(Buckle up it's a long chapter!!!)
Our match had ended in the victory of the second years with everyone on our team beyond excited and enjoying the thrill that it brought them. Meanwhile I had my attention preoccupied in another matter which I wanted to observe. Currently the girls volleyball was still on going and in their third set as both sides had won one each and needed to win this final set to secure victory.
The score right now was 17-19 for the third years who looked comfortable in their lead.
"She's not playing. I wonder what they are thinking by resting her."
Kushida looked relaxed while sitting on the bench chatting with some of her classmates from class a. There sitting on the bench was also Matsushita the captain of the team with Ichinose alongside Onodera, Ibuki and Hiyori.
"Their whole starting lineup is resting?! Why are they resting in the final game? Was it to tire out the starters of the third years?"
"All yours Kiryuin" Asahina baited the second years on her side of the court but then quickly set up Kiryuin who had already jumped expecting the ball at her hands.
SLAM
The ball came crashing down on the second years side of the court as the third years collected another point making the score 17-20
"Well it's about time now, you girls ready and rested?" Matsushita got up from her seat on the sidelines and started walking towards the referee.
"We couldn't get much rest since we only left the game about 5 minutes ago you know?" Kushida replied back amused from her statement.
"Still better than playing the whole time like the third years you know?" Onodera chimed in their conversation while slowly getting up herself.
"We"ve got a lot of work to do ahead of us ya know." Ichinose also got up from her seat while stretching.
"Yeah because those damn substitutes couldn't hold the two point lead we gave them for even five minutes."
"Play nice Ibuki, no point throwing blame when we're gonna win this thing anyways you know." Hiyori gently replied to Ibuki's out burst of anger.
Looking at Matsushita I could see her brimming with confidence and an ego I never saw in her before. In fact all six of these girls had a united ego which was completely different than what I knew about their personalities.
"Did I overlook a certain development perhaps?"
It seems that in the time I was preoccupied with other matters, these six girls had gotten closer together than I realized. This in turn had brought about a change in their personalities as they now spoke as one rather than be the distorted individuals I knew them as.
"I wonder who was behind this development of theirs."
"Feeling confused Ayanokoji?" A petite girl came up and stood beside me.
"So it was you huh."
"Whatever could you mean by that I wonder?"
"I thought we had agreed to not play dumb around one another, Sakayanagi."
"I suppose it would be wasteful to act innocent in this situation but I can't take all the credit, the real perpetrator behind this crime is your ex girlfriend herself, I simply just pushed her in this direction."
"Kushida joined these strong group of girls together? This is certainly fascinating, you continue to outgrow my expectations Kushida."
"What are you playing at Sakayanagi? Why did you make Kushida your next play toy? Surely there were many better options out there than a toy that bites back?"
"But a toy that bites back isn't a toy that one can play with, you need to carefully watch out or that toy just might end up playing with you instead. It's no fun if a toy can't function on its own without my interference and she's not a toy not anymore at least but rather an anomaly that neither you nor I can control any longer."
"What did you do?"
"I guess you'll have to wait and see, the match is beginning and I don't think you'd want to miss this one. I bid you farewell Ayanokoji, we'll meet again soon that's for sure."
I watched her walk away with a grin on her face. I finally turned by attention back on the match as it was about to restart.
"You brats finally returned to the front lines huh?" Kiryuin greeted the arrival of the second year starting lineup with a smile.
"Did you miss us Kiryuin senpai?" Kushida replied back with a smile.
"Yeah it was getting too easy without some proper challenge, I was almost about to sit out."
"Well we're glad we can entertain you senpai." Matsushita stepped forward to face Kiryuin from across the net.
"Let's do this Kiryuin!"
"Yea Asahina."
It was the second years turn to serve and Hiyori stepped up for the task.
"I wonder what type of player she is."
She threw the ball upwards and gently hit it. For a moment it felt like the ball wouldn't even make it past their side but it went over the net and then immediately dipped towards the ground.
The third years at the front were too slow to react to the sudden change of pace and the ball hit the ground.
"Nice one Hiyori!" Ibuki fist bummed her with excitement.
"Thanks, it was nothing."
"That wasn't bad at all second year." Kiryuin called out to her impressed by Hiyori's serve.
"Thank you senpai."
"But it won't happen again."
"We'll see now won't we?"
18-20....
Hiyori went up to serve again but this time she changed the pace of the ball and it came at the third years much faster than before. Despite the speed they were able to block it and quickly transitioned into an attack with Asahina and Kiryuin swapping out with two third years that were at the front.
"Coming your way Asahina!" Kiryuin set the ball towards Asahina who looked like she was about to spike the ball but quickly changed her hand movement to set it back to Kiryuin.
"Right back at ya!!"
"Heh, I love it when you make these impulsive decisions all on your own!!!!" Kiryuin hit the ball with such immense force that even when it was blocked by Ibuki, the ball still bounced off her hands and hit the ground with speed.
"AAH" Ibuki yelled out in pain as her arm became red from the sheer impact of the ball.
"Oho looks like one of your starters is in immense pain, better sit this one out if you don't want your arm taken off kid."
"Ahaha you're too much sometimes Kiryuin, maybe pull back on some of your shots or you'll end up hurting the kids pretty bad."
"Weaklings deserve to be crushed Asahina, remember that."
"You best remember those words senpai because I'm going to feed them right back at you." Kushida looked in Kiryuin's eyes unfazed despite Kiryuin's attempt to intimidate her.
18-21
It was the third year's chance to serve now. The ball was well received by the second years and the point began a rally back and forth between the two teams.
"I got it!" Asahina jumped up and hit it in a tight area where it almost touched the ground but got intercepted last second by Matsushita who flicked it upwards while diving to receive the ball.
"Nice one Matsushita, coming your way Ichinose!" In that quick window of approximately 1.5 seconds before the ball hit the ground again, Kushida quickly flicked the ball towards Ichinose's direction.
"She's fast, that takes immense skill that no normal high schooler has to pull off."
"Perfectly done girls." Despite the set being rough due to the quick timing that it was produced in, Ichinose hit the ball with quite ease and won them a point.
19-21
"Way to go girls!" The second year boys who finally got over the rush of our victory started cheering on the girls.
"Nice one Ichinose!" Sudo yelled in happiness.
"Thanks Sudo, you know I saw how you single handedly made your team win, that was quite impressive if I must say so myself."
"Haha it was nothing."
"When he finally gets acknowledged he starts to become all awkward huh."
"Hey Kushida your ex is watching so you better put on a good show don't you think?" Matsushita provoked her with a smile on her face.
"I intend to show him what he's missing that's all." She looked towards me with nothing in her eyes but I could sense a bit of her hatred leaking out despite her best efforts to hide that emotion.
"Show me the extent of your hatred and what it got you, Kushida."
"Better keep your eyes locked on me Kiyo or you just might miss me." Is what it felt like she was saying to me in that moment.
"I don't intend to look anywhere else, Kushida."
"By the way I saw your last second shot, it wasn't bad at all Ayanokoji."
"Why the sudden interest in me Kushida?"
"You are a fascinating person, one can't simply ignore your existence."
"How romantic Kushida haha." Onodera stepped up to serve this time around.
"Shut up."
"Why don't you MAKE ME!!" She hit the ball with so much force and speed that it was hard to keep track of it until it reached the other side and was barely blocked by a third year. Despite that the ball went high and spinning out of bounds.
"Looks like you have a similar shot power to that of myself second year." Kiryuin spoke up after witnessing the scene unfold.
20-21
Her second serve was blocked by Asahina who took it head on and controlled it as if a child had hit it towards her.
The third years once again transitioned quickly into an attack with Kiryuin leading the charge and when it came time for her to spike she hit it with immense force...
Only for her shot to be blocked by Ibuki at the net.
"Better sit this one out if you don't want to embarrass yourself senpai." Despite her hands being completely red from the sheer impact of the ball hitting them at full force, Ibuki's grin did not vanish.
"You damn brat."
"Ibuki your hands!!" Ichinose came over with a deeply concerned look on her face.
"Ah it doesn't matter I can still keep going for a little while longer."
"No you dumbass sit this out before it gets worse." Onodera came over concerned as well.
"Girls please, just let me stay a little longer."
"Alright fine Ibuki stay on but don't go beyond what you are capable of understand? Captain's orders."
"Aye aye captain."
21-21
On her final serve Onodera once again got a service ace.
22-21
As the match entered its final stage I could see just how worn out Kiryuin and Asahina were and that's exactly what Matsushita was hoping for as the captain of the second years. Kiryuin's shot power and the accuracy of Asahina's sets had both greatly reduced which gave the second years a better chance to challenge them head on.
I'm certain without tiring these two out the second years had no chance of winning against the third years and Matsushita knew that fact. She's more perceptive than I realized.
22-22
The third years managed to win back a point and it was Kiryuin's turn to serve.
"I'll win a point on this one for sure!!!" She hit her serve with as much force as she could muster currently.
"I won't let you!!!" Ibuki once again blocked the ball from hitting the ground and the second years came into the attack.
Kushida quickly set up Ichinose who spiked the ball with speed more than power.
"Not bad." Asahina managed to block Ichinose's shot but I could see her movement becoming more sluggish as time went on.
Two third year students who I couldn't recognize than set up a quick attack which was blocked by Onodera.
"Coming your way Kushida."
"Leave it to me." Ichinose once again set herself up in a scoring position waiting for Kushida's set but someone else quickly ran behind Kushida while losing all the defenders.
"Perfect timing, Hiyori."
"I knew you wanted me here." Kushida then proceeded to shock the whole gymnasium with her next move.
Instead of setting up Ichinose she dropped her head backwards and flicked the ball in Hiyori's direction without even looking at where she was exactly. The ball moved with immense speed but slowed just before it made contact with Hiyori's hand.
"The perfect set. She produced this without even looking in Hiyori's direction but based purely on instinct and trust in her teammate."
"WOAH"
"WHAT THE HELL"
"HOW'D SHE DO THAT"
The gymnasium erupted in shocked reactions as no one was able to believe what they saw.
"Nice one you two!" The other girls came over unfazed by what they saw almost as if they knew this would happen.
"These girls... just how strong are they together?"
23-22
"It's finally my turn huh." Kushida stepped up to serve.
The gymnasium became quiet as everyone eagerly awaited to see what else Kushida had instored.
"Fuuoh" she took a deep breath as she threw the ball upwards and then jumped.
"No wasted movement at all. Her feet lift off the ground in a synchronized fashion and as her hand connects with the ball there is no excessive exertion in the amount of force applied .... A perfect serve....
"SLAM"
The ball lands right in between two third years who both left it assuming the other to get it.
Silence....
Everyone in the gym became dead silent out of shock with some not even processing what just happened.
Kiryuin and Asahina were left speechless on the court as well as the other third years.
24-22
"Final point and the victory is ours." Kushida smirked at Kiryuin who was too exhausted to reply back.
Despite being tired the third years didn't give up and defended Kushida's serve successfully this time around and a rally began between the two teams.
Finally a mistake from the third year side led to the ball soaring high and towards the second year side.
"Chance ball." Matsushita quickly received the ball and comfortably set up Kushida in a setting position right at the net.
"I told you didn't I senpai, that I would feed your words right back at you didn't I? So take this final point and GET CRUSHED."
She jumped upwards to set but both her setting options were blocked accurately by the third years.
"You've got no one to set to now!" Asahina replied to Kushida's statement.
"A setter doesn't always have to set you know." As she said this Kushida gently flicked the ball over the net and watched it fall to the ground as her feet descended back on the ground.
Kiryuin in a desperate attempt to stop the ball from reaching the ground lost her balance and fell on the ground. As she hit the ground Kushida stared at her with a look of disgust from across the net.
"That ground is a suitable place for someone like you senpai, just shows how much you're worth after all that talking."
"Ah FUCK!" Kiryuin yelled out in anger as she hit the ground really hard with her balled up fists.
All the third years eventually collapsed from exhaustion as they had been playing without subbing out once during this entire match.
All the second year boys and girls roared in happiness over the second years second victory over the third years.
"I wonder how Ryuuen and Hirata did." I was curious as to what the result was on their end of the match.
................
"Someone stop him!!!!"
"Tackle him if you have to just STOP HIM!!!"
Ryuuen was advancing towards the opposition's net with only one defender left. The cross from Hirata was going to come any moment now.
"There it is, took you long enough goody two shoes."
He gently controlled Hirata's cross and as the final defender came towards him Ryuuen used his favourite skill that he had learned by himself when he was only 7 years old, elastico.
Ryuuen baited the defender to stretch his leg towards Ryuuen's left leg but quickly net megged him and came one on one with the goal keeper.
"I'm still out of the box. Ah who cares!"
He took a shot from outside of the box. The ball went spinning towards the top corner and went in.
"TWEEET"
"The match has concluded. The second years win this match."
3 - 1
'21 Ryuuen
'39 Kiriyama
'59 Ryuuen
'90 + 7 Ryuuen
The second years all ran towards Ryuuen and Hirata in an attempt to hug them both but Ryuuen avoided them all and ran off from the field quickly without even taking off his boots.
"Where you going boss?" Ishizaki asked confused why Ryuuen wasn't celebrating with the team.
"I need to be someplace else right now but you guys start the party without me."
"I hope she's feeling better."
Part 7 ends here:
Wow a pretty long but exciting chapter no? How did you guys like the matches and Kushida with her new group of friends? Let me know all your thoughts!