—————————————————

"It is now our second day in here, so lets all do our best to win all of the matches today!" Coach Nekomata shouted.

Nekoma: "OSU!!"

"Soo....Who's our opponent in the second round?" Yamamoto asked.

"It'll be Itachiyama" Said Kuroo

"Oh! Isn't one of the top aces from Itachiyama??" Shibayama wondered.

"Yep."

"I can't wait to play with them!" Yamamoto shouted in excitement while Kuroo patted his shoulder to calm him down.

"Be patient Yamamoto, we'll definitely play with them soon."

"Yeah, Kuroo's right. First we have to focus on our opponent in the first round." Kai stated while everyone nodded.

"Yes sirr! So...Whats our first opponents weakness?" Teshiro asked.

"Nothing really, they're mental and physical strength is high. And they will be troublesome opponents to deal with, but we can survive. Thats why we have to score the first point and intimidate them! But, do not underistimate them because they are very experienced and has also won many battles along their way." Coach Nekomata seriously said.

"Yes Coach!"

"We understand."

"..*sigh*....Great....Do I also have to be put in the court..?" Shoyo asked, kinda hoping the Coach would let him stay on the bench.

"You don't have to play today, I want to reserve your stamina until our next match with Itachiyama." Coach Nekomata surprisingly said.

"..Oh...."

"Ehhhh????...Hnn...I guess I understand.." Inuoka sweatdropped.

"Chibi-chan's stamina is crappy as always!" Kuroo cackled making Yaku kick him.

"Ouch!"

"Lev, I want to put you in the court in Hinata-kun's place." Said Coach Nekomata.

"Ehhhh?!?! Me?!" Lev pointed at himself.

"Yes, you, so you'll have experience."

"..Okay..." Lev nodded nervously.

"Then lets go and start warming up!"

Everyone: "Osu!!"

~With Ludovic-sensei & his admirer~

"Eh? Ya want me to come to yer Baseball game?" Ludovic looks at Takeo with a surprised look.

Takeo just nodded, waiting for his sensei's answer.

"Hmmm...I do have a free schedule...So sure!"

Takeo brightens up then happily nodded at him with a straight face.

"Thank you Sensei....Will...You be cheering me on..?" Asked Takeo.

"Kahaha! Of course I will!" Ludovic smiled brightly at him.

"Welp, I gotta go now. I have 'lil siblings to take care of! See ya on yer game tomorrow!" Ludovic waved bye at his student then went inside his car and drove off.

"...Yeah...See you."

~Back at Nekoma's match~

"GAH!! I'M SORRY!" Lev shouted.

"Don't mind!" Kai patted his back.

"We'll get it next time!" Inuoka said reassuringly.

"THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE PRACTICED YOUR RECIEVES MORE INSTEAD OF SLACKING OFF!"

"GAH! I'M SO SORRY YAKU-SAN!!"

"Would you look at that, our Levochka is nervous." Coach Nekomata chuckled.

"Its understandable.." said Shoyo.

"Do you also get nervous Hinata?" Teshiro asked.

"..I've been nervous the whole time...I even feel like puking yesterday.." Shoyo stated while hugging his tummy with his usual expressionless tired face.

"What??! Why didn't you say so??" Coach Nekomata looked at Shoyo.

"...I thought it would be troublesome..And I forgot.."

"Typical Hinata-kun." Said Fukunaga.

"Geez...You should take care of yourself more Hinata!" Shibayama said while Coach Nekomata nodded in agreement.

"The kid is right, feel free to tell us if you don't feel good okay?"

"Yes Coach..."

The assistant coach then gives Shoyo a water.

"Here."

"Thanks assistant coach.." Shoyo then took the water and drank it.

"Just call me Naoi, since, Assistant Coach is pretty long." Naoi laughed.

"Okay Naoi-san.."

"Are you good now Hinata my cute kouhai??" Yamamoto asks.

"Yeah..Thanks for asking..Yamamoto-senpai." Shoyo smiled softly at him then he continues staring at the match.

'S-S-S-S-SENPAII!!! HE CALLED ME SENPAI!!////' Yamamoto shouted in his head.

Yamamoto is now in heaven..

Everyone sweatdropped at Yamamoto then they continue to watch the intense game.

The opponent's side have been earning points 'cause of Lev's mistakes and the opponents hard work causing them to win the 1st set, but don't worry! Nekoma will definitely take the 2nd and 3rd set!

It was such a long battle, but fortunately, the Nekoma team has won the game! Now they're shaking hands while the opponents were telling the Nekoma team goodluck on their next match.

Now the Nekoma team are eating their snacks, while watching they're next opponents from up the balcony (?)

*BAM!*

*WHISTLE!*

"Woah!! What was that?!" Inuoka exclaimed in surprise.

"Thats Itachiyama Ace's monster annoying spike."

Kuroo the rooster stated with crossed arms while shivering slightly. Now how are they gonna recieve that crazy spin spike??...

Yaku squinted his eyes in a calculating gaze, trying to see how he can recieve the spike from Itachiyama's Ace later.

*BAM!*

"..Thats so annoying.." said Shoyo with a groan, his eyes never moving away from Itachiyama's Ace.

"Mm." Kenma agreed. Now he's planning different tactics on how to score points, not win, but score plenty of points, because he's not sure if they could win against them...

'They're the Big Boss...Probably around level 60...This'll be tricky..'

*BAM!*...

......

*WHISTLESS!!*

'Ah, not surprised that they won..' Coach Nekomata thought with a long thinking face.

Naoi wipes the sweat from his face, that spike gave him the goosebumps..So scary...But we'll definitely win!

"U-uwahhhh—....That Ace guy looks so grumpy.." Lev blurted out making some of the team lightly chuckle.

Kai cracked a small smile "Right, I heard he's a germaphobe?"

"Ohh! No wonder he doesn't like touching his teammates! I thought he was just in a bad mood or something."

Inuoka scratches his cheek awkwardly while looking at the Ace who was swiftly dodging all of his teammate's attempts to hug him.

"..*Yawnn*....Welp...Time to go."

Shoyo stood up and stretched his whole body. Everyone followed.

Then everyone in Nekoma started walking towards where they're match will be held.

This'll be a tricky and long match...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"COVER!!!"

"GOT IT!"

"Yamamoto!!"

*BAM!*

The match is already in set 3, both teams putting they're all into the game. And Nekoma is now at the same point as Itachiyama!

One more point and they'll win!

Everyone is tired..They're legs are almost giving away...Same as Itachiyama.

Nekoma and Itachiyama are like in the same level, thats why it'll take a long time to see who will win.

But now that they are almost at the end of the finish line...They'll have to put all of their last strength in this!

Yamamoto spikes the ball to the opposite side and it got recieved perfectly by Komori.

Iizuna sets it to Sakusa who spiked it towards Shoyo who recieved it sloppily.

"..Sor!—...Sorry!"

"No problem! Kenma-san!"

Yamamoto brings the ball to Kenma who prepares to set it, but Kenma slightly slipped because of the sweat dripping from their body down to the ground, so he ended up setting lower causing Inuoka to get off guard and spike it just towards Itachiyama's libero aka Komori.

Inuoka silently cringed, and when he  landed on the ground he prepares to block on whoever is spiking, together with Kuroo and Yamamoto.

Itachiyama did a normal quick attack, but Inuoka wasn't able to jump at the same time when Kuroo and Yamamoto jumped so he jumped a second late.

And when he did that, Itachiyama's spiker spiked it on the tip of Inuoka's hand causing a one touch, but it flew so far away they don't think they will be able to get it just in time!

Suddenly, they saw an orange flash running so fastly in a desperate manner. Shoyo dives to the ball and successfully digged it, Yaku who was close to the ball brought it to Kenma.

But unluckily for Shoyo, he crashed against the chairs.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata-kun!!"

From the sidelines, his teammates were shouting at Shoyo worriedly. But Shoyo got up with a wobble.

"..I...I'm fine...hahh...huff..Don't..hurgh...Worry about me.." Shoyo wiped his sweat then ran back to the court.

Naoi and Coach Nekomata clenched they're hand into a fist, they are very worried about Shoyo.

Sakusa spikes the ball again but this time, it had more spin. Yaku gets ready to recieve it but it ended up flying away once it hit his arms, Yaku's heart dropped when he saw the ball nearing to the ground.

Kuroo and Shoyo who was closeby tries to save it, but, they were a second late..

.......

*Whistles!*

"UWAAAHHHH!!!"

The gym roared loudly.

The Itachiyama team celebrated they're win while Nekoma silently clenched they're fists..

Shoyo was laying face down on the ground as well as Kuroo who tried to save the ball, they were unmoving. They couldn't move because they have no energy left.

Shoyo turns his body so now his back is against the floor, his eyes staring at the ceiling blankly.

He has never suffered defeat before, so this is a new experience for him. He doesn't feel anything right now, only aches all around his poor body.

Kuroo who finally decided to stand up looks down at the blank Shoyo.

"..Lets go shake hands."

Shoyo stares at Kuroo who casted a shadow on him, then he nodded slowly...

Everyone shook hands and Nekoma congratulated Itachiyama.

Sakusa who didn't shake hands with the Nekoma members walks towards where Shoyo is.

He then looks down at the short male who stares at him in confusion.

Sakusa cleared his throat then brought his hand towards the orangette.

That is when Itachiyama and Nekoma froze in their place.

Huh?

What??

Why is Sakusa..

"Hurry up, I don't have all day." Said the germaphobe.

Shoyo finally broke out of his trance and lightly shook Sakusa's hand. It was big and warm. He will never forget this feeling.

I guess Sakusa finally found him.

Everyone in Nekoma was silent, nobody was talking. And its making the Coach and Assistant Coach slightly uncomfortable.

So they told the boys that they'll go to a restaurant to cheer them up.

And when they ate, they were still silent.

Nekoma finished they're food and they went back to their gym...Everyone was cleaning it without talking when suddenly...

"Sob...."

Everyone looks at Shibayama who was trying his best to hold back his tears, but, he just failed.

Along with Shibayama's sobbing, another one can be heard and its from Teshiro who was holding the mop tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Then one by one everyone was silently tearing up.

Coach Nekomata and Assistant Coach Naoi looks at the boys with a small sigh. Finally, they're crying.

"Hic...sob.." Kuroo bit his lips as he wipes the tears with his shirt.

Inuoka, Lev and Yamamoto were loudly crying, Kai and Fukunaga was just silently tearing up, And Yaku bit his lips hard.

Kenma wasn't crying, but he was more blank than usual. He didn't even play his games.

Shoyo, well Shoyo. He was looking at his team silently. He doesn't seem to notice but, large tear drops were sliding down to his cheeks then to the ground.

He just let his tears flow and wait until it stops..

And the relationship between Nekoma and Shoyo from this day when they shared their tears and sadness together, are now inseparable.

—————————————————
To be Continued

I feel like my writing style has changed alot—
But thats okie! I'm glad I improved!

And sorry I weren't able to publish some chaps for so long! I am REALLY REALLY busy with my modules xd...

So I apologies!

Have a great day/evening everyone!