Every single one of the players were in high spirits despite the exhaustion, for this last set will decide the outcome of the game.
Currently the tallies for the previous games are as follows:
Game 1: 2 : 1 In favor of Kanna's team.
Game 2: 1 : 2 In favor of the opposing team.
Game 3: 1 : 1
No matter what the outcome of the game may be, the coaches were incredibly satisfied with today's practice matches with Kanna. For once they did not regret indulging the player's requests. They've already decided on what reward they will give out on the last day for all their hard work. But before that, it's time to find out who the victor of the last game will be.
"LEFT!"
"HERE!"
"BOKUTO-SAN!"
Kuroo and Asahi reacted and moved to block. Koutaro slammed a cross passed the block, determined in securing the point. Only for the ball to be picked up by Sawamura. Which in turn caused both Koutaro and Kageyama to click their tongues in annoyance.
The last set had barely even started, and already it was torturous. Every point earned, was earned painstakingly slow from a long rally. To top it all off, it was such a close game that nobody could get even a single point lead. Now they were entering the endless deuce territory.
A time-out was called and the teams gathered to discuss.
"This is too much." said Asahi clearly exhausted.
"We have to do something to end this." Sawamura stated as he wiped his face off of sweat.
"We're going to end it." Kenma declared.
"Oh?" Kuroo and the rest of the group's curiosities were peaked.
"What are you planning Kenma?" asked Komi intrigued, as he capped his water bottle to listen attentively to what the setter has to say.
"The rest of you just have to make sure to keep the ball in play and to keep attacking. The moment we gain a point." Kenma stopped and turned to look directly at Kanna and said.
"I'll leave the last toss to you." The others just nodded their heads in agreement, even though they didn't clearly understand. Knowing it's those two, they could pull anything off. Meanwhile, Kanna was freaking out.
"You—Why are you assigning such an important task to me?! What if I don't make it?!" She exclaimed.
"You're going to make it." Kenma immediately responded.
"But—"
"You will." Kenma interrupted with finality in his tone, which caused Kanna to pout at him.
"How is it possible to be so cute even in distress?" He thought, whilst struggling to keep his face neutral and preventing a blush from blooming on his face.
Kenma sighed and grabbed Kanna's arm, then proceeded to drag the both of them a little away from the rest of the team.
"Look you can do this. I know you can." He encouraged.
"But what if I get blocked?" She asked with downcast eyes and slumping shoulders.
"Every block has a weakness. You have good eyes. Even if you haven't played as a wing spiker that much, I know you'll be able to see it." Kenma said, with determination burning in his eyes.
Before Kanna could respond to Kenma, the whistle blew signaling the end of the time-out. Kenma lightly squeezed Kanna's arm in reassurance, and then made his way to take his position on the court. Kanna just sighed and followed after him to do the same.
After a few long rallies and multiple tries later. The opportunity arose in the name of everyone's favorite glass-hearted ace Azumane Asahi, along with the ever dependable pain-in-the-ass Kuroo Tetsurou. A glorious attack and block combination that gained them a one-touch from Kuroo.
Kenma signaled Kanna in his peripheral vision, and she proceeded to make her run up for the spike. The opposing team reacted and moved to block.
"Three Blockers!" warned Sawamura
Kanna took a deep breath before putting all her weight in the balls of her feet and jumped with all her might. To her, everything that happened afterwards was like watching it all play out in slow motion. As she was suspended in mid-air, even with the block in front of her, she could see clearly.
Maybe she really did have it all in her this whole time. But she never would've ever known if it wasn't for the amount of belief Kenma so blatantly wanted to shove unto her face. She supposes she should thank him. It is a great honor after all to have someone like him expect her to succeed, even if she herself doesn't.
"Please accept this as an answer to the confidence you have in me, Kenma."
Kanna thought as the ball hovered over her. She raised her hand and spiked the ball into Koutaro's fingertips with all her might. Yaku had moved to try and save the ball, but the trajectory of the ball made it impossible for him to reach.
Kanna stared at the ball in bewilderment as it smacked loudly on the gym floor. She then slowly turned her head to look in Kenma's direction and let out a gasp.
"KENMA! KENMA! KENMA! HAHAHAHAHA!" Kanna exclaimed as she ran and jumped to envelop Kenma in a hug, squeezing with all her might.
"I DID IT! I DID IT! HIHIHIHIHI!" She beamed as she continued to jump in delight in Kenma's arms.
"Yes, yes. You did." Kenma responded to the enthusiastic girl.
The others stared at the two. They didn't know how to react and what even to react to. First of all, that was an insane move they managed to pull off. And secondly, Kenma was returning Kanna's hug with a small smile on his face.
"WHAT?!" They yelled, but the two seemed to be too lost in their own world to care about the others. As Kanna continued to excitedly yell while Kenma nodded and responded quietly.
"THAT WAS SO COOL! KANNA-SENPAI! YOU'RE SO COOL!" Hinata's booming voice pulled everyone out of their trances and back into reality.
Kanna, ever to be swayed by the orange fluff-ball of sunshine, turned towards him and laughed along with a few others. She was in the middle of explaining what happened, when she began to sway, startling everybody. Kenma, Koutaro, Akaashi, and Kuroo the ones closest to her, reacted upon instinct to grab hold of her. Koutaro, being the fastest was the one who caught her. His anxious and worried expression was mirrored by every single person inside the gym.
"Kanna-chan?!" Koutaro exclaimed as he held her steady in his arms.
Kanna shook her head and pushed Koutaro with what little strength she could muster.
"I'm fine, just got to—" She tried to argue, but soon she was falling back into Koutaro's arms, unconscious.
The last thing she saw before everything went black, was Kenma's incredibly distraught face.
The others ran towards them, fussing over Koutaro holding the unconscious girl. The coaches tried to calm them down and instructed Koutaro to take his cousin to the sleeping quarters. Koutaro moved to properly carry Kanna and proceeded to follow after the managers.
Meanwhile at the gym, since the previous matches were rigorous enough, the coaches decided that the players were done for the day and instructed everyone to have ample rest before they had their individual practices. After giving out their warnings if they should catch any of them overworking themselves, the coaches left the gym to check up on Kanna.
After everyone did their cool down stretches, instead of moving around, they all gathered around in a large circle in the middle of the gym waiting for Bokuto or anyone of the managers or coaches to walk through the doors.
Each and every single one of them were beyond amazed at what just happened, but the concern for Kanna's well-being currently overpowered any other emotion.
"Hey guys."
They perked in attention at the sudden voice in the silence of the gym and turned to look in the direction it came from, only to see Shirofuku and Kiyoko standing by the doors.
"What did they say?" asked Sugawara breaking the silence.
"Overwork. She just needs to rest for a while so she's bedridden for the rest of the day. But she'll be fine." Kiyoko answered
At this, all the guys heaved a sigh of relief.
"Where's Bokuto-san?" Akaashi questioned
"Still there. He refuses to leave until she wakes up." answered Shirofuku pointing behind her.
"I'll go talk to him." replied Akaashi, as he left the gym to do just that.
The managers left after him while the others talked among themselves.
"Hopefully she'll be fine by tomorrow." Said Yaku, earning a nod from Sugawara as they continued to talk about how reckless some people could be.
Kuroo turned away from the conversation and noticed Kenma deep in thought.
"You good? Kenma?" he asked.
"Huh?" Kenma answered
Kuroo sighed. "They said she'll be fine. So you don't need to worry too much."
Kenma just deadpanned at him and said. "I wasn't." And then leaving to his own devices.
"This guys seriously." Kuroo just shook his head at his best friend's behavior.
Notes:
*HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! It's been a year already since I first started uploading the story, can you believe it!
*Thank you to all you lovely people who supported and will continue to support the story in the future. I wouldn't have been able to push myself to continue posting if it wasn't for all the support you have shown.
*I would also like to extend my thanks to 1SL4ND3R, YoshiBaby, Shizuku Minatsuki, amixanime, Ilamalama, Tagadaps-A, KunaiKurenai, lacerda9966 and Thu Le1 for favoriting and following; kellos and PoisonPen19 for favoriting, and horses717, RebelTreecko, chyanne200, alzandra, Veloxi, the. Jewel-huntress, picket. fences. 07, SilentMuse17, windlily6370, Celest24 and G-Tri for following after my last post.
Thank You So So Much~~ I Send My Love To All Of You~~❤️️