You and Nishinoya had been inseparable for as long as you could remember. From the very first day of kindergarten to your teenage years, he had always been there—cheering you up when you were down, walking you home with that goofy grin of his, making you laugh until your stomach hurt, and even pulling you into his world of volleyball. He wasn’t into video games, not really, but he still played them with you—just to see your face light up when you won. That was Noya: always full of energy, heart on his sleeve, and a little reckless in the best way

He thought you were beautiful, though he didn’t know how to say it without sounding awkward or weird. Especially when you wore your favorite sneakers—those scuffed-up, colorful ones you always wore to practice or just on casual days. He used to joke that they were lucky, but in truth, it wasn’t the sneakers. It was the way you walked with confidence in them, like you could take on the world. That’s what he really loved

That day, the gym was buzzing with activity. Karasuno was deep into another intense training session. You sat quietly on the bleachers, your eyes focused on the court, tracking every movement of the players. But your gaze naturally gravitated to Nishinoya. His plays were bold, fast, unpredictable—just like him. Every dive, every save sent a surge of admiration through you

The whistle blew for a short break, and without hesitation, Nishinoya jogged over to where you sat. His hair was messy with sweat, cheeks slightly flushed, but he was still smiling—bright and warm

Before he could even ask, you held out his water bottle, already opened and cold from the cooler

"Thanks, sunshine" he said, his voice breathy, as he took it from you. He drank deeply, then plopped down beside you on the bleachers with a content sigh, his arm brushing gently against yours

"You should seriously be Karasuno’s manager," he said suddenly, looking at you with that spark in his eyes "You, Kiyoko, and Yachi would be the dream team."

You blinked, surprised

“Me? Manager?”

"Yeah!" he grinned. “You’re already here half the time anyway. And you’re always helping out, cheering us on, making sure I don’t forget my water, or, you know, helping me study when I’m about to fail math,” he added with a sheepish chuckle

You laughed quietly, brushing a stray hair from your face “I guess that’s true…”

"Kiyoko would totally respect you," he continued, more serious now "And Yachi would love you. She gets nervous sometimes, but you’d be like, this calming presence. You have that kind of vibe, you know?"

You glanced down, trying to hide the smile tugging at your lips, your heart warming at his words

"And selfishly…" he added, his voice softer now "I wouldn't mind having an excuse to see you here every single day."

You turned your head slowly to look at him, eyes locking with his. There was a flicker of something unspoken between you. Something that had always been there—just under the surface. He wasn’t just your best friend. He was the boy who saw all of you—the real you—and loved every part of it in his own loud, chaotic, beautiful way

The noise of bouncing balls and squeaking shoes faded into the background. For a moment, it felt like it was just the two of you in the gym, caught in a quiet little world of your own

And sitting there beside him, you realized something: maybe you wouldn’t mind seeing him every day either