Act 10; Hit a nice serve, Hinata
"Eh?! We're just rotating?" The first year ginger loudly asked, not believing in what he had heard. "As well as the setters," Ukai, the volleyball club's current coach started advising the team on what to do and where to go. "They won't be rotating at all." The team stood quiet, either out of shock, or they had waited for their coach for further instructions.
"Is there a reason for this? Should I write it down then?" The clubs adviser questioned intently, taking out his book to jot notes down. "Not really," Ukai stated right before looking up at Kageyama and Sugawara. "I'd like to see how well you all do in other positions. For example, Yoshida."
--
"I'm sorry." Ren sat up straight, looking downwards, thoughts going awry due to events of her past.
"Ren, you should try harder."
The female first year then clenched the top of her uniform. Her gaze averted to Yamaguchi, who had held his hand out to her. Ren took hold, before she softly thanked him. She then watched the score board reset to 0.
We lost the first set; because of me...
"Yoshida-san?" The freckled first year called, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Y-yes?"
"Don't mind, we'll win the second set." Those words brightened her mood. She had thought that her team mates lost faith in her. "Not just the set!" Hinata opened his mouth to refuse, "the entire game!"
He fired himself up, making Kageyama nod to his statement. "Guys..." Ren smiled, loosening her grip. "And after that, Yoshida-kun will teach us how to spike and serve and block and-" The setter of their team smacked Hinata's head, "that's enough."
Ren chuckled, as the short figure rubbed his head, throwing insults at his team mate. She then jogged over to Tsukishima, who had been resting with his friend. "Tsukishima-kun?" The 14 year old exclaimed to her taller classmate. He then looked at her, "what is it?"
"I'll get it next time!" She took a quick bow, before the blonde had something to say. "Was that supposed to boost up my morale or something?" Ren's face turned hot, as she covered it up by crouching down and fixing her shoelaces. "Not really."
She could tell that he was annoyed by the fact that he didn't receive the ball properly, and that he had to rely on people to help him with it. "Do what you like." Tsukishima murmured under his breath, as the sound of a whistle dismissed them from the break. "Alright, let's win the next set!" Daichi encouraged, intimidating the first years, as the rest of his team shouted "osu!"
The captain served the volleyball, causing it to spiral towards Yamaguchi, who had perfectly received it to Kageyama. "Nice!" Ren yelled, before noticing Hinata jumped to spike the ball.
Kageyama didn't even set it yet-
He then quickly set the ball to his teammate on the right, who had spiked it downwards in one swift move. It hit the opponent's side of the court, causing everyone to react moments later. "And there it is; the freak-like quick." The blonde in the back uttered, walking to the front. "A-amazing," Ren praised the duo, for this was the first time she had seen it.
The raven figure then smirked, as Hinata high fived the female. "That was so cool, Hinata!" He then grinned, as he rotated to the back, "I know right?!" Coach Ukai and adviser Takeda then watched the match near end, noticing almost no gaps within Ren's team. "That girl has thought it through."
The adviser turned to the voice. "Thought what through?" The coach's lips formed a smirk, as he opened his mouth. "Perhaps their team rotated once. Who would be in the front?" The advisor gave Ukai a puzzled look.
"Tsukishima-kun and Yoshida-san."
"A second time?"
"Tsukishima-kun and Yamaguchi-kun..."
The coach sighed, "you don't see it?" Takeda then raised an eyebrow, "see..?"
"In the back now. Who would be in the back if they rotated once?"
"Hinata-kun and Yamaguchi-kun."
"Second?"
"Let's see... Yoshida-san and Hinata-kun." Coach then raised his eyebrow, "you still don't see it?" Ukai then rubbed his temples. "Let's say we divided their team into blockers and receivers. Assumingly, if I thought like Yoshida, I put Hinata and Tsukishima into the blocking column, and Yamaguchi and Yoshida in the other." Takeda nodded, "each rotation would have a person who could receive and one who could block."
The advisors eyes lit up, "so each time they rotated, the line would be balanced." The coach nodded, as he added, "her offense is amazing, although, I think she went for a stronger defense." Takeda then smiled, "amazing!" He then put his pen to the notebook. "So if we rated her strategic thinking-"
"10 out of 10." Ren then received Daichi's serve, but hit it upwards. "Sorry. Cover!" She yelled, asking for assistance. "And her physical ability?"
Ukai then placed his hand on his chin. "Her skills aren't below average, and she doesn't have any outstanding abilities other than her serves..." The advisor nodded, "so?"
"Probably a 6.5 out of 10." Takeda quickly wrote down the rating, as 'Yoshida's team' won another point. "Yes!" She yelled fired up, as Kinoshita turned the scoreboard.
We're almost there...
"One more to winning the second set!"
"Osu!" The team repeated after their leader.
Next to serve is...
The female looked to the back as they had rotated. The first year walked to the back with the volleyball.
No- There couldn't be a worse timing...
The captain and the rest focused their attention to the ginger, which had been up to serve. Ren didn't not have faith in Hinata, but she had to take her precautions, and that was believing that he could do it.
She'd like to play another set.
Ren shook her head back and forth, erasing all evidence that proved she liked it. "H-hit a n-nice serve, H-Hinata-san..!" She hesitantly cheered, as he centered his attention to the other side. "We're doomed." Tsukishima said, loud enough for Ren to hear, causing her to bite her lower lip.
Everyone was on edge, watching how Hinata started tightening his grip on the ball. He soon threw it upwards into air, and hit it with his hand. But the ball threw itself out of bounds, hitting the court grounds.
Damn.
Hinata trailed his gaze to the scoreboard, which had been set to 24-24. A deuce. It was all his fault, and the amount of unease which settled onto the court was unbearable. No one said a thing, only for Ren to notice, and break the odd silence with a small chuckle.
"Don't mind, don't mind Hinata-san." Her voice echoed to the other side of the net. "This makes things more interesting." Hinata forced a smile. Sure, he was uneasy, and the idea of a deuce was also unsettling, but he had to get it through his small head that his teammates were there, and trying to cheer him up.
On the other hand, Ren burdened the most uneasiness of all. She wouldn't be able to join the club, and would be literally forced to participate in another. But she refused to, and had full confidence that her team would win... At least, she had hoped so.
"O-osu..." Hinata tried to chirped out, with the little courage he had left. "Oi, dumbass," Kageyama called, "let's win this." The ginger then smiled from the bottom of his heart, and he got fired from the 3 words the setter had encouraged him with. "We will win this!"
Kageyama then nodded, as Tanaka put a creepy face on, glaring at them. "You better not be underestimating us."
Nicely done, Kageyama, now it's my turn.
Ren stepped in, with a lot of courage. "Ah, sorry senpai, we aren't underestimating just you."
"Eh, what was tha-?!" The wing spiker was held back by Daichi before he could say more. The blonde was impressed. He could hardly believe the girl here was the same timid and shy girl that had always avoided hurting people. "We got a badass here," Tsukishima smirked, as he looked down on Ren, who had averted her gaze to the ground.
"Y-you think?! Was that too mean? Should I apologize-?"
Of course. How did I not see this?
Tsukishima held his arm out, shutting her up. "Stop; you killed it." The female shut herself up and breathed, as she got ready for Asahi's serve.
We'll get it.
It spiralled down at amazing speed, hitting Hinata's shoulder, and then face. Kiyoko blew her whistle, causing Hinata to look at her, with a red face. "Are you okay, Hinata-san?" Ren rushed over, bent down, and got closer to his face to inspect it. "I-I'm fine!" He pulled back, with an even redder face.
"That's good." She sighed, out of relief.
Though...
Ren turned to view the score.
One more point, huh?
Tsukishima and Yamaguchi chuckled at Hinata's poor receive though. Even if they were in a tough situation. "Oi, can you teach me how to receive like that?" The tall blocker snickered, mocking the shortest first year. Hinata then opened his mouth to retort, but got disrupted by the manager, who had blown the whistle once more.
Kageyama widened his eyes, with his heart beating rapidly. How could they change the momentum of this game? Especially since Asahi would countlessly serve the ball at him? He then looked at Hinata, who still wasn't discouraged.
He'll be alright.
Kageyama kept telling himself that, until a doubtful thought he immediately regretted passed through his mind.
Will he?
Asahi grabbed the ball, tossing it high into air. He smacked it downwards, going a little over the net but rapidly. It headed towards Hinata, who had surprisingly hit it upwards. "Cover!" Yamaguchi got ready his arms as it fell right above him. "I got it-"
His sentenced was interrupted by himself, who had received it terribly, most probably under pressure. Yamaguchi's eyes widened. How could he do so terrible under circumstances like these? Ren ran for it, as it floated above air, spiralling towards the right side of the court, "I'll get it!" She yelled, quickly throwing her arms into a receiving position.
It came down almost a second before she reacted. And it affected her hit greatly. She had needed it to go over; yet, she had hit the volleyball wrong. It smacked into Tsukishima's right shoulder, shortly before Ennoshita had turned the score to 26-24.
Daichi's team had won the match.
Ren's heart sunk, and she got up, right after hearing the sound which dismissed the match. The first thing she did was walk over disheartened to the tall blocker she had hit. She took a bow, slowing as she did. "Sorry."
Tsukishima then gave her a look, dismayed. "I don't mind." She stayed in the position, and started worrying the other teammates. She was broken, surely. The match she really wanted to win was all lost because of her.
Ren recalled her junior high days, and she had known that any sport she had played had always ended with her messing up. Tears streamed down her face, as she didn't care to wipe them, causing them to fall on the gyms floor. "I'm really sorry guys." Tsukishima stood there, looking down on the figure. He too, had also felt bad about losing the match, not because he cared to win, but because she really needed it.
"You're not on this team alone." He muttered, causing her to quietly sob. Kageyama and Hinata trotted over with a plan, quietly mumbling, synchronizing in every word. "3...2...1..." They bowed down, with something to say.
"We look forward to you teaching us!" This made Ren open her eyes, and stand back up, confused whether or not they said this to just cheer her up. Sugawara came from behind them, and patted both their heads. "That's good, that's good!" He laughed, as Kageyama and Hinata sighed.
Ren looked at him with a puzzled expression, clueless. "Welcome to the team." Daichi said smiling from the other side of the net. "E-eh?" The thirteenth sniffled, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
"Coach Ukai said you're on, congratulations." Tsukishima sighed tiredly, due to fatigue. Ren was confused, but decided that she would have to wait to see if what Tsukishima said was actually true or not. "Come on. Let's line up." Yamaguchi gestured to the back line, as he walked off towards it with his blonde friend. She smiled from the bottom of her heart, sincerely, as he rushed towards it as well, "o-osu!"
I do not own any of the Haikyuu!! Characters (with the exception of Ren Yoshida, of course) All rights reserved to Haruichi Furudate
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