His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 29: Don't Stand So Close to Me

It was at the end of Friday's practice that Coach Ukai called Nakano up to stand in front of her teammates.  She looked a little confused, but dutifully came forward and stood next to the whiteboard Coach had been using to discuss plays and strategy.  Coach and Takeda-sensei stood with her.

"Now I don't have to tell you guys how great it's been having Legs here as a manager," Coach began.

Tsukishima looked Nakano in the eyes.  This sounded like the beginnings of a farewell speech.  His face registered panic.  Is she leaving us?  Why would she be leaving us?  Why wouldn't she tell me?  What's going on?  His look to her was almost a plea.  She stared back at him, her eyes slightly widening and her shoulders shrugging just a tiny bit.  She didn't seem to have any idea what was happening either.

"But at the moment, we've got three great managers, and honestly, there's not enough work to do to merit that," Coach continued.

"Naka-chan's not leaving us is she?!" Tadashi cried out.  

"What? No, of course not," Ukai looked at Takeda.  "Sensei, why don't you explain."

"Certainly," Takeda smiled as he looked at the team.  "I did a little checking into the rules, both for clubs here at Karasuno, and as regards student participation at high school volleyball tournaments.  And everything checked out, as I hoped it would.  We had to make sure that we could legitimately offer this position to Ogawa-chan and..."

"What position?  Sensei, can you please just tell us what's going on?"  Kageyama pleaded.

"Oh sorry, yes, of course," he said, chuckling and waving his hands in front himself.  He turned to face Nakano.  "Ogawa-chan, we'd like you to be Karasuno's new Student Coach," he said proudly.

Nakano stared blankly at the two men.  Did I hear that right?  They want me to be a coach?  But I can't even play full time properly yet, she thought.  Not to mention, I don't know the first thing about being a coach!

"Well, don't just stand there, Nakano, what do you think?" Ukai barked at the girl.

"I...I don't know what to say!  I don't really know anything about being a coach..." she said, looking a bit red in the face.

Ukai laughed.  "You know more than you give yourself credit for.  I've always been impressed with your insights - you've been a big help to me.  And, being Student Coach means you'll be learning about coaching and leading a team from me and Specs over here," he hooked a thumb at Takeda, who nodded.  "Plus, after talking about it with the Captain, we've agreed that your main focus will be on drills and training regimens.  So as Student Coach, you're gonna be in charge of getting these lazy idiots to drill their fundamentals.  Hard.  Plus, if anyone needs to improve on a specific skill, you'll work with them to design a training regimen to help them do just that.  That should give this team a boost, as well as give you the added physical training you've been looking for, don't you think?"

"Cap, you knew about this?  You're okay with it?" Nakano asked, looking towards Daichi.

"Okay with it?  I thought it was a great idea.  Especially when Takeda told me that as Student Coach, you'll be able to be on the floor with us for our future games."

A ripple of excitement went through the team.  "Woah," Kinoshita said, "Does that mean she's gonna be doing all that yelling right next to us?  I don't think my ears can take that!"

"You're gonna say yes, right, Naka-chan?" Asahi asked, looking intently at the girl.  

"She'd better," Narita said.