After volleyball practice...

It was summer when the two simpletons and a familiar hyperactive duo decided to buy some popsicles on their way home. Nishinoya was animatedly telling a story on how he protected their beloved Kiyoko-san from other men when a thought suddenly crossed Tanaka's mind.

Aki-chan hasn't been with Noya lately.

Aoi would most likely be busy with the shop but it was only for a few days then she would come by the club, either to give Nishinoya some snacks or wait for him to finish. But it has been almost a week now. He even spotted Nishinoya having his lunch alone by the vending machine.

Are the two of them fighting?

"Noya, I want to ask something," Tanaka said.

Nishinoya finished his popsicles in two bites when he turned to him expectantly. "What is it?"

"Well... I haven't seen Aki-chan with you lately." Tanaka nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Are you two... in a fight or something?"

There, he dropped the bomb. Hinata and Kageyama both were wide-eyed as they turned to each other slowly as if something unspeakable just happened in front of them.

Tanaka-san didn't just ask him that

Well, they can't back out now. Everyone from the volleyball club had also been wondering about the two. Though Nishinoya was the same Nishinoya while practicing with them, they haven't seen Aoi nor heard him mention her name.

And so the three waited for his answer but he just looked blankly at them and blinked. Nishinoya furrowed his brows. "What fight are you talking about?"

"W-Well we were just wondering since she hasn't visited you during practice and..." Tanaka tried to explain, all the while giving the two simpletons a look as if saying 'you two help me out here'.

Hinata just nodded. "Y-Y-Yes, Noya-san! We haven't seen her so we thought—"

Nishinoya just laughed heartily, making them all bewildered.

Did we get it wrong? So there wasn't a fight, after all.

"Thanks for the concern, but Manju and I aren't fighting," he cleared up which made them sigh in relief.

"Then why is she not dropping by to visit?" Kageyama asked.

Nishinoya thought for a moment before answering, "Actually, I have no idea either."

"WHAT?"

"Well, if I did something wrong and Manju's angry with me, she will tell me and I do the same," Nishinoya explained. "Manju doesn't give me the cold shoulder when something goes wrong. We both don't like fighting either." Then he gave out a long frustrated sigh. "I guess it's another case of her keeping secrets from me."

"Then what kind of secret would she keep from you, Noya-san?" Hinata raised the question.

Nishinoya only shrugged. "I don't know, but she looked like she really wanted to say something."

The three were concerned. Countless what-if's were running in their minds but the only thing that they could come up was: what if she wants to break up with him?

"But it's not like she's breaking up with me or something," Nishinoya added with a smile, oblivious from their thoughts. "Manju doesn't really like depending on others so she keeps everything to herself."

The next day...

Tanaka yawned and stared blankly at the board that morning while his classmates were chatting with each other. There was no morning practice today but his body seemed to be used to early hours of waking up so he just went straight to his classroom with droopy eyes and a silent wish for the day to pass so he could spend more time with his bed.

"Hey have you heard the rumor about Class 5's Akihana Aoi?" his classmate whispered.

Tanaka's ear instantly flinched. Did he just say Aki-chan's name?

"You mean her affair with Ichikawa?" the other guy guessed.

Ichikawa? Our class' Ichikawa? Tanaka looked at the guy sitting near the window. It was Ichikawa Saito with his frivolous looks, blonde hair, and playboy grin. He's also tall, probably around his height. He was surrounded by their other female classmates, two girls clinging on his arms like they own him. He could only frown with burning rage deep inside his heart. Ah, another enemy of man.

"Someone said that Ichikawa and Akihana were kissing in an empty classroom," Tanaka heard his classmate say.

"Are you sure?" the other one asked. "Maybe it's just one of his flings."

The guy nodded. "It was definitely her."

There was a click of tongue plus a disappointed sigh. "To think that she's been dating someone from the volleyball club."

Tanaka didn't want to hear the rest of the story so he approached the two men, gripping their shoulders tight that he was sure some bones cracked. "Hey, it's still early. It would be better if we continue this chat elsewhere, no?"

His dark expression and the flames around him reminded them of the dangerous crows lingering around the school. There was a large gulp and shiver running down their spines before they nodded and the three of them went out of the room.

Later that day, Class 2-1 shared their P.E. class with Class 2-3 which meant that Tanaka and Nishinoya will get to play against each other.

"And to think that volleyball is the game for today", he beamed excitedly. "I'll be sure to beat you up, Noya!"

Nishinoya bumped fists with him. "Give it your best shot, Ryu!"

The two were grinning with each other but the merry atmosphere was cut off when Ichikawa went in with the girls suddenly cheering for him. Tanaka observed Nishinoya but the smaller guy was just staring intently at Ichikawa as if he's a new being that he hasn't seen.

"Is he your teammate, Ryu?" Nishinoya asked.

Tanaka shook his head in negation. "I'm on a different group. Why?"

"Well, the teacher said the leader of our opposing team would be Ichikawa." Nishinoya pointed at the blonde playboy who was still surrounded by girls then he patted Tanaka's shoulder. "Good luck on your game, Ryu. Looks like we're not each other's opponent for today."

Tanaka wanted to whine but he just relented and Nishinoya went to his teammates. The volleyball game for their subject wasn't a formal one. It was a 3 vs. 3 game with a rule that indicates the winning team with ten points will get a higher grade than the losing team. Given that they were only three members, Nishinoya had no choice but to also play as a spiker on this one.

Tanaka saw Ichikawa sneering at Nishinoya, as if telling him that he already had him before the match even began.

He gritted his teeth slightly. The nerve of that guy.

Earlier, he found out that Ichikawa kissed Aoi while they were both on duty and when he remembered Nishinoya's words on how Aoi would keep everything to herself, it didn't take long for him to figure everything out. And while he was at it, there were even rumors that Aoi was spending a lot more time with Ichikawa than Nishinoya which he couldn't believe since Aoi spends more time with their shop.

Tanaka turned back to the game. It seems that Ichikawa's group was at a set point with 8:7. Nishinoya was usually quiet but there was a hidden anger beneath his eyes as Ichikawa still continued provoking him. The others must have noticed it too.

"This doesn't feel like a normal play."

Someone agreed. "It feels like a personal fight between Ichikawa and the small guy."

"So it's true that the manju girl from Class 5 was cheating on him?"

"I guess so. Well, Ichikawa's popular so the girl probably got attracted to him."

Tanaka gave them a villanous expression before watching the game again. Aki-chan's not that kind of woman, you bastards.

The game is now on 9:9. Noya, take that one point and beat that Ichikawa bastard for kissing Aki-chan!

When someone tossed the ball, Ichikawa was ready to block when Nishinoya suddenly jumped and spiked the ball hard at his direction, earning them the final point and causing everyone in the gym to be silent and nervous at the tension between them.

The whistle signalled the end of the game. While Nishinoya's teammates cheered, Ichikawa was glaring at him but he just gave him a blank expression. The teacher instructed them to shake hands with each other but instead of doing so, Ichikawa grabbed the collar of his shirt with Nishinoya unfazed at his fury.

"Nishinoya, was it? Earlier, you spiked the ball at me. You did that on purpose, didn't ya?" he guessed with an evil smirk. "Can't handle getting your woman stolen from a guy like me?"

That bastard! I want to beat him up! Tanaka thought, cracking his knuckles in the process.

Nishinoya just sighed. "What are you talking about? You didn't steal Aoi from me."

Tanaka stopped. Huh?

Ichikawa was already trembling in anger. He yelled, "Don't fuck with me! Your girlfriend and I kissed while you were out there playing volleyball on your own." He taunted the small libero. "Heck, she even told me she enjoyed it better than yours."

Nishinoya's face held no reaction. "If she enjoyed it that much, then did she kiss you back?"

Ichikawa was confused. Nishinoya then continued, "Aoi told me everything. You were the one who forced a kiss on her."

Everyone was shocked in disbelief. Ichikawa looked so embarassed that his hands finally let go of Nishinoya's shirt.

"Let me tell you something for a change. I never did anything to her that was against her will," Nishinoya said then glared at him. "So the next time you lay your hands on her or spread false rumors about you two, I'll beat you up for real."

Then Nishinoya left with Tanaka cheering on how he was so cool earlier. Ichikawa was just dumbfounded and his fangirls already left him.

BONUS:

After school...

"Hey, how did you know about the rumor?" Tanaka asked, sipping from his drink with Nishinoya eating his favorite popsicle. "Last night, you told us that you had no idea about Aki-chan's secret."

"Honestly, I still have no idea about the rumor," Nishinoya confessed which greatly surprised Tanaka that he had to double take.

"W-What? T-Then earlier—your spike and you even told that Ichikawa—"

"I was pissed because he was making fun of me then he suddenly mentioned about the kiss. I had to ride along to get back at him," the shorter guy explained then added, "Besides, I'll get suspended again if I punch his face or something."

Well, that is true. The last time you got suspended, the team had a hard time practicing receives.

"Hey Noya. Do you believe what that Ichikawa said earlier?"

Nishinoya just shrugged in negation. "Of course not! As if Manju will agree on kissing that bastard."

Tanaka hummed in response. When Nishinoya finished his popsicle stick, he read the winner sign.

"What a lucky day!" Nishinoya beamed. "Guess I'll buy again for Manju so she would cheer up and talk to me again."

Tanaka sighed then smiled contently. Guess there was really no fight after all.