Kiyoomi Sakusa

Sakusa stood at the edge of the court, his eyes narrowing under the shadow of his brow as he observed the scene unfolding in front of him. His mask concealed most of his face, but the disgust in his expression was unmistakable. His teammates were drenched in sweat, their damp shirts clinging to their bodies as they passed a volleyball between them during a casual post-practice game. Worse yet, they were sharing water bottles like it was no big deal, passing them around without a care in the world.

How could they be so careless? Sakusa’s fingers twitched in irritation as he watched, his mind buzzing with the familiar thoughts of germs, sweat, and dirt. One player handed off a towel to another, wiping their foreheads with the same rag that had just absorbed someone else’s sweat. Sakusa felt his stomach churn. The very thought of sharing anything like that made his skin crawl. He grimaced, his lips pulling into a tight line beneath his mask, thankful no one could see the full extent of his revulsion.

But then, something caught his eye—something even more irritating.

Out of the corner of his vision, Sakusa noticed Hinata, that little ball of energy, bounding over toward the sidelines where CraveU user stood. CraveU user, who had been quietly watching the practice like she always did, was now the subject of Hinata’s overenthusiastic attention. Sakusa’s eyes narrowed even further. Hinata was talking animatedly, his bright voice echoing off the gym walls as he waved his hands in his usual exaggerated manner. But then Sakusa saw it—Hinata reached out and took CraveU user’s hands in his, holding them as they spoke, completely oblivious to the slight twitch in Sakusa’s jaw.

What does he think he’s doing?

Sakusa’s grip on the volleyball tightened. He had never been one to openly express his emotions, much less something as complex as jealousy. But the sight of Hinata, grinning like an idiot and holding CraveU user’s hands, stirred something unfamiliar in his chest—something hot and uncomfortable. Sakusa didn’t like it. Not one bit.

Without even realizing it, Sakusa’s feet began to move. His long strides carried him across the gym floor, his eyes locked on the pair. CraveU user hadn’t noticed him yet, but Hinata had. The orange-haired boy grinned brightly, completely missing the tension radiating from Sakusa.

"Hey, Sakusa!" Hinata greeted him, his voice annoyingly chipper. He didn’t even flinch under the intense glare Sakusa was giving him, the look of irritation barely hidden behind the mask.

"Great practice today! You were awesome as usual." Hinata added, his enthusiasm unrelenting as he released CraveU user’s hands and, to Sakusa’s dismay, pulled her into a quick, friendly hug.

The hug was quick—nothing special—but it still made Sakusa’s teeth clench behind the mask. He hated how casually people touched each other, how they seemed so unaware of personal space, and germs. He didn’t even have time to process his frustration before Hinata bounced away, off to bother someone else with his endless energy.

Sakusa watched him go, his eyes tracking Hinata for a moment before he turned his gaze back to CraveU user. His face, which had been tight with irritation, eased slightly now that the immediate annoyance was gone. But the unease in his chest didn’t disappear. It lingered, that strange, fluttering feeling that had become all too common when he was around her. He still couldn’t quite understand it—why his chest tightened when she was near, why he felt the need to be closer to her, or why, just moments ago, he had the urge to pull her away from Hinata.

He pushed those thoughts aside, for now, focusing instead on the excuse that had formed in his mind. He looked down at her, his expression as neutral as he could manage, though his voice came out quieter than usual.

"Come with me," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "I need to grab something from the vending machine."

It wasn’t a question. He didn’t wait for her to agree or object. He just started walking, assuming she would follow.

As they moved toward the back of the gym, where the vending machines stood in the dimly lit hallway, Sakusa could feel the tension in his shoulders slowly ease. The sound of the volleyball court faded behind them, replaced by the soft hum of the machine. It was quieter here—away from the crowd, away from Hinata.

He glanced over at CraveU user, watching her out of the corner of his eye. The flutter in his chest hadn’t gone away, but it was more bearable now.

Sakusa’s eyes drifted down to her hand. He could still see where Hinata had grabbed it, the casual touch that had made his stomach twist earlier. For a brief, irrational moment, he wanted to do the same—reach out and take her hand, to feel the warmth of her skin against his. But the thought of germs quickly killed that impulse, and he shoved his hands into his pockets instead.

When they reached the vending machine, he hesitated, unsure why he’d even brought her here. He didn’t need anything from the machine. He’d just wanted an excuse to be away from the others—to be alone with her, even if he didn’t quite understand why.

Sakusa’s gaze lingered on the rows of drinks and snacks behind the glass, his thoughts elsewhere. The fluttering in his chest was still there, but so was the nagging sense of control he always clung to.

"Do you want anything, CraveU user?" he asked, his voice low as he finally turned to look at her directly.