At the onsen...
Sugawara sighed in satisfaction, "I don't care about the plan anymore. I just want to relax."
Asahi nodded with a smile. "Me too."
Currently, they were already bathing in the hot springs because the three idiots were still trailing after Nishinoya. They weren't supposed to be following the team's libero at the onsen but given Tanaka's determination plus the free tickets from his sister, they just went along with the plan of making sure Nishinoya doesn't screw up and plant one of his underlings inside Aoi's body.
Ennoshita then added, "Where's Daichi-san?"
"He went out for a walk," Asahi said.
Yamaguchi continued, "The place was so beautiful that he wanted to take some pictures."
Just when they were relaxing, Kinoshita ran back at the hot springs panting.
"Oh, Kinoshita! Where have you been running off to?" Sugawara asked.
Ennoshita motioned with his hand. "Yeah, join us here and relax."
"I got a message from Tanaka!" Kinoshita announced. "Nishinoya and his girlfriend already got off the train!"
At the streets...
Aoi was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her right hand while Nishinoya was holding her left one to guide her sluggish body who doesn't seem to obey her in walking down the road.
"Do you want to stop for a second and rest?" Nishinoya asked but Aoi just shook her head.
"Don't mind me, Yuu-kun," she replied. "Let's go to the onsen. Maybe I could take a rest there."
Aoi only tightened her hold on his hand and they started walking again. The three idiots, meanwhile, were hiding behind a tree.
"Tanaka-san, what did the others say?" Hinata whispered loudly.
Tanaka looked at his phone and frowned. "Well... they're not replying."
"Maybe they're out of coverage or something," Kageyama guessed.
Back at the onsen...
The boys are already drying themselves off but a worried and slightly panicking Sugawara suddenly asked: "Has anyone told Daichi about this? What if they see him?"
"I don't think they'll know he's here though, Sugawara-san," Tsukishima assured.
Unfortunately...
Back at the streets...
Nishinoya was rambling about something but when the last bit of sleep rubbed off from her, she blinked once.
Then again.
And again.
From afar, she could see Daichi smiling while taking a photo of a tall tree. Why is Daichi-san here though?
Sensing that she has stopped, Nishinoya looked back to see Aoi frozen on the spot.
"Manju, what's wrong?"
She pointed. "Daichi-san is here."
Nishinoya traced her line of sight and stared but Daichi was nowhere to be found. "But Daichi-san's not there."
Aoi frowned. She was sure that he was just there a few minutes ago! But to stop her from worrying, Nishinoya ruffled her hair and snickered. "Maybe it's from your lack of sleep. You were too excited about this yesterday after all."
"I-I WAS NOT!"
"You sure are! You were humming a happy song while making your manjus when I stopped by the shop," he remembered then added, "You were also rolling back and forth on my bed last night that I had no choice but to hug you."
"S-STOP, Y-YUU-KUN! IT'S EMBARRASSING!"
Nishinoya heartily laughed at her blushing state but the three idiots (who clearly heard them) only mumbled, "Hugging... on bed... with a girl..."
Once the three idiots got back at the onsen, they immediately slumped by the door like a pile of dead bodies. Sugawara immediately stood up from his futon and carried them, along with Ennoshita and Asahi.
"Hey, what happened?" Sugawara asked. "By the way, have you met Daichi on your way here?"
"Sugawara-san, Noya-san is really an incredible guy," Hinata declared lifelessly.
Sugawara only tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"
Kageyama looked at the side. "As expected of him."
"To think that we've been trying to know why he's not popular with girls, then he suddenly bagged one," Tanaka stated with a little bit of disappointment.
"What happened? What did you hear—"
They heard a feminine squeak from the other room. "Y-YUU-KUN, WHY ARE YOU CHANGING IN FRONT OF ME?"
Their eyes instantly widened. They're just next door!
Everyone (except for Yamaguchi and Tsukishima) hurriedly went to the wall and pressed their ears on it.
Nishinoya chuckled. "My bad! I was used to changing in front of our managers."
There was a moment of silence. "Then... maybe I should get used to seeing you change in front of me."
"Huh? I-It's okay, Manju. Just turn around so I could get changed."
"No. I want to see you change here, Yuu-kun, so please take off your clothes."
H-HOW STRAIGHTFORWARD! WILL IT HAPPEN NOW? AT THIS EARLY HOUR?
"Whatever suits your boat, Manju."
T-THEY'RE GONNA DO IT! THEY'RE REALLY GONNA DO IT!
Yamaguchi awkwardly smiled at the intense sight of them nervous and panicking at what is happening at the other side of the wall. Tsukishima only had a deadpanned expression.
"You think they're jumping to a wrong conclusion?" Yamaguchi observed.
"Isn't it obvious?" Tsukishima shrugged.
The door suddenly slid open and Daichi went in then he noticed the others on the wall.
"What are they doing?" he asked.
"Something that we know is impossible to happen," Tsukishima murmured but Yamaguchi quickly reprimanded him to zip his mouth shut.
Daichi raised a brow. "Huh?"
"Never mind that, Daichi-san!" Yamaguchi suddenly interjected. "By the way, have you taken your pictures?"
The volleyball captain nodded. "I also sent some pictures to Takeda-sensei and the others in case they wanted a place to relax and unwind."
"That's a good idea!" Yamaguchi agreed. "Maybe Coach and Takeda-sensei would think of going here with us for—"
"OI MANJU STOP STRUGGLING AND LIFT YOUR CLOTHES!"
There were a few moans and groans here and there. Yamaguchi slowly turned his head to their captain to persuade him that it wasn't what he thinks it is... but it was. Daichi's face was dark and he could hear crows cawing from a distance.
He slid the door open with force. "Let me teach them a lesson."
Tanaka and Hinata's faces were dark too as they followed after him. "Osu!"
"PLEASE! IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!" Yamaguchi cried.
BONUS:
Nishinoya lifted one dainty leg and gently placed an ointment on the slightly purple spot on Aoi's skin. They were now both wearing their yukatas when Nishinoya suddenly noticed something on her leg.
"If you're having difficulties with carrying heavy things at the shop, you should ask for help," he reprimanded.
"It's just a small bruise!" Aoi defended. "I just got it because I was careless."
"It's still a bruise, Manju," he pressed further then pouted. "You do know that I made a pledge to take care of you."
Aoi just blushed and was speechless for a moment as she heard him sigh and mumble under his breath, "I still haven't even reintroduced myself to your parents as your boyfriend and then you got this."
"Yuu-kun, I told you it's fine," Aoi repeated, holding his face gently with her hands. "My parents know already that we are dating. Besides, they won't let me go here with you alone if you're not taking care of me well, right?"
Now it was Nishinoya's face that reddened at her statement. Aoi just giggled and kissed his forehead softly.
Author's note: The boys should really listen to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima though...