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“Mama?” Jasper, her child, began to say, his eyes glazen in confusion as he tried tugging his mother outside the busy makeshift hospital. He just wanted to go home.

“I know baby, but these soldiers need our help. You’ll stick with me for a while longer, yeah?” After she saw the subtle affirming shake from her boy’s auburn hair, she let him grip her spare gloved fingers as she paved the way through the crowds of nurses calming frightened patients, or doctors shouting orders as many passed through. Some were missing legs, others lost their arms.

Even though it was weeks since the tragedy technically ended, her workload never ceased, and she had to leave her shop in the hands of her mother who should be spending her time resting her bones, yet the stubborn trait ran strong through her family. However, as much as her mother insisted, Iris wanted to help with her workload and took Jasper with her to the hospital on weekdays. It helped that he was friendly with many of the soldiers, his youthful mind painting them as superheroes and asking them thousands of questions out of awe for their bravery.

“Iris, I can take over here if you do a quick last check-up on my patient, the Ackerman. You look like you’re about to pass out from lack of sleep, promise me you two will get plenty of rest and don’t bother arguing with me about this!” Maria, her friend and actually qualified nurse, asked before taking the pile of paperwork from her friend’s arms and heading back inside to the rooms filled with panicking patients, after pushing her friend in the direction of the stairs.

“Yay!” Jasper squealed as Iris gently picked him up and let him rest against her hip as she sneaked up the concrete stairs, fighting back the urge to sleep right there on the stairs, and followed the path to one of the doors she never saw the other side of. All she heard of this man was that he was one of the people fighting on the very front lines, and was suffering the consequences.

“You wanna wait outside kiddo?” Yet as soon as the words left her chapped lips, he was running through the now-open door and headed to the hospital bed by the window. The room was rather small as it was all they could afford to give in the circumstances, yet it was somehow still kept in impeccable condition. Iris knew for sure no nurse or doctor had the time to spare to disinfect the entire room from head to bottom, with not even a speck of dust reaching her smooth fingertips as she ran them past the doorknob. Who had cleaned this all up?

“Jasper, calm down! Give Mr Ackerman some space, he’s still injured,” Iris whispered at the young boy who was only a few seconds from jumping on the bed of the now-awake man. “I’m so sorry about him sir, he just gets excited when he meets war heroes”

“Wouldn’t call us that particularly, who are you?” The man grumbled under the many layers of bandages hiding his face from her curious view.

“Ah, I’m Iris Lane, a stand-in nurse for the time being. Maria had to swap shifts, but from what I heard, you should be free to go today!” She chirped as she gently pulled the stool that stood waiting opposite his singular window. Jasper took the signal and sat up on the end of the bed with his chubby legs swinging in the air mindlessly, making sure to respect what his mother said and kept his distance from the groggy patient. “Now, does anything feel out of the ordinary? Aside from the expected aches and pains?”

“Nothing different, no, just feel like shit”

“Mama, what does that mean?-”

“N- Nothing baby!” Iris forced past her lips as she pushed the loose strand of her chocolate hair away from her face she put on a fresh pair of gloves and stood from the stool, nearing closer to the silent patient.

“I’ll just take off these bandages, and check the scarring for any undone stitches, is that okay?”

“I- sure” Taken back by this stranger asking simple questions of consent made Levi sit still in the perfectly made bed, painfully aware of the gentle fingers grazing his skin as she undid the bandages around his eyes and jaw. Only when they were absent from his face did his eyes land on hers.

He couldn’t look away. From her elbow-length chestnut hair that laid ever so gently upon her sun-kissed skin. From her matching eyes that scanned his milky white eye for any anomalies. From the singular beauty mark that rested just underneath her rosy lips-

“Sir? Are you alright?” Iris spoke up as she removed the gloves from her hands, Jasper giddily jumped off the bed, knowing he’d get to go home soon and play with the toys he missed after being in the hospital for a while now.

“Fine. When can I leave?” Levi abruptly responded, clearing his throat shortly after and resumed his mindless thinking, scolding himself for staring. Instead, his thoughts drifted back to the usual dark place they had been in since the war ended. Who was he kidding, they’ve always found a way to stick by him, interrupting any moment of peace he managed to grasp.

“Soon I assure you, now have you tried walking?”

“Just around the room to clean up. This place gets dusty fast”

“Ah, so it’s you that’s been cleaning in here! I was wondering how the place was so spotless” Iris laughed to herself as she urged Jasper away from the bed and began to pack up her small bag of supplies. “If it makes you more comfortable, I can let you try to stand yourself?”

“I’ll be fine on my own”

Brushing away the expected harshness to his tone, Iris only smiled as Jasper grabbed his mother’s hand. “Now I will have to insist you put as little strain on your leg as possible, only walking if you have nearby support, you will heal significantly faster using the wheelchair”, Iris began as she began unfolding the wheelchair left in the room, taking her time to ensure it was fully secured. “Would you mind sitting in the wheelchair? Just so I can adjust the heights of anything if necessary”

As Iris kept her eye trained on the patient, ensuring he didn’t fall over while getting in the wheelchair, but when she saw the frustration behind his silver blue eyes, she hummed under her breath before moving the wheelchair to be directly in front of him. “Now, it’s important to ensure the wheels are locked before you try to get in, or else you’ll just be sliding all over the place,” She explained as she gestured to where the wheel locks were, before looking back down at the man.

“Is this seriously necessary?” Levi grumbled under his breath as he picked at the edge of the seat handles, his mind elsewhere.

“I’m afraid so, just for the first six months, then you’ll have to return to the hospital for monthly check-ups, and they’ll be able to tell you when you can transfer to a cane instead” Iris smiled as she grabbed the back of Jasper’s collar before he could rummage through the nearby closet full of disinfectants. “I’m sure Maria has explained this, but you may experience some sleep loss as the pains can be quite severe in the first few weeks”

“Nothing I’m not used to”

Iris could only give her best sleep-deprived smile before moving to his room’s windows and opening them slightly, her gloved hands catching on the old wooden frame. “I think lack of sleep has unfortunately become quite common, although for me it’s mainly because of my little rascal”, Iris sighed as she fixed her apron, before looking at the black-haired man, with his pale face, and she couldn’t help but stare at his right eye, pure white with a thin scar going upwards from it.

“Take your time acclimating with only one eye too, my cousin lost his, and he spent the first month after… well, after you know, he spent it bumping into everything, had to ban him from my shop after the third broken vase” She laughed weakly as she grabbed the chipped clipboard hanging on the end of the bed, as she left Levi to his own devices as he packed up his small bag of belongings. Iris sang a song under her breath as she ticked off his report, before signing the end, as Jasper grabbed the jacket hanging on the hanger of the door and handed it to Levi, a childish grin somehow permanent on his face even in such depressing circumstances.

For the poor man’s sake, she resisted the giggle threatening to bubble up from her throat at his bewildered face.

“Now, is anyone picking you up?” She only received an awkward silence as she held the door open, waiting until he reluctantly left as he began moving away in the wheelchair swiftly, as she hastily flipped over the sign on the nearby sign to show it was devoid of a patient, before she sped walk to catch up to the man, Jasper in tow.

“Ah, Sir! You need to sign out first!” She called out, running to catch up to him before he was able to escape the hospital, as she caught her breath at the receptionist’s desk, where she handed over Levi’s report. There was only a moment of trepidation before Irish grabbed the sign-out sheet from the rather tall desk and grabbed a pen, before handing the pair to the man nearby.

“I have to go, but follow the home-care instructions in this sheet, and seriously, lay off your legs for a while, okay? And if you need anything, my actual job is at the florist's a few streets from here, if you ever feel like visiting!” Leaving the remaining forms by the desk, Iris turned to leave, not before gently waving the man goodbye, urging her son to do the same.

—

“Please Ma’am, it’s on us” Iris assured the same elderly woman that’s been visiting her quaint store for three years now, buying the same bouquet of lilies and forget-me-nots every Sunday before she’d leave a generous tip and head to the graveyard on the other side of town.

“You’re such a lovely soul, do remember to watch your own health too darling. Have you anyone to take care of you when you go home?”

“I’ve been okay without a partner for years now, so I can’t say I’ve been looking. I’m just happy with Jasper and my mother, but thank you, truly” Iris responded with a smile before handing her both the bunch of bittersweet flowers and the change previously handed to her, before waving the woman goodbye.

“Mom! Can we go shopping now?!” Jasper half-yelled in excitement, with his red backpack donning his back, and his shoelaces messily tied. Not to mention the wicker basket in his right hand, and crumpled paper in his left.

“Mhm! Did you get the shopping list from the kitchen?” Iris asked as she knelt on the floor and fixed his shoelaces, before patting him on the head affectionately and following him outside, closing the glass-paned oak door behind her.

It was a humid day of summer, and the sun was obnoxiously beating down on the cobble path outside the store that was decorated all over with various paintings of flowers, and flowerpots that scattered the ground in front of the large windows, obviously painted by a child, that helped brighten the street around them with vivid colours.

“So, the market first, and then how about we stop for a treat?” As Iris giggled at her son’s enthusiasm, the pair walked hand in hand down the buddy street, making conversation about his excitement to start school in the near months, to who their favourite customers were.

Just as they reached the bustling town square, Iris was knocked off her feet by a girl no older than fifteen, with messy brunette hair and a terrified look on her face. Before Iris could even attempt to get up from the ground and acknowledge the girl, the teenager was frantically pulling her up from the ground, with Jasper ‘helping’ by tugging on her peach-coloured dress.

“Miss! I’m so so sorry, you see I was- Never mind, there’s no excuse! And now your pretty dress is ruined, please forgive me!” Iris stared in amusement at the girl who was shaking her hand vigorously and head hung low, words falling out of her mouth at an incomprehensible speed.

“You’re okay kid, really. I fell more on my hands than anything, just be careful where you're running next time, okay?”-

“GABI! WHERE- Oh! Hello, Miss” A blond boy of a similar age stuttered as he ran to the girl’s, assumedly named Gabi, side, embarrassment showing up as a fading red on his cheeks.

“Morning, now why are you both in such a rush? Running recklessly through these streets is dangerous” Iris questioned, her voice sweet like honey, but her posture stern as she stood up from the cobbly ground of the town centre, as Jasper found amusement at the nearby fountain, where a group of children were playing cards.

“We were sent to get groceries, but got a bit distracted and forgot about the shopping altogether! Please tell me you got everything Falco” Gabi asked, finally letting Iris’s scratched hands out of her surprisingly firm grip, before staring at Falco’s empty basket. “Oh, we’re done for”

“I was busy looking for you!”-

“I was on my way to do my own shopping with my son Jasper over there if you’d like to accompany us. Then, when you get back to whoever sent you, just blame it on me, how about that?” Iris offered, before the lively pair in front of her turned to look at her, as if they were having a telepathic conversation on what to do next before they shot her a thumbs-up each and showed her their list.

“Okay, Miss…?”

“Iris Lane, now we'd better hurry, I promised Jas a treat after all”

“You should come to the tea shop! It’s where we’re going back to, and I still feel bad about tripping you up. I’m sure Levi has something we can use to help with your hands”

“You knocked her over?!”-

“It was an accident, don’t worry. But that sounds nice, as long as the shop has muffins, Jasper will be distracted,” Iris began as the quartet walked in the midst of the market, frequently stopping at the various stalls, their baskets quickly filling up. As Irish checked various fruitsa and begetables, she could only tilt her head at the obscure amount of tea bags the two teenagers were filling the basket with. “And no need to worry about my hands, I have experience as a nurse, so I know when something’s serious. A strip of bandage should suffice”

As Jasper tugged Iris on her cotton bell sleeves and led her to a store piled high with sweets, Gabi and Falco followed soon after and began to drool at the various pastries and sweets. A few years ago, this luxury would be unheard of, the rations too scarce to waste on sugary foods. However, time healed, and there was no longer a fear of war constantly around the corner.

“Momma, can I have one? Please!” As the vendor caught a glance at the woman in front of him, his face grew a worrying shade of red, before stuttering out the question of which. Gabi could only giggle at the man’s obvious adoration of the older woman, yet she was none the wiser as she pulled out her money and picked up four jam-filled doughnuts.

“It- It’s on me, Ma’am!”

“Thank you, but I’d feel horrible leaving without paying,” Iris urged before practically forcing the coins into his sweaty hands, before smiling goodbye and handing the three children their newest treats.

“I knock you over, and you give me sweets! Ha! You’re great, Miss Lane!” Gabi giggled before handing the basket back into Falco’s hand and began skipping down the street.

“You can still stop by Levi’s shop with us, Miss. I feel so bad about Gabi making you fall over” Falco announced, as the daylight began to drip with the evening orange, illuminating their shadow’s outline a wonderful yellow on the path behind them.

“That name sounds familiar, but I’ve met too many people over the years. Ah, I’m terrible with names sometimes”

“He doesn’t really leave his house so I doubt he’s the Levi you’re thinking of” Falco chuckled, before ripping his pastry in half and sneaking Jasper the larger half to Jasper behind Iris’s back, being paid with a loud gasp from the toddler and a wide grin painting his sugar-covered face.

“As warm as the weather is, I would love a cup of tea right about now” Iris mumbled to herself, as she ate her own sickly sweet treat with a grin, leaving her other hand to carry the heavy basket of groceries, trusting Jasper to stick by her side as they left the town market and headed down a less busy street.

–

Orange rays lit the empty store as evening approached, and the only sound that could be heard throughout the store was the sweeping of a mop and the mutters of Levi’s discontent about the floor’s overall cleanliness and the current absence of his groceries he had made the teenagers get over two hours ago.

“Levi! We’re back, and brought friends! Meet Iris and Jasper!” Gabi exclaimed whilst pushing the fragile door open with an energetic force, Levi not even bothering to lift his gaze from the stain that never seemed to disappear, even after scrubbing relentlessly at it for the past half hour.

“How have I never noticed such a nice shop across the street from my own?” A distantly familiar female voice questioned as three more pairs of footsteps filled the once-quiet tea shop.

Finally deciding to give them attention, Levi rested the mop back against the walls and turned around to the group of four. Levi only allowed himself to look at the woman’s face for a moment before his gaze fell to her hands.

“Why is she bleeding?”

“Ah, well that’s quite a funny story, you see Gabi”-

“I tripped over a low wall and these angels offered to help, and of course, I had to repay them, hence why they’re a little late getting back, all my bad” Iris explained with a soft smile on her face, ignoring the gaping mouths of both Gabi and Falco. “If you have any first-aid kits, I can fix this up myself, and we’ll be out of your hair in no time. I’m sure you’re very busy”

Levi looked around the customer-less store with an exaggerated turn of his head, before looking back into the woman’s eyes a second time that day. “Clearly”

Before he could offer the first aid kit beneath the counter aside the quartet, Jasper, who was previously hiding behind Iris’s legs, caught sight of the display of various muffins within the glass counter, running away from the group and staring in awe at the variety.

“Jasper, hun, you just had a treat, we can come back another day and get some alright? We’ll be going home to have dinner soon anyway” Iris sighed before following the stranger behind the counter, not long before she was practically forced onto a wooden stool and her hands stretched forward, almost hitting Levi in his chest. A wave of embarrassment rushed over her head, and Iris and to fight against the blush threatening to rise upon her cheeks.

“Oh, thank you but I don’t want to cause any more hassle”-

“You and your co-workers helped me a few years ago, just stop fussing and let me do this,” He whispered, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he carefully removed the pieces of rock with a silver tweezer he got from who knows where, noticeably holding her hand on the side where he had his eye. “And you don’t need to lie to me about those kids, I know Gabi probably knocked you over whilst being reckless, as per usual”

“Ah, you’ve got me”, Iris laughed, and Levi’s hands only faltered for an almost missable moment, before returning to their previous job. “I knew I recognised you, you’re the soldier from the hospital years back. Is your leg still bothering you?”

This time, his hands stopped for a full handful of seconds, his brain lagging when he heard her question. “How did you remember about my stupid leg? And to answer your question, not really. Just”-

“Aches sometimes? I understand, my mother has a similar issue with hers, but massages typically help with the pain! If you’d like”-

“No”

When he caught her caring smile falter on her tanned face, and caramel eyes fall from his own, he felt the panic from years ago resurge. “I- I mean I’ll be fine, but, thanks. For the offer”

Unknown to the pair of adults behind the counter, two children were listening in the whole time with their eyes widened and fighting the urge to let out laugh after laugh at the awkwardness practically radiating from the usually composed man.

“Hey Gabi, you don’t think Levi”-

“Thinks the very pretty florist lady is attractive? He probably does, but he’s very dense about this kinda stuff” Gabi loudly whispered back, before ducking once Levi’s head snapped in their direction at the mention of his name. “Ah! Iris, we promised you a cup of tea, let me go make it!”-

“You’re so sweet, but I didn’t realise how late it’s gotten. Jasper will be pretty cranky if he doesn’t have some proper food soon”

“Could you come back soon then?” Falco asked, a grin slowly spreading across his face, matching with the brunette teenager to his right, both their hands behind their backs.

“Oh, that sounds great, maybe I’ll bring over some flowers for the store, I noticed the ones by your windowsills look pretty… well, nonexistent”

When Levi didn’t express any disagreement with the plans, and swiftly finished wrapping her noticeably cared-for hands in clean white bandages, he walked back around and looked at the muffin in the cabinet her child has been entranced with this entire time- lemon and poppyseed.

“Great! See you tomorrow, Miss Lane!” Falco and Gabi shouted in unison whilst waving the pair goodbye before all that could be heard in the store was the bell above the door ringing.

“So, you suddenly care about the window’s flowers, Levi?”

Niiyama's girls' team had gone through an intense three-hour session in the gym that morning, focusing on blocking and receiving drills, with each drill pushed harder than the last. Coach had been relentless: "Monday's matches aren't going to wait for your energy, Tendō!" she could still hear him shouting. They had a handful of practice matches beginning Monday, each one against a strong team hand-picked to prep them for the Inter-High preliminaries in June.

Her arms ached pleasantly, a familiar reminder that she'd pushed herself and the first-years beside her. The thought of the upcoming month—rotating through matches, scouting opponents, coordinating plays—both excited and exhausted her. Mayu ran through her mental checklist: rotation coverage, setter tendencies, anticipating attacks, adjusting for taller hitters... She could almost see the imaginary volleyball flying toward her as she tapped her gum thoughtfully.

The store was quiet, save for the soft hum of the old refrigeration units and the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards. Outside, the rain streaked the glass in long, uneven lines, turning the world into a watercolour painting of grey and green. A few umbrellas bobbed in the distance as students rushed by, water dripping from the edges of jackets and hair.

Mayu leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. The shift was slow today—perfect for catching her breath and reviewing strategy. Her DS sat next to the notes, open and muted, waiting for her next game if she had the energy. She picked it up, her thumb idly spinning a stylus, and let her mind wander for just a moment from rotations and serves.

The soft hum of the Sakonoshita Market's ancient refrigerator was starting to hypnotise her, not to mention her gum had lost its apple flavour twenty minutes ago.

"Okay," she muttered to herself, staring at her notes, "left back rotation coverage, adjust on fast outside hitters, watch for setter dump... blegh." She dropped her forehead onto the counter. "This is the weekend. Why am I studying?"

Her DS pinged with a familiar notification.

applepi: ready to lose again?

Mayu shot up.

digachu: i was LITERALLY working???

applepi: skill issue

digachu: i am THROWING you into a river

She snorted to herself. A few old ladies browsing vegetables glanced at her as if she'd just confessed to murder.

Mayu straightened her posture, cleared her throat, and pretended to be a professional employee for exactly three seconds before her DS pinged again:

applepi: i can play one match unless ur scared

"Oh, you little—" Mayu hissed, jabbing at buttons.

Right as she booted up the lobby, the entrance bell chimed.

She didn't even look up. "Welcome to Sakonoshita Market— we're all out of umbrellas" Mayu mumbled as she forgot all about volleyball and how she should conduct herself at work.

Mayu's eyes stayed glued to her DS. She drifted perfectly through a corner—only for a banana peel from applepi to wipe her out instantly, the game showing the ending screen she was all too familiar with.

A quiet shuffle of footsteps.

Someone approached the counter.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" she shouted directly into her screen.

"...Sorry?" said a soft voice in front of her.

Mayu froze.

She slowly lifted her head.

A boy around her age stood there, hoodie slightly too big, hair falling into his golden eyes. He held a basket with exactly three things: an energy drink, a rice ball, and a pack of cat-shaped gummies.

He looked... startled. Like she'd personally yelled at him.

"Oh my god—no! Sorry! Not you." She held up the DS as evidence. "Ah, I just shouted at a customer" She groaned as she hurriedly put her DS to the side, the screen not closed, as she fake coughed to hopefully change the subject.

The boy blinked once. "Ah."

Silence.

"...That's Mario Kart," he said quietly, eyes flicking to her screen for only a half-second.

Mayu squinted. "Why do you sound so confused?"

He didn't answer. Or rather, he did, but so softly she barely caught it.

"I just thought you were yelling at me."

"Why would I yell at you?" Mayu gawked as she began scanning his items, her head tilted slightly as she looked at this student in a school uniform she didn't recognise.

"You looked frustrated," he said flatly.

Mayu opened her mouth. Closed it. Tilted her head. This guy's vibe was... strange. Like he had the battery life of a phone stuck at 1%.

She finally finished ringing up his items.

"That'll be—wait." She leaned forward. "Are these cat gummies... actually good?"

He nodded seriously. "Yes."

"...Huh, I think you're the first customer I've seen actually buy those"

Another meek nod.

"Sorry– eat what you want man, I'm going to stop talking now, hah, been a long day!" Mayu forcefully stopped her rambling when she saw the look of utter confusion and embarrassment take over this boy's face, who seemed to take to grabbing his change swiftly and hiding his face further inside his hoodie.

He nodded slowly, adjusting his backpack strap—just as a small keychain dangled into view.

A tiny cat, all black with its tail curled into a perfect little spiral.

Mayu stared unabashedly.

"...Cute keychain," she said absently.

He paused. "...Thanks." He left quickly after that, the bell jingling behind him.

Mayu sat down again, cracking her gum thoughtfully as she glanced at her DS.

applepi: u there?

applepi: hellooo?

applepi: don't tell me ur crying from losing

applepi: lol

Mayu grabbed her stylus and began typing once she looked around for any customers.

digachu: sry. was helping a customer.

applepi: hmm

digachu: what?

applepi: nothing. just thought i heard something interesting, accept my game invite already

Mayu frowned.

"...Weird," she muttered.

But she shrugged it off and hit start on the next rematch.

She didn't see the quiet boy outside the store, leaning against the wall, opening his own 3Ds, the same cat keychain now brushing his thumb as the name applepi lit up across the screen.

The morning sunlight barely touched the polished wood of Niiyama's gym, filtered through streaks of rain left on the windows from the unusual spring downpour. Matsukawa Girls' Academy had travelled from Miyagi Prefecture, a small but determined team that was eager to test themselves against Niiyama's lineup. Mayu tugged at her ponytail, trying to shake loose the sweat and damp strands that had clung to her neck during warmups, and glanced over at her notes. Rotations, serve-receive formations, and opponent tendencies were scribbled in neat lines, little highlights marking Kanoka's approaches, Maiko's positioning, and the different combinations of attacks she would need to anticipate.

Before the match officially began, she jogged over to Hina, the team manager, who was holding her phone and a clipboard simultaneously. "Can you record the match?" Mayu asked quietly, lowering her voice. "I want to check my digs later, and I'll send the clips to the girls who couldn't make it today."

Hina nodded without hesitation and jogged over to Matsukawa's bench. "We'll be recording the match. Is that alright?" she asked politely. The visiting coach, a composed woman with glasses, gave a small smile and a nod. "Of course. It's fine. We'll be recording also"

Their conversation grew faint in Mayu's ear as she returned to the court and dropped into her usual position, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. She watched the Matsukawa girls line up, noticing the right-side hitter adjusting her sleeves nervously and the setter scanning her teammates, clearly calculating each move. Mayu smiled faintly, anticipating their patterns already. She crouched, hands ready, and waited for the first serve.

The whistle blew, and the match began. Matsukawa's first serve came in hard, a float that curved toward the sideline. Mayu moved instantly, dropping low and absorbing the impact of the ball with a precise dig. She passed it cleanly to the setter, and Kanoka called for the set, running toward the net and adjusting her approach. Mayu lifted the ball just high enough for her, timing the pass to meet Kanoka's approach perfectly. The ace jumped, planted her foot firmly, and swung her arm through the ball in a textbook cross-court spike that landed inside the line. The sound of the ball hitting the floor echoed sharply, and Kanoka's grin was quick and sharp as she jogged back into position.

"Good pass," Kanoka said, wiping sweat from her brow. Mayu only nodded, crouching again for the next serve. She barely had time to register the praise before Matsukawa's right-side hitter sent a spike toward the short line. Mayu pivoted, reading the ball's trajectory and sliding across the floor, digging it cleanly and sending it up to her setter once more.

Halfway through the first set, Matsukawa began to adjust their strategy, with their setter faking a quick set to the left wing, then passing the ball toward the right-side hitter for a spike, attempting to catch Niiyama off guard. Mayu moved instinctively, positioning herself between both possible targets and executing a diving dig. The ball bounced upward, and she passed it with precision to the setter, signalling to Kanoka simultaneously with a quick gesture of her hand. Kanoka nodded and sprinted forward, her approach a fluid extension of Mayu's pass, and swung through a powerful cross-court spike that landed just inside the line.

Behind them, Maiko and the other middle blockers were already covering the court, shifting toward possible spikes and quick combinations. Mayu called out directions between sets, nudging first-years into proper rotational coverage. "Airi, watch the setter's dump," she said, her voice sharp but not unkind as she caught her nervous glance from the fresh-faced first year and added, "It's okay, just focus on the ball, not the floor."

Matsukawa tried another combination, this time with the left-side hitter faking a spike while the right-side attacker tipped to the back corner. Mayu tracked the ball, sliding across the floor to execute a perfect dig that sent the ball to the setter again after the ball aligned with her line of sight perfectly, thanks to the quick thinking of Maiko. She barely had time to reset before Kanoka jumped for her next approach. The spike was clean and precise, angled just enough to avoid the block. The ball hit the floor with a satisfying thud, and the gym filled with muted cheers from the bench, Hina clapping as best as she could with her hands full.

Mayu didn't allow herself to relax. Every point, every rotation, and every pass mattered, regardless of whether this was just some practice match or not. She kept her eyes on the setter's hands, anticipating each pass and feint, signalling her teammates where to move and when to shift. "Riko, cover the line! Step back!" she called. Even the youngest players began moving with more confidence, responding instinctively to her calls.

By the second set, Niiyama had built a comfortable lead, but Mayu continued to push herself, making small adjustments to her positioning and giving Kanoka the most optimal passes possible. During one particularly strenuous rally, Matsukawa executed a fast combination with a dump toward the centre and a quick set to the opposite wing. Mayu moved almost invisibly, reading the ball, diving for the dig, and passing it with near-perfect accuracy to Maiko, who executed a textbook approach and spike.

After the final whistle, Niiyama had won decisively, but Mayu stayed crouched for a moment, going over the match in her mind. She jogged over to Hina, who was already scrolling through the recording. "Make sure to mark my digs, back-row rotations, and Kanoka's spikes," she said. "I want to see if there's anything I need to fix."

Hina nodded. "Got it. You guys were amazing today! Even Coach was impressed."

Mayu shrugged, tugging at her ponytail, biting on the spout of her waterbottle. "Good. But it's not about that, we need to be ready for every variation, every trick, every spike."

She glanced toward Matsukawa's players leaving the court, noticing the right-side hitter who had pushed herself despite the team's loss. A small spark of anticipation ran through Mayu. Maybe that one would be someone she'll be seeing on the court again someday.

Kanoka jogged past her, smiling. "Nice digs today, Mayu. And thanks for the passes—I could actually hit the angles we practised."

Mayu smiled brighter as the adrenaline wore away, brushing a strand of damp hair from her forehead. "Don't thank me. Just make sure you land those spikes when it counts." She grinned before messing up her best friend's hair and cackling at how she immediately dropped her smile, before laughing alongside her.

The gym was quiet again, except for the soft hum of the ventilation and the distant drip of rain from the roof. Mayu crouched by the bench, catching her breath, already replaying rotations and attacks in her head. Mayu slumped back against the bench, tugging at her ponytail and letting out a long sigh. Her muscles ached in the good way that meant she'd pushed herself, and her ears still rang faintly from the squeak of sneakers and the sharp smack of volleyballs hitting the polished floor. She reached for her phone and squinted at the screen, spotting two new notifications.

The first was from Hina. Mayu tapped it open and saw the video file of the practice match she had asked to be recorded. She gave a small, satisfied nod. That would make reviewing her positioning and Kanoka's spike approaches much easier later.

The second message was from an unknown number. Mayu raised an eyebrow. She didn't remember giving anyone her number, but when she read the message, she realised her boss, Ukai, had given out her number when he'd gotten tired of the first-years whining about who could call whom for tips. She shrugged, slipping into the familiar grin that always appeared when she was about to mess with people just a little.

hinata: hey Tendo!!! need some tips. we just had our first practice match against nekoma.!! we got demolished, lol. !! what should I focus on for receiving? oh also this is hinata!!

Mayu tapped her lips thoughtfully, scrolling through the video of her own match from earlier that day. She paused on a slow-motion dig she had made on a tricky tip from Matsukawa's right-side hitter, then swiped to the part where Kanoka had exploded into her spike. A smile tugged at her lips. Perfect material for a crash course in receiving.

She attached the video to her reply, fingers moving fast.

Mayu: Here. Watch the full thing. Focus on your footwork and posture, especially when you're anticipating spikes. Your arms aren't enough if your positioning is off. Use this to get good. And try not to get destroyed by Nekoma next time, it's bad for my image if you suck :P

She hit send and leaned back, satisfied. Watching the rain drip slowly down the gym windows outside, she felt that familiar buzz of adrenaline and amusement. Training, teaching, and just... being in the thick of volleyball—the week wasn't over yet, but somehow it already felt like it had a spark she couldn't wait to chase.

Her phone buzzed again almost immediately. She chuckled, knowing he'd probably reply before she even finished putting her water bottle down.

hinata: WHAAAAT THATS MEAN but ok i'll watch it!! also omg nekoma is CRAZY??? like they dont look scary but they MOVE like cats for real!!

hinata: their libero??? kuroo said his name is yamamoto or something NO WAIT that was the crazy hair guy omg the libero is YAKU!!! he is SO FAST!!! every ball we hit he was already there. like he predicted everything!! what the heck!!!

hinata: and then kenma, their setter, was just standing there looking bored and STILL setting perfect tosses?? he didn't even look like he was trying. ITS SO UNFAIR AND AWESOME!

hinata: kageyama kept yelling at me about "timing" and "angles" and "stop jumping at everything you orange dumbass" (he didnt say dumbass but he was THINKING IT)

hinata: we lost like SO BAD Tendo. like not even close. like we didnt even TOUCH close. like we fell off the mountain before even climbing it

Mayu: Did that all need to be a bunch of separate text messages? also you didn't "fall off the mountain," you tripped over your own foot at the starting line. (^_-)≡☆ And Kageyama's right. Your timing is trash when you get excited. Fix your landing, fix your centre of gravity. And calm down.

hinata: WHAT DO YOU MEAN CALM DOWN I AM COMPLETELY CALM IM SO CALM I COULD DIE FROM CALM

Mayu: That sentence alone proves you're not calm.

hinata: but Tendo they ANNIHILATED us!!! kenma didnt even have to LOOK at me!!! do you know how insulting it is to get destroyed by someone who looks like they want to go home and nap???

Mayu: Yes. I'm sure that's exactly what Kenma looks like

hinata: UGHHHHHHH (send me more videos btw that one was cool!! you moved like WHOOSH and the ball went like FWIP and then your ace spiked it like BAAM!!)

Mayu: Learn to describe volleyball like a human, not a sound effect machine. But I'll send more when I have them.

hinata: THANK YOU TENDOOOO I'M GONNA GET STRONGER JUST WATCH!!! nekoma wont know what hit them next time!!!

Mayu: Good. Try not to make me regret giving you pointers.

"Even so, for Karasuno to beat Shiratorizawa is a feat in of itself, Tori told me how much they've been training, what with their golden boy graduating this year" Mayu began, while hurriedly shutting her locker shut, ignoring the sound of her belongings collapsing inside her locker, before taking her water bottle from Kanoka, who was staring off into the distance dreamingly. "But, it would be refreshing to go to nationals without Shiritorizawa. Ah I can hear Tori complaining already" Mayu grinned before sharing a look with Maiko, then sliding up to the daydreaming ace.

"I'm sure Kanoka would love to meet up with a certain somebody from Karasuno"-

"Stop it Mayu! I just want to make our school proud at nationals, also it's Maiko's last year so we have to win" Kanoka retorted, earning herself laughs from both of her closest friends.

After their intense week of practice, the team were on a break to rest their bodies. That didn't mean the gym wasn't still busy with budding first and some second years looking to become the next captain or ace after the current third year students graduate.

"Stop talking about me like I'm going to die, I'm just graduating-" pelts of rain mixed with the familiar school bell indicated the gloomy end to the school day, students pushing past the girls to get home swiftly. "Ah, my bus better not be delayed" Maiko muttered as she hurriedly pulled out her broken red umbrella, uncaring how it barely covered her and her backpack.

"We're still hanging after practice tomorrow right? I promised I'd help my boss coach his volleyball team. He sounded very desperate on the call" Mayu hummed as she flipped up the hood of her rain jacket, taking out her phone and opening her maps app.

"He's the one that volunteered for Karasuno right? Have fun Yu!" Kanoka smiled as she and Maiko began speed-walking to the nearby bus stop, haphazardly trying to both seek cover under the wonky umbrella, the taller of the two eventually giving up and using her volleyball team jacket.

Mayu waved behind her as she began following the tracker on her phone, half-hiding her phone inside her jacket as the rain grew heavier. Graciously, the Karasuno High school was no more than a half an hour walk, twenty as Mayu began running in the latter half of her journey when the rain persisted. "I'm never doing anything nice for this bastard again unless I'm being paid" She groaned as she ran towards the school gyms, smiling when she reached cover from the rain and began looking inside the high rise windows until she saw somebody playing volleyball.

She must've wandered for only a few minutes until she heard the familiar sound of a volleyball hitting the smooth floor of a gym. Grinning, Mayu skipped two of the steps leading to the lit-up gym, unzipping her dripping raincoat as she walked inside and saw her boss— Keishin Ukai, although he didn't seem professional enough for the boss title in Mayu's head, but she wouldn't dare say it to his face lest she lose her handy part-time job at the laid back Sakonoshita Market.

"Ah Tendō you're here, great" Ukai began after waving at her as she dropped her sports bag and coat on the nearby bench, before sitting down beside a young girl with short blonde hair who was looking at her.

"Sorry, do you mind me sitting here? I just need to change my shoes" Mayu smiled as she fixed her ponytail, grimacing as she felt how knotted her cherry red hair became thanks to the rain that breached her flimsy hood.

"Ah! Yes sorry, no problem at all, sorry, I just- I've been researching volleyball the past few days and, are you Mayu Tendō?! The libero for the Niiyama girl's team? You're all seriously impressive!" The blonde cheered before stopping herself with a hand over her mouth, before her eyes dropped back to her sticker-covered pink notebook.

Mayu only laughed as she leaned down to secure her volleyball shoes before patting the younger girl's shoulder. "Yeah that's me, I forgot those guys came and interviewed the team, that was after Nationals last year I think! What's your name?"

"Y-Yachi! First year!" She yelped before an older girl with sleek black hair sat beside Yachi and giggled with her hand covering her mouth.

"Nice to meet you Tendō, I'm Kiyoko Shimizu, the manager" Kiyoko smiled as she shook Mayu's bandaged hands, before a volleyball whizzed through the air, and in a flash, Mayu hit it away just before it hit Yachi dead center on her terrified face.

"Nice to meet you two, glad it's not just guys here" She smiled, resuming their handshake before standing up and throwing the volleyball with full force back to the presumed libero who was stood there with a taller player with a buzz cut, their mouths gaping before helping into action and frantically catching Mayu's thrown ball. "Guess I won't get to stretch. Hey, add your numbers into my phone if you'd like, I need more girl friends" Mayu grinned leaving her unlocked phone on the bench before walking up to Ukai, her hand resting in front of her before lifting one to wave at the guys lined up.

"Nice to meet you all, my name is Mayu Tendō, the libero for Niiyama's girl team. I've been told some of you guys are terrible at receiving?" She hummed as her eyes flickered to a nervous looking first year with the most orange hair she has ever seen, frantically looking at anywhere but her.

"She has taken time out of her day to help you all, so don't get lazy now! Shrimp, I am talking to you!" Ukai shouted, and as if in sync, the short boy jumped out of his skin, his hand instinctively flying to his forehead as if standing to attention. Mayu couldn't help but laugh.

"Surely you can't be that bad, when is your guys next match?" Mayu asked Ukai as she turned behind her and picked up a volleyball and began bouncing it between her hands.

Ukai tugged his whistle from around his neck, twirling it once before answering. "We've got a practice match lined up with Nekoma. A week from now."

At the mention of the name, Mayu paused mid-bounce. "Nekoma...? The cats?" She grinned, amused. "That's a strong opponent to take on after just qualifying."

Hinata's head whipped up, his eyes shining with a mixture of nerves and excitement. "That's the match we have to win! Right, Kageyama?!"

Who Mayu could only guess was Kageyma, a tall moody teenager standing nearby, only grunted, focused on spinning a ball in his palm.

Mayu let out a low whistle, looking down so she was eye-level with Hinata, who immediately straightened his back as if bracing for a lecture. "And you're going into that match without being able to properly receive?"

Hinata's mouth opened, closed, then opened again. "I—I can! Kind of—"

The raised brow Mayu gave him was enough to make him deflate like a popped balloon. "Thought so," she teased, standing again and tucking the ball under her arm. "Alright then, shrimp, you're my project for the night."

Ukai crossed his arms. "If you've got the time, Tendō, they could use it. Their attack's flashy, but their defence..." He shook his head.

"Say no more." Mayu clapped her hands together and beckoned Hinata forward. "Come on. Arms out."

Hinata scrambled into position, slapping his forearms together stiffly, determination written all over his face.

"Relax your shoulders. Bend your knees. Pretend you're sitting on an invisible chair—no, not that low, you're not squatting for gold at the Olympics," Mayu corrected, nudging his stance with her foot until it looked passable. "Good. Now... stop glaring at me like you're about to duel."

"I'm not glaring!"

"You are. Not intimidating at all, but you are"

The team chuckled from the sidelines where some were practicing passes. Even Ukai cracked a small grin.

"Alright," Mayu tossed the ball up once, catching it with the ease of someone who'd done this a thousand times. "Rule one of receiving: the ball isn't your enemy. Don't attack it. Just guide it. Let it bounce off you clean."

Hinata gave a firm nod, eyes locked on her.

She stepped back, making sure they had some open space, wound her arm, and sent the ball skimming toward him—controlled but fast enough to test him. Hinata braced, flinched, and stuck his arms out too late. The ball ricocheted off his wrists and clattered away toward the far wall.

The gym went quiet for a beat.

"...I touched it!" Hinata blurted, a proud grin breaking across his face.

Mayu smirked, jogging over to retrieve the ball. "Yes, you did. Congratulations, you're ninety percent panic, ten percent noodle."

That earned a burst of laughter from the nearby teenagers. Hinata pouted but reset his stance anyway, muttering under his breath.

"Again!"

Mayu's grin widened as she spun the ball in her hand. "That's what I like to hear."

Ukai blew his whistle, signaling for the others to gather balls and rotate in. "Alright, everyone! Since we're all here, Tendō's gonna help run defensive drills. If you want to be ready for Nekoma, you'd better keep up!"

A spark of energy lit the gym. The Karasuno boys shuffled into place, Hinata bouncing impatiently on his toes while Mayu tossed the ball up, her cherry-red ponytail flicking behind her as she called out—

"Let's make some receivers out of you crows. Who's your libero?" Mayu called out, before stopping her stance short when the same guy from earlier jumped out from the team.

"Nishinoya Yuu ma'am! Libero at your service ma'am!" He shouted as she stood in front of her, dramatically bowing. "I've watched lots of your matches, please teach me your ways!"

"Ah, I was actually just going to ask you to help me with the defensive drills, but I guess I could reveal my secrets..." She trailed off as she began passing the balls to the players, watching as Nishinoya began doing the same, alas much more enthusiastically.

"What do I need to do?!"

"Make it to the finals for the Inter-Hugh Preliminaries, and humble Shiratorizawa. My cousin has been getting on my nerves" She uttered dramatically, feeding off the fellow second-year's chaotic energy, and she could only laugh when he nodded solemnly. "I'll only teach you then, my dear student"

"Understood Ma'am! I won't let you down, teacher!" He shouted before turning back to face who Mayu presumed was a third year with grey hair, who smiled softly before that same smile disappeared when Nishinoya threw the volleyball at full force.

"Ahh you!- Not that hard!"

Mayu returned her attention to the rest of the team, counting in her head, before doubling back and after telling Hinata to practice receiving with the blonde first-year, walked up to where she assumed the captain was practicing.

"Sorry, are you the captain?" Mayu asked, stopping in front of a boy with dark brown hair, who was in the middle of spiking for the same buss-cut boy from earlier.

"Ah yeah! Nice to meet you, im Sawamura Daichi"-

"Nice to meet you too man, listen, who is your guy's ace?" Mayu continued as she turned around and scanned the busy gym, her hands resting on her hips as she looked at the remaining tall guys, who were pretty slim.

"Can't be blondie, he's a first year I presume. Guy with grey hair? Hm, no not the right vibes" Beginning to ramble as her gaze drifted back to Daichi, before shutting herself up when she noticed how awkward he looked, his hands now scratching his neck.

"Ah- well, it's a long story. Asahi Azumane, that's his name but, well we lost pretty bad against this one school last year, just all of his spikes got blocked" Daichi began as his face fell, whilst Mayu stood there, now the awkward one, her eyes returning to the groups practicing, pausing when she noticed Hinata chasing down the same blonde she told him to practice his receives with.

Choosing to ignore her protegee chasing down the poor first-year, she faced Daichi once more.

"And since we started back up, he just hasn't shown up. Me and Suga tried talking to him, but he's just too scared, what a wimp" While Mayu could tell he was close friend with this Asahi character, she couldn't help but feel a vitriol of fear shoot through her body, jumping back when she saw the furious expression on Daichi's face.

"Well... I'm sure he'll come around eventually man" Mayu hummed before slowly backing away until she got back to where Hinata was now lying on the floor, the first-year she didn't recognise along with a slightly shorter boy with freckles standing by him.

"Is this some new technique for practicing receives I don't know about?"

"Ah! Tendo, I was just"-

"Whining about practicing receives and trying to drag Yamaguchi and I into your mess?" The blond muttered as he folded his arms dramatically, Mayu looking down at Hinata after having picked up a nearby volleyball.

"What's your name blondie?"

"Tsukishima Kei. Don't call me blondie, hmph"

"And you must be Yamaguchi. It's nicer to meet you" Mayu smiled as she waved at the other boy with dark green hair, presumably Yamaguchi, before looking back at the freakishly tall first-year she now knew was Tsukishima.

"Alright Tsukishima, since you seem to be talking so much about how terrible Hinata is at receiving, go and catch a few serves from Yamaguchi. We're not stopping until I approve of at least ten receives" Mayu ordered as she hastily pushed Tsukishima to the opposite side of the net, before taking Yamaguchi's hand and planting him on the opposite side. "Oi, Hinata. Don't think this excludes you! I wasn't even gone a few minutes and you already stopped! Get back on the court!" Mayu barked, not even turning around to look at Hinata no longer starfished on the floor and was now inhumanly running to where Tsukishima was standing grumpily.

"Um, Miss Tendo, who do I aim for?" Yamaguchi whispered as he bounced the volleyball between his hands nervously.

"Eh?! Miss?! I'm only a second-year!" Mayu gasped as she held her hand on her heart, before taking a deep breath and patting Yamaguchi's shoulder. "Aim to score, that's all"

After leaving the first-years to their own devices, Mayu picked up another volleyball as she wandered to the opposite end of the gym.

"Sorry, do any of you mind serving me some passes? I wanted to get some practice in" Mayu asked as she curtly waved at the boys she hadn't caught the names of yet.

"Ah sure! I'm Ennoshita Chikara" A boy with black hair and a soft smile responded, catching the volleyball Mayu casually threw at him, as she stood waiting for him to get some distance between them.

"Who are you guys by the way? I forgot to ask for all of your names when I got here" Mayu hummed as she tightened her ponytail, looking on at the group of boys who were previously crowding Nishinoya rolling around on the ground.

"I'm Hisashi Kinoshita, nice to meet you Tendo!" A boy with dirty blonde hair smiled whilst

"Yeah I'm Kazuhito Narita, we've caught some of your matches when they're on tv, you and your team are next level!"

"MY NAMES TANAKA RYUNOSUKE!" The other buzzcut shouted just as Mayu got into position, and after she hit her ear lightly to get her hearing back, she laughed and easily received Ennoshita's first serve.

"Come on, this is meant to be practice for you too, don't go easy on me" Mayu grinned as she bounced on her toes swiftly and readying herself once more.

— — — — — — — — —

Mayu collapsed onto her plush bed, the evening moonlight slipping through her curtains as she grabbed her Nintendo 3Ds from her bedside drawer, chewing on some apple gum. Waiting for it to turn on, she smiled when she saw a new message from Kiyoko, who was chatting to her about their upcoming practice matches, mentioning some school from Tokyo while Mayu spoke about how her coach was already mentally preparing them for Nationals.

When she cuddled up beside her big bear which was a gift from her parents for getting onto the regular line-up volleyball team in her first year, as she clicked onto her regular game of Mario Kart 7, opening a new lobby. Mayu leaned forward, eyes locked on the small glowing screen as her kart zipped ahead on the Rainbow Road track. She was in first, a comfortable distance from the pack, her fingers moving quickly on the controls. A grin tugged at her lips—she could already imagine sending Kiyoko a smug message later about her "undefeated streak."

Until out of nowhere, a red shell clipped her, and before she could recover, a player named applepi drifted smoothly past her, taking the lead. Mayu's jaw dropped when the results screen appeared—second place, again. Her kart's little spin felt more like a taunt than a victory. She puffed her cheeks, chewing her apple gum so hard it almost lost its sweetness.

"Unbelievable..." she muttered, already jabbing the stylus against the screen. "Ughhh! You've got to be kidding me," she muttered. Without hesitation, she tapped out a message.

digachu: oi! applepi! cheap red shell... no honor in that win.

A few seconds later, the reply popped up.

applepi: lol. skill issue?

Mayu nearly threw her 3Ds into her pillow.

"No way this person's serious," she grumbled, thumbs flying across the buttons.

digachu: excuse me?! I was like 10 kart lengths ahead of you!!

applepi: then maybe stay there next time

digachu: fine. rematch. right now. unless you're scared.

applepi: scared? pls. I'll lap you this time.

Mayu let out a frustrated laugh, the kind that came with clenched teeth but also a spark of thrill and possible sleep deprivation. Before long, the friend code notification appeared, and she accepted without hesitation. The name applepi settled into her friends list like a rival she didn't ask for but apparently needed.

The next match started, tension already buzzing in Mayu's chest. Their karts were neck-and-neck, tossing shells and bananas at each other like actual grudge weapons. She could practically feel applepi's smugness radiating through the screen whenever they pulled ahead, and she whisper-shouted at her console more than once:

"No, no, no—you're not passing me again!"

On the final lap, Mayu drifted perfectly into a boost panel, shooting ahead just as the finish line loomed. She crossed one second earlier, heart hammering, before slumping against her bear with a victorious laugh.

The messages came in immediately:

applepi: nooo how'd u do that

digachu: skill issue :P balance restored

applepi: nah luck. run it back tomorrow pikachu wannabe.

digachu: not sure if i wanna lose ten times again. We'll see apple pie