XV

Hey, Miya!" Nil, the girl who sat across from Isuma turned in her seat, smiling cheerfully. "Hina told me you joined the volleyball team as their manager! How is it?" 

Isuma looked up from her notebook. "It's... fun. I like it."

"And what about all the guys?" Nil's voice dropped. Isuma blinked. "...what?"

"You know, like Suna and Ginjima! And Kita and Omini and Akagi and Aran Senpai! You know them now, don't you?" Nil looked eager. Isuma replied, "I've known them for over a year." 

"-you have?! Whoa, you're so lucky!!" Nil exclaimed. Isuma was puzzled. "I am?"

"Yeah! You get to be around them every day! So what're they like during your practices?" Nil leaned towards Isuma, her eyes filled with excitement. Isuma backed away anxiously. "Um, they're nice. And they're all really good athletes." 

"What about the Upperclassmen? How are they?" 

"...they're like everyone else." Isuma was confused about what Nil was asking. "You think I have a chance with any of them?" Nil asked the question she'd been after the whole time. 

"...I don't know. They're all pretty... passionate and serious about volleyball." Isuma pulled at a lock of her hair. "And... yeah." 

"Oh..." Nil looked sullen for a second. "But they hang out with you, right?" 

"Well, yeah... but I'm on the team." Isuma shrugged. Nil pointed out, "But you said you knew them even before that." 

"...I guess because my brothers are on the team? The team would always come over to our house at least five times a month so I ended up talking to them." Isuma's eyes narrowed as Nil began squealing about the boys on the team. "Um, I have to go to practice." 

"Oh, please, please let me come with you!!" Nil pleaded. Isuma hesitated; she knew she couldn't bring Nil to their practice but she didn't know how to avoid it. "..." 

"Isuma-chan." 

She and Nil looked towards the door: Ginjima was leaning against the classroom's doorway, waiting for her. "Let's get to practice." 

"-right." Isuma took her bag and walked over to him. Nil looked crestfallen but turned to one of the other girls. Ginjima took Isuma's bag from her and swung it onto his shoulder. "Thanks, Ginjima." 

"No problem." As they walked down the hallway, Ginjima asked, "What was Nil talking to you about? You looked uneasy back there." 

"Um..." Isuma looked down. Ginjima hastily added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." 

Isuma laughed for a second. "No, it's fine. I just don't think you'll like it. And don't tell Tsumu." 

"I won't," Ginjima promised. Isuma glanced at him. "She was asking about everyone on the volleyball team." 

"Asking? How... oh." Ginjima stiffened slightly as he pieced it together. "What did you say?" 

Isuma stifled a smile, covering her mouth with her hand. "Nothing. I know what you all think about your... fangirls." 

She hesitated on the last word. Ginjima sighed in relief. "Good. Thanks." 

"Where are Tsumu and Samu? And Suna?" Isuma asked. Ginjima glanced at her. "They didn't tell you? They needed to get their jerseys measured. Something went wrong last time with almost everyone's jerseys." 

"Oh, right... I have to get the measurements turned in this afternoon." They entered the gym; no one was inside yet. "I'll be right back." 

"Right." Ginjima handed Isuma her bag and she walked to the girls' bathroom in the gym. Isuma changed out uniform and started to tie back her hair. As she pulled up her hair, she stopped, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror. Isuma really did look like the female version of her brothers. But was that all she was? Just the third Miya? The sister of two exceptional people? Now that she thought about it, Isuma wasn't anybody by herself. She couldn't be anybody by herself because both she and her brothers almost didn't want to change.  

Isuma shook her head and forced herself to turn away from the mirror, tightening her hair. She walked out of the bathroom; Suna had arrived and was warming up with Ginjima. Suna looked up as she picked up a volleyball from the floor. "Isuma-chan, Sensei asked if you could turn in the measurements." 

Isuma didn't reply; her eyes were on the volleyball and she seemed lost in thought. "...Isuma-chan?" Suna asked uncertainly. She looked up. "Oh, right, sorry. What were you saying?" 

"Sensei asked if you could turn in the measurements," Suna repeated. "Yeah, okay." Isuma dropped the ball and hurried out of the gym. Ginjima sat up and stopped the ball as it rolled over to him. "Did she seem distracted?" 

"Yeah."