Another Manager (Akashi Seijuro x OC)

2.11 Up Above (part two)

Akashi turned his attention to the setter in navy blue and nodded to him. "I see."

"Our captain's mood can be unstable," Akaashi explained. "Ai-san's been a great help. I heard our managers talking about it, too."

"Yukie-san and Kaori-san are the third-year managers for Fukurōdani," she told the two from Rakuzan.

"I'm glad to hear it." Akashi softly kissed her temple.

Then, Mibuchi suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! I knew your voice seemed familiar. You sound like Mayuzumi-san. Doesn't he, Sei-chan?"

"Yes, he does," Akashi agreed as he regarded Akaashi.

"He didn't talk much with us, so I didn't realize until now." The third-year with beautiful green eyes smiled. "Now, that's another person with the same voice!"

"I know, hearing Ryōta-kun with Kōtarō-san together is a bit strange." Ai looked at the two aces, each engrossed in their own conversations.

"Not just them, but two of your team members, too. They remind me of Kotarō and Jyunpei-chan from Seirin." Mibuchi winked.

"Ah, the captain of Kuroko's team," Akashi clarified. "And your friend, Ennoshita-kun, with Hayama."

Her classmate glanced back upon hearing his name being spoken, but she didn't say anything to him.

"Chikara does?"

The Night Spirit of the Uncrowned Kings nodded. "Yup! Kotarō wanted to come too, but he went out with Eikichi to eat. We're meeting them back at the hotel," Rakuzan's vice-captain explained.

"I've met Hyūga-san once." Ai gazed at Karasuno's ace next. "But, I think it's only their voices that he and Asahi-san have in common. My impression of Seirin's captain's personality is far from timid." She happened to meet Tsukishima's eyes, but he turned away quickly. It seemed she'd made the middle blocker poutful.

"Ai-chan! Were you really in Tokyo on Midorin's birthday?!" Momoi suddenly asked from a couple of feet away.

Ai shot her an apologetic smile. "It was only for the night, and I knew you were busy getting ready for Interhigh. Sorry, Satsuki."

The pink-haired girl pouted, and that was when Kai spoke up.

"I have to admit, Kuroo and I were glad she helped us. The whole team was," Nekoma's vice-captain said.

Momoi hummed, and her attitude lightened. "You know, you kind of sound like our coach."

Kai laughed. "Thanks, I guess."

"Seijuro, you and Reo-san don't have a Kansai accent like Imayoshi-san yet?" Ai pondered.

"Akashi with a Kyoto dialect?" Aomine laughed. "Ha! No way."

Her boyfriend smiled. "Maybe you'll have to teach me sometime."

She grinned back. "How is Coach Shirogane?"

"He's fine."

"I imagine running a big club like Rakuzan's basketball club is a lot of work," she said.

Akashi closed his eyes. "True."

As Aomine started to complain about his new captain, Midorima and Takao shared that Miyaji Yūya led the team after his brother Kiyoshi and the former captain Ōtsubo had graduated. Ai knew that Himuro had taken over Yōsen's team, and Kise told them that the incomprehensible Hayakawa was now Kaijō's captain.

Hinata and Lev started awing again at the basketball players, this time for their status as aces of the various teams. Aomine, Kise, Midorima, and Kagami were all rightfully the aces of Tōō, Kaijō, Shūtoku, and Seirin. The two first-years who aspired for the title had stars in their eyes, and Taketora boasted that he was still the current ace of Nekoma.