🏐Haikyu Lover🏐

For once, since Nationals have started, he’s excited to play in a match. He wants to show off the hard work he has put in for the last couple of months through his skills on the court. Everyone worked hard to get to this point. There was no way he was going to disappoint his team by letting his nerves get in the way.

So here he was in the same gymnasium he was in yesterday where his team will battle against Nekoma in a few minutes. His heart was racing so hard, beating like crazy against his chest. It was a similar feeling from last night when he was with (Y/N), the Inarizaki manager. Minus the part where there were several hundred screaming fans in the stands, announcers commentating through the microphones, or thundersticks creating the usual loud, crackling noises that made the gym sound like a storm cloud.

But Asahi didn’t care about that. He had to focus on calming down his nerves before the match started. Usually, he would be recalling the scariest moments of his life right now. But he wasn’t thinking about the time Date Tech’s iron wall shut him down or anything of the sort. Instead, all his brain could think about was the moment he talked to (Y/N) for the first time. It was definitely a scary moment. But not a bad scary moment. More like a once-in-a-lifetime moment where she became a person he could trust.

It was so difficult to explain how he felt towards the Inarizaki manager. He would get so nervous around her but it didn’t take long for those initial nerves to go away. He didn’t know how (Y/N) did it, how she was able to take away his nerves so easily. Like last night, he was a wreck. He kept second-guessing himself on how he should talk and act around her. But the moment he saw her walking with her team, laughing along with them, his mind went blank. All he could think about was how happy she looked, how her eyes looked so lively, how her carefree smile (in his opinion) was the prettiest smile he has ever seen.

With the image of (Y/N)’s smile still in his mind, Asahi exhaled one last time before he opened his eyes. He brought out his hand, palm out. He stared at his hand, already imagining how many times he’ll be feeling the ball before spiking it. Then the image shifted. His large hand holding her hand, fingers intertwined-

Asahi shook his head, already feeling flustered at the very thought of holding hands with his crush. He couldn’t let his imagination run crazy on impossible goals. No matter how much he wished it to be real.

“Yo, Asahi!”

He flinched when he heard Daichi’s commanding voice calling him out. It was like the guy knew the perfect moments to scare the living daylights out of him.

“Y-Yeah.”

Daichi placed his hands on his hips. With a mischievous smirk and a determined glint in his eyes, Asahi could tell his friend was ready to get on the court to prove Karasuno’s worth. He was the very image of a confident player. Asahi wished he could borrow some of that confidence that Daichi seemed to be brimming with.

“How are you feeling?” His captain asked.

He furrowed his brow, not expecting his friend to even ask such a question, especially at a time like this.

“Uhh no offence, Diachi, but when do you care how I feel?” Asahi questioned as he took a sip of water, feeling relief as the water quenched his thirst.

Daichi looked taken aback but it was only a second later that he started laughing. “Well, you caught me there.” He chuckled to himself a bit more before he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I had to make sure your head was in the game and not-”

A fist slammed its way into Daichi’s ribs, effectively cutting off the captain’s next words. Asahi wasn’t even surprised to see Suga coming up from behind the hunched over captain.

“Now, now, Daichi. Don’t make our dear ace more nervous than he already is. He does a good job doing that all by himself.” Suga commented with a knowing smirk on his lips. However, the smirk vanished when the vice captain noticed the lack of rituals the ace usually does before a big match. “Huh… You actually look dependable right now, Asahi.”

“Ha ha, Suga, that’s hilarious.” Asahi deadpans but still managed to smile at his friends. “And to answer your question Daichi, I feel fine. My head is in the game-”

“Is that (Y/N)?” Suga asked, his eyes squinting at the crowd

“Where?!” Asahi whipped around, his eyes desperately looking around for the Inarizaki manager.

“So much for your head being focused on the game.” Daichi commented from behind as Suga snickered at the ace’s reaction.

“At least, we know how to motivate him if things go downhill.” Suga murmured to the captain who hummed in agreement.

“Still,” Daichi began, his eyes looking at the hundreds of fans in the stands. “It’s too bad (Y/N) can’t be here. She’s a good luck charm.”

“You mean, Asahi’s good luck charm.”

The two looked back at their friend of many years when they noticed his slumped shoulders. It almost made Suga regret playing the prank on the ace. Almost.

“And Achilles heel.” Suga added when Asahi turned around to face them. The disappointment on his face was not hard to miss.

“You sure you saw (Y/N), Suga? I didn’t see her anywhere.” Asahi complained with a pout.

“Oops, my bad. I guess it was someone else.” Suga explained, rather smug. “Hard to tell from here, you know?”

Asahi narrowed his eyes at his friend. He couldn’t tell if Suga was being genuine in his apology. Maybe it was just a mistake. Though, Asahi couldn’t imagine how anyone could mistake (Y/N) with anyone else. He certainly wouldn’t.

“Very funny, Suga.” He said flatly

“Oh, come on, Asahi! It was funny!” Suga defended. “The way you perked up when I mentioned her name. You're down bad for her.”

“So what if I am?” Asahi retorted, the tips of his ears turning a faint shade of red. “Is it so bad to want to see her again?”

Before Suga could answer, Daichi intervened.“We’re not saying anything like that, Asahi. We know that you like her-”

“And that she likes you.” Suga interrupted.

“But we need you to focus on what's actually in front of us. I know you want (Y/N) to be here. I wish (Y/N) was here too because I think we all know you play harder when she’s watching. Still, we worked hard to get here. I’m sure if (Y/N) was here right now she would say the same thing.”

“Yeah, she would.” Asahi agreed before he remembered one important fact. “But she would say it nicer.”

Daichi rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless, glad to see some fight back in Asahi. Even if it was just a little.

“Come on, ace. Let’s go win this match.”

As the trio of third-years made their way to the rest of the team, they noticed how loud Nekoma’s cheering section suddenly became, so much so that they could hear each individual's cheers.

“HEY, YAMAMOTO!” A Nekoma alumni shouted from the crowd. “GIVE IT YOUR BEST, DUDE!”

Asahi’s eyes traveled towards Nekoma’s starting players, where their ace accepted the fan’s encouragement with ease. From the corner of his eyes, Asahi saw how Tanaka was glaring daggers at Yamamoto.

“Stupid lucky locals!” Tanaka growled with envy in his eyes.

“Well, they are from here. It’s no wonder they’ve got a big cheering section.” Asahi told his jealous junior.

“Yeah, I know, but it still doesn’t make me feel better!” Tanaka complained. “And it’s not fair how they have girls personally cheering them on. I want that too!”

“You have your sister.” Asahi pointed out.

“She doesn’t count! I want a girl that’s not related to me to cheer me on! You know? To yell out my name every time I make a super cool point! Or when I do make an awesome point, I look for her in the crowd and dedicate that point to her!” Tanaka then sighed with slumped shoulders. “Man, that would be great.”

Asahi didn’t miss the way Tanaka's eyes glanced at Kiyoko, who was busy making sure everything was in order. It was routine for her to set the towels and water bottles on the bench but Asahi reckoned that Tanaka is thinking how she’s a goddess that crafted the night sky with each beautiful star. To be fair, it wasn’t that long ago when he shared his friend’s line of thinking about their manager, but after meeting (Y/N) and getting to know her, Asahi can argue she’s as much of a goddess as Kiyoko.

But his junior did have a good point about one thing: it would be nice to have a girl cheering for him.

Asahi patted his junior’s shoulder. “Be grateful for the fans we do have. Give them something worth cheering for.”

Tanaka raised his head and Asahi was relieved to see the motivational fire burn brightly in his eyes. The shadow ace made a fist, “You’re right, Asahi! We gotta do our part! We can’t let our fans down!”

He watched how Tanaka puffed out his chest before running off and greeted their own fans with invigorating passion to which their cheering section returned tenfold. Relieved to see his junior back to his energetic self, Asahi took the chance to look over his shoulder.

From the sidelines, he can easily spot Bokuto and Akaashi in their Fukurōdani Academy jackets. The Fukurōdani setter waved his hand in greeting while the ace next to him made sure to wave his arms in excitement.

“YO! ASAHI!” Bokuto hollered. “BE KARASUNO’S CANNON AND WIN!”

Asahi smiled and gave the ace a thumbs-up, hoping it was enough to show some amount of confidence. Because between every team that was in the training camp, everyone knew that Karasuno had not been able to win a set against Nekoma. Asahi remembered with a grimace how much diving and running drills they had to do with each losing set. The burning ache of his arms and legs were constant each day.

His eyes then traveled where Yachi innocently stood next to the scoreboard. No. Wait. It looked like she was talking to someone from behind the scoreboard. It had to be someone she knows because he knew how shy the first-year manager was to new people. So who was she talking to?

Just as he took a step to the side to get a better angle at the mystery person, he felt a hand grab his arm and turn him completely around.

“Hey, Asahi!” He didn’t have to look who was talking, he could tell by voice that it was Nishinoya. “You ready?! Battle of the Garbage Dump is finally here!”

“Yeah… It’s been a long time coming, huh?”

Asahi furrowed his brow at how the libero seemed distracted as he kept taking quick glances behind his back, the same direction Yachi was in. “Uhh, Nishinoya? You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. You have nothing to worry about. I got your back, remember?” Nishinoya laughed loudly, though Asahi can tell it was by force.

“Uhh, thanks? Are you really okay? You’re acting weird, Nishinoya.”

“Don’t worry about me, Asahi. I’m fine. Just have to make sure you’re good. We can’t have you all depressed right before the match.”

“Ha-ha. I’m focused. I talked to (Y/N) this morning-”

“Wait, you did? What did she say?”

Asahi gave his friend the short version of the phone call he had with (Y/N) this morning. He made sure to mention the part where she actually compiled notes for their match against Nekoma.

“She did that?”

This time, Asahi had the libero’s undivided attention. Huh… Should it bother him that Nishinoya is finally paying attention to what he was saying only because he mentioned (Y/N)? Does he… like her too?

For some reason the thought of his close friend and (Y/N) possibly liking each other didn’t sit right with him. He swallowed hard before pushing away the mental picture to the back of his mind, hoping it won’t come back any time soon.

He continued, “Yeah… She wanted me to tell you to be considerate of the spiker’s running approach when you make a receive. And to watch out for setter dumps.”

Nishinoya grinned brightly before laughing. “You really know how to pick’em, Asahi!”

“What- Don’t say it like that. (Y/N) is a person.”

“Of course, I know that. I just meant, don’t let your chance slip away. Because from what I can tell these past few days, (Y/N) is the best thing that has ever happened to you.”

Asahi smiled at his friend though he couldn’t help but ask, “How can you tell?”

“Because even when she’s not here, she’s on your mind. And ever since you met her, you’ve been different- confident even. Which by the way is what I’ve been telling you for years and I think it suits you great. Don’t you agree, (Y/N)-san?”

Asahi felt his neck snap at how fast he turned to look over his shoulder. His eyes met her familiar warm ones, a beautiful shade of (E/C) that he’s grown to admire. Her smile, so naturally kind, made his heart thrash all around his chest. He felt his stomach flip flop this way and that but it didn’t stop him from smiling back.

“I think he’s already great.”

Just hearing her voice again in the form of a compliment made him feel like he could do anything. His own voice seemed to be lost until he felt Nishinoya patted his back and brought him back to reality- a reality where his crush is right next to him.

“It’s nice to see you again, (Y/N)-san.” Nishinoya greeted her with a wide smile. “You look great!” The libero turned in his direction and asked, “I thought you said her team left this morning?”

Asahi took a chance to look at (Y/N) and once again he felt all the warm emotions just flood every single cell in his body. She didn’t have to do anything remotely amazing and yet she took his breath away every single time.

“I- Well- That’s what I thought.” He turned to look at his crush, worry in his eyes. “Did something happen? Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine! I promise!” (Y/N) responded and Asahi could tell by the excitement in her eyes that she was telling the truth. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“A surprise?”

She smiled. “Turns out the principal called Coach Kurosu this morning and he gave us permission to extend our stay here in Tokyo! Said we deserved it for the exciting match yesterday but I’m pretty sure he wanted us third-years to enjoy the tournament one last time. He’s the sentimental sort.”

Asahi couldn’t help but smile like a fool as hope filled his heart. “So you’re here to watch? Really?”

(Y/N) nodded in excitement. “For at least one more day, but yeah! I was going to watch your match on my phone, but when I heard the news I just knew I had to surprise you in person!” There was a moment of realization in her eyes as she became self-conscious. Her arms crossed over her chest, as if readying herself from some kind of blow. “Is… Is that okay?”

He can tell just by looking into her eyes that (Y/N) looked nervous. Was she afraid of his answer? Huh… The girl he admired, who he thought had confidence to spare, looked the same way he would be if the roles were reversed.

“Yeah! More than okay!” For the first time today, his palms started to sweat. He discretely wiped his hands against his shorts and he can tell Nishinoya was trying hard not to laugh. “I’m happy you’re here.”

(Y/N) relaxed her tense shoulders and smiled once more. She took a quick glance at the roaring crowd. “Me, too. Though, it looks like I’m not the only one excited to see this match.” She turned to Nishinoya. “I hope to see those great saves like the ones in the ‘I’m Awesome’ videos.”

“Ha! Just watch me, (Y/N)-san! You haven’t seen anything yet! Wait till you see my Rolling Thunder! In fact,” The libero held out his fist towards her. “I’ll dedicate my first Rolling Thunder to you, our newest fan!”

Asahi wanted to laugh at how (Y/N) shot him a confused look and mouthed, “Rolling Thunder?”

“You’ll see it soon enough.” He told her, not wanting to spoil his friend’s moment.

“Oh well,” She looked back at Nishinoya, her own fist connecting with his. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

“You won’t be disappointed! But don’t worry, I’ll let Asahi here have some room to impress you.” He nudged the wing spiker with his elbow, a huge grin on his face paired with mischievous eyes. “Right, ace?”

When her eyes met his, Asahi could feel his mind become a scrambled mess. Luckily, he found his voice in time and replied confidently, “It’s a promise.”

~

(Y/N) felt her heart racing like never before. She hoped the guys didn’t notice how flushed she was because she could certainly feel how warm her face felt. But perhaps she didn’t mind if it was with Asahi. Hopefully, he would like the small gift she had for him. Her katsumori, her own victory charm that was given to her back when she was a first-year, felt heavy in her jacket pocket. The words she practiced repeatedly in her head on the way here seemed to just disappear on the tip of her tongue. In all honesty, she’s been lucky to form complete sentences this whole time.

Meeting Asahi’s kind, warm, brown like melted chocolate eyes, (Y/N) found her voice again (just barely). Her hand made its way inside her jacket, her fingers nervously tracing around the worn fabric of her katsumori. “Wow, I’m a lucky girl.”

“It’s the least we could do.” Asahi assured her. “You went through the trouble to come to our match when you didn’t have to. We’re the lucky ones.”

(Y/N) could feel herself grinning like a fool but she didn’t care because all that mattered was that Asahi appreciated her efforts. Just seeing his cute smile was enough to find the confidence she needed. She could only hope it wasn’t too much.

“Speaking of luck,” Her fingers wrapped around the charm, slowly bringing it out of her pocket. “I wanted-”

“Excuse me, Miss?”

Her hand stilled inside her pocket as she turned around to face the unknown voice. It was the referee, the very same referee from yesterday’s match. He looked quite annoyed, as if he has better things to do than confronting her. And (Y/N) knew exactly why he was here.

“Yes?” She asked innocently, hoping the innocent act would help her in this situationship.

However, the referee kept his stare indifferent. “I don’t see your badge on you and according to your jacket you're from Inarizaki High, the very same school who lost their place in the tournament yesterday. Do you have any official business on this court?”

“Well, um…” Her throat seemed to constrict so much so that her words were stuck. She could feel the stares from Nishinoya and Asahi on her back. The back of her neck began to heat up in embarrassment. “I just wanted to visit-”

“Because if you don’t have official business,” The referee interrupted her. “Then I must ask you to step off the court-”

Her shoulder was enveloped in warmth, a familiar one, that was able to calm her heart into a normal rhythm.

“She’s my friend-”

“Girlfriend!” Nishinoya interrupted as he stepped in front of her, acting like a human shield against the referee. “He meant girlfriend.”

(Y/N) might have just met the libero the other day but she couldn’t help trusting him. Perhaps, that was something liberos had in common- whatever the situation, you can count on them to have your back.

Nishinoya looked over his shoulder and winked at her and Asahi. She didn’t have to read his mind to follow in step with his go-with-the-flow plan. Luckily, this wasn’t the first time she had to be in a role for a grand performance. The Miya twins gave her enough practice for that.

With that in mind, (Y/N) steeled her nerves and put on her best apologetic smile. Her hand went up to her shoulder where her palm sat on top of Asahi’s hand. She could feel his eyes on her but she didn’t dare look into those warm, caring eyes. Hopefully, Asahi will understand and go along with the plan but deep down she knew she could trust him.

With Asahi’s hand in hers, (Y/N) stepped forward and bowed down in respect. “I’m so sorry, sir, for causing trouble.” She stood back up and held Asahi’s hand firmly. “I was on my way to grab a seat when I realized I forgot to give my boyfriend his good luck charm.”

The referee raised a brow in suspicion, his eyes darting between her and her ‘boyfriend’. He has seen the two together before the past couple of days but he always thought the two were friends. On the other hand, they reminded him of the time when he first met his wife in this very gym over ten years ago. The memory will forever be treasured in his heart even after a decade later. Now, the rules don’t matter as much anymore… Perhaps he had a soft spot for young love. It didn’t help that the man bun guy was looking at her like she was an angel of some kind.

The adult internally sighed, weighing his options on either side. However, just as he was about to reason with the young couple, the tall #3 player stepped forward, his hand still linked with the girl’s.

“Five minutes, sir. Please. We- I-I need five minutes with her.”

This time the referee let out a loud sigh as he could feel the sentimental side of himself win over the logical side.

“Alright. But only for five minutes. That’s it. The moment I blow this whistle your girlfriend needs to be off the court. Understood? Both of you?”

(Y/N) was at a loss for words by the referee’s sudden generosity. It wasn’t until she felt Asahi shift beside her that she found her voice again.

“You okay?” He asked, concern laced in his voice. His hand not showing any signs of letting go despite the fact that the referee was long gone.

“Of course she’s okay!” Nishinoya laughed. “The plan worked great! The ref didn’t suspect a thing. You did a great job playing along, (Y/N)-san!”

She smiled at the compliment. “It’s easy when you have enough practice. Trust me, this was child’s play compared to what the Miya twins do on a weekly basis. But thanks, both of you, for covering for me.” Her eyes met Asahi’s. “Seems like you’re always saving me one way or another.”

Asahi let out a nervous laugh before finally releasing her hand as he rubbed his neck. “I think it was just the right time and right place.”

“Then I suppose meeting you is almost like fate. Maybe getting defeated by your team could be a blessing in disguise. But don’t tell my team that. They’re still sore from yesterday.”

“Physically or emotionally?” Nishnoya asked.

“Both.” She replied. “But you didn’t hear it from me. What about you guys? How are you guys holding up?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle!” Nishinoya declared. “But I think I should leave you guys alone, I have to practice some receives with Tanaka. Make sure to cheer for me, (Y/N)-san!”

The two third-years looked at the libero with identical expressions of disbelief but decided not to comment on it. With the new found sense of privacy, (Y/N) nervously looked up at her crush.

“So, um, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable about me calling you my boyfriend. I know that ref and he takes his job seriously, like unbelievably serious, and I didn’t want you to get on his bad side before your match. Trust me on that.”

Asahi took a quick glance over his shoulder and sure enough the ref was staring in their direction. Almost as if he was expecting something…

“I’ll take your word for it. He’s still staring at us. Well, more like glaring at me.”

“And I’m sure he’s counting the seconds before he blows that whistle. So I shouldn’t waste anymore time,” She took out her katsumori and offered it to him. “Here, this is for you. Take it.”

Asahi looked at her with those eyes, asking if she was sure. He was about to protest but she spoke first.

“I’m sure, Asahi. Please take it.” She took hold of his hand and gently placed the charm on his open palm. “It would mean a lot to me.”

The uncertainty in his eyes faded away and the smile that she’s been hoping to see became a wish come true.

“Thank you, (Y/N). I promise to keep it safe.” He carefully closed her katsumori in a fist and held it over his chest.

It made her heart melt inside her rib cage. All the butterflies in her stomach that were frolicking about were now flapping their little wings into a cyclone. She thanked her lucky stars that she had a light breakfast.

“Well,” She took a step forward, casually brushing her shoulder with his. “I should go and find a good seat before they’re all gone.”

“Oh, um, no, yeah.” Asahi agreed. “Of course. So, I’ll… See you later… Hopefully? After the match?”

(Y/N) internally cooed at how earnest Asahi was being. How is it possible for him to be this cute yet attractive at the same time? Does he even know?

“I’ll be here, waiting to congratulate your team for a great match.”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “And if we lose?”

“It’s still going to be a great match. I just know it.”

Before he could say another word, the shrill sound of the whistle filled the air. It was time to go. (Y/N) sighed as she dreaded this moment to leave the court. All the while, Asahi wished he had more time with her. In fact, he wished time stopped all together, capturing the moment-

“Asahi!”

“Huh?” The ace blinked when he heard his name. He looked back at (Y/N) where he was met with her worried gaze.

“I said I have to go now, like for real this time. So um… Yeah… Good luck.”

“Yeah, ok, yeah. I got your katsumori. You’re here. I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m all set.”

(Y/N) smiled bashfully at his words. “See you later.”

She raised her fist towards him and to her surprise Asahi didn’t hesitate to connect his fist with hers.

“You can do this, ace.”

“Thank you for everything.”

“Miss? Are you feeling alright?” The hotel concierge asked from behind her desk.

The manager snapped out of her thoughts and managed a convincing smile. “Oh, sorry! Yes, I’m fine.”

The older woman relaxed and smiled in return. “That’s good. If you don’t mind me asking, was that your boyfriend you were speaking to outside?”

(Y/N) felt her cheeks warm up under her scarf at the question. Asahi wasn’t her boyfriend but she wasn’t against the idea. “He’s a friend.”

“Oh, I see.” The lady smiled warmly when she recalled the time she met the love of her life when they were young. She can tell that this young girl is going through the same ocean of emotions she went through at one time. She looked down at the ring around her finger, a symbol of love she shared with her husband of twenty years. “Well, he seems to have a kind soul.”

“He does.” (Y/N) confirmed. “He’s a gentle giant with a glass heart. He’s the ace of his team but he keeps doubting himself a lot. I just wish there was a way I can help him… Help him see that he’s already amazing even with his flaws.” She mumbled the last phrase to herself. “At least to me…”

The hotel concierge mentally cooed at how adorable this high school student was being. If she was her grandchild, she would make her march right back out there and confess her feelings to that boy. Instead, she cleared her throat and gave the young girl what she thought was wise advice, “Dearie, this is just a thought, but perhaps instead of using your words, you should use action. Actions speak louder than words. After all, boys can be oblivious at times, especially high school boys.”

(Y/N) perked up, her eyes seemed to glimmer with hope. “Use action, huh? Hmm. I guess that could work.” She looked back at the older woman and bowed down in respect. “Arigato!”

She turned around and made her way to the elevator. Luckily, there was one still available but it seemed the universe decided she had enough luck for today as the metal door began to slide closed. 

Or maybe there was still hope because her eyes caught a person wearing a bright red track jacket inside the elevator.

“Please hold the elevator!” (Y/N) called out to the person as she sprinted her way in. Once inside, she sighed in relief before turning to the person. “Thanks for that. I owe you one.”

“I-It’s n-nothing.” The guy squeaked out a reply. He cleared his throat, hoping it was enough to get rid of the stutter in his voice. Though it only made his voice squeak at a higher octave as he asked, “W-What f-floor?”

“Fifteen- Oh, you too, huh? That’s cool.” She mentally kicked herself for saying that last part but she didn’t show it. 

“U-Um, y-yeah, so c-cool.”

They rode the elevator in silence for the first five floors. (Y/N) decided to pass the time by texting Kita and Aran that she was on her way back. She smiled to herself when Aran began to send a barrage of questions, one after another. She shifted from one foot to the other and the simple motion was enough to cause a strand of hair to fall in front of her face. Annoyed, (Y/N) tucked the strand behind her ear and continued on with her texts.

But in the corner of her eye, the guy right next to her kept stealing glances at her. He was fidgety as if he was scared of her. His hands acted like they couldn’t be still for five seconds. They were either fidgeting by his side, squirming inside his track jacket, or running his fingers through his dyed mohawk. 

‘Oh well. Maybe he’s just socially awkward. He looks like a high schooler like me, albeit a bit younger than me. Perhaps a second-year?’

Lost in her own thoughts, (Y/N) didn’t realize the effect she was having on Nekoma’s ace. 

Yamamoto didn’t know how to act. He felt as if he was breathing funny right next to the very pretty girl. He could feel his heart beating in his ears and it was getting louder and louder with each minute that passed by. The soft glow from her phone illuminated her facial features and he had to swallow the hot ball of nerves in his throat. This was exactly how he felt when he saw Karasuno’s beautiful manager for the first time.

‘Does she realize how beautiful she looks?’ Yamamoto asked himself, stealing another glance at the girl right next to him. ‘I wonder what’s her name? What school does she belong to? She has to be here for the Spring Tournament, right? Or maybe she’s here to cheer on her boyfriend? Because there’s no way a girl as pretty as her could be single. Lucky bastard!’

Apparently the last thought was enough to let out a small gruff escape his lips and the noise caught her attention.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?” She asked kindly, turning off her phone giving Yamamoto her full attention.

“Er, n-no?” 

“Oh, okay then.” (Y/N) gave him a sympathetic smile. “My bad.”

“W-WAIT!” Nekoma’s ace all but shouted at her, causing her to jump. “A-Are you here for the tournament?”

(Y/N) smiled. “I was. I’m the manager for my team. We just lost today’s match though. My name’s (L/N) (Y/N). I’m from Inarizaki.”

“Yamamoto Taketora.” He tried to subtly puff out chest as he pointed to himself and confidently said, “I’m Nekoma’s one-and-only ace.”

He hoped his title of ace would impress her. Maybe give him a compliment or two. Or maybe even admire him for having such an important role. 

“Nekoma? Oh! From Tokyo, right?”

Yamamoto felt like he was on cloud nine, ten, heck maybe even twenty because the pretty girl knew about his school which means she must know how much of a powerhouse his school is. 

(Y/N) continued. “That means you’re up against Karasuno!”

“Um yeah?” Yamamoto was taken aback at how excited her voice became, especially when Karasuno made its way into the conversation. He had a sinking feeling that she already had a favorite team. “Wait? You said you were from Inarizaki? Didn’t Karasuno- Well, um, beat your team today?”

“Yeah. It was a close match but they won fair and square. Plus, they’re great people. I hope they make it far in this tournament.” (Y/N) then winced and offered an apologetic look. “Not that your team isn’t good, Yamamoto. I’m sure your team is cool too.”

“Thanks but we’ll show you how cool we are tomorrow. Maybe you’ll change your mind on who to cheer for.”

(Y/N) smiled at how confident Yamamoto became in such a short amount of time. He was the complete opposite with his Karasuno counterpart. And while she might sound biased, she thought Asahi was the better ace. 

Still, she didn’t want to crush this guy’s confidence especially when his match is tomorrow. Luckily, the elevator came to a slow stop on the fifteenth floor. 

“Well, good luck tomorrow, Yamamoto. I think you’re going to need it.” 

And with that, the Inarizaki manager made her way down the corridor and entered her hotel room. She didn’t realize how her words seemed to cast a spell on the wing spiker. Yamamoto stood there, almost rooted to the spot. Soft elevator music filled the air but the only thing that held his attention was the Inarizaki beauty that wished him luck, minus the part where she was obviously a fan of Karasuno.

Yamamoto sighed, clearly frustrated. “Man! Why does Karasuno get all the cute girls?!”

With a raging fire burning inside of him, he didn’t notice the elevator doors closing on his floor until it was too late.

~

Asahi sneezed the moment he entered his room and for a split moment he felt his stomach drop. Was he getting sick? He hoped that wasn’t the case. He was just about to brush it off as a simple sneeze when he remembered a common superstition about sneezing and how it meant someone was talking about you.

A shiver of mixed emotions traveled up his spine when he thought of her. 

(L/N) (Y/N). The Inarizaki volleyball manager. The girl he fell for since day one. One of the few people who didn’t flinch or run away from him because of the way he looked. Instead, she took the time to get to know him, listened to his worried ramblings, and even gave him meaningful advice that helped him through his anxiety.

It might be wishful thinking but Asahi hoped she was thinking of him just as he was with her. And while it’s only been a few minutes since his conversation with (Y/N), he longed to see her again. A pang of disappointment made its way to his heart. By tomorrow morning, she’ll be gone, returning back home with the rest of her team.

‘At least, I can still text her. (Y/N) did say she would visit Miyagi one day. And I can pay a visit to Hyōgo too.’

The small ray of hope shined a bit brighter on the future as it was enough for Asahi to smile. 

“Oh? You’re back, I see.” The familiar voice of the innkeeper brought him back to reality. The woman gave him a brief smile before asking, “The girl you were speaking to must have been your girlfriend, wasn’t it? You two looked adorable together. I must admit, I didn’t peg you to be a romantic when I first saw you but you certainly proved me wrong.”

Asahi’s mind went into a frenzy upon hearing the woman’s words. He couldn’t help but feel uncomfortably warm and stutter out. “W-What?”

The female innkeeper chuckled at how obvious the high school boy was being. If he wasn’t the epitome of a boy in love, then she didn't know what else could be. 

“Oh, don’t be so modest!” She told him. “Girls love nothing more when their boyfriends make the effort to be romantic. I say you did well. Dare I say, confident even. Your friends were trying to peek and listen in but I sent them back to their rooms. I’m sure a couple like yourselves wanted privacy.”

Asahi opened his mouth to correct her whole perception of him and (Y/N) but for some reason he didn’t. Instead, he thanked the woman with a bow.

The innkeeper smiled at him. “Keep it up, young man! And good luck on tomorrow’s match! Make your girlfriend proud of you!”

Stuttering out another thank you, Asahi left the small lobby and made his way to his room.

“Hey guys! I’m back-” 

“ASAHI’S BACK!” 

The volleyball ace could feel the metaphorical spotlight shine on him when he was surrounded by his friends, each of them asking all sorts of questions.

“What did you guys talk about?”

“How was it?”

“Hinata said you guys were holding hands, is that true?”

“Did you kiss her?”

“Asked her to be your girlfriend?”

“When’s the first date?”

Overwhelmed, Asahi was grateful when Suga and Daichi put an end to the interrogation. They led him to the outdoor balcony where they had a good view of several illuminated skyscrapers. His eyes automatically looked at the sky, hoping to see a single constellation or at the very least the North Star. But he was greeted once again by the cloud-filled sky. 

The disappointment didn’t stay too long when he let his eyes wander to the exact spot where he and (Y/N) had their conversation. He smiled to himself when he saw the outdoor string lights that helped serve a warm atmosphere; he didn’t blame the innkeeper for thinking they were a couple. 

He just wished it was true.

Like clockwork, he felt Daichi and Suga flank on either side of him. He didn’t have to look at them to know they wore identical knowing looks. Instead, he placed his arms against the balcony and waited for the questions to start.

“Sooo?” Suga began, grinning up at his friend. 

“How did it go?” Daichi asked. 

“It went okay.” Asahi said as he rested his chin on his arms. “We talked about today’s match. I wanted to make sure (Y/N) was actually okay.”

“And was she?” Suga asked, genuinely curious since he knew Asahi was worried about it earlier today.

Asahi nodded. “You were right all along, Suga.”

“See? You had nothing to worry about! That just goes to show you should count on me for relationship advice! What else? I need more details.”

“Calm down, Suga.” Daichi laughed at his friend’s barely contained excitement. “Didn’t you learn anything when the innkeeper scolded us earlier?”

“That was you guys?” Asahi asked them with a chuckle. “I thought Nishinoya and Tanaka would pull that stunt. But you guys?”

“Hey! In our defense, we… Well, we… Daichi, tell him our defense. You’re good at defense.”

Daichi rolled his eyes at Suga’s poor excuse. “We were nosy. There. That’s our defense. But someone just had to be extra extra nosy-” He gave the vice captain a quick glare. “-That the innkeeper caught up on what we were doing and sent us back.”

Asahi laughed at his friends as he could only imagine that moment. He replayed his conversation with (Y/N) once more and a soft smile played on his lips. “She wished us luck for tomorrow.”

“Really? That’s nice of her. Is she coming to watch our match? I bet you would want her to cheer you on from the stands.”

It was a nice thought but Asahi knew better.

With a heavy sigh and an equally heavy heart, he told them how (Y/N) and her team were leaving tomorrow morning. He waited for his friends to say something that would cheer him up but was greeted with silence. Until, Daichi spoke what was on everyone’s mind.

“Well, that sucks.”

“Yeah.” Asahi couldn’t agree more with his situation. “Am I a bad person for not wanting (Y/N) to go back home?”

“Course not!” Suga exclaimed loudly. “I think it’s normal. I mean it’s not like you have no support. You have us, the team, the coaches, and the fans.”

“But it’s different when it comes to (Y/N),” Daichi suggested, catching on to what Suga was doing. “She already means a lot to you, huh?”

Asahi felt his ears turn red and he wished that his hair was in a low bun to hide the obvious giveaway. Still, what they were saying was the truth. He would have liked nothing more for (Y/N) to be there tomorrow, cheering him on. He wanted her to see that their agreement still stands. A promise where he’ll do everything he can to help his team win. 

It’s hard to explain it but he always had trouble seeing himself as the team’s ace. Obviously, he can see why he’s the ace as he dealt with persistent blocks, less-than-ideal sets, or nasty serves most of the time. But sometimes, when his anxiety was too much, he had doubts about his abilities. He couldn’t voice this to Daichi and Suga or to anyone on the team, he hated being an inconvenience.

He was- No. He is grateful that he met (Y/N). Someone who understood him and his problems. Someone who sees more than the title of ace on his shoulders. Someone who took the time and effort to get to know him.

“Yeah. She does… More than she actually knows.”

Asahi didn’t notice the way his fellow third-years shared a knowing look behind his back but if he did he wouldn’t care. He was a storm of emotions on the inside. It was almost funny how this new year was treating him and it hasn’t been a full week yet. Whatever the case, he counted his lucky stars to have made it to Nationals. 

~ The Next Morning ~

The sun’s morning rays were the first thing that greeted him when Asahi opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t back in Miyagi, sleeping in his own room and yet it hit him all at once of all the events that happened in the last 48 hours. 

Asahi sighed, swinging his arm over his eyes and letting himself smile when he thought about her. (L/N) (Y/N), the third-year manager of the Inarizaki volleyball team. In the few encounters they’ve had, she never failed to bring a new perspective, which he found refreshing compared to his usual anxiety-inducing outlook on life. 

His heart began to beat a bit faster when he remembered every little detail from last night. How she tugged her scarf a bit tighter each time a breeze blew by. How the snowflakes danced around her, while a few of them were caught in her hair. In his eyes, the snowflakes looked like mini diamonds in her hair, sparkling each time they caught the light of the outdoor winter illuminations. Or how she would tuck her hair behind her ear whenever she got excited- Wait… Now that he remembered that detail, Asahi recalled (Y/N) did that a lot during their conversation last night. She smiled a lot too… And the hug she gave him, wishing him luck on today’s match…

Feeling the tips of his ears begin to warm up, Asahi sat up on his futon. His hair tickled the back of his neck, a few strands made their way in front of his face. He let out a yawn before running his hand through his long hair. And by that simple action, Asahi was reminded how sore his body actually was. Especially his shoulder. Despite his body begging for more rest, the ace slowly but surely got up and headed to the bathroom. 

He was greeted by his own reflection in the mirror. His long brown hair was definitely giving him a wild look. He’ll have to make sure his hair looks decent today. After all, he didn’t want to look savage wild. More like cool wild… If that made any sense…

Asahi let out a quiet groan when he removed his shirt, the very shirt (Y/N) bought him when they first met. After carefully folding his treasured shirt with great care, Asahi looked at himself in the mirror where his eyes immediately found a three-inch bruise on his shoulder, a reminder how intense Ojiro Aran’s spike was. He gently pressed his fingers to the injury and grimaced at how sensitive it was. The ice pack he used yesterday did its job but it looks like he might have to ask Kiyoko for another one. He looked at the rest of his toned body, hoping there weren’t any other major bruises like the one on his shoulder. To his relief, there wasn’t any except for the minor bruises on his forearms and biceps. Bending his arm back and forth a few times, Asahi noticed how large his biceps were. Have they always been this big? They weren’t obscenely large but it was enough to compliment the rest of his body. He looked… Strong. 

‘Does (Y/N) think I look good? I mean, she did call me cute last night. So that’s a good thing. But what if she was being nice. What if she likes guys with huge muscles?’ Asahi frowned, before shaking the thought away. ‘Maybe I should work out more...’

Asahi began his morning routine and while his body moved in automatic motion, his mind kept replaying what (Y/N) told him last night.

‘First, you can stop feeling bad. I’m okay, really. And second, if you really want to make me feel better then take the win. Take it and do the same thing tomorrow. Play each set and win some more. I promise if you do that, I’ll be more than okay because I’ll be rooting for you.’

‘Win the next match for us.’

‘Think positive! Remember you’re not alone. You have your friends and the rest of your team that you can rely on. And if it helps, you have me too.’

‘I might not be there in person but I’ll be cheering for you.’

‘You got this Asahi. I know you do.’

Asahi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, replaying (Y/N)’s words on loop while also imagining the warmth of her hug, the sincerity in her eyes, and genuine kindness in her smile. After a minute, the ace opened his eyes. He made eye contact with the mirror’s reflection of himself.

“You can do this, Asahi.” 

~

When he returned to his room, he was surprised to see most of his team already up. Maybe he wasn’t the only one with nerves. It was the third day of the Spring Tournament and if what Coach Ukai told them was true then today was going to be hell because both the third round and the quarterfinals are to be played today. 

So if they win against Nekoma, an already great team, then they will have to compete with another powerhouse school who most likely have been to Nationals each year. 

“Morning, Asahi.” Suga greeted as he was making his way to the bathroom. 

“Morning, Suga. Are you ready for today?”

“Give me half an hour. Nishinoya kept me up with his snoring and I think Tanaka was talking in his sleep. I think he was dreaming of being in a match because he kept saying ‘nice receive’. I still slept okay but I woke up again at around 5 A.M.”

“Why?” Asahi asked. 

“So you know how my futon is close to the outlet where we all charge our phones?” Suga asked, a yawn quickly following afterward.

“Yeah.”

“Well, someone’s phone went off, waking me up way too early! And you know how I am, when someone wakes me up before I actually have to.”

“Oh, yeah. You’re not really a morning person.”

“Exactly!” Suga mumbled as he tried to rub away the sleep from his eyes. “I didn’t even care whose phone it was, I just grabbed it and put it on silent mode. No one should be calling anyone that early in the morning.”

‘Well, there goes my plan to call (Y/N) right now.’

Suga made his way to the bathroom, leaving Asahi to wonder what his next should be. Perhaps he could just check his phone for any messages he may have missed… Maybe… Just maybe he might be lucky to find a text from her.

The moment his phone lit up was when he felt like the luckiest guy on the planet because it was there on his phone’s screen that he, in fact, did receive a text from (Y/N). He quickly tapped on the message and waited with a rapidly beating heart and bated breath to see what she had to say.

New Message from (Y/N) (5:20 AM)

Asahi! I’m so sorry for texting you so early in the morning. I tried to call you but I guess you disconnected or something? Again, sorry about that. I probably woke you up and you need all the sleep you can get for today’s matches. I just wanted to talk to you but I guess this message will have to do. 

First of all, I really wanted to be there and wish you luck. But I’m sure you and your team will give your opponents a hard time. 

Right now, I’m sitting on our team’s bus, getting ready to go back to Hyōgo. The coaches are taking their sweet time though but for some reason I’m okay with that. I don’t want to leave Tokyo… Not yet at least. 

Anyways, this message is getting too long even though I have so much more to say to you, but I’m sure you need to focus. Just remember that it’s okay to be nervous. You’re not carrying the burden alone, okay? You have your team. 

P.S. Is it weird that I’m still looking at the sky for stars? Obviously, I’m not an expert like yourself but I think little-kid-you would be proud of me. Good luck. I believe in you.

Asahi couldn’t help but smile widely when he read the last part of (Y/N)’s message. He felt like his whole body was glowing with positive energy. Maybe he can do this- No. He will do this. For himself. For the team. And for her.

He checked the time and realized that it had been almost two hours since (Y/N) had sent her message. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Asahi clicked her contact number and waited to hear her voice. He counted each second that passed by as his phone dialed her number. Ten seconds have passed when his phone connected the call. There was a brief shuffle and Asahi wondered if he woke her up. 

“Hello?”

This was definitely not (Y/N). In fact, it sounded familiar. Asahi wracked his brain to try to match the voice with a face. It had to be one of the Miya twins. But which one?

“Uh, hi? Um, is… Is (Y/N)-san there?” 

“Yeah, she’s here. Who’s askin’?” 

“Err. This is Azumane Asahi. I’m trying to return her call-”

“Azumane? Why does that name sound so familiar? Oh! Wait! Karasuno’s samurai, right?”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, that’s me. And you’re one of the Miya twins, right?”

“Guess which one, samurai. If you answer right, I’ll wake up sleeping beauty-”

“You’re Osamu.” Asahi wasn’t sure in the beginning but he was absolutely sure that this was the calmer twin. “I think your brother would have ended the call after knowing it was me.”

“Atsumu can be an ass sometimes but he means well. It’s just that… (Y/N) is more than just our manager to us. She’s our friend. We want her to be happy and from what I’ve seen you’ve been doing a good job at that. Especially what she did last night after you guys had your little talk.”

Asahi furrowed his brow. “What do you mean-”

“‘Samu? Who are you talking to with my phone?”

“In my defense-”

“You have no defense.” Asahi smirked at (Y/N)’s quick retort. He can only imagine what kind of expression she was wearing. He wondered if (Y/N) was the kind of person that loved her sleep. Was she an early bird or a night owl? “Hello? Asahi, is that you?”

Her voice sounded soft-spoken yet rushed, as if some cosmic misfortune might happen to prevent them from talking. Which to be fair wasn’t so far-fetched but hearing her voice once more made it all worth it.

“(Y/N)! Hey!” He cleared his throat, trying to sound somewhat calm. “I saw that I missed your call but I was asleep and-”

“That’s completely my bad, Asahi. I should have known better than to call you, especially on a day like today but I couldn’t help it.”

“No, no. It’s okay. I’m actually glad you called and thanks for the message you sent. It helped a lot.”

There was a sigh of relief before she spoke again. “I hoped it did. So how are you feeling?”

“Better than yesterday.” He confessed. “I don’t feel like I need stomach medicine before the match.” 

(Y/N) giggled and Asahi swore his heart stirred around his chest. “Well, that’s a good start. How is everyone else? Is everyone ready to play two matches today?”

His brain short-circuited. He couldn’t find the ability to talk till he heard (Y/N) call out his name. “Two matches? Isn’t it just one match?”

There was silence on the other end of the line and Asahi hoped he heard her wrong. He already had a small pit in his stomach going against Nekoma today but if what (Y/N) says is true then…

“I… I thought you already knew.”

“So today…”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that’s why they call day three of Nationals, Hell Day. The third round and the quarterfinals are going to be played today.”

“... I think I’m going to need that stomach medicine.”

“You can do this, Asahi. Believe in yourself.”

Asahi smiled to himself at her words. He hoped when the moment comes, he can share her confidence. He just hoped that moment was soon.

“I wish you were still here.” He admitted, wanting to let her know how he felt (at least somewhat). “You guys must be halfway back to Hyōgo.”

“Well… About that-”

“Everybody! Downstairs! We need to be there early to practice!” Coach Ukai’s authoritative voice filled the room before he left.

“Sounds like your coach is getting antsy.” 

Asahi laughed. “Tell me about it. I think he was up all night watching old Nekoma matches.”

“He’s not the only one. Nekoma’s libero is very skilled. So be careful with him even if you spike the ball past the blockers. Oh! Nekoma’s captain is going to be so annoying with his blocks but don’t get discouraged when you get blocked. Try to do some wipes or rebounds if you can. Wait! I have my notes in my other bag. Don’t hang up!”

Asahi had his mouth open the whole time (Y/N) started giving out pointers. Did she do research on Nekoma prior to Nationals? She had to, right? Just in case Inarizaki played against Nekoma, right? Because there was no way she went through the effort of researching-

“She did it for you.” It was Osamu again. “Stayed up late last night. Watching Nekoma’s matches over and over again. Said she wanted to help your team but I think we both know she did it mainly for you.”

“I-I don’t… I swear I didn’t make her do that.” Asahi said earnestly.

“Course not. You’ll see soon enough (Y/N) is the type of person you’d want in your life. Shit, she’s coming back. See you later, samurai.”

“Later?” Asahi didn’t have time to question the twin’s words when he heard the phone being picked up.

“Hey, Asahi, are you still there?” (Y/N) asked.

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“It’s a madhouse in here!” The announcer’s loud voice filled the arena of the crowd’s uproar. “The entire Tokyo gymnasium is shaking with the roar of the crowd!”

The Inarizaki manager was the first to snap out of it. She didn’t realize how loud it was before until now. The last sound she heard was the sound of the ball hitting their side of the orange court. Everything after that felt muffled in a sense as she stood there motionless.

(Y/N) looked at her team. With the exception of their chests moving, no one made an effort to walk off the court. Whether they were too tired to move or they were in disbelief at their loss, (Y/N) knew that her friends were taking this loss harder than usual. 

They were so close…

“We lost.” It helped saying those two words out loud. It didn’t lessen the sting obviously, but it confirmed her reality. 

Even more so when she saw how unbelievably happy Karasuno looked. Her eyes automatically looked for Asahi. When her eyes landed on his jersey number, her wounded heart swelled up with admiration. Under the bright gym lights, Asahi looked unbelievably happy as his arms wrapped around his teammates. He, along with his friends, were hugging the two first-years that made the incredible block against the twins’ attack. 

The scene made her smile bittersweetly. While she was sad that her team was no longer able to advance, losing the match to Karasuno didn’t feel too awful. The match was almost like a battle of wills. Everyone was fighting for a point. No one gave up, not even when the odds were against them. 

There was no way around it, Karasuno won fair and square and while this didn’t mean the end of the world for her… Today marks the end of her Spring Tournament journey… Wow. Third year brings out a different perspective more than anything.

(Y/N) reminded herself to breathe. She looked for Kita. Unsurprisingly, the captain’s observant gaze was on her already. He always had a knack in knowing what she was feeling. It has been like that since their first year. The two smiled at each as they were thinking the same thing.

They couldn’t be any prouder of their entire team.

“It’s time to line up.” Coach Kurosu instructed with Coach Ōmi following behind.

She nodded and wordlessly grabbed the white picket sign that showed her school’s name. The manager waited for her captain to step next to her. Once he did, she gave the sign in his hands. Their eyes met and (Y/N) knew he was going to be okay. 

Everyone lined up on either side of the net; their Karasuno counterpart right in front of them. (Y/N) looked ahead and she smiled when she was met with Kiyoko’s teary-eyed expression. She hoped those tears were of happiness and not of pity for her and her team. In unison, everyone bowed down and thanked each other for the game.

After standing back up, the players stepped forward to shake hands. (Y/N), along with the coaches, did the same. 

“That was a great game.” (Y/N) told her when they shook hands. “Anyone who says Karasuno’s a fallen powerhouse is kidding themselves.”

Kiyoko wiped away the tears that threatened to fall at her new friend’s words. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to us.”

(Y/N) let out a good-natured chuckle. “You have a great team, Kiyoko. Take care of them because the competition is going to be even fiercer.”

“I will… And (Y/N)?”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry-

“Don’t be.” The Inarizaki manager cuts her off. “Don’t apologize. You never know what’s going to happen. All we can do is our best and keep moving forward. Okay?”

“Okay.” 

“Good.” 

The girls smiled at each other. To Kiyoko’s surprise, (Y/N) gave her a tight hug. It took her a second but Kiyoko managed to hug back. The loud cheers of the arena along with the announcer’s voice almost made it impossible to hear (Y/N)’s next words but she still heard them all the same: “Keep winning.”

Kiyoko pulled away first as she gave her friend a determined nod. “We will.”

(Y/N) smiled at her one last time before following her teammates. She stood next to Kita in front of the Inarizaki cheer section. She scanned the crowd to see her fellow classmates and friends. They had tears streaming down their faces but it didn’t stop them from clapping or shouting words of encouragement. 

In the corner of her eye, she saw how frustrated Atsumu looked. Anyone who had eyes can tell by the expression he wore. 

With furrowed brows and a small pout to accompany it, Atsumu muttered under his breath, “C’mon. Boo us. Losers don’t need no consolation applause.”

To his surprise, one of the older fans called him out. “Shut yer mouth, Atsumu, ya little dimwit!”

(Y/N) smirked when her underclassman was taken aback; he’s probably thinking how on earth did the man see right through him. 

“It’s scrawled all over yer face, ya idjit!” The fan yelled at him, confirming (Y/N)’s theory from before. She didn’t miss the way Osamu smirked at his brother, most likely thinking he was a idiotic moron.

“A GOOD GAME’S A GOOD GAME, AND WE’RE GONNA TELL YOU IT WAS A GOOD GAME! YOU GOT THAT?!”

While the loss did sting, the fan’s words gave her a sense of pride. Everyone rallied behind the fan’s statement. The claps became louder. They shouted each member’s names, including her own, telling them it was a great game. They even brought out the hand-made signs that had their names on it and carried them proudly over their heads. (Y/N)’s eyes swept over the crowd until she was met with Kita’s grandmother’s gaze.

She met the older woman before on multiple occasions. Kita Yumie was the ideal grandmother as she wore a gentle smile that matched her kind eyes. The fact that she showed up to their game only proved how much she cared for her grandson and his team. Not to mention she wore a hand-made sweater that said ‘Good Luck Shinsuke’.

It didn’t help when the elder woman mouthed, “I’m proud of you all.”

(Y/N) could feel her tears well up around her eyes. She blinked rapidly to gain control but there was always that one tear that ended up escaping down her cheek. Her hand quickly wiped it away before her team saw. But, as always, the Inarizaki captain was watching.

He patted her back and gave her the same gentle smile that he shared with his grandmother. The smiles were almost identical. 

Wordlessly, everyone bowed to the Inarizaki cheering section and shouted, “THANK YOU VERY MUCH!”

~

As Coach Kurosu and Kita delivered their post-game interviews, (Y/N) busied herself with packing everything up. Once she deemed everything was accounted for, she zipped up her bag and took one last look at the orange court. It was bittersweet to say the least. 

“Can’t forget this.” Aran came up to her, her maroon Inarizaki jacket in his hand. “Y’alright?”

(Y/N) smiled at her friend and nodded as she put on her jacket. “I should be asking you that, Aran.”

The ace shrugged. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, y’know?”

She hummed in agreement. “I keep expecting to wake up but I pinched myself enough times to know this is real.”

The two third-years walked towards the crowd of journalists where their friend/captain continued to answer questions. As they waited on the sidelines, Aran couldn’t help but steal glances at his manager. Which of course didn’t go unnoticed by her. 

“Something wrong, Aran?”

He took a moment to find the right words before he spoke, “That samurai guy… He made some great plays.”

“He did, didn’t he?” (Y/N) recalled Asahi’s top moments of the match. A smile graced her lips when she remembered the moment Asahi feinted a spike that surprised both Aran and Akagi. She can tell by the look of his face that he didn’t mean to do that, all the while Inarizaki’s ace and libero glared at him. “Even our own fans cheered him on at one point.”

“I know right? But I couldn’t blame them for cheerin’.” Aran sighed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He mentally winced as he recalled the time Karasuno’s #3 received his spike with his shoulder. He didn’t want to brag but he knew for a fact that his spikes were strong. No doubt Azumane is going to have a bruise that will last a few days. “He’s definitely a strong ace.”

“You guys shook hands, right? Did you tell him something?” (Y/N) asked her friend, curiosity getting the best of her. 

Aran nodded. “Yeah, I told him something.”

(Y/N) waited for him to continue but when he didn’t say anything else she stepped in front of him. “Well? What did you tell him? You didn’t say anything mean, did you? He’s sensitive and-”

Her mini interrogation was cut off when Aran laughed and said, “Relax, (Y/N). I didn’t say anything mean.”

“Then what did you tell him?” She asked again, getting slightly annoyed by Aran’s secrecy.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a guy thing.”

Oh, you suck.” (Y/N) pouted as she punched his arm repeatedly. “And here I thought you were the one guy that I can trust unconditionally. Guess Kita is the only one.”

“Aww. Don’t be like that.” Aran swung his arm over her shoulder and brought her in for a side hug. “After all we’ve been through these last three years, you’re just gonna toss me away like that?”

(Y/N) let out a small yelp when she felt Aran’s hand ruffle her hair. “Hey! My hair! It took me all morning to make it look good.”

“Oh?” Aran gave her a teasing smile that could rival the twins’. “You never do your hair for matches. You tryin’ to impress samurai guy?”

“S-Shut up! What’s wrong with me trying to look good?” (Y/N) defended, hoping Aran didn’t see through her tough act. “Are you really not going to tell me what you told him?”

Aran laughed and shook his head. “Nope!”

“Fine. I’m sure Kita would tell me.” She said before pulling away from the ace’s embrace. She wrinkled her nose before covering it. “You stink.”

(Y/N) opened her bag and gave him a clean towel. Aran huffed but didn’t argue because he knew he didn’t exactly smell like roses. He wiped away the sweat around his face and neck when he noticed his captain coming towards them.

“Looks like Kita’s done.”

“You guys were waiting for me?” Kita asked his friends. “You didn’t have to.”

“It’s tradition.” Aran pointed out. “We always walk together off the court.”

“It’s been like this since our first-year, Kita. Remember? Why would we change it now?” She added.

Kita hummed as his heart stirred at his friends’ words. “I guess not but let’s go. The next match is going to start soon and we shouldn't get in the way.”

He walked forward, missing the way his friends shared a knowing look. Together, the Inarizaki captain, ace, and manager made their way to the rest of the team that were patiently waiting for them.

Along the way, (Y/N) took the chance to ask the same question she asked Aran and hoped he would give her the answer she was hoping for. To her dismay, Kita gave her a soft smile and said, “Aran only told your friend the obvious.”

(Y/N) sighed. “You wound me, Shinsuke. I thought you were my friend. My best friend who would tell me everything. My good friend who should have my back after everything we went through. My-”

“Give it up, (Y/N).” Aran laughed at her attempt to guilt trip Kita. “I told ya it’s a guy thing.”

“That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.” (Y/N) complained as both captain and ace smirked at her. 

The third-year trio met up with their team and together they departed to the sub-arena. As they walked down the stairs, (Y/N) could practically feel her underclassmen heavy stares on her back. It was only a matter of time before someone said something.

It’s almost comical how she was able to call stuff out before they even happened, especially when the twins asked for Kita. Judging by the guilty expressions on their faces, it wasn’t hard to figure out what they were going to say.

In unison, the twins began their apology. “Um… We’re sorry-” 

But, as usual, Kita was one step ahead of them as he interrupted their speech. “What? Gonna apologize to me so you can feel a bit better about yourselves?”

Standing next to the captain, (Y/N) shivered under her jacket at Kita’s seemingly ice cold words and she wasn’t the only one who felt the effects. The Miya twins straightened up their posture and with similar embarrassed expressions they yelled, “Wha?! N-No! Course not!”

(Y/N) grinned at the second-years’ panicked response. She’s going to miss those two when she graduates in a couple of months. 

Kita smirked to himself and waved his hand in dismissal. “I know, I know. Sorry.” His expression changed into a pensive one. “But… I think you should save the apologies for when you’ve done something wrong.”

Atsumu and Osamu’s eyes seemed to glimmer under the light, taking their captain’s words to heart.

Kita continued. “I don’t think you made a mistake by choosin’ to do that quick set right then. I thought you were gonna score too… Though I hafta say I hate the idea of tryin’ stuff in real games that we ain’t done in practice first.”

The twins grimaced as their eyes looked at the ground with great interest. They looked so guilt-ridden because they knew Kita had a point. 

“Still,” (Y/N) spoke up, causing everyone to perk up. “The fact you guys were able to copy that quick attack on your first try was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Aran nodded. “And that last rally there… We probably just picked the wrong guys to try it against.”

“I agree.” Kita said as he recalled the match’s final moments. “When you two get all fired up and gung-ho-like… You usually leave everybody else back behind you in the dust.” He paused, recalling Karasuno’s so-called ‘freak’ duo before continuing. “But this once, the other guys were just as fired up and gung-ho-like as you two… It was amazin’ right?”

The captain couldn’t help the smile that grew on his lips and (Y/N) couldn’t help but smile as well. It was a rare sight to see her friend smile but it never failed to warm her heart. Kita began his descent down the stairs but not before saying, “It ain’t every day you get to play a game like that against a team like that. We got real lucky… Good for you.”

(Y/N) chuckled at how her underclassmen looked so shocked after hearing Kita’s touching words. They must have thought he’d be his stoic self. They don’t realize that he’s happy that his teammates found worthy opponents in Karasuno.

“Wait…” Atsumu said. “Kita-san was smiling just now, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah.” Osamu confirmed, his eyes following his upperclassman.

Riseki stepped beside Atsumu and added, “I caught him smiling bunches during the game.”

“Bunches?!/Yer kiddin’.” The twins exclaimed at the same time, not believing the first-year’s statement.

They looked at their manager, mentally asking her if it was true. Their jaws dropped when she nodded and said, “He’s not a robot, you guys. Kita can smile. Don’t act so surprised when he shows his feelings.”

Kita stopped in his tracks when he heard his manager’s words. He stood there in silence, contemplating his next words that could leave a lasting impression on his team. 

After a moment, he admitted his feelings, “Still, for some reason I’m awfully frustrated. Now, I did everything I could proper and I did it right. I can say I don’t have any regrets and mean it as the honest truth. Results like winning and losing, they’re still just side effects that happen when I’m doin what I oughta be doin’. But… It’s funny.”

The captain of the Inarizaki volleyball team turned to look at his teammates. His eyes met with each one along with his rare gentle smile that surprised the first and second-years. 

“‘Well? Isn’t my team amazing?’ I wanted to say that even more.”

(Y/N) opened her mouth to say something but she was left speechless after listening to Kita’s speech. She tried so hard to contain her tears but it was no use. Her strong facade crumbled with each tear streaming down her face. Kita’s words etched into her heart and she hoped her juniors will continue to work hard in the future. At the thought of her juniors, (Y/N) glanced up at them only to see they were tearing up as well. Suna was the only one who remained tear-free but (Y/N) knew him well enough to know he’s feeling the same way as everyone else.

As she tried to compose herself, Osamu tearfully spoke up, “Please keep saying it, senpai.”

Atsumu followed up and declared, “We’ll be the kind of teammates you can brag about to your great-grandkids.”

Kita looked up to the ceiling with a hopeful look on his face. His smile grew even more after hearing the twins’ promise.

“I look forward to it.” 

And with that, the third-year captain turned around and continued to walk down the stairs. The rest of the Inarizaki team were left spellbound, too stunned to move an inch. 

“Come on. Let’s hurry up and get changed.” Kita advised them. He looked at his friends and his eyes softened when he saw the state (Y/N) and Aran was in. “You guys okay?”

(Y/N) couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. Automatically, her arms wrapped around him and hugged her friend tightly. It took a few seconds but she soon felt him hug back. Then she felt another pair of arms around them and it didn’t end there. In less than ten seconds, her and Kita were in the center of a massive group hug.

Inarizaki’s motto stated that they didn’t need the memories, but with this heartfelt moment she was experiencing… (Y/N) hoped her teammates would make an exception because she will definitely hold this memory close to her heart.

“You guys are the best. I wouldn’t manage any other team. Thank you for the last three years!”

It went without saying there wasn’t a single dry eye amongst the group.

“THANK YOU SENPAI!”

~Meanwhile in the baggage storage area~

Asahi never felt so exhausted before in his entire life. This match was, without a doubt, on his list of top three most difficult matches. The adrenaline from before seemed to evaporate the moment he stepped away from the court. He was sure he looked like the dictionary’s definition of tired. Despite the exhaustion and the victory under his belt, he felt conflicted.

He hasn’t seen (Y/N) since the final line up and he wondered if she was okay. Her team came close to winning. The last rally was really a battle of wills between his team and hers. He could only imagine the sting of hurtful defeat the moment the ball fell onto their court. And with (Y/N) being a third-year, it was her last chance to be with her team in Nationals.

Now her chance is gone… Asahi couldn’t help but feel a bit responsible for that. 

Which is why his eyes keep glancing at the entrance every five minutes, hoping to see her and talk for a minute. Even after he cleaned up and dressed back into his normal clothes, there was still no sign of the girl that made him nervous yet confident all at the same time.

It didn’t help how tired he felt. He yawned for what seemed like the fourth time today, but his tired eyes kept focus on the entrance. 

“Yo Asahi! You look like the walking dead.” Suga jested, sitting down next to him. “Everything okay?”

“Just tired. My arms feel like they’re going to fall off.”

Suga laughed and repeatedly slapped his aching back. “But you were great out there! You looked so dependable.”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “Thanks. I didn’t want to let the team down.”

“Oh yeah? And here I thought you were just showing off for a certain Inarizaki manager. I caught (Y/N) smiling when you made that awesome service ace.”

“You did?” He hoped Suga wasn’t pulling his leg. The thought of (Y/N) smiling because of him felt too good to be true. 

Asahi wished he could have seen that smile but with how intense each set was he could only afford the briefest of glances in her direction. Thankfully, there was a moment they shared together that felt like an eternity. 

It was during a time out and he was intensely listening to Coach Ukai’s instructions. Kiyoko just handed him his water bottle and a clean white towel to which he gratefully took. He wiped away the beads of sweat that formed on his neck and face before taking a drink. As he took in the cold refreshing drink, his eyes drifted to the other side of the net where the Inarizaki players were huddled together. And there was (Y/N), doing the same thing as Kiyoko as she handed her teammates their water. She just gave her setter his water when she looked up and met his gaze.

His heart began to beat wildly against his chest and it had nothing to do with the high caliber game that was going on. Then she gave him that smile, the same smile that made him all warm and fuzzy on the inside, along with a small wave. His face began to burn bright red and for a few seconds he forgot how to breathe. Unfortunately, during those few seconds he was drinking his water which led to him having a small choking episode. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad so when he looked up and saw (Y/N)’s worried expression, wordlessly asking him if he was okay. Touched that she was worried for him, Asahi gave her a small nod and hoped it was enough to reassure her. 

The interaction lasted about maybe 45 seconds before the referee signaled for the game to continue but those 45 seconds were committed into memory, something he will cherish for a long time. He wondered if (Y/N) thought the same… 

“Are you remembering how you choked on your water when you looked at (Y/N)?” Suga laughed. “I thought you were going to pass out! Then we would’ve been in real big trouble!”

“I-It wasn’t that bad.” Aashi protested though he could feel his cheeks beginning to warm up. Trying to hide his blush, he grabbed a towel and wiped away the nonexistent sweat from his face. “She just surprised me, is all…”

Suga grinned at him. “How is it that you two are so adorably cute yet you guys aren’t even together?”

“Sorry?” The ace apologized with a confused look on his face because honestly he didn’t know what he was apologizing for. 

“Never mind. By the way, did Inarizaki’s ace say something to you when we shook hands?”

Asahi recalled that moment with Ojiro Aran. “Yeah, he did. He didn’t say anything bad. Just wished us luck in the next round.”

It was true…ish. His Inarizaki counterpart did wish him luck as well as some advice, something he wasn’t quite ready to share with his friends just yet.

“Huh, well that’s nice of him. He looks like a cool guy. The kind you want to hang out with, you know?” Suga remarked.

Asahi nodded. His eyes took a quick glance at the entrance, hoping to see the familiar maroon-colored Inarizaki jackets. He tried not to look disappointed when he didn’t see anyone on the team.

“I just can’t believe that Aran guy!” Suga exclaimed. “He was on a roll so many times. I can’t believe he jumped for the ball not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!”

“Uh-huh.”

Suga furrowed his brow at his friend’s lack of active response. He was just about to ask him what’s wrong when he took one look at his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was on his mind.

“Lighten up, Asahi, I’m sure your future girlfriend will walk through those doors any minute now.”

Another wave of heat washed over him as he tried to stutter out a reply. “I-It’s been a while. I wanted to talk with her before we go back to the inn.”

Initially, Suga was going to poke fun at the fact Asahi didn’t deny the ‘future girlfriend’ part but he decided against it. 

“I’m sure she’s with her team right now, Asahi. They lost their place in the Spring Tournament so they must be torn up. After all, they were the favorites to win this whole thing.”

“Yeah, I know. That's why I want to talk with her to see if she’s okay. I mean I know she’s a third-year so this is her last year, so I can’t help but feel bad.”

“I thought you guys agreed on being cool whatever the outcome was?” Suga asked.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t feel bad for her.” Asahi countered. “I mean, I’m happy we won but… I don’t know… I wished it was different.”

Suga sighed but he understood where his sensitive friend was coming from. “I get it, Asahi, but you also need to stand proud for what you accomplished, it’s almost like a slap in the face to her and her team if you don’t. I’m sure if (Y/N)-san was here, she’ll agree with me.”

Asahi slightly grimaced but he couldn’t find any fault in Suga’s advice. After all, he did make an agreement with (Y/N) before the match started that they would stay on good terms whatever the results may be. Still, the thought of her being sad, especially when he was the cause of it, made his heart tighten in anxiety.

The ace was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Suga’s hand on his shoulder, “Just breathe. Everything will work out in the end. So quit giving yourself a panic attack.”

“Right.” 

Following his friend’s advice, Asahi took a deep breath to calm his nerves and to get rid of the worst case scenarios in his head. It was difficult to say the least with each passing minute and there was still no sign of (Y/N) or her team. During the time he waited, he made the choice to sit on the bench closest to the entrance. 

Asahi was very much aware of the stares from the other players but he didn’t take it to heart. Instead, he kept his cool composure while his hands were balled up inside his black jacket. That’s when he felt his phone and an idea formed at once. He quickly pulled out his phone, clicked (Y/N)’s contact, but then stared at the blinking cursor.

‘What should I text her? Something short and sweet? No, it should be something meaningful. But if I do that then it will be a super long text and it might freak her out… Gah! Why is it so hard making a good text?’

“Listen up everybody!” Coach Ukai announced loudly. “We leave in a few minutes. Get your stuff and head outside.”

Focused on the task at hand, his mind wracked for the right words that would check off the metaphorical checklist of the perfect text. After a few rough drafts and deleting a few words here and there, Asahi was more or less sure, 85% sure, he wrote a good enough text. All he had to do was press the send button.

His thumb hovered over the button for a moment and at the same time his heart was beating like crazy. It’s unbelievable how nervous (Y/N) made him even when she’s not physically there next to him. He wished he could at least see her.

“Chop! Chop! Man-bun! Our ride is here!” 

Asahi shuddered under Coach Ukai’s nickname designed specifically for him. Without thinking, he hurried to pocket his phone, grabbed his bag, and joined his team. He looked over his shoulder one last time before following his team to the bus. Once he sat down, he took out his phone and opened up his messages when his heart jumped to his throat.

Message sent.

His message to (Y/N) has been delivered. 

He must have accidently sent it when he was getting his stuff together when Coach Ukai called him out. Maybe it was for the best. He wasn’t mentally ready to send the text but perhaps it was for the best. A little push from the gods to give him a little boost of confidence.

Now all he could do was wait for her reply. The anticipation of her response was suspenseful to say the least. Either way, at least he could breathe a bit more easily now that his text message was sent. He just wished he had another chance to talk with her.

~

(Y/N) stood right next to Suna as they all stood in line underneath their Inarizaki banner. Her attention focused on Riseki who was pointing the camera, ready to take the commemorative photo Kita had asked for. She put on her best smile and placed her hand on her hip, ready for the picture to be taken.

She felt a subtle shift in her hair and automatically her other hand went to pinch Suna’s arm as she knew how childish the middle blocker was for making bunny ears from behind. 

“Really, Suna?” She quietly chided, making sure to keep her smile on for the camera. “Bunny ears? What are you? Nine?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, senpai.”

“Watch yourself, Suna. I know your phone’s passcode. Don’t tempt me.” 

Suna pouted slightly before removing his hand away. He’ll just have to time it the moment the picture is taken. Easy enough.

“Ready? Say cheese!” Riseki called out.

Ding! (Y/N)’s phone alerted her that she received a text message.

Bi-Bip! Kashik! The camera took the picture without a hitch.

Multiple events happened at once the moment Riseki took the picture. What was supposed to be a normal commemorative picture that enshrined Inarizaki’s great volleyball players turned out nothing of the usual. Everyone gathered around the first-year to look at the picture, hoping it turned out alright. It didn’t take long for opinions and excuses to start flying all around.

“What the heck, Samu!” Atsumu exclaimed to his brother. “Look at the camera, wouldja!”

Osamu shrugged his shoulders and offered his excuse, “I thought I caught a whiff of curry comin’ from outside.”

“Curry? You’re imagining things!” Ginjima laughed but he wouldn’t be surprised if the ever-so-hungry Miya was right.

Suna joined in on the banter as he said, “You’re hallucinating smells now? Scary.” 

“Like you’ve got room to talk, Suna!” Aran called out the middle blocker. “You weren’t lookin’ at the camera, neither! Or you, Akagi!”

The libero offered the ace a smile. “I was thinkin’ maybe we oughta go call coach.”

Ōmimi sighed while closing his eyes at his team’s antics. He looked at Riseki, who stared wordlessly at the camera’s screen with a sweatdrop rolling down his face. “Time it better next time.”

Suna took one more look at the picture and his lips formed a smile when he saw his bunny ears hand gesture behind (Y/N)’s head. Even with the silly hand gesture unbeknownst to (Y/N), the manager looked effortlessly beautiful with her smile. He was sure if the president of the yearbook club were to see this picture, he wouldn’t hesitate to put it front and center of the dedicated pages because of their lovely manager that could charm any guy with a smile.

Speaking of their manager, Suna never heard her opinions about the picture. He looked up and his eyes searched for her. It didn’t take long to find her. She was in the same spot as she was in the photo though this time with her phone in hand. Come to think of it, he remembered her phone notifying her that she received a message.

Who could be texting her? He had a pretty good guess.

“Yo.” He called out to (Y/N) before peering over her shoulder. His eyes strained to read the screen before she quickly pressed her phone to the chest. “Is the samurai guy texting you already?”

She turned around and gave him a soft glare. “Quit sneaking up behind me, Suna.”

Suna ignored his manager’s words as he swung his arm over her shoulders. “Don’t dodge the question. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“... Maybe.” (Y/N) smiled up at her friend. “How did the picture come out? Are we taking another one?”

“Nah. I think Kita-senpai liked it. Said it looked just like us or something like that. You looked great compared to the rest of us.”

(Y/N) playfully rolled her eyes, “I would hope so. You guys need a shower. Like badly.”

“I take it back. You looked horrible.” Suna huffed in what was supposed to be annoyance but the third-year manager knew better as she saw the playful glint in his eyes. “Now I don’t feel bad for doing bunny ears behind your back.”

“You’re such a rascal. Just wait, I’ll get even with you.” (Y/N) informed him with a mischievous glint in her (E/C) eyes.  

“I like to see you try.” Suna remarked as he removed his arm away from her. 

Ever the observer, he looked for any signs of sadness that (Y/N) may be hiding. Today’s loss was a harsh reality for the entire team’s expectations to make it far into this competition. He’ll never admit it to anyone but he did try his hardest to help his team win. He wanted to keep playing more matches with the third-years… 

“You okay?” He asked her after sharing a moment of silence. “You can tell me the truth. I won’t tell anyone.”

(Y/N) couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle, leaning her head back to look at the gym lights. She replayed all the best moments from the match with a fond smile across her lips. There were no regrets at all as she answered, “Honestly and strangely, I feel fine. I know you guys played your best against them so that’s all I could ask for. If anything, I’m grateful for Karasuno because I know for a fact this loss will only push everyone, including you, to become better. ”

Suna frowned at the idea of the extra drills and long practices that will no doubt be inevitable. But before the tiring thought could take over his entire mind, the sudden urge to win against Karasuno grew tenfold. By this time next year, Inarizaki will come out victorious.

“I haven’t lost you, have I, Suna?” (Y/N) asked in a teasing tone. “How on earth are you going to manage your third-year?”

“Don’t ask.” Suna groaned. “You’ve been with us since day one. It’s going to be weird without you and the rest of the third-years around. We’ll miss you.”

(Y/N) bit her lip in order to contain the laugh that threatened to slip out. “I’m not dying, Suna. I can’t stay in high school forever.”

“Not forever. Just stay another year with us.” Suna clarified.

“Tempting offer but this girl would like to step out into the real world. Besides, don’t pretend you aren’t going to send me daily texts. I’m counting on your videos to cheer me up.” (Y/N) smiled one more time at Suna before patting his back. “Now, come on. Let’s get going. We wouldn’t want to keep everyone waiting.”

“Oh? What’s the rush? Eager to see samurai-guy again?”

She could feel herself getting warm from Suna’s line of questions. Though it didn’t stop her from saying, “His name is Azumane Asahi.”

Suna exhaled but still smiled nonetheless. “If he cares for you, the same way you care for him then I guess I’ll remember his name.”

(Y/N) smiled at Suna and nodded. As the middle blocker made his way to follow the rest of the team, the manager slowly trailed after him. She took out her phone and reread the text Asahi sent her.

Hey (Y/N)-san. I don’t know if you want to hear from me or not but I hope you do. I wanted to talk with you face-to-face but I’m about to leave. I was waiting for you but I guess you were busy? I mean, I understand if you were. So if you’re free and if there’s any chance we could talk in person somehow, could you text me back? I want to explain myself to you (if that makes sense). Please… Thanks.

Even with words on a phone screen, (Y/N) can feel how anxious Asahi must have been when writing this message. It was almost adorable in a way. Then again, the fact that he said he waited for her really had her heart skip a beat.

She quickly typed her response:

Hi Asahi! I’m sorry we couldn’t meet up after the match. We were taking a picture and it took longer than expected lol. I’m sorry you waited for me. I wanted to talk with you too. Congrats on winning! It was a great game! If it’s okay with you, do you want to meet up tonight? Our coach is taking us out to eat so I’ll text you when we’re back at the hotel. 

It didn’t take long for another message to show up and she felt herself smile like a fool in love when she opened and read Asahi’s text.

If it’s no trouble then yeah let’s meet up. Enjoy your meal and see you soon.

(Y/N) smiled to herself once more as she held her phone close to her heart. She couldn’t wait to see him again. 

~Hours Later~

“SAMU!! QUIT STEALING MY ONIGIRI!!” 

“IT WAS MINE FIRST AND YOU KNOW IT!!”

(Y/N) sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today but the amused smile never left her lips as she watched the twins continue to bicker. The other third-years sitting next to her also watched in amusement while adding their own comments.

“I’m gonna miss this.” (Y/N) confessed when she took a sip of her drink. “You can always count on the twins for entertainment.”

“Right? It’s going to be weird without hearing their arguments.” Aran laughed.

“Or separating their fights once every two weeks.” Akagi added.

“They’ll be fine.” Kita spoke up from the center of the table. “They all will.”

And strangely enough, no one doubted the captain’s words. (Y/N) had no doubt in her mind that by this time next year, their juniors will make it to Nationals once again and when that time comes, she’ll be there. 

“Hey (Y/N)-senpai? You’re still treating me to dessert, right?” Osamu asked from across the table. Sticky pieces of rice danced around his mouth but still had that hungry look in his eyes. 

“HUH?! If he gets dessert, then I should too!” Atsumu proclaimed.

Yeah. She’ll definitely be there for them. 

~

After leaving the restaurant with stomachs filled with ramen, curry, onigiri, and other delicious meals, the Inarizaki manager took her phone out and texted Asahi that she was on her way back to the hotel. With each passing minute, (Y/N) could feel herself become excited yet nervous at the same time. It wasn’t long until the familiar building of her hotel was right in front of her.

On the walk back to the hotel, she was laughing along with the rest of the third-years when she heard her name being called from outside the group. 

“Asahi!” (Y/N) greeted him with a wave. It was almost natural to have a smile on her lips; the crush she had on Karasuno’s ace was so obvious. She can practically feel her face burn with all the warm fuzzy feelings against January’s chilly air. 

“H-Hey (Y/N)!” He waved at her before giving the crowd of boys a nod of acknowledgement. His mind racked for the right words to say to them, but having ten or so guys staring (were they glaring at him?) made it almost impossible. Still, Asahi found the ability to speak and without stuttering he said, “Hey guys. Er, nice to see you again.”

While the first-years were too scared to reply and the second-years tried to maintain their silent dominance, it was Aran and Kita that finally broke the tension.

“Nice to see you too. Azumane, right?” Kita asked, giving the ace a warm smile. “You played a great game.”

“Oh, thanks! You guys did too.” Asahi returned the compliment, meaning every word. 

“Your receives were impressive, Azumane-san.” Aran followed up. “How’s your shoulder? Hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.”

Funny how at the mention of his shoulder, Asahi felt it throb in pain. Still, he made himself smile and lied, “It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“That’s good to hear.” Aran laughed in good nature. “Karasuno is definitely a team to watch out for. Hope you’re ready for tomorrow.”

There were a couple of scoffs and a few mumbles but Asahi was sure he heard someone say, “Day three is always hell.” But before he could ask, (Y/N) clapped her hands together and stood in front of him. 

“Guys, let’s not make Asahi nervous. He doesn’t need the extra stress.” She told her friends, making sure to give the second-years a pointed look just as Atsumu opened his mouth to say something. “Why don’t you all head inside? I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

Kita nodded. “Alright, don’t stay out too long. You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’ll make sure she stays warm.” Asahi was quick to say, not realizing the slight innuendo his words sounded until it was too late. “I-I mean-”

Atsumu stepped forward with Osamu right behind him. “Oh, now we’re definitely staying.” 

“No you are not.” 

The Inarizaki setter flinched under Kita’s ice cold words that felt like a punch to the gut. 

“B-But (Y/N)-senpai-”

“Let’s go, you two.” Aran placed his hands on each of the twin’s shoulders before forcing them to the hotel’s entrance. “I’m sure your company isn’t needed.”

“What are you talking about? I make great company.” Atsumu argued.

Osamu scoffed. “Not really.”

“Shut yer trap, ‘Samu!”

Kita sighed before facing (Y/N) and Asahi. “Sorry about them. They mean well. Go ahead and have your conversation.”

“Thanks, Shin.” (Y/N) told him as she hugged her friend. “You’re the best.”

“No problem.” 

With one final wave, the Inarizaki captain followed the rest of his team. He helped Aran push the resistant twins into the hotel, but not before Osamu yelled, “No funny business!” 

“Yeah! What ‘Samu said!” Atsumu called out from over Aran’s shoulders. “(Y/N)-senpai is our manager. Don’t hurt her!”

“QUIT TALKIN’ AND GET INSIDE, YA STUPID TWINS!” Aran yelled as he gave one last push to make the Miya brothers enter the hotel.

(Y/N) sighed before facing her crush. It wasn’t until now she realized how warm she felt until a cold breeze flew by. It was funny how a crush can emit such feelings. She wouldn’t deny she never had a crush before. Perhaps there were fleetings moments of admiration and adoration to some guys at school and an embarrassing fangirl crush on famous celebrities.

But never before have the butterflies in her stomach felt so impactful. Asahi has unknowingly made his way to her heart and caused the warm feeling of love to bloom.

Which is why she couldn’t help but smile up at Asahi. He looked taller up close. Broader too. His hair wasn’t in its usual style, instead it was in a low man bun with a few strands framing his face very well. His eyes remained kind and warm and she could feel herself fall deeper in love with him. 

“So,” (Y/N) began, her hand instinctively tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Your text said you wanted to talk? 

“Y-Yeah.” Asahi confirmed nervously. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything with your team. You guys look close.” 

She smiled at how anxious Asahi was behaving and a small part of her hoped it was because of her. “I could say the same thing about your team, but don’t worry about them. We spent the entire evening together so they should be fine without me for a while.”

“Are you sure?” Asahi asked, the worry in his voice was evident and (Y/N) knew she had to do something to help him calm down. “I-If y-you rather be with t-them-”

Without a second thought, (Y/N) took his hand and held it reassuringly, “I want to be with you.”

Her heart swelled when she saw how Asahi’s eyes seemed to light up as he asked, “Really?”

“Really.” She confirmed, her voice firm yet gentle that washed away all doubt in Asahi’s mind. “Now, come on. Let’s sit down and have a friendly chat.”

Never before has Asahi felt his heart beating so fast against his chest than it was at this very moment. He was feeling hot and cold at the same time. His stomach was in multiple knots with those metaphorical butterflies dancing between his ribcage. Was it weird for his mind to go a million miles a minute yet he couldn’t figure out what to say to the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on? 

(Y/N) looked like an angel sitting under the strings of outdoor lights. Even while wearing casual winter clothes with her maroon Inarizaki jacket and a red scarf, Asahi thought she looked ethereal. Her (H/C) hair looked so elegant, almost magical in a sense when he noticed tiny snowflakes decorating her head, like shimmering diamonds. Then there was that smile of hers. A smile that made him feel like he could do anything in the world. He wished he could see that smile of hers for the rest of his life.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Asahi?” (Y/N) asked, her eyes were bright and inquisitive. “Your text said you wanted to explain yourself?”

“Y-Yeah, I did.” He admitted, his hand rubbing the back of neck. He took a deep breath to calm down before facing his crush. “I-I wanted t-to apologize.”

(Y/N) furrowed her brow upon hearing this. “What? Asahi, what are you- H-Hey!”

He was bowing his head and before she could ask further questions, Asahi spoke, “I-I’m sorry that w-we ruined your chance to advance. Y-You guys were the favorites to win this whole thing! A-And it’s y-your last year too! I’m sorry we took your chance away. Please forgive me!”

Asahi didn’t dare raise his head after spilling everything he felt ever since the match ended. He could feel his ears beginning to burn against the cold air. The silence was unnerving and it didn’t help when his mind was overtaken by anxiety.

‘Why would (Y/N) ever forgive me?’ He frustratedly asked himself. ‘She probably hates me. No. I’m sure she hates me and probably everyone on my team.’

‘(Y/N) is not like that. She’s kind, considerate…’ The tiny voice of hope spoke up. ‘She doesn’t hate you. You’re friends-’

But the dark voice of anxiety and doubt took over. ‘For now. (Y/N) probably only agreed to talk to you so she can say it’s over. She doesn’t want anything to do with you. Why would she be friends with the person who stole her and her team’s chance to win?!’

“Asahi.” (Y/N)’s voice sounded so soft and full of care. It may sound crazy but just hearing his name in her voice made Asahi feel the warmest he has ever felt. “Please look at me.”

He didn’t want to but something in her voice reassured him, similar to a ray of sunlight after a hurricane. Slowly, Asahi looked up and his eyes immediately found comfort in (Y/N)’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat when he saw (Y/N) was smiling up at him, not an ounce of hate anywhere.

“I thought we agreed that whatever the outcome of the match, we’ll be okay?” (Y/N) asked before taking hold of his hand, the very hand she shook when they made the agreement. “We shook on it, remember?”

Asahi felt himself flush under her words but he still found the courage to speak as he said, “I-I just thought… You would, I-I don’t know…hate me after what happened today.”

“I would never! Today’s match was the result of everyone’s hard work. Everyone played amazing. You guys won fair and square. If there’s anything I should feel, I think being grateful comes to mind. In fact, I feel like I should thank you.”

“Thank me?” Surely, he must have heard her wrong.

But (Y/N) flashed him a bright grin and nodded, “You and your teammates gave motivation to my team the next time they get to Nationals. I’m not sure if you realized this, Asahi, but you guys represent Nationals to a lot of people now.”

“Are you sure? I feel bad. I want to do something, anything, to make you feel better.”

Out of everything that came to mind, Asahi wasn’t expecting to be punched in the shoulder by the girl he has a major crush on. It was just like yesterday, (Y/N)’s punch wasn’t as forceful as Suga’s nor was it delicate and yet it was enough to send shivers and goosebumps all throughout his body. Then when her eyes met his, Asahi swore his breath was taken away with how close she was to him.

“First, you can stop feeling bad. I’m okay, really.” Her hand lifted again and Asahi mentally prepared himself to be punched again only to have her hand on his shoulder. (Y/N) offered a gentle smile before continuing on. “And second, if you really want to make me feel better then take the win. Take it and do the same thing tomorrow. Play each set and win some more. I promise if you do that, I’ll be more than okay because I’ll be rooting for you.”

Just hearing her words of encouragement was enough to make his head spin. All the self-doubt threatening to take over his mind washed away. How does she do that? Say these words so easily that brought him back from the edge? Words that held such meaning that easily helped him calm down and breathe.

“Asahi? You okay?” 

“Ah! Yeah! Sorry! It’s just…” Asahi looked at his feet, his hand scratching his cheek. “You just surprised me is all…”

(Y/N) was taken aback before smiling, “I hope that’s a good thing. But I meant what I said, Asahi. Though if you’re still worried about me being sad and you were serious about making me feel better then maybe… You could do me a favor?”

Asahi jumped at the chance and nodded furiously. “Anything!”

It was hard to hide the laugh that threatened to escape but (Y/N) can’t help how adorable Asahi was behaving. He’s a teddy bear. Ugh! She just wanted to hug this gentle giant!

“Win the next match for us.” 

He opened his mouth to say something, anything really, but his mind was still reeling of how sincere (Y/N) was with him at this moment. His eyes never left hers, searching for any hint of sadness or bitterness. Instead, he felt himself getting lost the longer he gazed into those beautiful, kind eyes. 

After what felt like a lifetime, Asahi found his voice and for the first time his voice did not waver, “We will.”

(Y/N) smiled before nudging her shoulder against his. “That’s the spirit! Plus look on the bright side, Karasuno is getting popular. I’m sure after today you guys earned some fans cheering you on. You’re definitely going to have fans cheering you on.”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “I guess so. I just hope I don’t disappoint them tomorrow.”

“Hey!” A series of soft pats made their mark on his shoulder and Asahi could feel himself flush under her touch. “Think positive! Remember you’re not alone. You have your friends and the rest of your team that you can rely on.”

There was a moment of hesitation. He can see it in her eyes though it was gone because (Y/N) smiled at him and said words he won’t be forgetting anytime soon, “And if it helps, you have me too.”

She didn’t physically hug him but she might as well have with her words that filled Asahi’s whole being with warmth. 

“It does. Thanks, (Y/N). You-” Asahi stopped himself when he realized he was about to say something embarrassing. Instead he said what he always thought since yesterday, “You’re amazing.”

This time it was her turn to flush under his gaze. His warm brown eyes had her melting in her seat. Out of habit, (Y/N) let out a nervous laugh before playing with a strand of her hair, “I’m not as cool as you, Asahi, but thank you for saying that.”

The two high schoolers sat in comfortable silence underneath the twinkling lights and while neither one of them said a word they found themselves gazing at the dark sky full of stars. Maybe there was a stolen glance or two but no one said anything. 

“Hey, Asahi?”

“Yeah?”

“This is going to sound a bit weird but… What’s your star sign?”

Asahi furrowed his brow but he answered nonetheless. “I’m a Capricorn.”

For some reason, a childhood memory played in his mind and the thought of it made him smile. It was a bit silly thinking about it but it was a precious memory all the same. 

“You know, when I was a little kid I used to spend all my time looking for the Capricorn constellation.”

“Oh? Any reason why?” (Y/N) asked with genuine curiosity.

Asahi looked up at the sky full of stars. It was a shame they were in Tokyo as the bright city’s lights made the stars look faint, almost dim.

“Well, I thought that if I could find my constellation in the sky and make a wish it would come true.” The ace felt his neck grow hot when he confessed the next detail. “But whenever I couldn’t find it, I would go crying to my grandma.”

“Aww, Asahi.” (Y/N) cooed though there was a faint glint of amusement in her eyes. Her imagination took over as she thought of how cute Asahi must have been as a kid. He must have been the sweetest little kid with the biggest heart. “That’s adorable. Do you still look for your sign or did you grow out of it?”

“Will you think it's embarrassing if I admit I still do?” Asahi asked.

“Course not. I think it’s sweet to carry on your childhood tradition. I hope you made a lot of wishes.” (Y/N) looked back at the sky and sighed. “I wish I could see my star sign right now. I don’t even know what mine looks like.”

“Really?”

(Y/N) rubbed her hands together, trying to bring back some warmth. “You can’t really see the stars well back in Hyōgo.” 

Asahi rubbed his neck. “Well, if you want… I could show you.”

Surprised, (Y/N) looked at him before asking, “You would do that for me? You know you don’t have to, right?”

“I want to. You did a lot to help me. Besides, after looking at the stars for so long I’m sure I can find your star sign.” He looked at the sky and his heart physically deflated when he saw how faint the stars looked above the Tokyo city’s lights. “Though I won’t have any luck seeing any constellations tonight. I’m sorry.”

(Y/N) giggled before nudging her shoulder with his. “You really like apologizing, don’t you Asahi? It’s not like you could control the weather or light pollution. But it’s nice of you to offer. Maybe one day I can visit Miyagi and see what the stars are like from your perspective.”

Asahi felt his heart skipping a beat at the sound of her laughter and the smile in her eyes. While he only met her literally yesterday, he felt comfortable enough to relax around her, even if his heart was going a hundred miles an hour and his skin felt like lava.

He didn’t know where he found this extra boost of confidence to say, “I could show you around if you want. Miyagi has a lot of hidden gems that only locals know about. We can hang out i-if you want to.”

“I’d like that. Can’t wait for the tour.” (Y/N) said as she clapped her hands together in glee. “Maybe one day, you could visit Hyōgo and I could show you around too!”

“If it’s not a bother to you then yeah, I could pay a visit.”

“Great!” (Y/N) exclaimed. “Hyōgo has a lot of tourist attractions we can visit. I’ll show you all my favorite spots! Oh, like the Kobe Port Tower! It’s 108 meters high and it's designed to look like a traditional Japanese drum. It has an observation deck where you can see for miles! It even has a revolving cafe! Or if you don’t like heights, there's the Himeji Castle. It’s a very popular tourist spot because of its architecture-” 

It was only then she realized how much she was rambling. She glanced at Asahi only to find him already staring at her with those warm brown eyes, as if she did something amazing. Embarrassed, (Y/N) tried to hide herself behind her red scarf.

“Sorry.” What was she apologizing for? (Y/N) didn’t know. Maybe Asahi’s habit of excessive apologizing was starting to rub off on her. “I got excited for a second. I ramble whenever it’s a topic I’m passionate about. I know architecture is a bit boring to some people but I think it’s so cool to see the different kinds of designs buildings can have and- Oh. Sorry I’m rambling again.”

“I don’t mind.” Asahi told her along with a soft smile. “I think it’s cute.” 

(Y/N)’s eyes widened when she heard her crush calling her cute. Did he realize what he just said? Or did she imagine it? So she had to ask, “Did you just say cute?”

The look on Asahi’s face quickly morphed into one of panic as he tried to jumble out a reply with an obvious blush painting his face, “I- Uh? No? I mean, I did. B-But I-I meant you’re rambling. N-Not you specifically. W-Wait! I think you’re cute too! P-Pretty even!”

(Y/N) couldn’t hold back her laughter at how panicked Karasuno’s ace was currently behaving. So strong on the court and yet he was practically shaking like a fall leaf. 

“Asahi, it’s okay. Breathe.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping it offered comfort. “It’s just me.”

“I-I know.” He took a deep breath before facing her. “But I meant what I said. A-About you.”

There goes her heart again, beating like crazy against her chest. “Thanks Asahi… I… I think you’re pretty cute too. And you’re an amazing player.” She sighed longingly. “I just wish I can see you guys play again.”

“Wait,” Asahi furrowed his brow, concerned . “You aren’t coming to the match tomorrow?”

“I…I don’t know. I heard the coaches talk about it during dinner. Apparently, the principal called. He expected us to place further along in the tournament and since we didn’t… Well, there’s a chance we might go back to Hyōgo tomorrow morning.”

“Oh.” He couldn’t hide the bitter disappointment in his voice. Now more than ever, he didn’t want this night to end. It might sound a bit silly but he wanted to keep seeing (Y/N). Today’s victory dimmed in comparison now that he learned this might be the last time he’ll see (Y/N) in a long time. “Sorry again.”

“Hey, come on, Asahi.” (Y/N) got up from her spot and stood in front of him. “You don’t have to keep apologizing. There’s nothing to forgive.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes pleaded for the truth. 

(Y/N)’s light chuckle pulled his heartstrings and the vibrations sent warmth from his chest all the way to his fingertips. He can feel himself falling in love with her all over again when she surprised his soul out of his body the moment her hands touched his. She pulled him towards her and he was so anxious he almost tripped over his own feet as he stood in front of her. 

Then Asahi felt it. Her arms wrapped around his torso bringing him close. It was a hug that sent a huge swarm of butterflies in his stomach. She was so close, closer than he has ever been to her. Wait… That’s not exactly true. Yesterday, when he saved (Y/N) from getting hurt, he was able to pull her aside just in time. (Y/N) stood right next to him with his arm around her. It was the first time he ever did something that brave and he remembered every second of it in that short moment.

But that moment of (Y/N) being next to him so close only lasted a minute. Asahi thought nothing could top the moment he met the girl that made his heart race. 

Boy, was he wrong. Maybe his so-called bad fortune from his new year shrine visit was wrong. Or maybe the gods thought it was time to cut him a break. Perhaps he did something in his past life that granted him this moment right now. Whatever it was, he didn’t want this moment to end.

(Y/N) had her ear pressed into Asahi’s firm chest as she continued to hug him. She could hear how fast his heart was beating and she smiled to herself because of it. It was cute that she had this kind of effect on her crush. 

“(Y/N)?” His deep voice reached her ears and while she couldn’t see him she could imagine the nervous expression on his face. “Is this okay? You hugging me? I mean, w-we only met yesterday…”

“Are you uncomfortable with me hugging you, Asahi?” 

“No!” He was quick to reply. “I just meant… You don’t have to hug me.”

“You’re my friend and this is my way of showing you that there’s really nothing to forgive. You don’t have to apologize anymore.” She pulled away and smiled brightly up at him. “Deal?”

“Deal.” 

“Good.”

“Great.”

“Amazing.”

“Awesome.”

“Cool.”

“Uhh… Warm?”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “I-I don’t know. You’re warm so I said what was off the top of my head.”

The two high schoolers stared at each other before they laughed together. They were still in each other’s arms but they made no movement to separate. If anyone were to walk by and saw them together, no one would have any doubts about how genuine young love can be.

Which is why they were surprised to hear a familiar voice that broke the calm, soothing atmosphere around them. 

“Oh? Asahi-senpai! I didn’t know you had a girlfriend!” 

(Y/N) pulled away but she didn’t stray too far as she stood her ground by Asahi’s side. Her eyes met with the innocent yet excited eyes of Karasuno’s #10, Hinata Shoyo and not far from him was the other half of the terrifying duo, Kageyama Tobio. Well, at least no else was here- Oh. Wait. Was that Tsukishima on a bicycle? 

“Hinata!” Asahi shouted before turning back to (Y/N). “Sorry about him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

The manager smiled and reassured him that it was okay. She then turned to face Karasuno’s first years and introduced herself. They did the same and Asahi was just about to sigh in relief when-

“So are you Asahi-senpai’s girlfriend?” This time it was Kageyama who asked.

(Y/N) felt her neck warm up and it wasn’t because of her scarf. Out of habit, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before answering, “No, I’m not. I’m just a friend.”

Hinata and Kageyama looked satisfied with the answer. However, Tsukishima looked unconvinced. His calculated eyes looked at his upperclassman as if asking for the truth. Asahi tried to convey the silent message to leave them alone to the middle blocker, hoping they could leave them alone. Preferably before the duo could ask any more embarrassing questions.

“Hey, Asahi-san, why are you holding hands-”

“Come on, you two,” Tsukishima, Asahi’s savior right now, grabbed their collars. He bowed before his upperclassmen before dragging his teammates. “We finished your nightly jog. It’s time to get back.”

“Ack! You’re choking me!” Hinata cried.

“You don’t have to push! Besides, Asahi has to come too!” Kageyama argued, clearly frustrated at how he was being manhandled by the snarky middle blocker.

“No. Asahi’s right where he has to be.” Tsukishima stated. “You idiot.”

“HUH?!”

(Y/N) watched in amusement as the trio of first years entered their little inn. “They sure are interesting.”

“Sorry about that. They can be a bit much.”

“Oh, that’s okay. The Miya twins are like that too. But I think… I should let you get back. It’s getting late and you need your sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day for you.”

“Right. Tomorrow…” Asahi wished there were more than 24 hours in the day. “So I guess this is it?”

“Yeah...”

Her hand was still interlocked with his but did not make the effort to leave. She still wanted to spend time with him. Instead, she said, “So, um, good luck tomorrow. I might not be there in person but I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

“You got this Asahi.” She gave him one last hug. “I know you do.”

The ace hugged her back one last time before he awkwardly pulled away. (Y/N) cleared her throat before smiling.

“Keep in touch?” She asked.

Asahi nodded. “Of course. I’ll call you before and after the match.”

“Okay… You know, Asahi, I’m glad we’ve met each other. You’re not like any guy I’ve ever met.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

(Y/N) laughed but nodded. “Yes. I’m glad we've become friends. I would have hated for you to be someone I used to know.”

“Me too… So I guess, this is goodbye?” Asahi couldn’t hide the sadness in his voice. His eyes landed where their hands were still connected. 

“Mmm, it’s more like see you later. We’ll see each other again.”

It was a silent promise under the endless night sky where the moon and stars were the only witnesses to see how enchanted Karasuno’s ace and Inarizaki’s manager were with each other. 

~ Meanwhile inside Inarizaki’s hotel room~

“Say Aran-kun.”

“What’s up, Osamu?”

“I wasn’t going to ask but (Y/N) brought it to my attention so I’m curious. What did you tell Azumane when you shook hands?”

“Oh that?” Inarizaki’s ace smiled to himself as he recalled that specific moment. “I just gave him friendly advice.”

“Which was?”

“Please don’t hurt my friend.”

~

Asahi tried his best to breathe as normal as he could. He had to stay calm, not just for his sake but for his team’s sake. All of their hard work paved their way all the way to Nationals.

Out of habit, Asahi traced the kanji of person (人) on his palm before swallowing it. It might look like a silly routine but it helped. Though for some reason, he wasn't as nervous as he usually was. They're playing against Inarizaki, one of the top favorites to win this whole thing.

Yet, here he was hoping to catch another glimpse of his opponents before the match officially started. Specifically, the girl that brought a storm of warm emotions inside his stomach. (L/N) (Y/N), Inarizaki's manager, the girl he met just yesterday but already made her way into his fast beating heart.

The eagerness to see her again began this morning when he woke up in the very shirt she gifted him. It wasn't just the fabric that kept him warm but the feelings he had for (Y/N) as well. It almost seemed to good to be true but once he replayed the conversations and read their texts from yesterday, Asahi could honestly believe that (Y/N) wasn't just his dream girl... She's the girl he wanted to be with.

But would she go for someone like him?

He hoped so and if not... Well, a guy could dream, right?

"On a different topic entirely," Suga began as everyone finished changing into their alternate uniforms. "I saw a girl carrying an Atsumu fan earlier. Is he an idol now?!"

"Actually, he pretty much is for high school volleyball. The Inarizaki team garners a different kind of popularity than Itachiyama." Coach Ukai explained. "They have a solid core of talent and a wide array of spectacular, crowd-pleaser plays. That makes them the ultimate contenders."

"We do see them getting interviewed on TV a lot too." Suga pointed out.

Asahi confirmed with a nod. "(Y/N) mentioned yesterday how they're always being interviewed by multiple reporters and journalists."

"Oh?" Suga smirked up at him. "Was this on your date yesterday?"

"N-No. We were just talking." He defended though he couldn't do anything to hide the stutter in his voice. "She even told me she once got interviewed."

"Woah, really? That's cool! I guess that's the advantage that comes with being a part of a high class powerhouse school. I mean, have you seen their cheering section? It's huge."

"And that means no one here... Not a single person in this whole crowd, thinks we have a chance."

To his and Suga's surprise, it was Daichi who voiced this sad fact. Asahi wondered if he was in an alternate dimension. Ever since last night, his friend has been wound up.

"Gah! Daichi, what's gotten into you?!" Suga shouted. "Pull it together, man!"

Asahi was just about to say something similar when he saw Daichi lips turn into a smile. His eyes gleamed with determination as he said, "Now I'm fired up!"

The two third-years sighed in relief, knowing they had nothing to worry about as their captain was back to normal.

"It's about time you snapped back to yourself, Daichi." Suga commented.

Asahi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You've been awfully quiet since last night. Meek, even."

"H-Hey! I-I was focusing."

~

The moment Daichi opened the doors to the main arena everyone was blown away at the sheer intensity the crowd produced. The lights of the gym shined like mini suns above his head. The gleam of the laminated floor looked untouched, almost spotless. It was enticing, begging to be played on.

Then there was the crowd. Asahi can easily see their supporters standing behind their signature black banner, sporting their signature orange colors. It was a welcoming sight.

The warm reassuring feeling quickly left his body when he looked at Inarizaki's section. They had triple the amount of fans Karasuno had, not to mention they even had cheerleaders and a marching band. It almost made Shiratorizawa cheer section tiny in comparison.

Asahi clenched his fist tightly and took another deep breath to calm down his nerves. Though the Inarizaki's marching band wasn't helping his case at all.

Suddenly, the crowd cheered loudly and Asahi took this as a sign that their opponents have made their appearance. Which means-

(Y/N) walked next to Inarizaki's coach, looking unbothered by the amount of fans cheering for her team. The smile on her face was enough to calm his nerves from her intimidating teammates. Even from the other side of the court, his eyes met with her (E/C) ones. The connection was instant as they smiled at one another.

"Aran!!"

"Atsumu!!"

"Osamu!!"

"Okay." DU-DUM! "Let's go." Daichi's voice could barely be heard over the marching band's drums.

So he tried again. "I said, let's-" WAAAA!!

This time it was the cheerleaders' collective cheering.

Asahi watched as Daichi grew frustrated with the crowd's interference. So much so that the captain yelled from the top of his lungs, "LET'S!! GO!!"

"Yeah!!"

~

Official Warm-Ups

(Y/N) felt her heart lurch against her chest when she saw Asahi again. She felt a bit silly with how happy Karasuno's ace makes her, especially when they spoke to each other just a few minutes ago.

She shook those thoughts from her head. Now was not the time to daydream about Asahi.

'Focus! Your team needs you!' Thought her brain. 'Don’t get distracted!'

'But Asahi's so cute. He’s such a gentle giant.' Her heart argued. 'Omg, his biceps look amazing! Just imagine having those strong arms wrapped around you and having him lean down to kiss-'

'STOP! Now is NOT the time to think about that! At least, wait till AFTER the match is over.' Her brain tried to reason.

'Fine…' Her heart relented to her brain’s demand but it only took one more glance before crumbling once again. 'Those broad shoulders though… Asahi is literally hot guy status.'

“(Y/N)!”

“Yes, Coach?”

“It’s the twins' turn to warm-up and you know how superstitious they are. You know what to do, right?"

"Yes, sir."

She caught the ball with ease and made her way to where Atsumu and Osamu were waiting for her.

Ever since the Miya twins joined the club, they began a silly little routine of her tossing the ball for Atsumu to set to his brother. The first time was during the twins' first appearance playing for Inarizaki. Usually, the coach or assistant coach would do the tosses during warm-ups, but at the time they were occupied which led her to do the toss for them. Atsumu was perfect with his set and Osamu effortlessly spiked the ball. From then on, they demanded, Atsumu more than Osamu, for her to toss for them in future warm-ups, claiming she had the lucky touch.

(Y/N) smiled to herself at the memory. She didn't believe in luck but she went along with it. For two years, she tossed them the ball in each official warm-up and now that this was her last year with them... Well, they weren't going to change tradition now.

"You guys ready?" She asked them, tossing the volleyball up and down.

"Heck yeah!" Atsumu answered excitedly. He held up his hand for her to high-five. "No way are we going to lose."

(Y/N) laughed as her hand connected with his. She turned her attention on Osamu, the small pout on his lips was enough to know what was on his mind.

"The faster we win the match, the quicker we can go out to eat. I'll even treat you to dessert. How does that sound, 'Samu?"

With the promise of food, the twin straightened up and high-fived her. His eyes sparkled with joy. "Let's show these guys what Nationals is all about."

With both twins looking eager to start, (Y/N) stepped back and stood next to the net as the twins also went to their positions. Without meaning to, she looked over at Karasuno's players and internally smirked when all eyes were waiting to see the twins in action.

After counting to three, (Y/N) tossed the ball in a beautiful arch as it made its way to Atsumu's waiting hands. Not surprisingly, the ball was set perfectly for Osamu to spike strongly.

"Nice kill!" She told them, her chest swelling with pride.

"One more!" Osamu called out.

(Y/N) raised a brow and was about to ask why when she saw both twins sharing a look.

"Alright, last one!"

Tossing the ball one more time, (Y/N) watched as the twins jumped in unison and her smile grew when she witnessed Osamu displaying his setting skills for Atsumu to spike.

"Ha! Ha! Super body and soul switch time delayed spike!"

'If only they could find a better name for that move...'

Despite the move they just did wasn't a delayed spike, it still made the crowd go crazy, screaming several compliments.

After the twins waved to their fans, they made their way to her.

"How was that, (Y/N)-senpai?! It looked cool, didn't it?!" Atsumu bombarded, looking for her praise more than anything (as if the crowd's praises weren't enough for him).

"Amazing as always, Miyas!" She complimented them as she clapped both of their shoulders before making them lean down to her level. "What's your reason for doing that move?"

Atsumu looked smug while Osamu answered her. "We have to prove the other team what we're all about."

"Uh-huh..." (Y/N) raised a brow looking unconvinced with his answer. "Now give me the real reason."

The twins looked at each other and (Y/N) wondered if twin telepathy was real because a few seconds later Atsumu sighed before replying, "To intimidate that crush of yours. He kept starin' at you when you weren't lookin'. It's creepy."

Osamu lifted his head for a second before crouching back down. "He's still starin'."

"Oh my god, you guys. I appreciate you caring for me but focus on what's important, okay? Right now, in your eyes, Asahi is your opponent so just view him as that and nothing more."

And with that, (Y/N) gave the twins another pat on their shoulders before making her way to the bench. Unbeknownst to her, the twins didn't take her advice to heart. Instead, they focused on something else.

"Did ya notice how she's on a first name basis with that guy, 'Tsumu?"

The twin nodded as he placed his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowing on Karasuno's #3 from across the net. "They literally met yesterday, 'Samu! How did that samurai guy make an impression on our manager?!"

Osamu shrugged his shoulders because the answer was a mystery to him as well. "You're just jealous that (Y/N) likes him."

Atsumu whipped his head to glare at his brother. "AM NOT!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

Osamu sighed, not wanting to continue this argument. "Whatever. We still have to beat them."

"Without question. If he can't beat us then he has no right to even talk to (Y/N)-senpai." Atsumu declared.

"Agreed."

The twins took one more look at Karasuno's ace, making a mental note to pay special attention on the guy… and crush him.

~

National Spring Volleyball Tournament, Round 2

Hyogo Prefecture Rep: Inarizaki High School (3rd Appearance Straight, 31 Appearances Overall)

Versus

Miyagi Prefecture Rep: Karasuno High School (1st Appearance in 5 Years, 9th Appearance Overall)

~

It was time. Both teams stood on either side of the court, every member held a sense of seriousness as they tried to make themselves as imposing as possible.

At the sound of the referee's whistle, every emotion seemed to jump to another level. Asahi's hands fidgeted anxiously. Call it paranoia but he felt like he was wearing a large target. It looked like everyone wearing a black Inarizaki uniform were glaring daggers at him. He hoped it was just his imagination.

Then there was (Y/N) by the sidelines. Even from afar, he could see the excitement in her eyes. She looked so angelic with that smile of hers. He felt a wave of relief when he recalled how much support she gave him the day before.

"I’m not saying you should just get over yourself because we all have experienced some level of negative emotion in our lives, right? And it’s not as easy as turning a page in a book. Trust me I know. So believe me when I say this, it’s okay to express those feelings. Maybe one day, you’ll find solace in someone."

Asahi felt his spirits lifted when he thought about (Y/N)'s words. Solace... She didn't know it but that was what she became to him. Her words gave her comfort and alleviated all the strangling roots of anxiety that surrounded him. He smiled to himself at the memory. It was enough to fall for her all over again.

After mentally counting to three, both members of the Karasuno and Inarizaki team bowed down to each other and yelled, "Here's to a good game!"

Asahi's feet moved automatically to where the coaches were standing. His heart was still beating like crazy. His nerves were still going crazy because in a few seconds they were about to play a high caliber team that were the people's favorite to win this whole thing.

That's when Takeda-sensei came to the rescue and provided the much needed words of wisdom. Asahi listened as his head coach spoke, "You know... Two months ago, during the qualifier finals, no one thought we could beat Shiratorizawa either." A bright smile accompanied as he continued, "What say we surprise everyone again!"

"YEAH!!" They shouted in unison with Hinata and Nishinoya jumping with joy.

It was time for the announcer's to present to the crowd the starting lineup. Asahi took a deep breath as he waited for his name to be announced. Not wanting to look any more nervous that he actually is (and to hide away his fidgety hands), Asahi crossed his arms and tried to look brave.

Physically, he looked intimidating. Mentally... Well, it went something like this:

'Daichi's right. Nobody's paying any attention to us. I don't have to be nervous. Nope. Nuh-uh. I'm not nervous at all. Nobody's looking at me. That means I effectively don't even exist!'

With a furrowed brow, Asahi quickly shook his head at the thought.

'Wait, no. Now that I think about it, that was going too far. Heck, it was pretty sad!'

And of course his friends noticed how quiet he became.

"Asahi. Get over here." Daichi called, his voice full of authority and masking the slight anxiety he had. He didn't need his ace player to go down the rabbit hole before the match even started.

Suga couldn't help but laugh as he said, "I don't have to be a mind reader to know there's something laughable on your mind right now."

Daichi narrowed his eyes at Asahi. "Whatever you're thinking, stop it! That's an order!"

It was scary how frightening Daichi can get.

"I-I wasn't thinking a-anything bad." He defended through stutters. "At least... Not anymore."

Before Daichi could reprimand his ace, Suga cuts in with a slap on his shoulder and said, "Hey, don't make it obvious but (Y/N)-san has her eyes on you."

All the thoughts from a moment ago disappeared instantly at the idea of his crush paying attention to him. It gave him a new sense of motivation to play the best that he could. Volleyball was something he was good at, like really good, and (Y/N) took notice of his skills from yesterday's match. If he could impress her even more then maybe... He has a chance.

"Let's win this match and then win some more!" Asahi declared as he made his way to his assigned position. His aura was slowly but surely glowing with confidence.

Daichi and Suga sighed in relief as their ace finally looked mentally ready to play.

"Tell me the truth, Suga, was (Y/N)-san actually looking at Asahi when he wasn't looking?" Daichi asked his vice-captain.

Suga grinned. "Come on, Daichi. Just like I don't have to be a mind reader with Asahi, I don't need to be a psychic with (Y/N)-san. Those two are perfect for each other. Just you wait, a confession is going to happen in the future. Mark my words."

Daichi could only sigh at his friend's words but he didn't say anything against Suga's prediction. Even he could see the effects the pretty Inarizaki manager has on his gentle giant of an ace. He wouldn't be surprised if they kept in touch after all of this is over.

~

Little did anyone know, this wasn't going to be the last day for Inarizaki's manager to be a part of their lives, especially in Asahi's.

~

“Aww, look at her.” Atsumu teased, his fingers pinching her cheek. “Our manager-senpai is in love. Who would have thought?”

(Y/N) smirked, her hand making its way to pinch Atsumu’s cheek. “What? You thought I was going to stay single forever?”

“Ack! No! Of course not…” The setter said unconvincingly, his eyes gleaming in mischief. “Ow! Quit hurting me!”

She pinched his cheek one final time before letting go. “But really, Asahi is a sweet guy.”

“Oh yeah, he looks really lovable.” Osamu peered over her shoulder to look at Karasuno’s ace. “You do know we’re not going to go easy on them just because you like him, right?”

“Like hell we are!” Atsumu exclaimed as he crossed his arms. “I got to show that Goody-Two Shoes a lesson about setting.”

(Y/N)’s jaw dropped and mocked a hurt expression on her face. “I wouldn’t ask you guys to do that. Everyone worked hard to get here. Nationals isn’t the place to take it easy.” 

Suna fixed his jersey into his shorts. “So… When’s the first date?”

“He’s not her boyfriend!” The twins interrupted in unison.

“Geez, announce it to the whole stadium, why don’t you? Maybe I should get the announcer’s microphone to help.” (Y/N) said, her words dripping in sarcasm.

The middle blocker smirked at his manager’s quick retort before returning to his previous question, “That being said, will there be a date?”

“No way.” Osamu cuts in. “It’s too soon. They barely met yesterday.”

“And our senpai only deserves the best. Not some nameless ace from a forgotten powerhouse.” Atsumu huffed as he crossed his arms.

“This is why you’re the evil twin.”

“What?!” 

“That’s true.”

“Shut up, Suna!”

(Y/N) smiled at the second-years. They always made her day a bit more interesting since they first met. But sometimes, they can be a bit much. Especially before matches. 

“As much as I love you guys being protective and all, I can make my own choices. I’m not the type of girl that would fall for any guy.”

“That’s true.” Suna jutted out a thumb at the twins. “You were smart enough to dodge these two.” 

“Hey!” They yelled, glaring at the smirking middle blocker.

“Oh, they’re not that bad. Anyone would be lucky to have them as their boyfriend.” (Y/N) began as she patted both twin’s backs. Her words seeped into the brothers’ core as they puffed out their chest in pride. Until she spoke, “But they’re still idiots.”

Once the idiot remark registered in their brains, the twins quickly reacted while Suna cracked another grin. 

“How could you say that, (Y/N)-san?!” 

“He’s more of an idiot than I am!”

“Oi! At least I don’t steal her food when she’s not looking!”

“So? She says she doesn’t mind.”

As Atsumu and Osamu continued to argue, the manager and the middle blocker watched from the sidelines. With the twins now moving on to personal insults, the rest of the team decided to join the watch party.

“Why are they fighting?” Akagi, the libero, asked as he and Omimi walked up to her.

“I call them idiots.” (Y/N) simply stated with a smile on her lips. “Now they’re trying to prove who’s the bigger idiot.”

“The fight could go on forever.” Omimi’s deep voice pointed out but made no effort to stop them.

“You didn’t answer my question, (Y/N)-san.” Suna whispered. “Is there a date with you and that Karasuno guy in the future?”

She smiled at him as she could see the care in Suna’s eyes and hear the amount of worry that laced his words. Her mind couldn’t help but wonder on what would happen if she and Asahi were to go on a date. If he were to ask her out, she undoubtedly would say yes but there’s that small voice of doubt that would say: This is too good to be true. So much so that it has to be a dream…

“I don’t know, Suna. I think it’s too soon to tell.” (Y/N) took the chance to look at Asahi across the gym. His back was towards her but it was as though he could sense her eyes on him as he turned around. His eyes locked with hers and once again she felt herself get goosebumps. “I guess we’ll see.”

Suna narrowed his eyes at his manager. During the two years he’s known (Y/N), he has never seen her like this before with a guy. While this Asahi guy looks… Suspicious to say the least, if he can make her happy then that’s fine by him.

“Take it from me, (Y/N)-senpai, when a guy likes a girl, he makes the effort to get to know her… Those moments with her… Will mean a lot to him. If you feel the same way as he does, don’t be scared. Go for it and see where the relationship takes you one step at a time.”

Out of any of the players on their team, Suna was the last person she would suspect of giving out meaningful relationship advice. Though, she couldn’t say it completely surprised her. The middle blocker has always been the observant type. 

She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, Suna. I needed to hear that.”

“No problem. Guess my sister’s girly magazines do work, huh?”

(Y/N) gasped before playfully punching him. “And here I was thinking you’re my favorite second-year.”

“I still am.” Suna chuckled. “But whatever happens, I hope your boyfriend knows how lucky he is to catch your eye.”

“Aww Suna… You care for me.”

“The whole team cares for you.”

With that being said and done, the middle blocker left and (Y/N) smiled as his words were true. 

The first-years, though nervous, would always help her with trivial chores. The second-years never failed to bring any silly shenanigans to the table but she had to admire their dedication to the sport. Finally, her fellow third-years, the ones that have been by her side since the very first practice, have given her a high school experience that she’ll remember fondly. Despite their motto saying that they didn’t need the memories, (Y/N) will always cherish the moments she spent with the Inarizaki volleyball team.

“(Y/N)-san.”

“Hey, Aran. Oh, Kita-san, you’re done with the interview? How did it go?”

Kita unzipped his maroon jacket before he spoke, “It went well. How are things here?”

“Besides the twins arguing.” Aran laughed. 

The trio of third years walked to the nearby bench where two black jerseys, #1 and #4, were placed. 

“Everything is ready to go.” (Y/N) answered as her two friends removed their normal shirts. She passed each of them their respective shirts. “And the twins are just… Extra motivated to play.”

“Oh?” Aran raised his eyebrows. “Any special reason why?”

“Well… There’s this guy I met yesterday…”

“WHO?!” The Inarizaki’s ace all but shouted, attracting the attention from everyone on the team. 

“Aran, lower your voice.” Kita instructed. 

But the ace only looked at his captain as if he was a crazy mental patient. “How can you be so calm, Kita? Did she tell you already?”

The silver-haired stoic captain shook his head. “(Y/N) didn’t tell me anything, but I can tell something was going on. I just didn’t know it was because of a guy.”

“Who is he? Do we know him?” Aran interrogated.

(Y/N) retold her story on how she met with Karasuno’s ace to her friends. The butterflies in her stomach revived once more when she was at the part of the story where she secretly gave Asahi her phone number. When she finished, she waited for their response.

Aran was the first to react. 

“Wow. I didn’t know you had it in you, (Y/N). This guy must be crazy good to impress you.”

“It’s not just that. You’ll see when you play against him.” (Y/N) told them as she fiddled with the zipper of her maroon jacket. “He’s not like anyone I’ve met.”

Kita smiled at her. The two of them have shared the same classes since the first day of high school so he knows that (Y/N) wouldn’t fall for any guy, no matter how persuasive or charming he can be. But it seems this Asahi guy wasn’t like that at all. In fact, he sounded like the complete opposite a girl would go for… At least, that’s what he assumes. But he wasn’t going to question his manager’s choice. Like (Y/N) said, he’ll see for himself what Karasuno’s ace is like. 

“I trust you, (Y/N).” 

“Yeah, me too, (Y/N).” Aran joined. “I can’t wait to see what this guy is made of.”

Before she could even utter a word, Coach Kurosu announced it was time. Everyone quickly huddled together for their usual pep talk. (Y/N) took a quick head count before gathering her stuff. When she came back, everyone looked more determined than ever. 

“What’s-”

“Alright! Let’s go show Karasuno what Nationals is all about! Let’s go win this!” Aran shouted.

“Yeah!” Everyone shouted back.

“And show that their ace is out of his league to flirt with (Y/N)-senpai!” Atsumu added.

“YEAH!!!” 

If she didn’t have her hands full, (Y/N) would have facepalmed at her teammates’ method of a pep talk. It would have been considered embarrassing if it wasn’t so endearing to see how much they cared for her. Besides, she’s never seen them so determined like this before.

As they walked towards the main gym, she brought Kita aside and asked, “Was what Atsumu said really necessary?”

“It worked didn’t it?”

(Y/N) sighed but smiled. Her heart was beating in excitement as the main gym’s lights shined over them. Her ears were ringing when she heard the loud cheers.

“May the best team win.”

‘Good luck, Asahi.’

~

“Hey, Daichi. Is it just me or am I being glared at by everyone on the other team?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Asahi. You’re probably imagining it.”

~

(Y/N) wanted to say she was a good judge of character and she had a good feeling about Asahi.

A sweet guy, every bit of a gentleman. Very cute too. Every time his soft brown eyes met with hers, she swore it reminded her of a cute puppy. His smile didn’t bring a few butterflies in her stomach… No. They brought a swarm. Each flap of their metaphorical wings gave her the shivers but the grin on her lips never left when she was with him. Even his hair played a part of her enchantment on him. It’s not often to see guys with long hair, but Asahi pulled it off amazingly well especially when he has it in a man bun. Despite his tough guy appearance, Asahi was a gentle giant with a glass heart. In the little time she knew him, (Y/N) hoped she was able to help him realize his self-worth.

God. It hasn’t been 24 hours and not once has Asahi left her mind. They texted each other last night for almost two hours. The conversation between them flowed so easily. Just like before, (Y/N) enjoyed talking to him. Not once had he made her uncomfortable. Quite the opposite actually.

The next morning she woke up early enough to do research on Karasuno’s team. While Inarizaki’s motto was: we don’t need the memories, (Y/N) couldn’t help but see how Karasuno was like from their past matches. They’re different from any other teams they’ve competed against. Besides, it was nice matching names with faces. Luckily, someone made ‘I’m Awesome’ videos of Karasuno’s starting lineup. She’ll admit whoever made these videos was good as they depicted amazing receives to jaw-dropping spikes.

She recognized Daichi, Suga, and Asahi immediately. Their libero, Nishinoya Yū, looked high caliber and so was their setter. She’ll keep her opinions to herself on Kageyama; she didn’t need Atsumu hearing her say that. They’ll have to keep a lookout on Karasuno’s #10, Hinata Shoyo. He’s on the short side considering he’s a middle blocker but judging by the video, the first-year is full of surprises.

Then again, the Inarizaki volleyball team has a few tricks up their sleeves too.

“Ah. Look, it's her!”

“(Y/N)- senpai!”

“Over here!”

The said manager snapped back to reality and was confronted by the usual crowd of fans in front of her. Inarizaki always show their pride with each event but with volleyball, they took it to another level. Then it doubled with the arrival of the Miya twins. Their popularity soared to new heights and as a result the marching band, cheerleaders, and several students took part in Nationals. Both a blessing and a curse.

The curse part? Well, as much as she loved her school’s support, the fangirls… Well…

“(Y/N)-senpai! Can you give this to Atsumu?!”

“Oh, please give these chocolates to Osamu! I made them last night!”

“(Y/N), is there any way I can get a picture with Suna? Please!”

Yeah… This was pretty much the usual for her but this time it was going too far. Girls ranging from first-years to third-years were blocking the entrance to the gym. She recognized some as fellow classmates but others she was almost positive they came from other schools. And they were all trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite player.

Despite the hectic scene in front of her, there were two girls that caught her attention.

One of them looked the same age as her with beautiful black hair that reached her shoulders and fair skin complexion except for the beauty mark underneath her lower lip. Her gray eyes seemed to sparkle behind her thin framed glasses. The other girl looked visibly younger with her petite frame and blonde hair that was styled with a star hair clip. Right away (Y/N) knew that the girl was a first-year. She could see the way the girl was trembling at the sight of the crowd.

They didn’t look like they were a part of the crowd, but they did look troubled. That’s when she noticed they were carrying water bottle carriers just like her. They must be the Karasuno team’s managers. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, (Y/N) decided to go talk to them.

The older girl noticed her first. She stepped in front of the blonde girl as if shielding her. (Y/N) didn’t let that get to her. Instead, she smiled and introduced herself.

“Hi. I’m (L/N) (Y/N). I’m the manager for the Inarizaki team. Are you two the managers for Karasuno?”

The two girls glanced at one another before nodding in unison.

“My name is Shimizu Kiyoko. Third-year.”

“I-I’m Y-Yachi H-Hitoka! F-First-year m-manager! I-It’s very n-nice t-to m-meet y-you!”

“Hey, there. No need to be scared of me. I’m just a manager, just like you.” (Y/N) tried her best to console the first-year’s anxious nature. It was almost like deja-vu with Asahi. “Are you excited for today?”

Kiyoko nodded, finally feeling at ease with her. “The team has worked hard to get to this point.”

“I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so nervous!” Hitoka added while trying to fan herself in order to cool down her face. “But the team is excited to play against the team that placed second place in the last Interhigh!”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow. “You’ve done your research. I’m impressed. But don’t worry, we still have some tricks under our sleeves. We know we’re up against a great team.”

The Karasuno managers felt the same warm feeling coursing underneath their skin at the compliment.

“Does that mean you’ve done research on our team?” Kiyoko asked.

(Y/N) nodded. “Of course. I like to be prepared.” Her cheeks began to warm up when she thought of Karasuno’s ace. “You two have impressive players on the team. Are they in the gym?”

“Yes. They’re practicing right now. We went to get some water for the match when this happened.” Kiyoko gestured to the sea of girls in front of them.

“We tried to get through but they’re scary!” Hitoka was practically shaking in her shoes. “The first match is already playing their second set.”

“Man! I swear time flies around here. Come on, I’ll help you through.” (Y/N) gestured to the girls to follow her. “We can’t let our teams forget us.”

“Are you sure?” Kiyoko asked her. “We can find another way.”

(Y/N) shook her head and gave them a carefree grin. “This is the best way into the gym. Trust me, I’ll get us in there.”

“W-Why a-are you h-helping us?” Hitoka stuttered out. “A-Aren’t you scared of them?”

“Well us managers have to stick together, right? And trust me, after dealing with the Miya twins for a year, these girls don’t scare me.”

Taking her word for it, the pair of Karasuno managers followed her. As expected the crowd of girls showed no sign of parting, in fact, it has grown in number. Kiyoko and Hitoka were waiting for (Y/N) to politely ask the girls to move aside, like they did before, but the Inarizaki manager did something quite unexpected.

(Y/N) looked over her shoulder and smiled, “Cover your ears.”

The girls obeyed. Lucky for them. Unlucky for the fangirls.

Because (Y/N) let out the loudest whistle anyone had ever heard. A series of groans and shrieks were heard from the fangirls. Then they all had turned to face the managers.

“(Y/N)-senpai? What was that for?!” One of the fangirls that she recognized as an underclassman.

“Oh, come on guys. I warned everyone last time this would happen.” The manager told them, not an ounce of fear in her voice as she addressed the crowd.

“B-But we just want to see the twins practice!” A girl holding a hand fan with the words ‘Miya Twins’ on it. “We aren’t doing anything wrong.”

“The boys need to warm up. You’ll see them on the court. Do yourselves a favor and find good seats to watch and cheer from.”

“Aww but (Y/N)!” They complained.

“You guys know the rules. Now, please, let me and my friends,” She stepped aside to reveal her new manager friends, “get into the gym. We need to do our jobs as managers. Don’t make me tell Kita-san and have him ban all of you from watching practice matches in the future.”

At the mention of the serious captain and under the threat of closed practices, the fangirls dispersed quickly. Some had the sense to apologize and others wished them good fortune on the upcoming match.

“W-Wow.” Hitoka said in awe. “You knew exactly what to do. That’s amazing.”

Kiyoko agreed before asking, “Does this happen a lot?”

(Y/N) let out an embarrassed chuckle. “Yeah… They’re big fans of the team and they mean well but sometimes their excitement can take it too far. As Inarizaki’s manager, sometimes I feel responsible for their behavior.” She bowed her head and continued on. “I apologize on their behalf for any trouble they may have caused you two.”

The youngest manager out of the three was speechless at the older girl’s sincere words in her apology. They’ve only known the Inarizaki manager for like ten minutes but she proved herself to them that she’s a kindhearted yet self-assured person. One look at her senpai and Yachi knew that they were thinking the same thing.

What Yachi didn’t know, Shimizu was smiling for a different reason. Yesterday, she accidentally overheard her fellow third-years talking. She didn’t mean to listen in and she was about to leave when the topic of the conversation caught her attention. Apparently, a girl caught her friend Asahi’s eye. A girl from the Inarizaki team that, according to Suga, sounded like the perfect girl for her anxious friend. So when the girl’s name came up, (Y/N), Shimizu wanted to see for herself what the girl was like.

Now that she has, Shimizu can see how and why Asahi would fall for her.

“Don’t apologize,” Kiyoko finally spoke up and offered the girl a kind smile. “Sometimes, these things happen.”

“You sure? I mean, this might happen again when we have to go into the main gym. There are some fans of the Miya twins that can be a bit… Fierce. If you want, I can help out. It’s no trouble at all.”

Kiyoko shook her head. “It’s okay, (Y/N). We can handle it. Right, Hitoka-chan?”

The first-year nodded eagerly. “Yeah! We’ll be okay. The guys on our team can be scary too. Ah! I need to tell the team that the first match is already in the second set. It was very nice to meet you!”

The third-year managers watched in amusement as she scurried into the gym. (Y/N) smiled before facing Kiyoko. She offered her hand for a handshake and said, “I know it’s customary for players to shake hands before and after the match, but I do it too with the managers. Let’s have a good game.”

Kiyoko took her hand and squeezed. “May the best team win. No hard feelings, right?”

(Y/N) laughed and nodded. “I like you, Shimizu, but yeah, no hard feelings at all.”

“Please call me Kiyoko.”

~Meanwhile inside the gym, ten minutes earlier~

‘Where is she?’ Asahi thought as his eyes searched the other side of the court. ‘Is she hiding from me? Did he say something that scared her away? What if he creeped her out last night when they texted each other?’

“Yo Asahi!” Suga’s energetic voice scared him back to reality. “Are you looking for someone?”

He didn’t miss his friend’s teasing tone that laced his words nor the way his eyes shined in amusement. Leave it to Suga to tease the hell out of him. Last night, for example, was too much. Even after he told his friends about his time with the Inarizaki manager, Suga still wanted to know everything, down to the last detail. Luckily, Daichi took pity on him and reeled Suga back on a somewhat normal level of interrogation.

But that didn’t mean he was going to drop the subject completely.

“I can’t find (Y/N).” He admitted to his friend. “Have you seen her?”

“Hmm. Not yet. But I wouldn’t worry too much. Her team’s here so I’m sure she’s somewhere around here. She’s their manager after all.” Suga clapped his shoulder. “But if you really want to know where (Y/N) is, why don’t you go ask her teammates?”

Suga pointed to the nearby Inarizaki members that were practicing their spikes. He recognized the Miya twins and Inarizaki’s ace, Ojiro Aran. And while he saw how they played from previous matches last night, it didn’t ease the anxiety clawing its way around his heart. It also didn’t help when one of the wing spikers turned the set into a powerful spike. The impact of the ball being slammed to the floor echoed throughout the gym.

Just the very action scared Suga’s suggestion out the window. There was no way he was going over there and ask about their manager! If they were anything like Tanaka or Nishinoya, then he’ll be ripped to shreds.

“N-No way!” He stuttered out a reply and waved his hands in front of him. The slight blush on his face was becoming more visible by each second. “But I’m worried. What if something happened to her?”

“Her who?” Daichi asked as he came up from behind them. “What’s going on?”

Suga answered before he could. “Well, our dear old ace here, is worried that his crush is somewhere out there dying without him knowing. And he’s too scared to ask her friends where she is.”

Karasuno’s captain chuckled and patted Asahi on the back. “Quit worrying. I know you saved her yesterday, but this isn’t a little girl you’re talking about. She can hold her own. After all, this isn’t her first time here in Nationals.”

“See, Asahi?” Suga, clearly amused by this whole conversation, told him. “There’s nothing to worry about. I wouldn’t be surprised if she walked through those gym doors right now.”

He pointed to the entrance and they followed it only to see a swarm of girls trying to catch a glimpse inside the gym.

“You mean those doors?” He asked his friend. “They look ready to burst in here.”

“Who are they?” Daichi asking the question everyone was wondering.

“Judging by the hand fans, I think they’re fans of the Miya twins. They must be really popular to have this many. That’s annoying.” Suga muttered the last part with a pout.

“Can anyone get through?” Asahi wondered as he avoided eye contact with the girls. Something about them unnerved him somehow even if they wore bright smiles and loud cheers. “They look vicious.”

“They’re fans, not witches.” Daichi stated. “I’m sure they’re nice. After all, they're showing their support to their team.”

“Let it go, Daichi. Asahi is only like this because he misses his dream girl.” Suga jested. “He’s going into withdrawal.”

“I was just hoping to see her. She texted me-”

“Woah! Woah! Texted?! When did this happen?” asked Suga, his eyes wide with this new information. “You’re at the texting-each-other stage?!”

“Was that who you were texting last night?” Daichi asked him.

“What?!” Suga exclaimed. “Daichi, why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were asleep and I was tired.” The captain defended. “And it isn’t my business who Asahi texts. He’s old enough to make his own decisions… That being said, what did you guys talk about?”

“You didn’t tell her our secret weapons, did you?” Suga whispered his question, referring to all the tricks they perfected in the past few months.

“(Y/N) isn’t like that, Suga. She didn’t squeeze any information out of me. We picked up where we left off and talked about normal stuff. We thought it was better than to talk about the match between our schools.”

“And what did you guys text about?” The vice captain pressed, eager to know more.

For some reason, Asahi couldn’t help but recall how he initiated the conversation with the pretty manager from Inarizaki. Actually it was more like he couldn’t believe he was texting with (Y/N) last night. It felt unreal, like a dream. After reading her note, he remembered how hard his heart was beating and how warm his cheeks grew.

Ever since she mentioned it in her note, admitting how he made her nervous, Asahi took some comfort that he can do the same to her and vice versa.

Though, she did prove herself to be bravely spontaneous when she wrote the note and after texting with her last night, he hoped he could do the same. One of his many concerns since starting high school was that girls in his class were always disappointed after finding out his timid personality didn’t match his physical appearance. He’ll never forget the time when one of the girls called him a wuss. It was years ago but the girl’s remark was like a stab wound in the back. It healed over time but it still made its mark on his self-image.

Luckily, (Y/N) wasn’t like any of the girls in his class. She’s so kind when she bought him a shirt as a gift. She’s so understanding when she patiently listened to his problems. She showed compassion when she offered some advice to help ease the anxiety that almost suffocated him. Then there was that beautiful confidence she had in herself. He liked that about her and while he just met (Y/N) yesterday, he wanted to prove to her that he can be confident too.

That’s why he’s been looking for her. He wanted to be the first to greet her. It might not seem like a big deal to others, but it was to him.

‘Baby steps,’ He thought when he was second-guessing himself. ‘What was that saying? Rome wasn’t built in a day. Well, that applies here too. Bit by bit, confidence will grow.’

“Asahi? Earth to ace?”

“Huh?”

“You zoned out there for a second.” A smirk appeared on Suga’s face. “Must be quite a conversation you had with her. Wouldn’t you say Daichi?”

It was always nerve-wracking to have both Daichi and Suga tease him. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if the captain joined in on the teasing. But to his surprise, Daichi clapped him on the back causing him to huff a bit under his breath.

“Well, I think (Y/N) is the kind of girl that can make our dear ace invincible. Make sure to show what you’re made of during this match.”

“Yeah!” Suga encouraged, his hand clapping the ace’s free shoulder. “Let her see how awesome you are on the court.”

“No pressure or anything.” Daichi added, his smile matching Suga’s teasing grin.

“None at all!” Suga piped in. “Just remember she’ll be watching you when it’s your turn to serve. Don’t mess up!”

“You guys aren’t helping!” He yelled at his friends. His face burned in embarrassment.

Daichi and Suga laughed but before anyone could say another word that could cause further humiliation for the ace, Asahi’s saving grace came in the form of their first-year manager running into the gym. He thanked whatever deity who was watching over this episode that spared him from further teasing from his friends.

“The first match is in the middle of their second set.” Hitoka informed them.

Daichi nodded and clapped his hands together. In a loud voice, he announced, “Alright, guys. Let’s get into our uniforms.”

Following the captain's orders, Asahi grabbed his alternate orange jersey and placed it over a nearby chair. He looked across the gym and saw the Inarizaki players putting on their uniforms as well. Still no sign of (Y/N).

“Hitoka-chan, wasn’t Shimizu with you?” Suga asked.

The first-year nodded. “We made a new friend just now. She helped us out when we couldn’t get into the gym. I think she’s still talking to her by the doors.”

Asahi tuned out their conversation as he took off his shirt. In his head, he had to concentrate on calming down his nerves. The scariest moments of his life played like an endless nightmare. Like the time when he was a kid and he had to show his parents the bad grade on his report card. Or the time he wanted to pet the neighbor’s puppy but ended up getting chased by the puppy’s mother. Or how Date Tech’s iron wall blocked every single spike; shaking him to the core so much that he temporarily stopped playing volleyball.

The whirlpool of anxiety and dread arrived on schedule in his stomach. Was it getting harder to breathe? Was the air getting warmer? Or was he getting colder? Yeah, no. He was definitely getting colder. His hands felt like a block of ice. Was he this nervous during the Shiratorizawa match? Probably. He made a mental note to trace 人 on his hand, hoping it was enough to settle down his nerves.

He threw his jersey on and was just about to fix his loose hair strands when he heard a familiar laugh coming from the entrance. He looked up to see Kiyoko laughing along with another girl. It was only a glance, a quick one, when he did a double take. He couldn’t believe it.

(L/N) (Y/N), the girl that caused his brain cells to go on a roller coaster ride, was standing there in all her beauty.

She was having a conversation with Kiyoko and by the looks of it, she must have said something funny because it made his usual shy and quiet manager laugh a little. Now he was 100% convinced that (Y/N) had a natural aura that eased people on friendly terms if she was able to hold an amiable conversation with Kiyoko.

Not to mention her smile that complimented her eyes that seemed to shine in excitement. Or how her hair was styled a bit different from yesterday. This time her hair was pinned back from her face with two small side braids connected together where it fell in rhythm with the rest of her hair. It looked cute on her, lovely even. Should he mention that to her or would that be too weird?

SLAP!

“Ow!” Asahi turned around to find the culprit who slapped the (for lack of a better word) living shit onto his back. Nishinoya didn’t have an ounce of shame or regret in his eyes. Quite the opposite actually as the libero was smiling ear to ear. “Nishinoya? What was that for?”

With no remorse, the second-year player ignored the question and asked several of his own. “That’s her, right? The Inarizaki manager? The one who’s talking to Kiyoko-san? The girl you like?”

He could feel his ears begin to burn. “H-How did you know?”

“That’s not important.”

Asahi begged to differ as he thought it made a world of difference now that Nishinoya knows about his crush.

With his arms crossed in front of his chest, the libero continued, “What are you doing standing here? Go over there and talk to her! Be a man!”

“I-It’s not that simple. I need to build myself up before I talk to her. And then I need to think of a topic that we can talk about. Then what type of questions I should ask-”

“Oh come on Asahi! You have to stop acting like a cowardly wimp. Man up and go! She’s right there!”

“J-Just give me a second and I will.”

Nishinoya was just about to retort back when he realized something. This was the first time Asahi was nervous, visibly and mentally, for a girl. Well, scratch that. Asahi was always nervous around girls but this was the first time he seemed to actively try to impress someone. Like the way he repeatedly made sure his jersey was tucked in, double-knotted his shoelaces, and double-checked his hair was safely tied in his usual bun.

So he did what any good friend would do. “You look great, Asahi.”

With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, the ace stood up straight. “You think so?”

“Personally, I don’t care about what other people think about my looks.”

Asahi physically deflated at those words. If only he could borrow some of his friend’s confidence.

“But then again I’m awesome.”

The ace couldn’t argue with that one. But before he could wallow in a pool of anxiety and dread, the libero’s next words saved him from drowning. Along with a strong slap on the shoulder that could echo throughout the gym.

“You’re awesome too. You’re the ace of our team. Take pride in that.”

Asahi took his friend’s words to heart as he stood up a bit straighter. He glanced up to look at (Y/N) who looked breathtaking while wearing her maroon Inarizaki jacket. If only she wore a black Karasuno jacket… He could just imagine the alternate dimension where she could have been a classmate, a close friend, or even something more.

“I… I don’t want to mess this up, Noya.”

Concerned, Nishinoya asked, “How would you mess up?”

“I don’t know! Anything could happen. With my luck, I could trip over myself in front of her. I want to be confident and go over to her and say hi-””

“Alright. Then let’s go.”

Asahi’s mind froze. “What?”

“You heard me. Let’s do what you said and walk up to your girlfriend-”

“She’s not my girlfriend!”

Nishinoya rolled his eyes but the grin on his face showed no sign of leaving. “Fine. The girl you wish to be your girlfriend. We’ll go together. You’ll say hi and introduce me to her because I want to know what kind of girl makes you act this way.”

Asahi could feel his face turning red. “Okay, let’s go. But please don’t say anything embarrassing. Daichi and Suga did enough of that yesterday.”

His friend laughed loudly before slapping his shoulder. “You really need to grow a backbone off the court, especially if you want to impress your crush. But don’t worry, I have your back.”

~

(Y/N) felt as if she met her long-lost sister through Karasuno’s manager. Kiyoko definitely could relate to the ups and downs that comes with managing a group of boys (especially rowdy second-years). But she admired her commitment. Being a third-year, specifically attending Nationals, it was their last chance to help their respective team to make it to the top.

“So, how are you feeling about being here?” She asked as they sat down on a nearby bench. They still had time before the ongoing match ended. Why not take the opportunity and spend time with her new friend?

“It’s unreal. Sometimes it feels like a dream. A lot of people doubted us since we were a forgotten powerhouse. We were devastated when we lost in the third round of the Interhigh to Aoba Johsai. Our only chance to get to Nationals was to win all our matches.”

“Woah, I can only imagine the pressure your team had on their shoulders. More so on the third-years.” She took a chance to look for Asahi. Her eyes automatically found him and she couldn’t help but smile. It looked like he was having a conversation with the libero. “How did you guys manage all that?”

Kiyoko shrugged her shoulders but she had a faint smile before answering, “It was rough. But we didn’t want to give up on volleyball. Not when there was a chance to make it here. It was a risk. Our advisor warned us third-years to take our future into account before we made our decision.”

“And now you guys are here! I have to give you and your team respect, Kiyoko.”

Kiyoko laughed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thanks. It’s been a journey and we’re ready to play against the best.”

“Trust me the feeling is mutual.”

“Speaking of feelings,” Kiyoko began with a teasing tone. “I’ve heard there’s a guy on my team that caught your eye.”

(Y/N) let out a nervous laugh as she looked away. “He told you?”

“Not directly but Daichi and Suga weren’t exactly keeping it down about it. Asahi is usually quiet. But he sounded happy when he talked about you. I think you helped him in more ways than one because I’ve never heard him sound so confident.”

“Really?” She couldn’t help but smile widely. “You're not just saying that, are you?”

Kiyoko shook her head. “I don’t know what you told him but it looks like he took it to heart.”

“I just spoke the truth. He helped me so it’s only fair that I helped him too. He’s a gentle giant that needs a boost in confidence.”

“Do you like him?”

“Well… It’s too soon to tell but I think so. Asahi is not like any other guy I’ve met. I just want a chance to get to know him more and vice versa.”

“So like a date before the actual date?”

“Exactly!” It was like Kiyoko and her were on the same wavelength. “Is that too weird? Or is it stupid? I mean, I just met him yesterday and so far he seems like a great guy but like… I’m nervous. He makes me nervous and… Shoot. I’m sorry for rambling.”

“Hey, it’s reasonable to think and feel that way. Take it from me, Asahi really is a good guy. He can be a scaredy-cat sometimes and can be insecure about a lot of stuff but he really means well.”

“I saw that side of him yesterday. He’s the type to shoulder all the blame, isn’t he?” (Y/N) asked.

Kiyoko nodded. “He’s still our ace and he’s been working harder than ever to prove it.”

(Y/N) remained silent, taking in all the information Kiyoko told her. She looked for Asahi again and smiled when she saw him getting clapped on the shoulder by the libero.

“Does that bother you?” Kiyoko asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

Confused, (Y/N) furrowed her brow before asking, “What do you mean?”

“Does it bother you that Asahi is the ace but he doesn’t have an ace-like presence?”

While Kiyoko hated asking the question she believed it was an important one. Girls can be ruthless. She heard the gossip from other girls and how they talk about Asahi behind his back. Calling him a wimp or how he was a part of a gang. As Asahi’s friend, she felt it was her responsibility to see if the girl he has a crush for is actually genuine in her feelings towards him. Because as much as she enjoyed (Y/N)’s company, Kiyoko will choose to defend Asahi over her.

“Should that be important? If anything, it goes to show how different Asahi is. When I saw him play yesterday, I knew he was an amazing ace but when I talked to him and got to know him… I saw a guy who’s not ashamed to admit his insecurities and who’s not scared to admit his feelings. I respect that. And after what you told me of what you guys have gone through, I know Asahi will show his self-worth on the court and show everyone why he’s the ace. So who cares that he doesn’t have the traditional personality of an ace? I think he’s already brave.”

Kiyoko smiled at her. That was the answer she’s been hoping for and (Y/N) delivered it. Her (E/C) eyes matched the conviction in her voice and Kiyoko loved it. Not to mention, the timing was absolutely perfect and she thanked the gods that (Y/N) didn’t notice the two people behind her.

“(Y-Y/N)-san?”

Oh god. She could feel her heart falling to her stomach when she heard her name in that deep voice that made her feel everything all at once. Her face became warm in seconds and she didn’t dare move an inch. It wasn’t until Kiyoko let out a small cough that brought her from cloud nine back to the gym.

(Y/N) took a moment to center herself before turning around to see Asahi. His chocolate brown eyes met hers and she swore the butterflies from her stomach danced between her ribs.

“A-Asahi-san! Hey!”

She quickly stood up, a bit too fast as she accidentally knocked her team’s water bottles out of the carrier. Embarrassed, (Y/N) fell to her knees and grabbed the nearest bottle.

“S-Sorry about this.” (Y/N) didn’t dare look up as she already embarrassed herself in front of her crush and his friends.

“N-No! Don’t apologize. It was an accident.” Asahi kneeled, grabbing the last bottle before handing it to her. His breath hitched ever so softly when her fingertips touched his hand. It was as if the rest of the gym faded away. Being so close to (Y/N), he saw how her eyes were beautiful as he remembered. He swore it was no trick of the light that her eyes seemed to shine like stars in the night sky.

(Y/N) felt so self-conscious about how close she was to Asahi. She hoped she looked okay in his eyes. Usually she wouldn’t care so much on how she looked, but the idea was thrown out the window when she met Karasuno’s ace. His long hair was once again in a bun but this time it was neatly in place, a perfect bun any woman or man could be jealous of. The small scruff of facial hair on his chin suited him very well, giving him a sort of wild, intimidating appearance.

But she knew better because Asahi was an adorable giant with a large and gentle heart. If she was being honest, his presence was like springtime coming to wash away winter’s snow. His warmth was… Indescribable.

How was it possible for him to be that handsome yet so adorable at the same time?

The moment was interrupted when someone cleared their throat. Loudly. (Y/n) looked up to see the libero, Nishinoya, with a large grin. His eyes were bright with excitement and amusement. She can immediately tell that this guy was the mischievous and energetic type. As they stood up, she could have sworn she saw Asahi blush.

“(Y/N), this is my friend Nishinoya Yū. He’s a second-year and the libero of our team.”

While he maintained a normal composure, Asahi was mentally beating himself up. ‘Why would you say that?! She’s a volleyball manager!! Of course, she knows that Nishinoya is a libero! She has eyes. She can see that he’s wearing a different color jersey! Asahi, you’re such an IDIOT!’

While the ace was mentally berating himself, (Y/N) formally introduced herself to his friend. During her introduction, Nishinoya could only gawk. When he heard from Suga and Daichi about his friend Asahi finally having a lucky break encounter with a girl, he couldn’t be happier for the ace. And it didn’t take a genius to see how hard Asahi fell for her.

“By the way, I’ve watched those ‘I’m Awesome’ videos.” (Y/N) brought up and immediately caught the attention from both boys. “That match with Shiratorizawa when you made a double save against Ushijima was so cool. It was so amazing that I had to replay it like five times. I even showed it to our own libero and he literally took my phone out of my hands.”

Nishinoya beamed. “Really?”

His chest swelled up with pride and the thought of another libero studying his techniques was just the icing on the cake, but to have a pretty girl, like (Y/N), praise his skills… Well that’s the cherry on top. He liked her already.

“And Asahi, you were amazing too. The way you were able to smash through Shiratorizawa’s defenses was unreal!”

The warm and fuzzy feeling from his chest exploded and it was as if all the heat rushed to his face. Asahi was sure his whole face was red. He tried to stammer out a reply but Nishinoya beat him to it.

“I know right!” He slapped Asahi’s shoulder repeatedly. “He went head to head against one of the best aces in the country and helped lead our team to victory. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

“T-That’s not t-true-”

“Of course it is!” Nishinoya looked back at the girl who was chuckling at their interaction. “Ignore that. He’s so humble whenever someone compliments him.”

Her eyes met Asahi’s and gave him a knowing smile. Although this was her second encounter with Karasuno’s ace, (Y/N) noticed the trend of Asahi’s friends building him up and teasing him at the same time. She had to stop herself from laughing at the lack of subtlety amongst them. Still, it was cute to see Asahi this way.

“Well,” (Y/N) began, her hand casually tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Asahi was listening intently. “Then I bet this next compliment is going to be unbearable because I thought you looked great during that match. It makes me wish I was there to see you guys play live.”

Nishinoya grinned. “Don’t worry, (Y/N)-san. You won’t be disappointed with our match. Asahi, here, will make sure of that. Right, Asahi? Oh, did I mention how-”

Kiyoko, who was silently watching the entire interaction, noticed the slight panic in Asahi’s eyes. She knew the libero means well but there were times he can take things a bit too far.

“Nishinoya, can you help carry this for me?”

“Anything for you, Kiyoko-san! I’ll follow you forever!”

Asahi was about to stutter out his friend’s name when he saw Kiyoko give a little head gesture towards (Y/N), subtle enough so she wouldn’t see it.

‘This is your chance, Asahi.’ That was the message she was telling him as Kiyoko led Nishinoya away. ‘Don’t mess up.’

“So, um, (Y/N)? H-How are you? You know, with everything?” Asahi could feel the goosebumps traveling up and down his arms at how cringy he felt.

The dark cloud of self-doubt and worry that plagued Asahi this morning has evaporated into thin air the moment she smiled at him. How was she able to put him at ease like that?

“So far, so good. I'm a bit nervous for today. Not the bad kind of nervous but the excited kind, you know?”

Asahi nodded as he knew exactly the feeling (Y/N) was talking about. He was feeling it right now! “I know that feeling very well. I feel it almost everyday.”

(Y/N) chuckled before replying, “At least, you’re honest, Asahi. Most guys usually lie about their feelings.” She glanced back at her own team where she saw Atsumu arguing with his twin, probably over something stupid.

“Well someone did tell me that it wasn’t a bad thing to express my feelings. I’m just following her good advice.”

The smile she gave him was like no other to know that Asahi was really taking her words to heart. Words can’t describe how happy this made her nor the warm feeling she felt stir in her chest.

“So, are you ready to play against us?” (Y/N) asked the ace in an effort to keep the conversation going. “Because we’ve been looking forward to this match.”

“It’s a bit nerve-racking that we’re playing against the team that placed second in the Inter-High. You have great players on your team.”

(Y/N) waved her hand in dismal with a shake of her head. “Oh don’t let that rattle you, that was yesterday.” Her school’s motto rings true in her words. “Besides, I’ve done my research. Karasuno isn’t like it was before. Your team has cool players too and that includes you. All you can do today is challenge yourself.”

Asahi couldn’t help but smile at her. “You’re just full of good advice, aren’t you?”

She beamed while tossing her hair over her shoulder in a joking manner. “I’d like to think so. But seriously, Asahi,” Her hand gently touched his bicep and Asahi didn’t shrink away. “How are you really feeling?”

“H-Honestly?”

(Y/N) nodded, her eyes looking up to him, patiently waiting for his response.

“I haven’t told anyone so d-don’t make fun of me but… I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“I’m scared of failing. I’m scared to drag the team down. I’m scared to lose the trust my team has in me as the ace. I mean, I’ve watched the Inarizaki clip last night and I can’t help to compare-”

Asahi stopped talking when he felt a pair of warm hands wrap around his cold ones. The blush from before came back in full force. (Y/N)’s hands were small and so soft compared to his yet it was enough to calm his fast beating heart. With her holding his hands, it reminded Asahi of the time when Kiyoko held Suga’s hands during the fifth set of the Shiratorizawa match. He remembered how he, Daichi, Nishinoya, and Tanaka became jealous towards the vice captain. Now he was in Suga’s position and with (Y/N) holding his hands, Asahi understood the feelings Suga went through that day.

“Listen to me, Asahi, what you’re feeling right now… That’s normal, okay? You’re not the first ace to feel this way and even if you are the first that just goes to show how considerate you are to your teammates. I can tell you worked hard and you have skilled, trustworthy teammates. That’s why you’re here in Nationals, remember? You earned your spot on the team as the ace and I understand you carry a burden on your shoulders, but you’re not alone. You have your team with you.”

Asahi opened his mouth but no words came out. It was as if (Y/N) took his ability to talk. He felt enlightened in a way. He was pushed so much in the darkness by his own self-doubt, anxiety, and worry that he almost missed the ray of light that gave him hope.

“You with me, Asahi? I didn’t lose you, did I?” (Y/N) questioned, giving his hands a small squeeze. “Or did I say something wrong?”

“Oh! Sorry! No! I mean- Yes! I mean-”

(Y/N) chuckled. “Breathe, Asahi. There’s no need to be nervous. It’s just me. No one special.”

He shook his head. “That’s not true. At least, not to me.”

She blinked. Then blinked twice. Three times. When she realized that she hadn’t misheard him, she swore those butterflies in her stomach made their way to her chest and danced around her heart. The feeling never went away when he met her eyes. His brown eyes took her breath away while melting her heart at the same time.

Still, she wasn’t expecting Asahi to say that and judging by the obvious blush on his cheeks Asahi wasn’t either. Well, two can play at that game.

“Oh? I’m someone special to you? When we only met yesterday? If I didn’t know better, I would say you’re falling for me.”

Asahi felt his Adam's apple bob up and down. He was used to teasing by his friends and the second-years but never before has he felt like this. Wait a minute… Was this teasing or flirting? He hoped for the latter because he didn’t want it to stop.

“What if I am?” He asked, his confidence growing with every word. “Would it be a bad thing?”

(Y/N) smiled widely. “I… I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

Asahi felt his heart soar to new heights at this. Any anxiety he had began to slowly fade away. His hands were no longer cold but he wasn’t going to stray away from (Y/N)’s touch.

However, the universe thought differently.

“Hey. Do you mind not holding hands with my manager?”

(Y/N) grunted when she felt a strong arm swing over her shoulders. Even without looking, she could tell who it was. The same person who had no problem starting a confrontation with anyone. Not even his twin brother.

“Atsumu.” She warned, letting go of Asahi’s hands, hoping this action would relieve the tension her setter placed around them.

The blond-haired twin kept the same annoying smirk as he met his manager’s eyes. He knew that look very well as he was always on the receiving end of it.

“What?” He asked innocently. “I’m just looking out for you, (Y/N)-senpai. You’re our precious manager after all. Now, is this guy messing with you?”

(Y/N) sighed, closing her eyes while counting to ten in order to calm down. She could only imagine how this must look.

“He’s not. This is Asahi and he’s my friend. We were just talking before the match began. Asahi, this is Miya Atsumu. He’s the setter-”

“Star setter.” Atsumu interrupted as he shook Asahi’s hand, gripping it hard. “An All-Japan Training Camp setter.”

Confused but feeling bold, Asahi matched the twin’s grip strength. He took a tiny bit of satisfaction when Atsumu grimaced the tiniest bit.

(Y/N) raised her brow at them but shook it off. “Sorry about him. He can be a bit much. Anyways, Atsumu, Asahi is Karasuno’s ace. We watched their match yesterday, remember?”

Atsumu gave him an unimpressed look before shaking his head. “Not really. He must have not made a good impression for me to remember. I don’t remember players who suck-”

He was cut off by (Y/N)’s sharp elbow to his stomach. “What was that for, (Y/N)-san?!”

“That’s for lying!”

“I wasn’t lying!”

“Just yesterday you told me he made a lot of great plays. Not to mention, you praised his service ace.”

Atsumu could feel himself blush a little when his manager caught him in his lie. “I… I don’t remember.” When lying doesn’t work, denying is the second best option.

She rolled her eyes while pushing the setter’s head down, forcing him to bow with her. “Sorry about him. He can be incredibly insensitive at times.”

Atsumu twisted his head to look at his manager, quietly struggling underneath her surprisingly strong grip. “No, I’m not!”

(Y/N) sighed before letting go and ignored the glare Atsumu gave her. Instead, she focused on Karasuno’s ace. “I wish we can talk more, Asahi but I need to get the team ready before the match. But I’m glad we had the chance to catch up.”

“Yeah, me too.” He smiled at her, much to Atsumu’s displeasure. “Can we talk later?”

The manager grinned and was just about to answer when she felt a strong tug on her arm before getting dragged away. “Hey, Atsumu! What the he-”

“You said it yourself.” Atsumu pointed out. “You need to help get the team, our team, ready. Let’s go.”

(Y/N) yanked her hand back and gave Atsumu a glare before he could utter a complaint. “Atsumu, be a dear and take this,” She placed the water bottle carrier in his hands. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“But- I, er, we need you. Remember, there’s that thing… That important thing…” His eyes gestured to his hands.

To anyone who didn’t know the Inarizaki setter very well, it may have sounded like there was something urgent she, as the manager, had to do. But (Y/N) knew Atsumu and she almost wanted to laugh at the desperation in his voice. This happened every single time before a match. It was obvious that Atsumu didn’t want to admit his problem in front of Asahi, who had a confused look on his face.

“The stuff is in my bag, inside the small pocket. Just don’t use too much like last time.”

“Yes!” Atsumu fist-pumped before running back to the rest of the Inarizaki team, forgetting the reason he came over in the first place.

(Y/N) chuckled as she watched her friend dig into her bag before turning back to Asahi. “Again, sorry about that. He can be a bit much. But he does have a point, the match is going to start soon.” She offered up her hand for a shake. “Best of luck to you, Asahi.”

He wasted no time in shaking her hand. “You too. Good luck to your team.”

“And whatever happens, win or lose, we’ll be cool, right?” (Y/N) asked, hoping Asahi wasn’t one of those players that completely shuts down and shuns people when they lose. She really liked him so she hoped that wasn’t the case.

“Of course we will.” Asahi promised. “No matter what happens, we’ll give it our best.”

“Good. See you later, ace.”

With one final encouraging squeeze, (Y/N)’s hand slipped away before making her way towards her team. Asahi seemed frozen to the laminate gym floor as his eyes were fixed on her maroon Inarizaki team. His hand was still in the air where he could still feel her fingertips.

“ASAHI!”

He flinched when he heard Nishinoya yell out his name and he almost fell over when he felt the libero hoist himself to do a handstand on his shoulders. It always amazes him how Nishinoya was able to do that effortlessly.

“H-Hey careful!” Asahi warned him. “And what happened to having my back?”

“You were amazing Asahi-san!” Nishinoya praised, stars in his eyes. “And I did have your back. We all had your back. We were watching the whole thing! You looked so cool talking to the girl you like!”

Was it just him or did that last sentence sound so loud?

“Don’t make it so obvious, Nishinoya.” Suga chuckled.

“Yeah, we don’t need Miya Atsumu to come back over here and scare Asahi again.” Daichi joked. “We had to pull Nishinoya back so he wouldn’t go feral on him.”

“I-I wasn’t scared! He just surprised me.” Asahi defended though he wasn’t going to admit that there was a tiny moment of fear when the Inarizaki setter confronted him. “He’s intense though.”

Kiyoko stepped forward. “You didn’t run away. I think that speaks louder than words.”

Asahi swallowed hard. “You think so?”

“Trust Kiyoko on this, Asahi.” Daichi said. “And trust all of us when we say, don’t give up. I know I give you a hard time with you being a coward and all-”

“Thanks.” He said sarcastically.

“Let me finish.” Daichi laughed. “I was trying to say… (Y/N) brings out the best in you. So keep going. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Alright, let’s go win!”

“YEAH!!”

~Meanwhile on the other side of the gym~

“You done flirting with the enemy?”

“Does that bother you, Suna?” (Y/N) countered as she checked her bag, looking to see if Atsumu used all her hand lotion. (He’s always complaining about his fingertips being dry.) “I thought that’s what you guys wanted? For me to find someone?”

“At least give us a warning. Atsumu said it was that scary samurai-looking guy.”

“Atsumu’s dramatic.”

“Am not!”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

“He literally was squeezing my hand off! Trying to ruin my perfect setter hands!” The blond complained. “I call sabotage!”

“Maybe you’re just that weak, ‘Tsumu.”

“Shut up, ‘Samu!”

“So,” Suna interrupted before the twins could start another infinite argument. “You like this Azumane guy?”

“Is he Lucky Schmuck #1?” Osamu followed up.

“Or Unlucky Schmuck #6?” Atsumu mumbled with his arms crossed.

“I think… He’s the one.”

~

“(Y/N)-san!” 

The third-year manager tore her gaze away from the orange court to meet with the familiar brown eyes of Miya Atsumu, the second-year setter of their volleyball team. 

“Hey Atsumu.” She greeted the popular setter with a smile before scanning the area around them. “Where’s Osamu?”

“That scrub is probably stuffing his face.” He huffed as he stood next to her. His eyes peered down at the active court. “What are you even doing here?”

(Y/N) followed his gaze and smiled. “Just want to check out the competition. I’m curious as to who our next opponent will be.”

“Who’s playing?”

“Tsubakihara Academy and Karasuno High.”

Atsumu furrowed his brow at the mention of the latter school. He’s sure that Goody-Two Shoes setter came from there. 

“Are they any good?”

He waited for her answer but when he didn’t receive one, the twin looked at her. Usually the older girl always had an answer for his questions, however silly the questions were. It was something Atsumu liked about (Y/N). No matter what silly antics he, his twin, and the rest of the volleyball team partook in, (Y/N) was always there to keep them in check. It was something Aran and Kita, her best friends, valued her for and the coach couldn’t agree more. 

Of course, there were times she played along with their shenanigans. It was why she got along so well with everyone on the team. As a manager, the girl knew there were times to be serious but also to just enjoy the moments with the best team she ever had. Even the annoying moments of Suna and the Miya twins prying into her non-existent love life. Take the conversation she had with them from last week.

Flashback

“You rejected another guy, (Y/N)-senpai.” Osamu commented as he ate his lunch. “How many is that now?”

His twin answered for her. “I’m pretty sure that makes him Unlucky Schmuck #5. But that guy didn’t even have a chance.”

“Oh?” (Y/N) stopped taking her notes and decided to indulge in the conversation. “And why’s that? Kenji’s a nice guy.”

“Easy because he’s boring. You don’t want to date a boring guy, do you?”

“The most interesting thing about him is that he’s on the basketball team.” Osamu piped in, reaching over the table to get some of her chips. “He’s not even on the starting line up.”

“His last post was just a picture of the ocean.” Suna piped in, his eyes showed so much disinterest in Unlucky Schmuck #5’s profile account. He showed his phone to her. “See?”

“So? That doesn’t mean he’s boring. Besides, I like the ocean. That’s why I liked his post.”

Suna rolled his eyes and turned off his phone. He leaned all his weight over (Y/N)’s shoulder. “That’s because you’re nice.”

“Sometimes too nice.” She grumbled as she jerked her shoulder so Suna could get off her and then slap the gray haired twin’s hand away from her chips. She looked back at Atsumu and said, “But I’m still waiting for the right guy to come around.”

The setter grinned. “Then quit waiting because I’m right here.”

Osamu and Suna scoffed, which irked Atsumu. “Aren’t you Unlucky Schmuck #1?”

“Am not!”

“Got the video on my phone if you want to relive it again.” Suna smirked as he taunted Atsumu with a wave of his phone. The video was pure gold. No way was he going to delete it. He needed all the memories, especially embarrassing moments of the Miya twins.

“Well, I’m glad you three are so interested in my love life but I already have my hands full dealing with you guys. I don’t need a jealous boyfriend on top of your crazy fangirls. My anxiety would not be able to handle it. Besides, nationals are literally next week. ”

The twins pouted in unison when the manager mentioned their fangirls. 

“Then get a guy who’ll understand. I’m sure there’s someone-”

“I’m right here-!” Atsumu exclaimed but was cut short when his twin hit the back of his head and at the same time Suna kicked his foot. “Quit abusing me!”

Suna ignored him and continued on. “Whoever this schmuck is, he’s going to be the luckiest guy in Japan.”

“He better be good at volleyball.” Atsumu grumbled, his head on the table. “That’s all I’m asking.”

Osamu joined his twin’s line of thinking. “Preferably from a powerhouse. The guy can’t be from a weak team. And cook some good food.” 

(Y/N) rolled her eyes at the Miya twins. Of course, they would say something like that. She looked back at Suna and asked, “Do you have a requirement for my future significant other?”

Suna thought for a moment before answering her question. “As long as he cares for you.”

“Thanks Suna.” 

“But the moment he hurts you,” Atsumu began.

“He has to deal with everyone on the team.” Osamu finished his brother’s sentence.

(Y/N) grinned at their protectiveness. “Thanks Unlucky Schmuck #1 and #2.”

“Hey!”/ “Don’t call me that!” The twins exclaimed in unison causing the middle blocker and manager to laugh once more.

End of Flashback

“Earth to (L/N) (Y/N)! Can you hear me, manager? This is future champion setter, Atsumu, speaking! Talk to me!”

(Y/N) blinked and tore her eyes away from the orange court. “Huh? What did you say?”

Atsumu narrowed his eyes and leaned close to (Y/N)’s face, causing the girl’s face to heat up. She quickly stepped back and looked away from the twin’s observant gaze. 

“What?” She asked him.

“Who were you looking at?”

“No one in particular. Just Karasuno's team in general.” 

She answered way too quickly and they both knew it. Atsumu grinned at his senpai’s poor attempt to lie. “Someone caught your eye?”

“Shouldn’t you be practicing your sets?”

“Oh no, don’t you avoid my question, (Y/N). Besides, my sets are perfect.” He turned his focus on the volleyball players that were still competing below. “Who’s the guy? Better not be that Goody-Two Shoes.”

(Y/N) furrowed her brow. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Karasuno’s #9. Kageyama Tobio.”

She looked at the roster and found the person Atsumu was talking about. She then looked back at the match that was still playing. 

“Wait a minute. Is this the same Goody-Two Shoes that you met at the National training camp?”

Atsumu huffed and nodded. His eyes narrowed at the impressive set Tobio just did. “Yeah, that’s him alright. Piece of work that guy. Always setting the ball exactly how the spiker wants it. Such a Goody-Two Shoes.”

“Oh my god, Atsumu. He’s just a first year student. Give him a break.” She paused for a moment before she asked, “Did you actually call him a Goody-Two Shoes?

The Inarizaki setter was just about to answer when he saw the familiar glare on his manager’s face. “Of course not.”

“You’re such a liar.” She scolded him as she flicked his forehead. “You always have to psych someone out and cause trouble.”

“Whatever! It’s not like I hurt his feelings. I was just telling him the truth. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”

Just as she was about to reply, there was the familiar sound of a volleyball being slammed to the ground. Soon after, the announcer’s voice echoed throughout the stadium. “And Karasuno’s ace, Azumane Asahi, just did a flawless service ace!”

(Y/N)’s eyes searched for the mentioned ace. #3. The third-year wing spiker. A guy with long brown hair styled in a bun. He looked older than the rest of the team with his tall and strong build and with the service ace earlier, Azumane has proven himself that he’s the ace of the team.

He looked intimidating, just like how Aran would be when he was on a roll. But for some reason, Karasuno’s ace, didn’t scare her. 

‘It’s his smile. He has a beautiful smile.’ (Y/N) thought as she watched the ace high-fived his teammates. ‘It looks like he’s enjoying himself… Having the time of his life.’

The pair of students watched the match until it reached its conclusion with Karasuno winning the second set. Which means they’ll advance to the second round where they’ll face their own team. Tomorrow’s match: Inarizaki vs Karasuno. It will be an interesting match that would guarantee to excite the crowd.

“Well, at least we know who we’re going to beat tomorrow.” Atsumu’s eyes shimmered in excitement, knowing tomorrow’s match will be a battle between setters. He couldn’t wait to prove to everyone who the better setter was. “Come on, (Y/N), let’s get out of here. The team is probably waiting for us to go out for lunch.”

“Sure.” 

As Atsumu led the way, (Y/N) looked over her shoulder where her eyes landed on the members of Karasuno’s volleyball team cheering for joy. The ace’s smile was infectious as she felt her own lips smile as well. 

~

“Hey, Atsumu. You go ahead. I want to buy another T-shirt while I’m here. I’ll catch a bus to the hotel.”

“You sure? I can wait-” Atsumu’s stomach decided it was the perfect moment to announce its hunger out loud. 

(Y/N) laughed as the setter tried to cease his stomach’s rumbling. “Just go, ‘Tsumu. I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Fine! But hurry, will you? You know how ‘Samu gets when he’s hungry.”

The two parted ways. It always surprised her how large the crowd gets during intermission. She had to dodge and weave to avoid the hurdle of students carrying band instruments. She was successful and luckily the T-shirt stand was right there. There were so many options to consider and she was just about to make a selection when there was a sudden loud CRASH. 

The noise caused her to stiffen in fright, she looked behind her to find someone had dropped a pair of cymbals.

“Can someone pick those up?” A girl asked her bandmates.

“I got them.” A bright-eyed boy volunteered.

(Y/N) remembered to breathe to calm her nerves as she gave the worker of the T-shirt stand a wobbly smile. “Can I have-”

“Hey, you! Look out!”

While the boy meant to be helpful, everything went downhill from there. When the boy bent down to pick up the cymbals, he accidentally bumped the nearby bass drum causing it to fall out of its little wagon. The large drum began to roll away, causing the crowd to panic. 

(Y/N) looked behind her and saw that the drum was heading right towards her. She was just about to move when she felt a warm hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the way. She watched as two guys her age, one with dark hair and the other with silver hair, stopped the drum from crashing into the T-shirt stand. 

“A-Are you okay, miss?” A male’s voice, deep with concern, asked her. “Are you hurt?”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks for that-” (Y/N)’s ability to talk disappeared when she saw the face of her hero. It was Karasuno’s ace, Azumane Asahi. 

And he looked even more handsome up close. She had to step back - not because she was scared of him but because she could feel her heart going into overdrive being so close to the guy she was beginning to have a crush on.

“Miss?”

‘He’s talking to you, dummy! Talk back!’

“Oh, um, yeah! Thanks again.” (Y/N) gave him a smile. “You’re Azumane, right? From Karasuno? I just watched your match. You were amazing, especially with that service ace.”

Asahi’s POV

A girl was talking to him. 

A pretty girl. Willingly talking. To him. 

It was enough to cause his brain to short circuit. He waited for the girl to come to her senses and realize that she was supposed to be scared of him, like how everyone else he came across. But to his surprise, the pretty girl was still talking to him. She didn’t have an ounce of fear in her eyes and the gentle smile she gave him made him feel better about himself. And to make matters even better, she was giving him compliments.

And he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Daichi and Suga came up on either side of him and saw the girl. Asahi didn’t have to look at them to know his friends were giving each other a knowing smile behind his back.

The two introduced themselves to the girl who in turn introduced herself.

“My name is (L/N) (Y/N). I’m from Inarizaki High School in Hyōgo. I came here with my team.”

“You must be really good if you made it to Nationals.” Suga complimented.

She shook her head. “Oh no. I’m just the manager for the volleyball team. I was just telling your ace here how good your team was during your match.”

“We were nervous at first but we managed to get through this round.” Daichi told her. “The other team surprised us with that underhand serve.”

“Really? You manage to adapt to it very well.”

“We couldn’t have done it without this guy!” Suga slapped his hand against Asahi’s back. “Would you believe me if I told you he was single?”

“S-Suga!” He shouted in embarrassment. “W-Why w-would you say that?!”

“Oh come on, Asahi,” Daichi placed his hand on his shoulder. “It’s not like he’s lying. Besides, we're all single too.”

“Y-Yeah but that doesn’t mean she is.”

“Sorry to break the news but I’m single just like you.” 

He was shocked to hear that the girl in front of him was actually single. She was breathtaking. Literally. And she was so nice to him.

“My team thinks otherwise. They keep pushing me to have a boyfriend, but I have my hands full managing them and their crazy fangirls. A jealous boyfriend isn’t something I need, you know?”

“Oh, well, that’s reasonable. Maybe you need to find someone who’s understanding,” Suga elbowed his side. “Right, Asahi?”

“U-Um yeah?” What is Suga up to?

“It’s a good thing there are guys, like Asahi, in the world. He’s actually quite sensitive. The only time he feels confident is when he’s on the court.”

“Daichi, what are you doing?” He whispered, the heat from his neck began to crept onto his face. Is his face red? Can she tell?

“Oh, no. Look at the time. Daichi, we need to go.” Suga announced, grabbing the captain’s shoulders and pushing him in a random direction. “We have that meeting with the coach. Right now. Remember?”

“That’s right, Suga.” Daichi gave him a knowing smile, a smile that he knew meant trouble. “Asahi, why don’t you stay here with (L/N)? Make sure she’s safe from any more runaway instruments.”

“It was nice meeting you two! Good luck tomorrow! You’re going to need it. The boys of the Inarizaki team love a good challenge. Don’t disappoint them.”

“Right back at you.”

He watched as his friends walked away, leaving him alone with the girl who caused his anxiety to skyrocket to a whole new level. Not even Kiyoko made him feel like this.

“You're lucky to have such good friends, Azumane.” She told him, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts. “I bet there’s never a dull moment when you three are together.”

He laughed as he rubbed his neck out of habit. “Been that way since we were first years. Though the first and second years bring all the crazy.”

“I know exactly what you mean. The second years on the team love making my life crazy. I love them but sometimes they can be a bit much. Especially during Nationals. Speaking of which, is this your first time?”

“Yeah. And with this being my last year, I guess I should be grateful that I’m even here.”

He was so lost in his own world of self-deprecation that he didn’t notice what she was doing. Not until her fist punched his chest. It wasn’t gentle or strong, somewhere in between, but her touch didn’t surprise him. 

It was her eyes that surprised him. They seemed to shine with determination and, for some reason or another, inspire confidence. Even her voice was firm.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Asahi. Your team didn’t get here by chance. You all earned a spot here. You deserve to be here.”

Was it possible for a heart to beat so hard against a person’s ribs? Maybe it’s a medical condition? Because never before had he felt so anxious yet empowered. He wondered if (Y/N) could feel his heart underneath her hand. 

“I’m not saying you should just get over yourself because we all have experienced some level of negative emotion in our lives, right? And it’s not as easy as turning a page in a book. Trust me I know. So believe me when I say this, it’s okay to express those feelings. Maybe one day, you’ll find solace in someone.”

There was another feeling. He couldn’t find a label for it, but he could describe it. A warm sensation that bloomed from his chest to every cell in his body the moment she said his name. Not his surname. His actual name. Asahi. His brain felt as though it had melted inside his skull. But by some miracle, he found his voice again.

“You… You think so?” He asked her. “About me being here?”

Why was he asking her this? Just a few minutes ago, she was a stranger. She could just lie to make him feel better but he had a feeling (Y/N) wasn’t like that. 

“Are you kidding? I saw it with my own eyes.” She stepped back and mimicked a serve. The smile on her lips complimented the excitement in her eyes. “I’ve seen a lot of players these past three years, all of them possessing some kind of amazing skill. But you’re… Special.”

“Because I’m the ace?”

She smiled up at him. “That’s part of it, but if I’m being honest here I think you’re special even without the title of ace. The match from today proved it to me and I’m sure you’ll see it soon enough.”

“See what?”

“Your true self-worth.”

Normal POV

(Y/N) watched as Asahi mulled over her words and she hoped it gave him some confidence. While she didn’t know him all too well, Asahi looked like a nice enough guy. A bit self-conscious about his abilities, but hopefully she helped him loosen the strangling roots of insecurity that surrounded him.

Why did she care so much in helping him? Well, he did save her. The least she could do is give him some encouragement. She frowned at the thought. No… There must be something else she could do to give her thanks…

Her eyes wandered to the T-shirt stand and an idea was formed.

“Hey Asahi-san, let me buy you a T-shirt. It’s the least I could do since you saved me and all.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. Really. As long as you're okay-”

She shook her head, grabbed his hand, and led him to the T-shirt stand. “Come on, please. You can choose whatever shirt you like. Consider it a gift.”

“G-Gift?” Asahi stammered and she couldn’t help but find his stammering cute. “From you?”

A small chuckle escaped her lips. “Yes from me. It wouldn’t make sense if it was someone else. Let me do this for you.”

Asahi contemplated for a moment before agreeing. The worker of the T-shirt stand, who watched their interaction the whole time, was extremely kind to them as (Y/N) picked her choice as well. Asahi stood awkwardly by, waiting for the transaction to be finished.

“You two would make a cute couple.” The worker said, quiet enough so only she could hear. “You should go for him.”

“You think so?” (Y/N) asked as she discreetly peered over her shoulder to look at the guy who made her feel all warm and fuzzy. 

“Believe it or not,” The worker handed her the two bags, hers and Asahi’s, “Before the whole chaos started, you already caught his eye. His two friends tried to get him to talk to you but I guess he was too nervous.”

(Y/N) smiled widely at this. Maybe he liked her too? She hoped so because the feeling was definitely mutual. Only one way to find out...

“Hey, do you have a pen and paper I can use?”

~

Turns out the two third-years were heading in the same direction. By some cosmic fate, Asahi and his team were staying at the inn right next to the hotel she was staying in with her own team. So during the whole bus ride there, they got to know more about each other.

Asahi learned about (Y/N)’s favorite foods, hobbies, and even her future dream of attending the university in Tokyo. He laughed at the stories she shared about the Inarizaki team members. And (Y/N) was happy to learn more about him. She learned that he was close to the libero of his team, he has taste in fashion, and that his birthday just passed four days ago.

All too soon, they reached their destination. They walked side by side until they reached the point where the path forked, one way led to her hotel while the other led to Asahi’s inn.

She turned to face him and flashed him another smile. “Thanks for your company, Asahi-san. It was really nice getting to know you.”

“Same here, (Y/N)-san.” Asahi replied, his voice no longer nervous around her. “And thanks again for the shirt. I’ll make sure to take care of it. I want it to last for years.”

“It’s no problem. After all, you did save me.” Her fingers rubbed the plastic material of her bag out of nerves. “Well, I should get going. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Y-Yeah, see you.” 

Asahi’s POV

With her back turned, there was sudden pull in his heart, as if begging for her to stay.

“(Y/N)! Wait!”

He was surprised to hear his voice sound so firm but she brought that feeling out of him. He didn’t want her to leave. Not yet. He enjoyed talking to (Y/N). She was so understanding, kind, and ever so confident. Their time together felt so short but at the same time so long. Those moments with her… He wanted more of those moments. 

And the moment his eyes met with her hopeful ones, he knew he had to at least try to ask for her number.

“Yes, Asahi?”

Oh, god. She looked so pretty… He wondered if (Y/N) knew the effect she has on him. The initial confidence he had was beginning to fade, but he steeled his nerves and took a deep breath.

“I was wondering, i-if it’s okay with you, that w-we could-”

“(Y/N)-SENPAI!” A guy with blond hair called out to her.

Right next to him was another guy, identical to the first only with silver hair, yelled, “WE’RE WAITING FOR YOU! I’M STARVING!”

“WHAT ‘SAMU SAID!”

‘They must be the Miya twins.’ He thought.

(Y/N) sighed before answering back, “Give me a minute!” She turned back and offered him a sheepish look. “Sorry about that Asahi. What were you saying?”

Over her shoulder, he saw the Miya twins frowning at him all the while staring daggers in his direction. His confidence, the little bit he had in supply, disappeared into thin air. He stammered out a reply, “Never mind. U-Um… Get a good night’s sleep. T-Take care of yourself.”

(Y/N)’s smile melted. Was that disappointment in her eyes? But she quickly recovered and offered him a bittersweet smile, “Oh, um, thanks Asahi. Good luck tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” She turned around and began to make her way to the twins when stopped in her tracks. “Oh, and Asahi-san?”

“Yeah?” He felt his heart hitch up to his throat when they made eye contact once again. Her eyes were a lovely shade of (E/C) filled with warmth and kindness. 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself the next few days. Remember what I said. Your team is lucky to have you as their ace. So do your best tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll do great.” She glanced down at the plastic bag containing the shirt she bought for him. “I hope you like the shirt. Consider it a birthday gift from me.”

And with that, the girl he developed to have feelings for walked away, but not before she gave one last smile that made his heart expand three times its size. 

~

“Asahi! You’re back!” Nishinoya’s loud voice echoed throughout the room where Karasuno's team was staying. “Is what Daichi and Suga are saying true? You met a girl?!”

Tanaka joined in his friend’s interrogation. “Yeah, Asahi! Daichi didn’t want to say anything but Suga said you saved her life!”

“Was she pretty?”

“What school does she go to?”

“What was she like?”

“What’s her name?”

“We need details!” The two second-years yelled out in unison. Their eyes shimmering in excitement as they waited for answers. 

“Uh, w-well…”

“Alright, that’s enough you two.” Daichi grabbed their shirt collars and pulled them back. “Give Asahi a break. He’s had an eventful day.”

“Yeah, come on, Asahi, let's get you a drink from the vending machine.” Suga offered, his hand already pushing him out of the room.

“I’m not thirsty-”

“Yes, you are.” Suga interrupted. “Our treat. Well, Daichi’s treat since he’s buying.”

The trio of third-years walked downstairs and true to Suga’s words, Daichi bought them a round of their favorite drink.

“Okay, spill! Don’t leave out a single detail. I want to know everything.” Suga pressed, just as Nishinoya and Tanaka were a few minutes ago.

“Suga, calm down.” Daichi told him. “You're worse than Nishinoya and Tanaka combined.”

“Oh, come on, Daichi,” Suga complained. “You want to know just as badly as I do.” 

“Ok, fine.” The captain admitted before turning to the ace. “So how did it go with (Y/N)?”

“Details.” Suga reminded him. 

So he told his friends everything that happened when they left them alone. How she raised his spirits, believing in his self-worth as an ace. How her words inspired him. How she made him feel nervous one moment and confident the next. How she bought him a new shirt as a gift.

“She sounds awesome for you, Asahi.” Suga complimented. “And if I remember correctly, doesn’t she fit your description of your ideal dream girl?”

“I mean- Yeah. She’s great but-”

Daichi interrupted him. “But what, Asahi? You're both single and you’re definitely interested in each other.”

“How do you know that? I mean she did say she wasn’t looking for a boyfriend.”

“She said she didn’t need a jealous boyfriend.” Daichi reminded him. “You’re the most sensitive guy I know.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“This time it is.”

“Seriously, Asahi,” Suga placed his hand on his shoulder. “Why do you think I highlighted your star qualities? You take other people’s feelings into account. She helped build your confidence. And you just told us, how you had a great time talking to her where it sounds like she did too. You’re literally perfect for each other.”

“You think so?” He asked, sounding hopeful. “I do like her. Do you think she likes me?”

“Dude, she wasn’t scared of you, she held down a meaningful conversation with you, and she even bought you a shirt.” Suga listed, his grin growing by the minute. “(Y/N) likes you.”

The small flame of hope in his heart, fueled by his friends’ words, began to burn brightly. He couldn’t wait to see her again. Even if she’ll be on the sidelines on the opposing team’s side, he’ll still be happy.

“So what will you do next, ace?” Daichi asked, crossing his arms. Suga did the same thing as they waited for a response. “Will you let this opportunity slip away?”

“No way.”

His friends grinned, happy to see their glass-hearted friend sound so confident.

~

It was nightfall. Everyone took a rain check and turned in early, knowing that the next day will be just as hard as the first. The only person not asleep was him. He volunteered to shower last as it gave him the chance to relive the afternoon.

How was he going to talk to her tomorrow? Will she want him to talk to her? His team is playing against hers tomorrow… If they win tomorrow, will she be angry and ignore him? 

Shaking his head at the thought, he finished his nightly routine. He decided to wear the shirt (Y/N) bought for him. He grabbed the bag and unfolded the shirt. Carefully as if it was woven by the most precious fabric in the world. In his mind, the T-shirt was a treasure given to him by an angel.

For some reason, he recalled (Y/N)’s words, ‘So believe me when I say this, it’s okay to express those feelings. Maybe one day, you’ll find solace in someone.’

He hoped she believed that to be true because he might have found that someone. 

The sound of paper falling caught his attention. At first he thought it was just the discarded T-shirt tags, when his eyes landed on a simple piece of folded notebook paper in the sink. He picked it up, unfolded it, and his heart stopped for the third time? Fourth? Maybe fifth?

In clean and elegant handwriting, the note displayed:

I hope this isn’t weird of me to do this, but I didn’t want to lose this chance. So this is me making the first move because while I try to play it cool, you make me nervous. (Hard to believe, right?) Anyways, this is my number: XXX-XXX-XXXX. 

We can just talk if you want. You seem like a cool guy and I still want to get to know you. If you don’t, I’ll understand. Anyways, I’ll cut this note short. Good luck tomorrow! Don’t hold back against Inarizaki. 

P.S: I hope your friends were telling the truth earlier.

~

Normal POV

(Y/N) ditched her cards the moment she heard her phone let out a small ding, signaling a new message.

“Hey, you can’t just do that in the middle of the game!” Atsumu’s voice called out.

She ignored him as she jumped on her bed and grabbed her phone. Her heart was racing as she quickly unlocked her phone, but then it expanded at the sight of the message that read:

Hey, it's Asahi. Is this (Y/N)-san?

Her face broke into a wide smile. Her thumbs danced over the keyboard as she typed out a reply:

Asahi! Yeah, it’s me. I’m glad you found my note.

She watched as the three dots appeared, signaling that Asahi was typing. God, he has no idea the effect he has on her.

It was a nice surprise. A bit of a shock, but it’s very much welcomed. The shirt fits by the way. I think it’s my new favorite. 

Another message appeared after the first and she felt every atom in her body seemed to explode after reading it.

By the way, my friends were telling the truth. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

~

This was the first page of a story where two individuals found solace in one another.

~

The girl smiled. “Glad you liked it, Kotaro, but you and the volleyball team made it awesome. You guys made it to Nationals after all. It’s why I was able to convince the yearbook editor to let me add a couple of extra pages to show the team’s success in making it to Nationals.”

“Really?! No wonder! You’re so awesome!” Bokuto looked over his shoulder. “Hey, Akaashi! Look! (Y/N) is here!”

Akaashi Keiji. A first-year (now going into his second year) that made up their little trio. Though he was a year younger than her and Bokuto, the calm and composed setter easily found his rhythm in the group.

Because before he came, no one on the volleyball team was able to keep up with Bokuto’s energy and as a result the silver-haired male would often beg her to make sets. At first, (Y/N) refused but when she saw his ‘emo mode’ coming she crumbled at the sight.

So she was forever grateful that someone like Akaashi came into her and Bokuto’s lives. At the very least she can count on Akaashi to be there for Bokuto. He already has the hang of dealing with Bokuto’s mood swings and mentally compiling a list of the ace’s weaknesses.

“Hello (Y/N)-senpai.” The setter greeted her.

“Akaashi, how are you? Bokuto isn’t pushing you too hard, is he?”

“(Y/N)!” Bokuto squawked. “I would never!”

Akaashi couldn’t help but smirk a little. “I’m doing well, thank you. Also congratulations on finishing your second year.”

“Ah, thanks and congrats on being a first-year in Nationals. I made sure to mention that fact in the yearbook.”

“Really?” The setter didn’t have the time to review the yearbook so this took him by surprise. “You didn’t have to.”

(Y/N) shook her head. “Of course I do. Your skills were amazing. Aren’t they, Bokuto?”

Bokuto nodded. “Your sets are the best, Akaashi. My spikes were so easy to make! The other team didn’t have a chance!”

“See?” She brought her yearbook out and showed him the page dedicated to the boys volleyball team. “I made sure to get good shots of you and Bokuto together.”

After signing each other’s yearbook, the boys continued to look at the yearbook and offered their praises. While she accepted their compliments with a smile, (Y/N) couldn’t help but recall the time she first met the ace for the first time.

Flashback

Freshly enrolled at Fukurodani Academy, a first-year (Y/N) immediately applied to become a member of the photography club from which she learned that members of the photography club are also in charge of the yearbook. It wasn’t long when the yearbook editor gave her first assignment:

Shadowing the Fukurodani’s Boys Volleyball Team.

At the time, (Y/N) didn’t realize how desirable her spot was until many of her senpais offered their congratulations and her fellow classmates expressed how ‘lucky’ she was to get this assignment. Why was she ‘lucky’? Obviously, she played the sport back in middle school as part of PE class. She knew the basics. So why? What was so special about volleyball? It was just a game.

That all changed when (Y/N) went to her first official game. Never had she clicked the shutter button so many times before. She lost count on the amount of times she went from anxious to excited throughout the three sets against another Tokyo powerhouse school. Of course, she wanted her school to win. She had pride after all.

It wasn’t until her hopes of winning were dashed when a third-year regular injured himself at the final set. Oh well… Better luck next time. She focused her camera lens on the person who was subbing in. She didn’t have to look at the roster to recognize him.

Bokuto Kotaro

He was a first-year just like her, not in the same class as her but she had to be completely oblivious to the loud, overly friendly, and playful guy who can go from happy one minute to a sad boy in the next.

(Y/N) zoomed her camera to focus on him and she was taken aback by the lack of nervousness on his face. Instead, his golden eyes shined with excitement with a wide smile to match.

For some reason she couldn’t explain, (Y/N) decided this next shot was the one. No, that’s not right. She knew why. The momentum, the atmosphere, the tension, the hunger for victory… Everything was riding on Bokuto to make the point to secure their win.

She had to capture this moment!

At the sound of the whistle, (Y/N) wasted no time in pressing the shutter button repeatedly, hoping that one of these photos could work. With one last click from her camera, she watched the course of the volleyball with new found anticipation.

She squeezed her camera as the opponent pulled off a shaky receive. She bit her lip as the other team’s setter set the ball for their team’s ace. She refrained herself from letting out an excited squeal when Fukurodani was able to soft block it.

From the middle blocker’s block, the libero pulled off a receive. From the libero’s receive, the setter was able to set.

“LEFT! LEFT!”

By muscle memory, (Y/N) brought her camera into the perfect position just in time to capture this moment. Her finger pressed the shutter button at the same time Bokuto’s hand slammed the ball with brute force. The volleyball bounced off the hardwood floor of the gym before soaring into the audience. For about five seconds, the gym was void of any sound until-

“ALRIGHT!” Bokuto raised both of his fists into the air. His smile was even wider than before. “HEY! HEY! HEY!”

The audience cheered with him. The sounds of applause and whistles filled the air along with the praises from the Fukurodani players directed to the person who secured victory.

With one last click of her camera, (Y/N) smiled at the scene before her. Bokuto looked so happy amongst his teammates. It wasn’t until a gentle nudge on her arm brought her out of her trance. (Y/N) looked up to see her senpai that accompanied her to the match.

The older girl held out a tissue. “You're crying, (Y/N)-san.”

“I am?” True enough, there were tears slowly escaping from the corner of her eyes. How long were those tears there? How did she not notice? A bit embarrassed, (Y/N) accepted the tissue. “Thank you senpai.”

“How do you like volleyball now?” The third-year asked her underclassman, knowing she wasn’t a huge fan of the sport. “Any change of opinion?”

(Y/N) fiddled with her camera’s neck strap. She took a quick peek at Fukurodani’s players, specifically Bokuto, before answering, “I think…”

The upperclassman strained her ears to hear the shy girl’s answer.

(Y/N) smiled genuinely. “I think I can get into it.”

The glint in her (E/C) showed determination only strengthened her answer and honestly it was a relief for the older girl. She can pass on the torch into (Y/N)’s hands knowing the girl will do her best to capture these moments. The senpai smiled down at her kohai. She remembered the first time going to a volleyball match. She’ll never forget this feeling and she hoped that (Y/N) wouldn’t either. This was her last year documenting the volleyball team, but it was only the beginning for (Y/N).

“Remember this, (Y/N)-san.”

“Yes, senpai?”

“Never let these moments be forgotten because one day these photographs may become something precious to someone.”

“Hai.”

“Alright. Let’s go. I’ll treat you to some ramen!”

As they were leaving the gym, (Y/N) inspected all of her pictures and stopped at a particular one. It was of Bokuto during his jump serve. She smiled once more as she replayed the memory.

Maybe volleyball wasn’t just a game. Maybe she was lucky after all.

~

The next day was a normal school day at Fukurodani Academy. It was lunch time and (Y/N) was waiting for a certain silver-haired individual to be left alone. However, that wasn’t going to be the case. Ever since he scored the winning point, his popularity soared to greater heights and as a result he was surrounded by his friends and new admirers.

(Y/N) held her portfolio folder tighter. She printed the pictures from yesterday’s game and she thought it was only right for Bokuto to see them before anyone else. Obviously, in private. She would be so embarrassed if everyone saw her photos at once… Which, of course, didn’t make sense. Photos are meant to be looked at. She was just not confident enough. What if he didn’t like them? What if he calls her photos trash? Oh, god. What if he doesn’t like having his picture take-

“Hey, hey, hey! You’re the camera girl, right?”

The girl jumped when she saw the Kotaro Bokuto right next to her. His gray blazer was unbuttoned, his white collared shirt was completely untucked, and his blue/white striped tie was loosely tied. (Y/N) wondered if this was intentional or if he just didn’t care about the school’s dress code. She could only imagine the former.

“Oh, um, yeah. I'm camera girl?” She bowed and introduced herself. “My name is (L/N) (Y/N). I’m in Class 1-5. It’s nice to meet you.”

Bokuto could mentally hear his mother and older sisters telling him that he has to act properly with a girl. “Bokuto Kotaro. Nice to meet you too, (L/N)-chan. So did you get some great shots yesterday?”

“I did,” (Y/N) caressed her folder with her thumb and softly smiled as she felt excitement course through her veins. “I never thought volleyball could get so exciting.”

This of course brought the boy’s attention. “Are you serious?!”

(Y/N) faltered a bit at his sudden loudness. She wasn’t used to his extrovert personality and the proof was evident when everyone in the hallway carried on as normal, ignoring the two first-years.

“Please tell me that it was your first time watching a volleyball match!”

“Uh… No?” (Y/N) averted her gaze to the ground. “I’ve seen volleyball on TV but it never really caught my interest. I usually change the channel when it’s on. Never really liked it during middle school either…”

It was as if each word that came out of her mouth was a dagger and each dagger was perfectly aimed at his heart. He could feel his hair deflate as he pouted deeper and deeper. He wanted to cry. Hide in a small, dark area where no one would find him and cry.

(Y/N) looked back at the boy in front of her and she could feel her heart fall from her chest to her stomach. This must be Bokuto’s ‘emo mode’ she heard so much about.

“B-Bokuto-san? Please don’t be sad.”

“I can’t,” His voice sounded so hollow and his eyes lost their shine. “What you just said was the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Not wanting to create a scene, (Y/N)’s mind raced to find a solution. “I have some grilled meat left from my bento, you can have it if you want-”

Bokuto visibly perked up at the girl’s offer. “Grilled meat? My favorite!”

~

“So,” Bokuto finished eating the last piece of delicious grilled meat and stared at the girl in front of him. They opted to sit in her classroom where it was less occupied. “Why do you hate volleyball?”

“Huh?” (Y/N) furrowed her brows at his question. “I never said I hated it.”

“But you did!”

She was sure -100% positive- that she never used the word hate and she was just about to point it out when a thought popped into her mind. What if -for Bokuto- the words ‘hate’ and ‘never liked’ meant the same thing to him? So does that mean her ‘normal’ and his ‘normal’ were completely different? Most likely.

“You know maybe that’s for the best.”

“Huh?” Bokuto tilted his head in confusion.

(Y/N) swallowed nervously before placing her portfolio folder on the desk in front of Bokuto. This was it. He’s going to see her work for the first time. With a bit of courage, (Y/N) opened up both literally (as she opened her folder) and figuratively (as this was the start of her friendship with the extrovert).

“I didn’t understand what the hype over volleyball was all about.” Bokuto opened his mouth, ready to defend his beloved sport so (Y/N) quickly continued, “But you changed that.”

“I have?”

(Y/N) nodded excitedly and flipped the pages of her portfolio before stopping at the one picture of the boy himself successfully completing a jump serve.

“Is that…” Bokuto couldn’t even finish his sentence. He was rendered speechless by the image.

“That was the moment,” (Y/N) gazed at the image with such admiration that she no longer felt nervous about sharing her work. “You helped me realize that volleyball isn’t just a game but a battle on the court. The momentum was crazy!”

Bokuto grinned at her words. “I know, right?! What did you think about my serve?”

No longer feeling shy, (Y/N) scooted to the edge of her seat. The smile on her face could match Bokuto’s. “That was amazing! I thought it was game over when your teammate injured himself but you came in and…and… I don’t know. Breathed new life into the game, I guess. It’s hard to explain-”

“No, no, no. I know exactly what you're talking about. It’s the best thing about volleyball. Anything can happen in a split second. When I was subbed in, I felt all eyes on me.”

“Weren’t you nervous?”

“Of course not! It was my chance to prove to everyone I’m here. That’s what Coach Yamiji told me. He told me I was the team’s secret weapon and the other team never expected me to be so awesome. Now, I have a chance to be in the starting line-up in the next match!” Bokuto looked back at the picture of himself, his heart beating rapidly with happiness. “I want to become the best ace this school has ever had!”

(Y/N) felt goosebumps on her skin at Bokuto’s declaration. Was this what confidence does to a person? Could she ever gain such confidence in her skills like Bokuto is with volleyball?

“This is an awesome picture! And this one! That one, too!” Bokuto’s grin never faltered as he flipped through her portfolio. “Wow, you even got me spiking the winning point! You’re amazing!”

Her (E/C) eyes filled with hope. “Y-You like them?”

“Like them? I LOVE THEM!” Bokuto’s confession could be heard from the hallway, causing some students to peer into the classroom. “I’ve never had my picture professionally taken before.”

“P-Professional?” (Y/N) could feel the heat rise from her neck to her face. “Th-They’re not that good, Bokuto-san. I still have a lot to learn.”

Bokuto wasn’t having it. “What are you talking about? These are great! Be more confident in yourself, (L/N)-chan.”

(Y/N) watched as he continued to marvel at her work and she couldn’t help the warm feeling of pride blossom within her. While Bokuto insisted her pictures were top-tier, (Y/N) knew that there was more she had to learn, but for now, she’ll take Bokuto’s words to heart.

“Alright. Then please call me by my first name.” She extended her hand towards him. “I look forward to working with you, future ace. I can’t wait for what you do next.”

Bokuto grinned at her confidence. With both hands, the male shook the girl’s entire arm. “I’ll do my best, (Y/N)-chan. Just you watch. When I become the ace, you're going to be in love with volleyball and it will be thanks to me! Bokuto Kotaro! Hey! Hey! Hey!”

The girl laughed. “When you become the ace, my camera and I will be there.”

Bokuto beamed once more. “Call me Kotaro. I have a feeling we’re going to be best friends.”

“I think so too!”

End of Flashback

(Y/N) chuckled softly at her core memory. Bokuto has kept his word ever since then and in return she has as well. Countless memories were shared between them and even more when Akaashi joined the group.

She was there to celebrate every win. She was there to mourn every loss but during those rare moments (Y/N) has watched Bokuto pick himself up and continue to play his heart out in the next match.

Of course, along the way, (Y/N) has met with other great people from other schools. She never thought she would get the chance to meet the people that make up a powerhouse team. There was Kuroo from Nekoma, Ushijima and Tendo from Shiratorizawa, and even Sakusa from Itachiyama. Along with the rest of their respective teams, it was no wonder they were contenders in the Spring Tournament.

But for some reason, the silver-haired boy was just an inch above the rest. Biased or not, it was Bokuto that introduced her to volleyball and (Y/N) would always be grateful for that.

“I can’t wait for next year!” Bokuto’s loud voice brought her back to reality. “It’s going to be so awesome!” With one hand over her shoulder and the other over Akaashi’s, “Let’s practice my cross shots!”

Both her and Akaashi looked at each other and laughed. Bokuto tilted his head to one side, confused as to why his best friends were laughing. Nonetheless, he laughed with them too.

“Alright,” (Y/N) smiled at her friends. “But first let’s take a picture.”

As (Y/N) took out her phone and Bokuto marveled at the various filters and stickers, Akaashi took a moment to analyze. He knew his seniors were close but he always wondered if there was a possibility that the two could be something more than just friends. And he wasn’t the only one who thought that either -the volleyball team, the managers, even the coaches- all watched from the sidelines whenever Bokuto and (Y/N) interacted with one another, hoping to see a confession.

It was the classic best friends-falling-for-another-but-they’re-both-oblivious scenario and everyone wants to know the ending. They’ve seen how the two of you are to each other. There were so many example to choose from, such as:

If there was an upcoming math test, (Y/N) would give out her notes to help Bokuto out. She would even spend the night at his place to make sure the lessons stuck, making a great impression on his family at the same time.

Bokuto would gladly volunteer to be (Y/N)’s muse in any of her projects, no matter the project’s purpose. As mentioned before, (Y/N) would help set the ball for the ace but she would put her foot down if HOURS have gone by, stating that resting is just as important. She would later treat Bokuto to his favorite meal afterwards.

Before Akaashi, (Y/N) was the only person to bring Bokuto out of his ‘emo mode’. The team knew this early on.

Washio, Sarukai, Konoha, Komi, etc.: Come on Bokuto. It was just a practice match. Don’t beat yourself up.

Bokuto: *pouts and hugs his knees tighter as he hides between the gym mats* I can’t. I was terrible.

Managers: We need (Y/N).

Coach: Someone go get (Y/N)!

Ten minutes later, ✨(Y/N) the savior✨ arrived.

(Y/N): Kotaro, please don’t be sad. It’s called a practice match for a reason. Please don’t beat yourself up. I know you. This isn’t going to stop you from becoming a great ace. We all believe in you.

Bokuto: *visibly perks up, eyes bright, and smiling brightly* You’re right! I will be a great ace. Hey, hey, hey!

And just like that, Bokuto was back to normal.

Washio, Sarukai, Konoha, Komi, etc.: We said the same thing and now he gets hyped up. What’s up with that?

Managers: Don’t question it. It’s different when he hears it from (Y/N).

After that, it was declared that (Y/N) was a member of the volleyball team. Position: Hype-woman.

Bokuto met her parents on an unplanned visit. Her parents were wary of him at first but that soon changed when they noticed how their usual reserved daughter grew more confident. From then on, they welcomed Bokuto.

Every away game the team has to take a bus and surprise surprise Bokuto claimed the seat next to (Y/N). The two of them would play games, tell childhood stories, take silly pictures or just share funny memes on social media. It’s late on the way back home. No one had any trouble sleeping. Akaashi was the first to wake up when the bus finally arrived at its destination. He was just about to wake everyone when he saw a rare sight: a sleeping Bokuto and (Y/N). Her head on his shoulder with his jacket covering her body while Bokuto’s head rested on her own. Akaashi quietly took out his phone and took a picture. And while the jacket covered (Y/N) like a blanket, Akaashi had a sneaking suspicion that the two were holding hands as they slept.

Akaashi would save the picture until he finds the right moment to share it -either graduation or whenever the two finally become a couple. He hoped for the latter.

When the team made it to Nationals, after hugging his team with pride, Bokuto immediately looked for (Y/N) amongst the various photographers in the gym. He easily found her and ran up to her with great speed before hugging her tightly. Neither one of them noticed how the cheers from the Fukurodani audience section grew louder.

“Akaashi!” (Y/N) waved him over, her phone in her hand. “Come on, we’re waiting for you!”

“Ah, sorry.”

“What were you thinking about Akaashi?” Bokuto asked.

“Oh, just some memories.”

(Y/N) gave him an understanding smile. At the same time, the words of her senpai from two years ago ran once more in her mind. “Never let these moments be forgotten because one day these photographs may become something precious to someone.”

“Well, let’s capture this memory while we can.”

“Oh! Let me take the picture. Please, (Y/N)? I won’t disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me, Bokuto.”

Bokuto felt his heart skip a beat at her words. Was he getting warm? He felt warm. Oh, he was in the gym. That’s the only reason, right?

With (Y/N) in between the volleyball players, she brought her arms over each of their shoulders. “Ok, smile everybody! Nationals on three! One…”

Akaashi made a peace sign with his hand. Mentally, he prayed to any god up there. That next year was the year a confession will happen. “Two…”

“Three!”

“NATIONALS!”

~