Ch.4 The match day
Even if it's Saturday
I woke up earlier today because I couldn't sleep well. It's 6:43 A.M
I think about yesterday… why won't she get out of my mind?
To distract myself i review our team strategy
I read the formation once again:
Jersey number 1 Captain and libero: Ohashi Shuichi 3rd year.
Jersey number 2 Wing spiker: Katayama Shigeo 3rd year
Jersey number 5 Opposite spiker: Hirano Shin 2nd year
Jersey number 6 Setter: Koganegawa Kotaro 2nd year
Jersey number 8 Wing spiker: Sakamoto Jun 2nd year
Jersey number 11 Middle blocker: Hayashi Oisin 1st year
Jersey number 12 Middle blocker: Tanaka Satoshi
1sr year
Yes i am a starting player in my team,my coach chose me because he says i have talent.
I don't really know if he's right but I must do my best at the tournament, especially against Kokiwashi.
After half an hour I decide to go down stairs,and I see my sister smiling while typing on her phone.
"Morning Sis"
"Oh morning Bro"
"You're chatting with Suga-chan? Mmmh~?"
Her smiling face becomes a 'I will slit your throat' face.
"Zip it"
She goes downstairs stomping. (My room is in the attic,that's why i need to go down two flights of stairs,every single motning)
Suga-Chan is her boyfriend,she always gushes about him,and when he's in the same room as my sister her brain becomes mush.
As i go downstairs too i see my dad sitting at the dining table.
"Morning pops"
"Good morning Sato"
Mom says I'm just a younger version of my dad,and I can see why.
We're both very tall and brawny with gloomy faces and as she says we have the same "Scaredy cat nature".
"You have the tournament right?"
"Yeah…"
"Good luck then"
End of the conversation.
You might think we don't get along,but it's actually the exact opposite.
We get along so well we don't need words.
"Awww Sato has become such a fine piece of young man! He even plays as the starting Middle!"
"Mom stop…"
"Wait bro you are a starting player? Are they blind or what~?
"Zip it"
"Fineeee you're such a partypooper"
I really love moments where we are all together as a family.
…
Mutsu city sports centre
When i arrive at the sports centre
(Brought by Suga-chan)
I instantly recognize my team,because we stand out… a lot… in the wrong way…
"That's your team Satoshi-Kun?"
"oh yeah… how did you get that?"
Suga-chan (Sugawara Takeo) physically is a very average guy:brown hair and average height ,but he has a lot of charm when it comes to people. He even broke through my sister's cold nature.
He's really a nice guy,and all of my family is head over heels for him.
"Well i went to Kinzoku too,so i recognize their uniform"
"Oh right"
"Well i'll drop you here then? See ya later"
And he drives away
As i get closer to them,they notice me
"Tanakaaaaa! Shin is being an asshole again come and help me"
This is said by Sakamoto Jun, our Wing spiker,blonde hair,pierced ears,your usual Kinzoku delinquent.
This would be true if he wasn't such a crybaby.
"Come on,Jun it's not my fault,if you have such a low guard"
He stole his chocolate bar.
Yes That's the problem.
"Calm down you two"
Our captain Ohashi resolves this situation pretty quickly.
The coach Futakuchi arrives
Then he checks who's missing.
"Only Hayashi-San and…"
"Sorry for being late Shu-chan"
"Yamagata-san…"
"It's Rika for you"
A gyaru gives Ohashi a headflick,she's our team manager Yamagata Rika.
Blonde with fake nails and tanned skin.
She treats us like we're children,and she's right.
"Fine Rika-san,now only Hayashi is missing"
"He said he'll arrive by train,so he should be here by minutes"
And I was right, he arrived a few minutes later.
…
Inside the Sport centre
I must admit,I'm really anxious about the tournament.
Plus the centre is very cold so my stomach aches so much.
When i go into the bathroom i found myself face to face with a guy,tall with black hair and a purple jersey… this means a Kokiwashi player.
"Excuse me"
I try to avoid trouble,nice and easy.
"I didn't know Kinzoku had mutants in their team,are we sure you're a highschooler?"
"…"
"You shouldn't harass other people when you don't even play as a reserve"
"Senpai…"
A big guy enters the bathroom,wearing the same purple jersey,but he has a royal look around him.
He's the captain with the number 1.
"Sorry for the trouble"
He bows (and forces the other guy to bow too)
"Oh… no problem"
Now I'm feeling even worse.
…
The match starts
We are the first to serve.
The serve gets defended and the setter sets to the captain,their opposite spiker.
The ball comes and…
With a perfect cross shot it's their point.
How? We made a triple wall,covering pretty much everything.
His ability is on another level
"Tanaka don't sweat it too much"
"Oh right thanks Ohashi"
"Focus on the others too"
There was no need for that.
All the times the ball went to their side,the setter gave it to the captain.
We manage to score points,but just enough to stay 2-3 points behind.
After a bit i need to get down,(every three rotations the middle changes)
I sit on the bench besides Yamagata.
"Sato-chan,Could pretty please USE YOUR FUCKING HEIGHT"
Her voice echoed through the centre.
"You are a Meter and fucking 90cm why the hell are you scared of blocking?"
"E-emh… i might fail just like the first point…"
"First fuck you, second i'm sure you can block him,if you use your brain,and you have a lot of it"
As kind as always.
The coach calls time-out.
"Emh… guys so…"
"Sir if i may"
Yamagata interrupts him.
"Your brains have turned into dogshit or what?"
Silence fell.
When she speaks even the dead start listening.
"Shu-chan your shitting your pants right?"
"…"
"Get your shit together"
"Shi-chan you can defend his spikes your just a pussy"
"…"
She gave a headflick to both
"Shin,I don't think Madoka-chan would like a guy who pussies out. Grow some balls"
Then she looks at Sakamoto and Slaps him.
"You got it,Jun"
Sakamoto nods like a beaten dog.
She looks at Kokoga
"Do your usual second-touch attack,don't be scared,Moron"
She chops his head.
"Oisin,be more explosive,you look like a dead hamster"
She stomp his feet
"Sato,you're scared we will judge you? We won't think about all the times we helped you."
She points to our cheering team.
Small but loud.
"They're for you"
Here for me?
For an ogre like you?