Lavender | Wakatoshi Ushijima

04 | Notes and Thoughts

Kiyo and I spend our afternoon helping the team practice. Kiyo tosses some of the team's volleyballs while she has me take notes on the players weaknesses.

"You're very observant, Hana. Please take these notes for me, I just can't do it," she pouts.

"Fine. Next time I'm charging for them."

I'm done taking notes for about half the team when it's Ushijima's turn. He's extremely skilled. I almost can't spot a weakness. I'm scribbling away when I notice a slight weakness in his instinct, it takes some time for him to react. I write down that he needs to do some reaction speed drills to help him later on. He also leans too much on his left foot when running up to spike. I think there could be balance drills for that.

- Ushijima
< Splendid strength
< Leaning on left foot - Balance drills?
< Slight reaction weakness - Speed reaction drills

I look up from my notebook when I see him. He is quite the player, I wonder if he wants to play in the professional leagues. He'd always mention how he and his dad would play volleyball in his backyard, and look where he is now. That's when Kiyo comes and sees me observing him.

"Don't tell me you fell for him!" She rests her hands on her hips.

"Very funny. I don't fall for athletic boys, they have a huge ego."

"If you say so. How are the notes coming along? Coach Washijo will kill me if they're not detailed enough."

I hand her the notebook and she only takes one glance at them before squealing and squeezing me.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! These are so neat. I owe you!"

"Don't worry, I'll let this one slide." I wink and we laugh it off.

"Look, I know we agreed to have a sleepover but I can't. I completely forgot to tell Mother." And I need to take my new medication. I don't say that one out loud.

"I get it, you go ahead and rest. Call me tonight, though!"

"I will, don't worry. Keep the notebook with you."

I wave at her, managing to put on a smile and walking out.

I'm leaving the building when I take my cellphone out. I put my wired headphones in and play some music. It's my escape, if that's how you put it.

It's dark. I head home alone. Pulling my scarf up, I nuzzle my face into it. The sharp weather is freezing my nose.

The sound of my shoes tapping against the surface of the concrete and the music fail to distract me. I can't help but think of how I'm going to be tutoring Ushijima after all these years. Does he even remember me?

I don't want him to, I won't get into the conversation of how I practically abandoned him for years. And without a word, too. How my health collapsed in middle school.

How I passed out at the dinner table, Mother and Father rushed me to the hospital. How I woke up to the dreadful sound of silent cries as the doctor had told my parents about my deteriorating health. How my diagnosis with anemic blood problems made me isolate myself at school when I got back, how no one knew. They only thought I was absent for a little while.

How our little friendship was left behind in the past, to be buried in a dust of absence.

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Author: some Hana lore ☔️