𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄. 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃
Retired Champions

MINAKO HAS THIS STRANGE AFFINITY for winning in just about anything. It could be something as small and straightforward as being ahead of Tanaka when they're walking up the stairs to their classroom to something as petty and quite pathetic as waking up minutes before her brother does so she can use the bathroom first. As far back as she can remember, Minako has always loved being at the top for just about anything and everything. When figure skating became a permanent part of her life her competitive streak only grew. Once she realized how good she and Mathis is and how easy it was for gold medals and trophies to fall into the palms of their hands, it was like a drug she couldn't shake off. Unfortunately for her, the only solution to this insatiable addiction is a big ol' slice of humble pie and if there's one thing Minako Saito cannot do — besides eating red meat and math — is to lose. Frankly, it wasn't in her dictionary and maybe that was the problem.

      By no means was she that invested in their practice match. But the insults that are thrown at them and Shiori Kihara, she's an entirely different story on her own, changed that very quickly. Shiori lived the same lifestyle she did, the makeup and the facade and the bitchiness all came with being a skater. It was no surprise that Shiori's words bothered her more than most people and part of it had to do with Shiori being the one telling about Mathis and Lisette. And while her father would most likely tell her to not hold what happened to her against Shiori, it was the fact that Shiori is already looking down on her that she has a problem with.

      Seijoh was one of the teams she doesn't know much about which will probably be a problem for her and her big fat mouth. From what she's heard from Kyoga most players on Seijoh's team are alumni from Kitagawa Daiichi, a powerhouse middle school where some of the aces in Miyagi are cultivated. If their warmup was any indicator of their strength Minako had a faint idea of what this game might be like she could only explain it in one way:

      Karasuno is Manon Clavette fighting to keep her silver.

      And Seijoh is Lisette Boucher with one hand on bronze and the other reaching upward.

      All Minako could do is clasp her hands together and pray that with some lucky miracle they'll win. While she's confident in their skills she's also worried about what it is that Seijoh has up their sleeves. And though she doubts they'll play dirty, Kyoga would never allow that to happen, she still worried for the boys.

      Her eyes fell to the second floor of the gym where spectators were getting ready to watch the game. Right above the door was where Shiori stood as she leaned against the railings and watched as the boys in turquoise and white shoved in a last-minute warmup before the practice match. Unlike Minako, there was nothing for Shiori to fret over. It didn't seem like she was a manager for the team nor did she speak to the boys after their conversation in the hallway. Whoever wins this practice match wouldn't bother Shiori one bit, after all, she wasn't invested in the team or game.

      For the first time in a very, very long time, Minako hates how competitive she is.

      "Miko-chan, everything okay?" Kyoga was no stranger to Minako's 'unnoticeable' habits and what they meant. From the way his sister was biting at her nails, he could tell that something was frustrating her and she was just about to blow. Undoubtedly it had something to do with the girl from Seijoh who Tanaka said was insanely good at provoking Minako.

      "Tanaka already told you everything," mumbled Minako as she watched the second-years practice together. "Why bother asking if you know already?"

      "Because it's amusing to see you so worked up over something that isn't skating," Kyoga shot back before he took a drink from his water bottle. His eyes followed hers and right above the door on the second floor where the rest of the Seijoh students are going to watch the game. It didn't take him long to find the object of Minako's rage and frustration.

      "Kihara Shiori, right?" Minako snapped her head and stared at her brother in confusion. "The black-haired one who looks bored out of her mind."

      "How do you know who she is? I didn't even know who she was until Monday when she bitched me out!" Kyoga laughed at the accusation knowing very well it was just his sister exaggerating. Still, her anger now was different from the one he suffered the hands of.

      "Shiori-san is Seijoh's ace's friend," he explained simply before he pointed out one of Seijoh's players. Said ace was the one wearing the green jersey with the number 1 printed on the back and front. He seemed calm and collected as he helped some of the younger members of the team with their practice drills and took initiative by correcting their mistakes. "That's Iwaizumi, the one I told you about."

      Minako scrunched her nose before she turned to her brother with a frown. "So by default does that mean you know Shiori?"

      "Stop twisting my words," Kyoga accused before he pointed his water bottle at her. "She's Iwaizumi's childhood friend. I met her a few times, but then she moved. Last I heard from Iwaizumi, she moved to the big city to train."

      "Yeah well now she's back and she managed to ruin my life already, so there's that."

      Kyoga nudged his sister gently in the side because of her comment. With a shake in the head, he stared at her disapprovingly before giving her a sympathetic smile. "You know she's retired, right?"

      "So am I. She's not special."

      "Okay, the big difference is that you can continue as long as you don't find another shitty partner," Kyoga scolded much to Minako's displeasure. "From what I heard she's out. Like, for good."

      Minako didn't reply to that. Part of her still wanted to hate Shiori, to beat her even in something as stupid and ridiculous as this practice match that neither of them will take part in. Maybe it had to do with her anger directed towards Shiori because she revealed Mathis' new partnership when no one else had. And though Shiori herself had no particular role in the outcome of her skating career, the resentment and anger she felt couldn't be justified. It was easier to point her feelings at someone who was there unlike Mathis and Lisette who are in another country away or even her father and brother who simply wanted the best for her.

      Yet guilt still gnawed at the pit of her stomach. The pain Minako felt during the moments after realizing she was 'retired' still made her numb and the shock that first hit was something she couldn't say she fully recovered from. But even then, Minako was still able to hold some semblance of hope that it wasn't over for her.

      What was it like for Kihara Shiori who knows that there is no hope?

      "You know I love you," Kyoga told his sister he began walking back to where Kageyama and Suga were. "But don't be mean just because you're mad."

      "Too late," Minako shot back with a scowl following. "Part of it is your fault. I wouldn't be a bitch if you just told me yourself."

      "For the record, I said sorry!" Minako shook her head at his words before she continued to watch the Seijoh team practice. 

      It reminded her of the times she and Mathis would watch their opponents' routine to analyze even the smallest mistakes they've made and report to one another or their coach in an attempt to keep a note of what they themselves should avoid. Suga and Ennoshita would tell her she's doing a lot for a practice match, but with Shiori now involved it seemed like a silent declaration of war, of who had the better situation in a world where both skaters are unable to do the one thing they love most. Although Shiori probably didn't care about the outcome of the game at all, Minako did. Because a victory, even in this practice match, meant that she was still a winner in some fashion.

      Maybe she'll always just be a pretty face with luck, but all she ever wanted was to feed her reputation as a winner.

      But there were a few instances that reminded her that she wasn't in France and that the gym wasn't a rink. The fierce and cutthroat lifestyle she was used to was differing in the volleyball court for high school teams. Hinata Shouyo was one of those reminders. In the world of sports where most were mentally and physically prepared for anything thrown their way, Hinata was the outcast with his overthinking and his insecurities for the world to see.

      It was hard to miss Daichi trying his absolute best to comfort the first-year and even harder when Kiyoko tried to do the same in her own way. While the others got ready with their final stretches and warmups, Hinata was on the sidelines changing and collecting his mind. If it was any other time Minako probably would've ignored it and hoped for the best, but knowing that Hinata was out on the court rather than her brother didn't reassure her.

      "Hinata." The sound of the second manager caught Hinata off guard as he spun around to stare at Minako who stood in front of him. "Everything alright?"

      "I — I'm fine!" Hinata sputtered out as he hastily put his mesh jersey on. His ears were still bright red from his interaction with Kiyoko.

      "You look like you're about to hurl," Minako bluntly pointed out.

      ". . . I'm sorry?"

      Shaking her head, Minako crossed her arms before she tried to loosen up. Being told countless times by Tanaka how scary and intimidating she is, she wanted to at least seem open enough for Hinata to talk to.

      "What are you scared about?" she asked softly. "It's just a practice game."

      "But it's my debut game," Hinata pointed out as if that made all the difference in the world. The middle-blocker picked at his fingers as he embarrassedly looked down at his shoes. "I don't wanna mess up."

      "Well, we wouldn't know unless we try, right? Besides, if these elite boys give you shit then I'll take care of it." At her comment, Hinata snapped his head up and stared at her as if she was some kind of goddess who was there to bestow her luck upon him.

      "You would?" he asked in awe.

      Minako couldn't bite back her smile. "Didn't you know? Making people mad is what I do best. Ask Ennoshita or Kyoga."

      "Oi, Minako! Leave our middle-blocker alone," Tanaka called from afar. He waved the middle-blocker over with an impatient look on his face before he tapped his imaginary watch. "We need to get ready!"

      Hinata gulped at his words. Minako gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder, her touch startling Hinata who glanced at her hand and then back to the manager. She tilted her head in the direction of the other team who didn't seem to be as nervous about this practice game as the crows were.

      "They were all in the same position as you at one point," Minako told him. "The only difference is that most of them started before you, that's all."

      Her words somehow made him feel better, albeit it didn't ease his nerves about Kageyama's wrath, it shifted his perspective on the Seijoh team. Hearing that at one point they were all like him somehow humbled his picturesque image of them.

      "You're right," Hinata breathed out before he wiped his clammy palms against his pants. "I can do this."

      The first-year took a deep breath and headed towards the rest of the team, but right as he took a few steps forward, he stopped. Hinata looked over his shoulder and gave Minako a small smile.

      "Thank you, Minako-san!" he exclaimed before he was quickly roped onto the court by Tanaka. "Thank you!"

      As Daichi huddled them up for one last team meeting, Minako stiffened at the presence of her brother who watched beside her. In some ways, it was bittersweet for the two of them to watch the team. Kyoga wished it was him with his friends. Minako wished she could believe in her own words like the ones she had given to Seina and Hinata.

      Wanting was different than earning.

      "They're going to win," Kyoga stated matter-of-factly.

      "Confident?" Minako asked under her breath. Her fingers tugged at the silver chain around her neck.

      "You haven't seen us playing for win," Kyoga replied smoothly. She glanced to his side only to see a smile on his face. "I may not know Iwaizumi's team well, but I know our team."

      Minako remained silent as her steely eyes returned to the court. But she couldn't help but bring her gaze to the top where Kihara Shiori stood. She hates how nonchalant the older girl is, she hates how she doesn't care about this practice match as much as she does, and she hates how vulnerable and angry Shiori makes her feel.

      However, almost as if he felt her anger wavering off of her, she felt his gaze burn into her.

      Daichi's eyes followed her briefly, wordlessly asking her if she was okay. It disturbed her how easily her anger simmered around him, almost as if she didn't want to expose her nasty, ugly self to his kind and forgiving heart. But the idea of forgiveness was a lesson she never nailed down and forgiving meant releasing every memory, every emotion she held dear to her heart.

      Now here she lays, a retired champion fighting for the thrill of winning through different means.

THE FIRST TIME MINAKO WATCHED Karasuno play volleyball was her first week at Karasuno High School. It wasn't a big match, it was actually one of their practice matches against another local high school. Kyoga wasn't able to leave nor did he allow Minako to walk home by herself on the absurd claims that she might get lost — as if they haven't lived in the same house for years. Still, Minako bit back her tongue and watched from the sidelines as her brother and his friends play. And anyone with eyes could tell that Karasuno wasn't what you would call extraordinary, if anything, they were averagely decent in just about everything.

      How they are playing right now far exceeded that first match. The experience from Daichi, the aggressive support from Tanaka, the reliable Ennoshita, the plays by Tsukishima, the best serves from Kageyama, and the wild card that is Hinata, all of that was what made them lead. Maybe they weren't the same legendary Karasuno team that everyone spoke highly of, but they are an unexpected combination, something that made them good.

      However, what really made Minako feel as though she had the upper hand was watching the other team's reaction to Kageyama and Hinata. Maybe she was also in the wrong for not thinking much of Hinata because of his size, but just like before, it was Hinata who had the last say as he and Kageyama landed their quick attack.

      "You know," Kyoga spoke up next to her, "This is why I chose Karasuno."

      "What?"

      "Because no one expects much from us," Kyoga explained as he watched everyone cheer at the first years' success. "I don't think anyone expected much from Hinata, but look at him now. He's proving us all wrong."

      "Yeah . . . yeah I guess you're right."

      The adrenaline rush wasn't the same as when she's skating. It was a different kind where she could only watch in anticipation and place her hopes on their team winning. For one, she wanted the upper hand over Kihara Shiori and two, she wanted elitist teams such as Aoba Johsai to shut up because they were just as capable as them. 

      But somehow, Kyoga wasn't looking as relieved as Minako. If anything, he was still on the edge despite their team's lead in the game.

      "You know we're winning, right?" Minako asked as she raised an eyebrow. Kyoga didn't remove his eyes from the court. "There's nothing for us to be worried about."

      Kyoga let out a wry chuckle as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

      "Why? Do you know something I don't?" Kyoga didn't answer, but he didn't need to. The sound of girls screaming made her flinch before Minako redirected her eyes to where everyone was staring. A new player joined Aoba Johsai's side and with a relaxed smile and posture, Minako felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

      "Remember what I said about my friends from middle school," Minako nodded numbly at her brother's words. "Iwaizumi didn't get recruited to Seijoh alone. Oikawa did too."

      Oikawa Tooru. Another one of Kyoga's close friends from his Kitagawa Daiichi days.

      And though Kyoga hasn't seen either Iwaizumi or Oikawa since they graduated, he didn't seem to ease up the slightest bit. Perhaps it was the setting that left him on the edge, after all, they were reuniting because of a practice game that Kyoga wasn't participating in. He knew better than anyone how well they played. It was no shocker that while everyone else was confused, both Kyoga and Kageyama were left on the edge.

      Practice games weren't usually so important for Kyoga, he was the type of person to tell everyone to enjoy themselves and to make the most out of the experience. But something about going against his former teammates changed his entire nature, made him awfully quiet and tense.

      Even before Oikawa joined the game, Kyoga wasn't relenting. His eyes never left his old friend and it seemed as though Kyoga's presence didn't go unnoticed to the Aoba Johsai captain who happily waved his hand.

      Minako heard her brother took in a sharp breath once Oikawa stepped onto the court. It wasn't until Oikawa first-served that Minako understood why Oikawa's presence unnerved both the former Kitagawa Daiichi boys.

      The sound of the ball making contact with the railings on the upper floor had Minako flinch. Eyes widened and mouth agape, she stared as the rest of the team glanced between both Tsukishima and Oikawa. The blond first-year winced in pain from the ball hitting his shoulder, but if anything he looked more irritated with the fact that Oikawa targeted him.

      "Is he always . . ." Minako trailed off, too in shock to finish her words.

      Kyoga sighed, but the small smile on his face spoke of nostalgia from before. "Leave it to Tooru to be dramatic. He always had a thing for theatrics."

      Minako couldn't even be mad about that. She would've done the same thing if it was on her court. Hell, she's done it multiple times unapologetically too. In all forms of sports, everyone needs to show their competitors how serious they are, how far they are willing to go to succeed.

      Oikawa was just another athlete proving his worth, to show why he was high up on the pedestal whereas they stared at him from below. Minako knew he was on a different level compared to the rest of them. As much as she hates to admit it, the difference between Oikawa and Iwaizumi compared to the third-years at Karasuno was significant. Those from powerhouse schools had a foundation set for them, something that elevated them when they entered high school. But unlike Kyoga, Oikawa and Iwaizumi took what was already given to them and rose higher than anyone could've expected. Kyoga, on the other hand, took what he had left in hopes that he's able to foster those great skills in an environment like Karasuno where the notion of kill or be killed didn't exist.

      Watching Oikawa serve was almost like observing art. There were such precision and dedication to each move, his jump at the perfect height, his strength at full power, and his target as accurate as it can be. Every little thing led to yet another perfect serve.

      It didn't take long for Aoba Johsai to catch up.

       "I'm gonna have to deal with Shiori rubbing this in my face, aren't I?" Minako asked in a dejected voice before she narrowed her eyes at the mentioned girl who looked bored.

      "Hey, give us some credit," Kyoga said in an accusatory tone. The pout he displayed almost made him resemble a child instead of a high schooler. "We were doing perfectly fine before!"

      Suga, who was walking over to where the Saito siblings stood, added, "And besides, Daichi probably has a plan. See!"

      On the court, Daichi began giving new orders where all the others spread out. And while it was a great plan that was quickly devised on the spot, it only left Daichi with more responsibility and more areas to defend.

      But his plan worked because Tsukishima was able to get the ball up. And it wasn't long until every set foot into motion. They all moved at their own speed, every member on Karasuno's side not hesitating to take action to succeed, to show that great players like Oikawa don't scare them.

      Perhaps the players of Aoba Johsai believed that having their captain around would settle the scores, make them unnerved that slip-ups would occur. And maybe that would've been the case if it wasn't for Hinata whose eyes never left the ball, who moved without a second thought. Because it wasn't long after he blocked that he was running to the other side of the court, ready for Kageyama, and ready for it to all be over.

      Smack!

      The sound resonated throughout the gym. Everyone stared in astonishment, not sure how to receive this outcome and whether it actually happened. But the sound of the whistle being blown and Karasuno being pointed as the winner settled the reality.

      Karasuno won.

      They won.

      Tanaka's shout of happiness snapped her out of her thoughts. Without any hesitation, Minako darted her eyes to where Shiori stood. To her dismay, Shiori wasn't even looking, she was on her phone. The look of boredom and disinterest clouded her face.

      Shiori didn't care.

      Minako seemed to blank out as Takeda-sensei babbled on about how far their team was going to go and how this was only the beginning for them. 

      It didn't seem right. They had won and yet she couldn't seem to care all that much, not anymore after seeing how disinterested Shiori was from the match. Did she not care? Or was this simply a competition for her and her only?

      "Minako," Minako tore herself from her thoughts and forced a smile on her face as she faced Daichi.

      Sweat beaded the captain's forehead and his chest rose from his heavy breathing, but the smile on his face presented his proudness of the turnout of the game. She couldn't bring his happiness down because of some petty nonexistent feud.

      "You alright there?" Daichi asked her, concern visible on his face.

      Minako nodded before she handed him a water bottle. 

      "Yeah, just tired," she lied easily. Her smile grew. "Good game! You guys did great."

      Daichi smiled at her compliment, "Thanks. Though I'm sure having Seijoh's captain last-minute shake things up."

      "Yeah, but you guys managed, didn't you?" Minako reminded him as he took a long drink. "And besides, you shut them up and that's all that matters."

      "Stop getting into fights with other schools," Daichi jokingly chastised.

      "I'll start doing that once other people stop making me mad."

      Daichi hummed at her words before he gave her back his bottle. "Well, next time you're mad just let me know and we'll sort it out. You know, before the fights happen."

      Minako couldn't bite back her smile from growing. "Why? Trying to save face?"

      "No, just don't want to see you hurt, that's all." Minako laughed at his words, but her laughter quickly died down when she saw Shiori from the corner of her eye. Standing near the gym doors, Shiori looked as though she was waiting for someone.

      "Sorry, give me a minute," Minako trailed off before she walked in Shiori's direction. She didn't wait for Daichi to say anything and if he did she simply couldn't hear anything over the sound of her own heartbeat ringing in her ears.

      It was the same feeling she got when she stepped on the rink right before a performance. The same adrenaline, the same fears, the same intensity, all of it was rushing at once as she made her way to Shiori.

      The older girl was alerted by the sound of storming footsteps and turned her head to meet the sight of Minako heading her way. Shiori straightened her posture and gave her a curt nod.

      "We won," Minako stated almost obviously.

      Shiori arched an eyebrow and smiled in amusement. "I can see that. Congratulations about your team."

      Minako's smile dropped at her words. "Don't you care? You lost."

      "Did I?" Shiori tilted her head to the side. She stared at Minako incredulously. "It's not my team that lost. I'm not on the volleyball team nor am I their manager. So technically, I never lost in the first place."

      "You know what I mean."

      "No, I don't believe I do," Shiori corrected. The slightly bored expression on Shiori's face, the relaxed expression on her face, and the way she seemed calm, all bothered Minako. No hint of anger or displeasure was evident, all answers leading that Shiori really doesn't care about the aftermath of this practice game. "You believe that because I go to school here and my association with some of the members on this team leads to me being invested. But the truth is that I don't care. Volleyball isn't important to me. Unlike you."

      "But figure skating is, right?" Minako took a step closer, getting all up in Shiori's face. The latter didn't care, if anything she stood up taller to meet eye-to-eye with the volleyball manager. "And you're retired, just like me. But at least I have the upper hand because in some regards I'm still a winner whereas you'll never have the chance again."

      Shiori glared at her, the composed act now dissipating by the second. But just as quick as it came, it left in a flash as a thought occurred. Instead of feeding into Minako's anger, she smirked and patted Minako's shoulder. She glanced at the sports bottle in Minako's hand and the athletic clothing logo on the left side of Minako's jacket.

      "You know, I hope you remember that at least between the two of us I'm not a coward," Shiori whispered after leaning into Minako's ear. "Because remember, I was forced into retirement. You were dropped. And that is the difference between the two of us. So it looks like I'm still a winner by default."

      Embarrassment made her cheeks flush as Shiori walked around her and into the direction of where Aoba Johsai's team rested. The walls seemed to close in on her and it was almost as though everyone's eyes were on her. Maybe they were laughing at her, maybe they thought she was pathetic. It didn't matter. And while they were on a volleyball court instead of a rink, it was almost as though she had just given up a competition for Shiori.

      Someone else had their hands on Minako's silver and it wasn't Lisette Boucher.

      No.

      This time it was Kihara Shiori.

      Bzz bzz!

      Minako reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her phone. Half expecting a text from either Kyoga or her dad, Minako was quick to wipe the frown off her face to address the message. But her heart stopped, her blood rang cold, and her face slacked at the sight. Minako quickly darted her eyes to her surroundings to make sure no one saw her taken aback before she stuffed her phone back in her jacket, hoping that doing so would wipe any evidence of the message ever being received.

      Every footstep back to her team felt heavy, uneven, and all-around unsettling. Her ears rang louder than before, the sounds of her footsteps louder than the voices of the boys discussing the game. The palms of her hands grew clammy as she placed Daichi's water bottle back in its carrier and tried her best to busy herself to get her mind off of it all.

      "Minako-chan? Are you alright?" Kiyoko.

      Minako stood up and waved the older manager off with a weak smile and nod. "Yeah, no, I'm just tired. But I'm alright."

      Warily, Kiyoko nodded slowly before she placed another bottle back in as well. "Okay, well, if you say so. Just let me know if you need anything."

      "Thanks." I don't think there's anything you can do to help me, Minako found herself thinking.

From: Mathis Lévésque
Salut!

From: Mathis Lévésque
Ça va?

A/N;

After more than a month of radio silence, here I am with an update! Albeit, it's shorter than what I usually give you, but I hope this makes up for it! I hope you guys had a wonderful holiday and that you're all doing well! I've recently just gotten back into school and I'm still working the same old retail job, so there's that!

I've also been fleshing out my Haikyuu series and my other anime fics a bit more so I've also been working on that! I've also been working on my original novel a bit more.

Once again, I'll be adding a link to different carrds about issues currently going on in our world! It's important to keep up to date with everything going on.

Much Love Guys.

( written: february 7, 2021 )
( published: february 7, 2021 )