(chapter xxxviii)

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♫ ⋅.} ───── ⊰

Yuna chuckled softly as she listened to her brother, Koshi, eagerly recount the latest developments in his volleyball team. It was a welcome change from the silence that had hung over their home for months, particularly since their game against Date Tech the previous year.

Koshi had practically shut himself off from discussing volleyball altogether after that match. The weight of the outcome had taken a toll on him, and he had kept to himself, avoiding anything that reminded him of that day.

For Yuna, the summer vacation had been one of the toughest times she could remember, and it wasn't because of her own struggles. She had recently become more involved with the school volleyball team as their manager, a role she had taken on enthusiastically. Her passion for the sport had grown steadily, and she found herself developing a deeper connection to the team. However, she couldn't ignore the quiet tension at home. Koshi, her older brother, had been dealing with two of his teammates who were struggling to cope with their own feelings of failure and guilt.

The aftermath of the game with Date Tech had been rough on everyone. Koshi's teammate, Asahi, had blamed himself for their loss, believing that he could have done more to contribute to the team's success. His frustration and self-doubt mirrored that of another teammate, Nishinoya, who, despite his upbeat personality, couldn't shake the feeling that he should have done more. But unlike Asahi, who kept his emotions bottled up, Nishinoya tried to confront him, only to find that his attempts to offer support only made things worse.

The tension between the two grew, leading to a fallout that neither of them could have anticipated. Asahi stopped attending practice altogether, and Nishinoya, desperate to reach out, confronted him once more. This time, the argument escalated, and it resulted in Nishinoya being suspended for a week and banned from club activities for an entire month.

Yuna's heart had ached for both of them, seeing how their friendship had fractured over something neither of them had wanted. The whole situation had been a turning point for Koshi as well, who felt helpless despite his best efforts to bridge the gap between his teammates. It wasn't just about volleyball anymore; it was about the emotional scars they had all carried from that match.

"Honestly, I bet Nishinoya-kun is jumping for joy to return," Yuna teased, her voice light and teasing as she sipped her tea, trying to ease the tension in the room.

Koshi, who had been quietly eating his meal, hummed in agreement but didn't sound fully convinced. "I would hope so, but I'm not sure if he's as excited as we think." He sighed, placing his chopsticks down gently. "Daichi and I have tried speaking with Asahi several times, but no matter what we say, he just... refuses to come back."

Yuna thought for a moment, tapping her fingers on the side of her bowl as she mulled over his words. There had to be a way to help. They couldn't just leave things as they were, especially when it was clear that Asahi's absence was affecting everyone on the team. But how could they get through to him when he was so shut off?

She set her bowl down and met her brother's eyes, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe you and Daichi shouldn't be the ones to help him," she suggested, her tone casual but firm. "Maybe someone else should try."

Koshi raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by her suggestion. "Why do you think that?" he asked, genuinely curious. He had always known Yuna to be observant, so he listened carefully, hoping she might offer something new.

Yuna leaned back in her chair, her mind drifting to the early days of her friendship with Tooru and Hajime. She thought back to the time she had spent at that old ramen shop, where she'd had an epiphany about how people handle their struggles.

At that moment, she realized the importance of distance when dealing with difficult emotions. Sometimes, it wasn't about being close to someone or having a deep connection—it was about hearing the right words from someone who wasn't already too emotionally invested. She had seen this dynamic in her interactions with Tooru; he had been able to say things to her that others couldn't, precisely because he didn't know every detail of her life. He observed, listened, and offered his thoughts from a place of understanding, but not from a place of pity or obligation.

"If I was struggling with something, and you came to cheer me up or comfort me, I might start to feel like you're doing it because you have to," Yuna explained, her voice calm as she looked at her brother. "Even if that's not the intention at all, it could come across that way. Sometimes, it helps to hear something from someone who isn't family or a close friend. It's like a fresh perspective."

Koshi's shoulders sagged in defeat as he absorbed her words. She was right, of course. Every time he or Daichi tried to approach Asahi, it was as though their efforts only made things worse. Asahi's eyes would darken with that familiar pain, the look of someone who had been given too many chances to explain themselves and still failed. It was heart-wrenching to witness.

"I don't think it'll be long," Yuna murmured, a small, reassuring smile tugging at her lips as she picked up her chopsticks once again. "Someone else will get through to him, eventually."

Her mind briefly drifted to her recent experience attending one of her brother's team's volleyball practice, where two first-year students had approached her, asking about Asahi and his current situation.

They were genuinely concerned, which made Yuna smile as she thought about the energetic Shoyo Hinata and the seemingly aloof Tobio Kageyama. Though Kageyama had a reputation for being difficult to approach, Yuna knew better than most that appearances could be deceiving. She had seen through his tough exterior, understanding that his disinterested expression masked a deep care for his teammates.

Tooru had also told her about Kageyama's struggles, though Yuna wasn't particularly thrilled by the fact that Tooru had shared that information with her. She didn't want to get involved in any past conflicts, especially ones that didn't concern her directly.

Still, as someone who had grown up observing people and understanding their emotional needs, she couldn't help but notice the subtle ways in which Kageyama and Hinata communicated their feelings. It was almost as if they had an unspoken bond that, while not entirely clear to others, was palpable to those who paid attention.

Koshi's voice brought her back to the present. "Maybe you're right, Yuna. It's just hard to watch him shut everyone out like this."

Yuna nodded, her expression softening. "I know, Ko-nii. But sometimes, the hardest thing is letting go and allowing someone else to step in. Trust me, it'll work out."

As she continued to eat her meal, her mind wandered to the future of the team. It wasn't just about Asahi's return; it was about all of them learning to support each other in their own ways.

Volleyball had always been about more than just the physicality of the game. It was about trust, communication, and the unspoken bond between teammates. The moments of triumph on the court were always preceded by the countless hours spent off it, supporting each other through challenges that went beyond mere athletic performance.

Yuna understood that better than anyone.

She had watched as her brother, and his teammates navigated the ups and downs of their lives both on and off the court. But it was during the hardest times—the moments when failure seemed inevitable—that their true strength as a team shone through. The way they supported each other, even when words weren't enough, was what made them more than just a group of players.