Shimizu and Yachi kept the whole incident in the convenience store a secret from the team and everyone else. Also, the relationship of Ayame and Yamaguchi was kept secret as well. The two managers are dependable and trustworthy enough to hide some secrets and the first year couple was quite glad about that. The errand was finished and Kuroo helped the girls after they arrived back with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Obviously, the crows emitted another murderous aura after he helped them; since they still can't forgive him for making the girls (and Yamaguchi) buy groceries for the camp.

"Asahi-san, nice serve!!"

The ace did his jump served and was received out of bounds.

"Oh! Service ace!!" Yachi exclaimed happily.

"Nice going, Asahi-san!!" Ayame cheered before saying "Though it's gradual, they're making lesser mistakes in their plays. It's a good improvement"

"That's right. The point gap also narrowed down each time they play a set" Coach Ukai added "You're strategies are helping, too, Ayame. Great job"

"Hehehe...Thanks, Ukai-san" she bashfully grinned. She looked at the blonde manger on her side and saw the face she's making "Hitoka-chan, what's wrong?"

"E-Eh? Oh, Ayame-chan, it's just..." she looked at the oddball combo who failed to do their new quick "I'm a little worried that Hinata and Kageyama-kun's new quick isn't working out very well..."

"Oh, that? Well, it's not just you...I'm worried as well. I may not be a player but...the frustration for not having a successful play is something I somehow understand" she replied "But...I'm sure it will be okay. It's those two we're talking about. I know that they can do-"

"A-AYAME-CHAAAAN!!"

***

"O-Ow..." the violet eyed girl groggily sat up as she clutched her head. She winced slightly when she touched the small bump on her head.

"How's your head? I applied some ice on the affected area while you were unconscious. I hope it's okay" a worried voice came from her side. She looked at the owner of the voice and made a small smile.

"Well, still hurts, I guess. Thank you for taking care of me, Tadashi-kun"

"Don't mention it. Oh, here's some ice" he gave the ice bag to her and she accepted it and applied it to her head. He made another worried face "You really scared us back then"

"What happened?"

(flashback)

"A-AYAME-CHAAAAN!!"

Ayame fainted on the spot after she was hit on the head by a stray shot, making Yachi panic since the impact was scary. The game was halted and the others surrounded them.

"Ayame-chan!!" Daichi knelt next to her and cradled her body, his voice in obvious distress.

"I'm going to get some ice. Someone please carry Ayame-chan to the infirmary later. I'll be waiting there" Shimizu said before she dashed away.

"A-A-A-Ambulance..." Mr. Takeda's face was pale as he panicked when a female student was hit.

"Sensei, calm down" Coach Ukai told him.

"P-P-Phone...C-C-Calling....A-A-Ambulance..." Yachi was scrambling around, looking for her phone.

"Yachi-san, please calm down" Sugawara assured her.

"Uuuu...that looks pretty bad" Ennoshita said before facing the ginger haired boy "I wonder how Hinata managed to stay conscious after receiving Asahi-san's spike with his head before..."

"Ayame-chan!!" Tanaka and Nishinoya wailed in despair "Don't leave us!!"

"She's not dying" Tsukishima said.

"I...I don't have any space to stay next to her..."Yamaguchi silently thought as he watched the distressed captain and the crying duo.

"Who spiked the ball?!" Yaku asked loudly, his eyes dead scary, which made the others distance themselves from him. Akaashi and the rest of the Fukurodani players plus managers pointed their finger to their ace.

Bokuto flinched and crouched down, his forehead touching the floor "Ugwaaa!! Damn it!! I'm sorry!! I-I-I-I didn't mean to hit Mizuki-chan!!"

"Bro, not cool" Kuroo told him.

"I said I was sorry, damn it!!" his eyes were streaming with comical tears as he looked up at Nekoma's captain.

"KILL HIM!!" Nishinoya and Tanaka were about to launch themselves to the teary eyed ace when Ennoshita and Sugawara restrained them.

"Relax, you two. It was an accident" the setter reminded them.

"Who'll take her to the infirmary?" Kinoshita asked.

"I-It's my fault so I should-" Bokuto was about to volunteer but a glare from the crows made him shut up.

"Well~...I guess I should-" Kuroo raised his hand but was roundhouse kicked by Yaku on the back.

"You're not carrying Ayame, pervert" the libero said.

"Don't call me pervert!!"

"We'll do it!!" Nishinoya and Tanaka said.

"Nope, you two are unpredictable" Sugawara said. Two arrows stabbed the second year duo on the back.

"I'll carry her" Daichi said but a hand tapped his shoulder.

"Sawamura, I know you are worried about Ayame, and so are we. But you can't leave here yet. We still have to finish the game with Fukurodani but you can visit her when we're done" Coach Ukai told him.

"Well, I have suggestion about it" the grey haired setter said "Since Daichi can't do the job since he's one of the first six; let's make it someone from the bench players"

"That's true" Yaku nodded in agreement "Someone reliable is a good choice"

The two third years faced the freckled teen at the same time, which made him flinch in surprise "Yamaguchi, if you must"

"Eh?!" he blinked in shock "They're ganging up on me?!"

"Please take our cute assistant coach to the infirmary to have her treated" Sugawara patted his shoulder with an angelic smile on his face.

"We're counting on you, Yamaguchi" Yaku grinned and patted his other shoulder.

"Daichi, you don't mind, right?" the third year asked the captain.

He sighed "Well, I don't mind..."

"Yosh, we have Daichi's approval. Please take care of Ayame-chan, okay?" he grinned and pushed him. Nishinoya and Tanaka's face were full of tears but it has a we're-counting-on-you-Yamaguchi look. Tsukishima glasses were glinting evilly and he gave a thumbs up.

"Even Tsukki..."

***

"Ano...Shimizu-senpai?" Yamaguchi entered the infirmary, the unconscious Ayame on his arms.

"Oh, Yamaguchi, thank goodness. Please lay her down here" the beautiful manager gestured at the empty bed next to her. He gently settled her on the comfy white bed and the manager proceeded to apply ice on her bump.

"Do you want to do it yourself?" she suddenly asked him.

"Hai?"

"Applying ice. Do you want to apply it to her yourself?" she smiled "It will help strengthen your relationship with her"

His face started to heat up in embarrassment "Is it fine?"

"Yes. I'm sure Ayame-chan wouldn't mind" she gave the ice bag to the first year and patted his shoulder before leaving "Well, I'll be going back to make sure they won't flail around because of what happened. Please take care of her. I'm counting on you, Yamaguchi"

(end)

"So that happened" he finally explained.

"I see...I made nii-chan and the others worried again..." she whispered.

"Don't think like that. Daichi-san said that he'll visit you after the game against Fukurodani so there's no need to worry"

"I see..."

The room was silent for a moment before Ayame broke the ice "Tadashi-kun, you know, I-I've been thinking...about telling you the truth..."

"Eh? Isn't it too soon for you to tell me? I thought you needed more time" he said.

"That's what I thought...but...earlier, when I saw Akame-san and Yuriko-san and they told you that I..." her hands started shaking but the freckled teen placed his hand on hers. He gave it a light squeeze and she stopped shaking "I...I'm a...uh...you know...I decided to tell you since there's no point trying to hide it after what happened..."

"I'm listening"

She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. This is it. She'll tell him everything, the truth about what happened seven years ago.

The day she committed her .

In truth, she was still very much afraid to tell him. She was still traumatized about what happened last year, when she told Yuriko, her friend supposedly, about it. The girl she thought as her friend pitied her first before backstabbing her, by spreading it around her school. She cut her friendship to Ayame and joined the bullies in tormenting her, enjoying her pitiful and pathetic state.

However, meeting Yamaguchi made her slowly build a trust on him. He's a bit awkward but she could sense that he's a good person and he cares for her, aside from the captain. His eyes have that soft curiosity that seemed to through her very soul, yet he doesn't pry. He waits for her to talk if she wants to, and she clung unto his kindness and patience.

She wanted to trust him.

"Seven years ago, when I was nine...I...I killed two people...with a gun..."

She eyed his expression. As expected, he looked shocked but he didn't seem to hate her. She tightened her hold on his hand as she continued "We were in a shop mart when it happened. A man entered the shop. At first, it was normal but then...he...he pulled me to him and pointed a gun on my head..."

"Stay down!! Don't move, or I'll shoot!!" the man yelled. The customer and the staffs fearfully obeyed him as he took a young girl hostage. Nine year old Ayame trembled in fear in the man's arms.

"M-Mom...D-Dad...I-I'm scared-Waaah!" she screamed in fear when the man tightened her hold on her and screamed on her ear in a crazed voice.

"Shut up, brat!! You're annoying!!"

"Wait!! Don't hurt her!!" Kaito was about to stand but the man glared at him and pushed the muzzle of the gun further on her head.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Don't move or I'll kill this girl!!"

"M-My dad...he tried to talk to him but...he didn't listen..."

"Dear...Aya-chan might..." Kazumi tightly gripped her husband's sleeve as she worriedly looked at their daughter "If...If I didn't injure my leg I-"

"Shh...don't say it like that, Kazumi" he placed an assuring hand on her trembling one "No one could predict this would happen. But, I don't want you to go disarm him on your own. It's dangerous"

"But-"

"Please, Kazumi. I promise, we'll save our daughter" Kaito raised his hands as a sign of peace "Please, sir. That's my daughter. Please don't drag her into this. Take me instead"

"Kaito!"

"Dad!"

The man gave a crazed laugh "Are you kidding me?! No way!! Listen to me, you bastards!! Bring out all your money!! Don't you dare call the police or else I'll spill this girl's brains everywhere!!"

"Let go of her!!" her father stood when she saw his daughter crying in fear as the man choked her.

"Shut the hell up!!" he shakily pushed the gun closer to her forehead, his index finger dangerously close to the trigger "I-I-I'll kill th-this girl!! D-Don't go any closer!!"

"I-I was really scared back then... I was scared that...if he pulled the trigger...I-I might die... I won't see my parents' faces anymore..."

"D-Don't shoot!! Please, don't hurt my daughter!"

"D-Dad..." Ayame glanced at the gun pointed on her head. The man frantically looked around, the muzzle slowly slipping away from the girl's head. Kaito noticed that and quickly dashed forward to tackle him down. At the same time, Ayame bit his arm and he roared in pain, his grip on her loosening. Her father quickly pulled her out of the way before tackling the man down.

CRASH

"Dad!"

"Bastard!!" the two men struggled and wrestled, toppling down shelves full of items to the floor. Civilians started to call the police and Kazumi limped towards her daughter. Compared to the man, Kaito has a weaker built but he managed to fight back. In their struggle, they didn't notice that the gun was thrown right in front of the girl.

"A...A gun ..."

"I...I didn't know what I was doing...I-I was still scared when he took me hostage...but...m-maybe...maybe I was even more scared for my dad that he was fighting that man... I picked the gun up as soon as I saw him pull a...a k-knife from his pocket..." she looked at her hands, which are now shaking as she recalled it.

"S-Stop it..." she whispered shakily, her voice laced with fear. The gun on her hand was shaking as she aimed at the man, who is on top of her father, his hand preparing for a stab.

"DON'T HURT MY DAD!!"

BANG

He froze mid-air and dropped his hold on the knife. He slumped on the side, a bullet hole on his back, right where his left lung is. Blood started to ooze from the wound and her violet eyes widened in fear.

"I-I saw blood...lots of blood...c-coming from where I shot him...I-I t-thought I-I just injured him b-but...the bullet pierced his heart...I was scared...I killed a person...My mind...m-my mind was a mess..."

The civilians were frozen in shock after she made the shot. Meanwhile, young Ayame started hyperventilating from the shock. She couldn't think straight. Her mind was clouded by the amount of blood she saw and the loud bang from the gun.

"A-Ayame...i-it's okay...everything's okay now..." her father weakly rose and slowly approached her.

She looked at him and her eyes widened. Due from the shock from earlier, she started hallucinating. In her mind, she only saw the same man who took her hostage. She trained the gun to him in fear and fired unconsciously.

"T-Then..i-it happened..." she clutched her head as the worst memory resurfaced in her mind "I-I...I pulled the trigger and then...I-I killed...my dad"

"N-No...no...I-I...I d-didn't..." she dropped the gun and looked at the scene in front of her in horror. Her father was lying unconscious on the floor, a puddle of blood around him.

"Ha...ha...ha..." her breathing turned ragged as the scene kept repeating in her head. She clutched her head when she felt a sharp pain from it.

"Aya-chan!!" her mother was about to hold her when she scrambled back, her violet eyes full of fear and horror.

"D-Don't...Don't c-come closer..." she panted "I...I..."

"The police are here!!"

"But the girl-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

"Ayame..."

She felt a pair of hands rubbing her shoulders gently. She blinked as she felt that tears were already falling down her face. She looked at the freckled teen on her side, his eyes full of sadness and worry.

"I'm sorry... I-It...It must've terrible to you..."

"I don't understand..."

"Eh? What is it?"

"Why aren't you afraid of me? Why aren't you calling me murderer? I...I killed two people, you know?! I-I killed my own father!! Yet...why are you making that face-"

"Enough" he placed his knee on the bed and embraced her, burying her face on his chest "Don't say anymore. I won't be afraid of you and I could never call you that"

She sobbed on his chest "B-But...it was my fault...it was my fault he died...if I didn't get myself caught as a hostage...if I didn't pull the trigger..."

Yamaguchi hugged her tighter "It wasn't your fault. You were still a child back then so...you must have been hallucinating"

"It doesn't change the fact that I killed him..." she gripped his shirt tightly.

"I'm sorry you suffered something that horrible in your life. But, I can only say one thing: you're not a murderer, Ayame. You only did what you have to do to stop the man from killing your father. You pulled the trigger to save him"

She looked up at him and retorted "But I ended up killing-"

He placed a finger on her lips to stop her. He cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears with his thumb "You weren't thinking straight. You didn't know it was your dad. It was an accident, okay? You didn't kill him on purpose. I know it. And besides, your dad doesn't blame you, you're the one that keeps blaming yourself"

"H-How...h-how could you possibly know...?" her voice trembled as what he said hit her like a rock.

"Your mother. Every practice I have with her, she would sometimes tell me about your dad" he gave a small smile "He was kind, like you, and would never place a blame on others. He was the type that would put the blame on his self alone. You're much like your dad, Ayame, personality-wise. So, please, you should stop it"

"But...I can't erase the fact that..." she choked back a sob as she stared at her own hands and remembered the blood on her hands. The blood of a man and her father she spilled "That I k-killed them..."