After thirty chapters updated, all I can say to you is THANK YOU for favouriting, for following and for taking your time to write reviews for this apparently long story because as you can see it's a freaking double update again! Anyway, I truly appreciate your support and I might repeat myself over and over but well it's thanks to every one of you that I came to really enjoy writing this fic!
SilverSapphire34523 - Thank you so much! Like Akashi said : «Time will tell us.». Aha, let's hope for the better!
Human Marshmallow - Ah, the duel chapter is also my current favorite chapter (Action and me usually makes two) but I'm really happy to hear that the last chapter had find its way to your heart! Hehe Himeno was really something, but sadly she won't ever reappear in the future. I just created her for the sake of the play! Anyway, thank you for the great review!
Ranguren - Thank you! I try to make their relationship as fluffy as those two can, that is to say not much... But yeah I'm glad to hear they looked cute together!
Silver Hydrangea - Hehe I'm so happy by your review! Thank you! I love making the GoM intereact together, they make such a lousy bunch! The Asaka-Akashi relationship is truly a slow one compared to the other members but who cares if they were already together it would be the end of his story! Just kidding.
Oneworld111 - You put some pressure on me...Aha, I'm joking. I can only say that you keep encouraging me through your reviews so thank you so much!
Now, to answer Silver Hydrangea, Oneworld111 and certainly silent voices' question about Akashi being jealous of Murasakibara. Honestly, you surprised me to have pinpointed such minor detail in Akashi's behavior. I thought it would go unnoticed since past over it very quickly and didn't detail it as it probably should have...but you somehow guess right. I can't give you a correct answer to it because I don't want to affirm it...yet.
Shall we proceed to the next chapter?
Good reading everyone! And feel free to leave some reviews whenever you want!
After practice ended, the girl chattering burst forth here and there in the locker room as all the idle talks blended with one another accompanied with the creaking sound of lockers being opened and some echoing thuds that was followed directly by groans, setting a rather rowdy atmosphere in this narrow place.
Amidst the racket, Ritsu opened her locker and rubbed her temples worn out by the harsh practice. Since the Nationals was soon upon them, their coach and Hibari had been stricter regarding everyone's training menu, to the point they even managed to shut Hoshino's mouth during practice for a week now. But this inflicted silence was not without consequence as everyone knew it well. When Hoshino met silence, chaos was somewhere near.
Scarcely had Ritsu had the time to put in the locker her sport clothes and take the light blue shirt of her uniform out of it, her locker door was abruptly shut and in a dejected motion, she looked back at the responsible.
"Everyone, let's go to the karaoke!" Suggested the ravenhead that barged into the room, causing the racket to tone down by half after hitting the metal door with one violent knock.
Ritsu instantly tired out, the radiant beam on her face shone so brightly that it clearly showed how much energy Hoshino still had in her; and in comparison of her, not all the girls had any strengh left in them to go singing for one hour or even more.
Her gray-blue eyes roved around the small room, catching all the exasperated looks of the other members. Some of them didn't even pay heed to her, like this was the case with Kazehaya. Sat on the small bench, the long auburn-haired girl was unlacing her sneakers, keeping her focus only on it as she was giving more importance to her shoes laces than Hoshino's babble.
"For once, get your priorities straight, Hoshino-san." But apparently, she still kept one ear in tune with her surrounding. As she said this, she removed her sneakers and put them on her locker without a look of sympathy to the ravenhead. "At this rate, we'll do without you this summer."
"Hear that, Masame? I won." The latter slightly jerked her head back, offering a wide grin to the captain who just irrupted into the room and stood by the door upon hearing the bad news; while behind her back a trim form was standing on her tip-toes in attempt to take a peek over the captain's right shoulder. Although the rest of the members only saw a tuft of platinum hair behind the tall form of Hibari, they knew right away whose head it was since there was only one girl on the club that had to stand on tip-toes most of the time, their manager. "Hey, everyone, it's our captain's treat! Free karaoke! Yay!"
"Crap, Kazehaya. You're not her mom! Let her be, damn it!" Hibari rebuked her for being bossy, irked to have lost against her raven-haired partner.
"See, I told you not to bet on the first years. Have you ever heard Kazehaya-kun stay quiet whenever Hoshino-kun runs her mouth?" added a chirpy voice on her back. "She's always the first to react. Compared to her, Yagami-kun and Asaka-kun still have patience to deal with her."
Ritsu could see the team manager's head happily swaying back and forth. Despite being in the team shadow, a sunny character like her always managed to convey her joy through her actions.
"That's freshmen's innocence!" Behind the captain's left shoulder, she raised her arm high pointing the ceiling with her index and was likely taking the pose for dramatical effect.
After the undesired observation, Hibari groaned as she threw the towel around her neck at her back, which fell on Hareki's head. "Their naivety is killing me...and I'll go broke because of it! Aaah, so who's coming?"
She walked up to her locker and slapped the auburn girl's head on her way.
"You two made a bet again?" A soothing voice broke amidst the loud cheers of other girls before it was soon engulfed by it and this left her with no reaction from others. Close to the voice, Ritsu and Hoshino heard and turned to the girl who was fixing them with a gentle smile, not caring if she had been heard or not.
"Yup, on who will react first when I suggest karaoke!"
"It's a silly bet...Is that an idea of yours, Hoshino-senpai?" said Ritsu in a half-heartened tone.
"Who cares? Anyway, we have to celebrate our last practice before Hell." Ritsu just shot a forced smile when she heard her compated the upcoming exams to Hell. It said it all concerning her studies. She was pretty sure the ravenhead still hadn't touch one book to prepare for exams. The helpless gaze she earned from Yūzuki was seemingly confirming her assumption, though the latter coped with the situation rather well as she looked pretty used to it. "Wanna tag along, Yūzuki?"
"Sure, it's been a long time since I heard the great–Ah!" Before she could finish her sentence, an orange-haired girl jumped on her back and leaned on her shoulder, beaming with excitation. "Komaki-chan!"
"We haven't been at a karaoke lately! I'm up! I can't miss the performance of the Enka Queen!"
"That's true. That was since your official entry in the team with Kimi-chan. That came as shock for you, isn't it Asaka-chan?"
The mention of the surname provoked a fit of giggles inside the group of four girls. They all had a clear memory of the numerous and spectacular «Enka Queen»'s performances – singing at the top of her lungs, turning simple words into a powerful melody and gesturing as she felt deep down the song running through her body. All in perfect synchronisation with the seasonal scenery unfolding on the screen as the lyrics appeared.
Whoever had witnessed for the first time this side of the girl in question were marked forever and had their heart melt by her powerful voice.
"I wonder who couldn't be." She answered Yūzuki who was poking Ugai's cheek over her shoulder while Ugai was staring at her with big round eyes, her cat smile on her lips telling her how excited she was to go the karaoke. "After that day, my image of her had completely changed."
This memory had left her mark on her heart. Her «first» encounter with her happened at the welcome party thrown at a karaoke for Yagami and her. And the least she could say was that the shock she received from it was comparable to the eminence of the girl.
"But who got the idea of naming her like that?" Mischevious looks circled around the three seniors, as if remembering the brith of the Enka Queen.
"Hareki! She's the first who called Kaze–"
"Hey, Kazehaya, you better come with us! Or I'll be left with only bad singers!"
The said girl finished zipping her skirt and perked her head up to Hibari. "I've never said I was relunctant to come. It's been a while since we last went to the karaoke, and you're treating us so I don't need to hold back."
"Tsk." After a brief checking of her money inside her wallet, the wavy brown-haired girl burried it inside her school bag and heaved it on her shoulder. "At least, I won't waste my money for just crap."
"Hibari-san, if you do want to save money, there is actually someone who can help you doing that. Karaoke shouldn't be her priority right now, leave Hoshino-san behind." The vice-captain put forth her idea. "Anyway, she's bad at singing."
As Hibari seemed to consider to the suggestion, the ravenhead had to butt in, it was in her nature. The tall girl moved away from the group and kicked Kazehaya's back, causing the latter to bump on her locker.
"I was the one who suggested the idea, you jerk! Like it or not, I'm coming."
"You should treat her nicely, Hoshino-kun. It's thanks to her, you won the bet!" Instantly Hareki became the next target of the boisterous girl who disliked the very thought of being grateful to the auburn haired-girl. Hareki only giggled, the least worried of the situation she put herself in.
Brushing aside the start of the small bickering between the two - three girls, Hibari clapped her hands and shouted across the room. "So, everyone's ready? Those who're coming, raise your hands so I can see how poor I'm going to become by the end of the day."
As she proceeded on her inspection, a slight frown indicated her exasperation by the several raised hands. But her eyes didn't catch sight of two hands in the air; one wasn't raised for a unknown reason and one was simply missing.
"Our two first-years aren't coming? Asaka, you better have a good reason for not coming. And where's Yagami?" She noted, folding her arms over her chest.
"What, she's still practicing?" Hoshino raised the question, looking at the other girls.
"Apparently. Lately, she has been practicing even later than usual. I sometimes see her continue practicing before I go home, when I'm always the last one to leave the club." Noted the Hareki. "But, habitually, you're staying with her, Yūzuki-kun."
The accute observation had brought all the attention to her. Yūzuki and Yagami often sticked together, whether it's outside or inside the school walls, they both formed a quasi-inseperable duo.
"Don't all look like we have argued. Even if we're childhood friends, we're not always glued together." She replied with a light chuckle, her voice remaining as calm and soothing as usual. "She needs time to practice on her own."
Sceptical, the girls exchanged looks without anyone getting to a conclusion. When a curt comment broke in.
"At least, she's a girl who knows what her priorities are." said Kazehaya matter-of-factly, subtily making a cutting remark to the tall ravenhead.
"Rin, did you say something to her?" Hoshino directly accused her.
The girl undid her ponytail and ruffled her hair, after then she deigned respond to her. "No, I have nothing to do with it this time. Is that an initiative of yours, Hibari-san?"
"No. But if she finds it necessary, let her be. As long as she doesn't go overboard, I allow it. I'll talk over it with her and the coach tomorrow." The captain scratched the back of her head and went to the exit.
"I'll go check on her quickly." The quiet girl with black hair grabbed her school bag and hurried herself, but her movements were cut short by the vice-captain.
"Don't. Asaka, you go check on her." Ritsu caught the brief gaze of the auburn haired-girl. As her surprise didn't fade, the auburnhead gave her a reason not to be. "You aren't coming to the karaoke, then we'll leave her case to you. Yūzuki, we're going."
The gentle ravenhead casted an apologetic gaze to her, trailing Kazehaya that led the move.
"Off to the karaoke!" shouted Ugai, cheered by the others girls.
On the depart, most of the club members emptied out the locker room. Hibari was the only one left, looking at the last girls who walked down the hallway. When she confirmed there were no one else, she turned to Ritsu.
"If you find anything weird with her, tell me."
"Have you noticed something about her late practice?"
"No. She always has been working herself out this way, even under my guidance." Her captain stretched a faint smile. " Actually, there's nothing to worry. It is certainly the pressure of the upcoming games. For both of you, this will be your first steps onto national-level competitions. The level is high and so is the pressure to win."
Hibari locked eyes with her, a straight gaze that plunged into her gray-blue one.
"And that pressure, you don't seem to feel it. Not as strong as I expected, to say to the least." She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she seemed to keep some other remarks to herself, and averted her gaze to the hallway. "You know, I'm taking a huge gamble with two freshmen on the team. To tell the truth, you're both lacking experience to even participate in such high competition."
"Then why are..."
"Don't even try to ask. I made my decision long ago, I don't need to go back on it." Her captain motioned her hand to quell her. "...If you ask questions, you're wavering, Asaka. You may have made great progress in term of achievement as player, but you're still lacking in mental strengh. And this mental state, Yagami has it, even if her progress is slower compared to yours."
Something tingled in her heart, that stirred this weak side of her that she had yet to understand. Confidence and strengh she had it, all those qualities that were necessary to rise. She worked on them just as Hibari told her when she took the spiker position. But this mental state, was she meaning it to the girl she was or the player she had to become?
"Don't look so serious over trivialities." Hibari stepped toward her and flicked her forehead. "I did tell you I'd kick you out of the team if you weren't strong enough. Is that the case?"
"Fortunately not." Ritsu replied while rubbing the painful spot.
"Exactly. I trust both Yagami and you as much I do toward the rest of the team. It's sort of my duty to trust into people, even if it implies taking risk; or else how could a team possibly evolve?"
Yet this was not mere blind trust. What she meant was acknowledgement of one's capacity, which could offer a wide range of possibilities for a team to know of evolution. Unswerving and yet tolerant to an extent were the terms that defined the impression she had of her right now; and it reminded her of him, Akashi. Through her captain's words, this singular trust and expectation that he had for this stranger named Kuroko slowly made sense to her. In spite of the unfavorable remarks, he took the risk of trusting a stranger because he had acknowledged something in him, as for what the mystery remained.
Akashi had the benefit of hindsight to view things in a larger perspective and the maturity to take insightful decisions, which could actually be very disturbing when confronted to his clairvoyance. He was smart everyone knew that fact, but everyone expected him to lack of experience that someone older had, just as any freshmen that just discover a new environment. However, those who were close to him could only agree on the fact that he may not have the experience of a third year, but his maturity equaled or even surpassed them. His earlier appointment as a vice-captain had been long debated by many, qualifying it at preposterous to assign this position to a freshmen; but Akashi only acted as he was expected no more, no less and naturally closed the pointless debate.
With hindsight, the one who had somehow proved to be as astute and sharp as Akashi was none but Nijimura Shūzō, the captain of the Teikō basketball club. Without his acknowledgment, would Akashi even be the authoritative figure he was presently so quickly?
"A captain's duty is rather stressful or so it seems."
"Certainly not something your small shoulders can bear, Asaka." Hibari laughed it off. "As long as you keep hesitating, you won't go very far."
When she knitted her brow by reflex, the brown-haired girl pinched her left cheek and grinned in amusement. "...And you'll eventually be disliked."
"Aaaah...By who?" She asked, now rubbing her burning cheek. But Hibari shrugged her off and just strode away down the hallway with a mischievous smile plastered on her lips, waving nonchalantly at her.
"Guys don't like indecisive girls!"
She heard Hibari shout at the end of the hallway, forcing a sigh out of her.
When she disappeared behind the door, Ritsu exit from the locker room and crossed the hallway where the crepuscular light shone through the opened door leading to the court. As she drew closer, the clear sound of balls being it and landing on the parquet floor with reverberations made her haste her steps.
At the door, she saw the jumping silhouette of Yagami smashing the ball in an attempt to hit likely one of the three water bottles that were scattered around on the other side of the net.
She missed and clucked her tongue with a shred of frustation. The moment she was about to take another ball from the trolley, Ritsu offered one to her.
"Asaka, you're still here? What about the others?" Yagami blinked, surprised by her presence.
"They went to the karaoke to celebrate our last practice before exams."
"Ah, surely Hoshino-senpai's idea."
Ritsu answered with a simple nod of the head, Yagami vaguely reacted, eyeing her briefly and returned to her activity.
"So, they're sending you to check on me before going? If that's the case, tell them that I won't take long with my practice today. Have fun."
She tossed the ball high, ready to jump.
"They have already left."
On the verge of jumping, Yagami stumbled on one foot and catched the falling ball back. "Then, what are you still doing here?"
"I'm not going with them. So, I have been told to check on you before going home."
"They could have just quickly send Tomoe to do that instead of bothering you."
"Well, Kazehaya-senpai insisted on me. According to Hareki-senpai, you have been training later than usual." Yagami raised her nose to the ceiling while exhaling deeply.
"Are they worried?"
"Hibari-senpai isn't, the rest of team doesn't seem to be either." Like her captain said, this image of her practicing late had been part of the volleyball club ordinary scenery. All the members knew of her deep involvement to the sport and she was respected for it. No worries, no questions, just acknowledgement of her diligence – Among the team, Yagami was reputed to be the girl who stood the longest on court. Even alone, she would remain. "They were more worried about the fact Yūzuki-senpai wasn't with you than your later practice."
Yagami smiled knowingly, amused by the silly thought. "Even as childhood friend, you can't expect us to be always together."
"That's for sure. But you two don't help us in thinking the other way too. It's much rarer to see both of you apart than together." Ritsu replied lightly. "Moreover, you're both playing volleyball."
"You have a point." The navy haired-girl cocked her head vaguely to one side as serenity softened her smile. "Still, it's thanks to it that we're so close."
"You learned to play it together?"
"Not exactly, my interest in volleyball came from Tomoe. Without her, I doubt I would ever have touched a volleyball." admitted the navyhead while making the ball between her hands bounce on the floor.
Ritsu turned to be mildly astonished upon her declaration. In light of her passion for volleyball, she thought the reason was deeper...She smiled inwardly, thinking how silly this thought was. Interest or passion didn't need a real reason to be aroused. There were no point in asking or judging how such flame could burn within a person, it only happened. It was a natural process, but too natural to be put into words. Passion didn't born out of nowhere like people commonly imagined, it followed logical steps. The more feelings one put into something, the more simple curiosity changed into interest and could escalte into passion. Curiosity was the essential factor - that one developped inconsciously to eventually become passion.
"But here I am. Being part of a team and playing in competitions. It's all thanks to her in a sense."
"I envied a little bit your close relationship."
Her volleyball partner casted a quizzical look at her. "There's nothing much to envy. No matter how close we are, it remains as friendship." Then, the girl kept gazing at her. "But, I wonder how you did become interested in volleyball."
"I have nothing much to say about it. My reason is close to yours. A relative of mine introduced me to the sport and I like it."
And this what had led her to love volleyball this much, just as Yagami. Her reason for playing was a simple one, there was nothing to be shy of. Coming to question the very reason of her love for volleyball would be a precursory sign of disinterest.
Ritsu was free from doubt regarding the sport, and along music, it was certainly the two sole things she didn't call into question.
"From that time, my parents enrolled me in a volleyball club and I played there for almost three years until I entered this school."
"I see. Your experience in volleyball comes from it, as well as yours in competitions." noted Yagami as she shifted her attention to the three water bottles. "You seem pretty relax compared to me. Before I came here, I never competed. Tomoe and me only played it at school during sport classes or for fun with other kids of the neighborhood."
"Ah, it was only local competitions. Nothing comparable to what we're going to experience this summer."
The two girl started chuckling, this summer they would both stepped into the national stage – a world that would bring a new light to their favorite sport.
"Nevertheless, you're awfully calm despite that. I don't know if it's because you hide it well or not, but Hibari-senpai and Kazehaya-senpai are both concerned by it." Yagami merely stated what she heard and unintendedly confirmed her captain's observation, which made her even more perplexed.
"Hibari-senpai mentioned it to me, but I don't really get what more they can expect of me."
Back on her practice, the navyhead was seemingly more focused on it than their actual talk. But Ritsu also shrugged it off, watching the springing form of her volleyball partner as she spiked the ball, targeting the water bottle placed near the right side line. She missed it by a centimeter, the bottle was still up and Yagami turned to the trolley just as immediately.
"Neither do I." Surprised that she continued the conversation, Ritsu rested her eyes on her. "But if you want my opinion, since the captain made you play as a spiker, you've changed. I think I kind of understand now why she assigned you to this position instead of a second setter. You have found your place inside the team."
Indeed, she also felt that change in her. Her debut as a spiker was kind of awkward, especially as Hibari had literary thrown her on the court without prior notice during an official game. But without this pressure she had felt during those times, she was sure she wouldn't have build up this strengh in her and gathered enough confidence in her play.
The spiker had lesser responsabilities than a setter, the brain of the team. Practically all actions depended on him and set the pace that others had to follow. It was a heavy burden and one needed to have the shoulders to carry every decisions, either good or bad. With hindsight, if Hibari and the coach had chosen her over Yagami, maybe her growth wouldn't have been so quick.
"You think I'm better suited as a spiker?" Ritsu threw a ball to her partner, staring at her curiously.
"I don't know your worth as a setter, I can't tell. You do have qualities to be a setter, but for now I concur with the seniors, something about you doesn't seem right."
"Er, beg my pardon?"
The navy haired-girl let slipped a simple gasp of surprise as she seemed to realise what she just blurted out.
"...Oh, well." It was said and with having nothing to hide, Yagami shrugged her shoulders and went on in the same casual manner. "It's just a feeling I have whenever I see you play. It's true that I like your new style, it's way more assertive than before...but you don't seem as involved as everyone."
As a short blank filled their discussion, both of the girls blinked at each other.
"Anyhow...it must be related to your current calm state. The Nationals are approaching and you act just as usual, while even the seniors are tensed by it." Yagami rolled her eyes to the opposite way then sighed. "It's my mere assumptions. You should consult the coach or the seniors."
Ritsu gave her slow nod of the head and left the conversation as it was. Her teammate could help her to have a better perspective of her surrounding but as both freshmen, she was also lacking in experience; therefore at some point, their talk would have reached an impasse.
At her response, Yagami resumed her practice to perfect her smashes. "Don't worry about it. The captain and particulary Kazehaya-senpai aren't sparing me either. You can have doubts but you shouldn't dwell on it too much if you have no answers to it."
Interrupted by a familiar ringtone, Ritsu stopped half-way and took from her school bag her cell phone. A flickering blue light indicated a new message and thought it was certainly one of her senior who wanted to be up on her check on Yagami. She rested her eyes on the screen as her eyes widened with surprise upon reading the name on it.
That was a first. Really. This was the first message both of them had exchanged and the contents made her gasp faintly.
[I'm with your little brother.]
No greeting, no smiley, only this declaration. Midorima went directly to the heart of the matter and this rendered her quite baffled. For their first message, she was so surprised that she wasn't the least elated by it. Instead she wondered in what sort of situation he could have been involved that necessitated him to send her this strange message.
On the other side of the net, Yagami momentarily bore the same quizzical look as her.
"Is it from the senpai?"
Upon hearing her voice, she snapped out of her daze and faced properly the girl.
"Ah, er...no..." She said as she tapped a reply to him. "It's from Midorima-kun."
"Midorima, you say?!" The name of this particular classmate had provoked in the girl the same suprised reaction. "Y-You two are texting buddies?..."
"You're very far from the tru–" As she read the new message, Midorima didn't enter into detail, he only mentioned a location and that she had to come get her sibling. She didn't believe it.
"By the look of your face, this guy is even weird through texting." remarked Yagami, staring at her with half-lidded eyes.
"Aha...Sorry, Yagami. I have to go! See you later!"
In her haste, she only half-heard the navyhead bidding her goodbye and ran out of the gymnasium in direction of the train station.
Left behind, Yagami heaved a long and tired sigh and raised her nose upwards to the panes where the sky was adorning this dazzling array of flaming colors before nightfall.
"Maybe it's not too late to join the seniors at the karaoke. It should be...interesting."