Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
10th January, National Tournament, Finals
«Here we are with the last game of this Tournament! This morning we saw the winning of Ichibayashi High against Fukurodani Academy, obtaining the big prize and now we'll see the ladies: Shumizen Academy against Juzen High! What else we can say? Good luck to everyone!»
I sigh, caressing Bokuto's back «How are you, babe?»
He sniffs, still sad by this morning defeat «I would be better if I won»
I press my body more against his and I can feel some tears running down my shoulder «I know that you're upset now but I think you guys did it great out there! You played very well but the opponent were stronger, it's sucks, I get it, but you need to be strong now, you come till the finals and obtain a second place in your last Tournament! You never come so far like this years and that's means that the years after you'll go even more further! I know that because I believe in you and in your passion» I step back to look at him «so don't curse yourself for a defeat when you take your team till here»
He gives me a tremble smile and some applause appear from behind him. We turn and see the Fukurodani's boys all here, watching us.
Akaashi takes a step closer «Isabelle is right, Bokuto-san. We're grateful to be here and it's all thank to you. This may be a defeat but for all of us is a victory»
Bokuto runs to the boys and tugs them in a group hug that — for the first time — in appreciate from everybody.
Konoha peeks at me and extend an arm in my direction «We want our lucky charm here with us for the last time»
I take his hands and I'm quickly dragged in the hug, squeeze in different arms.
«Now now, we need to let go Isabelle, she has a game» Washio reminds and they let me go, patting my back and ruffling my hair.
I smile «I'm gonna win this also for you!»
I give an high-five to all of them and a quick kiss to Bokuto and then I run into the court.
My girls are already warming up and I join them, smiling.
I'm not ready for today.
«This game is so intense that is hard watching it! We're now on the third set and Shumizen is leading the flow! On the other hand Juzen High does want to let go, challenging their friends with their powerful attacks!»
First set 25-19, second set 28-30 and now we're on the third set and we're currently at our set point.
We're fighting like real soldier and nobody want to let go and slow down a bit.
Damn it.
Koko spikes on Ishikawa and she receives the ball, sending it right back to the Juzen's court. And also outside it!
No way.
Koko calls it out but I don't want to let it drop. I run as fast as I can, passing on the other side of the net without stepping inside the opposite court. Koko looks at me in disbelief and I send back the ball at my girl, doing the best toss I can from this distance.
The shock on the opponent faces is enough to let Ana scoring the last point while I'm returning in my place.
We jump and hug each other, happy to win also this set.
Just one more and we will definitely win.
«I didn't see that coming» Koko says to me, grabbing the net with both her hands and smirking «it was pretty cool»
I send her a thumbs up «I know!»
We laugh together for a bit and then return at our serious expression — or the game expression as Risa likes to call it.
Be ready to lose this, my friend.
«Fifth set for the ladies! Wow, what a GAME! Shumizen receive a brutal defeat on the fourth set but now they definitely wants to regain every point in this final set, pushing themselves over the limit!»
The speaker is damn right. Juzen won the last set with 25 points at 18 and in that moment I noticed that my first year were slowly getting tired and tired.
A little time out and the change of the court really help, luckily, and now we're again at our 120%. Only two points and the match is ours while Juzen needs 6 more points.
We speed up our usual game to end this up quickly, attacking from every direction and focusing on doing some toss even if we're not setter. Everyone has to attack, even Ana, and if the ball ends up in Mina's hand for the last touch she can attack too.
«MAKI-CHAN!»
We scream and jump on her when she does the ace that take us to the set point.
The girls outside the court are doing a strange encouraging dance they learned from Suga.
I though he was the calm one but I'm totally wrong.
Maki serves again but this time they manages to receive it and attack. The spike ends up right on Oshiro, who can't dodge it in time and receive it with her forehead, falling on her butt.
«SAVE THIS DAMN BALL!» she screams at Ana, who jumps above Oshiro, tosses the ball to Ishikawa and, to avoid to fall on the wing spiker, she falls as well beside her.
The spike is blocked by a tall wall and Konishi runs under the net to save the ball, sending it back to Mina.
«TO ME» I wave my hand.
«NO, ME!» Moto is on the other sides of the court, ready to jump.
«CENTRAL!» Ana is right on her feet again and ready to attack.
«I GET IT!» Mina screams back and we did a synchronized attack libero version.
We know that it's time to end this. Mina tosses the ball really high in the direction of Ana so their middle blocker run to stop her but we have other plans. I run in front of Ana, avoiding all my teammates and jump with my setter. The girls who were running towards us stop for a moment, shocked, and I use this second to spike with my left arm a powerful vertical right on the corner of their court.
We all return to the ground and when the linemen signal that the ball is in my team erupted in joy. We're crying, screaming, jumping, hugging each other. Also Risa and my mom are ran to us with tissues and messy faces.
«Incredible! Shumizen Academy wins for the third year straight! They absolutely make history! Congratulations!»
At our group hug we feel other arms around us. Turning our head we see that Juzen are here too, hugging us and crying with us.
Koko cups my face with her sweaty hands «You did it again! You fucking dragon!»
I cry even harder and hug her, grabbing her jersey «I did it because I had opponent like you who makes me want to become stronger! So thank you! Oh God, I'm going to miss you so much, Koko!»
She is sobbing too «Fuck Isabelle, I'm gonna miss you too!»
And here it goes my last high-school Tournament. I turn my head to Bokuto and see he and his team jumping in happiness.
I run to them and jump in my boyfriend arms, who swing me around, hugging me tightly.
«YOU GIRLS DID IT! YOU DID IT!»
I cry on his shoulder.
Yes, we did it.
At the final ceremony we stand above the number one while Juzen and Abeman are on the number two and three with their medals.
I look at them and they look at us, taking our hands and hugging each other while journalists and TV crews are surrounding us, asking any type of questions.
We politely answer and do some photos even with the top three male's teams.
In the end us, Juzen, Abeman, Sasaki — who skipped school to come and see our last game —, Kuroo, Kenma, Yaku, Kai and Fukurodani go together at the nearest restaurant to eat dinner. It casually ends up to be a ramen house and me, Mina and Ana sighs, looking at the bight signal above us.
«Now I'm sure it's not a coincidence» Ana mutters.
Me and Mina send her a confused look «You sure needed time»
Ana toss us her bag, make us do an ungracious fall.
«Shut up and go inside, we're always the last!»
We enter in the restaurant and see everybody already sit down so we quickly take the place they left us.
We all order a bowl of ramen and we can finally relax a bit. We can finally eat something hot and joke, chat, pocking each other with the chopsticks, divide some good tea and pass our last moments here together as the family we are.
When the food arrives the waitress compliments us for the games she saw on TV and after we thank her everyone start eating. We're sitting around a round table so it's more easy to see everyone faces and smiles.
We're all in the same position, sit with crossed legs and no shoes and constantly turning our head to the right and to the left with some noodles in our mouth to can hear and talk with everybody.
I snuggle my shoulder against Bokuto's and he turns to me with an entire egg on his mouth.
I laugh «I'm really happy, you know?»
He swallows it and grins, pressing his forehead on mine «Me too»
After dinner we divided and everyone go to their house with our team's bus.
When me and mom reach home we literally run inside and jump on her bed, facing the ceiling.
«I think I'm the proudest mom in the entire universe»
I laugh a slap her arm «Oh please!» I stand up and yawn «Thank you for this three years mom, you really changed my life»
She stands as well and hug me «This house will be very lonely without you»
I hug her back «Don't worry, I'll come for Christmas at alternate years!»
She pinches my cheek and push me in my room «I'm not going to cook you anything then! Go sleep now, you need rest!»
I laugh and wave at her, wishing her a goodnight and closing the door behind me.
I fall on my bed and take my phone out of my pocket. Holy shit, too many texts.
«Aiza-chan, call me when you come home! I need to tell you something✌🏻»
Sighing I press the call button and wait for him to pick up.
«Hi Tōru, what you...»
I can't end the sentence because some loud voices screaming "Congratulations!" stop me. I laugh at their cuteness and thanks everyone on the other side of the line. We chat for a bit until I check the clock.
It's already late, damn.
«I think I need to call also other friends right now so have a goodnight and I love you guys, really!»
And after some goodbyes we hang up. I check the other texts and notice various missed calls from Shoyō so I decide to call him back.
He's probably sleeping.
But then a quite voice answers «Hello?»
I chuckle «Sorry for waking you up but I'm just return home and I notice the twenty missed calls sooo here I am»
I can hear he's jumping up and some strange noise «WAKE UP! GUYS! SENSEI IS ON THE LINE!»
Now I'm pretty confused.
«Sensei? Takeda-sensei? Why he called now?»
Is that Suga?
«NOT THAT SENSEI! ISABELLE-SAN!»
Another rumble of strange noises and then a lot of voices.
«AIZAWA-SAN! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU GIRLS WERE AMAZING!» this are definitely Noya and Tanaka.
«Isabelle-san, congratulations, your toss from the opposite court was pure genius!» Suga greets me in his sweet voice.
«Sugawara-senpai is right, I'm jealous of that toss» I guess this is Kageyama's way to tell me he's happy for me. I guess.
«Congratulations»
My eyes filled with tears. Tsukishima is there too, it's a miracle!
«You did great, Isabelle-san!»
And Yamaguchi too, my heart is going to explode.
«You girls are really unstoppable!» Ennoshita, Narita and Kinoshita say at the same time.
This second year share the same brain cells. Well, some of them.
«Congratulations, Aizawa-san! You're really a great ace!» Azumane says, laughing a little.
«You keep the promise to be above the number one at the end of the Tournament! Compliments! I'm willing to see how far you'll go!»
I sniff «Sawamura! Guys! Oh my God, thank you for everything! I'm so moved right now!»
«H-hey wait, it's my turn! I have something to tell you too!» Hinata says, probably coming closer to the phone «First of all, congratulations, I had no doubt on your victory! Second thing, thank you for all you did for me! And lastly good luck for the next year! Bokuto-san told me you'll go in China to train with their National Team! So keep winning and...and don't forget us!»
Oh Shoyō.
«Don't worry, little tangerine, I have zero intentions of forgetting you»