"Azumane!"

My shoes squeak as I quickly change my direction of motion. Leaping through the air, my arms outstretched, I bump the volleyball upward and clumsily put my hands out to cushion my dive, sliding on the ground on my stomach.

"Nice receive!" Yui shouts to me as Mei, sets the ball to her. I jump to my feet, and prepare myself to dive again as Yui leaps into the air and spikes the ball over the net. It hits the ground as Haruka dives for it. Yui let's out a cheer and I grin, high-fiving her.

We continue our three on three practice match since only six of us showed up to practice today.

"Good job, everyone!" Yui says to everyone as we clean up after practice. "We might have a chance to do well at the tournament next week."

"That's what the captains say every year, but it never happens," Mei complains

"Hey, I don't wanna hear any of that negativity!" I tell her. "If Yui-chan says we have a chance, then I believe we do."

"Why don't you two just date already?" Haruka laughs.

"But I thought Asuga-chan and I were already married!" Yui exclaims in shock, her voice brimming with laughter.

"Babe, don't listen to those haters," I tell her, playing along. I then notice the twins standing huddled around something Ito is holding. "What are you guys looking at? You're supposed to be sweeping."

"The newest issue of Monthly Volleyball came out yesterday and there's a whole article on Tooru Oikawa!" Ima explains in an excited voice.

"Who?" I say, recognizing the name.

"Tooru Oikawa! Not only is he extremely hot, but he is the best setter in our region," Ito continues her sister's explanation. "Just look at him!"

I take a look at the magazine and sure enough, grinning back at me is a picture of familiar boy with brown hair and matching brown eyes.

Tooru Oikawa. So that's why I recognized his name. I met the famous captain and setter of the powerhouse school, Aoba Johsai, in the park as I cried my eyes out.

Oh no.

Didn't Asahi tell me that they versed Aoba Johsai in a practice match earlier this week? What if somehow Oikawa put two and two together after hearing Daichi's name and my brother's last name at the match? Would he be able to make that kind of connection? Did he figure out who I am?

Please tell me he didn't. Now that I've made this connection, I remember hearing some not so good things about Oikawa. He's known for his looks and to have girls fawning over him all the time. People say he also has a bad personality and is a bit of a narcissist.

Oh god, why did that have to be him that I spilled all my emotions to in the park?

"Hey, Asuga-chan, are you okay there?" Mei asks me, snapping me out of my daze.

"I think Asuga-san's in love," Haruka teases, dragging out the last word.

"Oh as if I'd fall for someone like that," I scoff. " I-"

I stop myself. I was about to explain how we met, but that would raise some questions that I don't really want to answer.

"I just think he's nice to look at," I finish.

"Hell yeah, he is!" Ima gushes. I sigh knowing I told them what they wanted to hear and are off my back.

***

"So what was up back there?" Yui says to me as we walk out the school gates.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"You've never really taken an interest in boys all throughout high school and even though the girls didn't see that look you had on your face, I could tell you were thinking about something weird when you saw that magazine," my best friend tells me.

Of course she picks up on the slightest actions I make. She's my best friend and is the person that knows me the most. The only thing she doesn't notice is the crush I've had for three years.

I can't lie to her. She'd know. So how do I spin the truth slightly so she doesn't figure it out.

"A couple days ago, after I got back those really bad test scores and the counselor said if I don't work my ass off, there's a large chance I can't get get into one of the schools I want, I stopped at that park that's on my way home from school. I was crying on a swing when Oikawa saw me when he was there with his nephew."

"Oh gosh, that's embarrassing," Yui comments.

"Yeah, tell me about it," I say with an embarrased laugh. "But he was actually really nice and let me vent to him which made me feel a lot better."

"So you didn't know who he was? And he didn't recognize your last name?" Yui asks. "The boys have played Aoba Johsai at tournaments in the past."

I shake my head. "When he told me his name, I knew I recognized it from somewhere, but I didn't make the connection until I saw him in the magazine," I tell her. "He didn't seem to recognize my name either when I told him."

"Oh my gosh, the heartthrob of boy's volleyball comforted you when you were upset!" Yui exclaims, giddily. "That's so cute! You two should meet up during the tournament next week. You guys would be so cute!"

"Woah, woah, woah!" I stop her from continuing her tirade. "I barely know the guy, chill. Plus I've heard some not so great things about him."

"Like what?" Yui asks as she balances on the edge of the sidewalk like it's a balance beam as she walks along side me.

"I heard he's a bit of a fuckboy. Girls are always all over him," I start. "He trash talks a lot during games and is a sore loser."

"Well he's hot. Of course he has girls falling for him, but you should look at yourself in a mirror sometime. I mean look at those legs in that skirt," she laughs, slapping my ass. I squeak and cover my butt with my hands as I glare at her. She just cackles at me. "Also, everyone does there fair share of trash talk on the court and doesn't like to lose."

"I guess," I say. "I'm just embarrassed about how we met. He literally saw me cry over my grades. I don't really think I have the courage to see him again, especially since he's kind of a big deal in our world of volleyball. He's up there with Wakatoshi Ushijima."

"Yeah but Ushijima is more scary than dreamy," she shrugs. "Plus Oikawa saw you crying and decided to comfort you. He could have just minded his own business."

"Yeah, I guess, but its kind of hard to ignore a crying girl," I comment.

"Probably, but it seemed he was really kind to you," she tells me. "You never know. He could have taken an interest to you."

I scoff. "Doubtful," I remark, remembering the picture I saw of him giving a group of girls a dazzling smile. Although thinking back there was something off about him in all those pictures in Monthly Volleyball. Compared to when I talked with him, he seems almost artificial. What am I saying? How should I know? I don't even know the guy. I just had a small chance encounter.

But in the back of my mind as I walked home, I couldn't help but compare his smiles to the ones I give when I don't mean them.

***