Of Cats and Crows (Sugawara Koushi)

Sly Cat!

The documentary had gotten approved and all the paperwork had been sorted out. The first order of business is to get some photos. Kuroo, being the annoying genius he naturally was, had the idea to have Chie take some photos at the concert hall. He even went to "great lengths" to bring a Mikasa volleyball as a prop.

"You really know how to take advantage of my schedule." Mitsumi met Kuroo and the photographer out on the stage. Mei hadn't arrived yet for their dress rehearsal.

Kuroo's lips curled up into that stupid Cheshire cat grin. "I always have. When else are you going to be so dressed up?"

The photographer bowed, "Machi Takeshi. A pleasure to work with you."

"Of course! Just tell me what to do and I'll do my best." Mitsumi bowed back. She was lucky that she had access to the concert hall at this hour.

The design team wanted photos of her at a grand piano. She took a few classy ones, one of her playing, and a few different poses with the volleyball in the frame. And for fun, she even took one where she was one arm on the piano while spinning the volleyball on her finger.

"Smile ya doofus!" Kuroo was standing a few rows back from the stage. "You look ridiculous!"

Mitsumi started to laugh as the photographer continued to snap pictures. "Oh my gosh, Kuroo. I'm going to kill you today." She bounced the ball against the stage. "Oi! Serves up Bed Head!" She tossed the ball into the air for a classic overhand serve.

Kuroo still had a perfect receive. The ball shot straight up and he caught it in his large hands. "Not bad, short stuff."

Mei was walking on stage to start dress rehearsal. Her face went pale at the sight of a volleyball in a prestigious concert hall. "You guys better not be playing Pepper in here." She walked across the stage to her piano and took a seat.

"I swear we aren't," Mitsumi reassured her mortified partner.

Machi paid no attention. He scrolled through some of the shots he got and smiled at his work. Of course, they still needed to be edited. But, he got what they needed. The photographer was far too used to Kuroo's bizarre antics. He often accompanied the businessman to different events and press conferences.

"Do you guys want to see some of the shots?" The photographer was instantly surrounded by everyone. "I don't know which ones will be in the final product, but I will send you a folder to select your favorites from," Machi told Mitsumi, who hummed in agreement.

They looked amazing. Mitsumi didn't realize it, but the blue and yellow ball matched her blue gown. "These look amazing! Are you sure you are only a photojournalist?"

"You should take her wedding photos." Mei was beyond impressed with the raw photos. She was only half-joking in her comment.

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Hey, that isn't a bad idea, Mei-chan."

"It really isn't." Mitsumi agreed with both of them. "If you get the edited photos to me quick enough, I'll talk to Koushi and consider it." She crossed her arms in thought. Just the raw photos alone were super promising. There was no way in heck she'd let her younger sister take her wedding photos. Megumi was a part of the wedding party, and it was going to stay that way. 

"See, problem solved Tsumi-chan." Kuroo winked in an all-knowing manner with his arms crossed and his classic smirk. He had known about her lack of a wedding photographer and had been doing some research. Although that research required him to pester poor Machi into oblivion about the documentary promotional shoot. Mitsumi had been looking for someone for months and hadn't fallen in love with anyone's style yet.