LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE

The words which left Tanaka's mouth previously seemed to freeze the team in place, confused looks went all around. Some were still processing the words, disbelief coursing through their minds.

''A what now?'' Nishinoya asked, dumbfound.

Tanaka couldn't fight off the smug smirk that started etching onto his face.

None of the other members have ever had a girlfriend, he was the first out of the whole team to get one.

The first one to get a girlfriend.

The. First. One.

''He said he has a girlfriend,'' Yamaguchi piped up, a helpful smile on his face, completely oblivious to the fact that Tanaka having a girlfriend, is in fact, a big shock.

A very big shock.

To the first years in the team, it didn't seem like that big of a deal. They thought it was quite admirable that he'd gotten one but they also expected it. He was their senpai after all, and a very confident one at that.

The first years in the team didn't know Tanaka like the rest of the team did.

A few seconds went by before questions started firing at Tanaka again.

''What do you mean you have a girlfriend?'' Sawamura questioned, a baffled look crossed over his face.

''When did this happen?'' Sugawara asked quickly after Sawamura.

''AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!'' Nishinoya shouted.

''Before me? That's impossible,'' Ennoshita mumbled to himself.

''It's impossible he even got one in the first place,'' Kinoshita said, mummers of agreement soon followed.

''He probably paid somebody to be his girlfriend,'' Tsukishima remarked.

''I have to agree with you on that one Tsukishima-san,'' Kazuhito Narita said, nodding over to the tall blonde.

''How much did you pay them, come on, tell us,'' Ennoshita said, Kinoshita chided him with the same question again, interested to know as well.

The smug look Tanaka held started slipping away, his confidence completely destroyed as the questions took a turn he didn't expect.

Soon everybody started making comments about how there was no way Tanaka had a girlfriend, coming up with reasons why that is; why he could never get an actual girlfriend- some reasons actually making a lot of sense, which angered Tanaka further.

His face contorted into one of annoyance and if his arms weren't pinned, he would've tackled somebody to the ground by now.

''And why the fuck do you slimeballs think I don't have one, huh?'' Tanaka's voice broke through the commotion (The commotion which only consisted of insulting Tanaka, something Tsukishima took to his advantage; later Tanaka would have to threaten Tsukishima about that)

''Okay so you have a girlfriend,'' Kinoshita said.

Tanaka nodded gruffly, still angry that everybody seemed so against the idea.

Kinoshita continued, ''Why have we never seen her? I'd expect you to be all over her, but I've not seen you with any girl, and we're in the same year.''

Kinoshita had a point.

Nobody has ever seen him with any girl except for the ones in his class- which he never really talked to, only gawked at or asked for a pencil now and then (Nishinoya could confirm this, he was in the same class as Tanaka).

He usually had lunch on the rooftop with Nishinoya, Ennoshita and Kinoshita would later meet up with them to all eat together.

Never did Tanaka stray to go have lunch with another girl and there were no signs of any cute bento boxes being given to him.

He never stayed behind at school to wait for anybody. Usually, he opted to go as soon as he was dismissed; sometimes he would even skip class or not even make it to school.

If he had a girlfriend, surely he would wait for her to finish and walk her home?

The volleyball members leaned in, waiting for what he had to say to himself.

''She's from another school, you wouldn't know her.''

The hands gripping his arms to the wall immediately let go, the team's faces went blank and everybody started making their way back to the court. Their interest completely lost.

'She's from another school, you wouldn't know her'

Anybody could make that up. Anybody over the age of 3 could.

Almost every child has used that excuse. Bragging to their friends about having a girlfriend but as soon as it was questioned as to who she was, they'd hit them with the sacred line of 'She goes to another school, you wouldn't know her'

No further questions asked.

In kindergarten land this was a reasonable thing to say and pretty believable.

Though this was not kindergarten, this was high school. Things were a little different if you used that pathetic line.

''You're not fooling anybody Tanaka,'' Sawamura said, turning around to tell Kageyama and Hinata to work on their team play.

''What do you mean not fooling anybody, I have a girlfriend,'' Tanaka said, watching everybody get back to training. Nobody seemed to be paying attention to him anymore.

''Sure you do, Tanaka, we believe you,'' Ennoshita said, back facing him and voice practically dripping with sarcasm.

Tanaka stared at the team with disbelief, these assholes, he thought.

''Tanaka you don't have to lie about these things, it's no big deal,'' Sugawara said, a sympathetic smile directed his way. Grabbing a stray ball from the ground, Sugawara faced Tanaka and nodded his head over to the court, ''Why don't we train together.''

''But I do have a girlfriend,'' Tanaka blubbered back, not moving from his spot.

''I'm not lying, guys, I'm not lying!''

''Okay Tanaka, you have a girlfriend,'' Sugawara said, though it was not sincere. It was more like a mother finally giving in to her child's imaginary demands.

''Don't say it like that. I really do have a girlfriend!''

Sugawara gave out a sigh, opting to just ignore Tanaka's screams and went to find somebody else to train with.

Ennoshita glanced back at the screaming Tanaka before turning to his fellow classmate Kinoshita,

''He's completely delusional.''

Kinoshita agreed.