Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
7th January, National Tournament, Second Round
«Eh?! Your opponent is Inarizaki?!»
Mina watch Nishinoya with wide eyes. Our little libero going along very well and when Karasuno told us today's opponent she almost faint in his arms.
«Y-yeah! Are they that strong?» he asks, confused by her behavior.
She nods «Hell yes! But the worst part are the people on the stands! They sucks!»
I barely know Inarizaki guys but Mina grow up with the infamous Miya twins until she moved to Tokyo. Sometimes they're parents still see each other and my friend and the brothers hang out too.
«They're hot though» Ana mumbles, receiving some approving nods by our youngest and me too.
«And who's the hottest twin?»
A voice behind Ana make us finch. The Miya twins are smiling down at us. Well, one is smiling the other one is smelling the air like a dog.
«Him» I points at the one with grey hair while the one who make us the question sigh.
«Oh c'mon! You have at your feet also the famous dragon! That's so unf...Oh, Tobio-kun!» the blondie pass trough us and go shake Kageyama's hand.
«Did you have food with you?» the other one asks Sanada, smelling her bag. She gives him a confused look and take a step back.
«Y-yes, the hotel give me the permission to use the kitchen this morning and I cooked some onigiri» she opens her bag and take out a bento «are you hungry?»
The grey one doesn't answer but his stomach growling is enough for Sanada.
She sigh and gives him one «Here, you can have one!»
He take the onigiri and bites it. His eyes starts sparkling and he finishes it in less than three bites.
«Miya Osamu and your cooking is great! Tell me your name»
Sanada lifts an eyebrow «Sanada Emiko»
He nods and goes away, left everybody confused but mostly leaving here his brother, who's still talking with Kageyama.
«Hey, where's 'Samu?» blondie asks, looking at me «He reject you or else?»
I feel a vein popping on my forehead «I have a boyfriend, you jerk» I point my thumb behind me «and he went that way»
He is about to respond but Mina stops him «Cut it, Atsumu, don't start a fight that you're gonna lose»
Atsumu sighs and put his hands in the air, assuming a defeated position «Alright, I'm going! See you in the court, Karasuno» he pass between the girls once again and stop in front of me «see ya never again, I hope»
«Same from here»
And with a death glare our path divided.
«You forgot to tell us they're also idiots, Mina»
«Iseoka team» my mom reminds us while we're stretching «you already know how they play, we defeat them every year and this time it will not be different»
She is sits in the middle of the circle we created «For the newbie, pay attention to their captain but mostly to their middle blocker, their worse than the wing spiker, alright?»
They nod. In that moment the gym's door opens and our opponent step inside. They're the tallest volleyball girl team in the entire nation and that makes them very scary.
«Oh God, the shortest is at least 175cm!» Moto whispers-yells at us, standing up.
I look over my shoulder and meet their captain burning hole in my face with her eyes. A shiver runs down to my spine and I quickly look away.
«They don't really like us, didn't they?» Ana asks me, avoiding their setter glares.
I nod «Wait until we win again, they're gonna hate us even more»
A grin appear on my face and I see the girls relaxing a bit.
«Unleash hell»
«And Shumizen win this match against Iseoka for the third year! Maan, this girls are unstoppable, will they take home the gold even this time?» the man on the speaker says while we're wiping our sweat after this intense match.
«If you run fast enough you can reach Bokuto-kun in the other gym» Mina passes me my bag and give me a push «go go go, captain!»
I nod «You did it great, again! I'm proud! See you later, girls!» I wave at them and run away, passing trough different group of people and journalists who compliment me for the game.
I try to smile and thank everyone and when I finally reach the other gym I can take a deep breath.
I don't like crowds.
I make my way to the court so I can see better when I notice two familiar figures.
«Shoyō! Yamaguchi-kun!»
They turn their head with a shocked face.
I place myself between them «What are those faces? Is he in his emo mood?»
I look at Bokuto and I don't need any answer to know that what I just said is true.
«Y-yes he is but I'm more shocked to see you here, Isabelle-san!» Yamaguchi smiles down at me.
«We just finished our game and I immediately run here! Don't worry, we won!» I grin «If you show him that he will cry» I point at the shirt Shoyō has in hands.
He smiles, proud «Did you see that, sensei? I told you I was going to buy it!»
I give him a high-five and turn my head to the game just to notice Akaashi pointing at us and Bokuto following his gaze.
«Oh! He's looking right here! BOKUTO-SAN!» Hinata lift up the shirt and I wave at the boy who's seems to light up.
«C'mon, Kōtarō! You're the best!» I scream, receiving some thumbs up from the Fukurodani's boys.
Thanks to that he finally comes out from his emo mood and now the real game can keep going.
«HEY HEY HEY, MY DISCIPLE AND THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!»
After a clamorous win Bokuto and Akaashi come to us with big smiles.
I hug my boyfriend and he kiss my cheek «You were super cool out there!»
He grins «I know! Did you won, babe?»
I nod «Of course! I run here after my game and now I was thinking to go to see their game!» I point at the Karasuno's boys who're talking with Akaashi.
Bokuto pats Akaashi's back «AKAAAASHI! LET'S GO SEE MY DISCIPLE PLAY!»
Hinata jumps up and down «YES PLEASE! We're against Inarizaki!»
I can see Bokuto and Akaashi's jaw dropping on the floor.
«That will be an interesting game» Akaashi start pushing Bokuto towards the benches «see you later, Isabelle-san, Hinata-kun, Yamaguchi-kun» he nods and wave us a goodbye.
«I'll wait you near the court, guys!» I wave my hand and turn to Shoyō and Yamaguchi.
«You need to put on your jersey! Let's go!» I push them away from the crowd, using them as human shield.
«Who will be your opponent tomorrow, sensei?» Shoyō asks me while we're entering in the first gym. The other members of Karasuno are already here, changing in their second jersey.
I put a hand under my chin, thinking «Tomorrow is the "Hell Day" and we will facing Morita High-School and if we win» I smile, admiring the possibility «we will be against Tokai»
We reach the other boys and I wave at everyone.
«Hell Day? What's that? It sound cool!» Shoyō starts taking off his shirt. I sit on the court and play with the volleyball they left on the ground.
«The third day is called like that 'cause you're gonna play the third round and also the quarterfinals!» I explain to him, trying to put the ball in equilibrium on my forehead.
«Did you girls won?» Sugawara asks me, already in his orange jersey.
I watch them better and I can't stop a little laugh «Yes, we did!» my eyes are running on every boy «Guys, orange is really not your color!»
Nishinoya jumps in front of me «I look good in both orange and black, right Aizawa-san?»
I nod and give him a thumbs up «You're always the star, Noya-kun!»
Hinata runs besides him «Kageyama looks worse than me, right sensei?»
I peek at Kageyama. I already notice that when we arrived but now I can confirm it: Kageyama is grew up, mentally and physically. The Training Camp must have help him a lot.
«Shut up, human tangerine!» Kageyama points at Shoyō.
I chuckle «I'm sorry Shoyō but I think Tobio looks pretty good in orange!»
Kageyama's face explodes in red and he quickly turn his head in the other way «T-thanks»
Deep inside he is still the Grumpy-ama I know, I smile.
Then I grab Shoyō's shorts «Looking like a tangerine is cool too! I love them!» I try to cheer him up and luckily it works.
«THANK YOU ISABELLE-SENSEI!» he bows his head to fast and he end up giving me a head butt.
I fall on my back, making the ball fly right on my forehead. Jesus, am I really so unlucky?
«HINATA! YOU KILL A GODDESS!» Tanaka and Nishinoya scream and run to me, looking very worried.
I cover the painful spot with my hands and hear other fast steps surrounding me.
«Aizawa-san! Are you alright?» Sawamura asks me, taking my hands out of the way to look at my forehead.
I nod «Yes, don't worry» I open one eyes and notice that something is off «jeez, I see two of everybody»
«ISABELLE-SENSEI! I'm so sorry! Did you need ice? I'm going to take you ice!» Shoyō runs away and return moments later with a bag of ice «Here the ice!»
«Pass it to me» Sugawara take the bag and gently press it on my forehead «this will help you to feel better, Isabelle-san»
I sigh and try to sit up. Azumane and Yamaguchi help me sitting and I caress their hair.
«Thanks, Sugawara-san, Azumane-san, Yamaguchi-kun»
This time when I open my eyes I see clear the smile of Sugawara.
«Just call me Suga!»
I nod and chuckle «Then thanks, Suga-san!»
Shoyō fall on his knees in front of me and crawls to me, taking my hands «I'm so so so so sorry, Isabelle-sensei! I didn't permanently hurt you, right?!»
I slowly shake my head «Don't worry, Shoyō! You just give me a headache!»
The gym's door suddenly opens «C'mon guys, you need to...What are you doing?»
Coach Ukai made his way in our direction and when he sees me on the floor with a bag of ice on my head he immediately panicked.
«Isabelle! What happened?»
I slide my hands away from Shoyō's and take the bag out of Suga's, place it on another spot «I only received an hard head butt but I'm totally okay!»
I start standing up and all the boys create a circle around me, worried that I could fall from any moments.
«A head butt?! Who try to kill the most famous volleyball girl player of Japan?!» Ukai looks in the eyes of every boy, clearly pissed of.
I wave my hands «Don't worry! Not a big deal! You're here because they need to go, right?» I try to distract him.
He sighs and nod «Yeah, the other game is almost over so you need to be on the court in five minutes!»
The boys sending me a last worried look and I grin «Ooh, let go that look, it doesn't suits you! Now you need to think about one thing: win. I'll be watching so don't screw up anything, okay?»
They relax a bit, nod and start going all together in the other court, leaving me and Ukai behind.
«Did you think they can win?» he asks me, looking at the boys back.
I smile «Absolutely»
«HELL YEAH, KARASUNO!»
When the boys score the last point I almost knock down Bokuto jumping on his back. He tremble a little but keep me there, cheering with me and waving at the boys.
It's the first time I see them playing since Shiratorizawa's game and I'm impressed. Shoyō's progress are very big: his reflexes are on point, his receives are finally starting to be good and he has understand how to jump correctly.
I teach him how to do that and seeing it on the court almost bring me to tears.
«TOBIO! SHOYŌ! NICE BLOCK!» I scream from above Bokuto's back.
«DID YOU SEE THAT, ISABELLE-SENSEI? DID YOU SEE MY BLOCK?» Hinata is sitting on the floor, pointing at the net.
I see Kageyama hitting him with a kick and I chuckle.
«WHAT? I BLOCK THAT SPIKE, YOU IDIOT!»
I laugh and Bokuto and Akaashi do the same.
«DON'T ACT SO COOL MR. "I FORGET TO HIT THE BALL"!» I joke and Hinata lay down on the floor again.
The rest of the team is crying and I really want to run and hug them.
«I want to play against Karasuno» Bokuto whispers.
I pinch his cheek «Then keep winning, my big owl»
He spin me around making me giggle like a kid and Akaashi sighs at our behavior.
Sorry 'Kaashi, is funny to be silly with him sometimes.