(a/n: i can already sense your future hate for me from miles away after and/or during your read in this chapter lol)

(man, just skip to chapter 15 if you dont want to be angry and leave this book, i recommend it. people are extremely disappointing with their comments up until chapter 14 but like i cant judge since it's their opinion, not mine.)

THIRD POV

"Hey hey hey!!"

Y/n's heart fluttered.

"Y/n, long time no see!" The human owl beamed.

Her heart fluttered more, butterflies swarming her stomach. A slight smile grazed her lips, cheeks moderately red.

But it was not because of him-it was because of the boy beside him.

"K-Keiji," She greeted with a low head bow. The said boy lazily stared at her before doing the same.

He let out a silent sigh, "L/n-san."

"I told you, Y/n is fine..," She frowned slightly.

The boy merely shrugged lightly before noticing his friend's reaction.

"Bokuto-san?" He hesitantly asked. The girl's eye/s remained on him only.

"Yes, Akaashi?" He gave him a big, fake smile.

He was hurt at the fact that Y/n ignored him. Let alone spare even a single glance.

Bokuto willed himself to lift his own mood up-he didn't want to let Y/n see him like this. Not when he still needs to impress her and tear her attention away from Akaashi. No matter how many times Y/n refused his attempts, he couldn't give up. He couldn't be disheartened.

He liked her so much, after all.

"Nothing. Let's get going, the team is waiting for us," Akaashi said before turning his back from his captain.

He nodded, "Right."

"Y/n-"

She already turned around but slightly halted when he heard her, "Oh-sorry, Bokuto-san. My team is waiting for me."

He can't help but frown. Even though it was always like this whenever she was around-it was difficult to get used to it. But who could blame him? Her crush likes his close friend. Not to mention, he knew the girl longer than Akaashi had known her. Bokuto balled his fists in annoyance as he stared at Akaashi from afar.

What does he even have that I don't?

His golden eyes widened, slapping both his cheeks with both palms. Bokuto couldn't believe he just tried to compare him and Akaashi. He scoffed before getting back to his own team.

Of course she'd like him more than me. Akaashi is perfect-looks, intelligence, body, manners, and he's even athletic. I'm no competition for him, he automatically wins.

Ever since Y/n laid her eyes on him she immediately got allured, and then all her attention from me got transferred to Akaashi. She would only respond to me when I asked an important question-which is really rare since she told me I ask the dumbest questions.

Right, dumb like me.

Insecurities flooded his system, suddenly feeling drained. He fidgeted and stared at his hands, his beliefs becoming unrealistic. The boy thought his hands were unsightly as it was slightly covered with calluses from numerous training he had done. He stared at the reflective floor, he frowned as he thought his hair looked too exaggerated and unpleasant.

"Oi, what's wrong? It's too early for you to be acting like this," A teammate slapped his back, wearing a hidden annoyed expression.

He slightly scratched his cheek with his pointer finger, "Like what, Konoha?"

"Like an idiot," Konoha scoffed before walking away. Akaashi asked him if Bokuto was alright, but Konoha just shrugged and told him the captain will eventually pull himself together.

Konoha just fuelled Bokuto's insecurities.

Bokuto pouted sadly, before making his way to Fukurodani with his hair and head dropped low.

"Do you know him?" Atsumu asked the girl who came back with a satisfied expression.

She pursed her lips to refrain a smile, "Yeah. He's a really nice...person."

The blonde frowned, "No-I meant Bokuto. You know, one of the top 5 ace in Japan."

A blank expression dawned on her face, "Him? Yeah, sure."

All of them sweatdropped. They obviously get the idea of the three judging from the encounter earlier. The trio can't help but feel slightly disappointed at her insensitivity.

"You know him well?" Atsumu pushed.

The girl quietly sighed, "Miya, not now."

A frown made its way on his face, feeling a little sad. Osamu just walked away with Suna-they couldn't bear the tension. Kita called Atsumu and told him to leave Y/n alone for the game was about to start, but a frown was desperately wanting to get out on his face. Osamu and Suna silently glared at Akaashi's back, Kita slightly scoffed, and Atsumu willed himself to focus on the game rather than Y/n.

What am I even trying to do? It's not like I like her. I can't. She obviously likes someone else-and that someone will never be me. Not now, or ever.

Osamu slapped him back to reality, the game was starting.

•

"Nice kill," Y/n quietly said when Akaashi performed a setter dump.

Kita's finger twitched along with his eye. The girl beside him had been muttering compliments for their team's opponent, specifically and only Fukurodani's setter. It was fine if she had atleast complimented both teams-but Y/n only had her eyes on Akaashi. Atsumu pursed his lips and noticed this after a few moments, pushing his strange type of jealousy deep and far away from his mind.

She won't be able to focus doing her job when she's like this. Kita mentally heaved a frustrated sigh, he can't help but feel envious, though.

"Y/n, focus," Kita sternly told her. She jolted and nodded, embarrassed. The girl proceeded to scribble on her notebook and finally focused on her own team.

But not a long time had passed before her eyes glued on the ravenette again.

"Ooh! Y/n, did you see that?!" Bokuto asked her with arms raised, an excited smile on his way after his straight spike. Sparkles were literally radiating off of him.

Most of Inarizaki and Fukurodani sweatdropped when she just furrowed her brows, implying that she had not been watching him.

"Oh, yeah .. I did. Good job," She smiled quickly.

Bokuto tried smiling wider even though he knew she was lying. His arms and smile slowly dropped along with his mood, feeling hopeless again as he got back to his position in embarrassment.

Akaashi fiddled with his fingers and felt uncomfortable at the stares Atsumu, Suna, and Osamu were giving him. He looked away before he could let them see his uneasiness from their heavy gazes.

The ravenette thought it was absurd everytime Bokuto asks Y/n if she had seen a nice attack or even defense he had executed, only for him to get greatly embarrassed when the girl only gave signs of confusion. Akaashi appreciates Y/n, truly, but he can't bring himself to give back her attention when she consistently ignores his captain. He thought it was unfair.

Not to mention it would be a pain for him everytime. Bokuto's emo modes will activate early, and he along with the others had to deal with him.

He deeply cares for Bokuto. So he couldn't just simply get a girl in the way of his ace's performance.

Returning her attention and silent efforts were never Akaashi's priority.

And so the game went on with slightly heated rallies throwing back and forth by both teams. Atsumu just wished it would just end-he couldn't bear the strange feeling whenever he would catch Y/n looking at the other team's setter, and not him. Suddenly, he thought his efforts at the mall from before meant nothing.

The girl just got deep in daydream as she claimed Akaashi as ethereal and the protagonist of her world, oblivious to Bokuto's stares and frowns of sadness mixed with jealousy.

Though Y/n wasn't exactly delusional, it's just that it's very rare for her to like someone. And whenever she does, she loses all common sense.

The owl's confidence he once was proud of for today's match slowly deteriorates when time passed by with every painful second.

-

i hate this y/n arc