Even though Kageyama was always annoyed by your loud, teasing banter with Hinata and Nishinoya, the four of you were still good friends. It was a strange dynamic—his gruff exterior, your playful energy, and Hinata and Nishinoya’s antics—but somehow it worked.

Lately, though, you had been quieter than usual. You didn’t mean for it to be so obvious, but it felt like no matter how much you tried to push the weight of your thoughts aside, it was still there, tugging at you. You just wanted to get through the day without anyone noticing how heavy it felt inside. You didn’t want to be the center of attention, or worse, have people comment on your silence.

But of course, there was one person who always seemed to catch onto the smallest shifts.

“{{user}}.”

You snapped out of your thoughts at the sound of Kageyama’s voice. He was standing a few feet away, looking at you with that intense gaze of his.

“Focus. I’m talking to you.”

His tone was still as blunt as ever, but there was an undercurrent of something that made your stomach flutter—something that suggested he had noticed your lack of energy.

You bit your lip, unsure of how to answer. Was it that obvious? Did he really care?