Fly High: Etsuko was perfectly fine flying under the radar when she switched schools and began living with her cousin after an accident takes away the only thing she cared for, however a flying volleyball to the face leads those plans astray. What's this about becoming a manager? (Summary will change).

Rating: Rated T for the occasional use of adult language.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Haikyuu! I just enjoy playing around with their characters and adding a few of my own.

Author's Note: Wow, it has been a while! I am sorry for taking FOREVER to update to anyone who stumbled across the first chapter of this story over a year ago and might still be waiting around for an update. I have been really busy, between school, work, student teaching, and now COVID…I have just have not had any time. I have not forgotten about this story at all, I have just been way to too busy to write except for schoolwork. I plan on going back over the first chapter and editing it, but I wanted to get the chapter two out before that because it has been so long since I got to write for anything but school. Chapter 3 should be out by the end of the week, but I am not going to make promises because I do not want to feel pressured. Anyway, please enjoy and review if you have a moment~

P.S: I officially graduate with my Bachelors in six days (even if my walk has been postponed. Wahoo!

Word Count: 1514

"Etsuko-chan!" Yuki exclaimed, worrying about his cousin. Her face was completely blank as she moved to hold the volleyball between her hands at chest height. "Are you alright?" He asked, holding back a flinch as his cousin's large brown eyes looked at him, to anyone else they would appear blank, possibly even angry, but he knew his older cousin because she had always been open with him despite her usual demeanor at school – her usually warm eyes had grown cold, a silent anger and torment shining in them.

"I'm-" She was cut off from answering by a loud cry of;

"I'M SORRY!" Etsuko flinched at the sudden loud noise in front of her, the boy with the mohawk who had accidently launched the volleyball at her was knelling on the floor in front of her, though there was an abnormally large amount of space between them as if he was afraid to get too close, his lean, muscularly arms flung upon the ground as if he had launched his whole body into a bow with his face literally plastered on the gym's hardwood. "I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

Etsuko's face loosened slightly, her facial expression lightening up once more with a simple raising of her eyebrow at the boy's loud behavior; it's not like it was completely his fault he almost hit her with the ball – yes, his aim might need some work, but she had stepped into the gym knowing the school's team was practicing and there were going to be balls flying about. "I am-" However, before Etsuko could finish her statement, she was once more interrupted.

A very tall boy with outrageously messy black hair and eyes that appeared to be stuck in a half-lidded manner that appeared to come off as cocky the same time as sleepy was now standing next to the kneeling boy, a wide smirk on his face. "My, my," he started, "Tora, that was an interesting move. Your first time talking to a girl, and you have to apologize for almost spiking a ball to her face."

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" The loud boy continued repeating, tears flowing almost comically down his cheeks despite his forehead still being connected to the floor. "PLEASE-"

This time it was Etsuko who cut everyone off, as the tall boy was about to speak again and the other boys of the team were beginning to crowd around, this was the last thing she wanted to deal with so early in the morning.

"It's fine, you are forgiven," Etsuko stated calmly, causing the boy to fly up from his kneeling position, tears still falling down his face as he stared at the smaller girl in surprise, a heavy blush beginning to form on his face as the girl stared back at him, actually talking to him – talking to him. Even if this was a nightmare, Tora never wanted to wake up! "You did not actually hit me, and even if you had, I was the one who entered the gym when you were practicing so I knew the risks of stray volleyballs. Here," Etsuko held the ball out to the boy, expecting him to take it so she could leave, however he froze, the blush fully enveloping his face at being offered something, even a volleyball, by a girl. The crowding teammates were either grinning or smirking at the boy's reaction, amused by their normally loud team member becoming so embarrassed and clammed up around the random girl that suddenly appeared at their practice.

"Are you alright Amano-san?" Etsuko looked away from the strange loud boy, Tora as she learned, to another second year, this one she knew from her class, Shohei Fukunaga. He was another student who was quiet in class like her, but once break or lunch happened, always had a group of friends surrounding his desk. He was tall and skinny with very short, spiky black hair and wide eyes with small pupils. "Tora didn't hurt you, did he?"

"It's fine Fukunaga-san" Etsuko restated, holding the volleyball out to her classmate instead as it appeared Tora had become a statue. "Here, you should take this back so you can continue practicing."

"Oh, is this a friend Fukunaga?" The other tall black haired boy, Etsuko was guessing that he was a third year because he just appeared to be slightly older even if he wasn't acting like it with the grin stretching across his face at the moment, questioned, moving forward to take the ball from the short girl despite that fact she was offering it to his junior.

"Amano-san is in our class," It was Kenma who answered, the apathic boy having wondered over sometime during Tora's loud groveling. He was standing towards the back of the group with his large cat-like eyes shifting frequently from focusing on the commotion that had interrupted practice to glancing towards the side, as if he was afraid to look at Etsuko, which the girl took notice of as well.

This is strange team. No wonder Yuki always has crazy stories to report, Etsuko thought.

"Is that so?" The crazy haired one, which was saying something as the team had quite a few characters with interesting hair choices, commented.

"Yes, here you go." Etsuko once again offered the ball, hoping someone would take it. The bedhead had gotten distracted from his original goal.

"I'll take it Etsuko-chan," Yuki offered from beside her, relieved that his cousin appeared to be unarmed, "Thank you for bringing my lunch by. I'm sorry I forgot it." Yuki was doing his best to ignore his teammates looks, blushing slightly as he knew they were probably taking the interaction between his cousin and him the wrong way, as he hadn't revealed he had an older cousin at school who lived with him to anyone but his fellow first years.

Etsuko took that as her cue to leave, relieved to be getting out of the gym and the commotion she had inadvertently caused by her appearance. "It was no problem. Just don't make it a habit Yuki," She turned towards the old, cat faced coach who had just continued smiling on the sidelines while everything was happening. "I'm sorry for the interruption sensei," Etsuko bowed, hands folding neatly and politely in front of her.

"It's fine young lady," He spoke, "I'm just glad Tora didn't managed to hurt you."

Etsuko bowed once more before stepping out of the gym, sliding back into her dark loafers with ease. She chose to ignore the sudden increase in loudness behind her as she left, it was Yuki's team – he could explain who she was as she didn't care one way or another. She just wanted to get to class so she could check over her math homework one more time, she was second guessing a formula she used, before the bell rang as well as check to see if her friends had left her any more messages on her phone.

As if knowing they were being thought about, Etsuko felt her phone vibrate lightly from her school bag. After checking to make sure there were no teachers in site as she walked towards the front of the school to the entrance and shoe locker room, Etsuko pulled out her phone, flipping it open easily.

Kana: Tsu-chan (-̩-̩_-̩-̩) Machi-Taichou is trying to kill us! ヽ(´ー｀)ﾉ

Ren: You're just lazy (¬‿¬)

Kana: Ren-kun is so mean! Don't believe her Tsu-chan! Machi-Taichou made us run so much my muscles have shriveled up and died (-̩-̩_-̩-̩)

Ren: Drama Queen. And STOP CALLING ME THAT!

Kana: Ren-Kun! Ren-kun! Ren-kun!

Tomoe: My, my, I wish you both were this hyper at practice /(´▽`)/

Machiko: Knock it off you two. Stop involving everyone with your spats.

Ren: …Yes Captain

Etsuko shook her head, quickly pushing in a reply to her crazy friends, it was way too early in the morning for them to already be arguing. Machiko was going to have a busy day ahead of keeping the group in line.

Etsuko: You'll live :)

Kana: Etu-chan! (-̩-̩_-̩-̩) Don't be mean.

Ren: So mean

Tomoe: Hahaha, Tsu-chan doesn't care.

Hikari: That is not what she said.

Etsuko laughed quietly, wondering when the other girl would enter the group chat, knowing the similarly quiet girl would only be able to hold her tongue for so long before she got fed up and butted in. However, Etsuko was nearing the entrance of her school and knew she had to get off the phone before she got in trouble.

Etsuko: I have to go to class. Behave and head there yourselves. Don't make Machiko or Hikari's lives any harder.

Kana: Hai Tsu-chan 3

Ren: Fine

The dark-haired girl sighed as she slipped her phone back into her bag after she turned it to silent as she entered the school, quickly finding her shoe locker and switching into her indoor shoes. So far this day, that had started out bright and early and seemingly beautiful, had already turned out to be more stressful than she wanted to deal with – and school hadn't even started yet. The volleyball team, huh?