II

Isuma wasn't exactly introverted. She just had trouble talking to strangers and other people in general. Atsumu and Osamu couldn't remember her ever talking with anybody she didn't know well. Nobody at school really made an effort to talk to her... except for their volleyball team. She had lunch with them and talked occasionally. They all knew and liked her and understood whenever she was too shy to say something. Atsumu and Osamu had unknowingly become protective of her over the years.

***

On the way to school the next morning, all three of them were quiet. Isuma was walking to their right, tapping away on her phone. Osamu said, "Thanks for making us dinner last night."

"You're welcome." She swiped something on her phone.  Atsumu asked, "Why did you?"

"I just thought you would be hungry. After practice." She pushed her hair back from her face, still not meeting their gaze.

Atsumu asked, "Hey, listen, why don't you watch our practice today-"

"No."

"Come on, it's not like you have anything better to do!" Atsumu pleaded. Isuma finally looked up and frowned, as if disappointed. "Still no. You know I don't like coming to your practices."

"Why?"

She didn't answer this time. Osamu said, "It's gonna rain today. C'mon, 'Suma."

He was much better at convincing his sister; she didn't look happy about it, but she nodded.

***

Isuma was in Class 1 along with Osamu and Suna. Atsumu and Ginjima were in Class 2 down the hall.

Isuma stopped at the door to say something to a passing teacher as Osamu went in. Her seat was in the row against the far wall. Osamu's seat was to her left, and Suna's was right behind her. Suna looked up from his notebook when he came over. "Hi, Osamu."

"Hey." Osamu nodded. Isuma walked into the classroom, holding a stack of notebooks. She set them on the teacher's desk before joining them. "Hi, Rin."

Suna was searching through his bag. "Hey. Did you study for the quiz?"

"...a little," Osamu said. Without saying anything, Isuma pulled out her notebook from her bag and handed it to them. Suna and Osama flipped through it: her notes were color-coded and arranged into perfect columns and rows. Her charts were organized perfectly. Isuma's handwriting was incredibly neat and explained everything easily.

All the second-years borrowed her notes without shame. Isuma lent the first-years her notebooks from the previous years as well.  And she was always happy too: never once had Isuma turned down their requests. She helped them all get through their exams, and that was the only time she raised her voice.

Five minutes after Osamu and Suna had started studying, Atsumu appeared in the doorway of their classroom. "Suma-chan, can Ginjima and I borrow your notes for that quiz today?"

"Samu and Suna are looking at them right now." Isuma apologized. Atsumu asked, "Can we see them during lunch?"

"If they give it to you." Isuma glanced at Osamu and Suna, who nodded in agreement. "We will."

Atsumu flashed a smile and disappeared. Osamu glared around the class instinctively: every girl had started to gush about Atsumu, but their conversations dropped the second Osamu looked up. They were used to Osamu doing this after Atsumu ever left a room with girls, but they could never help themselves. Isuma put her hand on Osamu's arm. "Samu."

He returned his eyes to her notebook, sighing. Suna glanced at Isuma. How did she do it? He had never met anyone as reserved as her, yet her brothers and the rest of the second-years listened to her. Even the third-years, all of whom were giants to Isuma. Actually, most of the volleyball team was. Even the first-years towered over her.

Suna himself listened to her without a flicker of doubt. Why? He wasn't sure. She was so calm and put together that she didn't realize the strong presence she had. No one else noticed it, but it was there, and they all knew it.