Beating Hearts (2)

When Daichi entered the gym, his fellow seniors awaited him, but he ignored them. Instead, his eyes looked for the first year-girl… But couldn't find her. With a sigh he turned around and faced his friends.

"Hello captain- are you looking for someone?", Sugawara's grin topped the grin of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. Asahi, too, was not able to hide his amusement. But before Daichi could think of a comeback, he heard his name.

"Sawamura!" It was Coach Ukai who called, the senior recognized the voice at once. Daichi turned around, he had not seen the coach when he entered the gym.

"He's in his booth," Suga said. "He went in there with Takeda-sensei and your girl."

Ignoring the personal pronoun which his friend used in a suggestive way, Daichi took a look, and his number 2 of the team was right. Trainer Ukai stood in the doorway to the little trainer-booth, which was off-limits for the players. "Sawamura, could you come here for a second?"

"Coming!", the captain shouted. Safed by the bell, Daichi thought, and turned on his heels after an innocent shrug towards his friends. He broke into a jog and entered the booth with a light knock on the door. "Coach? You wanted to talk to me?"

There she was. Daichi stopped dead in his tracks. It wasn't only the coach in the booth, but also their advisory teacher… and the girl. Sadai-San. She stood in the middle of the booth with her back towards the entrance. Her long dark her hid her face, but when the boy entered the room, she turned her head swiftly and with that, part of her hair slipped behind her left shoulder. She blushed when their eyes met.

"Yes, Sawamura. Thanks for coming so quickly. Sadai-San here is a former volleyball player from abroad and wants to join the team as advisor. She has some experience in training a team, so she could be of use to us. What do you think about this?" Ukai was leaning against the desk in the room, watching the girl with bright eyes.

Daichi's heart started to race in his chest. She wanted to join the team, to be around the team… to be around… him. A grin formed on his face.

"Sawamura? Your opinion?", the Coach asked again, crossing his arms.

"Well… It… It would be great… to have another adad-visor!", he seemed to have lost the ability to form complete sentences without stammering.

Takeda-sensei, who was only a silent bystander until now, turned towards the girl. "But Sadai-San, are you sure that you don't want to join the girls-team? Wouldn't that be… more reasonable for you, they would for sure help you during your rehabilitation process!"

Daichi's heart stumbled in his chest. Please say no…, he thought. But the teacher was right. If she really was a player who only needed time off to heal, the girl's team would be a better way to spend her time. This said his brain. But in the same moment, his hope told him otherwise.

The girl shook her head no. She started to wring her hands nervously. "Please, Takeda-sensei. I thought about this. Actively playing is not in my near future. Hopefully, I will gain some function in my hand again, but I will not be strong enough to compete for months. Also, I don't think the girls would be okay with me talking and adding to their training without working out for myself… Girls are complicated sometimes, and I don't want to intrude. Hinata and Kageyama are friends. And Yachi-chan, too. I think we can work together quite well- without me actually having to play on the court. "

"I think the whole team would be elated to work with you, Sadai-San.", Daichi added quickly. "Another opinion will help for sure and I overheard you talking to Coach during your time on the bench. You obviously are an experienced player, right?"

She brushed some hair behind her ear and smiled at him – and his heart started to race even faster. Suddenly shy, Yona had to clear her throat. "Yes, you could put it that way.", she murmured.

The coach smirked. "Apparently, we're talking to UKs female volleyball-hope right now."

"No. Please, don't say that." The girl turned towards Ukai and raised her hands defensively. "Please, don't make it sound like I was a prodigy. I was only good in sports and had an amazing team to work with. That's all."

The grownups exchanged glances. Even in Daichis ears, it didn't sound really convincing, but he decided to help the girl out. He hated to see her fidgeting.

"What position do you play, Sadai-San?", he asked, ignoring the Coach and the teacher.

She smiled shily at him. "Wing spiker. I was team captain back in UK and we were on our own way to Nationals as well… before this happened." She raised her right hand, still encased in the plaster. "But please, call me Yona. Sadai-San is my brother…"

He grinned. "Then you have to call me Daichi, please." He bowed slightly.

Coach Ukai cleared his throat loudly to interrupt the teens. "Then it's settled. Sadai-San is the new advisor of the team. We can use all help we can get for Nationals. For today, I'd like you to watch the team first. We will talk and plan special trainings during and after the training, all right?"

"Yes sir! Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I won't disappoint you." Yona nodded happily and bowed to teacher and trainer.

"Good, good. But first, we'll introduce you to the team in your new capacity. Would you round up the boys, Sawamura?"

"Yes!" He turned around and jogged back into the gym. "Everybody, assemble!"

The team was convened in mere seconds and watched the captain with curious eyes. Their curiosity doubled, when the Coach joined them- at his side, the girl. She played with the pleats of her skirt nervously, sending out a small smile at her friends, who were standing in the middle of the team. Sugawara nudged Asahi and whispered something to him. Then both grinned at Daichi – and wiggled their eyebrows. Daichi choose to ignore them, even though this wasn't easy. Some other boys seemed to catch on that there was a silent dialogue going on. But thankfully the Coach started to talk.

"Everybody, this is Sadai-San, she is a former volleyball-player and will be our advisor for the next months. She'll help us during training." The whole team was left in silence – only Hinata's voice sounded.

"Whaaaaaaaaat? Yona-chan can play volleyball?" He seemed completely dumbfounded.

It was Tsukishima who answered. "Honestly, you didn't know that? You're thick as thieves with her, you, too, Kageyama - surely you will have recognized her as a sportswoman!"

"Would you just shut up, Tsukki? How should I know that when she didn't tell me? Yona-chaaaan!" Hinata shouted indignantly.

Kageyama turned his head and send irritated gaze to the boy with the glasses. "Why should I think about girls playing volleyball?"

"Why should you…", Tsukki was stunned. Finally, he wondered: "How old are you again?"

Daichi fastened his dark gaze on the juniors. That silenced them, so that the girl standing next to their trainer could react:

Yona bowed deeply and shouted: "I'm Sadai Yona and played volleyball for years in the UK. Here's to a good collaboration, thank you for having me!"

The whole team echoed her, even Hinata bowed, after Ennoshita, who was standing right behind him, nudged his head forwards with his hand.

Yes, Daichi thought, Ennoshita would make a good captain during the next year. Then, he raised again and smiled at the girl. She blushed again when she caught his gaze. He wanted to add something welcoming, but the Coach thwarted this plan. With a loud command, he ordered them to continue their warmup and all Daichi could do was start doing laps, because, unlike the rest of the team, he hadn't even started his warmup routine. But, he promised himself and the girl while he ran, he would use the next opportunity to talk to her again. For sure.

But opportunities during training were scarce. After warming up, they started to work on their receives and attacks, all the while the girl and the coach watched them. Whenever Daichi looked to the bench – and this happened quite often – both of them were either scrutinizing some players, or had their heads together and were making plans. It seemed like the Coach was quite taken by the girl and her knowledge. At one time Yona jumped up from the bench and joined Hinata and Kageyama after they performed their quick. Daichi, who was working with Suga and Tanaka, watched as Yona explained something to Hinata – who, apparently, didn't understand what she was trying to tell him. Nishinoya joined them as well, so it was soon two people explaining things to the orange haired boy – to no avail. Eventually, Yachi was called. Daichi wished he were standing closer to the first, and the one second year, but from his position on the field, he couldn't hear a word. He was not amused by that, which could be seen by his teammates.

"Geez… You seem quite distracted today, Captain." Suga told him. "This has nothing to do with our new advisor, right?"

"Suga, leave it." Daichi answered, his eyes still on the group he had observed before. Yachi was drawing now. Sie was kneeling on the ground, her notebook in front of her, with Yona watching over her shoulder and giving directions.

"Well, well Tanaka. Looks like our Captain has found something… someone precious, huh?" The silver haired setter was having a field day. So far, his best friend had always kept his cool when Suga started to be sassy and bold. But not today, and that amused the setter greatly.

Tanaka, who wanted to react to that, quieted when Daichis gaze hardened on him. After all, Daichi was captain of the team.

But Sugawara wasn't silenced that easily. "Good thing she will stay for the next weeks, right?"

"Suga, shut up." This silenced the silver haired boy. His friend had never, not even once during their long years of friendship, told him to shut up. Geez – he was in head over heels.

Daichi didn't even realize that he had sounded harsh like that. He was still observing – and watched as Yachi showed her drawing to Hinata and Kageyama, all the while Yona talked to them. Her hands were talking, too – she was moving them to show them positions on the drawing. Her right hand hindered the girl in her work, but she did her best with her left hand and, finally, the juniors gave consent. Soon after that, they positioned themselves on the field and Nishinoya threw the ball to Kageyama, who set it for Hinata. The middle blocker had already jumped back, instead of going up, and took two steps towards the ball before he jumped into the air. In the next second, the ball hit the floor on the other side of the net.

"Yes! Exactly like this, you got it!", Yona shouted excitedly. Hinata jumped over to her and high fived her healthy left hand, accompanied by Nishinoya, who also gave her left hand a high five.

Daichi smiled. It seemed like she fit the team perfectly – and he couldn't wait to see what the future would bring… for the team, of course.

Hello again.
I am so sorry for the day in updating. The pandemic is kicking my behind. I had the chapter finished several weeks ago, but wasn't compelety happy with it (Suga was missing ;) ). Then, reality hit hard and work got crazy again...
But since friday I am in Haikyuu-Heaven (or hell? :D ) again and worked on the chapter during the weekend.
A new update can take up to two weeks. I know where the next update is heading, but I need to find time to write it down.
I'll try my very best!
Until then, here's a little teaser for Chapter 7: Rhythm

Daichi cleared is throat. He was nervous. He never got nervous while talking to other students. But now, he was indeed nervous

Yona turned around. Her long ponytail swayed gently at her back. When she recognized the captain, she smiled. "Y-Yes, Sawamura-San?"

"Ehm... I told... I told you to call me... Da-Daichi, please."

She blushed and shook her head yes. "Sorry, I forgot. Do you need anything, Daichi-san?"

He grinned. He had hoped for -kun, but he would take the -san together with his name as well. "Well"... He took a deep breath, then he bowed. "I wondered if you'd like some company? I'd like to accompany you tomorrow, Yona-san."

So Daichi wants to accompany the new advisor. Well, well, well ;)
See you next chapter!

Hope you are all well and keeping your heads up in this crazy world.

Love
Katily