THE TEAM ARRIVED AT THE PLACE OF THE FORMER COACH UKAI. They then did their pre-game warm ups and stretching. The area was an open field with a volleyball net on the center. Its dimensions the same as the one they had at their school's indoor gym.
"Guys, huddle in. I have something to say." Keishin began to instruct his players. All of them then followed his instruction and gathered before their coach.
"As you've noticed, Takeda-sensei is not with us today."
"Yeah, we've been wondering about that, coach." The Karasuno captain told him on behalf of the team.
"Unfortunately, he couldn't come in this training camp, because he was chosen as the school's representative for a faculty conference." Coach Ukai explained. The members then nodded in understanding.
"But don't you worry. He's still looking forward in your progress while all of you are here."
Ikkei then stood near his grandson. "But before that, Gramps." Keishin gestured to the older Ukai. "Would like to see you in your gameplay. So the team would be divided into two groups for a practice match."
The bleached haired coach began to grin afterwards, which unnerved some of the players. That was a beckoning that he was up to something mischievous.
"The losing team would be making dinner and be tasked to wash the dishes for tonight."
Nao was listening to music from her speakers while flipping another page on her book. She was near the most anticipating part when she heard someone slid the door open. She then sighed.
"Onee-chan~!" Nao turned around and saw her little brother walking towards her. He then dove in the futon she was sitting on.
"What do you want?" Nao asked.
"Nothing~." Ren immediately answered in a teasing tone. He was giving her a toothy smile.
"Then why are you here?" She crossed her arms, not believing him. "I know that smile. You should spit it out before I make you."
"Sheesh—alright, alright." Ren swung his hands up, conceding. He then looked at his sister's serious features to which he snorted a laugh, clutching his stomach. She was now really annoyed.
"Hey—oba—!"
"Okay, okay—I'll say it now, nee-chan!" Ren sat from the futon. He did not want to hear an earful again from his grandmother.
"I've heard everything—so who is this Hinata?"
Nao then blushed from the mention of the decoy's name, recalling what happened earlier.
"So you're eavesdropping, eh?" Nao pinched his ear. "Wait 'til oba-san hears about this."
Ren was then flinging his arms. "Aww—aw—stop that nee-chan!" He was giving her his famous puppy dog eyes. "I promise I won't say anything else!"
"Okay." Nao began to let him go. The youngest Fuji then caressed his ear. "I'll stop because you're trying to act cute—which doesn't work anymore."
Ren then stuck out his tongue. "You think I'm not cute anymore because you already found someone else. But he's not even that cute! He's only short!" The little boy muttered, arms crossed in defiance.
"You're not any taller, Ren."
"That's 'cause I'm still growing!"
"Oh really?" Nao said in a sarcastic manner, provoking him.
"Yeah! I'll bet that I'll be taller than that glasses guy I saw!" He puffed out his cheeks in chagrin.
Nao then laughed in amusement. Her brother sneered in indignation at first, but he slowly cracked up, proceeding to laugh with her.
When the laughter slowed down, she then put her arms around his small frame.
"You know you'll always be cute in my eyes." Nao told him, pinching his cheeks. "Ren-kun."
"Well you should be." Ren muttered, giving her a big smile. Nao then chuckled at his haughty remark. The two siblings became silent after, listening to the music played in the background.
"Nee-chan."
Ren called for her older sister. Nao then looked at him expectantly. "What is it, Ren-kun?"
The little boy gazed to the open veranda in her room, at the small garden.
"You should choose someone who really knows you well. Someone who is patient enough to learn everything about you."
Nao then smiled, moved by her brother's words. "Thank you." She started to ruffle his hair. "But where did you get such a thing, huh? Are you not my baby brother anymore? My, how fast you've grown!"
"Nee-chan! I'm being serious here!" Ren told her.
"Alright, I'm listening." Nao was then silent, however she was still stifling a laugh, finding him adorable while he puffed his cheeks in annoyance.
"So you better choose wisely!" Ren proceeded to point at her, then standing up from the futon. He began to walk out from her room.
The girl then smiled. Repeating his words.
Choose wisely.
She was inside the kitchen to get something to eat. Finally picking up a piece of mochi in one of the packaged treats in the fridge. Closing it, she then saw her grandma who was busy putting something inside a basket. Nao walked past her to go back to her room.
"Nao-chan."
Nao then stopped on her tracks, turning around to her. She then raised her eyebrows in question, mouth full of mochi.
"Can you deliver this to Ikkei, dear?"
She approached her grandma who was sitting beside the counter.
"What is this, obaasan?"
The latter then reached for the basket that she was handing.
"It's for the Karasuno team. They're the surplus muffins that you had baked yesterday. I reheated them. We might as well give it to the team because we couldn't eat them all." The Fuji matron covered the muffins with a picnic cloth. "I'm sure they're now famished."
Nao then widened her eyes in astonishment. "But I'm not that confident about the muffins that I had made. I don't think—"
"Nonsense, dear!" Her grandmother interrupted her. "They will like them. It's you we're talking about. I, for one, know that you have inherited my skills in baking. So don't you worry about that!"
Nao then nodded, albeit quite hesitant.
"I was supposed to ask Ren to deliver this instead, but he already went out with his friends to play."
The older woman finished fixing the cover of the basket. She proceeded to tap her shoulders.
"You should deliver them now while they are still warm."
Nao then smiled. "Alright, I'll be going then."
The girl began to walk to where the volleyball members were practicing. Nao hoped that she would not stay there long. She just wanted to drop this off quickly and then return to their house as soon as possible.
A little to no interaction was what she wished for.
But that was not the case for her when it came to the Karasuno team. The universe would still find a way for their paths to cross—no matter what she was trying to do.
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