Coming Back

Chapter 6

Third Person POV

Hideaki knows that Asahi felt guilty when the collision happened. Hideaki knows how heavy the burden Asahi felt carrying the title of Ace. He heard every word the audience said about how Asahi didn't deserve that title, that the Puppeteer should have been the one. But he also knows that Asahi is so much more than anyone expects.

Asahi was the only one he couldn't critisize when they first met. He saw the great potential Asahi possesses under that shy, pessimistic, and glass heart personality. It's true Hideaki is much more talented and has greater technique than Asahi but what Hideaki lacked was the strength to lift up the team to a high pedastle with him but still has an aura that could control the team to stay grounded like a true Ace.

That was the sole and only reason Hideaki could never be the Ace. Everyone around him placed him in a high place. Gave him a title of Untouchable or the Puppeteer. He was used to be a player that could score points without sweating because he was that talented... by himself.

Asahi had that. He was a great Ace because he could do all those things. He was a great Ace because he was selfless- a team player. Every point he earned wasn't just for him. It was for the whole team. Every obstacle he won, be brought the team with him.

He is shy, pessimistic, and has a glass heart but because of those traits. He created a whole new concept of Ace. A concept that would work for him and the team. He was shy, so he tries to creat new oppurtunities for the team to shine more. He was pessimistic, so he trained and practiced hard so that his imagination could never happen. He has a glass heart, a heart that could easily break and should be protected. Asahi didn't know what to do with that trait of his but it was a good thing his team was there.

That glass heart became the center. It needed to be protected because they need their Ace. So the team pushed themselves. They pushed themselves to the limit so they could protect it.

It was working. Daichi improved his solid recieves that you wouldn't be scared making mistakes. Suga practiced his tosses so that he could give his spikers the most comfortable sets they could hit. Nishinoya pushed himself so that you would feel protected everytime the ball enters their side. Tanaka practiced his spikes so that he could give their Ace a time to breath and reassure them that there was someone they could rely on for points. Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita practiced and pushed themselves so that they would be ready if their comes a time that one of their teammates are at their limits. That was the reason why Hideaki loves the team and kept of supporting them and teaching them everything he knew the would help then improve.

It worked... until it didn't.

That match was traumatizing for all of them. The glass heart they tried protecting was broken by a wall they couldn't defeat. Attacks failed, recieves were late, sets were read, and hearts were broken.

The skills they practiced and worked hard for wasn't enough anymore. Every one of them felt the pressure.

Suga became hesitant in his sets until he couldn't think anymore.

Daichi and Nishinoya felt heavy from the pressure until they couldn't reach the ball anymore.

Tanaka slowly but surely lost his fire that helped them so much in their games until he couldn't even hear his surroundings anymore.

Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita slowly lost their hope until they couldn't even say words of encouragement.

Everything was going downhill in that game. Hideaki tried to lift everyone up by getting point after point but he can't because he didn't have that ability unlike Asahi. He remembered the faces of his team struggling but still kept on fighting even when they were losing hope.