Another Manager (Akashi Seijuro x OC)

2.2 Direct Sunlight

"Uhh..." The middle blocker thought as he watched Kageyama return the ball to her with a toss.

"Tobio?" She asked next as she set the ball to Hinata.

He remained silent with a rancorous glower.

When the ball bounced back to her, she caught it and sighed. "It means grieving over a loss or a person's death." She glanced at Narita and Kinoshita, who were rolling the scoreboard to the storage room, and she started to walk away from their triangle. "Perhaps we should stop for tonight. You can't study when you're tired."

"Sorry, Ai-senpai."

She gave them both a warm smile. "Don't be, Shōyō. But, we're all counting on the Greatest Decoy."

His face flushed a bit, and it wasn't from the approaching summer temperatures.

"Would you return this to the ball cart?"

Hinata nodded and ran off.

She turned to the remaining setter. "Tobio. You're smart, I know. You wish to be one of the best volleyball players in the world, correct?"

"Yes!" He answered with sincere determination.

"Then, I expect you to make efforts in learning English, even if you may not use it as much in Japan." She gave him a teasing look.

Kageyama was caught in embarrassment, but he nodded. "Yes, ma'am..." he grumbled.

Ai stepped up to him and lightly touched a hand to his chest. "I'm here if you need me." As he stood blushing, she walked away to talk with Kiyoko before her senpai left.

———

The next day, Ai went to the club room as soon as the guys finished changing and tidied things up during their morning practice. Kiyoko was writing up fliers for recruiting first-year managers, so Ai chose to sweep the tatami mats in the meantime. After practice at night, she only had the guys help her with taking down the net, and then corralled them all outside so that she could mop the floor alone.

"Outside, everyone," she declared. Ai pushed on the guys' backs to hurry them up and kicked them all out of the gymnasium. She barricaded the doorway with her arms crossed. "I'll be fine by myself. You need all the time you can get to study. Sawamura-senpai, may I have the keys?"

"Uh, sure." The captain handed it to her so that she could be the last one to lock up.

"Want me to stay, Ai?" Narita offered.

She smiled. "No, it's alright, Kazuhito. It's only mopping. Thank you for offering nonetheless."

"Come on. I'll teach you, Nishinoya." Sugawara led the way to their locker rooms.

"Really?! Thanks, Suga-san!!!"

"We're meeting at my place!" Tanaka called to her as Ennoshita dragged him away.

———

She joined the other second-years at Tanaka's house on Saturday. She met his older sister who was a college student and thanked her for having them over.

Tanaka's sister, Saeko, teased her brother about his messy room when he had his friends, especially a girl, over, but to be honest, she didn't know how to interact with Ai. Her red eyes were uncomfortable to make eye contact with, and her cool and silent nature was polar to her loud and flashy style. She wasn't against her, but Ai was definitely not someone she got along with easily.

"How are you so smart? You're busier than us, and you still get good grades." Kinoshita sighed after Saeko had left.

"Well, duh! She's Ai!" Nishinoya shouted, still standing.