Love, Set, Embarrassment!
⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔
The gym was loud, sneakers squeaking, volleyballs thudding, voices echoing from every corner. Multiple schools, multiple teams, all crammed into one massive training camp. It smelled like sweat, energy drinks, and bad decisions.
You adjusted the strap of your bag and scanned the courts, looking for your teammates.
And that’s when Atsumu Miya saw you.
It was embarrassing, really. One second he was half-listening to Kita talk about schedules, the next boom. Brain empty. Heart gone. Soul ascended.
Osamu glanced over. “What ‘oh no’.”
Atsumu didn’t answer. He was staring. Not subtly. Not politely. Full-on, mouth-slightly-open staring.
You laughed at something your teammate said, tilting your head back just a bit, and Atsumu felt his entire future flash before his eyes.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “I’m done. I’m marryin’ that person.”
Osamu followed his gaze. “…You don’t even know them.”
“I don’t need to,” Atsumu said seriously. “It’s love at first sight.”
“You said that about a convenience store croquette once.”
You, meanwhile, were blissfully unaware.
To you, Atsumu Miya was just another loud blond volleyball player somewhere in the background of the gym if you noticed him at all.
Because Atsumu Miya did not handle being ignored well.
His first attempt to get your attention was… questionable.
You were sitting on the sidelines, taping your fingers, focused on your phone, when a volleyball suddenly rolled to a stop right at your feet.
You looked down. Then up.
Atsumu stood a few meters away, hand outstretched, flashing what he clearly thought was a charming smile.
“Hey,” he said. “Mind tossin’ that over?”
You picked up the ball and gently tossed it back. “Here you go.”
Then you went right back to your phone.
“…That’s it?” he whispered.
Osamu, passing by, snorted. “Congrats. You’ve interacted with a human.”
Attempt number two was worse.
You were walking toward the vending machines when someone suddenly sprinted past you, tripped dramatically and slid across the floor like a poorly executed action movie stunt.
Atsumu lay sprawled on the floor, one arm raised.
“…I’m okay,” he said weakly.
You stopped, blinked, and rushed over with genuine concern. “Oh my god, are you hurt?”
“Nope!” he said way too fast, jumping up and immediately slipping again.
This time, he crashed into a stack of cones.
“…Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Never been better,” he said, giving a thumbs-up while still half-buried in cones.
You nodded slowly. “Uh. Good luck with… that.”
And then you walked away.
Osamu didn’t even try to hide his laughter. “You look like an idiot.”
“She talked to me,” Atsumu said dreamily.
Attempt number three involved showing off.
During a scrimmage, Atsumu went absolutely feral.
Jump serve aces. Impossible sets. Flashy plays he absolutely did not need to attempt.
Every time he scored, he glanced toward where you were sitting.
You were talking to your teammate. Not looking.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME,” he yelled internally, setting a ball so aggressively it nearly broke the laws of physics.
Kita shot him a warning look. “Miya. Focus.”
“I am focused,” Atsumu said. “On love.”
It wasn’t until later that evening when the teams were finally given a break that everything changed.
You stood outside the gym, stretching your legs, when someone approached you far more calmly than before.
Blond hair. Sharp eyes. That same guy who had almost died twice earlier.
Atsumu swallowed. For once, he didn’t trip. Didn’t shout. Didn’t embarrass himself.
“I’m Atsumu,” he said. “From Inarizaki.”
You smiled politely. “Nice to meet you. I’m-”
Before you could finish, he bowed too fast, smacked his forehead against a doorframe, and yelped.
You gasped. “Oh my god! are you sure you’re okay?”
Atsumu laughed, rubbing his head. “Yeah. I swear I’m usually cooler than this.”
You raised an eyebrow, amused now. “Could’ve fooled me.”
He grinned wide, genuine, a little nervous. “Can I… maybe sit with you for a bit?”
You hesitated. Then shrugged. “Sure.”
As he sat down beside you, Atsumu thought, Finally.
You thought, Huh. He’s kinda funny.
And just like that, for the first time all day you actually noticed him.
You didn’t realize it at first, but Atsumu was trying very hard not to mess this up.
He sat next to you on the gym steps, hands folded like he was waiting outside a principal’s office. The loud, cocky setter everyone knew was suddenly quiet, too quiet.
“So,” you said, breaking the silence, “you always throw yourself at doors, or was today special?”
He barked out a laugh. “Only when I’m nervous.”
You glanced at him. “You get nervous?”
“Don’t spread that rumor,” he said quickly. “I’ve got a reputation to protect.”
You smiled a little at that, and Atsumu internally celebrated like he’d just won nationals.
Progress. Actual progress.
The two of you talked about the camp, about how exhausting it was being surrounded by so many competitive schools, about how the food sucked and the gym never seemed to cool down. Atsumu listened more than he talked, which shocked literally everyone who knew him.
Especially Osamu, who was watching from afar with his arms crossed.
“Who is that man,” Osamu muttered. “And what did he do with my brother?”
The next few days, Atsumu made it his mission to be around you.
Not in a subtle way. Atsumu Miya did not do subtle.
He “accidentally” ended up at the same breakfast table as you.
He volunteered to help carry equipment only to drop half of it the second you said hi.
He joined conversations he had no business being in just to hear you laugh again.
And somehow miraculously you still didn’t realize he was completely, hopelessly gone.
“Does that guy follow you around too?” one of your teammates asked as Atsumu hovered nearby, pretending to stretch.
You glanced over. “Oh, him? He’s just… friendly. Like a dog...”
Atsumu clutched his chest.
That night, he lay on his futon staring at the ceiling, dramatic as ever.
“She thinks I’m friendly,” he whispered.
Osamu rolled over in the dark and groaned. “DOG friendly, Atsumu.”
“I don’t wanna be friendly,” Atsumu groaned. “I wanna be unforgettable.”
“Then stop embarrassing yourself.”
The turning point came during a free evening.
The coaches allowed everyone a few hours off, and groups scattered around the nearby town. You were browsing a small convenience store when someone appeared beside you.
“Hey,” Atsumu said, holding up a drink. “Is this good, or does it taste like regret?”
You laughed. “That one’s decent.”
“Perfect,” he said. “I trust you with my life.”
You raised an eyebrow. “That seems unwise.”
“Yeah, but I already tripped in front of you twice. Too late now.”
“…You really did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“…Maybe,” he admitted. “In my defense, I was tryin’ to get your attention.”
You turned to fully face him now. Really looked at him.
His ears turned red. “Yeah.”
He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly shy. “Because I noticed you the second I saw you. And I kinda couldn’t stop after that.”
It wasn’t dramatic. No lightning, no background music. Just a quiet moment where you realized..
Atsumu Miya wasn’t just loud and ridiculous.
He was sincere. Clumsy. Trying way too hard. And somehow… endearing.
You smiled. “You could’ve just talked to me, you know.”
He groaned. “Don’t say that. I risked my dignity for nothing?”
You laughed again, really laughed this time, and Atsumu felt like it was worth every bruise.
“So,” you said, holding up your drink, “want to walk around together?”
He grinned, bright and unmistakably Atsumu. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
As you stepped outside together, Atsumu thought Okay. Not love at first sight anymore. This is better.
Walking with Atsumu through the town was… an experience.He talked with his hands, nearly knocking over a display of umbrellas. He waved at random people like he knew them. He almost walked straight into a pole while looking at you instead of where he was going.
“Do you usually struggle with basic navigation?” you asked.
“Only when I’m walkin’ next to pretty people,” he said smoothly and immediately choked on his own drink.
You stopped. “Are you okay?”
He coughed violently, eyes watering. “Y-yeah...went down the wrong pipe...worth it...”
“Not the choking part. The compliment part.”
You laughed so hard you had to lean against a wall, and Atsumu watched you like he’d just unlocked a rare achievement.
Mission: Make You Laugh. Completed.
You passed a small arcade, lights flashing inside.
“Oh!” you said. “They have one of those photo booths.”
Atsumu’s eyes lit up. “Purikura? Hell yeah.”
Five minutes later, you were standing inside the tiny booth while Atsumu enthusiastically pressed every button like he was trying to defuse a bomb.
“Why are there so many options?” he said. “Why is my eyes gettin’ bigger.”
“You chose ‘extra sparkle,’” you pointed out.
The photos came out… questionable.
Your eyes were slightly too big. Atsumu’s hair was glowing. There were cartoon hearts everywhere.
“…We look like a cursed couple.”
Atsumu nodded seriously. “Frame it.”
As you exited the booth, Atsumu fumbled the photo strip and it slipped right into a puddle.
“No,” he whispered. “No no no!”
You burst out laughing. “Atsumu, it’s fine!”
He looked devastated. “That was our first documented memory.”
He stopped. Slowly looked at you.
“…I mean. Uh. Friendship memory.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”
Flustered, he tried to shove the damp photo into his pocket and accidentally dropped his wallet.
Cards scattered everywhere.
You bent down to help and picked one up.
“…Is this a membership card to a volleyball fan club?”
He lunged. “DON’T READ THAT.”
You read it out loud anyway. “ ‘Miya Atsumu-Official Setter Genius.’ ”
Your laughter echoed down the street.
He covered his face. “I forgot that was in there.”
You wiped tears from your eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”
Atsumu peeked at you through his fingers, smiling despite himself.
“Yeah,” he said. “But you’re still hangin’ out with me.”
You paused. Then smiled back.
And somewhere deep inside Atsumu’s chest, something warm settled in.
Embarrassment? Still there. Dignity? Long gone.
But worth it? Absolutely.
