𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 | 𝐎𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐮

Chapter 7: Advice

"I'm home!"

Y/n reached home way past dinner time. She kicked off her shoes at the door and the delicious scent of meat infiltrated her senses. Her stomach growled.

"Y/n?" called Misaki, Y/n's mom. "Welcome home. It's quite late."

"Sorry about that," Y/n replied, putting away her things. "I stayed for after-school clubs. What's for dinner?"

"You joined a club? That's nice."

"Yeah."

"Which one."

"Volleyball."

Misaki didn't reply.

"As manager for the boys' team," Y/n quickly clarified.

"Oh...," Misaki sounded disappointed. "I'd hoped to see you play again-"

"What's for dinner, mom?"

She didn't let her mother complete her sentence. She didn't want to hear it. Misaki stared at Y/n with a concerned expression. She never thought mentioning volleyball would ever repulse her daughter. She recalled a smiling Y/n, returning from practises and melting at the sight of dinner. They would both sit together as Y/n would jabber on about her day and Misaki would just listen. The absence of these nights had disappointed Misaki and Y/n would come home every day with the same tired look as the one on her face now. Misaki turned away from her daughter, heading inside the kitchen.

"It's your favourite, Oyakudon. I'll heat it up while you wash up."

~~~

Y/n was starting to get used to her job as a manager. She would give water to players during timeouts, note down hits and misses in her new volleyball journal and discuss them with the team after the game. She had started to get a hang of their names too. She had met everyone on the team and they all helped make her job just a little easier. Y/n was enjoying it too.

But there were some days when she would forget the journal in her lap and get lost in the game. She'd sit on the bench, analysing each player's moves. Oikawa's sets, as much as she'd like to deny it, were perfect every time. And Iwaizumi-san would make the most of those sets by slamming them on the other side of the court. The two just synced well for some reason.

When the ball returned, Oikawa set it to Kindaichi. The first-year started his approach, arms behind his back to get a large swing, propelling him upwards. His right hand was pulled back, ready to spike the ball, his body slightly tilted away from the blockers.

"Cross," Y/n thought to herself.

Kindaichi slammed the ball at an angle, hitting the other side of the court. Y/n smiled at her correct prediction.

When she looked back at the court, she didn't see Oikawa, Iwaizumi-san or Kindaichi, but flashes of Kaede, Hitomi, and Mitsuki-chan. They were smiling at her, giving her a thumbs up for the point she earned. Y/n flashed them a big smile.

The referee's whistle brought Y/n back to the white and turquoise team approaching her. She shut her journal and reached for towels and water bottles, offering them to the exhausted players around her, receiving murmurs of thanks. She handed a towel to Oikawa.

"Thank you L/n-san!" He smiled through his fatigue, graciously accepting a towel.

Y/n nodded her head.

"There, again with the silent responses." Oikawa thought. "Did I seriously do something or does she not like talking...no she talks to the rest of the team...I'll ask her later."

He observed her as bottles and towels returned to her and she spoke with the players. The whistle blew, calling the players back for the last set.

"Kindaichi-kun."

The entire team including Kindaichi turned to face the girl who had called out.

"Yes, L/n-san?" Kindaichi replied, confused as to what she wanted to tell him.

Y/n spoke without hesitation. "Don't tilt your body too much when you go for a cross. Good blockers will be able to predict it and stop you."

The team stared at Y/n in shock. It had just been a few days since she started observing practices. How could she have picked up such minor information in so little time?

Kindaichi's eyes widened, but he quickly recovered and bowed.

"Uh-thank you, L/n-san. I'll-uh-change my form."

Y/n nodded her head. She didn't realise the captain staring at her in amazement, a smirk growing on his face.

"I see..."