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When the third years graduated, a gaping hole was left within the crows. Months of ignoring the fact that their pillars would be separating ways, not just to the team but within themselves as well. Sawamura, Sugawara, Asahi and Kiyoko. Many tears were shed. College was their new path and the remaining Karasuno volleyball team bid them good bye for now and a good luck for the future. “High school was fun,” Suga said. They fulfilled their promise of stepping together on that national court. “No regrets,” Sawamura murmured with a wistful smile on his face. Asahi sniffled and tried to wipe his runny nose.
Kiyoko sat down next to Yachi as always. It was their last dinner as a team and it’s making the new manager emotional. “Take care of them for me okay?”
The next year, another painful goodbye must be done. Captain Enoshita, albeit trying to be nonchalant was tearing up. He was clapping Yamaguchi’s back too hard, blurting out his feelings, passing down the legacy of being the Captain of a powerhouse school. “Keep the duo in reins,” was the last thing Yachi heard before she got distracted by a loud wail. Her Tanaka-senpai wasn’t doing any better. He was running around the court, hugging each kouhai, yelling at them to do their best, win the nationals and he will miss them. It was bittersweet. Surprisingly, the two people Yachi thought who would be really loud (because they were the noisiest on last year’s farewell), were really quiet. Two smol gloomy balls were hunched in the corner. Nishinoya had a hard time accepting that this is it. But at the end of the night, he smiled at them. “Silly, it’s okay to be frightened by the future! We always just have to believe that there’s something out there for us and we need to face it head strong!”
Now, as the new school year opened, Yachi realized that she is now a third year. Her last year at Karasuno. It made her a bit nostalgic. She feels like it wasn’t too long ago that she accepted being the volleyball team’s manager, and here she is now: holding a flyer. Looking For: Volleyball Boys Team Manager. The blonde sighed. Being emotional at this time will make everything depressing. ‘Erase those thoughts for now!’ She walked along the hallways of the freshmen’s building, unaware of the attention she’s getting. A pretty senior mingling among them? It was a sight to behold!
“Hi! My name’s Yachi Hitoka. I’m the manager of the boys’ volleyball club. I’m looking for people who are interested to be my co-manager.”
Oh swoon. The sweet smile Yachi beamed at them melted the hearts of young in-puberty boys. But aside from the distracted boys and jealous girls, no one was quite interested in the offer. She rounded the all the first year classes, unfortunately, none of them looked like they wanted to do such a thing. Sure there were takers, but Yachi is certain they only took it because the boys are popular nowadays. ‘They aren’t even going to take the responsibility seriously! I don’t want Kiyoko-san’s hard work go to waste!’ She slumped on one of the benches, resting for a bit before marching up to the second years. The sudden looming figure right over her head startled her weak heart. “What’s gotten you so glum?” Ah, short blonde hair, cool glasses. Tsukishima towered over her, shielding her from the sunrays hitting her face. “Tsuki-kun~” Yachi whined when she straightened up, pouting at the circumstance she’s in. “Tsk. I told you to stop calling me that.” A teasing smile formed on the manager’s lips, ready to fire a retort. “So Captain’s the only one who can call you that? Must be a special thing.”
The denial blush that colored her friend’s face was what Yachi call a victory. At first, the smaller blonde was wary of getting close to the middle blocker. Tsukishima is a bit intense… if the word fits. They’re very different from each other but despite that, they found a common ground (outside volleyball) due to spending their days together tutoring their idiotic duo. Yamaguchi calls them mischievous blondes.
Yachi would look like a naïve girl on the first look but as much as she is pure, she hides her naughty side pretty well. She’s pretty observant too, as her time being a manager developed her awareness to her surroundings more. Right now, she knows the other students would be whispering about the two of them. She remembered one time, a rumor spread that Tsukishima was her boyfriend. The thought of it wasn’t too bad. Tsuki’s good looking, he is a good friend too (he doesn’t always show it but he is, please believe). With that being said, add his sportiness and mysterious bad boy aura (urgkh bad boy my butt he’s a dino dork cutie), Tsuki’s fanclub made her life living hell. Good thing not long after, when the rumor was cleared, they stopped. Only to be the rumored girlfriend of Kageyama this time.
Tsukishima joined her scouring the second years to find a manager. They flocked around the tall boy like flies to a poop. Yes, that is how Yachi would describe this whole ordeal. She’s thankful though. Usually, the boy would glare at everyone who would dare to get close to him. Now he endured them… kind of.
She was discarded by the girls and then fifteen new manager applicant papers landed on her hands right after.
“Thanks Tsukishima, I’m exhausted.”
He smiled at her, a rare occurrence and something that other people never saw before. Tsukishima then ruffled her hair. “You owe me then.”
- -
The next day, Yachi interviewed new manager applicants. It was… disturbing least to say. ‘I can’t believe someone really said that they wanted to peep on the showers as a reason why they want to become a manager! Denied application! Hard pass!’
Out of all the aspiring managers- most of them with ill intention towards her boys, she was left with two choices. Akira Mirai and Hori Chuichi. The former needs more personality work, but that can be fixed? Hori… well she’s a bit of an airhead… can she do the job? She’ll be training them anyways. Maybe Yachi can work miracles. Another sigh escaped her, she lost count on how many of those she had done already. She trudged the school halls with heavy feet. Looking for a manager is much more exhausting than the nationals or training camps.
Exactly when the bell rang, Yachi was able to sit her butt on her chair. Another day of lectures, yet she was excited. She needs to distract herself from the disturbing ideas of her kouhai applicants.
“Okay class, settle down.” Tora-sensei, their homeroom teacher was trying her best to calm the class with a futile effort. “Yachi! Did you hear?” her seatmate whispered to her. “About?” Was there a news she didn’t hear of? Was she too focused on her manager duties that she forgot about anything else? What did she miss?! “There’s a transfer student! I heard he’s a cutie. But I guess that won’t matter much to you right? You have the volleyball club already…”
A boy stepped inside the classroom and oh boy. Yachi never felt this way before. Her face heating up upon seeing the cherry blossom background and serene music floating around; the boy was gorgeous. His brown hair swaying slightly with the wind that rattles the petals of the sakura tree…
“Good morning everyone! My name’s Seiho Tumiji. Please take care of me!”
Seiho, the gorgeous boy sat in front of her. She unfortunately spent her whole class daydreaming about his cute smile when he turned to them and said, “Hello, nice to meet you all.”
The class finished in a blur and Yachi was stuck. Quite literally. When she realized class was over and the new kid was whisked away by the boys to welcome him, the blonde manager snapped out of her reverie and stood up fast. Only noticing that her skirt was caught in the middle of the table screw and the metal pole of it. She couldn’t get up. ‘I will forever stay in this position. Is this the punishment for not listening in class earlier? Kami-sama, I’m so sorry.’ Regrettably, her seatmate already stood up and went to her group of her friends. Most of her classmates are already leaving the room to go somewhere else, but here she was trying to entangle her skirt from the table. No one noticed her struggling, she didn’t call for anyone either. ‘I can do this. This is just a small problem, Hitoka. Don’t panic.’
It’s not that Yachi is still what she deemed herself as a background character #2, but a simple problem as this, she thinks she got it. I mean, it’s just a stuck skirt, she can just pull it out with so much force to free herself and not rip the side of it revealing the cycling she was wearing underneath…? Cue her internal screaming. ‘Oh no oh no oh no what should I do?! My skirt… my skirt is ripped!!!’ Yachi was thisclose to crying.
“Oy, Yachi. What are you doing?”
“Kageyama!”
Ah! My savior! Please help me King.
Again, when it involves Karasuno’s volleyball team, whispers arise. Especially with Kageyama. Girls dig that aloof uninterested cold guys. They flock over the setter a lot as well. “Kageyama!!” the said boy frowned at the sniffles he heard from their manager. It looked like she was holding something under her desk. Concerned as to why the girl was upset, his face emitting a scary aura telling ‘Who did this to her? I’ll kill you all’
“What is it? Are you okay?”
Yachi’s sure that everyone’s eyes are on them at that moment. But to heck with that and the rumors that would surely come out of this. With a red face, she instructed the boy to lean down. He crouched in front of her. From an outside perspective, it would look picturesque. A girl and a boy’s high school romance. A shoujo manga perhaps. Not knowing that Yachi is about to die from embarrassment and hyper imagination. ‘What if someone sees my panties? They will take pictures of me! It will spread around the nation I will never find work I’ll be known as Yachi Panty this will be the end of my life uwaaah!’
“M-my skirt…”
“Skirt?”
“Y-yes…”
“What about it?”
“It… it got stuck… and it…”
Impatient from the stuttering of the blonde girl, Kageyama ducked down to see the mishap with her skirt only to going back up so fast with a red face as well. “Ah… okay…”
Kageyama heaved a long breath and stood up. He removed his outer black uniform and wrapped it around Yachi’s waist. “Do you have a spare?”
“In my locker…”
“I’ll go get it.”
- -
After school practice was gruesome as usual. Karasuno can’t afford to relax. Especially now that it is their dynamic duo’s last year in school. Their great middle blocker and his best friend, the Captain’s graduating as well. It is something they still don’t talk about much. They all chose to enjoy the days they have with each other rather than moping about the ‘last times’. They were even happy to welcome new first years. The inheritors of the greatest nest.
“Alright boys! That’s all for today. Clean up then go straight home you guys understand?! Especially you, Hinata! Kageyama! Go home!” Coach Ukai once again berated those two and called Yamaguchi over. You know, the usual. So Yachi ignored them and proceeded to gather the balls back to its place.
“Ya-Yachi senp-pai! We’ll help you!” The second years shouted, eyes twinkling as they waited for their manager to respond. “Ah… Thank you!” and with a sweet smile, Yachi unknowingly led them to their deaths because two freckled hands suddenly held the shoulders of the two boys. “Get the mop please.” Captain Yamaguchi ordered them. Shiver ran down their spine. “Yes sir!”
“Tadashi! What was that for?”
“Nothing?”
“Huh, seriously… You know… You guys are the reason why I never had any suitor!”
Hinata then unexpectedly came up behind her, “Why would you need one anyway?” He gave her his blinding smile that will surely melt the hearts of the who female population. Hinata’s popularity shot up after their Nationals two years ago which wasn’t unexpected. The guy’s just naturally friendly and draws in crowds like it’s his last name. Yachi had troubles with her rumors with Hinata, but luckily, his fanbase are tamer than Tsuki and Kags. Yamaguchi’s fan club is actually the scariest of them all. They’re very protective of him and never lets anybody close (Yachi suspects this is an order from their president: Kei). Add that he grew his hair and now ties it in a ponytail, Yamaguchi is a catch. Her longest boyfriend rumor was with their Captain as she spends the most time with him especially on planning and meetings. Even before that, they have always been close since he is the tamest among the four.
“I just wanna be loved too you know.” The manager was only kidding but she can’t help but pout. True, she doesn’t really mind having no suitors or admirers (which she has but she never knew because *ehem you know why), it’s just that sometimes her friends are too much.
“What?! Nonsense Yacchan! I love you!” Hinata’s hug was body-crushing and comforting at the same time. If you would ask Yachi, the boy she is closest to is Hinata. And well, he’s the only one who has the bravery of skinship with her. Yes, she and the three other boys are close but Hinata disregards lines and does very chummy things with her. He’s very touchy with everyone anyways. He freely hugs her from behind just like now. His arms enveloping her small torso, his chin propped on her shoulder. Hinata grew taller than Yachi now, and towers over her a bit. Because of this, he grew a habit of propping his chin on her head or tucking his face between her shoulders when he hugs her.
Yachi just smiled and ruffled his tangerine hair. “I love you too Hinata. But Kageyama’s getting jealous now.”
- -
Yamaguchi and Yachi met up with Akira and Hori who are both first years. It would seem that they’ll be taking in two new managers. Yachi doesn’t mind really, the more the merrier. And at least one would not be too exhausted since the work will be divided. Good thing for her too because she doesn’t have to do much anymore. Although that saddens her a bit because she wants to do more. More for the team. With this as her last year, she wants to spend her days doing what she loves.
“What do you think of them?” Yachi asked their captain as he contemplates. They parted ways with the two girls and are now walking back to their building. “They’re great! I think they’ll get along with the team well. Great job Hitoka.”
She may be closest to Hinata, Yamaguchi is the only one who calls her on her given name and vice versa. It started as a joke, teasing each other who’d get awkward when their names are called until they got used to it. Which is why people think there was something between them, when in reality there was none other than pure friendship. Sometimes people make up things that they’d like to believe. Harmless rumors like that escalates too, after a while. But they don’t let it bother them or affect their relationship.
Yamaguchi walked Yachi to her homeroom and as usual, the girls tries to talk to him. He’s too nice actually that’s why they cross boundaries. They always remind him to set lines between his fans but he rarely listens to them.
“Ah, Yachi-san. Good morning.” Seiho greeted her. It’s been days but he still has this soothing sakura effect on her. “G-good mo-morning..!”
Then Yachi felt a cold shiver behind her back only to turn around and see Yamaguchi glaring daggers at the transfer student. “Tadashi!”
“Hey, you! What’s your name?”
“Seiho Tumiji, why?”
It was as if electricity was flying all around, the two boys glared at each other with such intensity that will make Yachi faint. ‘Oh no, are they going to fight? They’ll punch each other and then they’ll be expelled they won’t be able to take jobs and both of them will be homeless it will be my fault… oh no oh no uwaaaah!’
- -
“You should have heard what Tadashi said to the transferee!” Yachi was rolling on the rooftop floor laughing her heart out while the man in question was sitting in the corner bashfully. Tsukishima’s lips lifted in an attempt to hide his snigger. He must at all costs side with his best friend for now. But he knows he’ll surely flip in seconds.
“What did he say? Was it some romantic shit like in the movies?”
“Ah Kageyama, I’m surprised you know things about that.”
“Shut up dumbass.”
Yachi was still laughing but she sat properly this time, wiping the tears in her eyes. “He… he said… haha…hahaha…!”
“Stop laughing Hitoka!”
The blonde girl finally calmed herself, with a few snickers here and there. “He said this:”
“Get close to her again and you’re wishing for your deathbed, boy!”
“Ewwwwwwwwww!”
“We’re not friends anymore”
“Tsuki!”
- -
They were hanging out in Yachi’s place once again. Keeping her company until her mom comes home from work. Mrs. Yachi has already gotten used to the presence of the boys in her home. If it was not them studying (more like jackhammering the duo to put in the information inside their deflated balls for a brain), they’d be found playing games and chattering.
With the only girl in the group lying upside down on the bed, because dibs, Kageyama on the floor watching volleyball replays on his phone, Hinata reading comics beside his partner, Yamaguchi on the other side of the room discussing with Tsukishima who’s sitting on Yachi’s chair, Yachi suddenly realized something.
“Ah… so that’s it!”
“Wha-? What?”
“Don’t suddenly just shout out of nowhere Yachi!”
The said girl sat up on the bed with her eyes twinkling in amusement.
“I now know why you guys are like this!”
Kageyama snorted, “Like what?”
“Like Dateko’s iron wall towards boys who approach me!”
Hinata nervously giggled at that. Yamaguchi gulped while Tsukishima froze. Kageyama was not looking anywhere near the girl. All of them sporting bright scarlet cheeks.
“You guys… you should have told me from the start… I won’t be mad.”
With teary eyes, the smaller middle blocker crawled towards the edge of the bed to plead for forgiveness. He was babbling about protecting her, loving her, she’s precious, we love you…
“I know Hinata, I know.”
The tension was killing Yamaguchi. They were found out. They never wanted to tell her this. They promised. This thing was just between the four of them. But Yachi is smart of course she’ll know eventually. They weren’t exactly subtle about it. ‘Ugh stupid. You should have been more careful.’ He berated himself. They must confess. They should all let this feeling out so they won’t be suffocated by it anymore. Keeping this from Yachi was not good from the start. The four of them will tell her everything from now on. So he blurted out the words at the same time as Yachi…
“I know you guys are in love with me, I can’t blame you…”
“Kiyoko-senpai told us to protect you from boys until she comes back to make you hers!”
.
.
.
.
.
.
“WHAT?!”
“You guys are stupid.” Tsukishima muttered.