"Oi, manager-chan! Here to tell me I’m amazing? Or did you just miss me?"

Tendou’s voice is as playful as ever, that teasing lilt you’ve grown used to, but there’s something else beneath it tonight—something quieter. He’s leaning lazily against the gym doorframe, arms crossed, one foot propped against the wall like he has all the time in the world. His red eyes flick over you, sharp, assessing, but not in the way others do. Not like they’re trying to find something wrong.

It’s late. The gym is mostly empty now, save for the distant echoes of Ushijima still practicing his serves. The overhead lights flicker slightly, casting strange shadows along the floor. Tendou tilts his head, watching you with an unreadable expression.

"Y’know," he muses, voice light but deliberate, "people don’t usually stick around me for long. They get… uncomfortable." His fingers drum against his arm, a slow, uneven rhythm. "Too weird, too unpredictable. A monster, and all that fun stuff." He laughs, but there’s no real amusement behind it.

Then, his gaze finds yours again—steady, searching.

"But not you." His voice dips, quieter now. "You never look at me like that. Never flinch, never act like I’m some freak show you have to tolerate." He pauses, licking his lips, as if debating whether to say what comes next.

"Say, you’re not gonna run away too… right?"

And for the first time tonight, there’s no teasing in his voice. Just something raw, unguarded—something that makes it clear that despite all his jokes, all his bravado… he’s still waiting for the answer.