CH 4 - Store

2nd POV

"Rintaro, I'll go ahead first. Osamu just texted me that he's at the school entrance already. Do you have everything you need before going to the gym court?" You fixed your things in your bag and stood up as you slung it over your shoulder.

Suna almost smiled at your concern before shaking his head, "Nah, all good. Oh wait."

"Hmm?"

He slung his own bag over his shoulder as he looked at you, "Kita-san said the players need a new batch of energy drinks and told me to tell you. He said the coaches will pay you back when you return."

"Why couldn't he text me that himself?" You asked, confused. He just shrugged.

"He was giving me tasks when he texted me earlier like I should arrive earlier to help set the court. Then he said he just remembered and told me to tell you," Suna opened the classroom door and waited for you to go out before him.

You thanked him, "I see. I was just about to go the store so it's convenient for me."

He nodded as he escorted you the school's door and waited for you to reach Osamu before he went to the gymnasium.

"Good afternoon. How's your classes?" You greeted Osamu.

He grinned, "It was okay. I'm hungry."

"Hungry, huh? Me too, what a coincidence!" You giggled as you both exited the school to go to the nearest convenience store.

He waited for you to go in the automatic doors before he went in himself. Osamu slightly bowed to the cashier (since he was a regular here) and went to follow you.

"Let's see... Shinsuke just told me earlier that the team needs their energy drinks supply ready for the match the week after next week," You hummed as you grabbed packs of poccari sweat, "Suna must be mistaken. I think Shinsuke wants to go get them while I buy groceries next week.. for now, he asked for these," You said while carrying two packs of big poccari bottles, with 6 pieces in each pack.

Osamu's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when he saw how effortlessly you carried both pack in one hand as you went to grab more water bottles.

"Sukii, wait-" He started as he tried to take the bottles from your hand to help.

"Oh, it's okay!" You smiled and realized, "Oh!"

Osamu sighed with a small smile at you, but he dropped it when you said..

"I can carry these. Pick the stuff that you want," You chirped.

He frowned, "No, let me help you with those."

"It's fine, Osamu. Go get our food first, okay?" You snickered and continued to get water bottles. He rushed to take a basket and gave them to you.

After thanking him, you proceeded to browse the store for some snacks that the players can consume. Making sure they contained the nutrients they need, you put them in the basket. A certain isle caught your attention as you saw some fresh, teriyaki onigiri.

Your mouth watered.

"Let's get those. They're really tasty."

You jumped and almost shrieked when you heard Osamu speaking behind you. He was too close as he was also almost mouth watering with his gaze at the onigiris.

"They must be if they put you in a trance like that," You teased and went to grab a few pieces, but he beat you to it.

You lightly flinched when his hands made contact with yours as he also tried to reach for the same pair you were about to get. He muttered an apology in a low voice and put them in the basket he was also holding.

Oh... You felt something in your heart and just proceeded to get more of them to Osamu's basket.

"Y'know, I eat a lot. But your scale of eat a lot is significantly different from mine," He pursed his lips when he saw you put 5 pieces in the basket.

"This is just light snack," You said with a blank face and made your way to the cashier for checkout.

You stopped Osamu from getting his wallet by giving the cashier your card. He tried to stop you but you squinted your eyes at him.

"It's okay, Shinsuke said the coaches will return the payment," You lied. It was alright for you to spend your own money for other people, especially if it's food.

He just nodded and carried all the three plastic bags, leaving you with nothing to carry. You sighed.

"Do you want to stop for a bit and eat?" You asked him, slightly craning your neck up to look at him as you walked at a gentle pace.

He shook his head and glanced at you for a second then back to the street, "Kita-san won't like it if we delayed."

"We're just going to stop for a quick snack," You pouted to yourself. Your systems were screaming at you to feed them like some demons from all the 9 circles of hell.

He chuckled, "Relax, Sukii. We'll eat don't worry. I'm also as sad as you are."

An idea popped in your mind.

He whipped his head to you when he saw you opening an onigiri.

"You idiot, don't eat while walking," He said in slight panic.

You snickered and stopped walking. He sighed heavily when he spotted you making your way to sit on a bench. His eye twitched when he saw how happy you were eating.

He was taken aback when you smiled at him.

"It's okay to put things on hold so you can take care of yourself, Osamu. Come - let's eat."

Osamu had no choice but to sit next to you. He frowned as he rubbed his hands, the heavy plastic bags filled with bottles and food hurt his palms even though he was used to spiking.

"I told you it's heavier if you carried them alone," You said as you placed the wrapped onigiri on your lap and got wipes from your bag. You also took out a hand sanitizer.

"Let me see them," You mumbled as Osamu gave you his hands. His palms were slightly red.

He just watched you as you took care of them.

Is she used to taking care of people?

He swore he felt his heart skip some few beats.

You caught him staring and hummed to ask him why while putting your stuff back in your bag.

"How will I eat now?" He asked, to save himself from being questioned.

"Hmm," You pondered and held the onigiri.

His eyes widened in shock when you put them near his mouth. You grinned.

"It's okay! I'll feed you instead."

He shook his head fast and tried to get the food from your hands but you slapped them away.

"What? Sukii, no. I can eat by myself," He raised a brow.

"No. Let me," You started, "Can you also text Shinsuke that we stopped by to take a quick snack? I'm sure he'll understand."

He whined, "I'm scared to even text him!"

"You'll get used to it somehow," You laughed and proceeded to feed him while he got his phone out.

The time was short, but sweet. By the time 5 minutes were up - you and him already gobbled down 7 onigiris from the 5 pieces you picked and the 2 he picked. You were slightly sad when he said he can hold the onigiris himself, you felt down but didn't show him.

It was 5:13 PM, the training has started 13 minutes ago already. You were both nearing the school when you noticed Osamu uncomfortably clinging to the plastic bags.

The bags itself weren't heavy for him, it was just that the plastic's handle was becoming thinner and thinner. He couldn't possiblly carry them with his arms since it was 3 big plastic bags and it wouldn't fit in his arms, it would be hard to see.

This guy.. You mentally sighed.

"Osamu, just let me carry at least one of them," You frowned.

"No," He blankly said as you both walked back to the school.

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on.. I'm your manager."

"Not allowed to carry heavy things."

"They weigh like nothing to me, it's fine!"

"No. Be quiet."

You let out a defeated sigh, unable to go against his stubbornness. He placed the plastic bags on the floor once you both reached the gymnasium.

"Are your hands okay?" You worriedly asked as he showed you his red palms.

He gave you a small grin, "Yeah, they're alright. I play volleyball, Sukii, I'm sure they'd be fine."

You frowned in embarrassment, he was teasing you and he knows you know.

"You worry too much," He lazily said and shortly ruffled your hair, "I'll go change and join them soon. I'll ask some of them to help you carry these to the benches near coach."

You took his leave as an opportunity to carry the plastic bags on your own. Shinsuke stumbled on his feet to go help you when you walked over to them.

"Sukii, I know more than enough that these aren't heavy for you - but for goodness' sake let people help you," Shinsuke grunted and took the plastic bags from you to set it aside.

You snickered, "Sure, Shin."

The coaches tried not to look surprised when they felt some aura from you. They have never see someone carry heavy plastic bags like they were nothing.

"Your cousin is strong. Shinsuke," The coaches cackled at him after you went to the girls' locker room to get changed in your tracksuit.

He sweatdropped, "You have no idea.."

•

"Alright, break time! Rest for a while. After everyone's done we'll be going over some strategies and lineups we can use against the teams we'll be playing against after 2 weeks. Understood?" Kita said to the players. They all agreed in unison and went to the benches to rest.

"Um!" You slightly said aloud, catching their attention. Your hand slightly shook as you smiled at them, "I bought you all some snacks.."

They all blushed. Some juniors and senior cheered as they took the food that you handed to them each.

"Make sure to eat a lot, please!" You beamed.

"We will!"

You laughed to yourself. Your heart is always so full when you see people look happy when they eat.

You made your way to Suna and he raised a brow at you after he looked up from his phone.

"Take care of yourself before you use your phone," You sighed quietly and got the towel from his shoulders and started to pat his face and neck dry. He didn't mind - it was something he unexpectedly got used to the first few days after you joined them before.

"Oh, by the way - I bought you some jelly fruit sticks," You said after you were done and got the cold sticks from the plastic bag. His eyes shined and he smiled.

"Thank you. You're honestly the best," He dramatically groaned and started to eat the snacks you gave him. A laugh escaped your lips and you sat down beside him to continue fixing your notes and evaluation of the team.

A small shriek escaped your throat when Osamu had touched you on your shoulder from behind.

"Sukii, a minute. Come," He said with a low voice. You felt sudden chills run down your spine.

?! You internally panicked and stood up after you excused yourself from Suna.

What made you and your heart freeze was that fact that he pulled you to somewhere a little quieter than the rest of the court and gave you his towel while looking away.

"Osamu?" You asked, but you already know what he means to request.

He slightly scowled, "Treat us equally, dammit."

Osamu was looking away with a slight blush. His hand remaining present in front of you as you eyed his towel. You looked back in his eyes even though he was still looking somewhere else.

Jealousy? Your eyes widened in shock but you remained quiet.

-
a/n
my signature "wipe my sweat for me" trope throughout my stories lmao