Everything has changed | t.kuroo & h.yachi

Chapter 10: Thoughts

The sun had barely begun to rise over Shinzen High’s campus when Yachi Hitoka slipped quietly out of the shared room. The summer camp was well underway, and after days of intense matches and late-night strategy discussions, everyone seemed determined to savor a few extra minutes of sleep. But not Yachi. She had always been an early riser, and today was no exception.

As she made her way to the kitchen, Yachi’s thoughts turned to her team. Karasuno had made so much progress since their first training camp with Nekoma and the other schools. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought of Hinata and Kageyama’s fierce determination, Tanaka and Nishinoya’s boundless energy, and Daichi’s steady leadership. As their manager, she often felt like the quiet thread holding the team together. It was a role she cherished, even if it sometimes felt overwhelming.

The kitchen was dimly lit, with only the faint glow of the pre-dawn light filtering through the windows. Yachi tied an apron over her clothes and began gathering ingredients for breakfast. She began organizing ingredients—miso paste, tofu, seaweed, rice, eggs, and a medley of fresh vegetables. The menu was simple—rice, miso soup and grilled tofu. She hummed softly as she worked, her hands moving methodically.

Despite the silence, her mind was far from still. She thought about how she had grown since becoming Karasuno’s manager. There was a time when the idea of managing a team of rowdy boys would have sent her into a panic. But now, she found herself thriving in the chaos, her confidence blossoming with each passing day.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear the soft footsteps approaching until a familiar voice broke the stillness.

“Morning. You’re up early.”

Startled, she turned to see Kuroo Tetsurou leaning casually against the doorframe, his trademark smirk firmly in place. His dark hair was tousled, and he looked like he had just rolled out of bed.

“Oh! Kuroo-san, good morning,” Yachi said, her voice steady despite the sudden flutter in her chest. She had grown used to his teasing over the course of the camp, but his unexpected presence always threw her off balance.

“Making breakfast for everyone?” he asked, stepping into the kitchen.

“Yes,” she replied, turning back to the cutting board. “I thought it would be nice for everyone to have something ready when they wake up.”

Kuroo crossed his arms, watching her with an amused expression. “You’re too kind. If it were me, I’d let them fend for themselves.”

Yachi chuckled softly. “But then no one would eat.”

“Fair point,” Kuroo conceded. He moved to the counter and picked up a knife. “Mind if I help?”

She hesitated, unsure of how serious he was. “You cook?”

“I dabble,” he said with a wink. “Come on, let me impress you.”

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be concerned, but before she could protest, he took over a few more tasks, moving with surprising confidence. Despite her initial reservations, Yachi handed him a pile of green onions to chop. As they worked, she found herself laughing at his exaggerated stories of Nekoma’s kitchen disasters, which made the atmosphere feel light and easy.

"You wouldn’t believe it," Kuroo continued, "but last month, Lev decided to make pasta for the team… only he forgot to boil the water. Just put the noodles straight in the pot. No one noticed until halfway through practice, and we ended up eating raw pasta."

Yachi laughed at the mental image, shaking her head. "That sounds like a disaster."

"It was," Kuroo agreed with a chuckle. "But the worst part was when he tried to convince us that 'al dente' meant the noodles had to be crunchy."