Another Manager (Akashi Seijuro x OC)

1.11 Decision

The guys laughed.

"I have to admit, I'm starting to get a little worried for you," Daichi confessed.

Nishinoya grinned. "That's our lil sis manager! She's the greatest!"

"That's right!"
Tanaka and Nishinoya stood beside her and each hooked an arm around her neck, taking advantage of her short height.

She shook her head, smiling. "I'll see you all for dinner."
She hugged the two guys before going back to the dining room.

"Alright! I want the black ribbon!" Nishinoya yelled.

"This one has stripes!" Tanaka's voice was loud and amazed.

"Is there a green one?" Yamaguchi asked tenderly.

.

They gathered in the dining area and everyone sat around the two long tables. Despite sitting next to Hinata, Kageyama beamed at the plate in front of him. It was his favorite meal: pork curry with a poached egg on top.
Unfortunately, Ai hadn't made enough eggs for seconds, but that didn't stop Tanaka and Nishinoya from shamelessly asking Kiyoko for another serving.

.

After dinner, she washed the dishes and everyone's lunchboxes, saw Kiyoko off for the night, and cleaned up the tables. She decided to go outside for some fresh air and was inspired by the night sky to sing a lullaby, Once Upon A December.

While she thought no one heard her, Hinata and Tanaka were creeped out by the eerily mysterious song and a child who turned out to be a wet-haired Nishinoya. She heard screaming from inside, Asahi trying to defend himself, and Daichi scolding them on their volume. Ai quickly went inside and into bed in her single room, since Kiyoko had returned home to her own house.

———

The next morning, she woke up early to start making a simple but large in quantity breakfast. She changed into her personal clothes, since she wasn't going to school, and tied her long hair up into a high ponytail.

When Hinata came back from his run for something to drink, he didn't recognize her cooking in the kitchen.

"Excuse me!" his voice said as he waited politely while her back was turned to him.

Ai finished slicing the onions for the miso soup and looked at him, her hand wiping at her puffy, stinging eyes. She sighed. "Yes, Shōyō?"

Hinata's jaw dropped and openly gawked at her.

Seeing that he was sweating from the exercise, Ai walked over to grab a glass of water without another word. "Do you have something to say?" she inquired a little irritatedly to the staring boy, unintentionally voicing some of the frustration she felt for the despicably troublesome vegetable.

Hinata opened and closed his mouth a few times like a goldfish, but no sound came out. Before he could reply, Kageyama walked in next. He was also coming back from a morning jog.

"Excuse m-" The setter froze in his steps and copied Hinata's expression.

Ai sighed and got them cups of water. "Can't you both do anything other than stand there and stare?" she joked, knowing well of their unique skills in the realm of volleyball.

They took the glasses she handed them but didn't move to drink.

Ai pressed her fingers against her eyes again and groaned softly. The pain was gradually easing away, and once she could fully open her eyes without squinting, she flicked on the gas stove and cracked some eggs into a hot pan.