☆★☆★☆★

Two days later

"Class is dismissed! Don't forget to write an essay about the importance of the Meiji Era to our current civilization." Maeda sensei, the Japanese History teacher, clapped his hand as he announced the assignment for next week's class.

There was a collective groan, but Reina tuned them out. She needed to get off class pretty fast to hand over an essay to her buyer, drop by Yuri's clubroom to pick up some letters. And to pick up her younger sister from the modelling agency building after Makoto was done with her photoshoot.

"Yuri, I'm off to handle some...transaction first," Reina informed as she zipped her school bag and faced her best friend. "I'll drop by your club room after that."

"Take your time, Reina," Yuri replied, tugging her black school bag on her shoulders. "You're only freelancing, so no pressure."

Sometimes Reina wanted to shake on Yuri's shoulders and make her friend admit out loud that it was okay to ask for more help. But alas, it was not like Reina could force anyone to do what they weren't ready to, not even Yuri.

Her newest buyer was Suna Rintarou and from what Reina knew about him, he was also in the second year and a member of a volleyball club. She inwardly sighed, apparently, the universe made it even more obvious it would be hard for her to separate herself from the sport. At least Suna was not one of the flashy members of the club and they both agreed through text to meet up discreetly behind the gym after school hours ended. Having a jock as her client was not really ideal, but Reina needed the cash.

The reason she chose Inarizaki was due to the ensemble band club. Even though her father was more than overjoyed seeing that Reina chose to attend a sports powerhouse school. Last year, Reina had yet to realize just how much the other non sports related clubs in her school were infested with the serious issue of jock worship.

"Oh, so you're Shibazeki who is among the ones that left the club at the beginning of the year," suddenly a grating voice greeted Reina from behind. She was just about to walk down the staircase. Turning her back, Reina saw to whom the voice belonged to.

A pretty and tall girl was standing right before her eyes. From the way her sharp gaze seemed to size Reina up and her school skirt was cut too short from the required length, this stranger was the type to wear layers of superficiality to cover up their own insecurities.

If Mai was here, her former best friend would end this stranger right on spot with her withering gaze. Sachiro, on the other hand, would just handle the situation with unnerving kindness.

Alas, Reina had acknowledged in her own self reflection that she was someone that brought out people's worse qualities (at least at first). Not because she was a terrible person, but rather her seemingly nerdy disposition gave the illusion that she was someone easily stepped on.

"Is there anything I can do to help you with?" Reina asked with a flat tone. She had to wait for a reason to drop all niceties and went apeshit.

"I'm just seeing who I replaced in the club for the first chair of the trumpet section," The girl said with a smirk. "I heard you're a clubless student now these days."

In a school like Inarizaki where club culture thrived almost more than anything else, not being in an after school club was like a one way ticket to the depth of social abyss. But alas, it did not stop Reina from choosing to leave.

Oh, it was just another insignificant person from her past club life. There were times in which she regretted not going back to Nagano with her mother and chose to live with her paternal grandparents in Hyogo instead. This stranger would wish Reina chose to go back to Nagano instead of being here, preparing herself for yet another verbal battle.

"I see," Reina answered promptly. Her mind was scanning this stranger to match up with a name from her database. She was always better with names rather than faces anyway. "Well, if that is all you have to say to me, I have to go." Sorry, as much as I would like to indulge you in your sick display of superiority, I have important matters to settle right now.

Reina left with no words and she braced herself for that girl to grab her wrist. That sort of shit when lady luck wasn't smiling in her direction somehow always happened to her.

Indeed the girl did it. "Are you saying that you're so high and mighty just because you along with your group of ronin who don't belong in a club choose to leave the band?"

Slowly, Reina unhooked her wrist from this girl's grasp. Before she could say another word, Reina heard an unfamiliar voice. "What is up with the commotion here?."

Reina felt the grasp around her wrist loosening and the girl who confronted her immediately took a step back and ran to the other direction. Of course she was a coward and Reina had yet to get the chance to actually find out her name to add it to her list of people she needed to avoid.

"Uh, thanks I guess," Reina said as she rubbed her wrist. She looked up to see a black haired boy with spiky hair who was carrying a gym bag on his shoulders. "Sorry, I don't mean to get in the way or something like that."

It was not like she could say that a girl from her old club was trying to show superiority. The boy nodded and Reina started to remember his name. Akagi Michinari, third year student who belonged to the boys' volleyball club. She winced, remembering that only two days ago Ojiro-senpai asked her to be the manager.

And she was on her way to the gym to meet up with Suna to give him the package answer key and to pick up her payment.

"No problem, I just see that you're trapped in a situation you don't want to be in," Akagi replied with a friendly smile. "It is written all over your face. And believe me, I know how crazy some people can be, especially in this school."

Her face? Reina put her hands on her face to pinch it. It seemed that her poker face game was not as good as she thought. She couldn't help but to agree with Akagi-senpai's words about the crazy people though.

"Uh...I don't mean to keep you here, so..." Reina wanted to kick herself for being her awkward self. Her words often failed around strangers who showed unexpected kindness, like Michinari-senpai. "Gomen, what I mean is...I won't hold you back here, Akagi-senpai"

She hated the way she wanted to shrink back into her shell whenever she had no idea how to react. It had been so long since Reina was on the receiving end of a random act of kindness.

"No problem, it is nice to have a well mannered kouhai for once...gomen, what's your name again?"

Dealing with volleyball players was almost a big no for Reina's high school life rules, but honestly the ones she already met like Akagi and Ojiro, they made her want to rethink about her (not so) good opinion about athletes in general. Not so sure about the jocks who were also in the second year, but Reina only knew of the Miya twins from afar and Suna was...just Suna. Although that did not change how Reina was thankful she had her father's name instead of her mother's. "It is Shibazeki Reina, Akagi-senpai."

Not Murphy at least because she had to admit there were times her name sounded like a white girl if she used her mother's maiden name.

"Kay then, good luck, Shibazeki-san. Make sure you don't get ambushed by anyone crazy," Akagi said as he waved at her, leaving Reina alone to stand in the hallway to process what the fuck just happened.

***

Where is she?

Suna Rintarou let out his breath as he was scrolling through his phone gallery, inwardly snickering at the snapshots and videos of the Miya twins fighting. Yep, one day when either one or both of them wound up to be famous, Suna would sell these gold mines for profit.

He waited for Shibazeki Reina behind the gym for her to deliver the answer key he bought. From his radar, she was one of the outcasts by choice. But somehow she made a wide network of acquaintances that helped to boost her underground business of selling answer keys for their textbook or getting paid to do homework.

But then again, being miss smarty pants who more or less saw the opportunity to capitalize half of the students who were too brain dead to give a shit about school (yeah including himself), Suna had to give it to her that Shibazeki got brains.

"Gomen, I'm late," her familiar voice was heard first before Suna saw Shibazeki emerged from the trees (at least it looked like she did). "I...Never mind, I got something to do before dropping by here."

Suna did not doubt that, so he only nodded. It was not like his relationship with Shibazeki went beyond professionalism. Somehow he heard about her dealings from a friend of a friend and decided to text her about their transaction. Not everyone knew about it though, certainly not the dumb twins who were too absorbed with their shared brain cells. Suna would grab any opportunity to help him slack in class. Although Suna hoped that Kita did not know he was sort of getting a shortcut about his schoolwork though. "Yeah, no problem. I think I'm the only one in the club who even knows what you're doing."

"Ha, I definitely can see that."

Suna sensed she got something more to say. One would always get that sense with Shibazeki, as if she was holding herself back from saying a lot of words. He wanted to snicker, if Shibazeki was indeed one of the girls approached by Aran to be manager, now that would be a show to see how she fared with the chaos of the boys' volleyball club.

She handed him the thick folder, must be full of the answer keys that would help Suna to sleep through his classes and slack off instead of paying attention. And if Osamu wanted to get his hands on this, Suna would make him pay twice the amount he paid to Shibazeki.

He graciously accepted while handing her the cash, to which she took immediately. Now there's the crack in Shibazeki's poker face.

"Hey, Suna, if you don't mind Osamu and I wanted to–"

It felt like a gust of wind blew right into his face, but for once Suna could experience what he hadn't with Kita-san with Shibazeki: to see a mask truly crack in one brief moment before it was right on place again.

Behind Suna, Ichijou Mai emerged with Osamu. Both of them were getting tighter as friends (understandable since Osamu sat beside Mai for weeks) and as much as Suna's gossip radar was already on them, he sensed nothing beyond mere friendship.

It had already been several days since Mai dropped by their club practice to watch them play to get an 'inspiration' or whatever they called it for her upcoming photoshoot with the Volleyball Monthly magazine. Honestly, having her around was sort of a breath of fresh air. She managed to tune out the twins' hijinks and never once overstepped her boundaries as a guest. The pretty girl offered to help around like filling in the water bottles, but Aran said it was fine she just sat and watched the boys practice.

Suna sensed something beyond his knowledge had transpired between the two of them, but Mai was not an easy nut to crack.

"Oh, hello there, Reina," Mai greeted, her voice still as emotionless as ever. "Good to see you here."

Shibazeki, to her credit, only managed a small smile as she nodded. But the message was clear for everyone in the room to read, Shibazeki would rather not waste her voice to reply to Mai's greeting.

"I swear to GOD, today all of you are TRASH AND-" Atsumu's nagging voice broke through the forming tension in the air. "Oops."

Suna would never, ever, bet his life on Atsumu on whatever situation and this right here just cemented his judgment even further.

The two girls were staring at each other and Shibazeki was the first one to break off the staring contest, directing her blank stare into Atsumu. At least the blonde had the audacity to take one step back. Just one though.

"ARAN KUN, IS THIS THE SAME GIRL WHO YOU APPROACH TO BE THE TEAM'S MANAGER?"

Suna gulped. If that was the case... holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Aran never did get the chance to mention the girl's name though?

He saw the gears working behind Shibazeki's blank stare, her brain working on the situation. For a split second, Suna saw horror filled Shibazeki's eyes. His eyes definitely did not miss the way her hands trembled a little. Suna flicked his glance towards Mai, who for once wore a look other than her usual emotionless mask. For once, the ice queen looked worried with the way her eyebrows scrunched and her mouth dropped open. Damn this was the first time Suna saw this girl emote something other than deliberate nonchalance.

There was a long and convoluted history between these two girls, Suna figured out. Whew, he had no idea today would be the day he sipped way too much tea. 

☆★☆★☆★