It was just after ten o'clock when both Mirae and Emiko were called down to Takeda Sensei's office. They shared a questioning look as they waited. After ten minutes, the secretary ushered them forward.
Takeda Sensei glanced up from the pile of papers on his desk and smiled at the two girls. He waved them over to the conference room and then shut the door.
"How are you?"
"Well you did just pull me out of a torturous lesson on water molecules, so I'm amazing." Emiko stretched her arms out, feeling new energy fill her body. "Oh, I can still feel Akira glaring at the back of my head though. Just breathing the same air as that demon takes a toll on me."
"Right," he said after a pause. "I was going to wait until after practice to tell you, but I am so excited I cannot wait. Mirae, Emiko, you have been chosen as two of the lucky few to partake in the Japanese Sports' Association's newest program; the Manager Convention."
After a breath of silence, Emiko whistled. "Sounds important."
"It is," Mirae nodded. "I heard they were setting up a leadership program for high school students."
"That's right. It is a new initiative to encourage young people to become leaders in management. The Japanese Sports Association had representatives at many tournaments and games throughout these few months who were watching the players as well as their team managers."
Emiko jumped on the chair and screamed, "Mr. Watanabe!"
"Shut-up," Mirae tugged her back down. "I'm sorry Takeda Sensei, please continue."
"You two caught their eyes and they've extended an invitation."
Emiko squealed. "What'd we win? Money? Food? Money for food?"
"That's not quite how this works," he blushed, "the program runs for about two weeks. You will be placed in other schools where you will assist as sports managers to the coaches and learn new leadership qualities. At the end of the program, you'll be evaluated by them."
"It would be beneficial for University applications and job offers, wouldn't it?"
Takeda nodded. "The connections you make today will absolutely help your careers in a few years. I highly encourage you to consider it."
"I'll go," Mirae smiled at Emiko.
"I don't want to go to university," she frowned and inched away from the desk littered with papers. "So, um, go ahead and shred mine in your fancy paper shredder."
"I'll prepare your forms," Takeda said slowly. "I'm glad you're partaking Mirae. Emiko, please take some time to consider it. Let me know by the end of the day."
The girls bowed in thanks and left the teacher's office. They leisurely walked down the halls and Mirae turned to Emiko.
"You should accept the offer."
"Why? I'm not going to University after high school and I don't want to do anything sports-related in the future either. It'd be a waste of time."
"You don't know that," Mirae rolled her eyes. "It'll be a fun experience, come on! Plus, we'll get to meet other teams from schools that we'd potentially face against at nationals. It'd be a great chance to spy on them."
Emiko backed away slowly. "No one thinks this because your quiet and pretty, but you're terrifying."
"Thank you," she grinned. "I'm going to accept it, you should too. If not for anything else, do it because it'll be fun!"
Fun. Emiko could think of a lot of things that were fun but going to an unknown school to be a manager was not one of them. Sure, she was a manager for Karasuno but she had Mirae and Yachi helping her. And if she was being evaluated by the National Japanese Association, then that meant she would have to be professional.
Emiko knew a lot of high school athletes and all of them were idiots who required her sass and comebacks. Professionalism was out of the question. Mirae would make a great candidate for the program. She did not think the same for herself.
"Wait for a second," Mirae pulled on the back of her collar. "You have to go back; you don't have a free period."
She frowned. "Just ten more minutes, please?"
A glare sent her scurrying down the halls and towards her class.
She dropped in her seat and picked up her pen to continue with the worksheet on her desk. Her mind began to wander. Mirae was her friend and if she thought that Emiko would have fun and be good at this Manager Convention, then maybe she was right.
Friends want what is best for each other.
With that thought in her mind, she ignored Akira's glare and notified Hinata that his last answer was wrong.
Evening practise had just ended when Takeda Sensei came running in. Coach Ukai blew the whistle and ushered the team forward.
"We have some very exciting news!" he beamed. "Kageyama has been invited once again to the All Japan Youth Training Camp!"
The team cheered, clapping him on the back and singing words of praise.
"What's the big deal?" Emiko scoffed, "He's not even that good."
From where he was sitting, Kageyama leaned back and smacked her head. She almost face planted.
"Emiko, behave," Ukai growled.
"I am not a dog, Uncle Keishin. Why don't you try this attitude on your pathetic volleyball boys?" Her face paled as she turned to her right side. "Not you 'Tome, you are an angel and I love you. But the rest of you can run up a hill in freezing weather wearing shorts."
"Wouldn't you like to see that?" Tanaka grinned.
Nishinoya decided that would be the best moment to strip himself of his shirt.
"Ew, ew, ew, my eyes," she groaned.
Before she could make another retort, a volleyball came flying and bonked her over the head. She screamed dramatically and fell into Hinata.
Mirae narrowed her eyes and asked Kageyama to throw the volleyball back. "If she talks again, I'm spiking it."
Takeda Sensei blinked. "Right. Well, anyway, in other news-" he cleared his throat, "-Shiratorizawa is hosting its second training camp for the first years. Shoji and Takita have been invited."
More whoops and hollers followed with the upperclassmen commending them for their talents and efforts mainly in the finals against Aoba Johsai. With the attention shifted onto them, both boys blushed.
"You've got a purpose, you damn noodle," Shoji grinned and put him in a headlock. He used his fist to rub over Takita's head.
"Leave me alone!"
"You damn noodle!"
"Hey- stop! I'll choke you, I swear!"
Ennoshita peeled them off each other.
Takeda Sensei took that as his cue to continue with the news, but he should have known by now what type of team Karasuno was. There was rarely a second of silence. You had to scream over voices for attention.
"I am offended-" Emiko dodged the volleyball as she crawled over Hinata's lap and nudged herself between him and Kageyama. "How come 'Tome didn't get an invite?"
"Oh, well, he hasn't played in any official games yet."
Emiko blinked and then directed her glare at her Uncle. "And whose fault is that I wonder?"
"We have a perfectly capable Libero."
"No offence," she smiled at Noya, "but 'Tome deserves more love. He deserves more recognition."
"He gets all the love and recognition," Takita rolled his eyes. He had scampered over to where Mirae was standing and had his hand out for a snack. She was rummaging through her bag, a panicked expression on her face.
"Yeah, everyone in our grade loves 'Tome."
"Literally everyone."
"As they should," she retorted. "I would sacrifice all of you if even a single tear dropped from his eye."
Takita gasped. Shoji rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry Miss. Manager Emiko," 'Tome smiled, "I don't mind. Besides, if Kageyama is going to his training camp then I can practice my setting with the rest of the team."
Emiko threw herself at Kageyama and sobbed into his shoulder. "We do not deserve him! We do not! Learn a thing or two, Tobio," she sat up and smacked him.
He elbowed her side.
As Emiko fell into Hinata, she cried out and wondered why bones were so sharp.
"Yes, now back to me please." Takeda Sensei began to dance for some reason or another, but it was enough to draw the attention back. "Kageyama's training camp and the first year's training camp are happening in the same week. Oh wait!" he slapped a hand over his forehead. "The Manager Convention- Emiko, did you think it over?"
Heads whipped in her direction. She looked around and wondered if it was smart to bring this up when all the members of the Protect the Managers squad were present.
"Mhm," her throat ran dry. She looked up at Mirae. "Can we tell them?"
"Where are those damn crackers I know I packed them-" Mirae looked up. "Sorry, what?"
"Can we," she winked exaggeratedly and raised her palms, "you know?"
"I'm sorry I don't speak gorilla. Words Emiko. We've talked about this."
"Does this sound like Gorilla?" she shrieked, "I'm trying to save my butt here. I can't run as fast as you can when they inevitably decide to pounce and attack me."
Takita tugged at Mirae's bag. "Snack."
"One second."
"Mirae I'm talking to you!"
She gasped and dropped the bag. Takita frowned. Mirae looked up and glared. "You ate them, didn't you?"
"Inconsiderate," Kageyama tsked.
"Shut up! There are more serious things happening than a bag of cheap crackers!"
"Those were not cheap!" Takita cried as he rolled onto the ground. "Those were the expensive kind Mirae buys for when I get ten gold stars on my training log! Emiko you're such a-" he buried his face into the floor, his cries were muffled.
Shoji poked his head. "Dude, the floor's dirty get up."
He answered unintelligibly.
Emiko threw her head back. "I can't think straight! Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up!"
Kageyama was holding the volleyball and he decided to bounce it off the top of her head. Emiko felt the light tap and looked up. She narrowed her eyes at him. He smirked in reply.
"Fine. To hell with the consequences. Mirae and I are leaving Karasuno to be managers for another team. Goodbye." She buried her head in her lap.
The room went quiet. It was sudden news for sure, nothing the boys were expecting. Then, all hell broke loose.
Nishinoya sprang to his feet. He jumped onto Mirae's back, locking his arms around her shoulders to restrain her. "Our Goddess, our rules," he proclaimed, "Mirae stays."
Takita crawled a couple of inches and grabbed her ankles. "You provide me with snacks you can't leave."
She was beginning to lose balance as she tried to avoid stepping on their sulking first year while carrying Noya's weight. Ennoshita and Narita ran up. They begged and pleaded, trying to pry the two off her.
Emiko was in no better position. Shoji had her in a headlock and Tanaka was trying to restrain her flailing legs. He had grabbed the one, but she was putting up a fight and determined to kick him at least twice before he succeeded.
"Don't just watch, Uncle Keishin!" she screamed, "I'm going to die!"
"That's nice Emiko."
"You won't die, Little Ukai," Hinata grinned. He stood farther away from the chaos and was playing with the volleyball that was aimed at Emiko's head.
Yaotome glanced up at Takeda and Ukai. "They're not taking Miss. Manager Yachi, are they?"
"No."
"Good." Both he and Tadashi relaxed visibly.
Tsukishima was snickering. Kageyama watched in amusement. The entire gym was filled with cries of help. The adults did not know what to do without making the situation worse. Still, they both knew it was going to come down to this. There was no way Karasuno's volleyball team would willingly hand over their precious managers.
As Narita finally yanked Noya off Mirae's back, she lost her footing as she tried to avoid Takita's hands. She tripped and face planted.
"No!" Shoji growled. He released Emiko, who was finally able to breathe again, and scampered over.
"You killed her!" Emiko gasped. "You wanted to kill me but failed so you decided to kill her!"
"Did not!" Takita defended. He had newfound strength and sprinted across the gymnasium to hide behind Kinnoshita.
"I'm fine," Mirae winced. She sat up, clutching her nose. "I think."
"Don't think, you're hurt so you'll lose brain cells."
"That's not how that works," she rolled her eyes.
"Let me see?" Tsukishima knelt in front of her. Soft fingers held her chin as he tipped her head back. Besides the angry bruise, there was no blood. "You're fine. It would be best if you lie down though. Here," he sat down criss-cross and patted his thigh.
The third years watched with surprised looks. Nishinoya elbowed Tanaka and reminded him of their conversation at the Fukurodani training camps. Then, he reminded Tanaka that he now owed him a hundred yen.
"Get over here, you damn noodle!"
"No thanks."
"You injured her- You have to pay!"
"Hell no," Takita scoffed. He pointed at Emiko who was cradling an icepack. "You bruised my manager. I bruised yours. We're fair."
"I didn't do it on purpose!"
"Neither did I."
"Guys, guys," Yaotome intervened. He put a hand on both their arms. "Let's all be friends."
They blinked.
"I'm going to strangle you."
"I'm going to whack you."
Coach Ukai tugged on Takeda Sensei's arm and they both sat down on the bench. When it became this bad, it was always best to wait it out. They would tire themselves out eventually and it never took more than ten minutes.
He used that time to go over their training notes.
"It'll be quadruple laps for whoever says another word," Ennoshita threatened.
Ukai smirked. They could wait the ten minutes or let Ennoshita come to his wit's end.
The boys settled down after that. They returned to their spots on the floor and waited patiently for Takeda Sensei.
"Okay, it's getting late so let's try not to have any more distractions."
Emiko scoffed. Coach Ukai glared. Emiko hid behind Hinata.
"So that means three of our players plus two of our managers won't be here for a week. While they are gone, we have three practice games with the neighbouring teams. After they come back, we've got the National Tournament!"
"Alright," Ukai clapped his hands, "let's clean up and go home!"
The first years were the first to leave. They wiped down the equipment and swept the floors at amazing speed. Then, it was Ennoshita, Kinnoshita, and Narita. They stayed behind just long enough to ensure there would be no more attempted kidnappings before bidding them goodnight. Yachi and Tadashi double-checked with Mirae and Emiko. Besides the bruise around Emiko's neck and Mirae's swelling nose, all was fine.
Tadashi handed the gym keys to Tsukishima and then he offered to walk Yachi to the bus stop.
"So you're leaving us?" Nishinoya pouted. He was sitting with Mirae and Tsukishima. "If you had a choice you should've said no."
"I'm not leaving forever. It's only twelve days. I'll be back before the tournament."
"Unless they keep you."
"No, they wouldn't keep her," Tsukishima smirked, "or the other one. I wouldn't be surprised if they shipped them both back in boxes marked caution, handle with care, dangerous."
Emiko dodged under the net and cried, "What was that? Tsukki what did you say behind my back?"
"He's just jealous," Hinata patted her.
"Right, I am so jealous of half your brain cell."
Emiko assumed a sumo wrestler's pose and glared. "Come at me. I dare you."
Kageyama chose that moment to flick her forehead. Emiko stumbled over her feet.
"Weak."
"Say that to my face!"
He leaned over and flicked her forehead again. "Weak."
Emiko blinked. "Protect the Managers squad my butt! You all are useless!"
"Are we though?" Tanaka answered as he entered the gym. He held two items in the air like trophies. "I found them! They were hidden behind the boxes, same place that Daichi put them last year."
"I can't believe he didn't think to move them."
"What are those?"
"This," Tanaka held the can in awe, "is the best defence against city boys."
Tsukishima frowned. "Pepper spray?"
"Yes! Any city boy- nay, any boy who comes too close for your comfort will retreat in utter pain and terror once you direct a heavy dose of this into their eyes."
"And if you run out or lose it, you always have this!"
Tsukishima scooted away. "A taser. Why do you two have pepper spray and a taser?"
Nishinoya cradled the taser like a child in his arms. "Initially we bought them as protection for Kiyoko-san."
"But Daichi found out and took it from us," Tanaka frowned, then he turned to Mirae and beamed, "so it is our offering to you, oh Goddess! Take these weapons as you go into the battlefield."
"Cool." Mirae held the pepper spray in her right hand and the taser in her left.
"Not cool," Tsukishima muttered. He moved farther away.
"Do you have to go?" Hinata asked. He had finally tugged the net free from the metal bearings and moved over to help Emiko as she fussed.
"Well, no, I don't have to do anything I don't want to but Takeda Sensei and Mirae say that it's a good experience."
"So you don't want to go?"
She gave Hinata and Kageyama a puzzled look. "No, not really. Why?"
"Say we restrained you."
"Hypothetically," Hinata assured, "say we hypothetically restrained you."
"Would you be devasted?"
"Or would you put up a fight and be heartbroken?"
Emiko cocked her head to the side. "What is up with you two and your upgraded vocabulary? And to answer your question; no, not really. Again I don't- wait, what are you- Hinata! Tobio! What the- get this thing off me!"
They did the opposite. As they draped the volleyball net over her head, they stepped back and watched Emiko flail and turn and get herself even more tied up.
"Hinata I am your best friend!"
"It's for your own good, Little Ukai."
"How!?"
"You can stay here with us."
"You said so yourself," Kageyama nodded, "you don't need to go."
"You won't even be here!" she screamed.
The others ignored them and watched as Mirae held both the items in each hand. "So I just hold this like this and- oh God no."
"Aaah!"
"Knew it," Tsukishima shook his head, "I knew this was a bad idea."
Tanaka fell backwards, clawing at his eyes.
"Wait, I'm sorry I- Oh God no!"
Nishinoya's limbs went stiff as the taser stabbed his skin. He fell back, flinching.
"I also knew that."
He grabbed them from her hands and threw them away. They landed by Emiko who was still struggling to free herself from the net.
At the best, or worst, timing possible, Ennoshita came in. He had forgotten his house keys and assumed he could get them and run back before his favourite television show started.
Boy was he wrong.
Hinata and Kageyama were laughing on one side of the gym as Emiko rolled around in the volleyball net. On the other side of the gym, Nishinoya had been possessed by some unknown entity and beside him, Tanaka was trying to eject the spirit from his own body.
Tsukishima was comforting Mirae who looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.
Ennsohita came to one single conclusion; this was Emiko's fault.
|Note|
So first things first, thank you all for your support! We were anxious to put up the first chapter, but your spam of comments made up so happy! Please keep it up, we love reading your reactions and thoughts!
Now, was anyone anticipating that kind of a reaction from the Protect the Manager squad? Leave it to Noya and Tanaka to have tasers and pepper spray. Spoiler alert, Mirae considers using them later.
We'll see you guys next week!
|End Note|