"Welcome home!" her mother said as the two Ukai's walked into the house.
"Hi Mom," Azami said, setting her bag down. "How Ojii-san?"
"Oh he's fine," she replied. "Or at least that's what he says. Of course, he's complaining all the time. He should be released sometime soon though."
"That's good," her brother said. "What's for dinner?"
"We're having soba tonight," her mother replied. Azami nodded and sat down before remembering.
"Bratushka, tell me if I can be assisstant or not!" Azami told her brother.
"Not till we eat Shorstack," he replied.
"I don't like it when you call me that," she grumbled.
"Well, it's true," he said, sitting down in front of her. "You got the short genes."
"Yeah, will this short person's gonna beat you as-"
"Azami!" her mother warned.
"Sorry," she muttered, sticking her tongue out at her brother who was smiling smugly. "Hey is Dad here yet?"
"No dear," her mother said. "He'll be back soon though."
"Huh, I wonder why he needed to rush out to the shop so quickly," Azami wondered.
"It was probably to get away from you," her brother said. Azami stuck her tongue out once more at her brother. He gave her a small smile.
"Hey, Mom can Azami and I go to town for bit?" Keishin asked. "Just to walk around and stuff."
"But, what about dinner?" their mother asked.
Keishin smiled, "We'll be back by eleven. Dad probably won't be back until the anyway."
Their mother thought for a minute, her lips brought into a frown. "Fine. But eleven is the latest. Promise?"
"Promise," the two Ukai's said, standing up from the couch and heading outside. They walked into town past the shop. "So was there anything you specifically wanted to talk to me about?" Azami asked as the two sat down on the sidewalk.
"Not really," her brother said, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. "We just, don't spend time with each other like we used to."
"Oh, I'm sorry, when did we ever spend time with each other?" Azami laughed. He chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Uh, don't do that, it ruins my beautiful luscious locks."
He chuckled again, "Listen. I just wanted to tell you something alright?"
"What is it?" she asked.
"Just about the other night. You went to that party," he said. "Just don't ruin your life doing stupid stuff okay? Why do you think I didn't go to college?"
"Cause Mom and Dad couldn't pay for it," she guessed.
"No, it's because I got in trouble with some really bad kids," he said. "And I was put in jail for a few weeks."
"Oh yeah, that," she said, quietly. She remebered. It was the worst couple of weeks of her entire life.
"I just don't want you to make the bad decisions I made ok Shortstack?" he asked.
"You got it Bratushka," she replied, winking at him. They sat on the curb for a while, cracking jokes and commenting about the quality of the stores surrounding them. Sibling bonding.
-----
"Keishin, shut up," Azami glared at her brother from across the table, holding her fork so tightly it almost bent. Keishin was currently describing the many times Azami had almost cursed.
"Azami," her mother said, bewildered. "We talked about this."
"I know," she groaned. "But you let Keishin do it!'
"He does?" her mom asked, quirking her eyebrow at Keishin. Azami nodded and he smiled, awkwardly. "Keishin you know better!"
"How about we change the subject?" Azami asked, fixing her gaze on her brother and tilting her head.
'Tell me the dang verdict Keishin,' she thought. Her brother cleared his throat. He set his fork down. "So Half-pint, because of your amazing skill, an leadership, blah blah blah. Congrats you're assisstant coach."
"What are you talking about?" their dad asked.
"Well," Azami started. "Earlier I asked Keishin if I could become his assisstant coach for the Karasuno High-School Boys volleyball team. And he made me go through a whole entire test and refused to tell me until now."
"That was very nice of you Keishin," their grandmother said. He nodded. Azami rolled her eyes, shoving noodles into her mouth.
"Oh, Azami," her mom said. "There was a letter for you on the table."
Azami nodded, excusing herself and moving towards the side table near the front door. She found a letter sitting on it. Without checking the mailing address she tore it open taking out the letter.
"Dear Ms. Ukai,
Congratulations! On behalf of the Japan Women's National Volleyball Team, I am pleased to announce your acceptance as the official libero!
The knowledge and skill of volleyball you have already gathered within your school and community reflect what we value, and respect in our players. Ambition, passion, and determination are the heart of the Japan National Team.
Due to your performance at our national tryouts, we agreed that this was the best decision. We look forward to seeing you at practice.-"
Azami's breath hitched as she made her way to the couch, re-reading the letter. She had forgotten all about the tryouts for the Japan Women's National Volleyball Team, it had been months ago. But she had gotten accepted?!
And as the official libero!?!
"Azami? What's taking so long?" her brother called. She hobbled back into the dining room, letter in hand and sat down staring at the paper on the table.
"What is it?" her dad asked. She didn't say anything, her voice was failing her. Her brother sighed and grabbed the letter, leaving her staring at the table. She watched his face as his eyes scanned the letter.
He lowered his hand and stared at her before smiling widely, "That's amazing!"
"What is it?" her mom asked. Keishin handed her the letter and she read it out loud. "Oh Azami, that absolutely wonderful!"
"How exciting!" their grandmother smiled. Her father brought her intoa a hug and tears fell down her face. She started laughing and crying as her dad kissed her head.
"We should celebrate!" her mom said.
-----
Azami had to promise not to tell anyone about the promotion yet. It sucked but she didn't want anyone to hate her for it. As Azami walked down the hall to her college prep class she was stopped by Suga.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You look like you're in a daze."
"Huh? No, I'm fine," she said, walking past him and to her seat. He frowned following her. Class dragged on and on, taking notes and doing practice problems.
She, Suga, and Daichi, went through their classes together and Azami was finally relieved when practice rolled around.
Azami, once finished changing, made her way into the gym where her brother was already waiting. "So are you going to tell them or am I going to tell them?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't know," he smirked. "You decide."
"Hm," she considered his request, tapping her finger against her chin. "I think I want to tell them."
"Then when they get here, you can tell them," Keishin said. Azami nodded.
"Hey Keishin?" she asked.
"Hm?"
"I looked on the schedule and there was a practice match listed on there for tomorrow," she said. "What team is it against?"
"Nekoma," he replied.
"Ah," she nodded. "Wait. Nekoma as in, old-Karasuno-Nekoma-rivalry-that-our-grandfather-still-hasn't-let-go, Nekoma?"
"Yes," he chuckled. "That Nekoma."
"Joy," she mumbled. "You know what that means right? If Nekomata is there-"
"We're about to get embarassed tomorrow," Keishin finished. Azami groaned as the players began filing in the gym. They set up the net and gathered around in a group. Azami approached them.
"Good afternoon boys," she said. "Who's ready to die? Wait. Wrong. Who's ready to almost die?"
Looks of fear struck their faces making Azami chuckle, "Just kidding. So, first I want you all to do three laps around the gym, stretch, and then practice receiving drills in pairs of two."
"Why would we do that?" Tsukishima asked.
Tanaka scoffed, "I would follow any order from Kiyoko-san or Azami-san!"
"Ryu! You're so manly!" Nishinoya yelled at his friend.
"Wow, okay," Azami said. "But to answer you question, Dispstick, you're going to do what I tell you to do-" she got closer, pulling him towards her face by the collar of his shirt. "-because I'm your new assisstant coach and I'm about to make you wish you were never born."
She let go of his collar and back up, wiping her hands, "Now, go on. Run your laps."
Azami turned on her heel and stood beside her brother once again as the players began running around the gym.
"I don't think you should teach them like that anymore," her brother said. "It's probably best not to get in their faces.
"Oh?" Azami cocked her eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"Well because," he paused. "Because they're all going to catch feelings for you and I really kind of don't want that."
"Uh-huh," she smiled. "You're just jealous because you want Take-chan to do that to you."
"What?"
"What?"
Both Ukai's stared at each other for a few second before Azami smirked, "You heard what I said."
Her brother's face got red and she laughed. She turned to see the team stretching. She watched them each individually jotting down their strengths and weaknesses in her mind. After stretches they all stood up but she stopped them.
"New plan!" she yelled, rubbing her hands together wickedly. "I want to test you all so I can known your weakest points and help you fix them."
"Let's start with the third-years," Azami smirked. "Dai-kun, Kou-kun, and Asa-kun! I need you guys! The rest of you, working on receiving drills!"
The three third-years walked over to her. "I want all of you to get on one side of the net." They oblidged and she grabbed the ladder/tower/thing, placing it on teh other side and climbing up it.
She grabbed three volleyballs, smirking. She three the first one in teh air spiking it down to Daichi. "Keep that ball in the air by yourself Dai-kun!" She spiked the next two down to Asahi and Suga who followed Daichi's example.
Now all three of them were receiving the ball to themselves. "Now, when I say go, I want Asa-kun to bump his ball to Dai-kun, Dai-kun will bump his to Kou-kun, and Kou-kun will bump his to Asa-kun."
"Go!"
-----
The players were slumped against the wall by the end of practice. All breahting heavily and taking multiple long sips of water. Azami smiled as she headed to her brother with her clipboard full of knowledge. She now had an entire arsenal of information on each player.
"So what I'm thinking," Azami said, skimming through the papers. "Is that we play Nekoma tomorrow and then I can work on their strengths and weaknesses afterwards. We obviously don't have time to practice now."
"You are a demon," her brotehr stated.
Azami shrugged, "You weren't doing anything to test them. Someone had to or this team would never get better."
"OK!" she yelled at the players. "I want you guys to clean up. And then you can go home." She smiled at them. "Are we going Keishin?"
He nodded. Azami left the keys with Daichi since he was the most capable and the Ukai's left he gym.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
Azami pulled her phone out of her pocket to see Rin was calling her. She answered, pressing the phone to her ear. "Hey Rin."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?"
"What?" Azami asked, continuing the walk to her house. "What did I not tell you?"
"Uh, the fact that you're the assisstant coach of a team full of hot boys," Rin said. "I feel like you're keeping them all for yourself."
"I'm not, trust me I promise," she said. "Besides, I'm not really attracted to any of them. I had another person in mind."
"Do you mean that one hot guy you danced with at my party?" Rin asked. Azami felt her skin get hot just thinking about Kuroo.
"I might be meaning that guy," she mumbled. Rin laughed.
"Yeah," she said. "Besides, I'm talking to someone anyway,"
"Who?" Azami asked.
"Remember that person from the party? Strawberry blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes?" Rin asked.
"Yeah," Azami said.
"Well, their name is Mikoto Oshiro," Rin said. "And we exchanged numbers and now we're talking."
"That's great," Azami smiled. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," Rin said. "Anyways. I just wanted to invite you to meet them tomorrow."
"I'd love to but we have a practice match against Nekoma," Azami said. "What time did you want to meet?"
"Oh, like eight," Rin said.
"Oh then I'm sure I can make it," Azami said.
"Great!" Rin excalimed. "It's a date then!"
Hey Hey Hey!
(W ͜ʖ ͡° ) hehe, he's back
Anyways...Thank you all for your support on this story! I really appreciate it! I'm going to be working a lot on the next few chapters for this story just so you guys have something to look forward to. I actually don't have set plans for the next couple of chapters so please bare with me.
Please stay safe and healthy! I love you all sooooo much!
-Author-chan