Her Muse (Azumane Asahi x reader)

Chapter 06

After a thorough training session, Asahi and the others got ready in the gym's changing rooms. Upon seeing their number 3 player in a slick suit, the team members, who were in their everyday outfits, started cheering and whistling like hormonal teenagers as coach Ukai screamed his head off for everyone to get into the bus.

When they finally arrived at the venue where the competition was being held, the Karasuno boys were lost. The place was huge with all sorts of paintings being exhibited. In a blink of an eye, everyone had scattered around, leaving Asahi standing all alone in the middle of a hall full of artworks, artists, and art enthusiasts. It seemed like his friends had pulled Y/N's signature move and had vanished. The gentle giant couldn't find any of them.

He didn't feel like he belonged there. It wasn't like standing on a volleyball court, this was more nerve-wracking, more unknown and unfamiliar. Everyone seemed to be understanding what was happening around them, everyone except him. However hard Asahi stared at the different paintings he still couldn't understand them. He didn't belong there. That was when his eyes landed on her, standing in a group of oddly dressed people, marveling at an abstract painting, and having the time of her life. She looked at ease. There was this overconfident aura surrounding the young girl, who no longer looked weird. She fit in perfectly. This was Y/N's turf and she was at home.

No matter how hard he tried, the feeling of discomfort didn't leave Asahi's body. He tried reasoning with himself, "This is for Y/N. She supported me during my games, and now It's my turn to repay. I have to do this." But it didn't work and soon, he found himself walking toward the exit. The problem was he didn't know how to act. Was he supposed to introduce himself to her friends? If so then what as? Her friend or her muse? What was he going to talk about with her equally eccentric friends? Were they going to like and accept him?

"Are you leaving without seeing my painting?" Y/N's voice rang in his ears, making his heart skip a beat at the sad and hurt tone. He froze instantly and turned around to see her marvelous self standing in front of him. All dressed up and breathtaking. "You look handsome as always my muse." She said and pulled him in for a quick side hug. "Come on, it's this way!" She exclaimed with all the excitement of a 3-year-old toddler who had had too much sugar as she pulled the tall male towards the section where her painting was being exhibited.

All the other members of Karasuno High's volleyball team were already gathered around it. They were in awe. They were speechless. And upon seeing the painting himself, Asahi joined them too in being both in awe and speechless. He was waiting to see a portrait of himself but instead, he was met with a group painting.

How could one describe the painting? Let's see, it was like The creation of Adam, a fresco painting by Italian artist Michelangelo, but it was Asahi trying to reach a volleyball ball while his teammates were supporting him by helping him reach it. Asahi's right arm was outstretched to impart the power of his spike to the ball, and every single eye in the painting was directed toward the floating round ball as if it was the main object. It was both classic and contemporary. It was perfect.

"When I said that the team's games during the tournament inspired me, I wasn't kidding. You guys made me change my initial plans. The pure determination and passion in your eyes helped me to overcome my fear of losing this competition. So, I decided to do something that would please me more than the judges." The author of the artwork explained as she watched for their reactions.

After showering Y/N with many many compliments, they started taking silly pictures with their painted counterparts and tried to recreate the scenery depicted on the huge canvas that almost took up an entire wall. A group picture was taken, after which coach Ukai hugged his sister and said, "I owe you one sis. Your painting is something out of this world and the way it cheered the guys up... well, nothing could've made them cheerier."