All-japan Youth intensive training group

I was absolutely exhausted- a week of keeping up with all sorts of rumors, molding the rumors about me into what we were looking for- I was so emotionally exhausted, I just shuffled my way to the gym- Ukai said he needed me for something. Things had gotten serious between him and my mom, plus we got along pretty well- who knew the coach was pretty cool, even a little mischievous? I helped him get my mom into surprise dates and we even played a few pranks on each other. He also got along really well with Akira, the two had bonded over volleyball and their passion for it. Ukai was teaching him anything and everything to know about volleyball and their team, Akira and them working out their own theories and reviewing other teams together, taking notes and such. It was actually kind of weird how well Ukai fit in, kind of like he was meant to be there; he made my mom very happy as well. They were always touching and kissing, going on dates or just staying home and watching TV, talking about anything and nothing. Ukai owned a shop and made his own hours, so he had always visited when he could, keeping us company- totally smitten with my mom.

I blew a bubble, popping it as I walked over to Ukai, offering him the gum pack- he grabbed the stick and pulled. He gasped, instantly pulling his hand away and flicking it out- it was a prank, shock gum. "Hah! Got you again. Told you I could fool you with it anytime." I laugh as Ukai scowls, turning back to the gym. "Yeah yeah, I'll get you back for that." Ukai grumbles, flicking his hand- it was a pretty good shock. "Anyways, what's up? You needed me?" I ask and he nods, whistling at the team and getting their attention. "Suzuki-chan!" Noya and Ryu say, running over and diving for me. I easily side step them and they slam into the gym wall with a loud thud. "I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another two weeks?" Suga asks as he shuffles over, though I just shrug. "Ukai called me over." I say, Suga pursing his lips as everyone walks over. "I didn't need all of you, just Kageyama. You see, Kimiko, I had a favor to ask of you. Kageyama here was invited to an all-japan youth intensive training group." Ukai says, gesturing towards Tobio. "Congratulations Kageyama! You must be so excited! But uh, what's the favor?" I ask, turning to Ukai as he itches his chin.

"Well, you see, he's going to need a chaperone. I have to coach the rest of the team, the advisor can't do it, your mom has work- we need someone with a car that knows how to drive, so your mom suggested I ask you. You'll be excused from school for the whole week, of course, since you'll be spending the week chaperoning for Kageyama." Ukai says and I hum, shoving my hands in my pockets- I was sick of dresses and wearing all sorts of fancy clothes, so I was wearing some joggers and a hoodie, my hair up in a sloppy bun. I had a coffee- I wasn't usually a coffee drinker, but I needed something heavy to get all the bubbly from my system. Drinking the stuff for a week really did a number on my tongue, and I desperately needed a pallet cleanse. Speaking of- I take a sip of the coffee, tasting the faint hint of hazelnut creamer. Usually when I drank coffee I'd load it up, but I left the majority of the bitter taste in this one. "So you want me to babysit and chauffeur Kageyama in his volleyball camp?" I ask as I stick out my tongue in disgust, glaring at my coffee- a necessary evil. "That's the idea, yes, I'd like you to act as his chaperone." Ukai says and I hum, nodding my head.

"Sure, I mean, I'll do my best. You owe me though." I say and Ukai chuckles, nodding his head and turning back to the others. "Wait, Suzuki-chan you have a car?" Suga asks and I grimace, fiddling with my coffee. "Yeah, um, Arthur managed to trick me into signing the title of the Mustang. You're now looking at the proud owner of a car." I grumble- I was still upset that he had managed to trick me into finally signing the title, but it frustrated me even more that I couldn't get him to take it back. Even more so that he had managed to get the Mustang onto full coverage insurance for the next ten years, prepaid. "Oh, well, congratulations?" Suga says and I snort, taking another sip of my coffee. "I didn't want it, but it took him 4 years to trick me into it. I should've known better to sign anything without reading it- but all that party business tired me out." I mumble and Suga shifts, casting his gaze down. "About that, we're all really sorry about the trouble we caused you. Please forgive us, we don't expect you to, but… we're all sincerely sorry we put you in that position." Suga says and I let out a sigh, rolling my tongue over my teeth. I turned to him, taking a good long look over him- he did seem genuine.

"Yeah, well, you didn't only put me in an awkward position. I can forgive you for what you did to me, as tiring as it was to deal with, you guys have done a lot for me and had the best of intentions in mind. You need to turn your apologies to Arthur, while we managed to get out of there… look, I can't tell you why we decided to do what we did, because that's Arthur's business and I'm not going to divulge into his privacy. But you guys really made things messy for him, and sooner or later he's going to have to pay the price of that. We both are, unfortunately." I say and Suga takes a deep breath, nodding and rubbing the back of his neck. "He's not one to hold grudges about matters like this, he does love trouble, but… unfortunately the circumstances to this one are different. He's not going to show it, but he is suffering because of your choices. It's best you get on your knees and grovel, that's the only way he's going to fully forgive you on this one. Feed his ego or something, he's been moping for a while now and I want him to get back to his usual self already. I'll forgive you, but only after you make things right to Arthur." I mumble and Suga grimaces, nodding his head before heading back to practice.

The car ride was silent, but I didn't mind- I already figured Kageyama wasn't really one to talk, or not necessarily that he didn't like to, he just struggled with his words. I could understand that, so the whole time we drove I just played music with the windows down. We were the only ones in the car but he seemed to enjoy cruising with me, eating the rice balls I made and napping the entire ride. I jammed to music the whole ride, taking the time to just relax and drive- it always calmed me. Anything was better than being stuck in a social gathering with people whispering anything they could about you, staring as if you had grown a second head spontaneously. Let alone the music and beverages- the food which was fantastic and joking around with Arthur in private were really the only fun parts about the whole gathering. I can't imagine how he must feel, having to deal with those types of things and standards all the time- no wonder he had a wild rebellious streak. I pulled up to the school and nudged Kageyama, waking him up from his nap. "Hey, you go on ahead, I'm gonna go park and I'll catch up." I say and he nods, rubbing his eye as he grabs his backpack and steps out of the car, glancing around.

I find a parking spot and roll up the windows to my car, putting on the E-brake and hopping out. I grab my bag and pull it onto my shoulder, locking the car before I head to catch up with Tobio. I text everyone and let them know we had arrived safely, letting Tobio know I had found a parking spot and was on my way. "I'm at a payphone." A boy sings, catching my attention as I glanced up- he had a really nice voice. I see he was standing by a wall, hands shoved in his pockets, looking straight at me. "I threw a wish in the well, don't ask me I'll never tell. I looked to you as it fell, and now you're in my way. I'd trade my soul for a wish, pennies and dimes for a kiss. I wasn't looking for this, but now you're in my way." A second boy with a smooth lower voice sings, stepping out from behind the wall and leaning against it. He crosses his arms and looks at me, him and the first boy harmonizing. "I've wasted my nights, you turn out the lights, now I'm paralyzed, still stuck in that time when we called it love, but even the sun sets in paradise." A third boy sings, stepping out from behind the wall and standing next to the first boy. "I'm at a payphone." The first boy sings again, though I'm stunned by their act.

"Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe." Another boy says, stepping out from behind the wall and walking over to me, holding out a piece of paper with four numbers scribbled down. I glanced up at the boy, then back to the other three- two of them twins. I glance back down at the paper, seeing that next to the numbers were names scribbled next to them. "I've been so into your mystery, is it because of our history? Are you into me? When it feels so good, but it's bad for you. Can't say I don't want it 'cause I know I do. Come on over, I need your company; Cravin' that synergy. Don't be afraid to tell me if you ain't with it. I see you're focused, yeah, you're so independent. It's hard for me to open up, I'll admit it. You've got some shit to say and I'm here to listen. So baby, tell me where your love lies. Waste the day and spend the night. Underneath the sunrise. Show me where your love lies. Tell me where your love lies. Waste the day and spend the night. Underneath the sunrise, show me where your love lies. Show me where your love lies." I sing, seeming to startle them with my singing voice, their jaws dropping.

I smile as I reach up, closing the jaw of the gray haired twin in front of me before I slide past them. "You guys sing really well, but I have to go now." I chime as I head towards the training camp to catch up with Tobio. I had already kept him waiting long enough, I'd hate for him to get lost or worry about me. "Hey! Wait!" One of the twins- the blond one- says, running to catch up with me. I pause and side step him as he almost crashes into me, the others walking over. "Did you need something? If you're lost, I'm not from around here so I'm clueless myself." I say though the blond twin twists, leaning on the wall next to me. "No! Wait, are you lost? We're from around here, if you need directions we can help!" the blond twin says though I shake my head. "No, no, I'm fine. Thank you, though." I say, though I pause and raise an eyebrow at him. "Wait, then what do you want from me?" I ask, though the others catch up, the gray haired twin offering the paper to me again. "Our numbers! We wanted to give them to you so you can text us; I'm 'Tsumu, my twin, 'Samu, our friends, Kita and Suna." The blonde twin says, pointing to each of the boys as they bow their head to me.

"Oh, I see, is that what that was? I thought you were just singing." I mumble, taking the paper and putting it in my backpack. "Well, yeah." Atsuma says, itching the back of his head as his cheeks turn pink. "So, will you text us?" Suna asks and I shove my hands in my pockets, shrugging. "I mean, as I said, I'm not really from around here…" I say, though Kita steps forward. "We can show you around if you'd like." He says sweetly and I offer him a smile. "That'd be nice, but I'm actually-" I say though Omi passes by- wait, Omi? "Sakusa-kun! You're here?" I ask and he pauses, looking back at me, seeming surprised. "Suzuki-chan? How'd you get here?" He asks and I nod, offering him a smile. "In the flesh! I drove here in the Mustang, I didn't expect to see you anytime soon." I laugh, walking over to him as we start heading in the same direction. The boys from earlier were tagging along behind us, though a bit farther back. "The Mustang? The one you drift in?" Omi says and I grin at him, nodding. "Yupp, the very one I escaped the cops in! Why, you want a spin?" I laugh and Omi snorts, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching forward.

"Yeah, I think I'm good on that. Nothing against you, I know you're a perfectly capable driver. Why are you here?" Omi says as we turn a corner, seeing Kageyama waiting for me. "I'm actually here as a chaperone. Hey, Yama-Kun! Meet Sakusa-kun, we met on the way here. He's also a competitor in the competition." I chime and he turns, seeming surprised though he bows. "Karasuno high school first year, Kageyama Tobio. I play as a setter, pleased to make your acquaintance." Tobio says formally, though Omi just hums looking over Kageyama. "He doesn't seem like much of a threat in the competition." Omi mumbles and Tobio goes stiff, dropping his gaze. "Well, I can't say the same, at least not yet." I say and Omi turns to me, Tobio's cheeks turning red. "Is he one you've done it with?" Omi asks, pausing in his tracks as I hum. "He's already gone through the first round, if that's what you mean. But no, he has not gone farther than that. None of the freshmen have." I say and Omi hums, nodding his head. "Will we be having our first round of the competition here?" Omi asks and I hum. "If you have the paperwork, I can bring it up to Aima." I chime and he nods as we all head inside.

"Yama-kun, you and Hina-kun have an ongoing rivalry, right?" I ask, seeming to catch Tobio off guard as we eat our food. "Well… Yeah. I want to beat him." Tobio says and I hum. "I figured, but aren't you a little… too used to him? It seems like you're used to having him on your side, you expect him to be there." I say and he stiffens, glancing at me. "You're talking about my mistake earlier." Tobio says, seeming to understand and I nod. "I'm sure you realized it; not everyone can keep up like Hina-kun can, but when the time comes, you two won't be on the same team." I say and Tobio nods, dropping his gaze and taking a bite of his food. "Hina-kun has considered you his rival from the beginning- he'll always see you as his greatest obstacle; as of right now, you're two powerful allies." I say, though I stretch out my arms and pop my fingers. "That's not to say there aren't other people out there like you two- I'm sure there's great talent waiting to be discovered, but as a setter I'm sure you've realized everyone is different, in how they play, how they carry themselves, what they're capable of." I say and Tobio slowly nods, chewing on his bite.

"Do you want to practice spikes with me?" I ask and he chokes on his bite, though I quickly reach over and pat his back, offering him his drink. "I know we've only played together that one time, but you didn't serve to me then. We can reserve the court for an hour and practice our spikes." I say as Tobio swallows, nodding his head. "Uh, yeah, I'd like that." He says so I smile, patting his back before I stand. "Okay, then I'll go put us down." I say, dumping my tray and heading to the sign up chart. "Hey beautiful, I never got your name." 'Tsumu says as he walks over, catching my attention. "Hello Miya-san, sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Kimiko Suzuki." I say, looking back at the sign up chart and reading over it. "You can call me 'Tsumu! Are you signing up for some training sessions? Do you have 4 people?" 'Tsumu asks and I hum, noticing it was a requirement. "Shoot. I'll have to ask Yama-Kun if he thinks anyone else would want to practice with us…" I mumble, heading back to the table though 'Tsumu taps my shoulder. "Actually, I was going to sign up myself, but we only have 3 people! Kageyama-san could join." 'Tsumu says though I look at him, shaking my head.

"We were going to practice spikes together. Requirement is at least 4 and an even number of people." I say though 'Tsumu smiles widely at me, nodding his head. "That's okay! I can kick someone off and you can take their place." 'Tsumu says and I wiggle my nose, shaking my head. "Sorry, but-" I mumble though he just waves his hand. "It's fine! We were just going to force them to play with us anyway, they probably wouldn't show! I'll sign us up now." 'Tsumu says, taking the sheet and pen, signing it down with him, Omi, Tobio and I. "Uh… I? Okay, I guess I'll see you there. Thanks I guess." I mumble, heading back to Kageyama as Omi walks away from him. "Um, so, I got us signed up- well, Miya-san did, he's having us join his session? It's a requirement to have at least 4 people and an even number of people, he had us join him." I mumble, itching the back of my head as Kageyama nods. "Anywho, I'm gonna go take a bath before anyone else can get in. I'll see ya for practice after I get out." I say and he nods, continuing to eat. I head to my room, grabbing an outfit that would be good to practice in before heading to the bathhouse.

Okay, I did not expect this- I mean, I should've known since it was a training camp specifically for boys. There was only a bathhouse for boys available, there was no girl bath. Now that I thought of it, I'm pretty sure I was the only girl in the whole building- I shared a room with Tobio since I was his chaperone, but apparently it was his parents that requested a chaperone go with him. I wasn't particularly afraid of being seen naked or anything, I was used to unisex bathhouses- they were cheaper, so I usually went to them. I could also defend myself if necessary, but I was more worried about making the boys uncomfortable. I mean, they were all my age and having a girl in the bath with them… I could care less, I didn't have any other intent then to get in and out as soon as possible. It looked like I was early enough that only one or two lockers were taken, probably the first comers. I strip off my clothes and put them in a locker, using my combination lock to secure it. I head over to the shower area- luckily empty- and wash off before putting my hair up, wrapping a towel around myself and heading into the bath area. I was extra lucky today- since the bath was freshly made, the steam was still thick. 

I made my way to the far corner before stripping off my towel and stepping in, putting my towel off to the side. I sigh in relief as I sink into the tub, the water a bit on the hot side but relaxing nonetheless. I lay my head back on the cool rock, crossing my legs and leaning back. It had been a minute since I had been to a bathhouse, but something about the big hot baths just hit differently. I would soak for 5 minutes and then hop out, hopefully nobody would mind. I close my eyes and start idly counting down, letting the bath relax the stress that I had built up. I wish I could do this more often- of course I could ask Arthur to let me, but he had literally just given me a car and was being cocky about it. If I asked him to go to a bathhouse, he'd probably buy one and tell me if I didn't use it that he'd shut it down and have it demolished. I would ask Aima but she was pregnant, my mom was busy and Misaki didn't really like bathhouses. I couldn't bring myself to spend the money alone, so I wanted to make the most out of the time I was here. "You do realize this is the boys bath, right?" Omi asks, making me gasp as I practically jump out of my skin. I opened my eyes, seeing he was right in front of me.

"Yeah, well, there is no girl bath. I'm the only girl in this place. I'm not exactly going to go without a bath." I say and he hums, sinking down to my level. "So you decided to take a bath in the boys bath?" He asks and I sink a bit lower, my shoulders hovering barely over the water. "Well, yeah... does it bother you?" I ask though he shakes his head, sliding a bit closer. "No, sharing a bath with you doesn't bother me. It's more of… knowing we're in the same bath and the possibility of other people seeing you." Omi says and I feel something brush over my knee, making me jump. "Someone…Trying to touch you, when you're too pure, too beautiful for their filthy germs to be on. That's what bothers me." Omi says and I meet his gaze, feeling him slowly trace the skin of my thigh. "Like you are now?" I ask, raising an eyebrow as his lip twitches. "Exactly how I am doing now. Are you going to stop me?" Omi says simply and I shrug, reaching out and touching his shoulder, gently tracing my finger over his collarbone. "If it had been anyone else, I'm sure I would've already put them on their ass by now." I say softly and his mouth curls into a smile, his finger beginning to make my skin tingle.

I hear murmuring coming from the shower room and the door opens, the slapping of wet feet sounding. I guess the others were starting to arrive, meaning it was probably my time to leave. "Nevertheless, I think I should go now." I say, uncrossing my legs and standing from the water, reaching for my towel. I gasp when Omi pulls me flush to his bare chest, our skin touching and making me tingle all over at the warm feeling. "But you just arrived, did you not? It's only been a minute." Omi says and I shift, my cheeks burning as I place my hands to his chest. "Well, yes, but you do have a point. This is the boys shower, a girl has no place here." I say and Omi chuckles, reaching up and tugging my hair from it's bun. "It's a bit late for that, isn't it?" Omi asks as my hair tumbles down to my hips- we were both standing chest to chest, the water reaching my upper thighs. "Sakusa-kun… others are beginning to arrive." I mumble, glancing to the door though the steam was still too thick to see. "That makes it more thrilling, doesn't it?" Omi says, slowly leaning down and pulling me closer. "Omi, is that you?" 'Tsumu asks and I grab my towel, wrapping it around myself as I sneak out.

I wasn't seen or caught by any one (other than Omi) since it was just another small group that had arrived together. The bath had relaxed me, but I still tingled from where Omi and I had been pressed together. I made my way to the gym, drinking a bottle of water as I went. I wore a sports set of underwear, some fitting short shorts and a breathy T-shirt. I carried a bag with my volleyball socks, shoes and knee guards, along with my water bottle, headband and a spare towel. I had hoped that we would be going easy enough on the training that I wouldn't break a sweat, but seeing how 'Tsumu added us to our group I had no clue how it would go. I spotted Tobio doing stretches in the gym so I put my water bottle away, heading over to greet him. "Hey Yama-Kun, looks like we're the first ones here." I say, dropping my bag to the side and beginning my stretches. "Yeah." He says, finishing up his stretches as I get down on the floor, making sure to do proper stretches. "I didn't really get to discuss what Miya-san had in mind for our training, but I do hope it won't interfere with our plans." I mumble and Tobio nods, heading to grab a volleyball for us as we wait for the others.

"You remember my ques, right?" I ask as I finish my stretches and he nods, tossing me the volleyball. "Okay, let's get in some quick spikes while we wait for them. Set for me like you would with Hina-kun." I say and while he seems confused, he nods. We get into position and I toss him the ball before running up to the net, stopping and ducking before I spring up. Tobio sets the ball to stop in front of my right arm and I imagine a tall wall in front of me made of three blockers. Everything slows down and I move my hand smoothly to cup the balls side and smack it down to the right, hitting the ball in a razor sharp inside ball. Tobio blinks, his eyes widening as he looks at the ball as it flies into the air a good 3 feet before falling again. "Nu.. nuff… nice." Tobio says, his eyes twinkling as I grin at him. "Wanna see another?" I ask as I duck under the net, jogging to grab the ball. "Yes!" Tobio says and I get back into position, tossing the ball and running forward. I stop again, ducking and jumping up again, flying a good three feet into the air. Tobio seems startled but sets me the ball so it stops before me again. This time I imagine I'm being line blocked with a libro waiting to dig it up.

I hit the ball straight down and it bounces 7 feet into the air, though I manage to duck under the net and catch it before it hits the ground again. "Pretty amazing, right? I thought it before, but your sets are really amazing Yama-Kun. They give the spiker time to calculate where they want to hit the ball- it's really about the talent to keep up with you. Luckily Hina-kun is able to, but finding talented people at such a young age can be difficult. You two consider each other rivals, you know each other's strengths and weaknesses well." I say, spinning the ball on my finger as I look up. "But you're getting used to having Hina-kun there- there's no doubt that he's skilled and he can do that quick attack, but you need to keep in mind that you have other players in play. It's really like a game of chess, and you're the king of the court; you have to think 2 steps ahead constantly, or else you'll get cut down by the enemy. You're the brain, the control tower. Will your set give the spiker the ability to get it through our opponents?" I say, tossing the ball up and catching it on the tip of my finger. "Your decisions set the flow of the game, the players just need to keep up." I say, bouncing the ball on the floor.

"But you're stronger, so it's hard to keep up with. That's where your talent creates a rift- proper training can mend the rift." I say, looking at Tobio and seeing he was listening intently. "You need to communicate with your teammates, really go out of your way to make sure the sets they are getting are what they want- if they can use the sets to the best of their capabilities. Your capabilities are more than enough to follow through with their requests- that doesn't mean make it easy on them by any means. Don't go crazy either- you need to find the balance with each player you work with. For instance, how much of their potential you pull out, and just how talented the person you're setting to is." I say and Tobio nods slowly, seeming to process what I was saying. "Are my sets alright for you?" Tobio asks and I laugh softly, fiddling with the ball. "Well, just now you set to me perfectly, but that was just me trying my hand at your minus tempo or whatever. I'd have to play an actual game with you to know for sure, I'm just giving you my thoughts from what I've seen so far. You are very gifted, Yama-Kun; it's something to be proud of, but it has its own difficulties." I say and he slowly nods, seeming to understand.

"You… You're talented too, I can tell." Tobio says, dropping his gaze as his cheeks turn red. "I'm sure if I hadn't been so committed to dancing, volleyball would have been my go to." I chime and he nods, slowly raising his gaze. "Th… Thanks. I'll do my best." Tobio says and I smile at him, walking over and patting his back. "I'm sure you'll do great Yama-kun. After all, you've gotten this far haven't you? Now all you need to do is set the board, think two steps ahead, know not only what your opponents are capable of, but also your teammates. Like a game of chess!" I say and he nods, seeming to think over what I said. "Hey! You got started without us?" 'Tsumu says and I glance over, seeing him and Omi heading over together. "Yeah, Yama-kun isn't one to dilly dally. He likes putting every second possible to use." I say, walking back into position and tossing Tobio the ball. I dash forward and dip to his right, seeming to catch him off guard as I do a wide broad jump, the ball flying in front of me and stopping. I hit a straight spike and land perfectly, patting Tobio's back. "You're talented! You adjusted without me even saying anything." I chime and his cheeks turn red as he rubs the back of his head.

We practice a few more spikes while Omi and 'Tsumu stretch, Tobio and I getting a feel for each other. "Ready to train together?" 'Tsumu chimes as I grab the ball again, humming as I walk back onto the court. "About that, we never really discussed what we were going to be doing. I planned to just practice spikes with Tobio, but you never told us what you were planning to train for." I say and 'Tsumu smiles widely, gesturing for me to toss him the ball. "We'll just play some 2 v 2! Easy enough, right? You get to practice everything, and so do we." 'Tsumu chimes and I toss him the ball, humming. "It's up to you, Yama-Kun. I got a feel for how you play now, I think I can manage." I say and he nods as Omi and 'Tsumu head to the other side of the court. "Alright then! I'll only do jump float serves since we're playing for practice, we'll serve first." 'Tsumu says, everyone getting into position. "Ah! Hold on, one second." I say, dashing over to my bag and digging through, sliding on my headband, kneepads and grabbing my wireless sport earbuds, plugging one in. I grab my phone and play Breathe on repeat, knowing I would probably end up getting into the game and need it.

"Ready Yama-kun? I'm not going to be listening, so I trust you to keep up." I chime and he nods, both of us getting in a receiving position, though I secure both of my earbuds and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. The dead calm comes instantly, washing over me and making my limbs light. I slowly open my eyes, in serious mode as I exhale, watching 'Tsumu's every move. He takes four steps before turning around, tossing the ball in the air and beginning his approach. I hop lightly and take three quick steps forward, watching intently as 'Tsumu hit the ball. The ball came over in slow motion and I calculated the trajectory, sliding in to intercept it. Tobio catches on and moves into his position; I perfectly overhand receive it and send it to him. Without a wasted step I charge forward- Omi is at the net, eyes on me as I stare him down. 'Tsumu comes up beside him and I stop before them at the net, crouching down and tensing my legs. Like a spring I jump up, releasing all the energy and momentum, jumping 5 feet into the air. Everyone seems shocked as Tobio sets the ball to me, though it shoots a little far out since I had caught him off guard. I easily use my left arm and spike it down into their court.

I land perfectly as the boys all stare in amazement, though I head to the back of the court to prepare for my serve. "Get used to it, Yama-kun. Use it to win." I say and he seems startled, nodding to me as Omi tosses me the ball. I spin the ball and close my eyes, taking a deep breath in- and out. I feel the ball, the air around me- I imagine the court around me, grids forming- I slowly open my eyes, calculating everyone's position. I knew I could serve where they wouldn't be able to reach it, at least not easily. The point was to practice spikes with Tobio though, so I wanted them to receive it. Now, how could I get them to receive it in such a way that it would be to our advantage? If I serve it to 'Tsumu, he wouldn't be able to set it, forcing Omi to serve and potentially throwing off their game. If I serve to Omi, 'Tsumu will set and I can receive the ball while Tobio blocks. After I receive the ball, Tobio can set it and I can spike- serving to Omi was the best option here, but this was a practice match for all of us, so... I toss the ball high in the air, stepping back before I dash forward, bracing myself before I jump as high as I could, adding a little twist to my jump to give me more momentum. 

I used all the force I could to swing my arm forward like a whip, hitting the ball square on, my hand tingling with the smack of the ball. It smacks into Omi's waiting arms, a direct receive which he sends to 'Tsumu. I step forward, watching intently as everything moves in slow motion, Tobio moving to block while I get ready to receive. 'Tsumu set the ball to Omi and I hop lightly, watching closely- I take a step forward and to the left, stretching my arms out- the ball smacks into my arms and I crouch into the force, taking away the momentum. I roll my arms up and send the ball back to Tobio, having received it properly. I dash forward and crouch down, taking a deep breath before I jump again, easily flying 5 feet into the air again. The ball is in front of me again, stopping right where I needed it this time. 'Tsumu and Omi don't underestimate me this time, they jump as high as they can to block me. I smoothly move my arm forward, scooping the ball and sending it down and to the right in a razor sharp cut shot. I exhale and land perfectly, heading back to the end of the court- they saw what I was capable of now. I catch the ball that Omi throws, settling back into position to serve.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath- the grid around me got clearer, more prominent. I slowly opened my eyes- Omi and 'Tsumu weren't playing now, they were serious. I could tell by the way they held themselves- they were now staring intently at me, waiting for me to serve the ball. It gave me a little thrill, knowing they were giving their all against me in a practice match even though I was still playing with them. "Do you see it, Yama-kun? The board?" I ask and he turns to me, seeming confused. "Every step, every breath, every glance- the king must be two steps ahead. Use the grid, calculate the next two steps and put them into play. Where do you want it? What am I capable of? What are you capable of? What can we do together?" I ask and it seems to click in his eyes- just like that, I feel the connection that binds us, two chess pieces on a board, having the same thoughts. A king and a queen, a brain and an outlet to attack- he turns back to the net and I see Omi and 'Tsumu tense. I grin, tossing the ball high into the air, taking a step back before dashing forward. I jump as high as I can, spiking the ball into Omi's waiting arms. He receives it perfectly, sending it to 'Tsumu.

I get into position to receive, Tobio moving to mirror my moments by getting ready to cut off half of Omi's attack range with a block. 'Tsumu sets the ball to Omi and I hop lightly, taking one step back and crouching. I stretch my arms out and the ball smacks into my arms, though I roll the ball up and send it to Kageyama. I dash forward but this time neither Omi or 'Tsumu move to block, getting ready to receive- a mistake, really, it just meant I didn't have to focus on jumping this time. I watched Tobio for a sign- I wasn't in the lead anymore- I dash to the right and jump up 5 feet, smacking my hand forward. Like clockwork the ball meets my hand and smacks right between Omi and 'Tsumu, not even giving them time to react. Tobio pauses, looking at me, surprised as I land- I look back, a big grin spreading over our faces as we high five. We had it- we were in each other's minds, we knew each other's thoughts, knew what we had in mind, knew what we needed to do. What, when, where- we didn't need words, we almost spoke telepathically, two talented people, two brilliant minds working in coordination on a grid only we, the king and queen of this game, could see.

It was terrifying- Omi and 'Tsumu felt like prey before a lone wolf when Kimiko had been in the lead- they were hunted, brought into traps they didn't even know existed, read down to their very core. She predicted everything and followed through perfectly- they simply couldn't get through her. It was like she was in their minds, pulling their strings and using them to her advantage. When they looked in her blue eyes, there was nothing- calm, cold and calculating. She didn't even break a sweat, she didn't even pant or gasp for air. In fact, her breathing was perfectly steady. When Tobio seemed to click with her, however, it was completely different. They were absolutely massacred, they had no chance- there was nothing they could do about the plays they made, there were no wasted steps, there was no opportunities to fight back- they were simply puppets on a string. It was if Tobio was sitting back on a throne with a crown, Kimiko standing beside him with her own crown, watching with their cold eyes, suffocating them even though it was just a game, a practice match at that. They were monsters together, no errors- they clicked perfectly and became a disastrous power together.

Tobio was starting to slip, I could tell- he wasn't used to this kind of thing. I stopped, tossing the ball and twirling it on my finger, looking at Tobio. I pulled out one of my earbuds and he looked back at me, curious as to why I hadn't served yet. I set the ball down and walked over to him, offering him my earbud. He looked at it perplexed before looking at me. "It will help." I say and he takes it, putting it in. "Pace yourself, you're starting to lose your grip. Let the song hone you, focus you. You don't need to focus on them- I can do that. You need to focus on me, what I'm capable of. I'll pick up the slack." I say and he nods, turning back to the court. I walked back to the edge of the court and grabbed the ball, getting ready to serve- up until now I had been directly serving to Omi, but Tobio needed time to get into the rhythm. Until then, I would show him what I was capable of. "I'm not going to serve to you for a while. Please do your best to receive these." I say before I toss the ball high in the air, running forward and jumping. I smack the ball and it flies to the far right edge of the court, smacking right on the corner. 'Tsumu and Omi seem surprised, blinking at the ball then me.

I serve the ball again, this time hitting the far left edge of the court, right on the corner. The next serve I do the middle, right on the line; after that, I do in between. Next, I alternate between those, alternating sides. Omi and 'Tsumu are unable to keep up as I continuously rack up points, not even breaking a sweat. Next, I do jump floats, slowly trailing a line across the court in different areas, keeping in line with my previous hits- like I was creating rows and columns with my hits, plotting a chart, a grid on their court, using only the ball. "You see it, don't you? This is what I'm capable of." I say, tossing the ball and catching it, spinning it on my finger. "You're… you're a volleyball genius." Tobio says, everyone watching my handy work on the court- Omi and 'Tsumu had called a break, needing a drink of water. "It's amazing finding someone as talented as you, is it not? The way you feel right now, that's how people feel to be playing with you. It gets their blood pumping, their spirits up- of course, they can't keep up like I do. They don't see the grid, the chess pieces; that's where you need to step up and be the brain for them." I say, dropping the ball from my fingers into my hands.

"Force that connection- they won't see it like you do, but it's there. Know what they're capable of, their limits, and use them in any way possible to win the game." I say and Tobio nods, though I put the ball down and stretch my fingers. "Okay, I think you got the hang of me. Now, I'm going to switch sides! Sakusa-kun, you team up with Yama-kun. Miya-san… do your best, I'll make it work." I say and 'Tsumu seems startled, blinking at me. "Wait, you're coming to my team?" He asks and I nod, walking over to his side of the court. "Yama-kun, you serve." I say, tossing him the ball as I head to the other side of the court. Omi and 'Tsumu return to the court, getting into position. I stretch my arms and fingers as Tobio gets into position. "I'll go easy on you for now- but I'll score the same amount of points I got before." I say and Tobio looks at me, seeming surprised though he hesitantly nods. I got in a receiving position, watching intently as Tobio tossed the ball up, running forward. I take two steps to the right and stretch my arms out, the ball smacking into my arms. I roll it to 'Tsumu before I run forward and crouch, getting ready to jump though Tobio preemptively jumps.

I grin at him as I jump, 'Tsumu setting the ball perfectly to me. I smack it down right behind Tobio, smiling at 'Tsumu as we high five. "Sure, you can play with me Yama-kun, but can you really play against me?" I chime, giving him a cocky grin before I take the ball and toss it to 'Tsumu. "You're up- nice serve!" I chime and he smiles widely at me as I get settled in front of the net. With only one earbud in and a familiar sense of 'Tsumu's serve, I can tell when he's about to serve. Omi over hand receives and I take a deep breath as he sends it to Tobio. I grin as I jump up- the ball falls back onto their court as I block Tobio's setter dump. "Awe, did you think you'd get the drop on me?" I giggle and Tobio clicks his tongue, seeming irritated that I had caught on. "It's okay, you can try again next time. It won't work, but you can try." I chime and he seems even more irritated, making me smile more. I take the ball and toss it to 'Tsumu, getting back into position. He serves it again and Omi receives it, Tobio serving it to him. I side step and jump up, blocking Omi as his hand swings down. The ball smacks into my wrists, falling back onto their side of the court as I fall perfectly.

"Wow, no offense, but for one of the top three… I expected more." I mumble and I see a tick form on Omi's eyebrow, hearing 'Tsumu snort. "I was thinking the same thing." Tobio says and another tick forms on Omi's eyebrow. "I can't really say anything since I don't even play volleyball seriously." I say, shrugging my shoulders as I grab the volleyball and toss it back to 'Tsumu. "Okay. If I manage to get through your next block, you owe me a kiss." Omi says and I raise an eyebrow as he grins. "Like, just kiss you, or Yama-kun too? Not that it changes anything, you're still going to lose." I chime and he huffs, getting back into position. "Just me." He grumbles and I shrug my shoulders as I get into position. "Are we talking chaste or tongue and freaky shit? This is all going to determine how much effort I put in." I ask and a slow grin forms over his face. "Oh, it'll be tongue and freaky all right- I might even shove my hands inside of your pants." Omi says and I feel my face burn as the back of my neck gets hot. "W-wait! Time out! I need a water break!" I squeak, running over to my bag and grabbing my water bottle. "Someone embarrassed?" Omi chimes, the tips of my ears burning.

"Who wouldn't be?" 'Tsumu laughs as I take a drink of my water. I hear my phone bing and I pull it out, seeing I got a text from Aima. "Hold on..." I mumble, opening my phone and double checking I read it right. "Shit!" I gasp, dashing out of the gym and running towards the check in desk. "Took you long enough! What were you even doing!" Aima says, tapping her foot impatiently as I finally arrive. "I was practicing with Yama-kun, Sakusa-kun and Miya-san." I pant, leaning over onto placing my hands on my knees. "Yeah, yeah. Come on! Don't forget those two, considering your chaperoning." Aima grumbles and I nod, jogging my way back to the gym as Aima takes a seat. "Hey, sorry to cut this short, but it's comp time. Aima's here." I say, grabbing my backpack. "Aima? Aima is here, now?" Tobio asks and I nod, glancing at Omi. "You got the paperwork right? Meet us in the lobby, bring it. Come on, Yama-kun. She's cranky because I kept her waiting for… whatever! Come on, I dislike a grouchy Aima." I grumble, tossing my bag over my shoulder and heading back to the lobby. Tobio grabs his things and tags along behind me, Omi parting off as 'Tsumu seems confused.

"Hold on, wait, what? Aima? Comp? I thought we were going to play more? I finally got you on my team!" 'Tsumu protests, catching up with us with his things in hand. "Sorry Miya-san, but we can schedule another training session if you like?" I ask as I turn the corner, seeing Aima on her phone. "Girl, are you craving a peanut burger again?" I ask and Aima looks over at me, her lip twitching. "Guilty as charged. I'm trying to find a burger joint now." She says and I snort, glancing at 'Tsumu. "You said that you're from around here right? You know any good burger shops that have like, a peanut butter shake or something?" I ask and he opens his mouth, furrowing his eyebrows. "Uh, actually, let me ask my friends." He mumbles, pulling out his phone and walking off a bit. "There, we got someone on the case. Now tell me how- and why- you're here?" I ask and she raises an eyebrow at me, gesturing for me to come over. "I took a bus as soon as I got word that Sakusa was here, I couldn't deny Mr.Potential his opportunity." Aima chimes, shoving her phone in her pocket and smiling at me. "Aima, really? We crashed into each other!" I protest and Aima snorts, grinning at me.

"Yeah, he also couldn't get enough of feeling up on you." Aima says and this time I snort, pulling off my headband. "Him and… uh, a lot of other people." I say and Aima rolls her eyes, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Well, yeah, but you weren't exactly hopping off either." Aima says and I kneel down, untying my shoes. "Yeah, when someone doesn't let me go, I don't really get off." I chime and Aima snorts, flashing me a cocky grin. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure you get off plenty~" Aima chimes and I turn to her, pressing my lips together in a tight smile. "I want to 'get off' on your ass right now, but you're pregnant, so I'll let it slide." I joke and Aima laughs heartily, rubbing her belly. "Aww yeah, my ticket to freedom. Thank ya, sweet baby." Aima chimes and I snort, reaching over and pinching her nose. "Yeah, like I couldn't deprive you of the interesting daily life of me." I say and she rubs her nose, sparing me a playful glare. "Yeah, well, I'm still waiting to hear about that orgy you had." Aima mumbles and I tick my jaw to the side, shaking my head. "First off- not an orgy. Second off- what, is the contract just for show or something?" I ask and Aima quickly shakes her head, waving her hands.

"No, no! I mean, really, it was just kinda obvious the way they were looking at you. They looked like they had just gotten a taste and were greedy for another." Aima says and I snort, rubbing the back of my neck. "That obvious huh? It still wasn't an orgy." I grumble and Aima giggles, pointing at me. "Oh, yes, my mistake. It was a gang bang." Aima says and I reach over, pinching her ear. "Luckily for me, you'll never hear a word about what transpired that day because Arthur had everyone sign a non-disclosure agreement. Well, he had me sign a title to a car, but I'm sure as hell not telling you." I say and Aima pouts, though Omi appears from around the corner. "How are we doing this whole competition thing?" Omi asks, handing Aima the STD test as she quickly pulls out her binder, looking over it before tucking it safely away. "Well, I'm hoping that Miya-san has good news for me before we get you two started." Aima chimes as I slide off my shoes, reaching for my bag. "A-Ah, nope, you're wearing these." Aima says, reaching into my bag and offering me a pair of black heels. I look at her, then the heels, then her, raising an eyebrow as she rolls her eyes.

"Humor me. I got a dress on standby too." She says and I scrunch up my nose, glaring at the heels. "You do realize-" I start though she quickly shushes me, shoving the heels at me. "Unless you want to change your whole outfit here, put them on." Aima says and I snort, crossing my arms. "You do realize how cold it is outside right?" I ask and she turns to me, her eyebrow twitching. "Okay! You can wear the whole outfit now, or we can go find a bathroom and I'm going to strip you down myself, underwear and all!" Aima chimes and I roll my eyes, stripping off my shirt in one move and holding out a hand to her. I was in my sports bra, so I wasn't really shy about showing off. It was way better than the other options Aima had prepared for me. "I hate how you have no sense of pride- I mean, you don't not have one either, but like, you aren't cocky about it. Do yourself a favor and wear some sexy underwear without me making you." Aima grumbles, digging into her bag and pulling out a familiar dress. "When hell freezes over." I say as I slide the dress on- long sleeve, form fitting, reaching my mid thigh dress. The exact same one I had ridden Kuroo in on the drive to get groceries.

"Do I at least get a jacket?" I ask and Aima's lip twitches as she grins widely up to me. "You gonna wear the sexy boots?" She chimes and I pull my hair out of the dress, pulling off my shorts as I pull the dress down as much as possible. "At least they'll cover more skin. Give 'em." I grumble and Aima dives into her bag, pulling out my leather jacket and thigh high heel boots- the exact outfit I had worn when I rode Kuroo in the back of Arthur's car. "Talk about Deja Vu…" I mumble as I slide them on, reaching into my bag and putting on Toru's choker he had got me. "It's on purpose!" Aima chimes and I turn to her, raising an eyebrow. "Round two of the jar?" I ask and Aima laughs, shaking her head and smiling widely at me. "Nope! You'll see." Aima chimes and I pull my hair out from my jacket, putting my clothes into my bag. "Do you make a habit of changing out in the open?" Omi asks and I shake my head, zipping up my backpack. "No, but I've learned from experience that it's better to just go with Aima or things get worse." I say as 'Tsumu walks back over, looking back up at me. He stops in his tracks, his jaw going slack and his eyes widening.