Once all the commotion had died down, the boys went on with their volleyball practice as usual; a few rolling thunders here and a many sly remarks there. Yet one thing was slightly out of place: Hinata. The little sunshine boy seemed too concentrated on the game in front of him, it was kinda scary and definitely didn't go unnoticed by the third years. Everytime the middle blocker scored a point, he would look in a specific direction. Every. Single. Fucking. Time.

Daichi furrowed his brows together. Looking at Coach Ukai, he signals that it might be time for a break. And with that the whistle was blown. The volleyball captain was approached by his two closest friends, obviously coming to discuss what was plaguing their minds. Asahi was the first to start the conversation.

"Hey, doesn't Hinata seem a bit off? I mean he is usually concentrated on the match, but today is like a whole new level. No playful banter with Kageyama and no petty arguments with Tsukishima either." Grabbing a bottle from the bench he looks at the boy in question, fidgeting with the cap. Sugawara turns to the man-bun and squints his eyes accusingly. "Why does everything have to be negative with you man-bun? Maybe he's just really into the game today. Don't make me whack the negativity out of ya again." He raises his hand hesitantly while the other rests on his hip. The anxious ace flinches backwards at the threat.

Daichi had still not said a word, like the captain he was he instead decided to watch the young tangerine in question. The little first year was currently drinking water with some of the rest of his team-mates, all of which were laughing and chatting, yet his attention was yet again caught by something else. The captain followed his unwavering gaze, finally hoping to see what was captivating the young boys' attention this whole time. His brown eyes landed on their managers. Daichi raised a brow, now more confused than ever.

"OI! Daichi. What's up with you, find something you think might be bothering our little crow?" The silver-haired setter poked his head out from behind the captain's back.

- I think so. I'm not sure.

Daichi scratched the back of his head. Turning back to the other third years, he sighed, he really was starting to feel like a father. Too many kids, he thought to himself.

Clapping his hands together, he announced that the break was over. He could think about their decoy later, right now it was time to focus on volleyball.

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"BOKE! HINATA BOKE!" Kageyama made his way towards the orange haired boy, frustration written all over his face. What Hinata did? Nothing. He hadn't said a word, started any arguments, or made any teasing comments. Yet, he had still made the genius setter angry about something.

Hinata flinched as Kageyama got closer, he was scared. Once face to face, the setter grabbed the smaller player by the head, pulling his hair painfully.

"KAGEYAMA! My hair! You're gonna rip it out!" Hinata squirmed trying to free himself; Kageyama's iron grip didn't waver.

"Boke! What the hell's wrong with you huh? You better not be getting sick! Or else I'm not gonna set to you anymore you stupid boke. Understand?" The blue haired first year, pushed the shorter boy's head around mercilessly. Hinata felt like hurling, gripping the taller boys' hand, hoping for him to stop. Thankfully Daichi's intimidating aura was able to stop the boy from getting his head ripped off. He truly was a terrifying captain when angered.

Hinata gripped his head with both hands, trying to massage his aching scalp. Turning to the culprit, he glared, sticking his tongue out for extra measure. He quickly stopped when Kageyama gave him a menacing side glance. Daichi smacked the back of his head in return, he really was dealing with children after all.

"That's enough Kageyama. What's gotten into you? Hinata was more focused than ever today so you have no reason to go after him lie that. Care to explain." The third year crossed his arms, waiting for the younger boys reply.

"Hinata wasn't acting like himself so I got worried. Though I'm too prideful to say it."

Daichi's eye twitched slightly.

"OI, Sugawara. Stop trying to sound like Kageyama." Sugawara got up from his crouching position behind Kageyama, and started to look around the gym, whistling, playing innocent.

Daichi sighed once again. Glancing back at the red-head, the captain sees that, yet again, his attention was captured by the managers. What in the-

"ORA? Hinata are you thinking of stealing away Kiyoko-san?" Tanaka peered at the boy, sizing him up.

"HAah? Little Shoyo wants her to himself? Well, then you're gonna have to get through us! Right Ryu?" Nishinoya looked at his partner in crime, a small smirk on his face. Tanaka nodded enthusiastically.

Hinata blushed at the mention of the beautiful manager. "Eh? No! I think she's really pretty, but I don't wanna take her." He waved his hands frantically, trying to reassure the boys that he really wasn't after the beautiful senpai. The two second years looked him up and down, then proceeded to laugh violently. They patted the younger boys back; they made a few comments about how they're happy that he's not after their princess.

"Wait, then what were you looking at this entire time?" Tanaka asked. Nishinoya, who had currently been jumping on Hinata's back, stopped and looked at his junior with curiousness. "Yeah so what were you so focused on?"

The middle blocker rubbed the back of his neck. He honestly wasn't sure; whenever he scored a point or had time to look around, his eyes would wander in that direction. In Yachi-san's direction. ­ Hinata's face warmed up but brushed it off shrugging in response.

The team sighed collectively. Maybe this was all just a one-day thing. Maybe by tomorrow, their little ball of energy would be back to his normal self.

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Hinata was back to normal in class. He fell asleep in some classes, and got in trouble in others, just like usual. He even went to see Yamaguchi and Yachi during lunch for some notes and tutoring. Yet every time the blonde manager explained something to him, he couldn't seem to focus. He would zone out, completely missing her explanations, his eyes would move up from the paper, all the way to her face. Sure, this would happen a lot of the times before during their tutoring lessons, but ever since yesterday it started to happen every five seconds. His gaze would linger on her face, mentally memorizing her features. Sometimes his gaze would lower, from her nose, to her neck, her collarbones, then her chest. He honestly didn't mean to, he was a freshman boy, he was going through puberty, and his eyes would just wander without realizing. When he realized what was happening, he would quickly avert his eyes, his face burned with guilt and a little of something else.

If it wasn't his eyes wandering, or lingering more than they should, it was his hands. Whenever Yachi would pass him a pencil, a notebook, or show him something on the page, his fingers would touch hers for a second longer than normal. Their hands would graze past the others more often than usual, Hinata just wanted to be able to touch her, though he didn't realize it. Sometimes their legs would nudge the others, their toes would bump into each other.

It was driving them crazy.