Keiji POV
(At Night)
I walk home through the neighborhood carrying my sports bag on my shoulder with my hands in my pockets. I take in a deep breath then exhale out seeing my cold breath.
We lost the quarter-finals against Shiratorizawa. Bokuto was frustrated by the loss of course, and so was the team. Even I was frustrated by how close our loss against Shiratorizawa was. The final score was 2-1 with the final set being 28-26.
I sigh.
We lost in the quarter-finals and didn't move on to the semi-finals. The match was close and even though we lost...If only I was a better setter...I shake my head. I shouldn't be thinking like that, I have no regrets in my gameplay as the setter and vice captain of the team.
Creak creak creak ~
I hear the creaky sound of someone slightly swinging on a swing.
Who would be here at this time?
I look over and see Haruka quietly sitting on the swing.
What is she doing here at this time? She should be home by now. I take a closer look and see her lost in thought. She doesn't seem like her usual self either.
Not even thinking twice about it, I walk over to her from behind and grab the chains of the swing. "What are you doing here this late?" I ask leaning down looking at her
"H-Huh?!" Haruka looks up and jolts back startled by my sudden appearance. "K-Keiji!"
Her cheeks flush bright red seeing how close I am to her and she averts her gaze. "I could say the same to you. What are you doing here?" she asks me embarrassed and I chuckle.
"It's not polite to ask a question when you were just asked a question," I tell her as I take a seat on the swing next to hers and she frowns.
"Of course you would say that since you're the only one to think like that," Haruka sighs and starts to swing again. "You may think it's lame, but I'm still thinking about my team's loss in the preliminaries."
"..." I remain silent and Haruka continues to talk.
"You weren't there, but in my matches against Nohebi and Itachiyama, I underestimated my opponents. And as a result my team lost because of my carelessness," Haruka sighs. "The third years haven't come back since then, and the first years are worrying about the way I've been," she tells me and puts her feet on the ground to stop swinging.
"I don't think I'm cut out for it. Being a captain or even an ace for my team. Everyone admires me, and it just makes me feel worse after our loss because I'm supposed to be the one that the team depends on," Haruka says with a sad look on her face.
...I see. Haruka is similar to me.
"I think you're perfect for the position as captain," I tell her and reflect back on myself. "To be honest, I always think like that about myself too. I think about how I could've done better plays to win our match. I always tell myself that I'm nothing in comparison to the other setters I know, " I admit and Haruka looks straight at me surprised.
"Keiji..." Haruka says surprised. "Is that true? Do you really think of yourself like that...? You're an amazing setter!" Haruka declares and I smile.
"You haven't changed at all. You always saw me like that," I mumble quietly and look at her with a serious gaze. "You are the captain and ace of the team. I'm vice captain and setter. The two of us are leaders, but we shouldn't burden everything ourselves. It's hard to keep in mind, but we should move on and learn from what we did wrong and win the next match."
"You make it sound easy, but..." Haruka pauses. "...This could be the last game for the third years, and now they might have given up on the team already. I know I can't change my team's loss...But I don't want their possible last match to be a loss, yet it seems like it ended up being one."
"You're right. I feel the same too," I bitterly smile. "We didn't win the Interhigh Tournament. We lost against Shiratorizawa in the quarter-finals."
"I see," Haruka mumbles and looks at the sky. "But at least you made it pass the preliminaries."
"Even so, a loss is a loss," I state looking at the sky too and she looks back at me with a sad look on her face.
"You're right. Sorry for complaining," Haruka apologizes, hanging her head down low and I pat her head.
"You don't need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. There's only one winner after all," I tell her and she shakes her head.
"No, you're right though," Haruka admits. "I'm just being a sore loser. I know I wasn't focused on the match, only thinking of winning for the sake of the third years and trying to be the player that everyone can depend on, and because of that we lost."
"You're not a sore loser. You're devoted to the team and always think about them. With that in mind, I'm sure the third years will come back. Besides, knowing you, you wouldn't let them get away that easily right?" I question her and she blinks surprised.
"You're right," she giggles and I smile.
"Haruka. You are the only one I know suited to be captain. You're headstrong, yet at the same time caring for your team, which are the traits of a great leader," I tell her and her eyes widen. "Besides, leaders don't always start off great but they learn so they can improve themselves and support the people around them."
A small smile forms on her face. "You're right. Even though we didn't win this one, there's always next time, and as the leader for my team, I will learn from my mistakes and bring my team to the top." Haruka cracks her knuckles. "Besides, I'm not going to let them get away that easily," she energetically says and looks over to me then grins. "Thanks Keiji. I can see why you're vice captain. It's not just to watch over Bokuto. You really know how to lift people's spirits."
My eyes widen and I gently smile back at her. "Thanks, you lifted mine too."
You're the same. Ever since we met, your presence lifts my spirits. Yet if the past that you've forgotten were to come back, then I might not be able to be the one to lift your spirits like I can now.
Haruka POV
As the two of us walk back home, I glance over to Keiji who's walking straight ahead.
Why does he always help me?
Is it because we're siblings?
I think about his gentle smile and my heart starts to race. I can never understand Keiji, but I'm starting to understand him better as a person.
I take a deep breath and exhale out.
I shake off these growing feelings. I hope when the time comes that Keiji can be happy with the one he likes.
I like our relationship now. As family and as his fake girlfriend, but I don't want to be the one to restrain him from being happy. He has done so much for me, I want to repay him in some kind of way.
"Hey, Keiji, stop walking so fast!" I shout, after realizing how slow I started to walk.
Keiji glances over to me and chuckles. "If you walk that slow then you'll never get home."
"Why you..." I mumble slightly angry but it's different from before.
Keiji is a kind person at heart. He says that, but he starts to walk slower for me. Even though we have only known each other for a short time, I feel like I've known him longer than this and can continue to be with him for as long as I can before he finds someone he loves, and when that time comes...I hope I can fully support him.
(Next Day - After school)
I enter the gym and my mouth drops to the ground seeing the current situation in front of me.
"Wait, what?!" My eye twitches when I see the third years tied up by the first years.
What the--?!
What just happened?!
I'm completely speechless and Airi clears her throat.
"We got our third years back!" Airi says with Emiko showing off their capture with jazz hands.
I sweatdrop.
"It wasn't easy. They were fighting back," Chika says as she brushes her hands to get rid of the dirt.
...
I want to ask why they would do such a thing, but then I think back to the time that I tried to catch a bird to get my revenge on Keiji.
Goddamnit, I'm influencing the first years in a bad way.
I glance back at the third years who are glaring at me for being tied up. "It's not my idea!" I argue and untie them.
"Haruka, what are you doing?!" Airi asks.
"Not getting you guys and myself in jail obviously," I bluntly answer.
I finish untying them. "Before you third years leave..." I look back at the whole team. "I just want to apologize to you all for what happened on the day of the preliminaries. I know we lost that day and it was my fault. Yet I've been blaming it all on myself rather than trying to learn from it, so..."
I turn to the first years. "I'm sorry for having you all worry about me, and..." I turn to the third years. "...Please stay in the team!" I bow my head down.
"Haruka...I'm sorry, but I can't stay in the team...Good luck," Minako apologizes.
"Yeah, I'm sorry Haruka," Mai apologizes.
"I hope you can make the team better," Kata pats me on the back. "I wish you the best of luck."
I gulp. I knew they were going to respond in that way. "You're right. No matter what, as captain, I'll do my best and make sure the team will reach the top!" I declare.
"Haruka, I'm glad you feel that way but..." Mai says and the tips of all the girls' lips turn up.
"Surprise! We aren't leaving!" Mai, Kata, and Minako grin.
"...Eh?" I question and they grin.
"We wanted to prank you for all the times you made us run," Mai winks.
"Right. Also, you shouldn't eavesdrop on your senpais," Minako shakes her head disappointed.
"Huh??? So you didn't attend club practice just because of that? Wait, what about being tied up by the first years huh???" I blurt out confused.
"Oh, they made us do that to make it believable that we were taken here by force," Chika states.
"I enjoyed it though," Airi grins.
"Right," Emiko agrees and they high-five each other.
Kata laughs. "It was a pretty cruel joke, but we didn't come for the past few days because we were also busy with our advisors who were trying to change our minds about staying on the team and wanted us to quit," Kata shrugs. "They care too much for education. It's important, but if we aren't on this team, that would be our biggest regret."
"Really...?" I ask and Mai grins.
Mai rests her arm on my shoulder. "You're a great captain Haruka. So much energy. Not to mention gullible. How could we ever leave?"
"Right! The team is so much fun right now," Minako grins.
I lower my head. Everyone is staying huh? The team is still together. We have a chance to win together in the Spring High Tournament.
"Huh? Is Haruka crying?" Airi questions.
"Gasp! Was it that cruel of a joke?!" Mai cries out.
"You're the one who thought of it senpai," Chika frowns.
"Crying? I'm not crying," I look up at them with a scary smile on my face and they jolt back surprised. "Since we didn't have proper practice...Two miles, let's go, let's go!!!"
"Haruka!!!" They all cry out and start running as fast they can.
I start running too and a small smile forms on my face.
A loss will be a loss and there's no change to that. Yet losing doesn't always mean you'll always lose. With my team, I'll change our loss in the Interhigh Preliminaries. Together with everyone, we will head to Tokyo for the Spring High Tournament!