Chapter 6

A Good Boy

"Hey, I've got an order pickup."

Yusuke looked up from the paper he was reading to acknowledge the girl. He stumbled a bit as he stood quickly and awkwardly replied, "Y-yeah! The big order right?"

She chuckled as his cheeks flushed, "It is a party." he returned a chuckle of his own as he moved around the counter and recognition dawned on her, "You went to school with Kei-Nii right?"

"Yeah, I did. At Karasuno."

Her voice took on a playful tone as she followed him towards the back of the store, "So you know me?"

Yusuke stopped and turned to meet her gaze but wasn't ready for the intensity. He felt himself break into a slight sweat and tried to grin and play it off, "I do…"

Cherushī looked away, freeing him to head into the back room. As he rummaged around she wandered to the counter. The curtain to the office was pushed aside and she spotted the lone desk in the room. She continued to stare at it as he re-entered the store, "So, any thoughts?"

Yusuke hefted two large boxes on his shoulders, showing off, and smirked confidently at the high schooler as she finally looked to him, "Plenty, but none I'd share."

She liked him, "That wild?"

He laughed as she followed him out to her car, the only one in the small lot at the moment. "More like I don't want your brother to kick my ass."

"Valid reason." She opened the trunk for him and he loaded the boxes.

"But," he smirked as he stood, "Maybe I can get him to be ok with inviting you out for drinks with us?"

Cherushī returned this smirk, "They don't check ID in the city."

"Sounds like experience."

"Sounds like you just need to convince my Aniki." She passed him some folded bills, payment for the order and a tip, as she continued playfully, "Good luck with that by the way."

"Don't worry, it'll happen." Yusuke was absolutely tickled with himself as the girl got in the car and left, leaving him standing in the empty lot, "Damn, that girl is something else."

The phone rang as soon as he'd settled back behind the counter, "Sakunoshita Market." he drawled.

"Hey Yu."

"You've got some timing man. Your little sister just left."

Keishin was clearly annoyed he could tell, even over the phone, "Did you get her order?"

"Yeah," he kicked his feet up and reopened the paper he was reading, "the two big boxes of chips, cookies and soda in the back."

"And the box of candy behind the counter?"

Yusuke looked down at the box marked in clear block letters, 'candy' and the label bearing her name, "Oh shit."

"Damnit, Yu!"

"Don't worry man, I'll just call her. I'm sure she won't mind coming back to get it."

"No. I'll just take it to her later."

"You're gonna go to a high school party?"

"I'm dropping off the order you messed up!" The line clicked immediately, leaving Yusuke to grimace at the thought of how much sweeping he'd have to do now. He really should have paid more attention instead of flirting.

He swore moving forward he'd just stay in his own store.

"Everything alright Ukai-san?" Takeda swayed on the balls of his feet as he stood on his tiptoes to watch the last of the boys run over the hill.

Keishin sighed, "Just a mix-up at the store."

"I see, you seem agitated."

Only Takeda could point out such things and somehow not make the man more irritated. Instead he closed his eyes and folded his arms, calming a bit, "You heard Cherushi is having a party?"

The teacher nodded, "The third years were an excited mess yesterday, all of them. The principle thought he'd have to intervene about all the pink paper."

Although Takeda laughed a bit Keishin just sighed again, "Jeez Meiji…"

"She's a good student, Ukai-san!" he tried to cover for the girl, "She may just be bored; unchallenged maybe? The faculty has talked about it, it's like she's too advanced for high school."

That was interesting information. If she was too advanced for high school, why was she going? Keishin made a mental note to bring it up to the girl at some point. For now he redirected the conversation, "Well, her order for this party got messed up. I just have to take it to her later."

"I see, you have to go during the party."

"So you get what I'm dealing with?" he asked with a sigh.

Takeda chuckled, "I'm sure there will be a response to her big brother showing up. The third years may think you're there to spy on them." he continued to laugh a bit at the thought of Keishin playing vengeful big brother.

Ukai could only chuckle awkwardly in response, there'd be a response alright. Hopefully he could get in and out without incident.

"We have plenty of time but we'll head over together, don't be nervous." Daichi tried to comfort his friend as they prepared to go home and get ready for the party.

"I-I'm not nervous."

"It's exciting though isn't it? Getting invited to a party without chaperones." Suga's comment only made Asahi's blush deepen as he attempted to put his head in the small locker.

"You're scaring him." Daichi pointed out.

"I'm jealous, that party sounds like it's gonna be awesome." Tanaka mused aloud, adding, "Kiyoko will be there…"

Nishinoya joined in on the fantasy, each blushing, "Kiyoko at a house party…"

"I don't think anyone here wants to know where your thoughts were just now."

"Whatever man. There's gonna be no adults! Music, dancing, games…" Tanaka waggled his brows suggestively.

Asahi knew he'd regret asking but he did anyway, "Games?"

"Kissing games!" Noya slapped him on the back.

"K-kissing games?"

"Maybe even some American ones! They've got a few I'm sure we've never heard of."

The second years managed to forget about everyone else in the room as they mused together, "She's been to other countries too right? Who knows what she knows!"

"Don't listen to them Asahi." Daichi hefted up his bag and began to head out, Suga on his heels, "Just head home and shower, get dressed. We'll meet you there."

His hands shook. There was plenty to be nervous about, but also plenty he was definitely overthinking, "I still like you Ace, but I wont rush you." He couldn't help mulling over what exactly rushing entailed, or whether or not he wanted that. What if she got bored of waiting? He was sure she could have anyone.

"I like you." He could almost hear her chuckling and waving off his insecurity.

He'd been serious about wanting to approach problems like she did, to be brave like her. Running away from an innocent party, running from her, wasn't the brave thing to do.

Nishinoya nudged him, the first years now holding Tanaka's focus, something about grades and the Tokyo trip. "Don't stress it man, she likes you."

He chuckled a bit as his ears grew warm, "Yeah, I know."

"Kei?"

"Yusuke forgot part of your order." Keishin was aware of how this looked and largely was just happy he'd made it to her place before the party started.

"The candy right?" She reached for the box as she prattled on, "I thought maybe I'd just forgotten to order it!" she laughed as she headed inside, still talking, "Turns out your friend is just easily distracted and possibly a bit of an idiot."

Keishin followed her inside, prompted by her welcoming behavior and chuckled; Yusuke was indeed a little dumb. "Sorry about that. I was just dropping it off-"

"That eager to run away?" she teased from the open kitchen. The counter was covered in bowls filled with assorted chips and cookies. At the end of the counter there was a large tub filled with ice and soda.

She caught him eyeballing it, "There's no alcohol, scouts honor."

"Really?" he sounded surprised.

"What do you take me for?" she moved about grabbing more platters and such from the stocked cabinets. With a nod she motioned to the fridge, "There's one beer left in there I think. You can have it."

He looked and audibly confirmed, "Yup, last one. How were you even getting these?"

She blushed, "A courier from the city."

"They don't card in the city." he nodded, amused, as he polished off a third of the bottle in one swig.

"That and when I call to order I just charm the guy on the phone, tip the courier extra; easy peasy."

It was nice not feeling any pressure from the last time they were alone together. Not to make light of his faint thought of bending her over one of these counters. He was sure the easiness was largely due to her own maturity.

He was thoroughly impressed, "You really have this figured out huh?"

"Getting my hands on alcohol?"

"Being an adult."

She laughed a bit but something about her expression was a little sad, "Well, so good I forgot how to be a teenager you know."

"Is that why you came here for school when you didn't have to?"

Cherushī stopped in her tracks, putting down the bag of candy she was holding to put her palms flat on the counter, "What do you mean?"

"Your teachers seem to think you're too advanced for high school. Why would that be?"

She just stared at him for a moment longer then sighed, relaxing, "I could have started university two years early. But there was just no way I was passing up coming back here."

"That's insane Cherushī, do you know what you could have done with that freedom?"

The girl offered him an almost nervous chuckle, "I have the same freedom now, Kei. It's why dad so easily emancipated me. I'm free as a god damned bird."

He was at her side of the kitchen island faster than she could react. Her chin in his hand, "We could have had it easier if you weren't a student at the school, Cherushī."

Her green eyes widened for only a heartbeat, then she was smiling, or smirking, he couldn't tell with her cheeks slightly smushed in his hand, "I wouldn't have come here at all if it weren't for Karasuno, Keishin."

The man released her when she said his name.

"I said it when I saw you the first night," she continued, "it was a plus you were even still here. I came back here for myself, not for you."

That stung. Still, he asked, "What do you hope to get?"

Cherushī watched his face for a moment, unsure of how to word it. She hadn't had to explain it in too much detail to anyone, not so far anyway. Her father had understood and acquiesced.

"I will get the incredibly sweet payback of being unapologetically happy in front of the very people who took that away from me for so long." she stopped what she was doing to fold her arms, "My first day at that school, half those kids didn't even recognize me, the other half pretended not to. I had no friends back then. None my age anyway. I had you, the old man, and dad. Now, they all want to be my friend, they all want to be me."

"You don't have anything to prove."

"I have everything to prove!" she tried to control her volume, clenching her fists, "That I am just as normal as the rest of them."

He couldn't help smiling at her gently, "Cherushī, you are most definitely not normal, and that's not bad."

It was the first time he'd ever actually seen her act her age. This weird verbal rampage embellished with big words and adult sentiments was just a teenager's fit. She was still looking to be accepted.

"You were accepted, Kei. I don't think you understand."

"Maybe I don't. Maybe we hold different value to what's normal. You scare me kid, but I like it. Normal people are boring."

Her face flushed as he reached for her chin again. The kiss on her lips was gentle and over quickly. His timing felt divine as the doorbell rang incessantly, followed by excited laughing. The man smoothly stepped back and polished off the beer, tossing the bottle in the trash. "Looks like it's party time."

She followed him to the door, still blushing as he opened it. He vaguely recognized the girls volleyball third years and grinned easily at Kiyoko, "Have fun girls."

"See ya coach…" she trailed as he walked down the drive.

Cherushī still seemed flustered and Kiyoko was the first to point it out, "Are you alright? Why was Coach Ukai here?"

The girl clenched her fists and breathed evenly as she let them all inside, "Just doing his duty as an incredibly annoying big brother."