𝐂𝐇. 𝟐𝟔

⋅. ˚₊ ‧ 𐙚 ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅

You'd think a deep rooftop conversation about insecurities and dreams would shift things.

You'd think it'd calm Oikawa down.

You'd be wrong.

The very next morning, I opened my gym locker and a dozen ping pong balls came flying out like they'd been launched from a cannon.

"WHAT THE HELL—"

Across the gym, Oikawa waved cheerfully with both hands. "Good morning, manager-chann~!"

I blinked at the floor. Then at him.

He pointed to the balls. "I got you extra responsibilities!"

"Oh you want to die."

"I missed this," Iwaizumi muttered.

⸻

Later That Practice

He should've been ready.

Because I switched out the water bottle he always grabs with one filled with pickle juice.

He took a swig mid-break and—

"OH MY GOSH," he gagged, nearly dropping the bottle. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Pickle power," I said sweetly, handing Iwaizumi his actual water. "Electrolytes."

"You're evil," Oikawa wheezed, wiping his mouth.

"Only to you."

Iwaizumi patted Oikawa's back. "You kinda deserved it."

"I bared my soul on a rooftop, Iwa-chan!"

"And then you gave her a ping pong grenade."

⸻

Hanamaki's POV — That Night

Group chat was lit.

[Oikawa]:she's trying to kill me

[Y/N]:don't tempt me

[Matsukawa]:what'd she do now?

[Oikawa]:she changed my alarm ringtone to her yelling "WAKE UP DUMBASS"

[Hanamaki]:omg

[Y/N]:i also replaced his hair gel with jelly

[Iwaizumi]:i am begging. begging both of you. to stop.

[Kyoutani]:keep going

[Oikawa]:you're supposed to be on my side btw

[Watari]:next practice gonna be a battlefield huh

[Y/N]:i already bought glitter

⸻

The Next Day

Oikawa's revenge came in the form of custom-printed caution tape with "DO NOT FLIRT WITH HER" written on it, crisscrossed all over my clipboard.

I walked into the gym, stared at it, then stared at him.

"Are you labeling me?"

"Just protecting my property~"

Iwaizumi smacked him with a rolled-up towel. "Nope. That's not how human interaction works."

"Stop hitting me!"

"Then stop being like this!"

I peeled the tape off slowly. "You know this counts as defacement of manager equipment?"

"You know you're defacing my heart every time you talk to Kageyama?"

I threw the clipboard at him.

He ducked.

The whole team applauded.

⸻

Y/N's POV — Lunch Break

I snuck into the gym early and filled his shoes with jelly beans.

Every. Single. Toe.

And I left a sticky note:

"Here's something sweet since you're so sour all the time 💕 —Manager-chan"

I was halfway through stacking cones when I heard it:

"Y/N!!!!"

I didn't turn around.

I just smiled.

⸻

Iwaizumi's POV — Later That Day

I watched them from across the court. Y/N had her hands on her hips, lecturing Oikawa for hiding her whistle again. Oikawa was grinning like a gremlin, balancing a cone on his head like he was untouchable.

There was glitter in both their hair.

And somehow... they looked happy.

God help us all.

I walked over, stopped next to them, and dropped my gym bag on the floor.

"Both of you," I said, voice flat. "Sit. Down."

They blinked up at me like I was interrupting recess.

"I swear to every volleyball god—if either of you jelly-fy one more bottle, or replace one more whistle, I'm locking you in the supply closet again."

Y/N raised a brow. "That sounds like a threat and a weird solution."

Oikawa leaned closer. "Wasn't so bad last time~"

"OUTSIDE. BOTH OF YOU. TEN LAPS."

They scrambled.

⸻

"Why do I have to be here?" I grumbled, dragging a crate of volleyballs toward the court. "I didn't even replace his whistle this time."

"You replaced his towel with a crop top," Iwaizumi had said flatly. "Work it out."

So here I was. Stuck in the gym. With him.

Oikawa.

Looking stupidly good in his stupid setter jersey and way-too-confident smirk.

"We're gonna have so much fun, manager-chan~" he sang, stretching dramatically.

"I will hit you with a pole."

We ran the drill: he'd serve, I'd toss the second ball, track rotations, and we'd go again. It was easy—technically. But the air between us wasn't.

Not when I could feel him watching me every time I scribbled notes on my clipboard.

"Focus," I said, tossing the next ball.

"I am," he said, setting it perfectly and spiking it himself with a dramatic jump.

The ball slammed into the court with a loud THWACK.

I let out a small: "Damn, that was clean."

And froze.

So did he.

He turned—grinning like the sun. "Did you just compliment me?"

My eyes widened. "No."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You said it was clean."

"I meant dirty. You suck. Trash. Garbage."

"You're blushing."

"I'm overheated. Shut up."

"You liiiike meee~"

I picked up a ball and hurled it at his head. "I will QUIT!"

He caught it one-handed, still grinning. "Worth it."

⸻

Iwaizumi's POV — Peeking from the Hallway

I watched the whole thing through the gym window.

Y/N yelling. Oikawa smirking like a cartoon villain.

They were throwing volleyballs at each other and flirting through insults.

I sighed and walked away.

They were so doomed.

⸻

Group Chat — That Night

[Hanamaki]:new bet: who wins the war?

[Matsukawa]:neither. they'll kiss before either of them surrenders.

[Kyoutani]:gross

[Iwaizumi]:they both deserve jail

[Y/N]:I SAW THAT

[Oikawa]:my queen 💅

[Y/N]:BLOCKED

[Hanamaki]:anyone else think they're like. Two steps away from falling in love?

[Watari]:they already did. they're just pranking to cope.

[Matsukawa]:peak romance.