"Uwaaa... it's finally done~!" Yamaguchi leaned back on his chair and stretched his arms after finishing his report.

"Good job for today, Yamaguchi" his officemate tapped his back "Want to eat in the cafeteria with us?"

"Sure. Thank you, senpai."

He looked down below his desk to pick up his bento but he was surprised to find nothing. Confused, he searched again. Then, he recalled that he somehow forgot his bento on his way out from the apartment in a hurry.

"I guess I'll just have to buy a couple of rice balls... I'm sorry, Aya-chan..."

"Oi, you okay?" his senpai waved a hand in front of his face when he noticed his gloomy aura.

He was walking with his officemates dejectedly when he saw a familiar brown haired figure ahead. He didn't need to guess who it was since he knew it was her the moment he saw those violet eyes.

"Taa-kun!" Ayame called out to him.

"Aya-chan? What brings you here?" Yamaguchi went to her "Aren't you supposed to go training at this time?"

"Ah, I'll be on my way after dropping by" she replied with a smile before holding a bento wrapped in forest green cloth adorned with star designs "You forgot your bento on your way out"

Heat rushed to his cheeks as he lowered his head in embarrassment and guilt "I'm sorry..."

She raised her heels and patted his head "It's okay. You were in a rush earlier so I understand. Make sure you eat properly, okay?"

"Yeah. I will" he smiled as he accepted his forgotten bento "You, as well. Yaku-san told me that you are skipping your lunch"

She flinched when he found out.

"Hehehehe..." she rubbed her head sheepishly "I'm sorry. You know that once my mind is rolling with plans, I can't help but be engrossed and forget eating..."

"I know but I can't help but worry, okay?" he placed his hands on her cheeks and squished it in worry and affection that she giggled "Just eat whenever you can"

"I will" she gave his cheek a kiss and smiled "Good luck with your work, Taa-kun"

"Mhmm. Good luck with the training as well" he waved his hand as she left. He hugged the bento and mentally cried in gratitude and relief. When he turned around, he was all smiles and the happy aura he emits is really obvious.

"Sorry for the wait, senpai" he says while facing his office mates, who sweat dropped at the sudden change of his personality.

Even while eating, he was still smiling.

"Mhmm~! Aya-chan's cooking really is the best!!"

"He looks really happy" his senpai whispered to his fellow co-worker.

"Really, really happy" he nodded in agreement.

"Say, Yamaguchi-kun" his co-worker named Adachi started "Wasn't that girl earlier a sports trainer?"

"Hm? Ah, yeah. Aya-chan's part of Japan's national volleyball team" he replied "Uwaaah... I'm surprised Adachi-kun can tell..."

"Eh?! Ah! No wonder she seems familiar!" he grinned before scrolling through his phone "She's Mizuki Ayame-san, right?!"

"Yeah"

"Whoa!! You're actually acquainted with her!!"

"Is it that much of a big deal?" the other guy named Roku asked in confusion.

"Of course. Ah, senpai and the others aren't that much of a fan of volleyball so you don't get it" Adachi says while showing them the picture of Ayame along with Iwaizume training the national team.

"Mizuki Ayame started off as an assistant coach of Karasuno when she was a first year in high school. You see, that school is filled with a bunch of interesting people like the oddball duo, the Guardian Deity and her, the violet eyed genius. She's also Karasuno's sharpest observer and strategist! She's really amazing! It's not every day you see a first year high school kid train a team in that age!"

Yamaguchi couldn't help but feel proud to hear the praises for his girlfriend.

"Oh, Karasuno. Yamaguchi, didn't you say that you graduated there? You did say you used to be the captain of your volleyball club" his other senpai, Kurokawa asked and he nodded.

"Hai. It was a long time ago, though. I'm the only guy in our year that didn't continue volleyball" he replied while rubbing his nape.

"Eh~" Roku leaned forward to look at Ayame's pictures closely "She's a beauty even when she was in high school, huh? Her eyes are rare these parts but she's totally my type. You know, that innocent kind of girl. Hey, Yamaguchi, next time-"

He suddenly felt a chill down his spine when he saw his face.

"Senpai~" Yamaguchi was making a close eyed smile, but the dark look on his face plus the ominous aura he emits tells a different story "Please stay away from my girlfriend~"

He gave emphasis by showing him the ring on his finger as a proof.

"HEEEEEEK!!"

"Yamaguchi, you're scary! Scary! We get it so stop making that face!" Kurokawa panicked and tried to calm him down "Roku won't go after her! Right, Roku?!"

"Y-Yeah! My bad, Yamaguchi! I thought she was single!"

Adachi next to Yamaguchi sighed "Geez, didn't you two see the way Yamaguchi-kun interacts with Mizuki Ayame-san earlier? It's obvious they are lovers"

Roku's eyes widened in realization "Then... the person you said you are living with..."

The freckled young man switched to normal and smiled "Hai. Aya-chan and I are living together in an apartment for almost three years"

"Then..." Kurokawa pointed at the ring on his finger "You two are married?"

"Ahahaha" he rubbed his neck bashfully "No... well... I mean, I haven't proposed yet and the rings are more like promise rings..."

Yamaguchi remembered the day Ayame gave him the rings and mentally chuckled.

It surprised him why she suddenly handed him a ring and made him wear it. I mean, usually it's the guy who gives the ring, right?

"Taa-kun, please wear this ring always!"

"Eh?"

"Please wear it! I-I'll wear mine too!"

"Eh? You bought two rings for each of us?!"

"P-Please don't ask why! Y-You said that you'll propose to me soon, right?"

"Yeah... is that it?"

"S-Something a-along those lines... Please treat this is as some sort of...etto... pr-promise rings! Until you propose to me!"

"O-Okay, Aya-chan. Thank you"

He couldn't understand why she gave him a ring all of a sudden but her embarrassed face was really cute and he wore the ring to ease her embarrassment. It's rare for Ayame to be insistent on something regarding romance and he told Tsukishima about it when they were out drinking.

He didn't expect the megane to stifle a laugh and tell him that he should figure it himself. But then again, he said that it's better if he didn't try to know her reasons and just go along with it.

And that's what he did.

*Meanwhile at the training center*

"A-Achoo!!"

Ayame covered her nose in time with her handkerchief before sneezing.

"Cold?" Iwaizume next to her asked.

"Ah, no. It's just a sneeze, Hajime-san" she assured him "I don't want to work myself sick since the Olympics are approaching"

"Ahahaha. I was a little worried how you are doing after Hibarida-san made that announcement the other day. But you look like you are doing things like usual"

"Oh, I am nervous, even now" Ayame smiled as she drummed her fingers on her tablet gently "Really nervous"

Iwaizume chuckled "You don't look like it, Ayame. I mean, you told me it's one of your goals you want to achieve"

"Hai. For many years, it has been my dream and... I'm glad my efforts paid off"

He grinned and ruffled her hair "You earned it"

Ayame smiled back before watching the player's individual training. Good, everyone's doing well. In fact, their teamwork is surprisingly super coordinated compared to their previous years where right now, no hand gestures or glances are usually used to communicate with one another, particularly the infamous oddball duo.

This will be the first time Hinata will be playing in the national team in the Olympics. Of course, she knew how Kageyama and Hinata's minds think the same so even though they haven't played together as a set after graduating high school, their coordination is still there.

"Ayame, I have seen the play you incorporated on the boys" Hibarida Fuki said as soon as he arrived "Are you really sure you want to use it in the Olympics?"

"Hai" she smiled in reply "Is it a no since this is a bit of a risky play?"

"No" he laughed and grinned at her "It's perfect. I didn't regret about my decision about you, "

That's right. Mizuki Ayame is the current head coach of the Japan Men's volleyball team for the incoming Olympics.

***

"I'm home" Yamaguchi called out before removing his shoes and placing them neatly on a rack. Ayame's head popped out from the door and smiled.

"Welcome back. I'm preparing dinner right now and it will be done soon. You should change first, Taa-kun"

Dinner made by Ayame sounds heavenly. Then again, her cooking is really the best he ever tasted, so it feels like the food he eats everyday gives him perfect satisfaction. Ayame volunteered on cooking meals for them every day since her schedule is not as packed compared to Yamaguchi's.

Add that Yamaguchi usually leaves first due to his work and would arrive home late at night, it was only natural for Ayame to take over the kitchen duties.

"Is there anything I can help with?" he asked as soon as he's done changing to casual clothes.

"Hmm... I haven't finished preparing tsukemono. Can I leave it to you?"

"Sure. I'll set the table as soon as I'm done"

"Thank you, Taa-kun. I'm sorry I had to make you help"

"Oh, don't apologize, Aya-chan" he hugged her and kissed her forehead "That's the point of living together, isn't it? We help each other out. You're already amazing as a cook. You're going to be a really good wife"

"Is that so?" she giggled but the blush on her cheeks was evident that he smiled "Then, should I start preparing sekihan in advance?"

He laughed in amusement "That can wait. For now, I'm content with the ring you gave me"

She blushed madly before looking away to focus on the tonkatsu she's cooking. For some reason, the topic regarding the rings she gave him is always making her embarrassed. It was kinda curious but he chose not to ask, since it seemed like an embarrassing topic for her.

Dinner was served in no time and the couple sat and clasped their hands together.

"Thank you for the food"

While they were eating, Ayame momentarily stopped to ask. "Nee, Taa-kun, you're off this weekend, right?"

"Yeah. Why? Do you want to go somewhere?"

She nodded and smiled a little "I'm planning to visit dad with mom. If it's okay with you, do you want to come with me? Oh, which reminds me, Daichi-nii said that he'll be coming too"

"Okay, I'll go with you. It's been a while since we last visited Kaito-san" he smiled and placed his hand on her hand "It looks like you have a lot to talk to him"

"Yes" she smiled while closing her eyes as she recalled all the things that happened "I want to tell him how I finally achieved my dreams and our life together. There's so, so much I want to talk to him about"

"Mhm. So am I" he smiled warmly to her as their fingers interlaced together "I want to talk to him about our life, too. And... I want to ask for his blessing"

This time, Yamaguchi's one blushing for saying the heavy implications of his words.

"I am sure dad will give it to you" she told him while giving his hand a light squeeze.

They continued their dinner with smile and faint blush on their cheeks. After cleaning the table and washing the dishes, they cuddled on the bed as they talked about their day.

This is how the couple live their everyday lives for the past three yearsof living together.

Yachi, Sugawara and Yaku nearly died on the wholsomeness and fluffiness of their relationship.

*August 2020*

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Men's Volleyball Match 12th day.

"So right after the game of Korea and Thailand, it will be our turn next" Ayame says while watching the match commence. She checked her phone and smiled at the messages she received from her former clubmates and of course, from Yamaguchi "I'll be going out a bit to buy some sweets. I'll be back soon"

As soon as she left, Iwaizume turned to the players "You guys know what to do"

Yaku nodded "No need to tell us"

Hibarida laughed in amusement in how serious the air is "You guys really are amusing when it comes to Ayame"

Meanwhile, Ayame was carrying an armload of chocolates and sweets as she went back. Technically, she only meant to buy one or two for her consumption but a couple of high school girls and some of her fans saw her and claimed that they were big fans of her and they gave her lots of chocolates as a gift.

Of course, she accepted them and thanked their support. She clearly didn't expect to have fans of her own, considering that the boys were more popular than her.

She had to buy a small eco-bag to carry the chocolates and return back to where the team is. She opened one box of chocolate Pocky and started munching on it when four people blocked her path and she looked up. It was the Italian team.

"Look what we have here boys" one of them spoke in Italian "A cute little girl"

Ayame mentally screamed "I'm not little!! You're just too tall for a normal human!! Why is it that Western people are usually very tall?!"

Yeah, she can understand Italian. Actually, she is fluent in at least seven languages after being exposed overseas: English, Italian, Korean, Filipino, German, Portuguese and Chinese. Eight if you count Japanese as her native language.

And yes, she still has her height complex.

"Hey, isn't she the coach of the Japan team?"

"I remember them saying that the Japanese team will be different this year since their new coach is the violet eyed girl. She must be the one"

"Interesting" one guy smirked and leaned close to her and spoke in attempted broken Japanese "Hey, miss cutie. Want to hangout later? We love the Japanese culture and we'd like a tour guide to show us around. We can also talk volleyball and about our teams if you wish"

Fortunately, her weakness of being baited by volleyball no longer exists as soon as she graduated high school.

And if she's being completely honest, his Japanese is awful.

"You don't have to try hard speaking in a language you don't know, signore" Ayame said in a perfect Italian tongue, shocking the boys in the process "I can understand you pretty well"

Three guys behind him snickered at his expense and he quickly shuts them up. He returned back to his former playful attitude and spoke in Italian.

"Then that closes the language barrier. Perfect-"

"Oi"

Miya Atsumu wrapped his arm around Ayame's neck and pulled her back. "Who the hell are you guys to go all touchy-feely to our coach, huh?"

"Are you challenging us, huh?!" Kourai was balling his fist to the foreigners despite their height difference.

"Germs" Sakusa scowled through his face mask.

"Are these guys bothering you, Ayame?" Yaku asked her worriedly before glaring at the foreigners.

If you're wondering where Bokuto, Hinata, Kageyama and the other guys are, Yaku and Iwaizume made them wait back at the bleachers. Apparently, they decided it's best if the owl-headed man to just stay out of it.

She sighed. "Ano... those guys can barely understand Japanese so it's pointless, Atsumu-san, Kourai-san and Sakusa-san"

The three turned to her "Eh?"

Komori sweat dropped at them. "They are foreigners. What do you guys expect?"

"Then let's have Aran-kun to communicate with them" Atsumu suggested.

"What makes you say that I can speak Italian?!" Aran threw him an exasperated look.

The three Italians stared at them with a sweat pouring behind their back.

"Are you having trouble with them, Ayame?" Kiryuu asked her.

"No. Not really, Kiryuu-san. What are you guys doing here, may I ask?"

"We're tasked to watch over our coach" the blonde haired setter grinned before giving the Italians a stink eye "And it looks like you're being hit on. We can't have your boyfriend worry for ya"

"Please let me handle this before things escalate badly" She sighed on how the situation turned out now that the boys arrived. The last thing she needed was their team starting a fight against foreigners before the match proper.

"Hey, signore" Ayame stepped forward and looked up at the Italian "Sorry to waste your time but I already have someone with me"

She smiled as she raised her left hand with the ring on it while chewing on her Pocky stick. Better to be straightforward rather than beating around the bush.

"Eh~... too bad, little miss" He picked a Pocky stick from her box and bit on it "You're really my type, though"

The Japanese team behind her paled and started sweating bullets.

"Oh shit"

Ayame stared blankly at him...before punching his gut at the speed of light.

"Do you have a death wish~?" the air around the violet eyed woman was extremely menacing to the point it is demonically scary.