Chapter 40, Dye

THIRD POV

"Miya-senpai!" She called and tossed for the blonde.

Kageyama received and Kourai went for the toss. Komori stayed behind for defense. Kourai jumped after his toss and made a wipe out, but Sakusa was there to receive it.

Atsumu made a setter's dump but Komori dug in to save it. Kageyama nodded and tossed the ball to Kourai.

"Hoshiumi-san!"

Hoshiumi jumped and spiked Kageyama's toss, but he was met by Shirome. Of course, he is good at mid air attacking so he can figure out ways to block her. He switched to a cross shot last second.

Shirome read this, she swiftly moved her arms to where he had spiked it at, the ball dropped back to their side of the court.

"Yay!" Atsumu cooed and high fived the smaller setter.

"HmMpPPPpPpp," Hoshiumi pouted at Shirome who just smiled at him.

"You're really great in mid air, Hoshiumi-san! So strong!" She beamed at him.

"Well," He turned away, crossing his arms with a blush, "I-I am strong!"

"Pft," Sakusa rolled his eyes.

"Furumi-san."

She turned to see the coach motioning for her to come. Sakusa nodded at her and Atsumu patted her head.

"What is it?" She politely asked.

"Your libero, Shinkui, is kind of picking fights with the other girls there. Do you mind if you headed back now? She doesn't seem to be listening to others," The coach sweatdropped.

She winced, "Of course. Thank you for letting me have the opportunity to play with top players."

He nodded, agreeing with her. She then bowed slightly before calling out to Sakusa who was drinking.

"Omi, I need to go now," She said.

Sakusa stopped and frowned, "Already?"

"Hey, Shiro-chan! Give me yer number~," Atsumu cheekily smiled at him while holding his phone out.

"Atleast say 'please'," Sakusa rolled his eyes at him.

"Ya don't tell me what to do," He pouted and looked away dramatically.

"Miya-senpai," The girl handed him his phone back after she had typed in her contacts.

"Just call me Atsumu, or senpai ," He wiggled his brows at her.

"Ew," Sakusa slightly gagged.

"Don't react like that," Atsumu snarled at him but Sakusa just ignored him.

"Hm, does Atsu sound good?" She asked the boy while slightly craning her neck to look up.

"I like it," He gave a thumbs up.

"Okay. Atsu it is," She returned his thumbs up.

He eyed her noticeable roots, "Shiro-chan, yer roots are showing."

Sakusa glared at him for being blunt, "You're really bad at girls, aren't you? Or people in general."

"It's okay, Omi. Well, I was planning on fixing it before Nationals come," She said and fiddled with the tip of her hair.

"Ooh! Your team made it to Nationals?" His mouth formed an 'O'.

"Hmm," Atsumu approached her and leaned down to whisper. Shirome's eyes slightly widened and stared at Atsumu who pulled back with a smile on his face.

"That was really nice of you, Atsu," Her eyes sparkled.

"What are you both chatting about?" Sakusa squinted his eyes at the two setters.

"Oh nothing," Atsumu hummed before waving at Shirome goodbye.

"I'll text you. Anyway, I got to get going. See you soon!" She waved at the both and jogged to the doors.

"Don't you even dare to make a move on her," Sakusa glared at the blonde.

"Oh? Do ya like her~?" Atsumu teased and laughed when he saw Sakusa's slight blush.

"Don't be stupid. I barely know her. Plus, she's a kid," He said.

"A kid? Yer age isn't that far from hers, " He confusedly asked.

"Doesn't matter," Sakusa deadpanned and walked back to another court for a new game. Atsumu just smirked as he watched his back.

"What are you doing?"

Ameri stopped herself from slapping a girl and froze when she saw Shirome staring at her with a warning look.

"Nothing," She quickly pulled away.

Shirome narrowed her eyes at her, "Do this behind my back again and I'll make sure you walk from here all the way to school."

"Roger!" She nervously saluted.

The small captain sighed and frowned when she noticed the girls were slightly glaring at her. It's been a week yet she doesn't know why they were acting like this.

Soon enough, the final day of the camp ended.

"You."

Ameri raised a brow when taller girls looked down on Shirome who stopped and turned around.

The girls were wearing dirty looks with scowls on their faces as they look at the smallest. The crimson head was trying her best to not snap at them while the gradient head had a deadpanned look.

"Did I perhaps do something wrong?" She kindly asked, genuinely confused.

Her eye twitched, "You're a whore."

Shirome frowned, "That's not what I asked."

Ameri stepped forward, "Listen you bitch, we don't have time to meddle with some idiots. Get lost."

She was about to slap Ameri, enraged at her remark, when a boy entered the gym.

"Shiro-chan~, it's time to go," He hummed and approached them.

All the girls with the exception of Shirome and Ameri were flustered by Atsumu's approach. Their faces were red and they were looking away, twirling their hair.

Ameri turned to Shirome, "Who's this fake blonde?"

Atsumu's eye twitched.

"Oh, he's a friend I made earlier who's also a setter I met at the other building. Miya Atsumu," She introduced him.

"He looks... a little weird," Ameri whispered to Shirome.

"Shiro-chan," He pouted after glaring at the cherry head.

"Ameri, I'm going with Atsumu to the salon. Will you come with?" Shirome asked.

Ameri shook her head, "Nah, I want to rest at home."

Atsumu then walked away with Shirome, the girls were glaring at her back from afar. They thought Shirome was playing with boys, and misunderstood her approach. Ameri glared at them before exiting as well.

•

"Atsu."

"Hm?" He hummed as he approached the receptionist.

"Do you come here often?" She asked.

"This is where I first bleached and cut my hair. I come here when my roots need retouching and 'Samu is too busy to do it."

"I don't see your roots though," Her brows furrowed, not bothering to ask who he mentioned.

He shrugged, "I don't like it even if there's just atleast a few millimeters. It makes it look weird."

She just hummed and followed when he walked to two vacant seats. The salon was really beautiful and aesthetic so the environment immediately put Shirome in comfortable ease. Atsumu sighed as he sat down.

"I'll probably sleep all the way through the procedure," He said.

"I don't mind," She kindly reassured.

Soon enough, two hairstylists played with their hair. Atsumu was already knocked out and Shirome was replying to messages of some boys from the previous schools. They were really amusing and fun to talk with, the girl didn't get bored. Tendo even sent a short voice clip of him singing.

"Ma'am, are you perhaps some model from a really nice agency?" Her stylist asked.

"Pardon? No, no. I'm just a normal highschooler," She nervously laughed, taken aback from the sudden question.

"Jiraiya, stop making the kid uncomfortable," The girl who was doing Atsumu's hair sighed.

"But Tsunade! She really looks like one," He whined and blow dried Shirome's hair.

"Shut up."

A few minutes passed and they smiled proudly at their work. Atsumu's hair was shinier and so was Shirome's.

The girl paid for the both of them and tapped Atsumu's cheek to wake him up, "Atsu. Atsu, wake up."

His eyes fluttered open and he stretched his arms, the cracking if joints can be heard. When he was done, he turned to Shirome and froze.

"What's wrong? Do you not like it?" She frowned at Atsumu who was still frozen and wide eyed.

"Holy shit! You look really great!" He finally let out. Shirome's brow shot up as she grinned nervously.

Is this girl human or what?!

Shirome's hair was fully colored in her natural color. Her locks were as white as ethereal snow, her old soft curls were now straight, her bangs which used to be completely parted had a slight fringe on the middle between her two eyes, and the length of her layered hair reached her waist.

"Thank you," She gave him a friendly smile.

"No problem," He grinned and stood up, "I'll pay now."

"I already paid for the both of us, actually," Shirome said and fixed her jacket.

His eyes widened, "What? Why? Ya didn't have to," He frowned.

"Well, I already did," She sheepishly smiled.

"Okay but next time it's my treat! Come on, I'm treating you lunch at Starbucks."

Ehh... seriously? Starbucks? Shirome internally whined.

Atsumu gently dragged her by the hand and went outside before the girl could object.

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