Chapter Text
Yachi Hitoka swore with all her heart that in her sixteen years of life, she had never encountered beauty so dazzling, so unforgettable, until now.
"So pretty..."
The words slipped from Yachi's lips, almost swallowed by the chatter in the classroom. Sitting by the window, she stared past her classmates toward the transfer student who had just arrived today.
Standing in front of the class, the girl looked like something out of a dream. Her face was delicate, like a porcelain doll crafted with utmost care. Her large violet eyes sparkled like precious gems, while her soft golden-blonde hair, tied neatly with a pink ribbon, shimmered like satin under the light.
She stood there with confidence, lips curved into a faint smile that captivated the entire room. Conversations dwindled into silence, as though swallowed by thin air. When their eyes accidentally met, Yachi felt herself being pulled into the depths of those mysterious purple irises.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Minazuki Hiyori. Please take care of me."
Her sweet, clear voice shattered the silence. A gentle breeze drifted in through the open window, sunlight pouring over her as her golden hair swayed softly. The entire class watched the scene in breathless stillness.
The homeroom teacher smiled warmly. "Minazuki transferred here from Tokyo. Everyone, please take good care of her."
Whispers started to spread as the girl walked past the desks toward her seat. She sat down by the window—directly behind Yachi.
So tall...! She could crush me flat with that height!
Yachi thought in panic as she stole a glance at her new classmate. Compared to Hiyori's stature, Yachi felt like nothing more than a tiny bean sprout beside a towering tree.
So beautiful! Look at that skin—white and flawless like snow! Ahhh, she's too pretty! Way too pretty! Yachi's heart pounded wildly.
No, wait! What if she has fans already? What if they assassinate me just for getting close!? Yachi screamed internally, though she forced herself to act normal.
When Hiyori looked up, she was greeted by a head of shining gold before her. The small, timid girl sitting in front of her seemed shy, but before either of them could exchange words, the teacher began the lesson.
From morning until evening, even during lunch, Hiyori had no chance to speak with the golden-haired girl. Surrounded by curious classmates, she was pulled into one conversation after another.
It wasn't until the next morning that Hiyori finally managed to speak with her. Perhaps because of their personalities, in less than two months, the two of them had become close friends.
For the first time in her life, Yachi opened up to a best friend. She confessed her initial worries to Hiyori—how her height had made Yachi feel like a tiny bean.
Hiyori listened quietly before letting out a sweet laugh that left Yachi flustered. The laugh was so lovely, Yachi almost wanted to hide her face, but in the end, Hiyori had to soothe her with gentle words.
One evening, as she watched her friend packing up, Hiyori asked curiously, "Hitoka-chan, are you heading home already?"
Yachi paused, suddenly remembering that Hiyori hadn't been around when she'd made a certain decision. During the days Hiyori had been absent for personal reasons in Tokyo, Yachi had been captivated by the beauty of senior Shimizu Kiyoko... and before she realized it, had joined the Karasuno boys' volleyball team as a manager.
"A manager?"
"That's right," Yachi nodded. Then, realizing something, she added quickly, "Oh, right—Hiyori-chan, you don't have a club yet, right? Why don't you join mine?"
Hiyori furrowed her brows slightly. She knew nothing about volleyball, and she wasn't even sure how long she would be staying in Miyagi. After all, she had transferred here because she couldn't endure the pollution in the city. This was her grandmother's hometown, so her parents had agreed to the move.
But faced with Yachi's persistence, Hiyori quickly caved. Eventually, she followed her friend to the gym—and just like Yachi, she couldn't resist the elegance of senior Kiyoko either.
Worth it! My life is complete!
Yachi stood between two dazzling beauties, closing her eyes in bliss as though bathing in divine blessings.
Kiyoko welcomed the new face with a warm smile. "Don't worry, Minazuki-chan. This is just a trial period. You don't need to decide right away—you can make your choice once the trial is over."
After a brief moment of thought, Hiyori nodded. "In that case... I'll be in your care today, senpai."
"Really!? Thank you so much!" Kiyoko's voice brightened in relief. "Alright then, let's get changed and head into the gym!"
She led one official manager and one potential recruit toward the changing room. On the way, Kiyoko studied the girl carefully. Behind her glasses, gray eyes assessed Hiyori's appearance—her tall frame, her refined presence.
There was no mistaking it. This was the transfer student who had already gained a reputation for her beauty since the very first day.
As they walked, Kiyoko did her best to keep the atmosphere light. Yachi and Hiyori sensed her effort and played along, helping ease the tension. Soon, a budding camaraderie blossomed among the three girls.
When they arrived at the gym, the sounds of volleyballs striking the floor echoed—bang, bang—mixed with sharp voices.
Kiyoko pushed open the doors. The noise fell silent as she called out, "Everyone, do you have a moment?"
Yachi stiffened nervously, moving like a clumsy robot. She had only joined a few days ago, and the team's towering figures still overwhelmed her.
Hiyori, however, remained calm behind Kiyoko. Accustomed to being the center of attention, her tall figure made her stand out naturally without taking a single step forward.
"Yachi-san, look at my score—!" Hinata bounded over with excitement. But the moment he looked up, he froze.
There, behind Kiyoko, stood Hiyori, radiating calm. Her violet eyes regarded the orange-haired boy with quiet curiosity.
Why... why is there a giant orange ball in the gym?
"Wow, Hinata-kun! That's an amazing score!" Yachi exclaimed, oblivious.
Hinata, however, remained frozen, his orange eyes locked onto Hiyori. His face flushed scarlet, redder than a ripe tomato—nearly competing with his trademark hair.
Hiyori narrowed her eyes slightly, as though the brightness of Hinata's fiery hair stung her gaze.
"Uh... um, Yachi-san—my score—" Hinata stammered, unable to form a proper reply.
Before he could continue, several footsteps echoed. More Karasuno players rushed over, drawn by Kiyoko's call.
"What's up?"
"What is it, Shimizu?" Daichi asked curiously.
"Hinata, why are you frozen like a rock—!" Tanaka shouted, only to stop dead in his tracks.
Everyone quickly realized the cause. Their eyes shifted to the stunning transfer student standing calmly behind Kiyoko.
"This is Minazuki-chan, Hitoka-chan's friend," Kiyoko introduced warmly. "She'll be trying out as a manager for now."
She stepped aside, allowing Hiyori to greet the team herself.
Several pairs of eyes focused on the girl with golden-blonde hair that gleamed under the gym lights. Hiyori could feel their gazes, yet she neither felt pressured nor uncomfortable. At the same time, faint whispers drifted to her ears.
"Ryu! We've got ourselves another goddess!" Noya repeated as he smacked Tanaka's arm, both their eyes sparkling as if they had just discovered treasure.
"That's right, Noya-san! This time, those cats will definitely die of jealousy!" Tanaka clenched his fist with pride.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Minazuki Hiyori. Please take care of me." Hiyori introduced herself with a small polite bow.
"Welcome, Minazuki-san." Daichi's deep voice carried firmly, before he turned to his teammates. "Everyone, don't forget to behave properly around our new manager-to-be."
"This is amazing! Now we'll have three managers! Just like a big-name team!" Hinata, revived from his daze, shouted with excitement.
"How long are you gonna keep shouting, dumbass," Kageyama snapped, tearing his gaze away from those violet eyes to glare at the source of noise.
"Minazuki's a first-year?" A low voice suddenly sounded, making Hiyori flinch slightly. The owner of the voice was a tall senpai with long hair and a small goatee, giving him an older and intimidating look. His presence alone nearly made her step back.
Glancing at Yachi beside her, Hiyori noticed that even her usually cheerful friend was trembling slightly in front of this upperclassman, though she tried hard to stand firm.
"W-we're in the same class," Hiyori answered quickly.
"Whoa, really? I thought you were a second-year! That height's seriously impressive!"
"Asahi, back up a bit!" The captain's stern voice cut in.
Asahi stepped back awkwardly, looking ashamed when he realized he'd scared the new girl. His intimidating aura faded, leaving only the guilt of having startled his kouhai.
Watching him, Hiyori couldn't help but think she'd judged him wrong. That frightening impression melted away—the only intimidating thing about him seemed to be his physique and his older-looking face.
Suddenly, she felt heat from behind. Looking back, she saw two upperclassmen staring at her with sparkling, almost divine fervor—one bald, the other short with spiky hair and a stray blond lock. Both were gazing at her as if she were a gift from the heavens.
"Tanaka! Noya!" Ennoshiita's scolding voice rang out, sharp and firm.
"Don't stare at your junior like that, it's rude!" He frowned deeply at them.
Tanaka and Noya stiffened immediately before snapping to attention like scolded schoolkids. "Sorry!!" they shouted in unison, their voices booming like elementary students caught by their teacher.
Hiyori couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. The atmosphere of this club was nothing like she had imagined.