CHAPTER THREE: QUESTIONS
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"One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team."
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"Gather around."
Rin sat "indian"-style on the bench, watching as her grandfather spoke with the team. She had formally met everyone at the beginning of practice a couple of days ago. The 3rd years didn't seem to care much about anything but one did show a particular interest in her that made her slightly uncomfortable. Yamada Saruhiko was about Kuroo's height, with messy brown hair and ears that stuck out beyond belief - only adding to the humor in his name. When she shook his hand he held onto it a couple second longer than the others had, and he watched her closer than even Kenma did. He often came to her fist when he wanted water, and stood close to her when the team took a break. Needless to say, she wasn't exactly excited that someone she would see regularly made her uncomfortable with just his stare.
Though, a part of Rin thought she was just overreacting, considering meeting new people wasn't exactly her forte.
Speaking of people, no one was bothering her during class - well, no one besides the tall Volleyball Captain. Rin was glad, that no females or males approached her after the first day, and she's officially been at Nekoma for 4 days now. She had arrived to class early every day, and when she arrived at school she couldn't say she was too surprised with Kuroo leaning against her desk, usually flipping through his phone. He had pestered her for her phone number on her second day, she gave up fairly quickly - apparently Kuroo repeating "Rin-chan" over and over for at least 10 minutes was more than she could take.
After talking to Kenma the first night, they had agreed to take walks with each other regularly. And Rin found herself actually talking to him, she had to admit - Kenma was a good listener. Rin mentioned Volleyball very little, and the first year was good not to push the subject. She learned that him and Kuroo were childhood friends and that Kuroo was the reason that Kenma even played. When Kenma asked if Rin had any childhood friends she shrugged, telling the younger boy that her brother was the only friend she ever sought out as a child. Though, now that she thought about it, the only other person she still considered a friend was her brothers best friend - who goes Daisuke's rival college.
Rin slumped her shoulders in boredom as she heard Yasufumi continue to congratulate the teams progress, telling them to continue to their good work. It was really nothing Rin was interested in, at least, not up until she heard her name.
"Rin will be working with a few of you separately," Her grandfather explained, sending a closed eyed smile towards the younger Nekomata. Rin scowled in his direction, crossing her arms over her chest - but she made no objection, "Kuroo Tetsurou, Kozume Kenma, Yaku Morisuke and Yamamoto Taketora will start training separately tomorrow."
Rin sighed, happy that Saurhiko's name wasn't thrown in there. But just as she thought that, the boys voice met her ears.
"Why are they getting special training?"
Rin glanced over towards the group. From what she's seen, the rest of the team seemed to steer clear of Saurhiko - he was a good player. Not exceptional, but he was a good Wing Spiker. But he tended to snap fairly quickly at the others, often times spitting words of discouragement towards his own teammates.
"I believe Rin can help bring out their full potential," her grandfather explained aloofly, "They're second and first years, so I'll be seeing them next year - unlike you third years. Rin's knowledge on Volleyball exceeds what some managers may know, I believe she can help them."
Rin turned away, hiding her face behind her short hair. She turned her phone in her hand and began to play with the small wolf charm - ignoring everything her grandfather began to say after that little announcement. She wasn't mad that she was, once again, being forced to do something. She had told her grandfather that she would try to get use to being on the sidelines. And she told Kenma that she would try to help Nekoma reach the top once more, she told them she would help him enjoy Volleyball as much as she could.
It wasn't all for them though, she had her selfish reasons to want to be there as well.
Rin missed the feel of being on the court, she missed everything about the sport and even though she couldn't play she was trying to learn to be happy just being there. So, for her own selfish reasons, she didn't push away.
Rin looked up to see the team begin to clean the gym, she sighed and stood - going to help the boys. She tossed a few of the Volleyballs into the large rolling cart and pushed it around so the others didn't have to walk across the gym, she sighed when someone stepped in front of it and stopped her from moving any further.
"So, do you play Volleyball?"
Rin rubbed the back of her neck, looking away from Saruhiko, "No."
"Then how come you're gonna be their ... tutor?"
Rin left her hand at her neck and avoided eye contact, he was definitely pushy. Not even Kuroo had asked about her past with Volleyball, and in her short days of knowing him he was one to talk - a lot.
"Uhm, excuse me?"
Rin turned her head back around to see Kenma shyly looking at her from behind Saruhiko.
The 3rd year didn't look happy and he set his hands on his hips, looking down at the first year as if he committed a crime, "Oi, can't you see we're talking - ?"
"It's fine," Rin rushed out, her voice raising a little as her temper began to rise. Sure, she was awkward when it came to people but that didn't change the fact that her temper was still as short as ever. It was a trait her and her brother shared and suffered to control. While Daisuke was outgoing and Rin was a bit more of an introvert, the two shared the same passionate anger when they became too involved in anything. Daisuke cried in frustration when he would lose a game and tended to take his anger out on a punching bag her dad had bought when they were kids, while Rin was one to voice her anger, letting her words cut like daggers if she wasn't careful. Over the years the two of them learned to control it, obviously. But there were times when they would snap.
"What is it you needed, Kenma?" Rin asked, moving her eyes from a displeased Saurhiko and over towards the shuffling first year.
"Do you think you could help me empty the water bottles?"
Rin nodded and pushed the cart forward towards Saurhiko, pushing it into his grasp, "Take this for me, will you?"
The 3rd year grunted and Rin walked away with Kenma at her side, her cheeks slightly flushed from her anger. After the two were a safe distance away the female sighed and slumped her shoulders, a frown placing itself on her lips, "Thank you."
"Don't thank me," Kenma muttered, the two walking outside with the bundle of water bottles. Rin blinked when she stepped outside, her eyes landing on Kuroo as he emptied one of the bottles into his mouth.
She sighed.
"I hope you explode drinking all that water."
Kuroo grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "After sending Kenma to go save you, that's the thanks I get?"
Rin slumped her shoulders and puffed her cheeks out childishly. She turned her head away and grumbled out a 'thank you'.
Kuroo grinned in her direction before pulling the basket of water bottles from her grasp and dumping them, Rin and Kenma were quick to assist.
"How did you know?"
Kuroo turned his head, Rin was staring at the water bottle in her hands, twisting the cap back onto the now empty cup.
He hummed, lifting his hand and pointing to his neck, "You do this thing where you rub your neck when you're nervous."
Rin looked up, and her hand immediately flinched up but she stopped it, "I do?"
"Kenma noticed it," Kuroo chuckled, "He mentioned it and I noticed it too after a bit - see!"
Rin pulled her hand away from her neck immediately huffed.
"It's cute," Kuroo chuckled, standing and grabbing the bottles.
Rin huffed childishly once more.
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- NEXT DAY -
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"Rin-hime, are you going to tell us how you know so much about Volleyball?"
They were in the separate gym, away from the 3rd years and a few 2nd years. Her grandfather was beside himself the whole day and all last night, pissing himself with excitement that Rin hadn't declined the offer to help out a few of the other players. He had gone as far as calling her brother, to which her brother then Skype called her with tears of excitement in his eyes. Honestly, she was a little irked with the two of them at the moment.
But she was going to take this seriously, after all, she was a Nekomata.
Today she had decided to bring a pair of black running shorts, underneath the shorts she wore black athletic pants that ended just below her knee. She had on a white t-shirt with a cute cartoon of a bear and wolf on the front and, for once since coming to practice, she wore Volleyball shoes instead of Basketball shoes.
"I use to play," Rin answered, rubbing the back of her neck as she turned away. She made and soft 'oomf' sound when something landed on both of her shoulders roughly, she turned her head to the right seeing Kuroo there - looking nonchalant about his arm being draped over her shoulders.
She frowned and expected him to make another comment, pestering her about why she lied to him about playing Volleyball and why she no longer plays. But no such comment came, instead he looked at the other players with a bored expression plastered on his face, "Are we going to talk about Rin all day or are we going to practice?"
She wanted to thank him, really, for not asking anything like most people would - or did. But it also bothered her, for someone who talked as much as he did - why didn't he ask questions?
"A-Ah," Rin agreed, her brows furrowing as she shook his arm off of her. He grinned, sending her a wink as he walked towards the Volleyball net. Rin turned her attention to Kenma, "Can you toss the ball?"
The first year nodded and went to go retrieve a ball, allowing Rin to turn her attention to the others, "Kur -"
"Oi when are you going to call me by my first name," Kuroo groaned, throwing his head back, "I've told you already!"
Rin scowled at him, "Tetsurou. Will you please spike the ball as hard as you can? Taketora, I want you to block his shots, Morisuke, I want you to stop any missed balls from touching the ground."
"But Kuroo is the middle blocker," Taketora tilted his head, pointing between himself and Kuroo, "And I'm a wing spiker."
Rin shrugged her shoulders, the sentence slipping past her lips before she even really thought about it, "I was technically a middle blocker when I played, but when needed I could be subbed in as a wing spiker. I could be both positions, and that helped with my team."
"Rin-hime so cool," Taketora cried, bringing his fists up close to his face as stars practically danced in his eyes, "Our manager is so cool!"
Rin scowled, "Taketora if you keep this up I'll have Jii-chan replace you and someone else will come and take your place."
"S-Sorry!"
Rin rubbed her temples, aggravated at herself for letting herself slip up and talk about Volleyball, "The point is, the more versatile you are, the better you'll work together. You won't become reliant on one person."
"I never thought about it that way," Taketora tilted his head before jumping into the air, rushing towards the net, "Let's do this!"
Rin slumped her shoulders and let out a small sigh, she heard a light laugh to her right and she turned towards Kenma with a frown, "Don't laugh."
Kenma offered her a small smile, shifting the Volleyball in his hands, "That's the most I've ever heard you talk about your past with Volleyball."
Rin let out a small squeak of embarrassment and turned, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand and pointing towards the court with the other, "Just go toss the ball to Ku - Tetsurou."
Getting over her initial embarrassment, Rin watched with her arms crossed over her chest as the boys did as she asked. She watched silently, not saying a single thing. Not even when she noticed Taketora make a mistake or even Morisuke miss a ball. All she did was watch, only telling them to repeat what they did without correcting any of their actions. Her eyes scanned over them and she brought a hand to her face - lightly tapping her index finger against her bottle lip. It went on like this for about twenty minutes, her watching and the others just repeating whatever they did.
Her eyes followed Kuroo for a moment, traveling up and down as she took in his form. He impressed her, he wasn't a power player but a smart player. She always hated those players, they caused the most trouble for her back when she was in Okamiyasha.
Rin brows knitted together as an idea slipped into her mind.
"Okay," Rin slapped her hands together, "You can stop now."
A light sweat had collected on each of the boys foreheads and Rin pointed to the water at her side, silently telling them to get a drink. As they walked over Rin began to speak, grabbing a lone Volleyball on the floor and twirling it in her hands, "You're not very good independently, I can tell you that much."
"Oi, can't you say it a little nicer?" Kuroo groaned, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.
Rin shrugged, taking a seat on the bench in between Morisuke and Kenma. The other two players stood in front of her, but Rin kept her eyes locked on the Captain as she spoke, "That was me saying it nicely, you'll do well when you work together but you can do better once you've strengthened up some individual talents. For example, when Taketora blocks he doesn't do it the way you do. The right way."
Rin set the Volleyball on her lap and lifted her hands into the air, curving them as you would when blocking a spike. Her eyes traveled over to Taketora who was looking at her with wide eyes and a faint blush, his mouth set in an 'o', "The point is to not just block them from spiking down, it's to stop the ball from even going over the net and -"
"Ah! Our manager is so cool!" Taketora interrupted, throwing his hands into the air with excitement, both Kuroo and Rin twitched.
"Yamamoto!"
"Taketora!"
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Rin sighed and leaned against the wall of the gym as she waited. Her grandfather was in the office and said he would be in there for at least twenty minutes, but she wasn't really in the mood to twirl around in an office chair while he walked to other coaches - mostly likely about meeting up for sake and whatever else old men like him did. Rin opted for staying outside and "enjoying the evening breeze" - as she had put it.
"Figured you would have been home by now."
Rin tilted her head towards the voice, shrugging her shoulders lightly, "Jii-chan is on the phone, I'm waiting for him to finish up."
Kuroo walked over, leaning beside her against the wall. He wasn't close enough for their arms to brush, but he was close enough for her to feel heat radiating off of his body. She tilted her head up slightly to look at him for a moment, her question passed through her lips before she even thought about it.
Really, that was such a bad habit of hers.
"Why don't you ever ask about me playing Volleyball? Taketora and Saruhiko do, but you haven't."
Kuroo looked down at Rin, her brows were scrunched up in confusion and her eyes were glazed with curiosity. Even in the fading light, her eyes still shined a bright gold color.
Her hand subconsciously reached up to rub her neck and she looked away when he didn't answer, a small frown on her lips.
"I figured," Kuroo spoke up after a minute of silence, causing Rin to look back at the black haired teen. His voice was calm, but held a serious undertone she wasn't exactly use to when it came to him, "That if you had to lie about it, it wasn't something you liked to talk about. I'm not going to push you out of my own curiosity."
Rin's cheeks tinted pink and she turned her head away to hide the blush, not expecting that answer, "Oh. I - uh - "
"Hoh~," Kuroo bent over slightly, attempting to get a better look at Rin's face. A teasing smile pulling at his lips once he noticed her cheeks were tinted pink, "Did I embarrass you?"
"Shut up!" Rin huffed, puffing out her cheeks, "It's just - It's just everyone always just asks."
"Well," Kuroo shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not everyone. I'm your friend, right, Rin-chan?"
Rin crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks still flushed pink.
"Anyway," Kuroo sighed, shooting Rin a smile as he pushed himself away from the wall, "I figured you'd tell me whenever you're comfortable. I'll see you tomorrow, though, Rin-chan! We have to plan what we're doing over the weekend!"
Rin blinked, still focused on the first sentence he had said. It wasn't very often that people took her emotions into account. When she mentioned she previously played but no longer did, people seemed to ask "why" before it even registered to them that it might be uncomfortable for her to answer. It was human nature to want to know why. She just wished some people would realize that if she wanted to tell them, she would. Honestly, the first sentence Kuroo said meant more to her than he probably realized.
But after a couple long seconds of thinking, the rest of the sentence seemed to register in her mind.
"O-Oi! What do you mean what we're doing over the weekend?!"
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[DISCLAIMER: I do not own Haikyuu! or any recognizable characters. The only characters I take claim over are Rin, Daisuke, and some students that I'm going to conjure.]
{AUTHORS CORNER: I started rewatching the KarasunoxNekoma match and I have a lot of feelings about the Tokyo Summer Training Arc in the manga and I just have a lot of Haikyuu! feelings right now. tbh I'm super duper excited about writing my own Toyko summer training Arc solely because of Bokuto because I can't wait for Rin and Bokuto to meet because BOKUTO. IT'S 3:30 AM I'M SORRY IF THERE'S TYPO'S PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL FIX 'EM.}