Secrets (Haikyuu Fanfiction Series!!!)

23. Difference

Haruka POV
(Match ~ Fukurodani vs Itachiyama ~ Set 3)

I glance over to the scoreboard to see the current score.

Set 3 - Current score: 22-22

My eyes dilate as I look at the score and then look back at my old team, Itachiyama.

Just how much has my old team changed ever since I last played with them...?

They have gotten stronger in both offense and defense. It's to the point that it can be anyone's game now. The chance of us making it to the Inter-high Tournament is slimming down as time passes.

I glance over to the two new first year girls that I don't recognize. There's a girl with short blond hair that's a libero, and a girl with brown curly pigtails who is a wing spiker. Chiemi told me that a first year wanted to be the ace like me, so I'm guessing it's the girl with the brown curly pigtails.

The brown curly pigtails girl looks at me and grins proudly.

I slightly frown. Those two first years definitely are boosting our opposing team's stats since one specializes in offense while the other one specializes in defense. Just with those two, it makes it so much more difficult to score a point and keep the ball in play.

I bite my lip. It doesn't matter how much my old team has improved. I need our team to win so we can head to the Inter-high Tournament and the third years can stay longer on the team. That's my responsibility as captain of this team, to bring success.

My old captain, Yukiyo, serves the volleyball and Mai receives it. Chika immediately goes into position and tosses the volleyball to Kata.

Kata spikes it, but the first year libero is already there ready to receive the volleyball. Kata clicks her tongue in annoyance.

Itachiyama's setter, Chiemi, immediately goes into position and our blockers watch her. Chiemi puts her hands out ready to toss to the first year spiker at the right and all eyes follow that direction of the volleyball until she changes the direction last minute and tosses it to the left.

The wing spiker at the left spikes the toss and it goes through, but I receive the volleyball in time.

"I know you all too well Chiemi!" I shout, knowing her playing style having played with her so many times in the past.

Chiemi smirks. "Same."

After I receive the volleyball, Chika gets into position to toss the volleyball to Emiko. Emiko spikes the volleyball and they block it. It comes back to our side and Mai receives it. Chika goes into position and I survey for an open spot and start to sprint to the net as a decoy. The blockers follow me taking the bait.

I jump up and the blockers jump, but the volleyball is tossed to Minako.

Minako spikes the volleyball down hard and scores us the next point.

Current score 23-22

"A point ahead, huh? I can change that!" The girl with the brown curly pigtails declares.

"Stop yapping, you're so loud Yumi," the blond short haired girl complains.

"Stop acting like a know-it-all Nino!" Yumi cries out.

The two of them start to argue and their captain cuts them off.

"Nino, Yumi, focus!" Yukiyo scolds.

"Sorry captain..." they apologize and Chiemi snickers.

I sweatdrop. So annoying.

I turn to the first years on my team. "Emiko, Chika, Airi. Thanks for being good first years," I tell them and they tilt their heads confused.