"What was that just now, Sugawara-san?" Nishinoya could not wait before they arrived at Sugawara's household.

Sugawara let out a chuckle before answering, "Sudden numbness. It happened at any time, you see. I will feel nothing in my body and abruptly fall."

"Are you serious? It sounds dangerous to me!" Nishinoya even gritted. Their journey was not even halfway to Sugawara's, but Nishinoya panicked too much just now.

"It happened, see? No one asked me anything about it. They don't even flinch when you offered yourself to send me home." Sugawara could sense another numbness in his lower limbs. Well, it occurred many times already before.

"Sugawara-san, I really hope you would divulge this to them. Today you were practically fine because I was there," Nishinoya lowered his eyes and murmured, "I could not forgive myself if anything meant to happen to you during my absence, or worst, when you are alone."

" Toldja not to get all sweaty because of it."

They finally arrived at Sugawara's household. Sugawara's mom greeted them Okaeri and thanked Nishinoya for bringing Sugawara home on her behalf.

"Sugawara-san's mom is pretty and kind, so polite too," Nishinoya commented and smirked, "No wonder the only son got her traits."

Sugawara glanced at the younger for a few seconds, "Do you think I'm kind hearted like my mom?"

"You ain't called Karasuno's mom for nothing, Sugawara-san. Everyone likes it. You are generous and always take care of the members, especially us the kouhai, so well. Sometimes I wonder if you are taking care of yourself."

Sugawara's mom served hot drinks for both Sugaawara and Nishinoya and made her way to her son's room as she said she would prepare the futon for Sugawara and Nishinoya. Nishinoya humbly rejected the offer as he still could walk home after that.

"You are kind yourself," Sugawara added when his mom has gone to his room, "If you were not, you wouldn't know what I'm having."

" While we're on the topics," not that Nishinoya ignored Sugawara's praise on him. He just did not like the praise because he believed he was not that pure, "Why didn't you enclose everything when I asked you yesterday? I did not go with Kageyama and you in meeting Oikawa-san."

Sugawara furrowed before he bursts to laughter, "Aha, so you really tailed me then." He finished off his laugh before he said, "It's because I trust you."

There was an overwhelming silence. Nishinoya's hand grabbed his cup of hot drink while his eyes was glued on Sugawara. Not that he was being extra cautious, but he would rather stare at the elder than be fallen in such weird quietness.

"I don't get it."

Sugawara's hand reached Nishinoya's head. "If you were not that persistent, you wouldn't be here before me now. It's because your curiosity brought you to face me yesterday. I was shocked, to be honest. But the way you approached me made me want to put my trust on you. No one influenced you to not follow me or such; you moved based on your instinct wholly. That's why I made up my mind."

He ruffled Nishinoya's hair and giggled like how he used to do. And as usual too, Nishinoya would grumble upon it. Sugawara's mom returned and informed them that she has done laying out the futon, and still offered Nishinoya to stay overnight. Again, Nishinoya rejected.

"I will bring him upstairs before I return home, Sugawara-san," came as a reply.

Nishinoya assisted the wobbly Sugawara upstairs to his own bedroom. He helped Sugawara to lie down at the most comfortable position for the latter.

"You are just like my mom," Sugawara commented and giggled at it, "I hope you would do great as my role in Karasuno."

" No one could replace you or take away your role in Karasuno, Sugawara-san," Nishinoya squinted at Sugawara. He somehow got annoyed at how peaceful Sugawara was despite having an incurrable disease.

"Are you sure, Nishinoya?" In instant, Sugawara's eyes drooped and he evaded from looking at Nishinoya, "Sawamura has already taken Kageyama as our setter."

" He has found a new setter but that doesn't mean you are being replaced, Sugawara-san," Nishinoya now understood what he saw during their practice. He did witness Sugawara's troubled face, and his guts was true. Sugawara did not like how Sawamura emphasized 'replacing team member' thingy.

It must be that Sugawara became more sensitive and fragile than how he should be. No, he was already as fragile to begin with. His softness has made him seen as mother-like, unawaring the truth behind his personality. Nishinoya believed it was because of the illness that Sugawara would get random sadness or pity, frustration or anger, and such, over happiness even of his own.

Yet how he could remain as cheerful before the team members?

"But why Sawamura said it like they were already throwing me away?"

" He didn't mean it that way, Sugawara-san. He was just doing his normal deed of praising the kouhai. I know it." Nishinoya reassured Sugawara as firm as he could persist.

Though Sugawara appeared in pink in the eyes of the team members, Nishinoya would do his best to recollect Sugawara after, possibly, his heart has shattered upon hearing someone else's saying. It was not too surprising for Nishinoya if Sugawara admitted himself being all feeble after heard Sawamura praising Kageyama.

"I'm delighted that you trust me, Sugawara-san. But I hope you ain't saying it just to avoid more inquire from me," Nishinoya got up and was about to leave the bedroom, "I hope you regain your senses back."

Sugawara sent Nishinoya off with only his gaze. He just watched Nishinoya leaving his room, and his ears could hear the kouhai bidding farewell to his mom. His numbness resurfaced and he was just lucky that Nishinoya has helped him lying down before going home. While waiting to doze off, he stared at the ceiling.

Why was it so hard to tell Nishinoya that he was not feeling well in the first place? He knew he would randomly fall, but he should stay strong and remain untouched even when Sawamura said so. Why did he attend to the practice and train Kageyama all these while? Was he hurting his own heart by staying in Karasuno and let all those words engulfing himself?

Sugawara Koushi that everyone acknowledge of would not fall for such petty reason. He just needed to maintain his distance between him and people around him. This included Nishinoya, no matter how insisting Nishinoya was.

"Am I right to maintain the distance between us?"