Author's Note: Hello everyone! Lyn here! I am so very sorry for not updating for months. I don't even know how many months I haven't updated, but since the first semester ended, I figured that I should make time and... you know, finally update?

I won't blame you if you have already forgotten the flow of this story and I'm terribly sorry. I guess this will be also the last update for the year or maybe I could also update by Christmas break. Been so busy!

Anyways, thank you for reading and God bless! ❤️

~*~

“I can’t believe that we haven’t seen each other for a while, Tadashi-kun. I feel like you’re my soul sister or something." When I am not with him, I was reminded of the emotions called relief and happiness, although I only felt a twinge. But after this day is over, I will come back to the reality that I was only alone to deal with the world where only pain existed.

Tadashi-kun scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile lingering on his lips. “It's nothing, Yumiko-san.”

I couldn't bite back my smile because of Tadashi-kun's bashful demeanor. He was always like this since our middle school years, a bashful lad like me. And just like me, we are also a target of bullies and was saved by the same person...

Before I could even permit my thoughts to form his image, I took the time to take in Tadashi-kun's face. His freckled cheeks that currently has its own unusual shade of pink. I honestly don't know why people would pick on his imperfections like that, like his freckles for example. I'd always thought that they look adorable on him, they are like gold dust. Nobody is perfect, his imperfections are what makes us unique and I had learned to adore them a long time ago.  To my surprise and confusion, Tadashi-kun abruptly cupped his cheeks, covering them.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I got a little self-conscious..."

"What? Why?"

"You're staring at me."

I stifled a chuckle, "Is it bad?"

"No," He said slowly, "but... I get really self-conscious when you do that."

"I'm just admiring your freckles," He looked at me with surprise. "They look like gold dust." I just had to say it.

His eyes widened for a second but quickly composed himself. He slowly moved his hands to his sides, smiling whilst shaking his head. "You have a bad case of kalopsia, Yumiko-san."

I giggled like a child, "It's a good thing I have a wide vocabulary like yours."

“Um... Yumiko...-san...” Tadashi-kun looked away, suddenly timid and blushing furiously.

“What is it?”

“You look... more beautiful... when you smile... I... I l-love them. So please...” He was murmuring and it was barely audible; however, I had managed to decipher the meaning of his words.

“Tadashi-kun?” I asked, and as his name escaped my lips was the same time that he met my gaze.

XXVI.

Kinomi.

I didn't mind if Tetsurou doesn’t want to talk to me about his personal issues. I mean, who was I even anyway? I am just an adoptive sister who appeared out of nowhere, and I guess I was one of the last people he wanted to discuss his problems with... or not.

Math class! Oh, how I love the joy of listening to the problems of math that we are obligated to solve. I had already introduced myself earlier and thank God, my classmates weren't much of a talker. They just offered me those observant looks like a cat would do. That was good, I guess. I didn't want to draw any form of attention to myself. I just wanted to get over this school year and go back to the province I was born and grew up. Tora also told me that I should be more nicer from now on.

My phone vibrated on my skirt's pocket, announcing a new text message. I glanced at the teacher discussing in front then I pulled my phone from under the desk, seeing as though the message was from Tetsurou.

Bastard:

Hey, I'll fetch you after class.

I rolled my eyes and typed a reply.

Me:

Duh, don't you have volleyball training?

His reply came in faster than expected.

Bastard:

Haha yeah.

I arched an eyebrow at his reply.

Me:

So?

Bastard:

So be a sister and watch your older brother train for a while, will you?

"Mikazuki-san," the teacher called with a stoic tone. I glanced up at my teacher who was looking back at me with a piercing glint on her eyes. "Care to explain to me why are you texting in my class? Didn't your former school taught you that gadgets are strictly prohibited during class hours?"

I sighed. Way to go to make an impression, Kinomi. Blame your stupid stepbrother for that matter.

"Okay, since you are new, I am not going to confiscate your cellphone," I would have smiled if she didn't continue that sentence. "if you tell me what formula should I use to determine the sample size of a population."

Oh my God. This is like Takishima-sensei all over again...

I shifted my bored gaze on the board, seeing as though Mathematical shits were written on the board. She smirked at me, oh, she's got attitude.

"Slovin's formula." I answered. Too bad that I've got an attitude, too.

The little smile was wiped off her pretty face. "Hmm, he was well-known for his theory of relativity."

I arched an eyebrow but answered regardless. "Albert Einstein."

My teacher gawked at me, looking challenged and determined to get her hands on my phone. "What is the square root of 123,456,789?"

I answered instantly. "11,111.11."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I believe so." I gave her a sweet smile, and it obviously ticked her off.

She took her Scientific calculator on the teacher's desk and began to calculate the equation. I saw the way her eyes widened in shock and dismay before she gave me a look I could not decipher. Then to the class' shock, she gathered all of her things and walked out of the room.

My classmates' gazes shifted from the door to me, giving me a look as if I was an alien. So much for not drawing attention to myself.

Me:

That's such a drag.

Bastard:

What took you so long to reply? Anyways, I also want to tell you something while we're at it.

Okay, whatever.

~*~

"What is this news that I heard, Kinomi-chan?" Tetsurou asked me as we were walking side by side on the way to the gymnasium where volleyball training is usually held.

"What news?" I asked in a monotone voice.

"Are you kidding me?" Tetsurou looked at me with an amused grin on his smug face. "It's all over the school! Transferee girl burned the most terror teacher in Nekoma High School!"

I was about to ask WTF was he talking about but then I remembered what I did back at Math class. Oh, that...

"What am I, a headline of some kind of newspaper?" I asked in an irritated manner, brows furrowing.

"Yeah, you could say that." The idiot laughed out loud. "What a way to make an impression, sis."

"It's your fault, asshole. You texted me during class hours!"

"But I'm not the one who entertained the text." he stuck his tongue out, teasing me.

"Fuck you, Tetsurou."

“That’s incest.” He retorted.

“You’re fucking--”

“I don’t know anything much about you. You should tell me something about yourself.” He changed the topic. “Well, aside from the fact that you curse like a sailor.” He chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Yeah? What do you wanna know anyway.” I rolled my eyes, starting to feel the itch to slit his thoat and come home.

“I don’t know. Like what’s your favorite color?”

I sighed, trying to calm my nerves. “I like the color red, like blood red... especially when it comes out of you.”

Tetsurou didn’t answer and I almost wondered why. When I focused on my surroundings, there was a girl who was walking opposite from us, and she was looking at Tetsurou to which he did the same. She then looked at me and I didn’t hold her gaze for much longer when I felt the bastard’s arms snaking its way on my waist.

I didn’t react, I couldn’t, not when I am still in the state of shock and complete bewilderment. I also didn’t have the chance to gauge the girl’s reaction because she has already passed by us. And before I could open my mouth to ask Tetsurou, he stopped in front of the gymnasium door, giving me grin, but his eyes said otherwise.

“We’re here.” He informed me and slid the gymnasium door aside, revealing the inside of the gym. The team has already commenced their warm-ups for training. Tetsurou greeted his teammates to which they did the same. I ignored the stares of his teammates and just went on the sidelines and sat on the benches. I watched them for a while and when I got bored, I pulled out Tetsurou's PSP from my bag, the gadget that I had borrowed and forgotten to return a few days ago. After a few moments of browsing through a series of games, I'd decided to play Patapon 3.

Pon, pon, patapon...

I couldn't help but let out a small smile at the cuteness that this game erupts. I played for a solid half hour before the PSP signaled me that it was already on low battery.

"This is not happening... this is not happening!" I whisper-shouted to myself, grunting in frustration. I closed my eyes and massaged my temples.

"Hey, watch out!"

I looked up and saw a volleyball flying my way and what happened next was instinctive, in a matter of seconds. I quickly stood up and dropped the PSP, ignoring the sound of it making contact with the ground. I set the volleyball and returned it back to the court.

"My PSP! Kinomi-chaaaan!" I heard a voice cry out, which was the owner of the PSP.

I looked down to the ground, to where the PSP was located and it wasn't a surprise it had a small dent on the edge.

"Ohh, that's gotta hurt." I heard a guy from the team remarked.

I bent down and examined the PSP, tried to turn it on and felt slightly relieved that it was still functional.

"Sorry, Tetsurou!" I called out, and he rewarded me a glare and a pout. Too bad he couldn't come here and reprimand me. Maybe later, then. I shook my head and smirked.

Now that I couldn't use the PSP, I had no choice but to watch them train, because that was all left for me to do. I couldn't help but observe them, noticing something.

"Hello there," An elderly man, to which I assumed was the head coach, greeted me with a smile on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yes..." I gave him a small smile as he took a seat beside me.

"How's the team so far?" he suddenly asked which left me in a state of confusion but I still answered his question.

"They're pretty good." I commented.

"'Pretty good'? I think you can do better than that, miss."

I looked at him then back at the team. I sighed. "They are the true epitome of what a team is like. Each individual is strong on their own and can handle themselves in terms of the field they specialize in." I paused, glancing at the corner of my eye to see if the old man was still listening. And seeing that he still is, I went on. "But volleyball consists a team of six players, so I can only imagine what they are capable of doing once they join their forces together. Maybe they could even be strong enough to reach the Nationals but that would only be an educated observation and I am only looking at a tiny fraction, considering the fact that I only got here."

The old man was quiet and I found myself realizing how gibberish I sound just a moment ago. I knew that he wanted to say something but chose not to and instead, chose to call out the entire team.

"So how is she, Nekomata-san?" Tetsurou asked.

"She's good. Observant, smart, she’s qualified for the job."

"Is she your friend, Kuroo?"

Tetsurou shook his head, smirking at me.

"Girlfriend?" A guy with thick eyebrows and a mohawk that appeared to be dyed blonde, asked with eyes wide in surprise.

"Really? You got over Eira-chan that fast?" A tall guy with light grey hair asked, although his tone had no trace of malice, Tetsurou seemed taken aback for his smirk was instantly wiped off his face. He gawked at the latter who spoke. My eyebrows furrowed in suspicion.

"She's Kuroo's sister, Lev." Kozume-san answered, he was the only one I know in the entire team considering that he was Tetsurou's childhood friend and neighbor.

"Eh? But... they look nothing alike. And I didn't know that Kuroo-san had a sister!" The innocent guy whose name was probably Lev, exclaimed.

"Lev, shut up." A short guy with brown hair, chastised the tall lad. He was presumably at the same height as the orangehead from Karasuno's volleyball team that I had mistaken to be a middle schooler not too long ago. I should know better than to repeat the same error I did before. He looked like a sensitive person.

"Stepsister." I corrected and looked at Tetsurou, who only looked away when I did. Is he afraid that I might notice something? My eyes squinted at him.

"Where's her application form?" The other coach asked. Wait, what?

Tetsurou wasted no time in rummaging through his belongings and gave the supposedly application form of who knows who. He gave it to Nekomata-san and he read the contents aloud.

"Mikazuki Kinomi, class 1-5... reason for joining: To contribute to the victory of the team to the best of my abilities..." The head coach's other statements couldn't register in my brain because of the mixture of shock and confusion. My eyes were wide that I'm afraid that it might pop right out if its sockets and my mouth was parted in sheer bewilderment. I absolutely don't recall ever filling up such form! "and to support my nii-chan."

"Aww, that's very sweet of you, Mikazuki-san!" Lev beamed.

"That sounds like something Kuroo would write..." Kozume-san murmured.

"By the look on her face, it looks like she is already plotting Kuroo-san's death." Another joked but I was too pissed and shocked to even bother to identify who it was.

I swear to God I will be the death of him! He didn't just fucking signed me up as Nekoma's manager without my consent!