**Chapter 15: The Edge of Despair**

The fluorescent lights of the school's empty hallway cast an eerie glow on Oikawa's face as he stood outside Kageyama's locker, his hand hesitating to knock. He had been trying to reach out to Kageyama for weeks, but every attempt had been met with rejection. The team's struggles on the court had mirrored Kageyama's decline, and Oikawa couldn't shake the feeling that they were all losing him. As he stood there, the sound of lockers slamming and students chatting in the distance seemed to fade away, replaced by the haunting memory of Kageyama's distant eyes. Oikawa took a deep breath and knocked on the locker door. The sound echoed through the empty hallway, but there was no response. He tried again, his voice shaking slightly. "Kageyama, we need to talk." The silence that followed was oppressive, punctuated only by the soft hum of the fluorescent lights. Oikawa's eyes wandered to the graffiti on the lockers, the usual teenage scribbles and jokes now seeming hollow and insincere. He felt a pang of desperation, wondering if he was already too late. Had Kageyama slipped too far into the darkness? The locker door creaked open, and Kageyama's disheveled hair appeared, followed by his gaunt face. His eyes, once bright and full of life, now seemed dull and lifeless. Oikawa's heart sank as he took in Kageyama's appearance. He looked like a shadow of his former self, a mere specter of the star player he once was. "What do you want, Oikawa?" Kageyama's voice was laced with a mixture of apathy and hostility. Oikawa took a step forward, his eyes locked on Kageyama's. "I want to help you, Kageyama. We're all worried about you." He paused, his voice cracking with emotion. "You're not alone in this, Kageyama. We're here for you." Kageyama snorted, a bitter smile twisting his lips. "You can't help me, Oikawa. No one can." He turned to walk away, but Oikawa grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Kageyama, don't say that. We care about you, we're your friends." Oikawa's words hung in the air, met with Kageyama's skeptical gaze. For a moment, Oikawa thought he saw a glimmer of recognition, a flicker of the Kageyama he once knew. But it was quickly extinguished, replaced by a cold, hard stare. "Let go of me, Oikawa," Kageyama's voice was low and menacing. Oikawa hesitated, but his grip on Kageyama's arm remained firm. He knew he had to hold on, to keep Kageyama from slipping further away. As he looked into Kageyama's eyes, he saw a deep sadness, a sense of despair that seemed to be suffocating him. "Kageyama, please," Oikawa's voice was barely above a whisper. "Don't give up. We're here for you." The silence that followed was oppressive, the only sound the soft hum of the fluorescent lights. Then, in a movement that seemed almost imperceptible, Kageyama's eyes flashed with a hint of desperation. For a moment, Oikawa thought he saw a glimmer of hope. But it was quickly snuffed out, replaced by Kageyama's characteristic mask of indifference. With a swift motion, Kageyama shook off Oikawa's grip and walked away, leaving Oikawa standing alone in the empty hallway, feeling like he was losing his friend forever. The sound of Kageyama's footsteps echoed through the hallway, a haunting reminder that he was slipping away, and Oikawa didn't know how to catch him.