I can do this, Hitoka tells her reflection in the mirror of the girls' changing rooms.
The P.E uniform she has on makes this feel all too real and guilt churns low in her stomach at what she's about to do, she can only hope Shimizu-senpai will be able to find someone else, someone more suited for this.
It's better for everyone if I don't get involved, she reasons as she slowly heads towards the gym that is the volleyball club's. It's easy really, she just needs to wait until Shimizu-senpai is alone and unoccupied to tell her she will not be taking up the manager position.
"Yachi-san!" she startles when Hinata jumps high into the air at the sight of her, hiding behind the door, he quickly approaches her with that too-bright grin of hers, "The English test I had this afternoon had some questions on what you helped me review, I got half of them right!"
The girl blinks, features lighting up, "That's great Hinata-san!"
The boy had admitted his last score, a percentage that barely reached the double digits, with an embarrassed huff earlier and it seems he'd already made some progress with just one session, "Just Hinata is fine," he reminds and Yachi blushes.
"Right, sorry I forgot," the boy's excitement is contagious and she carefully steps inside the gymnasium with a smile, "I'm sure you'll be able to get your grades even more up if you keep working on them like this."
"Do you think you could continue helping me? You were a great teacher," the Karasuno volleyball team watches curiously as the two interact, they're fast friends it seems.
Yachi hesitates, she could still help the boy even if she didn't join the team as a manager right? "Sure, I'd be glad to help you, as long as you'll have me," and she really would be, Hinata brightens up at her answer.
Shimizu joins the two at the entrance of the gym, eyebrows raised, "I'm glad you two are getting along so well, but you should go stretch with the rest of the boys Hinata," the boy nods and hurries to do so, "You can come with me Yachi-chan."
"Hai!" Thankfully, she does know how to put up the net from P.E classes and she doesn't embarrass herself despite knowing near anything of the game. Shimizu smiles when they are done, "Great, now we can go fill the boys' water bottles and fetch some towels, I put them in the dryer earlier and they should be just about done."
Just as they close the doors behind them, hands full with empty water bottles, a ball smacks to the ground with a loud smack!
Yachi startles, so loud! "Yeah, the sound's louder than what people assume," Shimizu says, only mildly surprised at the jumpy girl's reaction, "You'll get used to it."
"About that senpai..." it's the perfect moment to tell Shimizu that she won't be joining the team, Yachi knows, and yet when she's about to say it, she hesitates. The older girl blinks behind her glasses, eyes such a pretty shade of blue, "Yes?"
"Nevermind," she'll wait until the end of practice, if only because Shimizu-senpai looks like she has her hands full with the team. Maybe I could ask Harada-chan if she'd be interested in the position, she just quit the band after all...
Kyoko smiles, amused, "Okay, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the third years if you have any questions or need any help."
"Thank you," Yachi hides a wince, what kind of person comes to practice only to bail at the end of it? A coward that's who, and Yachi Hitoka definitely fills that bill.
As they come back to the gym, the weight of about fifteen water bottles in bags slowing them down, Shimizu explains how practice usually goes, "Help with what you're comfortable doing and I'll handle the rest, usually I'd have you just watch, but since you've been a manager before, I assume you know the gist of it."
"The basics maybe," the blonde says, "But basketball and volleyball are very different sports." What were the terms Hinata had used earlier at lunch? Setter and...libero?
She'd have to do some research when she got home, Yachi falters at the thought, no, bad Hitoka! You won't be researching anything because you won't be accepting the manager position.
"I don't know how you do it," Hitoka says before she can stop herself, "Managing a whole team by yourself, we were two managers just for the first string and there were two other girls to take care of second and third strings."
Sure Karasuno is a lot smaller than Teiko, but still, it's a wonder Shimizu makes managing a full team all by herself seem effortless, "Strings?" the third-year blinks at the term, "Just how big was the basketball team at your school?"
"Ah," Yachi says, a bit embarrassed, "Very big, it was a very sports-oriented school so we had a lot of funding from the school board, and many candidates for the team."
They lay the bottles on a table, quickly heading back out to go and get the towels as the boys do some drills. Shimizu's eyes narrow thoughtfully at her underclassman's daydreaming, "You don't seem to miss it."
"Some of it," an unreadable expression unfolds on Hitoka's face, "But no, I don't miss it all that much."
"I hope you'll enjoy your time here more then," the first-year smiles to hide the discomfort she feels, how she hates to disappoint the kind upperclassman who'd been so nice to her, "But Yachi, I won't be mad if you don't decide to stay with us you know? Not if you don't want to."
Oh, caramel eyes widen with something like panic, was I that transparent?
"Take your time to decide," Shimizu continues with a smile that takes the breath out of the younger girl, "Who knows, maybe you'll find yourself liking volleyball, those boys have a habit of growing on you."
"Thank you for understanding," Yachi exhales shakily, "I-I'll try not to make you wait for an answer for too long." Should she give it a try, even if she's setting herself up for disappointment, again? Could she?
That's not fair to Shimizu-senpai, to have someone with no drive to take her place next year.
"Be careful of stray shots," the third-year warns as a ball smacks into the wall closest to them, trying not to laugh as the girl jumps three feet up in the air. Yachi nods shakily, eyeing the ball distrustfully, "Ri-right!"
Shimizu then leaves, mentioning that she has to talk to the captain of the team - Daichi-san, much to Yachi's quiet despair. The blonde squeals when her eyes meet that of the two curious boys from the day before, the one who had been scolded for their insistence. Worse, Hinata and Kageyama are nowhere to be seen and she is not comfortable enough to interact with the rest of the team.
Should she go say hi? Ignore them?
The girl startles when a voice sneaks up behind her, "Hey, are you okay?" It's that scary man from yesterday, the one with the piercings! she nods rapidly, not knowing how to deal with this, "Uh, well I'm the coach so if you have any questions feel free to ask me."
My goodness! I judged someone on their appearance, again! the girl bows low in the midst of her panic, mind coming up with about sixteen scenarios about what the man could do next, from telling Shimizu-senpai how rude she was, to kicking her out and saving her the trouble of refusing the position, "I'm sorry about yesterday, I didn't know who you were!"
"That's, that's fine!" Ukai mirrors the girl's panic, lost at what to do with the girl who'd almost thrown herself to the ground, "You can stand up, really, it's no big deal!" and if the look he sends Shimizu is slightly pathetic, well that's not an issue if she can take the fumbling first-year off his hands.
Who in the world thought he could deal with children again? Right, that stupid teacher, but with Takeda not there, there's no one for him to hit, god damnit.
Training, as it becomes quite clear, is no less loud for volleyball than it is for basketball.
"Good job Tanaka!" Shimizu had preferred she observes the practice game on the bench instead of next to her and the coach who was serving the ball so the boys could try out some plays.
Against her will, and despite her lack of knowledge of the sport, Hitoka finds herself fascinated by it. With how focused everyone is despite it being a friendly game between the team and not an official match, with how they pass the ball between each other and over the net.
From what she'd gathered, there was at least three positions to the game - the one who would send the ball out for offense - setter probably, since it was the position Kageyama played, the one who would try to get a point by slamming out on the other side, and those who would block the offense of the other team.
If the intricates of the game still escaped her, she was remotely satisfied with what she had figured out so far. Lost in thoughts, the girl doesn't notice the ball heading her way until it is too late to avoid it.
Her eyes shut close, her arms come to shield her face.
The hit never comes and Hitoka's eyes snap back open at the thud that comes from right in front of her, Hinata's forearm is extended and the second his feet touch the ground, he's already on the other side of the court.
He's flying, her heart jumps inside her ribcage from the fright she had felt just now, it skips a beat at the awe she can feel taking ahold of her being.
"Nice save Hinata!" Shimizu runs to her side, brows furrowing as she says, "Are you okay? That wasn't too scary was it?" Yachi hesitates, wide eyes taking in the way one of the third-years, Asahi-san if her memory serves right, slams the ball on the other side of the court.
"I-I'm fine," then her eyes narrow, "They're talented," she tests the words on her tongue, so focused it has Karasuno's third-year manager smiling, "I mean, I've never seen a game besides in P.E so I'm not a good judge, but they seem pretty amazing."
"They are," Kyoko Shimizu is the prettiest girl she has ever seen, there is no doubt, and yet Hitoka is blown away once again by how breathtaking the girl's smile is then. A shy thing that tugs at Kyoko's lips without her noticing how obvious her fondness is.
The third-year's ocean-colored eyes sharpen with the clinical assessment of someone who knows something of competition, "But talent isn't enough, they still have some work to do if we're to go to nationals. They're unpolished gemstones right now, the first-years are still learning how to work together with the team, but they definitely are something else."
Yachi blinks, considering, "Gemstones, huh?" the blonde grins, eyeing the game once again, "I like that," you can touch gemstones, can feel between your fingers how real, how solid they are.
Miracles, however, are forever out of your reach.
Unknown to the two girls, their conversation has gotten them some attention from the boys on the court who keep glancing at them, "Kiyoko-san's talking! She's smiling!" the older girl rolls her eyes while Yachi's head tilts to the side, does Shimizu-senpai not smile often? Another boy, the one with barely any hair on his head, has his eyes zoned in on the two girls, "So that's what girl talk looks like!"
Shimizu turns to look at the two boys who were looking at her with rapt attention, "Tanaka, Nishinoya," the two light up like Christmas lights when their beloved manager says their names, "Get back to the game."
"Ye-yes!"
Before she can stop herself, Hitoka laughs, they look like they're having fun, maroon eyes twinkle with mirth. Shimizu sighs, pushing up her glasses higher on the bridge of her thin, delicate nose, "Don't let those two bother you, they can be obnoxious."
"They sure are lively," and if Nishinoya and Tanaka share a sharp grin at her words, then Yachi is all too happy to ignore them. The coach sighs then and calls a break since the boys are no longer paying any attention to the game, either chatting with each other or busy sending quick glances to their manager and her new charge.
Said charge is too busy trying not to laugh that she doesn't notice the figure creeping up behind her.
"They're annoying you mean," the blonde's eyes widen as she has to look way up to meet the pair of golden eyes belonging to the boy who had spoken, her mouth parts, he's so tall! Unbothered by the stare, the boy continues, "Those two are nuisances."
"Oi! Tsukishima you bastard, don't insult us in front of our new manager-!" the bald second-year, Tanaka, snaps teeth sharp like razors.
Hitoka cuts in before she can stop herself, "Candidate manager," Shimizu's eyes do not leave her and the first-year girl smiles, embarrassed. It's habit that makes her reach for the water bottle that had been in the giant's hands earlier, "Nice job out there."
Tsukishima Kei eyes the girl curiously.
"Thanks," she's a fidgety little thing, a bit shy from the looks of it and less outgoing than she had been with Hinata earlier, then again, it was Hinata, "Tsukishima Kei, so, the two idiots didn't give you too much trouble?"
Idiots?
Hitoka blinks, perplexed, but if she does not get the remark, Hinata and Kageyama, who had been arguing in the middle of the court, do. The two boys stomp over, tick marks decorating their foreheads, "Tsukishima!"
"Oh," she says dumbly, watching the three boys who were caught in an intense staring match, "Oh no! Not at all, they've been great and I needed to study English anyways," she insists, earning herself a derisive snort from the blond boy.
"You sure? There's no need to hide it, they're not the sharpest tools in the box, they must have given you at least some trouble," and Yachi Hitoka is a nice person, someone with a usually good amount of patience - so it takes her by surprise, just how intensely annoyed she gets at Tsukishima's words.
There's a pause, one in which Kageyama and Hinata keep quiet because of their poor grades, and that's when the girl smiles a smile that is too-full of teeth, "It was no trouble at all, they've got the drive to do better, and they're not nearly as dumb as what you seem to think," the words are cruder than what anyone had heard from the girl, her tone acidic, "I'd be pretty lame not to be able to help them at least a little bit, I wouldn't be a very good tutor."
A choked laugh is heard from Tanaka and Nishinoya's direction, the captain whacking them both over the head.
"Really?" Tsukishima's eyebrow twitches, "I don't know, they're not very good at retaining information, or at studying. That's not anybody's fault."
Kageyama and Hinata gape at the scene in front of them, shocked at how mild-tempered Yachi is smack-talking to Tsukishima. Wow, Kageyama thinks, that guy can really set anyone off.
"Of course not," the girl is practically shining with how large her grin is, "But I can try and help them a bit, it's not like I have anything to lose. Better that than, I don't know, looking down on someone's grades. It's not like it's going to increase mine or anyone's else."
What a passive-aggressive streak she's got there, Tsukishima blinks, more impressed than he'd like to admit. Before the boy can answer something equally witty, Takeda-sensei enters the gym with the energy levels of a six-year-old on Christmas morning. The teacher quickly informs them of a practice match with Ounigishi High School the next day.
Yachi's little episode is soon forgotten, but Hinata still gives her a bright smile as they gather around Takeda-sensei and the coach, "That was amazing Yachi-san, thank you so much!"
Kageyama nods at his teammate's words, looking at her with might very well be a grateful expression, "Terrifying, thanks."
Terrifying? the blonde sweatdrops, I'm not sure that's a compliment.