Splash of Color

5: Extra Practice

Walking through the empty hallway on a mission to get to your locker, you pass by the art clubroom. Your hand clasps around the doorknob to turn it but...

Locked. Ah, it was worth a shot.

You sigh and continue on to your destination and grab your extra art tools. Placing them in your bag, your thoughts drift to why you haven't done anything other than paint recently. The reason emerges in your head quite spontaneously but you dismiss it quickly.

No need to think about that right now.

You shake your head to rid yourself of those thoughts and make your way back to the gym more quickly than when you had left. Pushing open the doors to the gym, you quickly spot Oikawa in the room practicing intensely as usual.

He didn't notice you enter so you quietly take a seat by the bleachers again and open your sketchbook. It flips to your most recent drawing that you almost forgot about. Getting a better look at it, you notice how it looks more and more like...

"Hey, that looks a little like me doesn't it?"

You jump as he continues to peer over your shoulder. "...It could be anyone." You lamely respond. Even you could tell there were striking features that only one volleyball player had.

"Hm~" He leans away and faces you with a smug smile. "You're right. I'm pretty sure I'm more charming, don't you think?"

You internally sigh in relief— you really had no good reason as to why you drew him. Well, you didn't really want to tell him that you felt a little...just a little...in awe the first time you saw him practice. All you wanted right now was to change the conversation topic. "Aren't you supposed to be practicing?"

He just hums in response as he walks back to the court in an almost smug manner. You could barely hear it, but you swear you heard, "I guess we're even then~"

You blinked. What does that even mean?

~~

Once in a while, you glance up and see Oikawa doing the same technique you've seen every time you looked at him. With curious eyes, you decide to properly watch this technique he's working on. Your eyes widened in surprise.

This guy was doing variations of said technique. They were similar, yes, but not the same. You felt a building respect for this volleyball icon. If you didn't notice it then, you noticed it now.

This guy worked hard.

You couldn't help but relate to him even though you knew close to nothing about volleyball. But the traits he possessed was something you felt easily connected to. You could feel it just from his actions. His face would scrunch up and then you'd see him tweak his actions slightly from the previous technique.

Always making steps to improve on every strike.

Glancing back at the other materials in your bag, your hands grasp the first thing it touches out of the bag and began to use it to start sketching in your book. Somehow, just by seeing his practice, you felt little bits of yourself return to you, those little pieces fighting against the slump you didn't realize you limited yourself on.

You probably wouldn't tell Ami, but it was a good call on not going to the clubroom today.

~~

"So..." He stretches the word and grins at you. "What did you think?"

You shake your head a little at his cocky tone before responding. "Well, you did a good job keeping me entertained." You couldn't hold down the impressed tone in your voice.

He starts humming as he walks with you to the train station. "I guess this means I'll come visit you next then!"

Glancing at him, you're suddenly aware that it is in fact Friday today. "Oh right, you take Mondays off." You pause. "Why is it that you take a day off?"

His hums come to an abrupt stop and you cringe at the thought of hitting a now very obvious landmine. "Ah...well~" his voice still sounded cheery, but there was something else embedded in that tone that you didn't particularly like. You didn't have the heart to let him finish his sentence.

"Hm~ You're one of those 'go hard or go home' types huh?" You put emphasis by using your little air quotes. "I can respect that."

His usual smile returns. "I prefer 'if you're going to hit it, hit it until it breaks'."

That comment solidified that he did indeed have some sort of injury.

"You might as well put philosopher on your lists you can be..." You realize you haven't presented your very well thought out nickname for him yet. "...Spotty."

"Yeah...well..." He was about to respond to your comment when he noticed the very new, very unfitting name you just called him. "What was that?"

You couldn't contain your smug grin. "Since you seem to have a big red spot right around...here." Your hand gestures to his whole face. "Doesn't it seem so fitting?"

When you saw his eye twitch you felt yourself fill up with pride. "It most definitely does not!" He shoots you an unimpressed stare. "That sounds like a dog's name."

"Well..." You imply nonchalantly.

"Hey!" His face morphs into an offended expression.

"I didn't say anything!" You raise your hands up in defense.

"But you implied it!" He pouts.

You decide to throw the final blow. "I did no such thing, Spotty!"

"..."

You could feel a smug grin rest itself on your face. How does it feel to be on the other side of the fence Oikawa?

Ah, justice was finally served.

~~

He was still pouting about it when you guys got on the train. You breathe out heavily. "Calm down, I'm not going to call you that too often Oikawa-san. You know, unlike some people." You slip in.

"But at least mine is pretty good." He muttered.

You could feel your patience running thin from his childish attitude. It was definitely not because he still thinks Rudolph is a more creative nickname. "I want to object to that notion but it seems like this conversation won't come to a close."

"Heh~ So you finally agree with me." How he managed to bounce back like that, you would never know.

"As if." You look inside your bag for a distraction and see that you have packed a slice of milk bread with your name on it. Then you look up in Oikawa's general direction. Did you even want to share it with him anymore? Your decision was cut short when you felt Oikawa lean over to see what you were contemplating about.

"Eh~ Wait...were you just thinking about not sharing that with me?!" He exclaims.

You didn't meet his eyes which seemed to be enough of an answer for him.

"Ah! This and that are totally different!" As he blurts out many uncohesive reasons, you sigh and just take the milk bread out of the ziplock and rip it into two.

Before you pass it over to him, you first hold it out of his reach. "This is not because I finally agree with 'Rudolph'. It's just that you worked hard in practice today so cheers." Passing it over to him, you and Oikawa once again tap your pieces of bread together like you're clinking wine glasses.

"You know, we should actually do this with wine glasses one day."

"One step at a time Oikawa-san. We have to level up to pop cans first."