Shorties (Yaku x reader)

Chapter 1

It was a typical afternoon at Nekoma High School, the kind where the sun's rays filter through the trees, casting playful patterns on the pavement. Y/N, a petite third-year student, was enjoying a walk with her friend Yuna after their cooking club session. Y/N was known for her cuteness and kind heart, traits that made her well-liked among her classmates, though she had always preferred a quieter life, spending most of her time with her mother since her parents' divorce.

"Let's take the long way today," Yuna suggested with a grin. "It's such a nice day, and I could use some fresh air."

Y/N nodded in agreement, and the two girls made their way down the path that would take them past the gym. The school's volleyball team was in full practice, and the sounds of cheering and the thud of the ball echoed through the open doors.

As they walked, a stray volleyball suddenly flew out of the gym and gently bumped against Y/N's leg. She looked down in surprise as the ball came to rest at her feet. Before she could react, a short boy with a mop of dark, slightly tousled hair and an expressive face dashed out of the gym. He wore the standard Nekoma uniform, but it was his bright red libero jersey that caught the eye.

"Sorry about that!" the boy called out, his face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and relief. "Lev spiked the ball in the wrong direction."

Yuna, who recognized him immediately, let out a chuckle. "Hey, Yaku! What are you doing out here?"

Yaku, slightly out of breath, looked from Yuna to Y/N and gave a polite nod. "I'm Yaku Morisuke. I'm the libero for the volleyball team. And you are?"

Y/N, a bit flustered by the attention, gave a shy smile. "I'm L/N F/N. Just call me Y/N. Nice to meet you."

As Yaku picked up the ball and started to head back toward the gym, Lev's voice rang out from inside, "Hey, Yaku! Check out the girl's height! She's almost as short as you!"

Yaku froze in his tracks, his face turning a shade of red that rivaled his jersey. "What did you just say?"

Lev, completely unaware of the brewing storm, continued, "She's even shorter than you! You two could be twins!"

Yaku's eyes narrowed, and in a burst of irritation, he stormed back into the gym and gave Lev a swift, well-aimed kick to the shin. Lev yelped and hopped around, clutching his leg as Yaku scowled.

"That's what you get for running your mouth!" Yaku snapped before turning back to Y/N and Yuna, his face still flushed. "Sorry about that. Lev can be a bit of a troublemaker."

Y/N watched the exchange, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of amusement. "It's alright. I didn't expect such a... lively introduction."

Yuna burst into laughter and nudged Y/N. "That's Yaku for you. He's the libero, which means he's basically the team's defense. He's always so serious on the court, but off it, he's got this hilarious side. Like today, apparently."

As they walked away from the gym, Y/N listened with growing interest. "So, he's the libero? What's that like?"

Yuna grinned. "Well, he's the one who's always diving around, making crazy saves, and keeping the team from falling apart. He's got reflexes that could put a cat to shame. And the best part is, he takes his role super seriously, but then you get to see him lose his cool over little things like today."

Y/N couldn't help but laugh, the image of Yaku's annoyed face still fresh in her mind. "Sounds like he's pretty dedicated."

Yuna nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, definitely. And trust me, once you get to know him, he's pretty funny in his own way. Just don't tell him I said that."

As they continued their walk, Y/N felt a new sense of curiosity and amusement about her interactions with the volleyball team. It seemed that life at Nekoma was going to be more entertaining than she had anticipated.