She walked up to where Hinata and Kageyama were getting the ball cart ready for some extra spike practice that night. They didn't have time to stop and lament their loss forever, not when everyone else was getting even stronger. "Tobio, could I ask you for a favor?"
Both of them looked up from their work.
"Yes?" he responded, a little confused as to what she could possibly want from him.
Sliding a smile to Hinata, Ai continued. "Do you still happen to have Yūtarō's number?"
"Huh?" the two of them wondered out loud.
"Kageyama, who's Yūtarō?" Hinata asked.
He looked down at his partner. "Beats me."
Ai smirked. "Does Kindaichi Yūtarō ring a bell?"
"Oh. Yeah, it does," he said, finally getting it. "His first name's Yūtarō?" Kageyama mumbled to himself.
"The Turnip-Head? But, why do you need his number, Ai-senpai?"
His and Kageyama's moods began to fall as they remembered their last match with Seijoh only a few days ago. The crushing defeat was still bitterly fresh in both their minds: Kageyama with his relationship as former teammates, and Hinata as one of the blockers who had stopped his last spike.
Ai gave a small smile and stepped forward to wrap the orange-haired middle blocker in a hug. "It's his birthday today. Sometimes, simple words are priceless gifts, Shōyō. But, don't despair. We'll celebrate your birthday with a big party," she assured. She rubbed his lean back as the younger one reddened at her touch.
"A-a-a party?!" he stuttered, mostly out of embarrassment from her embrace.
She let him go and reached up, almost on her toes, to place a hand on Kageyama's cheek. "You'll also have a grand celebration, Tobio. I promise."
His cheeks reddened, and he stood up rigidly straight. "Y-yes, ma'am!"
"So," she rubbed her thumb across his cheekbone. "Will you give me his number?"
Kageyama hurriedly ran to get his phone from beside his water bottle and towel.
"Thank you," she smiled, giving it back to the setter after copying the contact information. "You will be done by eight o'clock. I'll be back to check on you," she warned and left the gymnasium.
Without her, they wouldn't know when to stop and would most likely overwork themselves without thinking.
.
Ai: Hello, Yūtarō. This is Akatsuki Ai, from Karasuno. I asked Tobio for your number; I hope you don't mind. Happy birthday.
.
"Crap," Kageyama cursed when the caged clock on the wall caught his eye. "It's already eight."
"Huh?" Hinata followed his gaze at the time. "Oh, no! We only have one minute! Ai-senpai's gonna get mad! Hurry up, Kageyama!"
"I am, moron!"
Shoes squeaked against the floor as they hurried to clean up the net before their manager saw them.
Ai stepped into the gymnasium as the two struggled to take the net down.
"A-Ai-senpai! We're sorry! We'll clean up now!" Hinata stuttered as he tried to explain himself.
She only smiled and stepped inside the gymnasium to offer some help. "I know you two better than you think. Shōyō, would you get a mop from the storage room?"
———
Near Seijoh Private High
"Huh?" Kindaichi pulled out his phone at a message from an unknown number.
"What?" Kunimi asked, walking home along the residential area beside him.
"An unknown number." He poked at the device to open the message. "What?!"
Kunimi glanced over at his baffled friend and read the message. "Damn. Kageyama got a good manager."
Kindaichi blushed, remembering how pretty their manager was. "Y-yeah."
***
Reference:
Unfortunately, I don't know when Season 2 starts. By that, I mean I know that Season 1 ends on Monday, June 4th, (because Interhigh starts on Saturday, June 2nd.)
So, we have to assume that it starts on June 5th or later, with Wednesday, June 6th being Kindaichi's birthday.
***
Were Kindaichi, Kunimi, and Kageyama ever in the same class in middle school (at Kitagawa Daiichi)?
What about Oikawa and Iwaizumi?
Total Word Count: 663