It was eleven o'clock. A year ago at this time Aiko would have been fast asleep but now she had changed boards to IGCSE as well as juggling three extra GCSEs in a bid for her to still seem like a favourable applicant despite her permanent exclusion from her previous school. They did not even have one of her courses here and she had to self tutor. She glanced at the stack of folders with her completed homework and sighed. Resuming back to watching her laptop, she watched the small figures running across the court: Shiratorizawa vs Aoba Johsai Match. The notable players were Ushijima Wakatoshi and Oikawa Tooru and perhaps Iwaizumi Hajime. All in their third grade of high school. She studied them noting down their moves. Her roommate was fast asleep and snoring - the only thing which was preventing Aiko from falling asleep.
The next morning, Aiko woke up at four. She had only four hours of sleep but that will have to do. Tiredly, she went out for her morning run whilst her roommate continued to snore. Then, she went into the gymnasium, did some yoga and practised some sport. Nobody was there that early so Aiko was alone and she was relieved for that. They said they would meet at three. Well, Aiko had to attend the dance club her parents had signed her up for. They thought it would be a way in which she could release her emotions. She would just have to run back here and get ready.
Aiko was the first one there. A few minutes later, Fumishi and Kyota arrived. Fumishi pulled her into a hug. And started inquiring about her day and the gossip. She had only known Fumishi for a few days but it felt like she knew her from childhood. Next, Miko arrived smiling and finally Kesha who was wearing an incredibly short dress and powdered in makeup entered. They all ordered their food and drinks.
"So the training camp," Kesha brought up, "What are your plans, Captain?" She emphasised the captain.
"Well, what days are you all free?" she asked, "If we want to do well we need to have as much practice as possible,"
"I can do everyday after school," Miko said quietly.
"I can as well," Fumishi said.
"Yes," Kyoto grunted.
Kesha sighed. "Yes, I can too," she said.
Aiko smiled. "Well tomorrow, we'll see what are strengths and weaknesses are," She paused, "So Fumishi's the libero?" she asked.
"Yes," she replied, "And Miko, Kyoto and Kesha are spikers,"
They nodded.
"Well, I have emailed the coach and he said he can supervise us so we can get started from tomorrow,"
The others nodded.
Fumishi was on the opposite side of the court facing the three spikers.
"I will demonstrate," Aiko said throwing the ball to Kesha. "Toss it to me,"
Kesha threw it into the air and Aiko spiked with so much power that the ball rushed to the other side just within the court.
"Aiko, why don't you sit this one out?" Fumishi said nervously. One by one the spikers spiked and Fumishi sprinted on the court desperately returning them.
Next, Aiko called the spikers. "I will toss the ball to you and you spike it,"
Miko spiked first and Aiko got another ball. Next, it was Kyoto then Kesha. Kyoto's toss was powerful but went outside the line whilst miko's toss was too soft and could easily be blocked. Kesha's spike was just about right. By the end of the activity and with Aiko and Coach Kette's shouts, the spikes were a bit more controlled. Fumishi three the balls over from the other court.
"Now blocking," Aiko announced. Aiko spiked the ball but the blockers did not even have time to jump. Haruto walked in.
"Guys, I will spike," he said picking a ball off the floor.
The players who had looked like zombies suddenly became energetic as Fumishi tossed the balls and Haruto spiked them not too powerfully.
"The only thing we're lacking is in setting," Aiko explained, "We should at least be able to a basic but good set,"
"Stand in a trapezium. Okay, I will toss the ball to Kyoto and Kyoto will toss it to Miko and so on,"
The first one did not go so well. Kyoto was able to receive the ball but it went in the wrong direction. AFter many attempts, they could do two laps.
"They're improving aren't they, Sensei," Haruto remarked.
"Yes but the powerhouses are more powerful team than they have ever been against," Kettei said, "But they are certainly much better,"
The team made a small calendar with just the month February. Everyday, they will cross the date off and as the crosses increased, the team's determination and skill increased. On the last day, Aiko was walking home. Practice had finished late. Suddenly, she saw her bus drive past and if she missed this one, she would have to walk home. Quickly, she sprant after it but the bus driver did not seem to notice. Abruptly, she heard a sound as she slipped and fell to the floor and there was an excruciating pain in her foot.
"Minamo!" a voice exclaimed. It was Fumishi still wearing her sports kit walking out of the shops. She stared at Aiko smiling but clutching onto her knee.
"I'll call 119," she said.
The next day, Aiko limped into practice with some crutches.
"How's your foot?" Kettei asked, "It's fine - I really think I don't need crutches-"
"You're still not playing like that," the Coach said and Aiko, annoyed, sat down on the bench watching the rest of the team and encouraging them. Despite her injury, Aiko still practised volleyball. She didn't overexert her legs but she did a lot of tossing practises. Fortunately, the injury occured a week before the training camp and was not too serious so Aiko would have it off by the training camp.
As soon, as the doctors said she didn't need the ankle support, Aiko felt so free. She looked at the time: 9:03. She would arrive there by 9:15. They would be nearly finishing the first set. They were playing against ... Torino was it? The hospital was not terribly far from school and this time when Aiko sprinted she made sure she was not running onto anything slippery.
As soon as she reached the entrance of the gymnasium,s eh stopped running and regained some of her breath doing some stretches before walking casually in. As she walked in, she saw the scoreboard. The team had been holding up against … Karasuno. It was still the first set and Karasuno had 24 points whilst Shiroiyama had ten. If they lost this point, they had lost this set. It was not there fault. They only had four players. Aiko stepped onto the court and could see the Karasuno players look at her captaincy band.
"Minamo-kun, how's your ankle?" Kettei asked.
"It's fine," she said still irritated at how she had not been allowed to play.
"Did you warm up?" he asked.
"I ran here and did some stretches outside," Aiko replied throwing her jacket and bag onto the bench.
The coach looked at Karasuno's coach - a man with dyed blonde hair.
"This is Aiko Minamo - the captain of this team," he told him, "She had an appointment which she had to attend and that's why she is late,"
"Oh, that's fine!" the coach exclaimed smiling and Aiko took her spot on the court and smiled encouragingly at the team.
"We weren't able to receive this guy's serve," Kesha whispered in Aiko's ear. Aiko watched as the dark haired boy - Kageyama Tobio - dubbed 'the King of the Court' served the ball. Quickly, Aiko ran and tossed it to Miko who jumped and spiked. The other team looked at them astounded.
"So they have a setter," a blonde haired boy muttered and Aiko smiled. Fumishi threw the ball to Aiko.
"Show them how to serve," she said.
Aiko had served a couple of times through the previous were but not too much due to her ankle. She jumped and hit. The ball had landed before Aiko had landed.
"It doesn't matter - we'll get the next one!" a bald boy exclaimed.
They did not. Karasuno and Shiroyama watched the numbers on the scoreboard change until Shiroyama reached 26.
"Yes!" Fumishi exclaimed. Aiko looked at the blonde boy with glasses.
"I'm not just the setter - I'm also the ace," she replied still smiling.
"Tsk," the boy muttered.
Fumishi and Miko seemed to be having a mini celebration.
"We still have to win this set," Aiko pointed out.
"Well since you're on the team, we will," Fumishi said.
"We need everyone to win - there is no such thing as a one man team in volleyball,"
Miko and Fumishi looked up with serious expressions.
"Yes!" they exclaimed.
Fumishi put her hand in between them followed by Miko. Aiko followed and Kesha then Kyoto did so.
"Go Go for Team Shiroiyama!" Fumishi and Aiko exclaimed.
The umpire blew the whistle for the second set. Karasuno were starting.
"They the umpire is just giving them a chance," she said. The server breathed in before serving. It was a pinch serve. Aiko had briefly shown this to them and it was received by Fumishi who tossed it. The toss was slow and the blockers could easily see Aiko jump. They jumped but were broken with the spike.
The points for Shiroiyama kept on increasing. It was Kyoto's turn to serve. She served powerfully but it was received by the libero.
"To me," the orange haired boy exclaimed.
Aiko smiled she had already seen this in the videos: the so called freak quick. Aiko had warned the team and as the boy spiked the ball Aiko, Kyoto and Kesha jumped. The ball was blocked.
"Had they did this in the first set?" she asked Miko.
"No," she replied, "But I don't think they thought they needed to,"
Suddenly, the bell rang. Shiroiyama glanced at the scoreboards. They had twenty five points.
"What?" Kesha said still in shock.
"We won!" Fumishi exclaimed.
"We're actually not bad," Miko said.
"Well done, guys!" Haruto exclaimed.
"You did very well," Kettei said, "But you still have other teams,"
"We won!" Fumishi exclaimed for what seemed like the millionth time in the room where the team were staying.
"Don't eat too many sweets," Kyoto told Aiko.
"Kyo-chan," Aiko said to annoy Kyoto, "Are you my mum?"
When Kyoto looked at her like she might punch her, she exclaimed that she was just joking.
After a while, Aiko walked walked through the door and turned to the right for the girls toilets. Since coming to Shiroiyama, she had been okay but she knew that anytime she might break. As Aiko came out, her phone buzzed and she realised she had a text.
"Excuse me," a voice said. She looked up to see two tall boys looking down at her - she recognised the Seijoh Uniforms.
"Oh look it's the captain of that girl's school," Oikawa said
"Shiroiyama," Aiko said.
"Well, you may have been lucky with Karasuno but we're - especially me compared to Kageyama Tobio - are much better,"
Aiko laughed. Oikawa was like a small kid.
Suddenly, Aiko felt another figure behind her. It was Ushijima.
"Oikawa, you would have been so much more useful in Shiratorizawa," Ushijima announced.
Oikawa looked pained.
"Shiroiyama has never played at prefecture level, has it?" Ushijima said.
"No," Aiko said. Ushijima nodded. Suddenly Kageyama Tobio appeared.
"How did it feel to lose, Tobio-chan!" Oikawa exclaimed, "I told you I'm better than you,"
Aiko found this so funny.
The orange haired boy suddenly opened the door.
"What?" he exclaimed clutching his stomach, "I knew you meet dangerous people at the bathroom,"
He looked at Aiko. The boy was shorter than her.
"You're so good even at tossing like Kageyama and the Grand Kind,"
"The Grand King is Oikawa-san" Kageyama explained.
For a while there was an awkward silence.
"Anyway," I must get going - I have a match tomorrow," Aiko said, "And Oikawa-san, about Aoba Johsai beating Shiroiyama tomorrow - you guys can try but you won't get far,"
Oikawa just stared at her shocked. at her and Hinata laughed.
"Come on Iwa-chan," Oikawa huffed as he stormed out of the corridor.