one wild cat [Kuroo Tetsurou x OC]

II. Plasma and Vein

[Friday, May 18th 2012]
[4.27 p.m.]
[Nekoma High School, Second Gym]
[Tokyo, Japan]

"Ah, I see. Kuroo-senpai is the captain. I didn't know this," Kimi stood in front of Kuroo, in her oversized sweater and track pants, application form in her hands, her face flat. Was this a surprise? No. She should've expected it. But they could've just said his name instead of captain this and captain that!

"Ah, and I should've known who is applying because it was Inuoka and Lev who came to me," Kuroo looked at Kimi from his height. Kuroo is almost a whole 25 cm taller than her. She looked to her right as Kuroo was reading her form. She noticed Shibayama from her class, Yaku, Lev, and Sou. Lev was signaling at Kimi to watch her spike, earning himself a kick on the butt by Yaku. Sou gave her one thumb up.

"Now then, why the sudden interest? How do I put this...You don't look like you like getting troubled taking care of people. I mean, not to offend, but a manager's job is tough, you know."

She would've gotten mad if his guess was wrong, but he was dead on right, "Well senpai isn't wrong...I'm doing this out of my own self-interest though, which is probably why I would do my best...I mean this isn't exactly an interview-passing answer as well. But I'm not good at lying, and Kuroo-senpai seems smart enough to notice, so if I can be honest..."

"Go ahead. What sort of self-interest?"

"To find activities after school...something that is less physical than a sports club but requires me to move around a little. I mean the least I can do is to help is being a ball boy."

"And your point is?"

"To force myself to do physical activities and dedicate myself to something...probably...I have a bad habit of staying home playing games all day and it's getting unhealthy...and I could never motivate myself to do something I am not interested in. So I have to force myself to do something...otherwise I would never move around if I don't have to."

"What," Kuroo was dumbfounded. He had seen girls who try to be managers to earn themselves some good self-image, or be popular, but then slacks off while picking up stray balls, or help with practice, not put any effort in understanding the terms and complains when no one is around. He had seen all sorts of superficial, fake, and hidden motives. He, however, never found one that is weird. At least not this weird.

"I mean at least I'll do my best, also I probably won't slack off...and I'm not as dumb as I look. I used to help my cousin with his volleyball a little...and I did research a little about volleyball this afternoon so I kinda know the full rules and the terms by now. Senpai looks smart, I'm sure somehow you'll be able to put me to a good use...or something like that."

"And I heard you don't plan on going on for the whole year? You probably think we are desperate for a manager but half-motivated people will only bring more trouble. Imagine we're getting used to you as a manager and then suddenly you start to bail out."

"I mean we can go for some kind of probation period, maybe one or two months to see if we are compatible...I mean we don't know yet if you'll like the job I'm doing anyways...Not that I plan to slack off, though."

"Three months, at least until the training camp with Fukurōdani group in July, and then it's a deal."

"In summer?" she thought, she hates summer and the heat. Going on a trip in summer and taking care of people at the same time is three times as annoying.

How troublesome.

But if I reject this I would have to apply to other clubs, and that's probably more troublesome. And there are lots of people I don't know. Three months huh...maybe I'll lose enough weight to not work out for the next year or two. Well maybe just this once, "Uh, ok."