Through the Boundaries ~ Kageyama Tobio

20

Saerin walked into the gym, her bag slung over her shoulder, a small, nervous smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It had been a few days since things between her and Kageyama had settled down. The tension that hung over them after the fight had lifted, and now there was something lighter, more playful between them. Even so, she knew today was going to be interesting.

The team was gathered, their usual banter bouncing off the gym walls as they prepared for practice. She spotted Kageyama easily—he stood with Hinata, towering over him while they debated something about their spikes.

Her heartbeat quickened, not from nerves, but from the thought of how he'd react to what she was about to announce.

"Saerin!" Nishinoya shouted from across the gym, waving both arms. "You're here to watch practice again?"

She laughed, walking up to them. "Something like that."

Hinata bounced over, beaming. "Oh man, Kageyama's gonna mess up with you watching again. You've been throwing him off his game every time!"

"That's not true." Kageyama shot back, glaring at Hinata before his eyes flicked to Saerin. His expression softened slightly, though his stoic demeanor remained intact.

"Actually," Saerin cleared her throat, feeling the weight of everyone's attention on her, "I'm not just here to watch anymore."

The team blinked in confusion, even Kageyama seemed to furrow his brows at her words.

Sugawara, who had been standing nearby, grinned knowingly. "You finally going to tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Tanaka asked, curiosity dripping from his voice.

Saerin's smile widened. "I'm your new manager."

A beat of silence passed before the gym erupted with noise.

"What?!"

"No way!"

"That's awesome!"

Saerin couldn't help but laugh as the team buzzed with excitement. Nishinoya and Hinata were the loudest, both of them practically dancing around her, throwing out ideas of what her role as manager could mean.

Kageyama, however, stood still, eyes fixed on her. "Wait... you're the new manager?" His voice was flat, but she could tell he was processing it.

She nodded, biting back a laugh. "Yeah. Sugawara recommended me."

He blinked, obviously caught off guard. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well," Saerin said, leaning in slightly, "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Kageyama crossed his arms, still staring at her as if she'd pulled the rug out from under him. His expression was difficult to read, but she could sense the confusion mixed with something else. Maybe a little pride?

"You could've at least told me," he muttered under his breath, though there was no real heat behind his words. It was clear he wasn't angry—just surprised that she hadn't let him in on it sooner.

"Aw, Kageyama's jealous!" Hinata teased, earning a swift elbow from him.

"Shut up, Hinata," Kageyama shot back, but his eyes never left Saerin.

The rest of the team eventually turned back to their routine, still buzzing with excitement about Saerin's new role. Sugawara walked over and gave her a congratulatory pat on the back, and she mouthed a "thank you" to him.

As the team began their warm-ups, Kageyama approached her, still looking a bit thrown.

"So... manager, huh?"

"Yep," Saerin said, shrugging. "Figured it was time to make it official."

He nodded, eyes narrowing as if he was still trying to wrap his mind around it. "You're gonna be hanging around more now."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, just... I'll have to get used to it."

She smiled, enjoying his flustered reaction. "I think you'll manage."

Kageyama opened his mouth to say something but paused, clearly struggling to find the right words. Saerin raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Just don't distract me during practice," he muttered.

"No promises," she teased.

---

Kageyama walked her home that evening, their usual banter flowing easily. As they neared her house, the quiet of the night seemed to wrap around them like a blanket. Saerin could feel the warmth between them, something subtle but undeniable.

When they reached her doorstep, Kageyama stood awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. It was clear he didn't want to leave just yet.

"Well," she said, breaking the silence, "goodnight."

He nodded stiffly, not moving.

Just as she turned to head inside, she felt a gentle tug on her hand. She stopped, glancing back at him.

Kageyama's face was slightly flushed, his usual stern expression softening. "You're really... something, you know that?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but smile. Without thinking, she leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, Kageyama," she whispered.

For a moment, he stood there frozen, eyes wide in shock. Then, slowly, a small, rare smile tugged at his lips. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Saerin beat him to it.

"See you tomorrow," she said, flashing him one of her bright, irresistible smiles before disappearing inside.

Kageyama stood on her doorstep for a long moment, hand on his cheek where she'd kissed him, a warmth spreading through his chest that he couldn't quite put into words.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, but one thing was certain—he didn't want this feeling to end.