Regrouping Between Sets
The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the first set.
Seiyo High: 25, Misaki High: 18.
Misaki's players trudged back to the bench, their faces a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. The stadium's roaring energy hadn't dimmed, but the weight of the loss made every sound feel distant.
Yuuto pulled off his sweat-soaked jersey and shook his head. "We can't win like this."
Renji stayed silent.
His fingers curled into his kneepads as he lowered his head, replaying every mistake in his mind.
I couldn't read them.
I couldn't stop them.
I failed.
Coach Fujimoto crossed his arms, his gaze scanning the team. "We're not out of this. We made adjustments before, and we can do it again."
But how?
Renji had tried everything—reading the ball, anticipating angles, reacting faster.
None of it had worked.
A hand touched his shoulder.
"Renji."
He looked up.
Asuka.
She wasn't smiling. There was no teasing in her expression. Just seriousness—and something else.
Belief.
"You're trying too hard to predict Kenjiro," she said, her voice steady. "You're overthinking. Stop thinking so much. Trust your instincts."
Renji's eyes widened.
Asuka's tone softened. "I know you, Renji. When you play on instinct, you're unstoppable."
Her words sank in, cutting through the weight of his self-doubt.
Instinct.
Hadn't that always been his strength?
Not thinking—feeling.
Not guessing—reacting.
His heartbeat slowed.
For the first time since the match began, he breathed.
---
Second Set: The Adjustment
The whistle blew.
The second set began.
And Renji made a choice.
Instead of watching the ball, he focused on Kenjiro's body.
The angle of his wrist.
The tension in his shoulders.
The subtle shift of his fingers before impact.
All the details that told the truth before the ball even moved.
---
First play—
Seiyo executed another Twin Cross.
Kenjiro leaped, twisting mid-air—his hand shaping for a powerful cross-court spike.
Before his hand even met the ball—
Renji moved.
He lunged right, arms steady—perfect dig!
The crowd exploded.
---
Second play—
Seiyo switched things up.
Kenjiro went up for another fake, selling a powerful attack—but Renji didn't bite.
His feet stayed grounded, his body still.
He waited.
Kenjiro's partner tipped the ball at the last second.
Renji was already there.
Another dig.
Another counterattack.
Another point for Misaki.
---
Slowly—the momentum shifted.
Misaki's players started anticipating Seiyo's moves.
Yuuto's sets sped up, firing up their offense.
Their blockers, learning from Renji's reads, adjusted to the Twin Cross.
Seiyo's once-unbreakable rhythm started cracking.
They hesitated.
They doubted.
Kenjiro's smirk faltered.
---
Taking Back Control
With every rally, Renji trusted himself more.
When Seiyo faked—he didn't panic.
When Kenjiro swung—he saw it coming.
When his teammates needed him—he was there.
Renji stabilized Misaki's defense.
And with that, Seiyo lost control of the tempo.
Misaki took the second set.
25-22.
As the referee signaled the set's end, Misaki's bench erupted in cheers.
Renji exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow.
They weren't done yet.
---
End of Chapter 45
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To Be Continue