The awaited match, for a place as one of the three Tokyo Representatives, is finally happening. Our two teams have made it this far. Their painstaking hard-work and perseverance have garnered such results. Now, they're only two games away until Nationals. The goal is within sight. But first,
Semi-Final Game 1: Fukurodani VS Nekoma
Kanna sat with the rest of the Fukuroudani Cheer Squad, though her seat was quickly vacated in favor of leaning on the railing for a better view. She excitedly waved at both teams as they entered the court. Bursting in laughter at Koutarou's excessive response, who managed to hit Konoha who was passing by and got scolded for doing so.
She turned her head when she heard a familiar voice yell through a megaphone. "Go! Go! Nekoma!"
"Akane-chan's all fired up!" Kanna couldn't help the smile that adorned her face. "So CUTE!"
Not even a second after, another voice was heard cheering with such tenderness. "Good Luck, Levochka!"
Kanna didn't know whether she should cringe, laugh or be impressed. "Ahaha… Arisu-nee...That only works because she's…well…Her. Had it been Kou doing that to me, I would've died from embarrassment."
Looking back down, she made eye-contact with a certain pudding-head fidgeting with the ball. She blinked in surprise, lowering her head slightly, giving a shy wave in his direction. But then broke out in a blush, when she caught his tiny, tiny, discreet smile, before he turned around to line up with the rest of his team.
"What the heck?!WHAT THE HECK?!" Kanna panicked, cupping her reddened cheeks.
*Phwwwhhhhttt!—*
The whistle has been blown, the match has officially begun. She lifts her head in attention, gripping the railing in apprehension.
As she watched, Kanna couldn't help but feel conflicted. This was the match that really tested, and pulled on her heartstrings. She didn't know whether to cheer or to feel disappointed whenever either team scores. She settled instead on being critical, and hoping her cousin doesn't pull an unexpected stunt out of nowhere.
But truthfully, she just really wants all of them to go. So no matter who wins, she hopes that the team who doesn't, would come out victorious in their next game.
*Phwwwhhhhttt!—*
Nekoma 16 : 18 Fukuroudani
After a continuous rally, finally, a break point for Nekoma.
"Everyone's in top condition, I see."
She thought, chuckling at Koutarou's face after being caught by Kuroo and Kenma switching block positions.
When Koutarou's spike was called out, she couldn't help but feel like a shift has occurred.
"Hmm~?" Narrowing her eyes as she hummed, surveying the court.
"Do your best, Levochka!"
Kanna heard Arisu cheer. She turned to see that indeed, Lev was going in due to the rotation.
"Oh Lev's in, let's see if he's improved."
Kanna guffawed at Lev's utterly failed attempts, causing a few people around her to look her way. On the opposite stands, she could see Akane-chan trying to comfort an embarrassed Arisu-nee.
When she finally caught her breath, she turned back to look down at the court, only to see Kenma scolding Lev with a really scary expression on his face.
Kanna shivered and lit a candle in her heart for him. "Lev, you will be remembered."
Though as the game progressed, he did manage to get a hit in. That is, before he botched his serve, ending the set in Fukuroudani's win.
The second set was going great. Neither team was letting up on their attacks and receives. And just when she thought nothing major was going to happen.
Bokuto's Weakness #37: If he becomes too fixated/If he excels on one thing, he'll completely forget how to do anything else.
Kanna groaned in shame, collapsing behind the railing and hiding her face from second-hand embarrassment, as she heard the team call for a time-out.
"Ugh, Why~~~ Just, whhhyyy~~~~"
After a few minutes of recollecting herself, she let out a breath as she straightened. Looking down once again, she took a glance at the Nekoma bench.
"You sure got him good, Ken-kun." She thought fondly, resting her head on her arms over the railing, trying to hide her smile, as she admired the play-out of his tactics from his earlier observations.
Tearing her eyes away, she studies the rest of the Fukuroudani team huddled together in a heated discussion. Her gaze zeroes in on one particular person.
"Now, how are you going to put him back in order, Keiji?"
Currently, Nekoma was two points ahead. Considering Fukuroudani's current dilemma—in the name of their Ace—Kanna thought they would need some time to recollect themselves, and thus proceed to do what they did at the training camp. So you can imagine her surprise at the following events.
"Hm~?" Kanna hums curiously, taking notice of Akaashi's unnatural movements, and then proceeding to burst out in chuckles at Lev's reaction to his switch. "Hahaha, he got him."
She refocused as Akaashi tossed the ball towards Koutarou, who was ready and in position to attack. She watched as he spiked a cross directly into Yaku, who managed to receive it, but wasn't able to direct the path of the ball due to Koutarou's power.
Seeing Koutarou's shift in mood, she couldn't help but sigh in ponder. "Haahh~ He actually managed to get him out of it. I wasn't expecting it to be this quickly. Damn Keiji, how much cooler can you get?!"
From then on, Fukuroudani steadily caught up. But for every point gained, Nekoma would counter just the same. The intensity of the game could be felt throughout the gym, both team's cheering squads were up and doing their best to encourage and send their support.
And as the tensions continued to rise, Koutarou—out of nowhere—delivers an astonishingly tight cross shot that managed to land 'right in front of the attack line'.
"Oh~ What a beauty." Kanna couldn't help but gush.
Fukuroudani was now at their match point, but Nekoma wasn't planning on just letting it end like that. Both teams continued to push through, not letting up for even a second. Tiredness and fatigue couldn't even deter them from their goal. They just couldn't afford for the ball to land on their side of the court. But alas, end it they must.
After a continuous rally, Fukuroudani has once again nabbed their match point.
Nekoma 28 : 29 Fukuroudani
The ball has been set. Koutarou ran, each step with a purpose. He jumped, never taking his eyes off of the ball. He lifted his hand, tensing, and launched yet another incredible cross shot. The sound of the ball colliding with the floor boomed loudly, stunning the crowd into silence.
*Phwwwhhhhttt!—*
And with that, the match ends.
Set Count 2 : 0 — Winner: Fukuroudani Academy —has now secured a spot as a representative for the Spring High Volleyball Tournament.—
While the teams exchanged greetings and handshakes, Kanna sprinted down the stairs to meet the guys outside. When the boys exited the doors, Akaashi was the first to notice her. But before either of them could say anything, a loud voice bellowed.
"KANNAAAAAA-CHAAAAN~!" Koutarou barreled through the group, heading straight for her with his arms wide open.
"Wait! Wait—" Kanna pleaded, holding out her hands in a 'stop' motion.
"Bokuto-san, please—" Akaashi tried to interfere, but was promptly ignored.
"Did you see my awesome, awesome, incredible, cross shot?!" Koutarou urged, inching closer and closer to her.
But before he could pounce on her, he got pulled back by the collar, courtesy of Konoha—ever-the-saviour. Kanna sighed in relief and shot him a thankful nod, of which he returned.
After some minor struggling, Koutarou finally gave up and just let himself be held. He turned his attention back at Kanna, as he continued.
"SO, DID YOU?!"
"I did," She confirmed, and despite knowing it might make his head grow larger, she still couldn't help but compliment. "You were really cool Kou-nii."
Koutarou vibrated with barely contained excitement, whopping in glee at her praise. Meanwhile, the rest of the guys watched the scene smiling and laughing along.
Kanna smiled back at them proudly. "Great game, you guys! I better leave you to rest now before your next games. Good luck!"
"Right then, off you all go!" The coaches exclaimed, ushering their respective teams along.
"But I didn't get a hug yet~!" Koutarou grumbles, once again, attempting to reach for Kanna.
"You're covered in sweat! Change first, you big idiot!" Komi chides, pushing him from behind as he's dragged along by Washio and Sarukui. All three of them pointedly ignoring Koutarou's whining, as they waved back at Kanna.
"We'll see you later!"
—~~~—
Kenma sighed as he left Kuroo to deal with a brooding Lev. He nodded back at the others in a circle on the floor, as he took a sandwich from the food pile. Sandwich in hand, he made his way down a few corridors filled with people, before he arrived at a relatively quiet area. He approached the bench and sat down. Opening the wrapping, he took a bite, leisurely chewing as he listened to the humming of the person beside him.
After a while, he crumpled up the wrapping and stood up to throw it to the nearest trash bin. Sitting back down, Kanna handed him a bottle of water, which he took with a grateful nod. Seeing as he'd forgotten to take one before coming.
Kanna waited a few, before speaking.
"Nervous?" She asked, inclining her head to the side as she looked at him.
"Not particularly." Kenma answered as he fiddled with the bottle.
"But you want to win, right?" Kanna gazed at him with a smile. Despite not outwardly showing it, it was clear that he desired to. He could be quite competitive when he wants to be, especially if there's an outside factor edging him on.
Kenma stilled, thinking back to Hinata's text, and their challenge to one another. "Yeah. Yeah, I do." He answered, looking back at her.
Kanna's eyes sparkled, as her smile got brighter seeing the tiny smile he rarely showed. All while willing her face to calm.
"Gosh, Ken-kun~ If you keep doing that, I'm going to melt!"
Voices from down the hall broke the comfortable silence surrounding the two. Kanna glanced towards it, before looking back at Kenma.
"Aren't you supposed to go? They should be looking for you." She voiced, genuinely worried for him.
"It's fine. There's still time." He calmly answers.
Minutes pass, and he finally rises from the bench, holding out his hand for her to take. Kanna looks down at it, and then up at him in question. After hesitating for a few seconds, she places her hand in his and stands.
Kanna thought he'd let go of her hand right after, but he proceeded to take hold, and guide her back along with him. Her eyes widened in realization, face blooming a blaring crimson, as her heart thundered in her chest.
"Aaaahhhh! What?! WHAT?!"
Meanwhile, Kenma buried his face in the collar of his jersey jacket to hide his equally flushed face, as he threw the bottle in his other hand when they passed by the bin.
"What am I doing? What was I thinking?!"
But neither of the two made a move to release the other. They only broke apart—albeit a little hesitantly— when they reached the corner leading to where the rest of the Nekoma team would be.
Kanna wished him luck before he turned the corner, leaving her where she is. Walking away, she could hear the voices of the team calling out to him.
"There you are!" -Yaku
"Kenma! Hurry, come on!" -Yamamoto
"Where were you?" -Kuroo
"Nowhere." -Kenma
Kanna giggled as she skipped down the hall, not paying any mind to the stares she got. How could she, when something incredible just happened.
Notes:
*Ahhh! ! ! Who else is dying from the overload of fluff up in here?!
*I followed the manga for this (and will be doing so for the others), as there were parts that were cut in the anime and I needed the flow.
*I would like to extend my thanks to magum1, Yozora Kuro, KarmaKitten and kaybec7959 for favoriting and following; Vapplepie, lilmax123, JaimeFM, brdbrown, YelloTiana, yamemin and beyond. the. staras for favoriting, and Euclee, buffmanzoro and millerc742 for following after my last post.
Thank You Very Much!