Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chaper 38: Yachi Hitoka

"Good afternoon, Ayame~" Tanaka cooed at the girl.

"Your hair looks lovely in bun as always~!" Noya added. The girl sighed and ignored the two, continuing to brainstorm offensive patterns. It was a typical after school practice, though their manager seems to be missing. A familiar, high pitched tune echoed throughout the gym, she already knows who it is, much to her dismay.

"Assikawa-san, stop calling just to tell me volleyball pick up lines."

"Demo Aya-chaaaan~ I've got a good one!" The voice on the other end whined childishly loud enough for the other members to hear, then cleared his throat, "are you a middle blocker? Cause you spiked my interest."

The girl face-palmed at his corny joke, this has got to be his worst one yet. "I've got one for you too: if you keep bothering me during practice, I'll set you on fire."

There was a long pause, until the brunette on the other side can't hold back and bursted out in laughter. The some team members at the gym can't help but chuckle.

"Even Iwa-chan can come up with something better than that!" The voice on the other side exclaimed, speaking in between his laughs. The girl turned red in embarassment.

"Sh-Shut up!"

"But I've got another one! Are you a libero? Cause- " She pressed end call before he finished another corny pick up line.

"Oh! I know that one!" Nishinoya cleared his throat, and looked at Ayame as seductively as he can - though he looks constipated in her eyes.

"Are you a libero? Cause I want you to receive my love." She face-palmed once again, her face red with her hand hitting it.

"I see why you don't have a girlfriend." Tsukishima took the opportunity to rile up the libero, which he succeeded in doing so.

"TSUKISHIMA, YOU BASTARD!" Noya shouted as he tiptoed to reach the collar of the blonde's shirt, shaking it violently though Tsukishima continued to smirk. The libero's outburst got interrupted by the creaking sound of the gym doors opening, revealing Shimizu and a girl who hid behind her.

"You found one!" The ginger exclaimed. The girl remained frozen stiff at the sight of tall volleyball players. Noya and Tanaka hid behind Suga, similarly to what they did when they first met Ayame during practice. Oh how it brings back memories.

"She'll be a temporary member who'll serve as a manager." Shimizu explained as she gestured to the nervous blonde girl. She straightened up, her cheeks dusted with pink as she introduced herself.

"I-I'm Yachi Hitoka!"

"Are you a first year?" Asahi approached the girl, who turned pale at his seemingly threatening appearance.

"I-I am of Year One Class Five!" She stuttered once again, her voice trembling. Tsukishima and Kageyama exchanged looks 'I am of...'

"Ah. Yachi-san, nice to meet you." Ayame greeted, her lips curved to a small smile.

"I-I'll be in your care!"

Asahi turned to the first years, cheerfully he said,"that's great! Now you guys will have a manager next year, too!"

"Yeah!!" Hinata replied.

"It's just temporary." Shimizu clarified. "And she came here for a bit before her committee work at my sudden request, so she's just showing her face for today."

"I-I'll be in your care!" She repeated, bowing stiffly.

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The following day, during lunch break, the raven haired girl grabbed her lunch and was about to leave the classroom until she was stopped by a voice.

"Ayame, where are you heading?"

"Ah. Sorry Yamaguchi, I won't be able to eat with you guys today, I'll be eating with Yachi-san next door." She apologized.

"She's just our temporary manager though." Tsukishima reminded.

"I know. But I really want to get to know her more. If you'll excuse me." The two exchanged confused looks as the the girl drowned in the midst of the crowded, hectic hallways.

As soon as the school bell rang, all the students in the class left, leaving Yachi and another student behind, though he about to leave. She pulled out the bento and revealed last night's leftovers: Takoyaki along with some fried rice. But before she placed the fried dumpling in my mouth, she heard a familiar voice that made her flinch.

"Yachi-san, wanna eat lunch together?" The boy who was grabbing his lunch froze on the spot, shifting her attention to him, mildly surprised. "Ah. Naozumi-san, I didn't know you go here."

The brunette boy blushed in a shade of pink, rubbing the back of his neck,"a-ah yeah. I do. I'll see you at work. I-if you'll excuse me." He stuttered as he clumsily scrambled his stuff, and ran out of the classroom, leaving the girl confused.

It's that girl from the club yesterday! What should I do?! I didn't even ask for her name! Yachi thought, paranoid. She can't help but feel intimidated by her appearance, as she was just as beautiful as Shimizu. The blonde girl stuttered out her greeting.

"H-Hi! If you want, please eat lunch with me!" Oh no. Was that too demanding? Did I sound rude?

The raven haired girl smiled at her, "Ah. I forgot to introduce myself yesterday. I'm Ayame Yamamoto, but please call me Ayame." The girl turned pale at the mention of her name. Concerned, Ayame tilted her head to the side, "are you alright?"

"H-Hai!" She responded timidly.

"I'm sorry if I asked to eat with you so suddenly. I was just really happy that it get to be friends with another first year. Almost all of them are scared of me just because of my family background." The girl sighed as she brushed a lock of her coal black hair behind her ear. Yachi's nervousness faded away and stared at her as she opened her bento, revealing pork curry with rolled omelette.

"Ano...What do you do at the club, Ayame-san?"

"I help out the coach plan and strategize attacks for upcoming matches. I am what you call 'Coach's Assistant' though it sounds lame, it's actually pretty fun." Her lips curved into a small smile as she placed a roll of fried egg in her mouth.

"It doesn't sound lame at all!" Yachi acknowledged.

"It doesn't? It sounded pretty dull to me. Though I used to be just a temporary member, just like you. But I guess you can say that I've grown attached to them, so I decided to stay." She paused before speaking again. Reminiscing, she thought about her first time joining the club, making her smile grow into a wide grin. She's too bright...!

"They're quite a handful, but you'll learn how to put up with them. So I hope you consider being our manager for the upcoming year." The two girls ate in comfortable silence afterwards, though they would ask general questions to each other from time to time. Out of nowhere, a voice shouted, calling the raven haired girl's name, making her choke as sipped through her juicebox.

"AYAME!! TEACH US!" Hinata begged as Kageyama stood beside him. Yachi froze at their presence.

"Hinata, stop yelling. You're scaring Yachi-san, and my notes are back at the classroom, so I can't help you." Ayame turned to Yachi, introducing the two first years to her. "That's Kageyama, and that's Hinata."

"N-Nice to meet you!" She bowed stiffly at the two. "I-if you'd be okay with me lending you my notes..."

"REALLY?!"

"Y-yeah..." She trailed off as she pulled out her notebook, flipping through the pages.

"I'm guessing Tsukishima refused to tutor you guys...?" The two nodded grumpily as Ayame sighed.

"I'm gonna pass the test and go on the trip to Tokyo!" Hinata exclaimed determinedly.

"Yes, but first you've got to learn prepositional phrases and memorize that set of vocabulary words." She replied, pointing at Yachi's notes.