HERE I AM AGAIN!

Anyway I have started a blog on Tumblr where you guys can send me a letter with a word and details and I'll write a scene for it. They might even pop up in this fanfic :)

LilweenGalatrass has already found me xD

PandaHee: Happy new year to you too xD Yes, I am married with 23 :) Potato life is nice xD And yes my hand is better. Of course they look out for him!

LilweenGalatrass: No, she didn't kiss his forehead xD Who knows when it will happen.

ShioriShuu: Spanish :O cool. And I will keep it up!


Chapter 20 - A ballboy

The following Monday was shocking to everyone. Yamagata, somehow proudly, explained how Ushijima had fallen ill with a fever and was still bedridden. Ushijima was ill. An unbelievable thought. Even the teacher was not entirely convinced but after Yamagata explained how it had happened, all laughed and all was accepted. After lessons were over Tamiko walked to the dorms to pay the ill Wakatoshi a visit. He did look better than yesterday but was still coughing. He was quiet, hardly spoke, clutching to his tea. She didn't stay too long, patting his head before she left. She had to smirked when she left the dormitory. It was strange, he seemed smitten in her presence. Cute, she admitted. But she had to resist. He was an idiot after all. Why would she love an idiot? Then she froze in her step when her brother's face popped up in her mind. Idiot. She burst into laughter, bystanders glancing at her with confusion. She really was surrounded by idiots. The following day Ushijima was back in the lessons. They didn't speak, there was no need. It was on that Tuesday when Saitou approached Tamiko during lunch.

"Kageyama, we could use you for the Miyagi Prefecture First Year Intensive Training camp." he noted.

"Why does it have such a long name, Saitou-sensei?" she asked.

"I didn't name it." he laughed. "Are you able?"

"Yeah, sure. My brother was invited to the all-Japan youth training camp so I have nothing else to do."

"Doesn't surprise me. He was very impressive." he admitted.

"So what should I do?" she asked.

"We just need your eyes." he explained. "Analyze their habits. Like you do with the boys."

"Alright. And washing the bibs, filling water bottles?" she asked.

"The first years will be helping out." he told her.

He then gave her the details. That evening she didn't tell the boys that she was helping during the camp. They were already on a training routine of their own for that week since coach Washijo was going to lead the training camp. When she sat in her room, telling Izumi about the camp, a thought came to mind. Back in second year, after a month of helping the volleyball club, she had been given a coach suit of her own. She has denied it back then but it was still given to her. It was lying at the bottom of her wardrobe, still wrapped in its plastic packaging. Now it was lying on her bed and she examined it. Then she tried it on. It was a little tight around the chest but otherwise a perfect fit. I haven't grown since second year, she grimaced at her reflection. She folded the track suit and placed into her sports bag, unpacking her karate utilities first. The next morning lessons moved along as always. In the afternoon she got changed, ready for the training camp. She met up with Saitou, who was surprised to see her wear the tracksuit.

"It suits you." he smiled. "Now you really look like our manager."

They talked a little more when they were joined by another man. He looked a little similar to Saitou but his tracksuit gave him away.

"This is Anabara Takaai. He is the coach of Jouzenji high school." Saitou explained.

"Oh, the bouncy ones." Tamiko remembered.

"Yeah." the man laughed.

"Anabara-kun, this is Kageyama Tamiko, the part-time manager of our volleyball club." Saitou told him.

The two shook hands.

"Pleasure to meet you." he said.

"Likewise, Anabara-sensei." she smiled.

"Are you somehow related to Karasuno's #9? His name was also Kageyama, if I'm not mistaken." he asked.

"He is my younger brother." she confirmed and the man nodded.

"I see."

Saitou then explained why he had introduced the two to each other.

"Kageyama has a good eye for discovering behaviour patterns and habits. It has always helped us with our boys." he explained.

"Hmm." Anabara nodded. "That would be handy."

"I'm already ready and armed." she grinned and showed him her pen and notebook.

"That's great." he laughed. "We'll need to get the boys all ready first."

"Alright."

She followed or rather showed him the way to the gym. There was a group of young and some tall boys gathered in the gym. One was incredibly tall and she remembered him. The 2 meter tall guy. It was one thing seeing him in a match but standing before him now made her feel even shorter. But size wasn't everything, she knew that. The boys had lined up and while Anabara was looking through a list, they started to whisper.

"Who's that girl?" one guy asked.

"Is she Shiratorizawa's manager?" another asked.

"I've never seen her before."

"Her eyes are pretty." one swooned.

"That's Kageyama Tamiko. She was our senpai in middle school." Kindaichi explained.

"Well, she is my senpai now." Goshiki butted in.

"Kageyama? Is she related to Karasuno's setter?" one asked.

"She is his older sister." Kunami explained.

"Oh."

Before the conversation sparked even more, Anabara was done with his reading and stood before them.

"Welcome everyone. I'm glad that all of you could come." he said with a smile. "I'm Anabara Takaai, coach of the Jozenji Volleyball club and my accomplice here is Kageyama Tamiko, part-time manager of Shiratorizawa. I and coach Washijo-san have invited you to this training camp because all of you have potential." he told them.

While he continued to give his speech, Tamiko looked around. She recognised many of the faces. Kindaichi and Kunimi were there, along with Tsukishima and Goshiki of course. But there was one face she didn't expect to see. Next to Tsukishima's neighbour, on the far right, stood a small girl, waving.

"Kageyama-san." she grinned mischievously.

"Natsu-chan?" Tamiko blinked.

Anabara glanced over to her and then saw the small orange haired girl running over to Tamiko, laughing and hugging her. He was more than confused, especially when he saw the brother. He looked at his list again and then to the boy.

"You're Karasuno's #10, right?"

"You weren't invited, were you?" he said with a stern tone.

Hinata flinched, was scolded by his teammate and Anabara took him away for questioning. He took little Natsu with him as well. Great, Tamiko thought. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of first-years. One quickly approached her.

"Kageyama-senpai!" Goshiki said. "Can't you convince them to let the #10 stay?"

"Sorry, Goshiki. I don't have any say in it." she told him.

"Please, Kageyama-senpai." he begged.

"Sorry. But I can't." she said, staying firm.

Goshiki pouted.

"Kageyama-senpai." she heard someone say.

Two more boys approached her, two she remembered.

"Kindaichi, Kunimi." she looked at them. "Why am I not surprised to see you here."

"Because we are skilled." Kindaichi boasted.

"Of course you are." she chuckled.

To this Kindaichi turned all shades of red. She noticed this as well as the others and was surprised. Could she really have such an effect on boys? While they all waited for Anabara to return, the boys started to engage in their own conversations again. A lot of them talked about Karasuno's #10, how he had quite the pair for showing up uninvited. Others were more fired up and wanted him to stay. One of those boys caught her eye. He was tall, with blond and black spiked up hair and a mouth she had seen before. Oh great, she thought. Tendou #2. Soon though, coach Washijo, Anabara and the Hinata siblings came back into the gym. Tamiko walked up to the old man.

"Washijo-sensei." she greeted him.

"Ah, Kageyama. Good that you are here." he said with a nod.

The boys all lined up again when Hinata began to speak.

"I'd like to apologize for interrupting your training!" Hinata said as he bowed.

Tamiko let out a sigh. So he was going to go home. Natsu was also bowing with her brother but then he inhaled and shouted.

"I'm Hinata Shoyou, first year from Karasuno high school! 164 cm! I'll be the ball boy! Pleased to make your acquaintance!"

Tamiko nearly burst into laughter but managed to restrain herself. Little Natsu was proudly slapping her brother's back and the other boys looked at him, confused, in awe or short to burst into laughter.

And then the training started. Coach Washijo gave a few words and so did Tamiko. It was a strange feeling to have some authority now. Usually the boys listened to her just because. But most of those boys didn't even know her. First they all introduced themselves to each other and then did some tosses. Tamiko watched them closely. But her eyes kept wandering over to Hinata, who was standing aside from it all. His little sister was in turn more enthusiastic, sitting on coach Washijo's lap. Soon the passing turned to spiking practise. What amazed her was that there was a 3rd year from Shiratorizawa middle school amongst the chosen players. A young setter with skill. Hinata on the other hand was busy trying to catch the balls and coach Washijo kept shouting criticism at him. Tamiko smiled to herself and kept watching. When evening came, fatigue was starting to show. Tamiko checked her phone when she saw a received message.

From: Tobio-kun

To: Tami

I've arrived. I just met Sakusa-san!

She had heard that name before. Sakusa Kiyoomi. He was the only second year amongst the top three high school aces of the country. Of course Tobio would be very excited to meet him. She grinned to herself and packed her bag.

"Good work today." Anabara said.

Tamiko thanked him when he handed her a piece of paper. It was a schedule of the training program and a few notes on the skills of the players. He asked her to look over it and she offered to make a proper list on the skills, improvements and weaknesses. Coach Washijo also thanked her for her effort. She was about to go home when she saw Hinata Shoyou and his sister.

"Should I give you guys a lift home?" she asked them.

Both were delighted but their mother wasn't. The woman gave both of them, especially Shoyou a lecture for barging into a training camp unannounced. The mother thanked Tamiko for bringing her children home and after a little discussion, since Shoyou was helping and Natsu wasn't a nuisance, Tamiko offered to bring both home every time. The mother agreed and after that, Tamiko went home. It was quiet without Tobio but she had enough to do. The next day passed smoothly. School was quiet and during the lunch breaks she made a few more notes on the schedule and the skills list. Yamagata and Ushijima watched her curiously but didn't dare to interrupt her. After school she got changed and went to the gym. Hinata continued to be the ballboy although he seemed to be too desperate to try and catch the ball. His eyes were on the ball, a lot. Natsu, his little sister was here again as well, sitting on coach Washijo's lap. She was really enjoying herself. During a short break she looked over her notes again.

"Kageyama-san, where is Ushiwaka?" Hinata asked.

"He should be…" she started when she was interrupted.

"Sup!" someone shouted.

Tamiko turned around and gazed at the entrance to the gym, smiling to herself.