𝐂𝐇. 𝟗

⋅. ˚₊ ‧ 𐙚 ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅

There are exactly two reasons I show up early to practice today: 1. My dad promised me vending machine snacks if I helped set up. 2. I want to sit in the corner and judge people. Silently. With snacks.

The gym is half-lit, the air smells like floor polish and sweat, and the boys are starting to warm up.

I sit cross-legged near the bench, a clipboard in my lap and a juice box in hand like I'm an elementary school teacher about to grade an emotional support class of Golden Retrievers.

⸻

The Observing Begins

Hanamaki spikes first.

The ball flies straight into the net.

"Alright," I mutter, scribbling. "Hanamaki: 0/10. Valiant effort. Terrible execution."

Matsukawa serves next. It hits the back wall.

"Powerful. Wildly unnecessary. 6/10."

Iwaizumi steps up and—unsurprisingly—absolutely obliterates the ball into the floor. It echoes like a gunshot.

I nod. "Reliable king. 10/10. Would not want to fight."

Then Oikawa saunters up like he's about to walk a Paris runway.

His serve? Perfect.

Ugh.

I glance at my clipboard and mutter under my breath, "Okay, okay, that was decent."

Bad move.

Oikawa hears it.

He turns. Smiles slow and dangerous. "Wait—did you just compliment me?"

"No."

"Yes, you did."

"I said it was decent."

"That's practically a love letter coming from you, manager-chan~"

I glare. "Shut up and serve again."

He jogs to the line, all cocky and glowing now.

The team is immediately aware.

Hanamaki: "Uh oh. She gave him a compliment crumb."

Matsukawa: "And now he's feral."

Iwaizumi: "She's gonna kill him."

⸻

Every time he lands a serve, he turns and winks at me.

Every spike? He points.

At me.

It's like I'm his imaginary girlfriend in the stands and he's dedicating a World Cup win to me.

"STOP LOOKING AT ME," I finally shout, red-faced.

He grins. "I'm fueled by your affection."

"It was ONE compliment!"

"You said my serve was decent~"

"I hope you roll your ankle."

⸻

At this point, I've started writing nonsense in my notes: • Oikawa: 9/10 technique, 0/10 humility • Iwaizumi: A++ power. Marry me. (Kidding.) (Maybe.) • Hanamaki: Makes the funniest dying sounds when he dives • Matsukawa: Is he okay? He looks like he hasn't blinked in 3 minutes • Oikawa again: If he finger-hearts at me ONE MORE TIME I'm leaving the continent

⸻

Coach Nobuteru starts up team drills.

I keep score and occasionally shout things like "Rotate!" and "Stop doing whatever that was!"

Oikawa keeps trying to accidentally end up next to me between sets.

"You know," he says during a break, leaning against the bench, "a lot of girls would kill to be this close to me."

"Perfect," I say. "Call one of them. Let me know when she arrives so I can leave."

He clutches his chest. "You wound me, manager-chan~"

Iwaizumi walks by and mutters, "You deserve it."

⸻

Practice finally ends. The team collapses into sweaty piles.

I wipe the scoreboard clean and grab my clipboard, satisfied.

As I head for the doors, my dad corners me.

Coach Sadayuki (aka: Father of the Year) leans against the wall like he's about to give a TED Talk.

"So..." he starts, squinting. "How's it going?"

"What?"

"Managing. The team. You've been doing it for a few weeks now."

I shrug. "It's... not bad."

He raises an eyebrow. "That's it?"

I sigh. "Okay. Fine. It's better than I expected."

"You like it?"

"I don't hate it."

He smiles like he just won a secret bet.

"But—" I add quickly, "there's still one major problem."

"What's that?"

I deadpan. "Oikawa."

He snorts. "Yeah. That checks out."

"He's like... if a peacock had internet access and a crush."

"Sounds accurate."

"I swear, I said one halfway nice thing to him and he's been acting like I proposed marriage."

"Well... did you?"

"DAD."

He's laughing now. "Just saying. He is one of our better players."

"And one of your worst decisions."

"Iwaizumi keeps him alive."

"Barely."

⸻

Unbeknownst to either of us, half the team is standing behind the doors.

Matsukawa has his ear pressed to the glass.

Hanamaki: "SHE SAID OIKAWA'S THE ONLY BAD THING."

Iwaizumi: "Yeah, sounds about right."

Oikawa: "I don't know whether to cry or be flattered."

Kyoutani: "Why not both."

⸻

Oikawa [9:14 PM]:you said I was the only bad thing about managing 😔

Y/N [9:14 PM]:you are

Oikawa [9:14 PM]:but you also said my serve was decent 🤭

Y/N [9:15 PM]:i take it back

Oikawa [9:15 PM]:TOO LATE. it's in my diary. sealed in ink. framed.

Y/N [9:15 PM]:burn the diary.

Oikawa [9:16 PM]:but then where will i write about how your hair looked today :(

Y/N [9:16 PM]:i'm blocking you

Oikawa [9:17 PM]:i'm in your group chat. you can't escape me.