A/N

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Third person POV

A couple of weeks have passed since the practice match. You were still a bit on edge about joining the volleyball team and being around the team wasn't the most comfortable of feelings, but you did not hate it.

"I swear that she has been going to the gym after school lately..." Soka said- If you forgot who he is, he is the dork who chased after you in the first chapter.

"Why are we lurking around here for (L/n)-san? Can't we go to a cafe~?" His friend yawned and placed his hands behind his head.

"No!" Soka pouted and shook his head. "I-I haven't asked her out yet!" He blushed madly and covered his face.

"Why?" The other friend rolled his eyes. "She clearly doesn't like you. She doesn't even know you."

"Yeah. She ran away from us."

"I-I won't know until I try!" Soka exclaimed and frowned. "If (L/n)-san rejects me, then she rejects me!" He stomped his feet towards the gym.

Not too far from the trio were Iwaizumi and Oikawa who just so happened to hear them. They were down the hall from them, late for practice because Iwaizumi had to go fetch for Oikawa.

"Gah~! Those are the guys that chased after (L/n)-san?" Oikawa snickered and waved his hand in front of his nose. "They have no chance."

"Don't make it sound like you have a chance either." Iwaizumi sighed and punched the silly grin off Oikawa's face and looked up towards the marching trio. "We should warn (L/n)-san just in case." Iwaizumi walked past Oikawa and followed down the hall.

"Eh?" Oikawa blinked his eyes and watched as Iwaizumi walked ahead. "What a knight in shining armor..." Oikawa grinned and crossed his arms.

The trio made it into the gym, but since they were not players on the team, they made their way to the second floor of the gym. Iwaizumi entered the gym soon after and immediately scanned the gym for you.

'Is she filling the water bottles?' He walked towards the benches as he greeted his teammates. He walked around the scoreboard and noticed that the water bottles were there and full. Sighing, he walked up to Yahaba and called out for him.

"You're in the same class as (L/n), right?"

"Yeah, I am." Yahaba nodded his head.

"Has (L/n)-san not arrived yet?" Iwaizumi carefully said in a quieter tone.

"(L/n)-san?" Yahaba raised a brow, quite confused at his quiet like tone. He followed Iwaizumi's gaze and immediately turned his head back at his senior and shook his head. "She didn't come to class today..."

"She didn't?"

"No... Is she in trouble with those guys up there?" Yahaba clicked his tongue and scowled.

"I don't know..." Iwaizumi grumbled and patted his shoulder before walking away. "Make sure no one mentions about her while they're here."

"Yes Iwaizumi senpai!" Yahaba saluted his senior and nodded his head.

"You guys are barely setting up the gym?" The head coach said as he entered the gym.

"Probably because our mana-" Kindaichi began, but Yahaba had immediately slapped his hand over his mouth since he didn't get the news to him yet. "What was that for?!" Kindaichi scoffed, an irk mark on his forehead.

"Sorry, sorry!" Yahaba profoundly sweatdropped.

"Some guys who were chasing (L/n)-san are on the viewing floor." Iwaizumi whispered over to to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Seriously?" Kindaichi blinked his eyes and let out a sigh.

"Has anyone messaged her?" The coach looked up from his clipboard.

"Uh..." The entire team sucked in their lips or looked away.

'We never asked for her number...' The team all thought.

They never asked for your number, worried that they would be pressuring you given your personality. They eventually just forgot about the matter of asking for her number.

"Sigh... Never mind. Just finish setting up the gym and start warm-ups."

"Yes, Coach!"

-----

"Iwaizumi senpai... (L/n)-san didn't come to class today either." Yahaba reported and scratched the back of his head.

"Did the teacher mention anything?" Iwaizumi curiously asked, growing more concern and lost in wonder.

"None at all." Yahaba shook his head.

"I see..." Iwaizumi exhaled. He looked up to the second floor and surely enough, the trio was up there, waiting to see if you were there.

"I wonder what brand (L/n)-san used for the flavored hydrating powder sticks." Oikawa hummed and walked over to the two. "Now we just have water as an option~..." Oikawa pouted and shook the water bottle in his hand.

"Then don't drink anything." Iwaizumi blunty stated.

"My skin needs to glow, alright!" Oikawa laughed and took a sip of the water. "Let's start a match!"

'Seriously... Is she sick?' Iwaizumi sighed and walked back onto the court.

-----

"Hah... How am I going to tell them why I was gone?" You mumbled to yourself.

You walked onto the campus and tightly clenched the handles of the tote bag. You shifted the weight of the bag in your hold and made your way to the gym. School was over not too long ago, but the campus grounds looked empty of any students. It was rather almost relieving to walk on the campus for once.

'Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow...' You let out a long sigh and entered the gym building. You walked down the hall and stopped, allowing yourself to take a deep breath and to organize your words beforehand.

"I got thi- UWAA-" Right when you took a step forward towards the corner, you unexpectedly  bumped into someone, which startled you since you didn't think anyone would be outside the court of the gym.

"(L-L/n)-san?" Iwaizumi stammered, surprised to see you after school hours in casual clothes. 

"S-s-senpai?" You flushed red, embarrassed that you basically screamed in his face. You covered your face with your hand and bowed your head. "S-sorry..."

"N-no, it's alright. I was the one that scared you. Sorry..." He awkwardly rubbed the nape of his neck. "I just wasn't expecting to see you."

"Ah... haha..." You slowly lifted your body and looked away from his eyes. "Sorry... I-I wasn't able to in-inform you... guys..." You nervously played with your (h/c) hair.

"Then if it's alright, do you mind if I give you my contact address?"

"Eh... Ah! S-sure!" Flustered, you nodded your head and took out your phone from your pocket. You don't like to share your number, but of course it was reasonable to give your number to him since you're now the manager. You need some sort of contact, and you didn't see him as a bad person.

"There. I added my number." Iwaizumi handed you back your phone.

"Th-thank you..." You nodded your head and took your phone back. You placed it back into your pocket and carefully looked up. "S-should we head-"

"Dude, are you sure she would be in the gym? Wouldn't (L/n)-san be home?"

"I'm telling you guys! I've seen her come to the gym a few times!"

"What a stalker..."

"I'm not a stalker!"

'They're looking for me?' You turned your body back and stared down at the hall. You didn't recognize the trio from afar, and you definitely did not want to be found. You didn't know what they wanted, and you didn't want to confront anyone. Just the thought of it made you feel uneasy.

"Uh...!" You quietly exclaimed when their heels turned towards your direction.

"(L/n)-san." Iwaizumi leaned over to you and whispered. "Please excuse me..."

"W-what?" You whispered, confused and surprised by his voice that was breezed past your ear. His low voice made your heart skip a beat, not expecting how close he would be to you. Your face flushed a bright red, the heat stuck around your face.

Iwaizumi took your hand and quickly yet carefully pulled you from around the corner of the hall and began speed walking down the hall.

"S-senpai...!" Your face and body radiated more heat, sweat forming on your forehead. With the stress of your thoughts and feeling chased down for an unknown reason, it made you feel more lightheaded. Iwaizumi stopped and looked back at you with a startled noise.

"Sorry." Iwaizumi lowered his eyes towards the bag you were holding and gently took it from your hands. "I'll carry this for you."

"Th-thank you..." You wiped away at the sweat around your forehead with the sleeve of your (f/c) hoodie.

"Soka, I think you should just give up on her."

"No way haha!"

'They're still coming this way...!' You paled and wrapped your arms around your stomach. You nervously bit down on your lip and looked around the hall for an escape.

Iwaizumi scanned the hallway and carefully placed his hand behind your back as he guided you. He silently opened a door and let you entered it first before carefully shutting it behind you two.

"Was she even here today at school?"

"Hmm, I don't know, but I won't stop trying haha!"

"Really, you are..."

"Haha... no way I..."

The laughter and voices of the three slowly died out as they grew further and further away. Iwaizumi let go of the door knob with a sigh, certain that they would not come back.

"(L/n)-san, it should be fine-" He flinched when he turned around and hurriedly ran up to you. He kneeled down to you and stared down at you worriedly.

"I-I'm alright..." You awkwardly smiled and waved your hand. You took out your inhaler and calmly used it. Still, Iwaizumi could see your hands tremble as you pull a strong front.

"Do you know those three?"

"N-no?" You pressed your lips. "Th-they look familiar? But I d-don't know. S-sorry..."

"It's fine. You have no reason to apologize. Rather, I'm sorry for startling you."

"N-n-no! Y-you only wanted t-to help me!" You vigorously shook your head and stood up. "Th-thank you...!" You fumbled to intertwine your fingers and bowed.

Iwaizumi's exhaled with a grin. He stood up and brought his hand out towards your head but immediately pulled back.

"No worries. If they come back, we'll just kick them out!" Iwaizumi chuckled, making you jolt.

"K-kick them out?" You stammered, but ended up breaking out into a small burst of giggles. "Oh? This is..."

"Ah, the boys locker room." Iwaizumi answered.

"O-oh..." You awkwardly looked away and hid your hands into the long sleeves of your (f/c) hoodie. A hint of pink dusted your cheeks.

"Lets head into the gym." Iwaizumi took the bag into his hand again opened the door for you. Once you two entered the gym, all eyes were on you and him.

'Ahhh...' You paled and folded your hands. You gulped down your salvia and forcefully unfolded your hands. They quietly stared, dumbfounded and unsure if their eyes were playing tricks on them.

"H-h-hello..." You timidly waved your hand.

"(L/N)-SAN!" The players exclaimed, some with tears and some dropping things in their hands.

You jumped up in surprise of their louder-than-expected voices and blinked with wide eyes. They crowded into a huddle but a few feet away from you, which was built upon their awareness of your comfort zone. You softly smiled upon their considerate action.

"O-oh...!" The players stammered, their faces red.

"Our manager is the cutest..." You awkwardly hid your arms behind your back and shuffled a step back.

"Iwaizumi-san, what's with the bag?" Hanamaki pointed out to.

"Ah! I-I made honey lemon slices... If you like..."

"Hah... Our manager is so thoughtful..." The members blushed at your kind soul, feeling moved that an angel has graced them.

"H-have I disrupted p-practice?" You sweat dropped, feeling as though time has been dragged out for too long for a usual break.

"You didn't disrupt our practice." Oikawa laughed and pointed at Iwaizumi. "We were about to send someone to find him since he was gone longer than needed~!" He winked, which made Iwaizumi scowl at him for using a teasing tone.

"Welcome back, (L/n)-san." The head coach walked over towards the crowded area. The head coach smiled with a nod and turned to the players. "Let's continue the match."

"Yes, coach!"

'It feels weird... But I guess I don't hate it...' You lightly smiled, watching the team walk back onto the court.

7/25/2020