Prologue

"Kyotani! Your phone!" lazily yelled a pink-brown-haired boy wearing the standard light blue t-shirt and white shorts, his right hand still on the changing room's door handle.

The said boy turned his head away from the drill he was doing and halted his warm-up. His gaze turned to Hanamaki, the look on his face displaying dubiety. What does he want? He never talked to him once.

"Coach isn't here yet so you can check it." Stated the older boy. "Though he'll probably come soon so be quick." He, himself, didn't really know why he was doing this. Maybe because of his junior's previous expression. And he was a good senior. Or so he decided he would be for today.

A scowl visible on his features, he got up and made his way to the room with his gaze never leaving the floor and afterward, the door.

A second player made his way toward the pink-brown-haired boy and casually placed his arm around his shoulders. Messy dark hairs and a usual bored face now filled with confusion. His eyebrows were raised and he tightened his hold around the boy's shoulders.

"What was that Makki? When did you become friends with Kyotani?" His voice reflected his wonder.

"Exactly what I was thinking, Mattsun." Joined another player, with undeniable good looks and cheerful behaviour. "Did something happen without us knowing?" While saying this, a third person walked toward them, without saying anything.

"Eh? No, not really." 'Makki' responded still lazily. "It's just..." he trailed, three pairs of eyes on him, waiting for an answer while he looked where the Kyotani boy disappeared. "...didn't y'all see how he looked at his phone in the room?" He said, remembering how the boy looked at his phone every three minutes when he usually never (or rarely) uses it.

"Now that you talk about it..." The third boy talked for the first time. "...he does look a little out of it today."

"Eh? Really? I didn't see anything unusual about him." Said the model-like boy, looking sheepishly at the two of them.

"That's just because you're uselessly blind, shittykawa." The spiky-haired boy replied with a judging and critical look in his eyes.

"That harsh Iwa-chan!" whined 'shittykawa'.

"So, I was thinking, maybe something was or had happened. Then I heard his phone and I just thought it would be good to tell him..." Trailed Hanamaki, crossing his arms on his chest and shifting the hold on his shoulders.

"That's nice of you Makki, I didn't know you would be the reliable type of senior." Said the tallest with a smirk and gripping the neck of the 'nice senior', almost choking him.

"Shut up! It's only one time!" Shouted Hanamaki after a fist of cough and setting himself free, a little tint of red growing on his cheeks. And when he was going to hit him, the sliding door of the gym opened, revealing two adults talking.

When they entered the gym all the players turned to them, bowed, and shouted in chorus "Good evening coaches!"

Realising some of their regulars weren't paying attention and warming up seriously, the blond-haired man yelled at them. "Get back to practice!" He bored his eyes into the third boy's one and pointed at him. "Oikawa! Think about Ushiwaka."

The four friends straighten up before returning to their warm-up. Oikawa looked fired up and the other three were just sighing about his antics. Well, the spiky-haired one at least. The other two were just snickering at him and his one-sided rivalry.

Afterward, the two coaches installed themselves in their usual area at the same time Kyotani exited the room, frowning even more than previously. The last gossipers seeing him return thought 'Ah, he's pissed' while still moving, not wanting to be called off by the coaches another time.

"Kyotani! What are you doing! Go warm-up!" Said the same man as before. And as he was returning to the discussion with his colleague, he saw their difficult player walking toward them. "What is it?" Both he and the second man looked curiously at Kyotani.

Still frowning, he stopped in front of the two adults and stayed without saying anything for around thirty seconds before talking. "Do we need a manager?" Suddenly the teenager asked. Taken aback, the coaches took some time to respond. When they did, it was the other Coach who took over.

"Why are you asking about it?" Hearing those words, Kyotani turned his head with a small 'tsk' before continuing. "My cousin's coming and wants to be the manager." He didn't add more, waiting for the two men to respond.

His interlocutors glanced at each other quickly before the older coach cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we can use one but are you sure your—' cousin' can do it?" He shifted his body to face the boy.

"She—" ''She', so it's a girl' noted the two and then, 'Oikawa'. "—has been the manager in her previous school so probably." Only said Kyotani. And as the Head Coach was about to say something (probably on the 'Oikawa problem or Kyotani's cousin's possible attitude given who she is the cousin) he added "She also said that she was 'willing to convince you on a phone call whenever you want.'"

Quite shocked about what has been said, they stilled and began to think quickly – possibly on her bold proposition. Even if what their problem player had quoted about his cousin seems to have shocked the two adults, they respond quickly.

"Alright then I guess we can have a quick talk with her, when will she arrive here?" Asked the older coach. He was better at hiding his reactions and didn't look as stunned. He instantly recovered from his shock (because Kyotani never never asked anything, he yelled, and threw insults but didn't ask) and enquired about his cousin's availability.

"Monday" Was the only information they got. Like him, if you think about him. It's maybe one of the first times (or maybe the first they can't seem to remember) he came to them by his own will. Or maybe his cousin's will but that's just a detail.

Glancing at each other a second time, they returned their eyes to Kyotani (who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here) and nodded. "Could we have her number then?"

He holds out his phone (he took it with him for this occasion) for them to take. The screen showed a contact, his cousin's they concluded. However, they didn't fully understand what he wanted. Should they take the phone? Or did he want them to only take the number? Seeing their puzzled expressions he added, "She won't respond to an unknown number."

The blond coach took the phone, stared at it for a few seconds before looking at the players, then at his colleague, and again at Kyotani's phone. He pondered for some time. "Should we call her now?" He turned his head toward the brown-haired coach.

"Mizoguchi?" Questioned the smaller man, and quickly Coach Mizoguchi (the blond) developed. "We aren't doing anything special today and Oikawa can lead so..."

"Calling her now would save us time. I see what you mean." Continued the older coach while the younger sighs of relief. Happy to have been understood, he looked back at the teenager (still scowling, 'when is he not anyway?') and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

Kyotani glanced at his phone and shrugged. "She'll probably respond." Simple and quick, very like him.

"Well... What are we waiting for?" Asked the Head Coach. "But first—" he began looking at Kyotani, "—you should go warm-up, Oikawa will probably begin the training soon.". And just like that, he returned to where he was before his senior called him after a subtle bow while receiving some glances, some more visible and curious than others.

Eyeing the running boy, the blond coach turned to his senior questioning. "Should I call...?" The older man shook his head and subtly pointed toward the club room.

"We should go inside. We wouldn't want to 'disturb' them would we?" He responded, smirking. Blink. "Oh." A smile began to show on the blond face, Coach Mizoguchi nodded, a light chuckle leaving his mouth. 'Fun.'

After witnessing the Coaches disappear, Oikawa presumed he would lead the training (not that he minded). Yet, before calling the others, he paused and wiped off the sweat forming on his face with the bottom of his shirt. While doing this, he looked at the second-year troublemaker wondering, 'what was that?' like the others. It wasn't an everyday event to see Kyotani talk to the coaches without being lectured about his behaviour.

Deciding it wasn't worth remembering, he called the others and began to distribute instructions for the daily training.