Enjoy :)


Chapter 3 - A week of summer

Behind every strong man

stands a woman who encourages him

The radio was beating out a catchy tune while Tamiko sat in the car. She looked at her watch again, pausing her improvised drumming on the steering wheel. It was already late and she was still waiting for the bus to return. She had promised Tobio that she would pick him up when they returned from the summer training camp in Tokyo. It was amazing how Tobio had given the right answers for the test but for the wrong answers. It was something that was still a mystery to her. He had to redone the test with his friend Hinata and then were driven to Tokyo. It had all worked out in the end. Tokyo. Probably bad traffic, she thought. No message or call had come from her brother and she came to the conclusion that he was probably sleeping in the bus. Out of boredom she grabbed her phone. An unread message was waiting for her, from Ushijima.

From: Toshi

To: Tami

There will be summer training on Monday for the whole week. The coach is asking if you would organise the food.

Tamiko sighed. This was the second time the coach had asked. The first time she had cook for them, the coach was amazed. She should have held back. Now she was starting to regret it.

From: Tami

To: Toshi

If he wants me to cook he will have to ask me personally.

A reply came immediately.

From: Toshi

To: TamiThey are all asking.

Of course they were. The coach hadn't been the only one who had been impressed.

From: Tami

To: Toshi

If any of you refuse to eat what I cook, everyone will have to shave your legs.

From: Toshi

To: TamiThank you.

Tamiko smiled to herself. That would probably the last time she would cook for them. She might as well make really nice meals. A few minutes passed when a bus drove onto the car park. She stepped out of the car and walked towards the group of people that were coming out of the bus. Right now was the first look she got a look at the volleyball team of Karasuno. There was a very tall blond with glasses, a short boy with orange hair, one had long hair in a bun with a goatee, one had his head shaved and another was even shorter than her with spiked hair. The others looked ordinary. They all looked very tired. A blond man talked to them about a brief meeting. Tobio yawned and then spotted her.

"You look tired." Tamiko noted as they approached each other.

"Yeah." he groaned.

Tamiko smiled and took his bag when his teammates approached. He had his hands in his pockets and a threatening glare.

"What's this, Kageyama? A girlfriend we don't know about?" the boy with the shaved head asked. "How dare you keep such information from us, huh?"

"Shut up!" Tobio growled. "I don't have to tell you anything!"

While Tobio was shouting and defending himself against his teammate, a man with glasses approached her.

"Sorry, about that. I am Ittetsu Takeda, their teacher. Are you Kageyama's mother?" he asked.

That question didn't surprise her. In casual clothes she always looked older especially with her glasses. She smiled and shook his hand.

"I'm Kageyama Tamiko. And actually I'm his older sister." she informed him.

They all fell silent and stared. Then they turned to Tobio.

"You have a sister?" the boys asked him.

Tobio nodded.

"I am so sorry." Ittetsu apologised, bowing low. "I didn't mean to be rude."

"It's fine. I get that a lot." she insisted.

Some of the boys introduced themselves then. There was their captain, Sawamaru Daichi. He was of broad stature and seemed very mature. Sugawara Toshi introduced himself as the senior setter. Their ace was the boy with the long hair in a bun, Azumane Asashi. She eyed the ace for a bit. Despite his appearance, he seemed very friendly and sheepish after she had looked at him for a while. He was pushed aside by the small libero with the spiked up hair, with the name of Nishinoya Yu and Tanaka Ryunosuke, the baldy, who told her many good qualities about themselves before Tobio heroically defended her against them. Some also introduced themselves but then they were interrupted.

"You are from Shiratorizawa Academy." someone said.

They all turned to look at the boy with orange hair. He was staring at her with an awestruck yet challenging gaze. That can only be Hinata Shoyo.

"Yeah." she confirmed.

"You go to that elite school?" Azumane asked.

"Amazing. You must be really smart." Sugawara noted.

"I guess all the intelligence went to her and none was left for the younger brother." the tall blond boy smirked.

Tobio glared at him but stayed quiet because Hinata spoke again.

"You know Ushijima Wakatoshi."

"Hinata, don't be so rude." Sawamaru told him.

"I do know him." she confirmed. "He is in my class."

Tension seemed to grow as they all looked at her. This time the blond man approached her, who seemed to be the coach.

"Alright, everyone." he said and they all turned to him. "Shiratorizawa Academy wouldn't be our first opponent. First we have to take down the enemy before us, not the one behind it."

They all nodded and started to walk towards the gym.

"It would be nice to get some information from you though." he noted as they all walked away.

"I would have to do the same for them then." she replied.

Tamiko observed the meeting. They were all serious, reviewing their training of the passed week. She didn't really listen, instead she looked around the gym. There was only room for one court. The small gyms were one of the things she had missed. The Academy had 5 gyms with 3 courts in each and a swimming hall. She preferred the simpler things. A loud 'ossu' pulled her back to the presents. The boys all stood and prepared to go home. She also turned to go to the door.

"Hey sis. Watch this." Tobio called and she turned around.

Hinata threw the ball to Tobio and ran towards the net. With his short yet powerful legs he jumped into the air while Tobio threw the ball to him. Tamiko's eyes widened. The ball had stopped in midair for a brief second before Hinata spiked it down to the ground. Tamiko was frozen in place as her brother grinned proudly. The weird quick, she remembered and she was amazed. As she watched them celebrate and their teammates compliment them, she realised, how her brother was now part of a team.

"Win." she said and they all looked at her. "Win and climb to the top."

They all looked at her, wide-eyed. Tobio stepped forward and pointed his fist into her direction.

"We will go to the nationals!" he announced with confidence.

Tamiko smiled when the team shouted their resolve out into their world. The two girls, the managers, thanked her for the supporting words despite her not being from this school. They all said their farewells and headed home. The siblings were silent on their way in the car.

"I will be at the Academy for the next week. You will have to cook for yourself. Can you do that?" she told him when they arrived.

"Yeah. What will you do there?" he asked.

"Cook for the boys. The coach asked me." she explained.

Tobio gave her a shocked and equally disturbed look.

"Don't look at me like that." she glared back and he looked away, pouting.

He mumbled something about that he 'should have asked first'. She laughed and ruffed up his hair. They both then sat down to discuss how Tobio was going to handle the house for a week. After some begging, Tamiko promised to go shopping with him in the morning for a weeks supply. She in turn had to convince him that milk and yogurt weren't the best diet for a week. The meat they bought was easy to cook with vegetables and some fruits to snack. Tobio grew more and more excited about the idea of being home alone for a week. He even went to bed early to have enough time to make his own breakfast as practice. In her own room Tamiko pulled out her phone.

From: Tami

To: Swanmonsters

So, I heard that I am cooking for you guys

From: Eita

To: Swanmonsters

Thank you. I can't wait to taste it again :)

From: Stick beast

To: Swanmonsters

Tamiko-chan's cooking is the best!

From: Kawanishi

To: Swanmonsters

This makes the training worthwhile

That was probably the reason why the coach had asked her. A confidence boost and motivational spark. She smiled to herself after a sigh and look for her small notebook. That list of their favourite meals should still be in there somewhere.