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Sometime after Hinata said that he could receive Kageyama’s toss just fine, he insisted to have Kageyama’s number. Although Hinata was genuinely surprised to see that Kageyama did have mobile, he was even more surprised that Kageyama gave Hinata his number.
Though Kageyama didn’t just tell Hinata his number, because he had to open a message draft inside his mobile because apparently Kageyama himself didn’t remember his number.
Hinata chuckeld, “How can you not remember your own number, Kageyama?”
Kageyama didn’t roar at Hinata, but he did pout at his mobile. “Because you’re the only person who ever ask for my number.”
Hinata blinked. Even though Hinata’s head only filled with volleyball, it was super easy to pick that Kageyama would be the popular type for his height alone. Hinata knew about how Kageyama got all those love letters on his shoe locker.
“Uh, are you sure?” Hinata still chuckled. He would think that Kageyama was joking, if only he didn’t know that Kageyama probably had as much as humor sense as Tanaka-senpai had hair.
“Well,” Kageyama glanced at Hinata. “I never gave my number to anyone but you. Beside, this is for volleyball purpose, right? We have to do something about that sorry receive of yours.”
Hinata felt like something just stuck on his throat, but he nodded and smiled at the prospect of having better receive.
He didn’t know back then that he would never use Kageyama’s number for anything, until the Tokyo Excursion ended.
*)*
Kageyama was Hinata’s natural enemy, but also best spiking partner. They were always arguing with each other in a way that Hinata never did with anyone else. Perhaps that was why he thought Kageyama was special to stick to his side even though everyday Hinata had screaming fit with him.
Perhaps that was why he felt so lonely when he wanted to have different toss from Kageyama and Kageyama disagreed. They didn’t talk for weeks and even when they did on the court, because they must, they spoke briefly and awkwardly.
When they finally developed their new attack and reunited after so long, Hinata thought he was going to cry out of relief. It was kind of weird to be so glad for getting called ‘Dumbass’ again, but Hinata supposed that couldn’t be helped.
Because Kageyama was special.
*)*
On the bus home from Tokyo, Hinata was too tired to even open his eyes. The rest of the team was just the same, so he didn’t really have the chance to talk to Kageyama after that.
When Hinata was about to leave the school for perhaps 24 hours long sleep, Kageyama made extra effort to follow him.
“We’ll practice our attack again the day after tomorrow,” he said, glaring down and pouting at Hinata as usual.
Hinata nodded slowly out of tiredness.
But when he walked away, he felt like Kageyama was still staring at him until he turned at the corner.
*)*
Hinata got home by 6 pm, took a bath and too tired for dinner. He fell asleep straight away and slept like a log, not realizing anything except perhaps when Natsu—who proclaimed to miss Hinata so terribly—brought Hinata fresh new blanket and tuck her big brother in.
Sometime after midnight, Hinata woke up for the bathroom. When he already settled back into his bed, all warm and toasty, his mobile buzzed.
He reached out to his mobile on the table and saw a message.
A message from Kageyama.
Hinata jolted awake and sat right away. With a slightly trembling hand, he opened the message. Something on his stomach felt like it was doing cartwheel.
(1:57) Kageyama: Hinata, are you asleep?
Hinata glanced at the tiny digital clock on the top of his mobile’s screen. It was just three minutes ago. He typed a reply, fingers still trembling.
(2:00) Hinata: I did. But now I don’t.
(2:01) Hinata: Why?
Kageyama didn’t reply for another five minutes.
(2:06) Kageyama: Oh, I was just asking. Also, I don’t usually text, so I type very slowly.
Hinata snickered to his mobile.
(2:07) Hinata: I’m trying to imagine you to be slow and bad at something. It’s honestly really hard.
(2:09) Kageyama: Shut up, Hinata Dumbass.
(2:10) Hinata: Ha! I’m actually writing, so I don’t make any sound, therefore I already am shutting up.
(2:13) Kageyama: That sounds stupid.
(2:14) Hinata: Says the boy who almost didn’t go to Tokyo because he had bad scores!
(2:17) Kageyama: You were too, Dumbass! We took those lessons from Tsukishima and Yachi-san together!
Hinata had a good laugh, though he had to cover his mouth as he did, because he didn’t want to wake up the whole neighbourhood.
When he thought about all the hardship of studying he had to get through in order to go to Tokyo, Hinata forgot to write reply. When he looked down at his mobile, Kageyama already sent another message.
(2:22) Kageyama: Hey, do you fell asleep?
(2:23) Kageyama: Dumbass.
Hinata typed back furiously.
(2:24) Hinata: I am not! What the hell are you doing anyway messaging me in the middle of the night like this?
Kageyama didn’t reply after a minute, so Hinata waited. He didn’t reply after five minutes either. After ten minutes, Kageyama still didn’t reply, so Hinata started to type ‘Well, you’re the one who obviously fell asleep’.
But then his mobile buzzed again.
(2:38) Kageyama: I’m really tired, but I can’t sleep.
(2:39) Kageyama: I’m thinking about you.
Hinata read those four words again and again. I’m thinking about you. Kageyama didn’t seem like the kind of person who would say such words. But then again, they just got back on good term after refusing to talk to each other for so long.
So Hinata typed a reply.
(2:41) Hinata: I think I understand. I’m thinking about you too.
Kageyama reply was almost immediate.
(2:42) Kageyama: I think about all the time we don’t talk to each other because we were thinking differently.
(2:43) Kageyama: I was afraid I would never talk to you again—that we never made another attack that works.
Hinata looked at his mobile’s screen, long and silent.
(2:46) Hinata: I was a little afraid too.
(2:47) Hinata: I guess that was our first serious fight, though.
(2:49) Kageyama: Do you think we’ll have another serious fight in the future?
(2:50) Hinata: Maybe. It can’t be helped because we both have strong personalities, just that I’m the loud type and you’re the silent one.
(2:51) Hinata: Also, you’re really stupid, Stupid Kageyama.
Hinata’s mobile buzzed angrily several times after that.
(2:51) Kageyama: Why you…!!!
(2:51) Kageyama: Dumbass Hinata!!!
(2:51) Kageyama: How dare you calling me stupid!!!
(2:51) Kageyama: You lousy receiver!!! We have to work extra hard the day after tomorrow!
(2:52) Kageyama: Ah, it’s actually tomorrow, though… it’s almost 3 AM. I thought it was still before midnight.
Hinata looked down at his mobile’s screen, at Kageyama’s words, and suddenly he wanted to be teleported to Kageyama’s bedroom, where the stupid setter was probably on his bed, doing his best in writing insult to Hinata as fast as possible.
Hinata suddenly choked down a sob.
Stupid Kageyama was stupid.
And he missed to be insulted of that stupid setter so much.
His mobile buzzed again.
(2:54) Kageyama: Are you asleep now?
(2:55) Kageyama: Were my words too harsh? I’m sorry.
(2:56) Kageyama: You know I don’t mean it.
(2:56) Kageyama: You know me.
(2:57) Kageyama: You probably the person who understand me best, on court or off court.
The last message made Hinata dialed Kageyama’s number.
“Why are you calling me?” was Kageyama’s immediate reply once he picked up the phone. He was whispering and he sounded angry.
Hinata wanted to say something along ‘Stupid Kageyama’, but all he did was making that stuttering, sobbing noise.
“H-Hinata?” Kageyama suddenly sounded hoarse and there was some ruffle noise. “Hey, are you crying?”
Hinata tried to muffle his sobbing, but he couldn’t.
“Did my words hurt you that much? I’m really sorry,” Kageyama’s voice was now slowly descended into whisper. “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you.”
Hinata stuttered to his mobile, “Stupid Kageyama!”
“What…?” Kageyama sounded genuinely confused.
Hinata never knew that saying ‘I miss you’ was so very hard, harder than receiving a thousand volleyballs, perhaps.
“Listen, I don’t know why you’re crying, but I’m sorry. Now is maybe a good time to go back to bed for you,” said Kageyama.
So Hinata slipped back under his blanket, still holding his mobile against his ear.
“Kageyama,” sniffled Hinata.
“What?” Kageyama’s ‘what’ was so much gentler than usual.
“Don’t hang up.”
Kageyama sighed, “I won’t. Now go to sleep.”
Hinata lied there on his bed, warm under his blanket, but even warmer from the sound of Kageyama getting under his own blanket at his own bed.
Then Hinata just closed his eyes and listened to Kageyama’s breathing. The setter certainly hadn’t fall asleep.
“Hinata,” whispered Kageyama suddenly. Hinata jolted because hearing Kageyama’s voice so close to his ear on his own bed was still a new, albeit exciting, experience.
“Mm?” mumbled Hinata, nuzzled into his pillow.
Kageyama just breathed for a couple of seconds, before speaking again. “I miss you.”
“Eh?”
“I-I miss you. Maybe. I mean, we haven’t talk so much since that time. Well, we did talk all the time, but… I didn’t get to experience Tokyo with you. We didn’t go to bath together and all that crap we did when we usually went away to spend the night someplace else with the club.”
Hinata just chuckled into his mobile. “I feel the same way, Kageyama.”
Kageyama just breathed for sometime then, like Hinata.
“Now go to sleep, Hinata.”
“You too, Kageyama.”
Kageyama sighed, “Don’t hang up, though.”
“I won’t,” Hinata smiled, even though Kageyama couldn’t see it. Perhaps Kageyama could hear it.
Hinata slowly dozed off out of tiredness and tears to the sound of Kageyama’s breathing.
It wouldn’t be anytime soon, but perhaps one day Hinata would sleep to Kageyama’s breathing next to him.
Until then, calling Kageyama in the middle of the night like this was okay, because whether on court or off court, Kageyama always made him feel undeniably, unexplainably invincible and safe.