AN: I come back with an update! Thank you for your patience! You'll find this one short but very interesting.
Why? Because there's more of Miki, everyone's favorite Sammy! Speaking of, I changed her age to six months instead of a year. Just so you know.
Oh and of course, there's some developing progression between Hari-chan and Tsukki~ Enjoy!
Chapter 15: Music and Volleyball
For the remainder of lunch, Junichi searched for Harriet. He couldn't help it. The girl gives him a reason to worry sometimes.
All Hinata and Kageyama knew after she left them was she said she needed to do something and to not wait on her. That didn't help much, but it left him curious. And a little anxious.
Just as he was considering to text her, having no idea where she could be, in pops a message from Hiroki. What it says makes his stomach twist and churn, feeling many things. There's excitement definitely, but also trepidation as he rereads the message.
[DUDE. Guess what?]
[Hari-chan is in! We have a band!]
The bell rings.
Time must've speed up without his knowledge. At one point he's in his desk with his classmates, the teacher's voice only faint echoes in his head; and then classes are over. He was so out of it, Masami had to snap her fingers in his face a few times. He blinks up at her and Yachi owlishly.
"Are you okay Kenta-kun?"
"You look like you just woke from a coma. You didn't jot down any notes."
He looks at his notebook page, today's date written at the top corner, the rest blank. He mentally curses himself.
"S-Sorry about that. And I'm okay Yachi-san. My thoughts got me carried away."
"You're really worried about Hari-chan huh? You didn't find her?" the blonde asks.
"It's that obvious?"
"You never made it a secret to begin with. You'll get a heart attack at this rate."
Though he laughs sheepishly at Masami's statement, he was beginning to find some truth to that.
… .. …
Yachi sought out Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, following them to club practice. Harriet must've gone ahead by herself.
"So you received the message too?"
Kenta nods, the churning feeling still there in his stomach.
"You feel this is too early. That she may have decided this impulsively."
Junichi did not want to doubt Harriet's decisions, but he was expecting she'd take at least at day or two to think. Instead she's jumping in, head-first, quite recklessly despite the consequences, and he has no idea why.
"We'll be there for her every step of the way. If we see it become too much for her, we'll talk her out of it."
Always the perceptive one indeed. That or he's just very easy to read. Still, he's grateful to have friends like Masami around, who knows what he's thinking and knows what to say to keep him grounded.
"Thanks Masami-san. You guys have done more for me than you really need to…" Because helping him with his cousin must feel like a burden to them and for the club.
She punches his shoulder. "Don't give me that. Remember, we're a team."
Yes. Yes we are. Junichi smiles. He's got the greatest team he could ever ask for.
Arriving at Hiroki's homeroom, the two find Hiroki, Takeo, and Harriet huddled together in joint desks, already hard at work discussing over stacks of sheet music.
"Guys!" the violet notices them first and barrels over with some papers in hand. Stars light up her eyes as she shoves them in Junichi's face. "Have you seen this shit? Hiroki-senpai is a mad-tastic genius!"
A small chuckle was heard. This was probably the first time they've seen Hiroki look so genuinely bashful.
"It's not that impressive…"
"Shut up. Shut the fuck up right now." She points at him. "Or I swear to god you'll be kissing my foot. This is a masterpiece."
Junichi eyes Harriet, looing surprisingly animated even after what supposedly happened during morning classes. It's like he's seeing her from back when they were younger, back in America, where music and her father were the only things she ever talks about.
"Funny how you soak up praise in everything else you do, but act shy over this," Takeo teases.
"Shut up, this is different," the maroon boy turns away, pouting. "Plus I never expected Hari-chan to react this way when she asked me to show her my song."
"How can I not? This is great. And my god your voice, we'll be kicking ASS on stage!"
As Hiroki hides his red face in his hands, Masami leans to whisper to Junichi. "I guess now we know what fueled her decision. And it's because of Hiroki of all people."
Junichi couldn't help the smile growing on his face, his worries over his cousin gone, seeing the rekindled passion he's missed so much. And he has his friends to thank for it.
… .. …
Harriet pauses her strum on Daisy, testing out a 'prototype' version of sheet music notes Takeo concocted for Hiroki's song.
"A group study?"
"Yeah, at Masami-san's house," Junichi explains. He scratches his cheek. "It's Yamaguchi's idea actually, to make things easier regarding your, um, situation with Tsukishima."
"Shit. I guess that makes sense…" She'll still have to put up with the blonde bastard regardless, something she's not at all happy about.
Junichi adds that Hinata, Kageyama, and Yachi will be joining them as well to help lift her spirits, which it does a little.
Her sprits skyrocket when he suggests they bring Miki. Masami allows this, since his puppy and her pet ferret are basically playmates.
"Her name's Sofi. Since she's older, she acts like the big sister." She shows a picture of Sofi, almost completely hidden in the fluff that is between Miki's ears. Harriet's heart melts at the sight.
Junichi had called Scott, asking if he could bring Miki over. For a while, the club carried on, Harriet and Hiroki deciding to practice more on the vocals while giving Takeo time to work on the instrumentals.
Junichi was borrowing his cousins guitar, getting the natural feel of it since it has been a while since he last held one, when Scott calls him again.
"You did WHAT?!" The boy's shriek startles the group and they all stare at his shaken and panicked features. "How could you have- you had one job nii-san! ... Just keep looking, we'll be right down." He hangs up.
"What happened? Is Miki alright? What did he do?" Harriet asks, thinking of the many things she'll do to Scott if any harm came to the innocent pup.
"Apparently Miki ran off before Scott could put a leash on her. On the upside, she's somewhere on campus so finding her shouldn't be too difficult."
"Still, we should find her before something happens," Masami says.
"We'll help too!" Hiroki stands and so does Takeo.
Junichi smiles gratefully. "Thanks. Let's go."
The club leaves the building and immediately begins their search for the lost dog.
… .. …
A volleyball manages to roll outside the gym.
"I'll get it!" Tsukishima announces, chasing after it. He expected the ball to not have rolled too far, to at least be within sight beyond the doors. He was wrong.
"What a pain," he grumbles, trekking further out to search for the damn thing. "Where the hell is it?"
What he did not expect was to hear tiny animalistic growls nearby. Before he could guess what the sound could be, the ball he was searching for rolls across from him from some dense bushes.
Followed by a small white dog bounding after it.
He blankly stares for a full minute, watching it try to maw its teeth at the round object, the ball obviously too big for it to do that. The blonde rubs his face under his glasses.
He strides over and snatches the ball. Ignoring the dog's barks, he tries heading back. But the mutt follows him.
"Go away."
It doesn't. It barks more insistently.
Tsukishima stops and glares down at it.
"Go." He says with more assertiveness, pointing to wherever it happened to have come from.
The white pup runs around his feet, then jumps up and down on its hind legs. It seemed to be more interested in the volleyball in his hands then whatever the human is saying to it.
"Unbelievable." He groans. "Just what I need."
"Tsukki, everything alright?" He hears Yamaguchi closing in. The freckled boy halts however, when he witnesses his friend's problem. He gasps. "Puppy!"
The pup barks at Yamaguchi, interested in him now as it trots to him.
"Hey little guy. Where'd you come from?" He kneels and reaches out. The Samoyed licks his palm in greeting. Yamaguchi giggles and gushes all at once.
"Don't give it a reason to bother us more," the blonde whines. "We don't know where that's been."
"There's a collar on so he…" Yamaguchi pauses. He picks the pup up by one hand under each front leg and briefly checks. "She must belong to someone."
"Good. Then let the owner find it. It's none of our business. Yamaguchi don't give me that look."
The other huffs, still carrying the puppy in his arms. "I know you not fond of dogs Tsukki, but someone is out there heavily worried about this poor small sweet little puff cloud of an angel. The least we could do is keep an eye on her until their owner turns up."
The pup begins to give licks under Yamaguchi's jaw, practically sealing the deal.
At least they were able to figure out the dog's owner in a span of minutes.
The moment the two returned to the gym, before they could inform the coach of their findings, the dog wriggles out of Yamaguchi's hold. Everyone only saw a glimpse of white speeding across their vision before Hinata is suddenly on the floor.
Everyone blinks at the ginger, giggling while being mercilessly licked by a Samoyed puppy.
"What the…" Ukai stares, wondering why a dog is suddenly on the court.
"We're sorry Coach!" Yamaguchi runs to him, bowing apologetically. Tsukishima stood a few steps behind. "W-We found her lost outside. Since there's a collar, we thought someone might be looking for her."
"It seems to really like Shorty though." Tsukishima eyes the scene, wondering why the sight looks familiar. "Maybe it's his."
"I didn't know you own a dog," Kageyama says, eying the boy on the floor.
"She's cute," compliments Sugawara. "And very energetic, like you!"
"And strong! That pup literally knocked you down good!" laughs Tanaka.
"What's her name?" asks Asahi.
"Her name's Miki." Hinata sits himself up, arms full of white fluff cuddling and licking. "And she's actually not mine."
… .. …
Over thirty minutes have passed since the Unlimited Sound Club searched the school grounds the best they could, only to regroup emptyhanded.
"I'm seriously gonna kill you for this Scott…" growls Harriet.
"I might consider letting it happen," spoke Junichi. "Or even join in."
"How many times do you want me to apologize?!" Scott cries, spilling fat tears. "It's not like I didn't try to stop her! You know Miki doesn't listen to me!"
"Are you making excuses?" asks his cousin.
"I think he's making excuses," confirms his step-brother.
"Please, I have too much to live for!" He hides behind Takeo. "Think of Carmela! Think of how upset she'll be if I'm gone!"
"Once she knows what you've done, she'll cope." Knuckles crack.
"Yeah, I want no part of this." Takeo steps away, leaving Scott to fend for himself. "Was nice knowing you Senpai."
"K-Kazu-kun!"
Just as the others were about to witness a murder before their very eyes, a ringtone erupts from Masami's phone. Scott was just seconds away from visiting the golden gates when the girl says,
"It's Yachi. She says to come to the volleyball court. They have Miki."
… .. …
Miki barks happily as she receives the volleyball with her nose. It flies towards Kageyama, who receives the ball in return. She boops the ball again and it goes to Nishinoya.
"Nice Miki-chan!" The libero cheers as the pupper does another.
Thanks to her love for volleyball, Miki has made herself comfortable with the team right away, eagerly wanting to participate in their practices. The boys have instantly fallen for her and her unique talents. Phones are out as Yachi, Shimizu, and Takeda take pictures and record the memorable scene.
"Kageyama, are you smiling?!"
"No way… that's absolute joy on his face!"
"Miki-chan is a blessing!"
"Shut up! All of you!"
The team's setter grips the ball tightly, red face glaring at his teammates as Miki leaps in circles around him. Miki eventually chases for another volleyball in use between Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.
"Hi Miki~"
"Go awaaay."
"Oh. She stole our ball." Yamaguchi laughs as the pup rolls the ball away from them. He laughs harder at the blonde's displeased, very annoyed frown.
"I hate dogs."
"You don't hate them that much Tsukki. Look, Miki-chan wants to play with you!"
Indeed she does. She uses her muzzle to push the ball hard and have it roll towards Tsukishima. It halts at his sneakers. He stares at the object, then at the dog for a while. When she yaps at him expectantly, the moment feels uncannily similar to his experience with a certain vulture in disguise of a female with violet hair. He klicks his tongue irritably and with no ounce of enthusiasm whatsoever, he kicks the ball, rolling it back to the pup.
Miki bounces and leaps around the volleyball like a crazy ball of cotton, the act highly unnecessary and stupid. Yet the sights sets something warm inside the blonde's chest, but he effectively stomps it out before it could begin to manifest.
"There. You got what you want. Now bother someone else."
"That was adorable Tsukki."
"Nothing about this comes close. Shut up."
"MIKI!"
The Samoyed's ears perk up and she takes off to a small group standing at the court's entrance.
"Thank god you're okay!" Harriet and Junichi tear up as they shower the pup with protective hugs and kisses. Miki, who likely not knows the gravity of how much she's scared her owners to death, just soaks up all the attention like a sponge.
"Thank god I won't die today…" Scott sighs and receives penetrating glares from his cousin and sibling. "But more importantly for the fact that Miki is safe and unharmed!" He quickly adds.
"Smooth recovery," mutters Takeo.
"Very smooth," joins Hikori.
"Shut up," the young man hisses.
"Thank you for calling us earlier Yachi-san!" He bows to the short blonde. "You have no idea how extremely worried we were about Miki."
"Yeah, you save a heck of a lot of trouble for us," Harriet does the same with Miki in her arms.
"I-It's no trouble at all!" The manager flushes. "But you should really thank Tsukishima and Yamaguchi! They were the ones who found her outside."
"Is that so? Well, thank you two for finding her," Junichi smiles and bows to them next.
Harriet takes a little longer to respond, eying the tall blonde she just recently fought with this morning with a tense unreadable expression. A gentle lick from Miki seemed to fuel whatever resolve she's got battling inside her head and she bows to him and Yamaguchi.
"Yeah, what he said… thank you," she says finally. "A-And…"
Apparently she wasn't done, which surprises everyone. She straightens and narrows directly at Tsukishima, who is just as taken aback as the others when she opens her mouth, but pauses. It takes a while for her to convey whatever she wants to say, lips opening and closing, her cheeks reddening until she makes a noise and shields her face with Miki's body.
"I'm… sorry!" She almost shouts behind the pup. "You didn't deserve what I said, about being alone and stuff. It's uncalled for. So yeah… sorry…"
She still hides behind her pet, who smiles with her tongue out at a very dumbfounded Tsukishima. And that's just him putting it lightly.
It's not even the apology that's got his mind chaotically malfunctioning as he tries to compute what he's seeing. He can't fault it on bad sight either, because he's wearing prescription glasses. But there's no way he's seeing this right.
There's no way Harriet can look this… cute.
This is the same girl who torments people for fun, with bone-chilling smiles and horrendous nicknames. The same girl with a terrifying aura if you piss her off, who had enough strength to shove him to a wall out of rage and could beat him to a pulp if she had the opportunity. A girl with absolutely no filter. Harriet, who Tsukishima will begrudgingly admit does find her attractive in her own unique way he won't go into details of, is the last person he would ever describe as someone cute.
But here she is, hiding her flushed face from him with a puppy.
How did he get here? And could life please show him the nearest exit?
Such a luxury wasn't allowed to him unfortunately, as his freckled friend jabs him to reality and he's suddenly aware of the many pairs of eyes on them without having to look around. He couldn't fight the heating embarrassment growing on his own face and he inwardly curses the girl for choosing such a wrong time to do this.
The sooner the better anyway. Just rip the bandaid off and get it over with.
"You didn't deserve what I said to you either." He refuses to look at anyone other than the polish wooden floor. "It won't happen again."
His apology is not as genuine, he knows, but it's not like he hands them out like they're lottery tickets. In fact, it leaves an odd taste in his mouth after saying it.
"It better not," he hears her mutter. Her eyes peek out from between Miki's ears, brows furrowed and is she honestly doing this on purpose?
"It won't," he assures. Now please stop looking like that.
Farther away, Suga and Daichi were restraining some of their most vocal teammates. The vice's hands cover the mouths of Hinata and Nishinoya while the captain handles Tanaka and Kageyama, expelling them from any outburst they may have as they witness the oddest thing that's ever come from their tall middle blocker.
Club hours were close to over and the musicians return to their room to pack while the athletes needed clean the court and change. Scott was gone, needing to return to the shop. Masami informs the other first years that their ride will arrive and the school's front gates. Miki's paws trot merrily, Junichi guiding her on a leash. Apparently she's going with them.
"You did good Hari-chan." Really, Junichi hadn't thought she'd own up the way she did. And her display of vulnerability was a rare sight that only Scott had seen when the two were much younger. "I'm proud of you."
"Please shut it Jun." Harriet's blush hadn't vanished and she had it concealed poorly with her palm. "In fact, no one talk to me right now."
"That boy hasn't stopped staring at you since the exchange," Takeo comments with a hint of a smirk.
"Oh you noticed it too?" Hiroki quips along, not hiding his grin. "It was pretty obvious wasn't it?"
"Subtlety isn't his strong suit when it comes to these things," Masami adds.
The three young musicians were chased by the raging violet, her face burned red like a steaming kettle while screaming profanities in English, Japanese, and French.
Junichi shakes his head and smiles down at Miki. "Study groups sure are going to be interesting huh?" The pup barks in agreement.
Fortunately for Harriet, Tsukishima also suffers within his teammates and he considers this high up on the list as one of the most humiliating moments of his life. He couldn't leave the group fast enough without the second-years asking (shouting) if he needed any dating advice as if they're experts on the field. Shocking revelation, they're not.
Sadly, Yamaguchi, his girlfriend, and dummies one and two have to follow him, because study group. At this point, he just wants to go home and never see the outside world again. Tsukishima pointedly makes an effort not to speak to anyone as they make their way to the gates.
What greets them is a very expensive-looking minibus. Black and sleek. And there's a well-dress man standing beside the entrance. A chauffer.
"Um… i-is that really our ride?" Yamaguchi manages to make a coherent enough sentence while the others balk, their jaws hung loose.
"Oh yeah. I guess I forgot to mention…" Yachi says, though her bafflement doesn't leave her expression. "Masami's parents are k-kind of wealthy."
"Kind of? That could cost more than my entire house," mutters Kageyama.
"I think that could cost more than all our living expenses," says Tsukishima.
"You're here already," came the calm and steady voice of Masami coming through the gates with the cousins and their dog.
"Holy shit," Harriet points to the shuttle, wearing the same face as them. "That's yours?"
Masami nods. "Since there are a lot of us coming, I had to pick a ride that accommodates the best," she explains casually. "This is fine right?"
"You have a fucking chauffer?!"
"Calm down Hari-chan." Junichi pats her shoulder. Out of everyone, he appears the most unaffected about Masami's wealth.
"Miss Orabella, are you and your friends ready to go?" Her chauffer speaks, a hint of an accent in his voice.
"Yes Al, I apologize for the wait."
Al smiles under his mustache, blue eyes twinkling. "I'll always be ready to serve you miss." He bows and motions his hand, swift fast and classily, to the open door. "Everyone inside! Not a moment should be wasted on preparing for a test. Help yourselves to any food and drink, but please remain seated during the ride. Quickly now!"
Everyone shuffles inside at the man's assertion. The interior of the bus was just as lavish. Passenger seats look more like black leather couches propped to windows, leaving a nice open pathway to maneuver around easily on the carpeted grey floor. There are compartments with glass doors full of high quality food and drinks. There is also a TV.
"This… This is amazing!" Yachi awes. She gapes at Masami. "Is this really okay?"
"Of course." And she pushes the blonde to sit. "Please make yourselves comfortable."
"Hah!? There's ice cream here too!" Hinata shouts, him and Kageyama observing the cooler compartment.
"This must be similar to how a celebrity lives, right Tsukki?"
The speckled blonde just makes a noncommittal noise, immediately taking his seat. Yamaguchi follows.
Harriet watches as Junichi opens a hidden compartment under the leather seats and in it was filled with various brands of dog treats. Miki excitedly yaps as she was fed a milkbone.
"You certainly know your way around Jun…"
Her cousin gives small chuckle. "I visit her place sometimes. Hiroki and Takeo too. So we're already used to her lifestyle."
"This environment shouldn't be new to you either Hari-chan," Masami says. "Since your father is-"
"A VERY HARD-WORKING PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY YES THANK YOU."
Everyone blinks at Harriet's outburst, all of them frozen and unmoving. Masami tilts her head.
"The hell Thompson? What's so big about your father that you want to hide?" Tsukishima inquires suspiciously.
"Absolutely nothing!" The girl kindly smiles. "But that's beside the point. At home, I take the community bus like every normal person from the states. That's it. That's all." She bounces in a spot next to Junichi. "Damn these seats are comfy. The high class life is awesome!"
"It sure is," Junichi agrees.
Either Harriet doesn't notice Tsukishima's narrowing stare or chooses not to give it attention.
Once Al is certain all the children are properly seated, he starts the engine and takes off down the streets, to Masami's quarters.
AN: Wonder what's gonna happen with our first years as they study together? Hopefully nothing too crazy lol.