☆★☆★☆★

"Hey, you doing good?"

Mai crouched herself to the corner, her eyes trained to the practice match occurring right before her eyes. It was still lost on her how on Earth these people could exert their energy non stop without dropping dead to the gym floor.

It was again Atsumu's turn to serve the ball. The way he just jumped with such power as he hit the ball, to the point Mai could see that it actually cut through the air. How could she ever capture such energy for her upcoming photoshoot when she herself could barely complete one lap of jogging without fainting.

Looking up, she saw Aran who walked over and plopped down to sit right beside her.

"I'm good," Mai answered, this time she shifted her gaze towards Reina. Her former best friend was seated on the bench right beside Coach Kurosu. Her eyes darted from watching the court to scribbling down notes on her thick Kokuyo notebook. Mai guessed that the mechanical pencil that Reina used would either be Pentel or Pilot brand. "I...feel bad that there's nothing I can do much aside from watching the practice to get inspiration for my upcoming photoshoot with the volleyball magazine."

"You don't cause any chaos or disruption, that alone is already helpful." Aran answered with such fervor and sincerity that somehow, he managed to pull out a laugh from Mai. "What, did I say something funny?"

"I'm sure you already heard enough from the twins and the whole team that you can make a career in Manzai comedy as the Tsukomi," Mai retorted, this time she did not even cover her mouth as she usually did when letting out a laugh. "But volleyball does wonders for you too."

"I have to admit, I feel like I have to document this moment."

"What moment?"

"When you laughed. Well, since it is so rare to see you even express yourself."

Mai froze, waiting for the usual pickup line that followed right after. She was more than used to it, boys who waxed lyrical at her in order to get her to open up her cold dead heart. Boys who claimed they were trying to fix her while their intention was anything but. They just wanted to be another puppeteer who tried to fix the broken doll, claiming their right to have her just because they thought they had fixed her.

They only wanted love if it's torture and she sure as hell put up fortresses and walls for them to suffer through, which made them wanted it all even more.

They just reminded her of how much of a broken doll she was, which made it all easier for Mai to hold on to her cold dead heart, determined to never give it away to anyone.

But there was no trace of perfectly patched up lines of lies in Aran's voice. Her mind may not be as sharp as Reina's, but it was sharpened enough from experience to detect even an ounce of insincerity. And she did not find it at all in him. He simply said he wanted to capture the moment she laughed because he meant it.

Mai was not used to it. To boys who gave away truths easily like they were free and without having to pry it out of them.

"Gomen, that sounded cheesy," Aran-kun said with a laugh and all Mai could think was how he was wrong. "To be fair, most people I've met are super expressive with their feelings, mainly the twins. Well except Kita, you know how he is."

She was the one who wanted to bottle in his laughter. Although Mai was not sure she could stay sober, her clarity of mind stayed intact if she would be drinking that bottle.

"What is your story with Shibazeki?"

The question was so sudden that Mai almost flinched out of surprise. She hugged her knees tighter, but forced herself not to look away.

"Eh, I'm just asking, it is up to you if you want to tell me the story or not," Aran added as he scratched the back of his head. "But anyone can see that she means a lot to you."

The match ended with Atsumu's team winning, but it was Suna who managed to score the winning point with him blocking Omimi's spike. Both Mai and Aran watched Reina who immediately scrambled up from the bench to pick up water bottles for the boys.

"I told you, she's good with this," Mai said, her eyes still following Reina who just dashed out of the gym to probably fill up the water bottles. "I can never run that fast without fainting. Well, I am working on my stamina, but it is not easy to build up what I have lost.

"As for my story with Reina...it is probably full of the pettiness of female friendship that you're not used to."

Aran just blinked, affirming Mai's assumption that he would not understand. But she did not expect him to, so she let out a smile. "It's fine, Ojiro-san, but let me tell you. It is a long story. And it is a hundred percent my fault that there is a huge rift between us. I take full blame for that."

"Wow."

"What?" Mai asked, raising her perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"I rarely hear someone take full blame for something without offering even an ounce of excuse."

"Ojiro-san, you probably spend way too much time with the twins," Mai retorted with a smile. She loosened her grip on her knees and let her legs slid down to the floor. "But I am way past the denial phase."

"Denying that you're the one at fault?"

"Yeah, denying that I am the one who is responsible for anything that is happening to me," Mai answered and she could barely contain the surprise for the lack of malice and bitterness in her as she said it. "I almost died, you know."

She found herself spilling out the bottled feelings and stories that she had yet to share with anyone but her talent manager, Touka. It was just so easy to be honest with him. He did not need to be anything other than himself to coax the truth out of her and somehow, it planted seeds of doubts and fear in her heart. Alongside the warmth that started to spread across her whole being.

This time, she was met with surprise on his face. Rounded eyes, jaw almost dropping to the floor, but at least there was no pitying gaze. Not yet at least.

"Reina saved my life, by calling up the ambulance and did chest pumps and CPR to keep my heart beating before the paramedics showed up," Mai continued, her gaze trained forward and not once did she look at Aran-kun. She could not bear it to see his eyes. "I was fourteen when my heart stopped, all because I don't want to eat. I'm tired of listening to the terms, but if you are curious, yes I suffered from ED. Eating Disorder. Well, anorexia nervosa if you wanted to be specific. I still am, I guess, since it's almost two years since I've been on treatment. I used to blame Reina for calling out for help, making me have to face the fact that I am well on my way into self destructing myself. I have to go to a rehab facility for several months. These days I am still on treatment and recovery is as difficult as one might think it is to rid yourself of a bad habit. A life threatening habit you cultivate just because you think you're not pretty enough for the world.

"You don't have to say anything, Ojiro-san," her voice was a little bit shaky, but she chose to go on. She needed to be honest to at least someone other than herself, just to make it real. "I just feel comfortable enough to share it with you. I blamed Reina for saving my life because she makes me face the truth. I said many cruel things to her just because back then it was easier to blame her than it is to blame myself. Only after I've reflected on myself just how stupid I was. Well, I still am stupid, if you ask me. She always makes everyone around her face the ugly truths nobody wants to see, but only now did I see that is just part of her being. It is selfish of me to not understand why she was so desperate to keep me alive, but I don't have the right to tell you that story. It belongs to her."

"Ichijou-san..."

Of course he was at a loss for words. Nobody would think that the pretty girl would have enough substance in her head for it to invite grotesque demons.

Mai braced herself for a pitying gaze or anything that resembled disgust on his face. She froze when she felt his arms circling her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side.

"You're stronger than you think, Ichijou-san," he responded. He spoke like it was a matter of fact, pure and simple. No sugarcoating, no patched up perfect lies to coax her to curl open her cold hands and give him her heart. "I'm glad that you didn't die that day. I'm glad that Shibazeki-san saved you. Thank you for trusting me enough to share it with me."

He squeezed her shoulders in his embrace and Mai swore she could hear the cracks of her heart. Her heart was cracking because she knew that someone this kind and golden, who shone like daylight, deserved better than her. His light was too bright and blinding and her world was so dark and bleak.

She did not know if she would ever adjust to the light, but she would rather die than to let the darkness seize her soul again. Not when Mai already knew the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Just this once, Mai let her head lean sideways, putting her head on his shoulders. A smile curved her mouth and she could not help it. Nobody told her that volleyball players would have sturdy shoulders, so comfortable.

Click!

The sound of a camera shutter forced Mai to open her eyes. Her heart started to beat faster to the point she felt it almost lurch down to her gut. Her ears were trained for this, to hear someone taking pictures of her without her consent. But as she saw it was just Suna with a phone on his hand, Mai schooled her expression to a neutral face.

"Oh am I interrupting a moment?" he asked in his usual bored tone, but Mai could see the barest of interest in his eyes.

"Suna, I swear haven't I told you not to interrupt if they're talking!?" Suddenly Akagi showed up and he bowed at both Mai and Aran-kun as he dragged Suna away. Both Mai and Aran just stared at the libero. "Gomen, you both can...do whatever you two wanted."

With that, they left and somehow there was a gaping hole of silence that just begged to be filled.

"The moment is gone," Aran said flatly, to which Mai nodded.

"Yep, the fact he just said it like that just punched a nail to the coffin."

"Wait, what moment again?"

They both stared into each other before bursting into laughter together. It had been so long since Mai let out that kind of laugh, an honest and full blown kind of laugh that made her stomach hurt. She did not recall ever displaying so much emotions all at once.

"You really should laugh more, Ichijou-san," Aran-kun said after their laughter subsided. "It doesn't hurt to express yourself once in a while. Although, one must say that anything that goes overboard can be overwhelming."

He frowned, probably thinking of the weird antics that the twins had pulled on him during the many years they had known each other, and his frown broke into a smile.

And there it was, the warmth had successfully spread across all of Mai's being that she honestly had no idea what to do with it.

***

Even though she had agreed to be the manager, it did not mean Reina was used to interacting with a bunch of teenage boys in a close vicinity.

All she did today was running back and forth to fill up the empty water bottles, taking notes of the practice game, and trying to shrink herself from the lingering gazes the boys spared her. The last part was actually just Suna who was stealing glances at her, probably thinking why his dealer for his homework decided to agree to be the manager. It was a conversation that was bound to happen sooner or later.

Oh, and of course, Tweedledum (or Miya Atsumu) did not even try to hide the fact he was scrutinizing her with his eyes.

Reina hugged her knees even tighter as she sat right beside the coach, who was giving a final brief before practice was truly over.

"Everyone, I think you might already know that today we got ourselves a manager for the club," Coach Kurosu introduced Reina to the whole team. "Shibazeki-san, do introduce yourself if you'd like to."

Well it's not like she had a choice but to comply.

Reina probably looked so constipated that she did not even have to look in the mirror to know it. She did feel her face contorted into a grimace, but it would be impolite to refuse. And she was not that dramatic to pretend to faint just to run away.

It would just add more problems to her plate. She could not help but to check her watch, wanting to go home and listen to Taylor Swift's newest album Red while doing her homework.

"Hi..." Reina slowly began, she forced her eyes to look at her audience that consisted of sweaty teenage boys who were more than ready to rest after a long practice. "I have got nothing to say aside from, thank you for having me, even if the circumstances surrounding my recruitment is a little bit... dubious at best. But I can promise you that I am going to do my best as a manager. I would like to list down my experiences with volleyball, not as a player though, but that would take more time and I'm sure everyone wants to go home so...thank you." She ended her introduction with a bow and quickly sat down again.

"Well that was quick," Suna piped up, but Reina only gave him a look and he just looked away again.

"She's right, you guys must be tired from practice. What I can say from today's practice is that keep up the good work, but don't try to pull weird stunts you guys find interesting right on the bat." Coach Kurosu said as he pointedly looked at Atsumu, who had the audacity to whistle and averted his gaze. "Anyways, I know there are some rambunctious and rowdy bunch, especially the second year batch. Just don't make it any harder for her to be our manager, and good job for today, Shibazeki-san."

"Alright, coach!"

"Okay, you guys can go home. Practice is dismissed!"

The only time Reina saw this much of chaos was during the flag ceremony when the teachers dismissed the whole student body. Her head could barely process the sudden swarm of teenage boys who suddenly lined up in front of her.

"So you're the new manager," Miya Atsumu said as he crouched right in front of Reina. His eyes bore holes right into hers and Reina felt an urge to shove his face. This guy really did not know the concept of personal space. "Shibazeki-chan, I heard you're really good at studies. Care enough to do my homework for free?"

It was his audacity that caused the corner of her eyes to twitch.

"That is free labor, I'm sure that's illegal," Reina answered as she stood up and brushed off her skirt. Coach said that her manager uniform would be ready by next Monday and since today was Friday, at least Reina did not have to endure another session of running around without comfortable sweatpants and sweater. "Just study properly or join your brother in the peer tutoring program."

"You're crazy if you think she's going to do it for free, Atsumu," Suna muttered, not once looking up from his phone.

Reina gulped and she certainly could feel the holes boring the back of her head from Kita's direction. If Suna was dumb enough to expose her right here, she would certainly drag him down to the mud with her. Heaving a sigh, she stretched her arms upward. From the corner of her eyes she saw Kita-san finally relented and went to the locker room. "Damn, I forget just how physically taxing it is to be in a club."

"What club you used to be in, Shibazeki-san?"

The question was from Akagi-kun, the club's regular libero. Reina opened her eyes and saw that he was waiting for her answer. Why were these boys still here hounding her with questions instead of going home? If memory of being a water girl for her older brother's old club in the USA served her correctly, they should've just waved her off like she was the help.

"Uh..." Reina trailed off as she tucked her hair to the back of her ears. "The band club. You know which one."

"Holy shit," Akagi-kun answered and slapped the back of the other regular third year, Omimi-kun, to the point that the latter coughed. "Wow, we are so sorry for you to go through..." his eyes darted to Atsumu, who was walking towards the exit door.

It was either instinct or he just got sensitive ears, Atsumu turned his head towards them and raised his eyebrows challengingly and loudly asked. "What?"

"Nothing, your hair just reminds me of shit," Reina muttered, but looking up she saw her senpais were already laughing and Akagi-kun started to slap her back.

"Wow, Shibazeki-san, I'd like to say that Aran really found a goldmine when he offered you to be the manager," Akagi-kun exclaimed with a chuckle. "At first there are a lot of girls who try to apply as managers in the beginning of each year, but it gets even crazier since the twins entered high school. But almost none of them could bear with the workload and left after the third day."

"Well, they are here to eat the eye candy instead of doing actual work," Omimi-kun said. "It is a conflict of interest if you asked me."

He was a quiet guy, and Reina could see that he did not speak unless he thought it was important to say. Three days though, but at least there were no pack of fangirls camping out in front of the gym right now. It would make it harder for Reina to go off radar in school.

"Ah..." Reina honestly did not know what to say. Except from maybe assuring them that she won't bail or screw up? Okay, the chances she would bail definitely existed, but for different reasons than they might think. "I hope it assures you all that I really don't care about school spirit. Or jock worship. And hey, eating eye candy is good as long as you still complete your work."

Yep, she was not going to pull the 'I'm different from other girls' card. Somehow Reina felt compelled to defend half of the female student body who were fawning over the Miya brothers. She did help Yuri-chan to write love letters in their names and got paid for it. Maybe along the way Reina stopped seeing them as a money fountain but rather as real lovesick teenage girls who deserved to get their voices heard.

Akagi-senpai patted her shoulder again with an encouraging smile. "Welcome to the club, Shibazeki-san. If you need anything, you can ask us, the third years, for help."

He waved at her and left, followed with Omimi-kun who bowed at her.

"Aren't you going to go home? It is almost dark."

Kita-san's calm voice startled Reina, who was already picking up her school bag from the gym floor. Turning her back to see him, she could see that he already showered. Seeing him made her feel freshened already and Reina could not explain how on Earth he could pull it off.

"I am waiting for my friend," Reina answered. It was true since Yuri and Reina had promised to go home together. And Yuri wanted to give Reina the moral support after her first day of her stint as manager. "I...uh...Kita-san..."

"Yes?"

"Our grandparents are in the same community for the elderly people in our neighborhood. Several days ago your grandmother visited my house to talk to my grandma..." Reina started to feel sheepish for even saying that. But she really had no idea how to talk to the captain without making a fool of herself. And yet she felt like she needed to say it. "I...just want to say that she seems a very nice person, you're lucky to have her."

She did not expect it to be that radiant, but seeing the usually stoic captain's face broke into a kind smile, Reina could not help but to feel a little (okay, a lot) at ease. Maybe her grandpa Aaron was right, being a volleyball club manager would help her to slowly gain the closure she needed.

"Thanks, Shibazeki-san. If you don't mind, you can visit my house sometimes, it will be a good way to get to know each other especially since you're the manager now."

"Uh...yes, thank you for the offer." She gave him the salute gesture before dashed out of the gym. At least that was not totally horrible for her first day as manager...right?

Well hopefully so.

"Rei-chan!" Yuri's familiar voice served as the comfortable cushion that Reina needed after being out of her depth for the last few hours. Walking out of the gym, Reina saw Yuri who was positively grinning. As Reina darted her gaze to the person beside her, well it was easy to explain why.

"Ah...so you're Tweedledee," Reina blurted out and she immediately wanted to kick herself. Compared to his twin brother, Osamu seemed calmer and subdued, but she had seen it with herself that if they were paired together it quite literally spelled disaster for everyone.

But then again, it was rather obvious that Atsumu may have brought out the best of the spikers on his team as a setter, but he brought out the worst of every general human being as a person.

"So you have to deal with him asking for free labor to do his homework," Osamu said as he extended his hand. "I'm his brother, Miya Osamu, the better twin."

Osamu extended out his hand for a handshake and Reina clasped it. "I think you already know who I am given the..." Reina let the words hang, refusing to say another word about the chaos when she was cornered to make a decision on the spot. "Yeah, I am Shibazeki Reina, at your service."

"So..." Reina slowly said as she released her hands and took a good look at both of them. "How did you guys get here together?"

Yes her curiosity was piqued and no, Reina was not ashamed to ask that. And it was not like Osamu was that sharp to see what she was doing (read: digging into Yuri's love life).

"Oh...Tsukikage is my tutor to help me get through math," Osamu said math with a wrinkle on his nose and Reina almost wanted to laugh. "When we're done, she said she's going to head for the gym to pick up her friend who is the new manager for the club, who is obviously you."

"I see." Reina had to stomp down the urge of wiggling her eyebrows. Or asking Yuri about the request letter. It would make things way too obvious. Tweedledee certainly made it obvious that he did not remember Yuri from their brief stint as hospital roommates years ago.

At least it showed Reina that she did the right thing by trying to play up the matchmaker card a little. Just to open up Yuri's chances.

"Rei, not now," Yuri said low enough so it was not caught in Osamu's earshot. "Anyways...Miya-san."

"You can call me Osamu, wouldn't want both me and my brother to turn up our heads when you called us, right?"

From the way she bit her lips, Yuri seemed to have something more to say about the matter, but she gave into resignation as she nodded "Fine, Osamu...you sure that tomorrow will be alright if I come over to your house for a study session?"

Reina started to feel like a third wheel and suddenly she felt someone pulled her wrist and dragged her away. Turning her head to protest, she saw it was the blond setter. Her mouth already fell open to give him a piece of her mind, but Atsumu beat her into it.

"Can't you see that they're having a moment and you're interrupting it?" Atsumu asked with raised eyebrows. "I pegged you as someone smarter than that, Rei-chan."

"You don't seem the type to care about interrupting someone's moment and we're not even that close for you to call me with my given name."

"Well, if I can make fun of Osamu then yes I would let it happen."

Reina rolled her eyes. She would not expect anything less than the person who managed to cause a huge riot in the band club, effectively causing it to be divided right into two opposing factions. "You're a piece of work, but I'm sure you know that already. Fine, I'm gonna head home."

They were not close enough for her to say goodbye or gave him any greeting, so she left.

"Aren't you supposed to be a goodie two shoes who knows that you should at least say goodbye?"

Turning her back, Reina saw that Atsumu already crossed his arms against his chest. He reminded her of a petulant little boy whose mother won't buy him a new toy. "Well, goodbye then. Stay safe, if that's what you'd like to hear."

"Now that's better."

Reina rolled her eyes again and it earned her a chuckle from him. She would need some time to get used to his antics, but Reina had a feeling she could find some alliance among the other club members to make sure Atsumu was kept in his place.

Hoisting up her school bag, Reina walked away from the scene and decided to wait for Yuri in the school gates. Reina hummed as she took several steps until a very familiar voice called out her name, making her stop dead on her tracks.

"Reina."

Her voice was still throaty and raspy, must've been from her excessive smoking. Or maybe Mai had already stopped smoking to destress, but what Mai had been up to for the last few years already stopped being Reina's business.

Reina only stared at her former best friend, the beautiful mess that was Ichijou Mai. She had nothing left to say to Mai, not after the way Mai had slashed their friendship so easily. Several more seconds passed as she waited for Mai to break the silence. In the end, Mai just strode away. As if she was not the one who stopped Reina.

Heaving a sigh, Reina looked up to the skies. Orange tints colored over the horizon, reminding Reina of her mother's painting the skies of Nagano.

"Some things just never changed," she muttered, not realizing that the universe was already working its magic and setting everything into motion. 

☆★☆★☆★