Room to Grow (Asahi Azumane)

Chapter 30

            The next day, the practice games were still the same. We were playing against Fukurodani. Ukai and I had Takeda call time. 

"Even if you're not able to stop number 4's spikes, at least try to touch it." Ukai said. 

"Right!" Everyone yelled

"Alright, since I've been at their spiking practices with Tsukishima, watch his eyes, possibly his body, he tends to kind of turn his body to do a cross spike." I say quietly to the team, my eyes where mainly looking at Tsukishima. "Tsukishima, remember don't be up to straight or leaning to far over, be at that perfect angle like we talked." 

"Right." He muttered. I nodded my head at the team.

"We don't have to stop it?" Tsukishima asked.

"Well. If you're able to actually shut the ball out, there's nothing better." Ukai said. 

"Also, with how powerful his spikes are, even if you can to a soft block, it'll help slow it down so someone can get under it in time." I added quietly. The game started back up again. I watched Bokuto go up for the spike, Daichi and Tsukishima went up. I watched as the look on Bokuto's face turn to shock seeing Tsukishima. 

"Tsukishima made him run away." I muttered. Ukai patted my back. Bokuto started yelling that he didn't run away from it. I chuckled lightly. Tsukishima glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, I sent him a thumbs up.

       We lost the game, but that was fine, we where finally starting to catch up. Each game we were getting better, making less and less mistakes. Hinata and Kageyama where still working on the new fast attack. 

"Would it hurt to have them practice together, so they both can get used to it?" I asked Ukai. 

"Well, they have been." Ukai explained to me. I slowly nodded my head. 

"I wonder if it's possible to get him in with us. To practice the blocking and spiking." I muttered mostly to myself.  I heard a solid thud vibrate from next to my head, I looked over to Yachi and I both looking at the ball that hit the wall between us. 

"Jeez, Emi. You gotta pay attention." Ukai laughed. I shrugged at him. 

"It's not like I haven't been hit in the face with a volleyball before." I folded my arms across my stomach as I continued to watch the game. Before long the game was over, everyone was a panting mess, they were tired. I sighed quietly watching them. Our next game was against Nekoma. Hinata was getting irritated by the second. 

"Hinata!" I called, he glanced at me. "Breathe. I know you are irritated and I know you are frustrated. But take a deep breath." I say, he slowly nodded his head. The next play was a chance ball for us, Noya set the ball to Kageyama. Who set the ball to Hinata, who covered it, which got it over the net and gained us a point, but the set wasn't the new toss he had been working on.  

"Hey! You held back, didn't you?" Hinata yelled at Kageyama. A shocked look came across all of our faces. 

"Held back?" Kageyama questioned, his head tilted. "Me? With volleyball?" Kageyama grabbed Hinata's shirt. I lightly his Ukai, which he told Takeda to ask for a time out. Hinata was pissed.   

       Later on, I sat on the floor of the gym, putting my knee brace on, while the guys warmed up. I was in shorts and a t-shirt. 

"Oh? Tsukki, Emi, did you bring a friend today?" Bokuto asked. I looked up at him with a questioning look, before looking over and seeing Hinata peaking around the corner. He jumped at being noticed by the third year and us. I stood up from my spot and bent over and adjusted my knee brace before walking over to the group.