Nekoma High-School
17th November, Kuroo's Birthday
Another two weeks are passed and the Tournament is getting closer. We practice even during the lunch break and after school to be make better our attack and defense.
The girls never fail to surprise me and that make me even more excited to win. This will be mine, Ana and Mina's last high-school Tournament and I feel my heart slowly breaking.
Ana from the next year will be in the Japanese National Under 19 Team, Mina still doesn't know if she will keep playing volleyball and in the end I choose Chinese Team. They offer me more possibilities and I think I will totally have the grow up I want in that team. So yes, it's kinda sad but don't play together doesn't mean we will not see each other anymore.
«NEGATIVITY BEGONE!»
Mina hits me in the hip with her hand, taking me by surprise and make me tremble on Ana.
«What the hell, Mina?!» I grab the painful hip and pout.
She grins «When you're too quiet you're thinking about sad thing so I used this new technique that Sugawara-san suggests me to kill all the negative thoughts!»
Note to myself: never introduce Mina to someone anymore!
I sigh «Sorry! I was thinking about...»
«The future! We know!» they also answer me together and give me a stupid look.
«Ooh, let's go get your stupid boyfriend and shut up!» I walk ahead them and I finally see the enter of Nekoma's gym.
Today is Kuroo's birthday so we decided to hang out with him, Kenma, Yaku, Kai, Bokuto and Akaashi to celebrate it. Mina suggested to go to the little restaurant near Nekoma where they serve delicious grilled mackerel pike — or Kuroo's favorite food!
The place is pretty enough to make us decided to dressed up a little, putting on a some lovely dresses — under our big coats — and high boots — we convinced Ana to putting them too even if she's already super tall and now she's even more stunning.
Bokuto and Akaashi will wait us at the restaurant while we're going to get the kitties.
«Good evening my fellow friends!» I greet everyone, opening the gym's door «You don't seem ready» I points at the boys who are collecting their things.
«We change quickly and then we can go, my fellow friend» Kuroo mocking me and send us a smirk.
«C'mon, the owls are waiting!» Ana stuck his head inside the gym and wave at the boys. Mina appears next to me and a strange aura is surrounding her.
Kuroo assumes a military position «Yes, we're late! I'm sorry! C'mon boys or this is gonna be my last day on earth!» he push Kenma, Kai and Yaku outside, between the laughing of their teammates.
«That's not seem so bad» Yaku mutters under his breath but I hear him and chuckle a little.
«And why are you laughing at?» Kuroo stop his path and lower his head to look me in the eyes.
I flick his forehead «I was thinking about how you're scared of a little girl like Mina, you tall cat!»
«Eh? I'm not sca...»
The sentence is cut by Mina's glaring. With that all four boys run in the changing room without looking back.
Geez, Mina is super cool.
«Excuse me, you three can be this hot and you still keep dressing in tracksuit? I can't believe it»
«I totally agree»
Are the first things Kuroo and Bokuto says to us when we take off our coats. Mina blush madly and mutter his boyfriend to stop saying such things while me and Ana just do a little swing and they boys lift up all their fingers like it was a beauty contest and they had to give us scores.
In the end we sit up at a big round table in the middle of the restaurant with me sitting beside Bokuto followed by Kuroo, Mina, Ana, Kai, Yaku, Kenma and Akaashi on my left.
We order our food and spend the wait chatting about nothing, doing stupid jokes and talking about some future projects.
When the waitress return with our plate we — of course — confound something with other things and switch off plates a couple of times but after some minutes we can finally eat.
«This fish looks absolutely delicious»
I look at the plate in front of me and I can feel little drool on the corner of my mouth.
«Isabelle-san, you're drooling» Akaashi points out.
Everyone laugh and I pout «Akaashi! I'm not Kōtarō, stop embarrassing me!» I hit him with one of my chopsticks and the boy only flash me a smile.
After thanking for the food we start eating. We can't really stay quiet so we keep talking and the topic fall pretty quickly on volleyball.
«Isabelle-san, did you take a decision?» Yaku asks me, chewing a piece of beef — he doesn't like fish.
Kai and Kuroo send him a confused look and then turn to me.
«What decision?» Kuroo asks me.
I take a sip of water «I guess that pretty much everyone knows that expect you two guys» my gaze switch between them «I only say that to a little circle of people and I was ready to tell you all tonight if the opportunity showed up»
Kuroo put down his chopsticks «And why Kenma and Yaku already knows?»
«We just heard her talking about that at the Summer Camp with her mom» Kenma answers for me and I nod.
«Anyway the decision was which National Team I was going to choose between Brazilian and Chinese» no one still know my answer so they all looking at me with curios eyes «and I send my confirm to the Chinese one!»
After a moment of silence various applause explode from my friends and Bokuto hug me tights, caressing my back.
«That's amazing! Absolutely amazing!» Kai congratulates with me from the other side of the table and I smile.
«I put my bet on the Brazilian one, daaaamn!» Ana says while Mina is doing the victory dance.
«I'm a genius! And I want my money!»
We laugh at scene: Ana — a very cheap girl — is struggling to give Mina the money they bet and I think she's going to cry all night.
«Congratulations, Isabelle-san» Akaashi and Kenma say at the same time.
I slide out from Bokuto embrace to hug Akaashi and ruffle Kenma's hair «Thanks everyone but today is not my day sooo» I turn my attention to Kuroo «we want a speech from the birthday boy!»
Kuroo fakes to be embarrassed while everyone is cheering him to give us a speech.
«If you insist!» he also stands up — thankfully the restaurant is small so there's not many people inside «When I was little...»
«Oh please, don't start from the paleolithic» Yaku comments and everyone chuckle.
Kuroo seems to ignore his friend «...I was really shy, y'know? My first friend was Kenma and at the start I really don't know how to appreciate him in the right way...but the I discovered volleyball. Thanks to volleyball I've met amazing people and players like you guys, I am with the girl I love and I found a new family»
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.
I peek at Bokuto and see his smiling at his friend with teary eyes. Yaku and Ana are trying to hide their face, already marked with tears. Mina is speechless, Kai is smiling like a proud dad and Kenma and Akaashi — well, their Kenma and Akaashi.
«So I have to thanks volleyball but also you guys, who makes me a better person, inside and outside the court» with that he lift his cup of tea and we do the same, slamming ours with his.
«Happy birthday, Kuroo!» we say together between some tears.
Then a waitress comes to us with our surprise in the hand. Kuroo didn't want any gifts so Mina decided to bake him a cake and asks the restaurant's owner to bring that after the dinner.
«You said "no gift" but I'm too stubborn!» Mina take the cake out of the waitress hands and thanks her «So happy birthday, Tetsurō»
She place the cake in front of him and Kuroo quickly grab her face and kiss her lips. I take a picture of this adorable moment and I see Ana doing the same.
They break the kiss and a very embarrassed Mina take the knife «Cake?»
We all help her cutting the cake and together we eat our dessert. Until Ana's phone buzz.
I see her looking at the screen with a surprised look «Isabelle, why Semi-san text me telling me that Karasuno number 10 sneaked in the First Year Selective Intensive Training Camp that Shiratorizawa held?»
Everyone laugh.
Number 10? Who can be so dumb to do such a stupid...
«NUMBER 10?!» I raise my voice.
The reality hits all the people on the table at the same time.
«I'm gonna call him»
I stand up and get out the restaurant.
I calm down and reach my phone, composing the incriminate number. No answer.
I compose another one.
«Hiii, Isabelle-chan! Why're you callin' me?» Tendō replying after some seconds.
«Are you still at practice?»
«Yeah, I was helping the selected first year to clean up, why?»
I sigh «Pass me him»
He chuckles «Immediately»
After some other seconds he finally speaks.
«H-hi, sensei...» Hinata's voice is trembling.
I take a deep breath «Shoyō, can I ask what in the hell were you thinking?!» I hiss trough the phone «You should practice for the National Tournament, for God sakes!»
I can sense he's panicking from here «I-I know! I'm so sorry! But Kageyama was invited to an All-Japan Youth intensive training camp and Tsukishima received Shiratorizawa invite so I don't want to be left behind! I know why I'm here and I will get better even if I'm the ball boy!»
I don't reply for a while, processing everything.
«S-sensei? Are you mad at me, aren't you? If you don't want to keep our promise it's okay, I let you down, I'm...»
I stop him «Shoyō, stop it already! First I'm gonna maintain our promise no matter what, second I'm not so mad and third you don't let me down, okay? I think you did a stupid thing but I can understand your reasons so don't stress yourself»
«Really, sensei? I-I...thank you! I don't know how to thank you enough!» I have the strange feeling he is bowing even if we're on the phone.
«Now now, use this time and become the best ball boy Shiratorizawa ever had, okay?»
«YES SENSEI! I HAVE TO GO NOW! I'M PASSING YOU SHIRATORIZAWA'S NUMBER 5»
I chuckle. He doesn't remember Tendō's name.
«Since when you're a 'sensei'?»
I sigh «Just forget it! Thank you for letting me speak with Hinata, Satori»
«Always at your serve, Isabelle-chan! Plus, I like the little tangerine!»
I smile «What a sweetie! Now I'm going back to my dinner, this already stress me enough! Call me if Hinata causes trouble or if you need a friend! Bye Satori!»
«Alrigh, bye bye»
I hang up and sigh again.
What a troublemaker.
«Take this strike, you little kitty!»
«Shut up, you tree!»
After the dinner Kuroo proposed to go to play bowling all together. What a good idea.
We split up in two teams with Yaku and Ana — or the best two bowling player in our group — as captains: me, Kuroo and Akaashi are with Yaku while Mina, Bokuto and Kai are with Ana. Kenma decided to stay outside and watch us play.
We're winning and this is our last round.
«HEY HEY HEY, ANA-SAN YOU'RE REALLY GOOD!» Bokuto give Ana an high-five and she sticks out her tongue to Yaku who hasn't done yet neither one.
Akaashi points at the screen «But we're winning»
Me and Kuro start laughing at Akaashi statement: his calm attitude in any situation is the best.
Ana popped a vein «Kai! You better do another strike!» she orders the poor boy who simply smile.
It's my turn and — let's say that — I'm definitely better with volleyball. Yaku sends me a glare when I touch the 9kg ball so I change my mind and take the 6's one. He relax a little and I know I did the right choice.
«You know, Isabelle-san, if you do a strike or a spare will be absolute our victory» he starts «sooo, you don't want to lose to your boyfriend and your friends, right?»
At this words I feel my body explode in fire.
I'm not gonna lose.
I recollect all the tips Yaku and Kuroo gave to me and positioning myself. When I slide the ball on the floor I can clearly see that it aiming more at the right side of the ninepins.
Shit.
At last moment the trajectory changes and now is more central. In the end I take down eight ninepins but last two are on the opposite side of the track.
I avoid Yaku's eyes and just wait for the ball to come out and do my second and last launch.
You can do it Isabelle. A spare. If you hit the one on the left with enough strength you have to prey that it falls right on the other one.
This time I put a little more strength and aim at the left. The ball slides really fast and hit the left ninepins who is trow on the right one, taking down both.
«NO WAY!» Ana falls on her knees with Bokuto, desperate for their defeat.
«YES ISABELLE-SAN!»
Yaku give me a high-five and Kuroo ruffles my hair.
«I really didn't think you girls could actually play bowling with dresses» Kuroo admits.
Me, Ana and Mina look at each other and do our best impression of some Jojo's Bizzarre Adventures poses, making all the boys — including Kenma — laugh at our stupidity.
«Now I see why you keep hanging out with us» Kuroo says, wiping off some tears «I think this is the best birthday I've ever had, thanks guys»
And then we just squeeze each other in a group hug.
What a night.