"Um...D-Daichi-nii, there's no need to be depressed..." Ayame assured him after he sulked on the bench "It's pretty obvious that we're gonna lose after all..."

Score: Nekoma–25, Karasuno–17

"We didn't win... Kiyoko-san and the girls are going to suffer..." Nishinoya sobbed comically while his bald friend is in his Buddha praying pose.

"They were so worked up trying to win the match because it involved Ayame-chan and the girls" Sugawara shook his head and sighed "Now they're super depressed...it's not like they're leaving us"

"We'll be fine, everyone" Shimizu stepped in "Ayame-chan, Hitoka-chan and I will be leaving you here for a while. Please make sure you stay rehydrated and don't overexert yourselves"

"Our goddess~...!" the second year duo wept from her words.

"Hai, here's the money" Kuroo interrupted them by giving the purse to Ayame "I think you girls know where the store is, right?"

She nodded. He grinned and ruffled her hair, making a certain person jealous from behind.

"I'll leave it to you"

"Oh, wait" she suddenly said "Can I bring someone with us?"

"Hmm... I guess it should be fine" he shrugged "Who are you bringing along?"

Nishinoya and Tanaka's hands instantly raised their hands. Hinata also wanted to join them because he wanted to go outside (and find the Skytree). Daichi silently raised his hand (big bro mode: on).

"Shimizu-san, can I decide this myself?" she turned to face their manager.

"Go ahead"

She was relieved the two agreed. She turned around and faced him.

"Tadashi-kun, can you join us?"

"Eh?! M-Me?" he pointed his self, a faint blush dusting his cheeks "A-Are you sure?"

"Yep" she nodded happily "I want you to come with us"

"Eh?! W-Well, if you and the others are fine with it..."

"We don't mind, Yamaguchi-kun!" Yachi said.

"It'll be assuring if you're coming with us" the third year manager nodded "And you're reliable, too"

"Kiyoko-san...are we that unreliable?" the libero mumbled.

"Very..." Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita thought.

"Well~...it is settled, then!" Sugawara patted the freckled teen's back "Yamaguchi will be their companion!! Any objections?"

"Yamaguchi, please make sure they come back safely!!" the two second years wailed while gripping the boy's shirt tightly "We're counting on you on their safety!!"

He sweat dropped at their reactions.

"I feel a little hurt Ayame-chan didn't pick me but...I'm somewhat relieved that it's Yamaguchi..." Daichi thought "Yamaguchi, take care of them"

"Uwaa...it's a miracle Daichi-san didn't give me a warning or something..." he sighed in relief.

"We're counting on you, bodyguard" the third year winked at him and pushed him forward. He obviously knew that the setter is shipping them and was silently amused that he didn't know anything about their current relationship.

Though Yamaguchi was secretly glad Ayame picked him and he gets to join them.

"Wait, what about practice?" Hinata asked.

"I'm not one of the first six and Ukai-san said that it's most likely I won't be put in a game for a while since I was subbed in earlier" the freckled teen explained.

"Well, we're off" Shimizu nodded at them before leaving.

Yaku suddenly kicked Nekoma's captain after learning that he made a deal to Karasuno and made the managers plus Ayame buy groceries. However, his mood instantly shifted after Sugawara told him that Yamaguchi accompanied them.

*In the convenience store*

"Hitoka-chan and I will be going here in this section" Shimizu said "Ayame-chan, you and Yamaguchi buy the other things needed in that section"

"Hai"

The two was then left again in their usual awkward and comfortable silence.

"L-Let's finish our errand" she stammered, breaking the ice between them.

"A-Ah, right..." their faces are red for a while. They looked at each other and chuckled at their awkwardness before continuing their jobs. She felt at ease and was glad that he agreed to come.

"Say, Ayame" he stopped "Why did you pick me to accompany you guys?"

"Well, aside the fact that you're my...my...b-boyfriend..." she blushed as she whispered the word, which he finds cute "You're reliable and...I feel at ease with you...and...I really want you to come"

"Ah.... I'm so blessed to be with her..." he mentally smiled in a blessed way.

"Though, I feel bad for not picking Daichi-nii...but I'm sure he's okay with it" she added.

"Yeah...he seems sort of relieved earlier...I wonder..."

She suddenly blushed, recalling that she told the captain about her feelings.

"What's wrong?" he looked at her red face "So cute..."

"E-Eh? I-I just remembered something. It's of no importance" she slightly looked at her side.

"But, you know...I'm happy you picked me" he smiled. She smiled back...until, something caught Ayame's eyes.

She quickly grabbed the freckled teen's arm and pulled him behind the shelves.

"Wha-"

"Get down!!" she dragged him down so his height won't stand out. Yamaguchi noticed how her lower lip trembled and her violet eyes widen in fear. Her hand, which is still holding his arm, is shaking.

"Ayame, what's wrong?" he softly asked.

She slightly peeked at the entrance and saw a couple of high school girls chatting. She looked away and stared at her feet "N-Nothing...I-I'm sorry if I dragged you all of a sudden..."

She was about to remove her hand but he placed his hand on hers.

"Stop lying. You were shaking" he told her "Can you please tell me what's wrong?"

She resisted the urge to cry and she tightly clutched the freckled teen's hand to stop her tears from falling. She just looked so fragile in his sight and he really wanted to help her...but, he can't help her if she can't tell him. She didn't say anything and pulled him towards the bread section.

"I saw them..." she started as she grabbed a couple of foods for the groceries "My...my former classmates in junior high..."

Something clicked in his mind "Do you mean the ones who-"

"Yes..." she whispered "T-The ones who...who...b-bullied me..."

Images started to form in her mind...and she started shaking again.

"Ah...crap it!! I-I can't stop shaking...I'm scared...I'm scared... If...if they saw us and then she'll tell him...!" she wrung her hands and pulled them close to her face "I...I want to tell him myself...but...he'll hate me...he'll hate me if he knew...I'm sure-"

"Ayame"

She blinked and saw him hold her shaking hands. She looked up and saw his worried and concerned face.

"Like what I told you, my feelings won't change. I won't hate you and I will never hate you" he softly told her "Take a deep breath, okay? Let's finish our jobs here and meet with Shimizu-san and Yachi-san later. They didn't see you, right? It's okay. I'm here"

"What the...It's like...he can read my mind... but..."

"A-All right...Thank you, Tadashi-kun..." she nodded weakly.

Thanks to the teen, she relaxed and her hands were no longer shaking. Together, they managed to finish their jobs without much trouble.

That's what she thought.

"Oho? Look who's here~"

The violet eyed girl stiffened and glanced at the owner of the voice. The freckled teen paused and saw four high school girls looking at them. The black haired girl in front smirked.

"Long time no see, Mizuki"