It's been a week since that night. Days have seemed duller since I've only been able to switch between mindlessly doing schoolwork and thinking endlessly about what happened. Another perfect time where volleyball would've done wonders to ease my mind. I haven't talked to either of them since then, and I've felt too ashamed to even think about messaging Asahi.

"Okay," the sound of Mom's voice from behind startles me. "You've been completely off for the past few days."

I don't meet her gaze, but she doesn't force me to look at her.

"You can tell?" I ask though the answer is clear.

"Of course. I'm your mom." She says, sitting on the couch behind me. She starts to pat my shoulder and I try to let it make me feel a bit better. "You also haven't touched any of the apple drinks, and you love those."

"I just brought that one can home one time," I respond exasperatedly, sitting with my knees close to me and resting my chin on my arms. I lean back, using the front of the couch as support.

"Is it one of your friends?" Mom asks tentatively. Of course, I wanted to say yes, but I didn't want her to accidentally get the wrong idea about either one of the two boys.

"If it's them, I'd rather you say something out loud. You don't have to tell me. You can especially tell Anika. But bottling something up that's affecting you like this isn't good for you." She continues.

I take her words to heart and finally meet her gaze. She gives me a sympathetic smile, and to ease her mind I find it in myself to say, "You're right. Thank you."

"You forget I was a kid too," she says, getting up from the couch. Before leaving the area, she gives me a shoulder pat, saying, "I know that, whatever the matter is, it'll be solved soon."

Thinking about what she had just said, I look for my phone in my bag and hold it in my hand.

Anika

i know you've been busy and stuff and can't text often

but i really need someone to talk to

While I wasn't in touch with Anika, I was thrust into a situation where I still don't know what should've happened. Waiting for her response, I begin to wonder if she was the key to keeping my life steady and drama-free. Since the day of the practice match, she hasn't been texting me at all. I texted her a few times and didn't get any response, which was strange. Regardless, I know she's my friend, and when I need her help the most, she will be there. I don't have to wait long before my phone vibrates again.

Anika

i know you've probably been busy lately

but i really need to talk to you

of course!!

what happened :(

let's meet up!

we can just meet on school grounds?

go to the field

i'll see u there!!

I had planned the evening to be full of homework, but I'm finally getting around to being somewhere else other than home after school. Just the thought brings a smile to my face, and I stand up quickly to run upstairs.

"Going to see Anika?" Mom confirms. I yell out an affirmation as I quickly get dressed. Excited to be out and more excited to see my friend, I almost sprint out the door.

⋆⋆⋆

I wait on a wooden bench overlooking the school field while I wait for Anika. Just as I reach for my phone to check for any updates from her, I hear someone clear their throat behind me.

I turn briefly, and of course, it's her. I get up, about to hug her, but she steps away.

"Oh, no, (Y/N), don't do that," She says with a slight muffle, and I realize she's wearing a mask.

"Oh, you were sick that whole time?" I say with a new understanding.

"Yeah," Anika sighs, "it's just a slight cold though. That day of the practice match, when my mom asked me to come home, I must've caught something. Or at least she thinks I did because I 'wasn't wearing a thick-enough jacket'."

"That sounds like her," I laugh, and Anika crosses her arms as she takes a seat on the opposite side of the bench.

"And I couldn't even text you because she said I wouldn't get better again if I had my phone with me," she continues, "I only got out to see you because of this stupid thing I have on."

She wiggles her arms inside the pockets of her puffy jacket, causing a smile to break on my face.

"Well, I'm happy you made it here, I honestly missed you the whole time you were gone. I seriously thought you hated me or something." I admit, and Anika laughs.

"I do."

"... Anyway..."

"So, why'd you call me out here? By the way, if I get sick again, that's on you."

⋆⋆⋆

I tell her the whole story, start to finish. From walking home with Asahi after the practice match to being left on my own by him.

"Um... wow," she finally says after I complete the story. She was the quietest she's ever been listening to the story, so I know it's a tough one to react to. "I don't even know where to start."

"Yeah, I bet," I look at my hands folded in my lap.

"First of all, I guess my hunch was right about Daichi, but I didn't expect that other twist," She says. "And you didn't tell Asahi how you feel because...?"

"I don't know. Well, I told you what was going through my mind. I just don't know whether or not I've ruined our friendship."

"I doubt it," Anika responds, and I tilt my head back to look at the sky.

"Well, I don't know what the hell I'd even say now. But, at least I've just said it all out loud."

"Yeah..." Anika trails off. "I would've hugged you if it made you feel better, but I might get you sick."

"Yeah, I know. Without getting sappy, it was enough that you were here to listen to me. Thanks." I say, giving her a look.

She gags jokingly before looking back at me. "Yeah, okay, weirdo. Anyway... I wonder if Koushi knows anything about it."

"I feel like maybe he had a suspicion, the same as you. Thinking back on it, it almost seemed like he was trying to set me up every time I was with Asahi or something."

"Ah, that's where we're different," Anika laughs slightly, "I guess we were thinking of two different people for you."

"Yeah," I smile, and it doesn't last long before both ends of my lips release from their curl.

"From the sounds of it, though... he probably chose the right person to have a hunch about," Anika looks at me.

"That's what I want to believe, but I think I messed everything up." I shake my head.

"Well, remember before our last game, I said that even when he's joking, he doesn't say things if he doesn't believe it at least a little bit. It sucks at times, especially when if it came to my form in games." She says. "But what he was doing for you wasn't a joke. He probably really believes in you guys or something."

"Yeah... that could be true."

"Bleh," she says inside her mask. "I hate talking about that stuff. But, you're my friend, so I power on."

This makes me laugh, and she shakes her head. "Hey, I'd do the same if it were you," I say.

"No, because that would never happen to me. I would simply not allow it."

"I didn't allow it to happen!"

"I didn't say that! God, now you're gonna have drama with me."

I shake my head in playful disappointment and she snickers beside me.

"Wait," Anika fiddles her hand around her jacket pocket, "I can feel my phone."

"You got it back?"

"Not technically," she says, checking the screen before holding it to her ear. "Hello? Hi. Yeah. What's wrong? I can tell her for you. Yeah, I know. She's right next to me. I can just hand her my—Oh, okay. Sure. Okay. Bye-bye."

"Who was that?" I ask.

"Koushi," she responds with a deep sigh. "He wants me to send him your phone number."

"Uh... why? Is something wrong?"

"Well... he wouldn't tell me, even if I already know about the whole thing with you. He probably wants to tell you first, but he wouldn't just let me give you my phone. He's weird at times. But... I think it has to do with those two."

My heart starts pounding significantly harder in my chest. This is the first time that I have needed to consider taking a step further with these boys. I take my phone out in preparation, thinking it'll only be a minute until I get a call. Unfortunately, I have less than half the time to prepare myself for what's to come. My phone lights up instantly with a different number on the screen. I have to remind myself to save him as a contact later. I hesitate before tapping 'answer call', hovering my finger over the option for some time.

"Answer it before it ends, you're making me nervous," Anika says shakily, looking at the phone.

I don't want to, but I tap the option and bring the phone to my ear slowly. "H-hello?"

"Hi, (Y/N)! Nice to have your phone number, finally!"

"Hi, Sugawara... um, I heard that there was something wrong?"

"Oh, well... hm. Yes. There is something wrong. I'm calling you in secret."

"Huh? Is practice over?"

"Yes, but..." He lowers his voice more and more with each word. "I don't want them to hear me."

"Don't want who to hear you?" I pester. This sounds more like a prank call the more I listen, but I stay on the line.

"You know, some few boys," he responds, which sends a chill down my back. "Anyway, I'm standing in a corner of the club room having this conversation with you."

"U-um, what happened?"

"There was a little, tiny, very small, actually very big argument after practice."

"What?"

"There was a very big argument after practice. Between two soft-headed dummies."

What? I can't manage to say anything at first because a million different questions rush through my mind. I settle on the first thing, asking, "Is anyone hurt?"

"No, but it's a good thing I caught them. I would've punched them both in the sides as soon as I got up here, but I figured it wasn't the right time."

"Okay, well, at least there's that... why were they arguing?" I ask, even though my mind is clear on what the answer probably is.

"Well, the story is, I was walking to the stairs up to the club room with Tanaka and Nishinoya when I heard some shouting and clattering around inside. The first-years were walking behind us and they noticed it, and we all kind of stopped walking." Sugawara retells.

"Yeah," I respond to make sure he knows I'm still listening.

"The only people that were in there were Daichi and Asahi, who honestly haven't talked that much for at least a week. But I ran up there to see what was going on and they were really fighting. It was a lot like when Asahi and Nishinoya were fighting that one time, but him arguing with Daichi was something else."

"Oh my god," I say, obviously confused by all of this information all at the same time.

"It was pretty scary! They're both sitting in opposite corners of the room while I talk to you."

"Um, they're not gonna start arguing again?"

"Nope. That won't happen. I'm turning around just to make sure, and... yeah, they're okay. They're just not looking at each other. Anyway, I know everything that happened, and I think you should come over here."

"What? I... I can't." I shake my head as if he can see me.

"I'm not forcing you. Actually, I'd prefer it if you thought of it like I'm strongly encouraging you to do this."

"No, I haven't even talked to any one of them since last week. I don't even know what I'd say."

"I'll be there with you. You don't really have to say anything, and if you get here and you change your mind, I won't stop you. I also wouldn't let harm befall my friend though, just letting you know."

I take the time to think before I respond. I look at Anika, who's been looking at me wide-eyed, patiently waiting for an update. I exhale deeply through my nose and say, "Please make sure harm doesn't befall me, okay?"

"Of course! I just said that."

"Okay, wait for me."