Ace of Hearts (Oikawa x OC x Nishinoya)

Chapter 7

"I've gotta go, I'll be back before the game is over," I tell Ukai.

I pocketed my phone and ran out as fast as I could. I forgot all about the practice I had with my team for an oncoming game. The practice lasted an hour and a half, I was starting to think I wouldn't make it back to the gym in time for the rest of the boy's game. They were all near their benches, talking when I made it back.

"Oh, sorry guys, I missed the rest of your game. How'd it go?" I ask.

"We lost," Hinata told me sadly.

"How badly?"

"In the second set we managed to get 23 points," Suga told me.

"Don't call that a loss, call it an... almost win?"

They all stared at me blankly and I shook my head, scratching the back of it sheepishly. The coach of the other team came over and started to talk to the team while Ukai went to talk with the other team.

"We used to play practice games with Karasuno every chance we got, and it was a pretty close contest back then too," he said. "But then he retired. I heard after that he started to have some serious health problems, poor old Ukai. I was thinking Karasuno would never make a comeback from that. But you kids have got more potential than I thought, especially with your offence. And your number 9 and number 10 combo is something else. That attack's gonna be difficult to beat. It all comes down to how long you keep the ball in play"

"Right!" They all said.

"You've all got outstanding promise, with some training you should be able to pass expectations. Seeing that really does my old heart good. I'm glad to have a worthy rival. I'm sure we'll see you again at the nationals"

"Don't worry, I plan on getting them there," I say.

He looked over at me and his eyes widened. "You're Myra, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir"

"You guys sure have an advantage with her there to guide you. I remember Ukai telling me about her leading her team to victory"

"I only helped them, it's not like I carried the team on my back," I say shyly.

"You sure did good with that ending spike, I'm surprised you aimed it straight for that girl though instead of the open space right beside her," he tells me with a chuckle.

"It was only an accident," I was now looking at the floor, not liking all the stares I was getting from the team or the praise from the coach.

"Well, I hope to see you boys around," the coach said before leaving.

Everyone was outside, saying their goodbyes to their opponents. The guy Tanaka was yelling at earlier was now crying along with him, saying they were gonna miss each other. Then the two captains held a death grip on the other's hand, acting friendly but sounding threatening. Only some of them seemed to be acting normally, not competitively.

"What did you mean you're gonna make sure we get to nationals?" Noya asked me.

I didn't look at him, I kept watching the rest of the team. "I meant exactly what I said. I'm going to help Ukai, train you guys. You will all be the best when nationals comes around"

"Well, we can only be the best if we're trained by the best"

I shoot him a look, my eyebrows furrowed together, then my face relaxes and I smile. "Aww, you're going all soft on me," I joke, ruffling his hair.

"H-Hey!" He stuttered, his cheeks turning red. "Stop that!"

The other team left and we gathered around once more. "I heard you have a game coming up," Daichi said.

"How-?"

"Your coach told me, she said she wanted our team to come along and cheer you guys on"

"Oh no, did she actually?" He nods. "Why? She knows that..."

I trailed off, not wanting to say what I had planned. I was going to say 'she knows that I don't like having people watch me play' but I decided against it, not wanting them to know I hate playing among crowds.

I wasn't shy but I didn't like being out in the open with a bunch of people watching my every move. It was weird, considering I played nationals with a crowd of a lot of excited fans, but I had to deal with that, for the team. I guess I'd have to deal with this too.

"She knows that what?" Hinata asks.

"That the girls get easily distracted," I lie.

"We'll make sure to be quiet," Tanaka told me.

"It's not your cheering, it's just your presence. Some of them are just as boy crazy as Tanaka and Noya are girl crazy"

We all laughed at my remark, all except the two I mentioned, they glared at me. Daichi scolded them, telling them he'd lock them out of the gym unless they kept their hormones to a minimum. Not a direct quote.

"You guys can come just... be calm"