Chapter 3.

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“Sho-kun, whaddya smiling about?” Atsumu asked, eyeing the short boy as he leaned towards the wall with his arms folded together. He tried to peek at Hinata’s phone, but Shoyo turned away.

“No one!” Hinata lies, his smile only growing. His cheeks flushed red a little and he was light on his feet--the boy was jumpy--and Atsumu was so curious about who he was talking to, or what he was reading.

“Hey, I thought no secrets?” Atsumu frowned, and Hinata pouts. “Who are ya’ talking to?”

“Kageyama.” Hinata answers, his deep hazel eyes going back to the screen of his phone.

“We’re talking again, we made up.” Hinata’s pout dissolves, and his lips return to a smile. “I didn’t want to tell you because you might grow jealous.”

The last part was a joke. Atsumu knows that. Hinata meant it as a joke. But it’s true, Atsumu knows it’s better for him not to know because he is jealous and he gets jealous quite easily. He just don't (won't) show it.

“Oh. Okay.” Atsumu shifts from the wall and stands right up, “I’m… happy you two made up.”

There’s bitterness at the back of Atsumu’s throat but he chooses to ignore it. He doesn’t want to spoil the light mood Hinata’s in. He hasn’t been like this for a while.

Atsumu hates Kageyama for that.

If anything, Atsumu thinks that Kageyama treats Hinata as trash.

Like he isn’t worth anything. He starts arguments with Hinata a lot, even for the dumbest and simplest of reasons.

Kageyama is prideful, and his relationship with Hinata is downright toxic.

Atsumu doesn’t know why Hinata’s so attached to Tobio, and how he can bear Kageyama’s bullying and manipulation.

Hinata sighs, but it wasn’t a sad sigh or anything. More of a sigh of relief. “I honestly didn’t think we’d make up… he texted first, I mean--that’s a first.”

“I guess that means you mean so much to him.” Atsumu states, the bitterness starting to become more heavy and strong. Like as if there was a lump on his throat. He said that only to make Hinata happier.

Atsumu hates Kageyama more than literally anything.

It’s obvious how Kageyama himself is what Hinata’s personality is based upon. Hinata can’t hide anything, if he’s sad that means he fought with Kageyama. If he’s happy, that means the two are all right.

It's sound so sick and ridiculous.

Everything Kageyama does has an effect on Hinata, and Tobio probably doesn’t know this.

“Hey, hey, we should eat out.” Hinata told Atsumu, eyes unwavering from his mobile phone. “I’m hungry.”

“Sure, Sho. What’d ya’ want?”

“Anything!”

Just like that, Hinata’s appetite is back. He hasn’t been eating in a while. Because of what else? Kageyama and him weren’t on the best of terms recently.

“Then, something heavy. Should I call Bokuto and Sakusa?”

“Yes, please!”

Atsumu hates Kageyama. In and out of the court. Especially because of what he did…

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...“Today, I was out with Kei 😃” ...

Kageyama read first, he’s a few pages in. And he might have an idea about how Hinata felt. With all his rambles and scribbles.

Kei? First name?

The writing continued,

...“We practiced a little then ate outside. After that, he invited me over to play video games! Kei’s become so cool hehe!”...

Huh. So they’re close now?

...“…I’m so happy he’s here for me.”...

...“Diary, I don’t want to tell you a few things because I’m afraid someone might read you and end up knowing things I don’t want to be known. I’ve… told Kei about a few things. I don’t regret it. I’m so happy he still accepts me… but the other party, he’s…”...

...“He told me his view of the other person has changed. And that he wants to throw them into the trash can.”...

...“I can’t blame Kei for what he’s feeling. I didn’t expect him to react like this. He was furious after I told him everything.”...

...“He told me that he’ll protect me from now on. How sweet is that? haha I didn’t think Kei could be cute. HAHAHA”...

...“Anyway… about Kageyama. ”...

...“I’m sure Kageyama doesn’t remember anything. So thats why I should act like nothing happened.”...

...“I love Kei for being here for me. Suga-san, too. and Atsumu. ”...

...“I don’t know what I’d do, or where I’d be if it weren’t for them.”...

Kageyama closed his eyes. What does he mean by that?

Every now and then, at least twice or thrice a week, Hinata would write things like that. About him.

Kageyama doesn’t understand it. He's utterly clueless.

Hinata’s saying something and isn’t leaving any clues, he says that there’s something Kageyama did. And that it broke him.

And Kageyama doesn’t remember.

“What the f*ck.” Kageyama groans, smashing his face into the journal.

“Suga-san knows. Tsukishima knows. Atsumu knows. Kenma knows.” He pulls the book down, before his eyes. “Should I ask them?”

He feels like he’s going to get punched if he does. He would.

Regardless of that, he wants to. He needs to.

He needs to know whatever it is he did, why it affected Hinata so much. Why it drove Hinata into becoming like this.

He continued reading,

...“The four have been especially careful around me.”...

...“Especially Suga-san. He’s so careful with his words. Sometimes it takes a while for him to talk again because he’s thinking about what to say carefully. It’s obvious that things have changed. I can’t really blame them, they just worry about me. However, no matter how lightly they put it, I hope they’d stop calling Kageyama a criminal. He’s not. ”...

...“…right?”...

...“…I dont know.”...

“A criminal? What did I do…” Kageyama finishes the entry, putting the notebook down as he’s had enough. Nothing makes sense.

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