝖲. 𝖪𝖨𝖸𝖮𝖮𝖬𝖨

✉ 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟

Komori Motoya was confused.

He looked at Sakusa who was spiking the ball harder than usual with an annoyed expression etched on his face. Was it just him or does his cousin seems more moody than usual these past few days?

Looking back at these previous days, he swore his cousin's aurat̶h̶a̶t̶ s̶c̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ y̶o̶u̶'r̶e̶ d̶i̶s̶g̶u̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ g̶e̶t̶ a̶w̶a̶y̶ f̶r̶o̶m̶ m̶e̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ i̶n̶s̶t̶a̶n̶t̶ had instantly doubled. Right now, Komori could describe his cousin more unapproachable and scarier. Heck, he swore he could even see a black smoking aura raging behind him!

Why did his cousin become like that? Komori had only one assumption.

If he could remember it correctly w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ o̶f̶ c̶o̶u̶r̶s̶e̶ h̶e̶ d̶i̶d̶, it all began 2 days after his cousin found an envelope inside his locker.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Tch."

Komori curiously turned to his cousin who clicked his tongue. He raised his brows seeing Sakusa glaring angrily at his opened locker.

"Did you forget something on your sanitizing kit or something?" he asked his cousin who was busy rummaging in his locker.

"No."

Komori tilted his head in confusion wondering what's his cousin finding at his locker. Then suddenly, a thought came up to his head.

"Oh! Then are you looking for another envelope?" he asked again.

Sakusa stopped for a moment, an unknown emotion flashed in his face before he slammed his locker close.

"Definitely not." Y̶e̶a̶r̶ s̶u̶r̶e̶ b̶u̶d̶d̶y̶, w̶h̶a̶t̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ m̶a̶k̶e̶s̶ y̶o̶u̶ s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶ a̶t̶ n̶i̶g̶h̶t̶, a̶m̶i̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶?

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Volleyball practice had just ended and all the players immediately went to their own respective lockers to get their things so they could go home.

Sakusa opened his locker to see a familiar (f/c) envelope lying inside. He grabbed the envelope and flipped it to see his name written in a familiar writing.

"Oh! Isn't that similar to the envelope you received last week?" Komori exclaimed while looking at the envelope.

Sakusa didn't answer, he simply placed the letter inside his bag before zipping it close.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Sakusa was sitting down on his bed with the (f/c) envelope in his hands. He stared at it for a few minutes before finally opening the envelope.

Dear Sakusa-kun,

This is my second letter to you. I don't know if you've read the first letter I sent you last week, but I'll just let you know that the letter you are reading now is p̶r̶o̶b̶a̶b̶l̶y̶ clean. Just like last time, I disinfected my desk 5 times before putting the paper above it and cleaned my hands and pen before writing this letter.

Anyways, is something wrong Sakusa-kun? Are you not feeling well?

After these past few days of staring at you from afar i̶n̶ a̶ t̶o̶t̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ n̶o̶t̶ c̶r̶e̶e̶p̶y̶ w̶a̶y̶ I̶ s̶w̶e̶a̶r̶,I couldn't help but notice how you look scarier than usual. Y̶o̶u̶r̶ 'g̶e̶t̶ a̶w̶a̶y̶ f̶r̶o̶m̶ m̶e̶ l̶o̶o̶k̶' e̶v̶o̶l̶v̶e̶d̶ i̶n̶t̶o̶ 'I̶'l̶l̶ k̶i̶l̶l̶ y̶o̶u̶ i̶f̶ y̶o̶u̶ c̶o̶m̶e̶ n̶e̶a̶r̶ m̶e̶ l̶o̶o̶k̶'. Not to mention your spikes! I remember myself pitying Komori-kun for receiving all of your killer spikes when I watched you guys practice last Wednesday. I̶ w̶a̶s̶ s̶e̶r̶i̶o̶u̶s̶l̶y̶ w̶o̶r̶r̶i̶e̶d̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ b̶o̶t̶h̶ o̶f̶ h̶i̶s̶ h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶ m̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ c̶o̶m̶e̶ o̶f̶f̶ w̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ r̶e̶c̶e̶i̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ s̶p̶i̶k̶e̶s̶.

Sakusa paused reading the letter. Was he really that terrifying these past few weeks?

He grabbed his phone from the drawer beside his bed and called his cousin. After ringing for a few seconds he finally heard Komori's voice from the other line.

"Oh Sakusa, do you need something?" his cousin asked.

"Was I really scary these past few weeks?" Sakusa asked strait to the point.

On the other line, Komori choked on his spit at Sakusa's blunt question. W̶a̶s̶ h̶e̶a̶v̶e̶n̶ f̶i̶n̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ t̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ h̶i̶m̶?

"Oi. Are you still there?"

"Uh--I have to go Sakusa, my mom just told me to wash the dishes. Bye, see you tomorrow." Komori quickly said before hanging up.

Meanwhile, Sakusa looked at his phone weirdly and shrugged before he continued reading the letter.

If something is bothering you, I hope you could sort it out soon like usual.

You know I really admire how you didn't let your problems affect your performance Sakusa-kun. It's one of the qualities you have that made me fall for you. I still remember the time you were down for 3 days for an unknown reason when we were still in our first years. Even when you were down at that time, your performances are still the same as if nothing was troubling you.

You are so different from me, you know. If I was in your situation at that time, my performance would surely be terrible.

Oh! I just remember, you guys will be having a practice match with Fukuroudani this Tuesday right? I'll be cheering you on even if you don't know me so do your best Sakusa-kun!

I'll be cutting this letter here since it's already 1 am in the morning and my hand is currently sore from writing. Not to mention we still have school tomorrow a̶n̶d̶ I̶'l̶l̶ b̶e̶ s̶e̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ f̶a̶c̶e̶ a̶g̶a̶i̶n̶ t̶e̶h̶e̶e̶, o̶h̶ m̶y̶ g̶o̶d̶ w̶h̶a̶t̶ d̶i̶d̶ I̶ j̶u̶s̶t̶ w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶. I'm sorry if this letter is shorter than the last one but don't worry I promise I'll make the next letter longer than this one.

Again, I hope reading my letter made your day better!

P.S Sorry for my sloppy writing since I wrote this letter after writing the 4-page essay our s̶p̶a̶w̶n̶ o̶f̶ S̶a̶t̶a̶n̶ teacher made us do.

Sincerely yours,

Unknown

Sakusa folded the paper neatly and put it back to the envelope after reading it. He stood up from his bed and walked towards his study desk. He opened the topmost drawer and put the letter inside it along with another (f/c) drawer before shutting it close.

Sakusa looked out of his window to see the moon shining brightly from the sky. A small smile formed in his lips, "I'll be looking forward for the practice match, I guess."