Behind a strong man [Ushiwaka /Oc]

Chapter 32 - A new stage

After having escaped the busy train station and finding the hotel, Tamiko was more than relieved to take a small rest from their travel. Before they left to go to the stadium they had explored their accommodation in the hotel. The hotel itself offered a nice lounge but the rooms were something else. They had a small bathroom and a small sofa with a TV. And two beds with a nightstand between them. Tamiko was growing a little sceptical if it was a good idea to share a room with a guy she had only been dating for two weeks. But then again, she could trust him, she knew and believed this. After having deposited their luggage they made their way downstairs to go to the stadium to see the opening ceremony. Suddenly Tamiko stopped and turned around.

"Wait here," she told him as she ran the stairs back up.

Although confused, he waited patiently until she returned, out of breath but with a smile on her face.

"What did you forget?" he asked.

"My notebook." she told him.

He looked down at her, a little confused as to why she had a need for it.

"If I'm going to be the manager of Shiratorizawa then I need to know the competition on this new stage." she smirked mischievously.

"It isn't new." he bluntly noted.

"It is to me."

He smiled at her fondly as he watched her clutch the notebook tightly before putting it into her rucksack. He remembered her telling him about this, her future plan. Tokyo was a dream she could not reach with her brother still so depended on her. That was the reality of her situation. So she had to stay in Sendai. The offer of her working as Shiratorizawa's manager was something she could befriend herself with now and she was eager. Over the last three years she had never shown any interest in this sport but ever since she witnessed the finals of the Miyagi prefecture, her heart has been set on fire. It could easily be said that Ushijima was proud of his girlfriend. It may only be a little tribute she would pay and if he was honest, he did really see the need of a manager. But she was different. She wasn't just anyone. Many girls had offered themselves for the position but coach Washijo had always been against it. A useless distraction, he had called it. But Tamiko had a trained eye, she was motivational and she could keep them in check. He was sure that he could leave the team in her capable hands.

And so they left the hotel together. Tokyo wasn't as cold as the northern Miyagi but it was still chilly so jackets and scarfs were still worn. Luckily the hotel was near the Tokyo metropolitan stadium, so they didn't have to walk in the cold for too long and the stadium wasn't hard to find either. Many people were on their way to the stadium so they just had to follow the flow of the crowd. The blow up volleyball mascot was easy to spot from a distance and lots of busses were parked along the road, dropping off team after team from different corners of the country with the name of their school hoisted above the sea of moving heads. Some had traveled far, others lived close by. It was a huge crowd of people, players and spectators. One group she recognised straight away as they walked towards​ the entrance.

"Tobio-kun!" she called and waved.

Pushing through the crowd she skipped ahead to the group in black. Ushijima followed her in silence. The Karasuno team was surprised to see her but they all greeted her and didn't really notice the grand ace approach. They were focused on Tamiko as she talked with them and wished them good luck.

"I hope to see some good play." she grinned and patted her brother's shoulder.

"Are you going to cheer for us, Kageyama-san?" Hinata asked.

"Of course," she grinned. "And I wouldn't be alone."

She turned her head to look at her companion who was now standing beside her. Hinata looked at her, slightly confused when he saw the familiar figure loom over him. He flinched back when he saw the glare from above, pointing at him in shock.