Author's Note:

I know I was supposed to start Season 3 Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno a few days ago, but here I am still slowly updating the birthdays that I skipped over...

I'm not going to decide on a new date (since I don't want to have to extend and disappoint again), but I am still working on this story!! And I will definitely upload more chapters!!

As proof, I think I might post sneak peeks of what I'm writing on Tumblr (@ loveai2). They'll be available for people who don't mind spoilers for this story and want to know my thought process of writing! Manga/time skip spoilers for Haikyuu will be marked as such, so you can sort through and read what you want to read.

As always, comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome! Apologies for the sporadic updates!!

Author's Note:

I added a bit to chapter 2.14 Growing Fast part two, so please check that before reading this chapter! Thank you!

It was the start of a hot Tuesday evening when the coach was starting to wrap up practice for the day.

School had resumed yesterday, so the guys were tired from a day of both classes and club.

"Before you leave early today, Kei," she said, making him pause in taking a drink. "Won't you stay to celebrate Hitoka-chan's birthday together?"

Tsukishima blinked behind his glasses. "Sure, I guess."

"Wonderful." She glanced around the gymnasium.

Hinata was chatting with Yamaguchi, Kageyama was talking with Daichi about something, and Yachi, thankfully, wasn't suspicious when Kiyoko told her that she was going to the faculty office to retrieve something. Sugawara and Asahi laughed and smiled with Nishinoya as well.

"Kei," she said.

He lowered his eyes to meet hers. With their height difference, Tsukishima felt like he was talking to a middle schooler. A very mature one, who was very practiced in commanding people much taller than her.

"As much as I'd like to stay here with all of you, I have to graduate someday."

A brow twitched on the blond's face. He didn't say anything, but his expression told enough.

"And when that day comes, I hope that Hitoka-chan will take on the club for me. Like I will for Kiyoko-senpai."

Tsukishima nodded, thinking that it was the reaction she was waiting for. Why is she bringing this up?

Ai softened her tone and looked out at the other members. "That being said, it'd be in your best interest to get along with your fellow first-years. Not that you don't already, but they're your companions for the three years of high school."

Although she didn't know, Kuroo had said something similar to Kenma last year as well, when the setter, Taketora, and Fukunaga were just starting to get along.

'You need to at least try to work with others,' the future cat's captain had said to his younger friend. 'Look, I know you're not gonna suddenly turn into an extrovert, but you're going to be spending a lot of time with these classmates.'

Tsukishima pursed his lips for a moment, and then gave her a curt answer before drinking water again. "Yes, ma'am."

She touched his arm before heading to join the opposite hitter and starting setter's conversation.

In the passing seconds, Tsukishima felt his face getting hotter and hotter, all the way up to his ears.

Was he really being that dependent on her? Enough for her to have to have a talk with him? How embarrassing.

He drank some more water, mostly to cool his face, and calmed down before stepping back onto the court.

"We can try it out for a while. There's no harm in practicing," the captain was saying, hands on his hips.

Ai nodded along. "It's not a complete waste of time. Learning new tricks is an advantage, especially if they don't suspect it." She looked up at Kageyama. "I know you'll be able to adjust to everyone's trainings, too. Right, Tobio?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

"The king's being docile today," Tsukishima commented while passing by.

"Hah?" Kageyama snapped.

The blond shrugged. "Just saying. I bet you don't even know what 'docile' means."

He handed the half-empty blue plastic bottle to the manager — without saying anything — and went on his way, feeling a little bit uncomfortable from drinking too much water.

"Middle blockers are on net duty today," Ai reminded everyone.

"Again?" she heard Yamaguchi wonder. Narita simply had a trusting smile on his face.

The setter grumbled incomprehensibly.

She chuckled.

Japanese language arts was not Kageyama's specialty, and he wasn't the type to go home and look something up in the dictionary later. So, she told him now.

"It means to be accepting of instructions." She also added an appreciative smile to the genius setter. Nothing in the rule book prescribed that players had to listen to their managers.

The first-year made a small nod, the only indication of attaining the new vocabulary.

Next, Ai went to see how Yachi was doing, who had the checklist of things to do. "I'll take the water bottles outside, Hitoka-chan." She raised Tsukishima's bottle, showing that she was collecting them.

"Thank you, Ai-senpai!"

Affectionately, she reached out and squeezed the girl's forearm. "No need for thanks. Friends help each other. That goes without saying."

Her chestnut brown eyes shined.

"Will you stay here with the guys until Kiyoko-senpai comes back?"

"Yes!"

Ai almost felt bad for deceiving the younger female with white lies. But, this would be a worthwhile surprise.

.

"Happy birthday, Yacchan!"

"Happy birthday!"

Kiyoko and Ai had come back to the gymnasium a few minutes later, bringing gifts and party crackers that they had hidden. The guys immediately switched to a celebratory mood as well. Their hyper energy swept across their small crowd and brightened the whole gymnasium.

"For you. It's from both of us, but it was Ai-chan's pick." Kiyoko smiled seraphically and handed her the fancy paper bag. The raspberry chocolate was kept cool with an ice pack.

Yachi beamed. "Thank you so much, Kiyoko-senpai! Ai-senpai!"

"And a birthday card from the team," the captain presented on behalf of them all.

"Made by Ai!" Nishinoya shouted.

"It was really cute. You really overdid yourself this time, Ai," Sugawara piped.

Asahi nodded happily.

"It's easier to design cards for women than for you guys. There's usually a more variety of materials and stamps I can use," she explained. Then, she glanced at the timid pinch server, encouraging him silently.

"Here, Yachi-san. From all of us." Yamaguchi stepped forward with a light pink blush.

"Wow! Thank you!" She held the small flat box wrapped in yellow and lemonade pink wrapping paper. "Can I open it?"

"S-sure."

Ai temporarily held onto the envelope for her while Yachi opened the present. It was an amazonite bracelet, with small stones in robin egg blue.

The first-year Virgo was in awe. "W...wow..."

"Amazonites are thought to bring peace and creativity, and to promote honesty, communication, and self-confidence. It might give you a little courage when you need it, too."

Mastery, belonging, generosity, and independence were the four elements of courage, and Yachi had all of those here in their volleyball club: mastery of her job as a manager, belonging within the team, generosity in helping each other, and independence of playing her own unique part in the group.

Ai smiled, hugging her from her right. "Happy sweet sixteen, Hitoka-chan. Be proud to be one of Karasuno's managers. Our team might be strong, but it's not all we're going to be famous for."

"Says the famous basketball manager," Tanaka laughed.

"Yeah, and?" Sugawara asked.

"And what?"

"You're supposed to say something contradicting, not affirm the statement."

"Oh." Three other athletes looked just as lost as the wing spiker did.

After a moment of confusion, Hinata exclaimed, "Yachi-san! What else are you going to do to celebrate?"

"My mom said she was going to stop by the bakery for a cake on her way back from work."

"Wow, sounds awesome! Doesn't your mom work overnight, though?"

"Ai! You went to a chocolate shop without me???" Nishinoya wailed. "Let's go together next time!!!"

"Nishinoya, I didn't know you liked chocolate that much," Narita voiced.

"Yeah! But, Gari Gari Kun soda flavor is still the best!"

While the first and second-years chattered among themselves, the third-years created a conversation circle of their own.

"She finally smiled," Kiyoko said. A look of relief washed over her expression. "It's her first genuine smile since she came back from her special basketball game."

Daichi followed Kiyoko's line of sight and watched the other raven-haired manager. "She's been a little somber ever since she came back," he agreed.

"Oh? You noticed too, Daichi?" Sugawara queried.

"You... You think it's because..." the timid ace started to say.

"No," a chorus of voices cut him off.

Asahi expected the two volleyball players to answer, but he was a little taken aback when the beautiful oldest manager interrupted him. "You too, Shimizu!?"

"She's not going back to basketball. Even if she was thinking something as absurd as that, I'd want her to talk to us, you know? Share her worries." Sugawara glanced at her. "Besides, Ennoshita already asked her what's wrong. He said that she lost someone important to her."

"I know better than to ask why she looks so sad even when they won, but I get the impression it's something bigger than that. It's almost like she's mourning," the captain observed.

"Come to think of it, besides the school PE clothes, she's been wearing dark clothes every day," Asahi recalled.

"It's only been a few days since she came back. Maybe she just really misses her basketball friends."

"Maybe..." Daichi concurred with the vice captain's guess.

Easing out of her conversation, Ai stepped back and went to her senpai before she forgot to request.

"Kiyoko-senpai? May I be the one to research Tendō Satori from Shiratorizawa?"

The third-year agreed instantly, a soft smile on her face. "Sure. Did something get you particularly interested?"

"Oh, it's nothing much. He just seems like an intriguing person." The Guess Blocker was enigmatic, and other than his sharp instinct, his personality had seemed compelling, too.

"What was that?" Daichi asked, looking between Ai and Kiyoko.

None of the players knew about the special task the managers were assigned for the upcoming tournament. The club's goal was to go to Spring High Nationals. Which meant that they'd have to face them eventually... if they kept winning. The females believed that their hard work now would come to use.

"Nothing for you to worry about." The inscrutable light smirk came easily to her.

Reference:

More on amazonites.../blogs/news/zodiac-stones-crystals-for-virgo

Okamoto Nobuhiko loves chocolate, and I like to think Nishinoya does, too!

(It might just be in my head)

Announcement:

As I mentioned a little above, I am not going to start Season 3 Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno until after I finish the birthdays that I skipped over. I thought I'd be done by now, but I can't believe I hadn't had the time to do them all. (Who knew these birthday chapters would be so time-consuming? I usually write an episode chapter in like 2-3 days!)

Furthermore, I will not announce a new date for the start of Season 3 at this time. (I don't want to get your hopes up and disappoint you all again :( )

However, for those of you who love this story as much as I do and want to read more, please know that I am still working on this book and am writing more!! I have so many ideas — as I'm sure you're sick of hearing already lol — for future chapters and editing past chapters!!

As proof, I think I'll post some sneak peeks of scenes and chapters I have not published yet on Tumblr (@ loveai2) to show that I have not given up on continuing this! These will be for people who don't mind reading my rough drafts (aka not final versions of the chapters) and who are okay with knowing spoilers for this story.

Please do not worry as I will label Haikyuu manga and time skip spoilers, so you don't accidentally read anything you don't want to read!

(Please ask if you have questions regarding any of this!)

And so, now that I've done Yachi's birthday, I have Moniwa, Bokuto, Mibuchi, Tsukishima, Fukunaga, Murasakibara, Nishinoya, and Kenma's birthdays left! (8 birthday chapters)

(If you look at the Extra: Birthday List chapter, you'll see that there are many other birthdays in the months of August and October, and while I may mention them, I'm not going to make a chapter for those birthdays.)

Many apologies for not having a regular updating schedule! But, if you ever have comments or suggestions about this book, please let me know and I'll see what I can do!!

Thank you so much for your time and patience 33

Total Word Count: 1841