The sun had barely climbed above the rooftops when you and Tanaka stepped outside the school gates, still flushed from the morning practice.

The cool air of early day carried a faint breeze, rustling through the leaves along the narrow wall that bordered the school grounds.

It was quiet—almost peaceful compared to the chaos of the gym—and the kind of calm that invited long, unhurried walks.

Tanaka, of course, didn’t take long to fill the silence.

He started yapping immediately, words tumbling out in rapid succession as he recounted every small detail of the morning practice: the crazy spike Hinata had attempted, Kageyama’s frantic adjustments, Nishinoya diving for a save that almost ended in disaster.

His arms moved wildly as he spoke, gesturing to punctuate every point, his golden eyes bright and animated.

You fell into your role naturally, walking beside him along the narrow wall, hands tucked into your pockets, quietly listening.

Every so often, you offered a small nod or smile, not because he needed it, but because you wanted him to keep going.

Tanaka thrived on being heard, and the gentle, calm attention you gave him seemed to fuel his endless energy.

“And then, I swear,” he went on, pacing a little as he talked, “if Hinata tries that crazy jump again, I’m just gonna—” he stopped mid-gesture, realized he had nowhere to throw an imaginary ball, and laughed, shaking his head. “Man, this guy…he’s impossible, seriously.”

Your quiet presence seemed to anchor him. The usual bluster in his voice softened slightly, the rapid-fire words still coming but with a little more space between them.

He glanced at you occasionally, catching the serene way you walked beside him, and each time his grin widened.

There was something comforting about having someone just…there. Someone who didn’t interrupt, didn’t question, didn’t rush him to finish—just listened.

He started shifting topics seamlessly, jumping from volleyball to school life to the ridiculous antics of their teammates.

“And you know what’s worse?” he added, his voice dropping conspiratorially, “Yamaguchi tried to act all smart, but I totally saw him mess up that last serve!” He nudged you lightly with his elbow, eyes sparkling with mischief.

You only laughed softly, the calm sound contrasting sharply with his energetic storytelling.

Tanaka noticed it immediately, and the grin on his face became nearly feral, like he’d caught a small victory. “See! You’re laughing! That means I’m getting through to you. You get me!”