"For some reason..." Tanaka wiped his forehead "Kazumi-san's training style reminds me of the older Coach Ukai's style!!"

Kazumi was strict with her training regime. True to her words, she didn't sugarcoat any mistakes she find and bluntly tells them. She didn't hold back with her serves as well that even the libero has trouble keeping up.

"What do you guys expect?" Coach Ukai told them "She was trained by my gramps before, so it's no wonder she adapted his training style"

"Geh..." the second years and third years sweat dropped, since they experienced the old man's training a bit.

"Kageyama seems to be enjoying it, though" Asahi noted when he saw the setter grinning excitedly.

"Well, as a setter, he must be pretty excited to have an award winning setter to help us" Sugawara chuckled "Nishinoya, too"

Nishinoya's face is full of sweat yet he is sparkling with excitement and life "Who wouldn't? Kazumi-san's serves are really awesome!! Even though she stopped playing years ago!!"

"Yamaguchi, is Kazumi-san really this savage when she trained you?" Ennoshita asked him.

"N-Not really..." he replied "She's only helping me with the jump float serve so...she's not that strict, I guess"

"I haven't seen Kazumi-san play for a long time. As always, she still hasn't lost her touch with the ball" Daichi noted with a smile.

Kazumi drank her water and wiped her forehead with the towel the managers gave her. She saw her daughter typing on her phone "Aya-chan, can I borrow your phone for a minute?"

"Ah, okay" she gave it to her and the woman checked the calendar.

"Eh~...so the qualifiers are in October, right?" her mother asked.

"Yes" she nodded "Why do you ask?"

She smiled mysteriously "Nothing"

"Ah...Here she goes again...that smile that shows she's up to something..." the violet eyed girl sighed and smiled a little.

Kazumi stood up and walked towards the resting players "Listen up. I know that I can't help you guys all the time but I'll come again every afternoon practice. For the days I'll help you...etto... that will depend on my schedule so I'll have Aya-chan to inform you guys if I'm available. For now, train on your own when I'm not here. Build up your staminas and strengthen the receives, especially the first years and the second years. That's all!"

"OSU!!"

***

"Mom... Are you sure you can handle both training the team and Tadashi-kun?" Ayame asked worriedly after reaching their home "Not to mention, you've got a job and you're working hard-"

Kazumi patted her head and grinned "Don't underestimate me, Aya-chan. I have a sturdy body and I'm a former delinquent, remember? I've handled worse"

Her worry wouldn't wash off. The woman touched her cheek and assured her "Don't worry, okay? I talked to my chief about my office works and everything was worked out. Also, Makoto and I made a schedule when it comes to Tadashi's serve trainings so it's all okay. Everything is set to place"

She sighed in relief.

"Besides, it's Makoto's turn to teach him now" her mother smiled "Don't you want to see him? I know that you two haven't spent the whole day together. After all, your relationship is a secret"

She brightened up "Is it okay if I go?"

"Sure"

She quickly put on her shoes and looked back "Thank you, mom. I'll be leaving!"

"Take care!"

The violet eyed girl sprinted to Shimada Mart, where the teen is practicing. Unlike before, going inside shop marts doesn't scare her anymore. It scares her a bit, but not that much.

Every time she would think that she and the freckled teen would spend their time together, her heart would start to beat in that insanely fast pace. Because of their restrictions, having a chance to spend time with him excites her.

"Ah! Ayame's here" Shimada smiled when she saw the girl stop to them with a smile, her face slightly sweaty after running.

"Sorry for intruding, Shimada-san" she bowed "Can I watch his practice?"

"You're always welcome here" he assured her.

Yamaguchi opened his bag and grabbed a towel from his bag "Here. You can use my towel for your face" he suddenly flinched from his forwardness "D-Don't worry! It's an extra towel and I haven't used that one!!"

She accepted it. She stared at the towel on her hand and inhaled it, causing a blush to dust their face "T-Thank you, Tadashi-kun. I'll return this after I washed it"

"W-What the heck?! D-Did I just...i-impulsively inhale the towel's scent?!" she hid her red face and recalled when she got wet from the rain and he rubbed her hair with his towel before "But... it's warm and soft... like that time..."

He rubbed his nape "S-Sure"

"Ahem" Shimada cleared his throat, which startled the teens. He chuckled in amusement "I know that you two are in a relationship secretly, so it's okay for me if you go lovey-dovey when Tadashi's having solo practices. As long as you're not being too lovey-dovey in my presence"

Their face's exploded in a deep shade of crimson.

The man laughed "Just kidding. Come on, Tadashi. Did you finish your warm-ups?"

"Ah, hai"

He threw the ball to him "Let's start with the serves, then"

***

"He's gotten better with the serves" Ayame noted "His accuracy and precision just got higher compared to before. The other things that also needs to work out are his nerves...and confidence"

"I guess that sums up for today" Shimada told him "Good work, Tadashi"

"Hai. Thank you for your time again, Shimada-san" the teen bowed.

"It's fine! Ah, make sure you do something about that nervousness of yours, okay?" he patted his head "Next time, then"

"Hai!"

"Well~...I'll be going to the store first before I go home" the man picked up his things "Tadashi, escort Ayame home, all right?"

He nodded "Of course"

"Please take care on your way home, Shimada-san" Ayame said.

"Will do. Next time, then" He turned around and waved back before leaving.

After the man left, Yamaguchi sat next to her and the two teens looked at each other. He broke the contact and looked away with a small blush on his cheeks.

"Sorry. I kinda told Shimada-san about us" he scratched his cheek with a finger "I really want to spend time with you, without worrying about our secret. Sorry for being selfish..."

She shook her head "I was thinking the same way. I also want to spend time with you, Tadashi-kun" she looked up the night sky "Can we stay here a bit longer?"

"Sure. But, Kazumi-san will be worried about you so let's not stay too long"

"I understand. As long as I can stay with you for a while..."

He glanced at her hand "Can I...hold your hand?"

"Okay"

His fingers intertwined with hers. The way his hand overlapped her own hand calmed her and made her feel at ease in his hold. Sighing, she leaned on his shoulder and slightly closed her eyes.

"Um...Ayame, I probably smell because of my practice..." he told her, feeling self-conscious about his smell.

"I don't mind" she looked up at him and smiled "So you don't have to worry"

That smile she gave him made his heart skip a beat. He didn't realize it yet, but that smile also gave her the courage he always lacks. With his heart pounding and with one hand free, he touched her cheek and leaned his head close to her face. He closed his eyes as he closed their distance with a kiss.

Electricity shot up in Ayame's system when his lips came in contact with hers. She was surprised but she didn't hate it. Butterflies danced in her stomach and her heart pounded loudly in her chest. His kiss just felt warm and gentle and it just felt so wonderful for her.

He pulled away and looked straight to her violet eyes. Both of them had a mad blush on their face and neither of them looked away.

"The cherry stem trick...was right" she suddenly said.

"Eh?"

"Tadashi-kun, you're a good kisser" she softly noted as she touched her lips.

Steam was practically escaping his ears from embarrassment "I-I'm not that good..."

She smiled at him "But, it made my heart race"

He smiled back as he leaned his forehead on hers "Me too..."

She was silent for a while before looking up "Ne...can I touch your hair?"

He nodded and slightly lowered his head. She raked her fingers on his green hair, and once again, she had an odd sense of déjà vu while touching it.

"Strange... I feel like... I did something like this before..." she said.

The first thing that entered the teen's mind was the time she got drunk and she played with his hair while giggling like a kid.

"A-A dream, probably?" he let out a nervous smile.

"Hmm...maybe..." she grew to love his green hair "I really like how soft and green it is...like a forest..."

"She...She said that line when she was drunk before...almost exactly..." he sweat dropped before slightly closing his eyes "But...I don't hate it..."

"Ayame, we should probably go home now" he told her after checking his the time on his phone "Kazumi-san will be worried"

She removed her hand from his hair "Yeah, I guess you're right"

"I'll walk you home"

"Thank you" she held his hand as she stood up. He picked up his bag and the two of them started walking.

"Say, Ayame" Yamaguchi said while walking "I've been thinking about this but...why did you keep calling me by my first name?"

She smiled and looked at him "Your name "Tadashi" means "loyalty", right? I like it a lot, that's why I like calling you using your first name" she suddenly flinched "W-Wait, d-don't tell me you hate it... O-Or were you feeling uncomfortable by it? I'm so-"

"A-Ah! That's not what I mean!" he stopped her before she could apologize "I don't hate it. It's just... I was wondering why... I mean, not many people call me by my first name on their first meeting..."

"It's weird, right?"

"Weird...yes, but it's not something that I hate"

"I like how your name means loyalty, like Hachiko. You're a loyal person, just like your name. I could tell you are loyal to your family, friends, volleyball club... and me" she blushed profusely in realization "S-Sorry. W-Was I being too forward about the last part?"

"N-No..." he was also blushing the same shade as hers "It's making me...really happy"

He scratched his cheek with his finger sheepishly. She smiled to herself, thinking that his habit is really cute.

"Right now, I still don't know how to be a proper girlfriend" she started "I don't know what could make you happy, sad, or angry. I still don't know what are your other favorites and the things you don't like. I still don't know everything yet but, I'll try my best to be good one!"

He looked at her in surprise before stifling a laugh "Why are you suddenly saying that?"

"B-But..." she was taken aback by his reaction "I read in shojo mangas that-"

He grabbed her shoulders "Don't compare shojo mangas in us. I... I also have no idea if I'm being a proper boyfriend as well but...the only thing that I can be sure is that... I...I really love you, Ayame"

Why is it that these two young couple is completely oblivious that they are like the main characters in a shojo manga?

Even Shimizu and Yachi could tell that they in love with each other in an adorable way.

Her face started to grow warm from his words as she stared back to his brown eyes and she saw the genuine love and kindness on it. She suddenly buried her face on his chest as his words made her heart race.

"S-Sorry, Tadashi-kun. M-My heart won't stop beating like crazy right now" she muttered "R-Reacting like this is...normal, right?"

"Y-Yeah...it's...also overlapping with mine" he let out a nervous chuckle. She silently nodded in agreement as she listened to his heartbeat, which is in synch with hers.

"Although..." she looked up and whispered "I...I also love you, Tadashi-kun"

His heart raced when she whispered her feelings to him. He loved hearing her utter those words from her mouth with sincerity of her feelings. He cupped her face and leaned his forehead on hers for a while.

He then sighed "We should...get going..."

As they neared to the Mizuki household, their fingers were intertwined as they walked with a smile on their faces.

"Well, see you at school" Yamaguchi told her after she went inside the gate of her house.

"Yeah. Ah, Tadashi-kun, can you move your face closer to me?" she asked as she gestured him to move closer.

He leaned his face close to her and she surprised him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for escorting me as always"

A light blush dusted their cheeks and he gingerly touched the kissed cheek.

"Y-Yeah..." he stammered.

She giggled and smiled "Take care on your way home, Tadashi-kun"

***

Ayame couldn't remove the smile on her face when she recalled that he kissed her on the lips and when she kissed his cheek. She twirled the pen around her fingers, feeling pumped up to prepare for the Spring Tournament after what happened earlier.

"Love, huh? I guess this is how protagonists feel when they are in love in shojo mangas..." she thought "It's making me really happy and pumped up to do everything"

She actually borrowed some shojo mangas from Yachi for "research and references" after she and the freckled teen started dating.

Her phone suddenly beeped, signaling that she received a message. She opened it and she was surprised to see who the sender was.

From: Oikawa Tooru

Subject: I miss you~ <3

Long time no message, Cutie-chan~! I really miss you after our date! Why didn't you even bother message me? I was feeling very sad and lonely, you know?

The end of his message has plenty of sad emojis. Sighing, Ayame typed her reply.

To: Oikawa Tooru

Subject: Busy

I'm really sorry, Oikawa-san. I don't have any spare time left to message you since we're busy with club activities.

"Seems reasonable enough" she thought and tapped send. After a while, he replied.

You're so mean, Ayame-chan~!! Anyway, I know you're different than most girls but...I was wondering if you want to come over to Aoba Johsai for a day. It'll be our second date, again~

P.S: You'll have the chance to watch our practice if you're coming over. We have a new player with us. ;-)

The last line caught Ayame's attention.

"Oh crap..."