"Pardon?"
A bit confused, you told your head to the side and blink a couple of times. Did you hear him right? Seriously? Is he maybe joking?
"I was wondering if you'd go on a blind date with my grandson. Overall, he's pathetic, isn't good-looking, and kinda a good-for-nothing, and you could do much better, but I'd love you as a granddaughter-in-law."
"Sir, I don't- I don't really do blind dates-"
"Just this one. That way he can say that he's been on a date with a beautiful girl."
"Alright. One date."
And how do you know this old man? He works owns volleyball training center for children, and you work with him. While you don't know much about the sport, you're very nurturing. He took a shine to you pretty quickly, and now he seems to want you as family. This is what you get for respecting your elders.
At the restaurant that was booked, you find a blonde man on the back, all alone and seeming to be in a bad mood.
Smoothly, you approach him and ask, "Keishin Ukai?"
"Mhm. Y/n L/n?"
"Yup," You sit across from him and put out your hand. "Pleasure meeting you.'
"This is a date, not business."
You retract your hand. "It's not much of a date. I doubt we'll be seeing each other again."
"Ouch. So what's your motive? Did he bribe you? Blackmail?"
"No. I just didn't want to refuse him."
"Great."
"You? You don't seem to wanna be here."
"I don't. My parents have been down my back for me to get married and now him."
Laughing a bit, you say, "He told me that you're hopeless and how he just wants me for a granddaughter-in-law, despite being too good for you."
"THAT- I'm sorry."
"It's fine. S o... what do you do for a living?"
"Run a family convenience store and coach a volleyball team."
"Nice."
"You work with my grandfather, right?"
"Yes. I work with him."
"I hear you're good with children."
"I'd say so."
"Any hobbies?"
"Sleeping."
"I feel that."
By the end of the date, you can say that he's a nice guy, but you don't think much else. He seemed pretty tired and stressed, to which you relate to. Bottom line is, you don't think you'd go out with him again.
"Hey," he says before you can leave.
"Hm? What's up?"
"Give me your number. I'd...like to go out again."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. You, uh, you seem nice."
You write your number on a napkin and hand it to him. "Here. 'I give you a month for dates. By then, let's decide whether or not to make it official.
"Sounds good."
Every date is nice, but you're really not sure. You haven't had a boyfriend in a good while, and you don't know if you really want to date right now. And the worse part is, it's almost been a month, and you'll owe him an answer since it was your idea.
When the time comes, he asks, "Can we make it official? I really like you."
Sighing, you reply, "I don't know."
"What makes you not want to?"
"Honestly...I'm not sure if I wanna date. Also, this may sound immature, but would you really have time for me? I mean, you have work and the team and you'll be going out of town a lot-"
"You can always come see me at work. You can come watch our practices. I can take you with me on trips. I can make time for you if that's what you want."
"But would I have all of you?"
"What?"
There'll always be the same thing: I have to put in the effort to see you. It would never be a sacrifice from you. Only me. That's unfair and unbalanced, "I'm the coach. I can't not go."
"What's the big deal? It's just a game."
"Just a- no. How about this? We have a training match coming up with Aoba Johsai. Come watch us. Once you see the freak quick, you're gonna understand."
"The-"
"Just trust me."
"Fine."
Boarding the bus, you find a bunch of teenage boys staring at you. Immediately, they bombard you with questions. "Are you Sensei's girlfriend?" "When are you getting married? "How long have you been together?" "Why are you with him when you're too good for him?" Ukai just shushes them while you take a nap.
The match changes everything. The moment you saw the freak quick, all you wanted was to see it again and again.
You'd dropped your bag and stopped breathing. Meanwhile, Ukai just grabbed your hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Do you understand?"
"H-huh."
"Can we make it official?"
"Uh-huh."
"YOU'RE OFFICIAL?!?!?!" shouts the elder Ukai when your boyfriend picks you up from work one day while kissing your cheek smugly.
Blushing, you reply, "Yeah. It was fairly recent."
"I'M GONNA HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER-IN-LAW!!!"
"Slow down, ya old geezer!" Ukai yells. "We just made it official!"
"Ruin this and I ruin you!"
"Rude!!"
