Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 33: Photos

Third Person POV:

All club members with the exception of the three third years and the coach gathered at the gym for after school practice, aiming for the next volleyball tournament: Spring High. The third years were all singled out, due to the fact that they have to make a critical decision that will change their future, with the coach to help them choose their path. Will they retire and leave the club before Spring High in order to attend college, or stay and help lead their kouhais to victory?

The assistant coach sighed heavily, studying her biology notes as the others practiced independently. When Tsukishima headed to get a sip from his water bottle at the benches, he couldn't help but ask.

"How's the date with the grand king?" The water he drank didn't wash away the bitter taste in his mouth.

"I wouldn't know, I don't have any other dates to compare it to. I guess it went well in my opinion." She shrugged. Apparently what she said was within the earshot of the other four members, who quickly popped up behind her, their eyes burning with fury.

"That was your first date?!" Noya bursted. She nodded.

"What about your ex-fiancé? Yoshada? Haven't you guys gone on a date before?" Kageyama asked.

"It's Yoshida. Although we had an forced engagement, we had a platonic relationship. The farthest thing we've done is a friendly hug."

"Only a friendly hug? Then that means..." They all turned their heads to the blonde, who smirked in a mischievous manner, though on the inside he was pleasantly surprised. Getting her first kiss? Sweet. Ayame already knows what's about to come, so she covered her ears, bracing herself from the earsplitting outburst. She heard the ginger's muffled screams as he pointed an accusing finger at him.

"HE WAS YOUR FIRST KISS?!"

The blonde pulled her right hand away from her ear and whispered, both of their cheeks dusted pink, "If it makes you feel any better, that was my first too."

"TSUKISHIMA, YOU LUCKY BASTARD!" The two second years grabbed the blonde by his collar and shook it vigorously, but they failed to shake off his irritating smirk.

"Ts-Tsukki!" Yamaguchi screamed, frightened for the blonde. The girl was having enough of their antics: they're making a bigger deal out of this than the one who's actually involved, so she drew her feet back and separated the hands grabbing Tsukishima's collar with an axe kick, intentionally making it slower than usual to give the two the time to quickly retract their arms.

"We need him in one piece if we want to at least get through the first round of Spring High." Before the others had the chance to retort, a catchy ringtone reverberated throughout the gym, which seemed to have came from the girl's phone.

"Assikawa-san, we're in the middle of practice."

"Demo Aya-chaaaaan~" the voice on the other end whined, making the the two second years about to throw a tantrum, but was silenced when she shot them a glare. "I don't know which pictures from our date I should develop, so I sent you some photos to pick!"

"That's not necessary." She replied with a hint of annoyance.

"But I was gonna get two matching copies for our wallets! I'll just go and ask Iwa-chan~"

"Whatever floats your boat, Assikawa-san." She ended the call and looked at the team members, who just stared at her silently.

"What?"

"Can we see the pictures?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Pretty pretty please?"

The girl's eye twitched at the two second years, knowing that those two are just as persistent as Assikawa. Hesitantly, she opened the messages app and tapped on the pictures he sent on full view. She couldn't care less about people snooping into her phone, as she has nothing to hide, so she plopped her phone into Noya's hands. Everyone squeezed the poor libero as they tried to peek at the screen.

There were three pictures: the first one showed both of them holding their crepes, with Ayame not looking at the camera as she was too occupied in savoring the German dessert. Her eyes sparkling with pleasantness as the boy smiled widely. The second one a slightly bird's eye view selfie of a beaming Oikawa on the side, with her in the back swaying back and forth on the swings with an indifferent expression. The last one was a picture of Oikawa smiling, with one hand holding a victory sign, the other holding the camera. Ayame stood right beside him -their shoulders touching- showing an indifferent expression on this one too, but both of her hands are forming a victory sign, similarly to Oikawa's. She had been bribed to do so in order for him to stop any more taking pictures.

"You even got all dressed up," Tsukishima pointed out, the bitterness in his tongue growing stronger as Noya swiped to the left.

"Apparently, I'm some kind of dress up doll in Tachibana-san's eyes." The rest were just grumbling to themselves, irritated that a guy like Oikawa would dare get so near to their club member. Luckily, they snapped out of their gloomy state when the vice captain bursted through the gym doors, with the other two right behind him along with the coach. Everyone fell silent, anticipating for their answer.

"You better believe we're gonna go to the Spring High."