Takeda stopped Kitsuna on her way out after class, and pulled her aside for a minute. She looked at him confused, as they walked toward the parking lot.

"It's not raining today," she stated when they stopped by his little black car.

"Right. It's not, but I have something to do at the store today so why not?," he smiled in his usual way, but she detected a hint of nervousness there. She eyed him suspiciously, but accepted the ride.

"Is it that hard, staying awake during classes?," he asked while starting the car.

"Uh, I mean yeah. I can get through most of the morning if I have a coffee, but the vending machines don't have that as an option around the school and I don't wanna burn lunch going to get one," she glanced over at him.

"I see. Well, I'm not really supposed to, but the teacher's lounge has a vending machine with coffee in it. I could get it for you," he offered.

"Eh?," Kitsuna was regularly stunned by how much he offered to help her out, but this one was completely unexpected.

"Uh, sure. I can pay for them though!," she interjected at the end. They stepped out of the car, him following her into the store. She headed back to change, then remembered that she was still in her gym clothes. Keishin glared at the teacher, muttering something about appearances while she put on her apron.

"Hello! I'm Takeda, from Karasuno," Takeda started loudly. He realized his volume, and bowed apologetically before continuing. "Sorry. Um, you're Ukai's grandson right? We need a coach, for the volleyball team-"

"No," Keishin answered flatly, cutting the other man off. Kitsuna looked over at him, surprised somewhat, while carrying a box out from the back to restock the shelves.

"At least let me finish," Takeda pouted, before building his momentum again. Kitsuna half-listened in while she worked.

"Oh, Kitsuna's been helping them out a bunch as well. She's gotten pretty good at it, from what little I can tell of the game," Takeda dropped a hefty ball into the court, and Kitsuna froze crouched over another box of goods.

"Hm? That so," Keishin's interest was piqued with that one, and he let out a little laugh. "Thought she was skippin' out on work to go flirt with that one boy. What was 'is name? He's on the team."

"Huh?," Takeda looked her way, and she stood erect. She turned stiffly around and tried to sneak away.

"You could join the girls' team, y'know. I know you got rent, but we can try to work with scheduling. As long as you're serious, that is. I ain't coaching a girls team, for sure though," Keishin rambled off.

"Oh, no. It's the boys' team," Takeda piped up again. Kitsuna headed behind the counter to retrieve a label maker, sweating under the sideways look Keishin gave her.

"Well, answer's still no. I'm busy. She's not been going to the stuff with the neighborhood club lately, either, so I've gotta make sure I can fill that gap," Keishin gave a final answer and unfolded a paper he was reading.

"Sorry, think that's all you're getting out of him for today," Kitsuna leaned over the counter and smiled at her teacher. He let out a sigh, then bought some snacks and left.

"Didn't think you were that into volleyball, though. Just doin' it for the rehabilitation," Keishin glanced at her again, and she avoided meeting his eyes.

"Shut up, old fart. It's fun, and Daichi's pretty serious about tryin' to make the team better so they can win more matches," she spoke quietly, but he could see the look in her eyes even if she wouldn't look at him directly. He grinned to himself, happy to see her so passionate about something after her long stint in the hospital and with school stuff.

"So, who's jacket were you wearin'? Sure there's not a guy I need to worry about?," he teased her after all. She glared at him, ears bright red. He laughed, blocking her hard chop to his head and ordering her back to work.

"Daichi threw a fit about me getting sick too easy, because I kept getting rained on. So one of his friends gave me the jacket to shut him up is all," she muttered an excuse that made sense to her, but didn't sound too convincing to Keishin.

"We should probably get you an actual set of gym clothes, then," he said mostly to himself. She had her headphones on already, trying to ignore him for the rest of the night. She would have argued against it anyway, he knew that side of her pretty well. She wasn't ungrateful, but she hated when people put too much focus on caring for her. He made a mental note to do it anyway, surprised she hadn't gone and gotten it herself.

"Guess she ain't got time to go shopping, really."

The rest of the term continued like that, with her splitting time between work and sports stuff. Keishin made good on his word and got her a track suit for when it got colder, and a couple sets of shorts. He also got her some braces, for her weaker joints, and a pair of shoes. She almost teared up when he gave them to her, but swallowed it down when he ruffled her hair and sent her off to school. He promised to deliver the extra stuff to her house later, and finished off with a separate bag to keep her club stuff in.

"Isn't it annoying to carry all that?," Tanaka asked one night on the way home after practice.

"Hm? I guess it can be when it's hot," she admitted. She wouldn't let any of the others carry it, though. They had tried and failed several times already.

"You could leave it in the clubroom," Sugawara offered.

"Oh, I can tell you where we keep the key. You can change in there when we're all cleared out, too. Instead of having to go all the way to the restroom," Daichi offered that as well. With two of them insisting, it was harder for Kitsuna to deflect and refuse.

"Sure. Thanks," she reluctantly accepted, making a note to add her tracksuit to the bag so she couldn't forget it.

"Wait, can probably just put that in my regular bag," she accidentally thought out loud.

"Huh? What about your school stuff?," Daichi asked.

"Uh-right. Don't really use most of it," she looked away again, and his eyes narrowed.

"How are your grades, actually?," Suga asked.

"Hm? Not a problem, why?"

"Eh? When do you have time to study?," he asked more questions, confused with Daichi's smirk as he waved and turned down his street.

"Huh? Study? You mean at home?," she looked at him with matching confusion. They both stopped and stared at each other with stunned faces for a moment.

"What?! You don't study? At all? Are you sure your grades are fine like that?," Suga lost it, spouting a ton of questions all at once. She pouted at his doubtful response, and glared at him from the side.

"Yeah. I've got top marks for the first years," she boasted through her pout.

"Eeeh? Are you the last minute cram type?," Suga was shocked even more at her response.

"No, are you?"

"Eeeeeh?"