Italicized words mean English or notes.
"Okay. All that I am willing to tell you guys about Shiratorizawa, is to look out for Wakatoshi's lefty spike."
Dylan had told the team about her meeting with Ushijima during the morning practice. She didn't mean to let it slip, it just came out, like a lot of what she says to Karasuno comes out of her mouth.
As soon as she let it out that she met with Ushijima, they were on her like meat on bones. They wanted any info they could get on their opponents. She couldn't blame them, when she played she researched her opponents and planned what she could do to combat them.
That is part of why she was the Supreme Setter. She hasn't told anyone that she did that, some may have suspected it, but she never confirmed it.
"Anything else, like you know, weaknesses? Those are really helpful."
Tanaka and Nishinoya were both trying to get more information out of her, they wanted any edge they could get.
"Like I said I only stayed long enough to talk with Wakatoshi, set to him, boast about our team, and run. I didn't even pay attention to their practice!"
Currently, Dylan was in a corner with Tanaka, Hinata, Nishinoya, and Kageyama keeping her from escaping. Out of context, this would look a lot like the beginning of a sexual assault. It was a good thing that Asahi wasn't one of the ones cornering her, that would not help the rumors.
"Come on Dylan, there has to be more information, give us every detail!"
Kageyama decided to join in on the harassing.
It was definitely a bad moment for Keiji to pop up.
"Fine! I talked with their manager about the school in general, then Wakatoshi came in from his run. I hugged him then I started crying, his teammates came in and gave us space. I was focused on making Wakatoshi sorry for not keeping in touch with me, when he suggested that I could set to him, I did! After that I ended up leaving, saying the words, 'Karasuno will beat you and go to nationals, be prepared Wakatoshi!', and ran to Shouyou's house soon after! I didn't even watch their practice, and I don't even think they started practicing until I left!"
Dylan really wanted to get out from the corner she was trapped in.
Meanwhile, Keiji was talking with Suga about what was going on in the little corner.
"What is really happening is that Dylan has some information on strong opponent that she went to junior high with in America, who lives here now. She saw him yesterday, and apparently that counts as recon."
Somehow Dylan created a situation that could be dubbed as 'friendly fire', and slipped out unnoticed. She ran to hide behind the tallest person she could find, which happened to be Keiji.
"Suga, I'm moving back to America if this happens every time I meet up with an old teammate."
Somehow Dylan managed to Koala climb up Keiji, without either of them noticing.
"Ah, I'll try to keep the leash on them tighter."
The bell rang signifying that class would start soon. Dylan only scooted up and adjusted her grip, Keiji still not noticing.
"Hey, Keiji-Senpai, could you walk oven and pick up my bag?"
"Sure, Chibi-Chan."
"Now let's go!"
"Wait."
"What?"
"Where is your lunch?"
"Crap! It's over there, can you go get it?"
Keiji and Dylan left soon after, leaving Daichi, Suga, and Shimizu.
"Has anyone told her about the exams today and tomorrow? And is it in yet?"
Suga looked at Daichi and Shimizu. Daichi paled and Shimizu only smiled.
"Yes it's in, and no, no one has told her about exams nor have we told her about the trip to Tokyo. Though, I have a feeling she will be fine if we tell her about the exams. She is a second year taking third year classes."
"W-we haven't told her her y-yet..."
"It'll be okay Daichi, she might've hear about them from the first years or Keiji, she won't be that unprepared. Anyways, she might be excluded from the exams since she technically doesn't go here."
Shimizu tried to make the situation with Daichi better, but only gave him more reason to worry.
"The first years will make her stupider with their antics..."
Daichi nearly passed out on Suga.
"Wait, it's in?"
Suga and Shimizu chuckled, as Daichi brightened when he realized that Dylan's volleyball club stuff was in. They made sure to get her actual training clothes like theirs, and the managers sweats. God knows she will use the training clothes more than the managers sweats.
"We still have to tell her about the training camp in Tokyo. I'll tell her when she gets her volleyball stuffs..."
Daichi began to walk off, thinking aloud. Suga decided to follow to make sure that Daichi didn't walk into a pole, and to get to class on time.
☆☆☆
Keiji was really embarrassed when he realized that he carried Dylan and her stuff with him to their classroom without him noticing. His reason was, she holding onto him the entire time, and he didn't get to enjoy it.
Dylan didn't understand his embarrassment, whenever she was embarrassed it was usually due to her doing something stupid, not carrying a tiny second year across campus. She didn't think that was embarrassing.
What a surprise it was to know that exams were today, she was told that she didn't have to take them unless she wanted too. And of course she did, really only to see how much she knew and learned from the time that she had stayed here. She liked to see where she would improve.
She took the advanced science, language classes, and, mathematics exams now so she didn't have to take them back at home, and the other subjects like history, she made sure that they were mock exams for her own benefit.
After exams she ate lunch with Keiji and his teammates. All they really talked about was what she thought of Torino, and swimming. They seemed to tease Keiji more today more than they did yesterday, which was a lot.
Soon enough school had ended, and volleyball practice had started when Suga decided it was time to tell her.
"Hey Dylan can we talk with you and Hinata?"
Suga made sure to call over the pair of pen pals.
"Hinata did you tell Dylan about the trip to Tokyo yet? And did you tell her about the exams that were today and tomorrow?"
Hinata paled, shook his head once, and said no.
"Well to explain, we were able to get into the close knit group of schools that hold training camps every so often. Takeda-Sensei managed to convince Coach Nekomata to allow us into the group. Do you want to go? And the exam situation was probably explained to you in class. Did they exclude you from the exams today?"
"They let me take the exams today, but I made sure only a select few made it to my records. And yes, I'm OK with spending a week in Tokyo, if I didn't go I would probably hang out with Wakatoshi."
Dylan was excited to go to Tokyo, even if it wasn't for fun.
"Ah, that's good. And one last thing. Everybody get ready to welcome a new member!"
It's like they practiced this, but they either grabbed their VBC jackets or went to a box.
Shimizu got to the box first and brought it over to me, while everyone else stood near me. Shimizu handed me the open box, and Dylan squealed.
"Welcome!! To the Karasuno High volleyball club!!"
Dylan didn't cry but she nearly did, it's been awhile since she has been on an official team, even if it was only the practice, and manager uniform.
Dylan was speechless and she didn't know what to say as a thank you. She decided to go with action instead of words, and hugged everyone that she could get her arms around.
Even if she was only hugging Tsukishima's waist, she still managed to get a hug out of him.
"T-Thank you guys!"
She started crying right then. That's when all hell broke loose.
☆☆☆
Later that night, Dylan somehow found a way onto the roof of Hinata's house.
To be truthful, she just wanted to be alone to think.
With a blanket wrapped around herself she stared at the stars.
The stars didn't have to worry about what they wanted to do in life. They didn't have to worry about what college they wanted to attend. And they didn't have to worry about being alone forever.
She truly did fear being alone forever. She knew that after high school, many would leave her like so many before.
Like her father.
☆☆☆
Dylan and her father were spending the day at the park together on her sixth birthday.
They were both very happy, her father happier than his own daughter.
Dylan's mother couldn't take the day off of work, so she made it a father daughter day, he had only just gotten a day off of work. His boss didn't like to let their employee's off of work unless it was an emergency. In a rare moment of kindness, his boss let him go during the slowest time of the year so he could take his daughter out for the day.
"Hey Dyl, I'm going to go get some ice-cream, stay here. OK?"
"OK Daddy!"
Dylan's dad didn't come back.
She waited for hours.
Eventually a vendor that had noticed her distress and the amount of time that she had been waiting there and approached her.
"Hey are you alone little girl? Where are your parents?"
"M-Mommy is at work, and D-Daddy went to go and get me ice-cream, but he's been gone a l-long time."
Dylan started crying not long after she finished speaking. The vendor started to panic and hugged the little girl to try to calm her down. She eventually did, but only by promising to find her father, and speaking comforting words.
In the end, Dylan's father was never found, and he was presumed dead.
The vendor became like a second mother to Dylan and eventually introduced her to her nephew, Ushijima Wakatoshi.
Dylan never really recovered from her father abandoning her.
☆☆☆
That morning Dylan seemed to smile and talk more then usual. No one really questioned it, even when she smiled through her exams, she never once frowned.
Dylan couldn't wait to see Keiji and his friends.
As soon as the last exam had finished for the day she bounced over to Keiji's seat.
Keiji laughed at her energy and led her out to the roof, the only small talk going on was about the exams.
When they sat down with the three swim team members, Dylan began to talk about what she was so excited about.
"Guys I'm going to Tokyo over summer break! The volleyball club was invited to a training camp with other prefecture's top schools! I'm so excited! I also got my VBC manager uniform!"
Dylan practically yelled the whole time she spoke. The other four exchanged smiles at Dylan's excitement. It wasn't often that she got this excited, and when she did, she looked and acted cute.
"Training camp? What do you do at a volleyball training camp?"
Dylan immediately stopped and thought about it.
"Actually, now that I think about it. I've never been to a joint training camp. My old team only practiced with itself and occasionally held practice matches with high schoolers."
Dylan sat and tried to think back and remember if her team back in America, actually did anything that was a joint practice.
"Hold on, I'm going to go talk to Shouyou."
"Who's Shouyou?"
Dylan made sure to leave a brick between the door and the door frame, and was off to the classroom, 1-1.
Whispers erupted when the second year student entered the first year classroom. The second year ignored them and looked around for Hinata.
Hinata was never hard to find. Especially with his orange hair.
Dylan dashed over to Hinata as soon as she had spotted him.
"Shouyou! What do we do at joint training camps?"
Hinata was certainly surprised to see Dylan in his classroom but only took a second to register the question.
"Huh? Oh, well, I don't know... My old team barely had enough players to qualify for one tournament. And we were a new team with no connections. Why?"
Hinata sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. Dylan only sighed and at on his desk.
"My old team didn't hold joint practices, at most we pulled high school teams for practice matches. I really wanted to know because I don't like not knowing."
"Your team pulled high schoolers in for practice matches?!"
"Yeah, nobody else in out prefecture was able to provide a challenge for us. So, while I'm here, do you want to practice your english, you need to. I don't want you to fail that exam because I didn't help you."
Dylan glanced around the room while she spoke, and noticed that a lot of the classroom's attention was on her and Hinata.
"Sure! Did you play libero often for your old school?"
"Ahh, not really, I only subbed in as a libero for one tournament."
"Why?"
"The libero for my team got injured a week before our tournament. And since I was the one that taught him, I was elected as the libero for that one tournament, and until he recovered completely."
"You taught the libero!"
"That wasn't english Shouyou, but yes, and I have to go or I'll be late. 3-4 is pretty much across campus. We'll practice your english later Shouyou."
As soon as Dylan was gone Hinata was swarmed by guys.
"Is she your girlfriend Hinata-san?"
"Is she a third year?"
"Why did she call you by your first name?"
"What were you guys talking about in english?"
"Do you have her number, if you do can I get it?"
"How do you know her?"
"Why was she here?"
Hinata's head spun at all of the questions, but answered as many as possible.
"N-No, she's not my girlfriend, she's my friend. She's a second year. We were talking about volleyball in english. I do have her number, but you have to ask her for it, good luck with that. She's my pen pal from America, and she lives with me. And she was here to ask about volleyball."
Most of the guys seem relieved that Hinata wasn't dating her. But some were jealous that she lived with him.
"What is her classroom, was is it 3-4?"
"Can you deliver this note to her?"
After the first round of questions came the bolder and more persistent ones.
"Yeah, it was 3-4, and sure, I'll deliver the note during practice."
After he said yes that he would deliver the note, a few more guys dropped notes onto Hinata's desk.
Throughout the day notes were placed on Hinata's desk to be delivered to Dylan.
Poor Hinata didn't know what kind of wrath he would bring onto himself.
☆☆☆
"Hey Dylan! Some guys in my class wanted me to give you these notes."
Hinata stopped his receiving practice to point to a large pile on the bench. Dylan froze and slowly turned around to see the pile of notes on the bench.
"Dammit. I was only in there for a few minutes at most."
Dylan turned to Hinata.
"Shouyou, you're never going to deliver notes for the guys in your class again. Tell them to deliver it themselves, and don't send a messenger. Now help me move these."
Dylan was fuming. She hated getting notes, It annoyed her to no end when her locked or desk was full because some guy or girl couldn't confess in person. She rejected them nicer in person than she would if they sent a note.
If they confessed in person, she would usually said something like 'I appreciate that you took the time out of your day to confess to me, but I am not looking to date anyone right now.' After that she would normally hug them, smile, and say sorry once more.
It took courage to confess in person. Notes were nice and all, but anybody could give someone a note. If they delivered the note in person she usually found them later on and rejected them politely.
"Help me read these later, I want to see what first years actually say in their notes. Now get back to practice!"
After she told him to get back to practice, she opened one of the letters on top of the pile.
'Hey, Dylan was it?
Could you meet me after school behind the first year building on friday?'
Dylan felt that this one would deserve a proper rejection, they didn't confess in the letter. They wanted to meet her to confess, and not on paper.
Only a few more letters actually went like the first one, all at different times.
One wanted to meet her after her volleyball practice today.
The second wanted to meet up tomorrow before school behind the school.
And the last one was the one that wanted to meet up after school on friday.
Dylan sorted the notes into piles of keep or to throw away. The only ones that were to be kept were the ones that wanted to meet in person, and even those were to be thrown away after she rejected them.
"What're you doing?"
"Putting these notes into piles for keeps or to be thrown away."
"What are those notes? And why are you throwing away most of them?"
"Confessions, the ones being thrown away are the ones that I don't even bother with. And the ones for keeps are the ones that want to confess in person. In fact one wants to meet after practice."
"Really? You received that many notes, and you're throwing away most of them?"
"Yup, if you don't confess in person, I don't reject in person. I think it's cowardly to send notes instead of confessing in person, and I'm not mean when I reject in person."
"How often do you get confessions?"
"Almost daily, I visited Shouyou during lunch and apparently I attracted a lot of attention."
Dylan looked up to see the whole team standing around her. She realized that is wasn't just one person asking the questions, it was the whole team.
"Oh and what do you do during a joint practice? Shouyou didn't know."
The third years all looked at each other and turned to Dylan.
"Well, it's basically lots of practice matches, and a rigorous regime to improve your body. Mentally and physically."
Daichi explained. Dylan thought about it and smiled widely.
"That sounds like fun! I wonder how rigorous the regime is! I need to improve my vertical jumps, do you think that will help? Man, I've gotten so lazy."
Dylan was excited, she hasn't had a regime in awhile. She's been slacking, and she needs to catch back up again.
The rest of the team had seen her exercise, and they were internally cringing at what she considered 'rigorous'.
"Well, I've got to go see who wanted to meet up with me to confess, bye guys!"
She grabbed her bag on the way out to the back of the school.
It was empty when she got there and decided to wait for five minutes and then leave. If they didn't show up, she would leave and throw away the note.
"Hey, Dylan right?"
Dylan turned around to see a average sized boy with short spiky brown hair with brown eyes. To say in the least he was cute, but not her type, if she even had one.
"Yep, that's me."
"I didn't really come here to confess to you, I came to ask you if we could be friends?"
Dylan almost said that they could be friends.
"Why do you want to be my friend?"
Dylan was skeptical. He could be trying to do a number of things.
"You seem like an interesting person, and even if I did confess to you, you would probably reject me."
"So you aren't trying to ask me out? You're only trying to be my friend?"
Dylan wanted a confirmation, and she was observing him, to make sure that he wasn't lying.
"No I'm not trying to ask you out, and I really do want to be your friend."
"Hm. You pass. Sure, I'll be your friend. Can I get your name, class, and year?"
Dylan didn't see anything wrong with him, and his intentions seemed pure.
"I'm Amachi Ryou, second year class five."
"Woah, you're a second year! Wait, what is your club?"
Dylan eyed him up and down, this was very important.
"Uh, basketball?"
"What is your position?"
"Shooting guard? Vice-captain?"
"Hmm."
"What?"
"I don't like basketball all that much, but I like you so I guess I'll give it another try. And it's not all that surprising that you're the vice-captain, you'll probably be captain next year."
"What! You didn't like basketball all that much?"
"I played various sports back in middle school, basketball being one of them. Everyone mocked me for my height, and I wasn't exactly a great player. But now I would probably crush the game. It's decided, I'll try it again later. Can I call you Ryou-kun?"
"U-Uh sure! And how many sports did you play?"
"Um, all of them?"
"What?!"
"Well I've got to go now! Bye Ryou-kun!"
"Bye!"