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March 19th, 2021And the chapter we've all been waiting for (and the one I procrastinated on writing for, like, two weeks) is here Enjoy :p

Kita made them go home after two hours of practice. Although reluctantly, none of them dared to complain and obediently cleared the gym. As he locked the door, Kita said, "Get home fast. And please- please- rest. Don't push yourself too much."

"Yes, sir!" They bowed hastily. Kita looked at them all for a second before adding, "Come on. I'll buy you all onigiri or something."

Osamu looked up. "Really?!"

"Really." Kita smiled. "As long as you promise to rest at home."

He frantically nodded. "Yes! Definitely!"

"Let's go, then." Kita motioned for them to follow him. Atsumu and Osamu began arguing about something within seconds while the others laughed at them. Their arguing was so familiar to Isuma it almost calmed her, and the stabbing sensation in her head dulled- slightly. Ginjima looked back at her. "Isuma-chan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She immediately said, knowing that half of the others were listening, including Kita. Before any of them could pressure her, they reached the main street, which was lined with stores. All of their lights were on, and people were going in and out freely. Kita motioned to the closest one. "There."

Isuma's eyes landed on him, and she suddenly remembered how he'd said to talk to him after the match- now. 'Please, please forget!'

As if he'd heard her, Kita caught her arm just as she walked in. "Isuma, hold on."

She was anxiously fidgeting with her sleeve, her eyes on the ground. "Listen. What you said earlier... you had a reason behind it, didn't you?"

Isuma took a step back. "I didn't mean anything! I was just worried about the match and-"

"You weren't just worried about the match." Isuma looked up for the first time. "There's something else, isn't there?"

She didn't reply- she couldn't. Her aunt's harsh words over the years- and her parents'- were flooding back, crashing in on her. Thousands of terrible memories were coming back at the same time. Kita could almost feel how many emotions and thoughts she was experiencing. "You don't have to-"

He stopped; Isuma had looked up, and her eyes were blazing. For a second, her expression was identical to her brothers' when they were dead-serious about something. Her gaze was so startling that, if Kita hadn't known her, he would've backed away. "I won't ever let anyone call me worthless again, Senpai. Ever."

Before he could answer- not that he knew what he would've said- one of the first-years opened the store's door. "Kita Senpai, Isuma Senpai...?"

"I'm coming. Sorry." Isuma went inside without looking at Kita. Their brief conversation hadn't gone unnoticed- at least by Atsumu and Osamu. They exchanged glances when Kita walked in a second later, his demeanor visibly changed. Osamu whispered, "What do you think happened?"

"I dunno." They both looked at Isuma, who was lost in thought again. Osamu was so distracted he had forgotten about the onigiri Kita had promised them- until Akagi pulled one out of a paper bag and handed it to him. "Careful, it's hot."

"Yeah... thanks."

<<Skip to the Miyas walking home>>

Isuma didn't seem any different on the way home. None of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts. When they finally arrived, they all stiffened slightly at the sight of the empty driveway. Finally, Atsumu pulled them inside their house. "...come on."

"Hey, um..." Atsumu and Osamu paused and turned around to look at Isuma. "I didn't get a chance to say this earlier but... you all played really well today. Great job."

Atsumu flashed a smile. "Thanks, Suma-chan."

"Thanks." Osamu threw his bag down, and then, at the same time as his brother, collapsed on the ground. "I'm so tired."

Isuma closed the front door. "I'm going to make dinner-"

"No, you don't have to!" Osamu turned to look at her. "You're not completely better."

Atsumu looked at him in surprise. "You're willing to skip dinner?"

"No, I'll make it myself." Osamu got to his feet and walked over to the kitchen. Isuma sat down next to Atsumu, her exhaustion finally taking a toll. "You think you'll be able to go to the match tomorrow?"

Isuma's eyes flew open. "Of course! I have to."

Atsumu said, "...if you aren't feeling well, then you don't-"

"No, it's not that. It's just..." Isuma trailed off. Atsumu tilted his head. "Is that what you were talking to Kita-san about earlier?"

"Atsumu, just- I don't want to talk about it." She turned away from him. Atsumu looked over at Osamu, who hadn't heard anything. Isuma usually didn't push her brothers away- just the opposite; when they were younger, it was them who'd turn her away. Atsumu placed his hand on Isuma's shoulder cautiously. "You don't have to talk about it. But, well... Samu and I are here when you need us. You know that, right?"

Isuma looked up at him. "...yeah."

Neither of them spoke until Osamu finally came back, balancing three plates. He placed two in front of them. "Eat. And don't complain."

"Thanks, Samu." Isuma absently took a small bite; her eyes widened. "You made this?"

Osamu hesitantly looked at her and Atsumu, who had an equally surprised expression. "...is it not good?"

"It's incredible!" Isuma looked at him and then back at her plate. "Have you always cooked like this?"

"No... I've never really cooked. I just watch you." Osamu shrugged. Atsumu admitted, "It's really good."

"Thanks." They began talking about their matches that day, and long after they'd finished their dinners, Osamu's eyes began flicking towards Isuma every few seconds, wanting to ask her about Kita. "Listen, Suma..."

Both she and Atsumu looked at him. "Right before our first match... um, Ginjima told us that Kita-san needed to talk to you about something."

Isuma didn't say anything, and Osamu took it as permission to go on. "I'm not asking you to tell us what happened. But, well... Suma, everything's okay, right? With..."

He didn't finish his thought. Isuma couldn't speak for a few seconds. "...it's complicated."

Atsumu causally asked, "Do you like Kita-san-"

Osamu punched his brother. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Don't give me reasons to and I won't!!" Osamu glared at him, silently adding, 'Of course she likes him, idiot! Now shut up!!'

But the damage was done. Both of them looked at Isuma. "...I don't know."

"You don't?" Atsumu blinked. "Okay, but even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. What else am I supposed to say?! I can't- you can't just ask me something like that!!" Isuma got to her feet. "I'm going to sleep."

Osamu caught her arm before she could walk off. "...do you like him, Suma-chan?"

She was certain he knew the answer... he just wanted to hear it from her. Without answering, she shook his hand off and vanished through the hallway.

"She must really like him."

"No, duh, idiot."

<<The next morning, at school>>

The next day seemed to pass a thousand times slower than usual. None of them could concentrate at all, not even Isuma. Her head felt significantly better, but if what she would thought was true, that wouldn't last long.

During their third class, Suna noticed how distracted she was. "Isuma, are you fine?"

"Yes." She wasn't. She had a thousand things she could be thinking about, but her mind was on the conversation she'd had with Kita yesterday.

It was like he'd known exactly what she'd been thinking about. How did he do that? If he knew that, then he definitely knew about what had happened earlier.

The second lunch started, Isuma got to her feet, startling Osamu and Suna. "Where're you going?"

"Outside." She vaguely replied. Osamu answered, "Be back in time for our next class."

"I know." Isuma walked out of the classroom, brushing past a few people. People standing in the hallways paused to briefly glance at her.

The grounds were full of people talking and laughing together. Isuma sat down on a bench and leaned back, briefly closing her eyes. It was much quieter here- much more peaceful. Although she would never tell them, handling the other second-years drained her sometimes. "Isuma."

Her eyes flew open; Kita was standing in front of her, his hands in his pockets. If possible, he looked more amazing in his uniform. "Kita-san..."

"I won't force you to talk with me, Isuma. I'll leave if you want me to." He said, raising his eyebrows. "May I speak, or would you rather I leave?"

"...no. We can talk." Kita sat down to her right. Isuma laced her fingers together. "I'm sorry for yesterday."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Kita answered. "First of all... both of us know what happened yesterday. It was because you were watching the match."

Isuma didn't look at him, her hair falling forward on her right so he couldn't see her expression. "I've never been good at anything. Ever. My brothers have been incredible at volleyball for as long as I can remember. Then... when I found out about my... skill, I guess, it felt amazing. I could help someone. I could actually be useful; for the first time in my life, I had a purpose. So when I realized that... it happened because I was watching the match, I didn't want to accept it. I still don't. I can't- if my brothers make me resign or something, then I'll just be like I was before. I- I never want to go back to being unimportant ever again."

Her voice was shaking; Kita reached out and hesitantly pushed back her hair so he could see her expression. She looked up when she felt his hand. "Isuma. Don't ever- ever- call yourself an unimportant person again. You can't say that- not when there are so many people who care for you."

"But that's the thing! What if all I am is someone Rin cares for? Or Hitoshi?" Isuma asked. Kita replied, "Do you really think that's all you are? You are so, so much more than that. You may not see it, but you've helped them more than you can imagine. Don't you remember how Suna was like when he first came here? He wasn't used to Hyogo. He was quiet. Distant. But you unknowingly helped him. Without you, he would probably have already returned home by now. Do me a favor and respond honestly, Isuma."

She nodded slightly. "Did you become our manager just because you don't want to be considered 'worthless,' or do you actually enjoy it?"

Isuma couldn't reply. "Listen. You don't need to earn the right to simply exist. To live. You've already done that in so many ways. You are a significant person already, without even trying."

He pulled away his hand when Isuma finally spoke. "At first, I admit it was only because of that.

But... over time, I began to like it. It was interesting. I got to spend more time with Rin and Hitoshi than I usually do. I got to know all of you. It- it's the first time I've ever really known someone outside my family."

Her eyes slowly traveled up to him. "So, to answer your question... yeah. I do enjoy it."

"...well, what do you want me to do?" Kita asked. "If I let you continue being at the games, your condition might get worse. And you don't want to resign."

"Kita-san, please-" Isuma grabbed his sleeve. "-don't make me resign. I know I don't have to, but I want to be there today. And the day after. If I get worse, then you can send me to the hospital if you want. But you don't know whether or not I'll get worse- please, just let me watch today!"Kita wanted to argue- but he knew she was partially right. He didn't know if she would get worse. "...alright."

"Thank you!" Isuma exclaimed, smiling for the first time. Kita could feel his cheeks heat up; his eyes went to her hand, which was still on his arm. "What happened to your hand?"

Isuma immediately pulled back her hand. "I burned it a few days ago. How did you know; it's not that red anymore."

"I felt it. Yesterday. Before the..." He didn't complete his sentence. Neither of them said anything for a few seconds; Kita got to his feet. "Anyway... lunch is almost over. We should get going."

Isuma stood up after he'd taken a few steps. "Also, um... I'm sorry for calling you by your first name yesterday. That was rude of me; you're my upperclassman, I shouldn't have done that."

She hastily bowed and straightened, her eyes still on the ground; Kita stared at her for a few seconds before stepping forward and tilted her head up so she would look at him. "I liked it when you called me that. It feels different coming from you, Isuma-chan."

He retraced his hand before she even had a chance to consider what he'd said. "If it makes it seem any more real... I meant every word I said yesterday. You are an important person in my life. That will never change."

'You're one of the most important people in my life.'

The line 'That will never change' makes me think of the scene where Iwaizumi says to Oikawa, 'You are the absolute greatest setter and the best partner I could ever have. That will never change.' Now I'm depressed.

TY for 51.5K :>