Interhigh - Preliminaries, Tokyo's Central Gym
3rd June, the last day
Finally, the last day comes and we are now ready to start our last match. If we win that we can skip the first round in October Qualifications.
«Here we are again!»
Tokai's girls did their entrance into the court. They're all so tall that they can scare any team. Well except ours, we're friends, and even if we aren't big girls we're annoying opponents.
«Let's win this, girls!» I clap my hand and after a little warm up the referee whistle. The game can start.
We serve first and I begin with my lethal arm: jump serve. I put just 70% of my strength but it's enough to do an ace and gain us the first point. My team is not surprised, they only smile and give me some thumbs up.
The ball returned to my hand and at the exact moment, I hear the whistle I do another serve. Ace again.
Another one. This time their libero receives the ball and sends it to Sasaki, who's captain and setter of the team. She tosses the ball to their ace who spikes it.
Our middle blockers are fast enough.
«One touch!» Konishi's voice makes Mina start running toward the ball. She jumps before the line that divides the court and tosses it to Ana. Our setter spiked a ball tossed by our libero, gaining us another point.
The bench exploded in screams and we run to them with open arms.
This is great teamwork.
«Thank you for the game!» we bow our heads and run to shake each other hands.
When I reach Sasaki I tug her in a hug that she returns «Do you like our new tricks?»
She laugh «We lost so they are cool and powerful»
I step back «We will practice even more during the Training Camp»
Sasaki give me one last look «Hell yes, I'm so excited to spend some time with all the Golden!»
And with that our Preliminaries are over, finally. Coming out of the changing room I bumped into someone. I rub my nose and look up just to meet Kuroo's stupid smirk.
«Did you want to scare me to death or to break my nose?»
He sniffs «Sooo dramatic!» he gestures to me to follow him and all my team did. Kenma is right beside him.
«Kenma, how do your matches go?» I avoid Kuroo's curious face and speak to his friend. Kenma lifts his eyes from the game is playing.
«We lost the last one but we're still in the top four, yours?»
I snuggle my shoulder against Kuroo's «I bet Fukurodani beat you and you're annoyed!»
He didn't answer immediately «Yes, your boyfriend and his mates are too damn strong» he let out a sigh.
I ignore the "boyfriend" part «Anyway, we won both, thanks for your interest, Kenma!» I smile at the little kitty boy and he only gives me a nod.
Kuroo's jaw hits the ground «What?! How can you girls always win?»
My team, who is currently walking in front of us, stops their path and turns head to Kuroo.
«'Cause we're fucking good»
With that Mina receives a slap on the back of her head from Sanada. We all laugh at their love-and-hate relationship. Mina then jumps on Sanada, who falls on Ana, who takes Ishikawa down with her, who kicks Konishi making her fall on Moto's bag, who hit Oshiro in the back of her legs making her lose her equilibrium and falls on Maki who is right in front of me and pull my jacket to do not fall, making me tremble against Inaba and Hoshino, who knocks Yukimura down. In the end, we're all on the ground with some laughing Kuroo, Bokuto, and Akaashi who are looking at us from above.
«When did you even get here?» Ana asks the Fukurodani boys «And for the love of God, help us!»
All the boys calm down and extend their arms at us. Also, Kenma put down his phone and trying to lift some first year.
«That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!» Bokuto takes my hand and put me back on my feet.
I send him a glare «Next time try you to fall under two fat asses» I joke, looking at my girls. Bokuto seems to think about it for a second.
«Well, it wouldn't be that bad, you know?» I karate-chopped him in the hip.
«Bokuto-san, apologize» Akaashi ordered his friend. Bokuto pout and lower his head.
«Sorry for my rudeness»
I chuckle «How have I done all this time without you, Akaashi?»
Akaashi smiles «Well, on the other hand, we will be lost without your help during Bokuto-san's mood swings»
Our owl boy is gazing between me and Akaashi «Akaaaashi, you smile more when Belle-chan is around! You're in love with her!»
He spoke loud enough to make everyone turn their head in our direction. Kuroo let out a sigh, probably thinking that his friend can't be dumber than that.
«No, Bokuto-san, I'm not in love with Isabelle-san» Akaashi's calm voice is a blessing, and Bokuto let out a loud sigh.
«Thank God, I don't want to be the third wheel!»
My team, Kuroo, Kenma, and Akaashi are now looking at me, smiling at my crush on the boy.
I take Bokuto's collar and make him face me «You don't think before speaking, right?»
His golden eyes look into my heterochromatic ones «Really beautiful» he let out, confirming my previous sentence. We all laugh at the astonished expression Bokuto has on his face. He seems to don't care and keeps staring at me with a little smile. I pinch his cheeks.
«What are you staring at? You look like a curious owl now» then I ruffle his hair. He starts complaining but I keep torturing him.
«YOU'RE DESTROYING MY SUPER COOL HAIR! STOP IT ISABEEEEELLE!»
Kuroo comes to rescue his friend, taking him away from me «Don't worry Bro-kuto, I'm gonna save you from this demon!»
I look at them and now both of their hair looks alike. And I'm not the only one who notices that.
«Oh God, now you seem brother!» Ana pointed at them, making everyone laugh. Even Kenma is smiling.
The two friends pout and without a word they start going out of the gym, letting us behind still laughing our asses off.
«They're kids» I link Kenma's arm with mine, distracting him from his game «c'mon, pudding head, let's go return you to Kuroo»
His cheeks gain a red tint «You make me lose»
I peek at his phone but he quickly shut it down «Eh? Liar, you just suck at that game!»
«I don't»
«You do»
«I don't»
I stay silent for a bit.
«You do»
«You should stop hanging out with Kuroo. You start to become as annoying as him»
I lift my head a little and move some hair from Kenma's face «But I'm still hotter than him, right?»
He put his hair on his face again «I'm not going to answer that»
Our bus is waiting for us and we start waving goodbye to each other.
«See you at the Camp, boys!»
Nekoma's team smiles and sends us some thumbs up and a peace sign. I hug Kuroo and Kenma and watch them go away.
Then we high-five some of Fukurodani's boys and start heading to our bus.
«Belle-chan, wait!» I turn to Bokuto who's running towards me with something in his hands. He passes me what looks like a letter.
I try to open it but he stops me «Open that when you get home! See ya, girls!» and he returns to his friends.
I take a look at the paper in my hand and smile, putting it in my bag. I wave a last goodbye to the Fukurodani's coach and go on my bus, ready to sit beside Mina.
She moves her bag from the seat next to her and I plopped down «So, what do you want me to ask?»
While we were changing Mina approached me, telling me she needed to ask me something. So here I am, ready to listen.
She doesn't look at me and plays with her finger «Promise me you're not gonna laugh!»
«Well, we will see that after the question» I smile, joking.
She let out a little laugh «Alright» after that she takes a deep breath and look me right in the eyes «can you help me get closer to Kuroo-san?»
I almost choke on my saliva «You like Kuroo?»
She nod shyly «Y-yeah, at first I thought that was just a stupid crush but today I understand that I like him»
All the bus is shocked: it's unusual to see Mina embarrassed about something or someone.
«Of course, I will help you» I gently squeeze her shoulder. Her eyes start sparkling and she tugs me in a hug.
«Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're the best friend ever!»
I pat her back with a hand and with the other one I pull some of her hair «So I became the "best friend ever" just now?»
All the girls laugh and Mina just hugs me tighter.
«Oh yes, before you were just "a friend of mine" she let me go and a big grin spread on her pretty face. I pinch her nose and she flicks my forehead.
«You really are a shitty friend,» I tell her. She pretends to be offended by my words but after two seconds she is laughing.
«Hey» Ana call us gently from behind our seats. We turn to her with big smiles.
«Shut your mouth, I'm trying to sleep»
And after one more collective laugh, we all passed out until we reach the school.
«You did great today, you know that right?»
My and my mom are returning home just now. We take off our shoes and put the bags on the floor.
«Thanks, mom» I enter the kitchen and start cooking some rice and egg. It's almost dinner time and I bet also mom is starving.
In the corner of my eyes, I see her sit down on the kitchen table «You should let me do that»
I crack a smile «Oh c'mon, ten more minutes and everything is ready»
Mom sets up the table and hands me two empty bowls. I fill them with the same portions of rice and eggs and sit down.
«Thanks, honey,» she says smiling and taking a bite of our little meal.
We eat in silence for a while, too tired to talk about something.
«So» she started, swallowing the last egg «I saw Kōtarō gives you something before we leave»
I smile. My relationship with my mom has always been open, so I don't have any secrets from her. Nodding I finish the rice and go take the letter he gave me.
«I'm so curious!» she claps her hands and gestures for me to open it.
I take a look at the envelope that has my name written over in Bokuto's trembling calligraphy. I slowly open it, taking care to do not break the paper too much.
On the inside, there's no letter but a draw. It's an imperial owl that winks at me. He obviously did that and he also add colors.
At the end of the draw, there's a little note.
To Belle, I'm not an artist like you but I tried my best to make this! It's cool, isn't it? Akaashi said it is! I feel like your new room needs something that reminds you of me! So you better put that on the wall or I'll be very sad :(
-Bokuto :)
I show mom the drawing and I see her smiling at it «Sooner or later you should confess to each other»
I widen my eyes «No no no, mom, Kō doesn't like me! He's just repaying me for helping him with his study»
My mom sniffed «Yeah yeah, feel free to believe that» she stands up and starts going to her bedroom «but I'm a mom and I can sense this kind of thing from miles away!»