Another Manager (Akashi Seijuro x OC)

Oikawa Tōru's Birthday (July 20)

Nishinoya burst into her classroom as soon as the bell rang. "Ai!!! Chikara! Kazuhito!"

The other students of Class 2-4 shot him weird looks, and Ai was glad for him that the teacher had already left so he wouldn't get yelled at. She finished packing her textbooks for homework and stood. "Yū, we can hear you just fine."

He entered the class, as Ennoshita came over from his desk to hers.

"You always scream indoors, Nishinoya," her classmate said hopelessly.

The proud libero laughed. "It's summer vacation! Let's go to club!"

"You're really energetic, Nishinoya." Narita shrugged his backpack on and got ready to leave the classroom as well.

"It's Friday today," Ennoshita told him.

"Yeah, last day of school!" Nishinoya yelled happily.

Ai shook her head. "He means, I have sadō club. You'd have to go ahead without me, Yū."

"Nah, I'll walk you! Let's go!!!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the hallway.

Ai giggled as she tried to keep up with his pace. Ennoshita and Narita followed them to the stairwell, and Tanaka and Kinoshita joined them, too.

———

At Aoba Johsai Private School

Ai: Hello, Yūtarō. How are you? I hope Tōru-san has a happy birthday. Please give him, Akira, Iwaizumi-san, and the rest of your team my regards.

Kindaichi received this message in the morning, but he had been too scared to reply. It was now after school, and he was walking with Kunimi to the club room to change clothes. Students in the same summer uniform crowded the campus as well, each on their way to their own club activities or to go home.

"Should I say something?" the middle blocker asked his friend as they walked around a group of people standing around.

"You haven't even responded to your own birthday message over a month ago," Kunimi retorted. "She probably thinks you're ignoring her."

Kindaichi stopped in his tracks. "Wait, really?" He looked terrified.

His friend stopped too and looked back at him with his usual lazy, straight face. "No."

The other first-year sighed and started walking again. "What am I going to tell Oikawa-san?"

"Just show him the message. Knowing him, he'll probably just answer for you." They walked up the stairs of the separate building to get to the boys' volleyball club locker room. The wing spiker twisted the metal knob and opened the door, entering first. "Hey," he greeted the upperclassmen who were already there.

"Hey," they chorused back in masculine voices.

"Hey," Kindaichi repeated. He closed the door behind him and went to his locker.

"What's up, Kindaichi? You seem down." Matsukawa continued to change, but he wasn't in a hurry to put on a shirt in the stuffy, hot room.

"Are you adverse that it's Oikawa's birthday today, too?" Hanamaki added.

The first-year blinked. "Huh? Uhh... no..?"

Kunimi sighed and answered for him as he opened his narrow gray locker. He started unbuttoning his blue checkered shirt. "He got a text from Karasuno's manager about Oikawa-san's birthday."

"What?" Yahaba asked as Watari quietly stared with widened eyes.

Hanamaki snapped around as well. "Huh? Seriously?!"