A volleyball-club centered chapter and a page is turning in Asaka's life. Like it or not, it was necessary. Just bear with it.
Good reading.
"TOOOOORYYYAH!"
Like a cannonball, the volleyball broke past Ritsu and Yūzuki and smashed on the ground. Hareki whistled and flipped the placard of the scoreboard. As her team digit went higher and put an end to the current game, Hoshino let out a cry of victory that echoed in the whole gymnasium.
"You're ten years earlier to win against me, Ritsu!" Hoshino claimed, pointing her finger at Ritsu with childish arrogance.
Ritsu gave no reaction to the provokation and just let her senior boasted about her small victory on a 3 on 3 practice game. She looked around while catching her breath and sweeping big beads of sweat dripping on her face with the back of her hand.
The air of summer was stifling as ever, even indoors there was no way of escaping its embrace. Practicing in the middle of summer sure was tough.
Right now, the volleyball club was holding his annual training camp in a small mountain town situated two-hours away from Tōkyō for four days. For two days straight now, they've been training all day long under this hot and sticky weather that was summer. Be it morning joggings in the mountain, stretchings or indoor and outdoor plays, every efforts were doubled under that heat, and that fourth and last day day was no exception.
"Here she goes again." Yūzuki chuckled softly. Hoshino was making a victory dance, "Wakana-san really can't be beaten..."
"By the heat, you mean." retorted Kazehaya, cutting her short midsentence. "Idiots have a stronger constitution than common people, Yūzuki. They can't catch cold and the heat doesn't get to them, it sure is nice to be brainless."
"Ha?! Say that again, you jerk! " Hoshino barked at her and stomped towards her. At her sight, the auburn-haired girl shrugged her shoulders in indifference.
She then asked on purpose, "What, you heard me?"
"Like I can help it." Hoshino spat, a bloody vein was throbbing on her forehead, "Your voice is piercing my ears everytime you open that foul mouth of yours!"
Kazehaya quirked an eyebrow, "In that case, that means you hear me well, how come you never listen to what I'm saying? Hierarchically speaking, I'm above you."
Hoshino pressed her lips tight, repressing hard the urge to let her mouth run, "«Hierarchically speaking», YOU have to listen to me! I'm older than you AND I'm your freaking senior in the club! How many times do I have to say it until it gets to your damn thick and tiny skull?" She pointed an accusing finger at her, "Show me some respect first, then we'll talk!"
They were at it again, thought Ritsu while watching with more or less interest her two seniors bickering over nothing. As always, the question of authority was the cause of the quarrel and as always, only the two of them loved to bring it up.
"Haa...is it me or since we've been here, Kazehaya-senpai and Hoshino-senpai are fighting a lot more than normal?" Ritsu pointed out, shifting away her attention in exhaustion.
Yūzuki agreed with a gentle smile, "They're making up for the lost time, I guess. Two weeks of quiet and silence, they surely missed someone to pick on. Last year too, you should have seen that, there weren't an hour when you didn't hear them."
"M-Making up for lost time...Do they have to?"
"Even apart, they missed each other! What a wonderful team!" Hareki chimed in overdramatically, visibly very amused by how sparks were flying everywhere between the vice-captain and the ace, "It's already sooo intense between them when they haven't seen each other only for two weeks! Imagine what it'd be if it was a month or two or more! How lovely it'd be!"
Far from sharing the excitement of her manager, Ritsu exchanged a look with Yūzuki struck by the same silly thought as her. A war would definetely break out, it certainly wouldn't be something very lovely to witness.
Yet she couldn't help smiling at them, and somehow understood Hareki's joy about those two. Although their bickerings were getting lousy, Ritsu also found this situation quite comforting to see. Despite their defeat, everyone remained the same as usual and seemed to have gone over it.
Well, she might have dramatized the whole event, but her last memory of it hadn't been one joyous picture. Sadness and disappointment were painted on every girls' faces, many tears were shed without restraint for some and in secret for others. Yes, if possible, she'd wished for a better outcome but a defeat was defeat, there was no point in denying it, or else why doing sports?
However, her very regret wasn't to have lost in the tournament but to not to have won with this team – With Hibari, Hoshino and all the third years, since this year was their last championship in middle school. Wasn't it kind of sad and frustrating to lose while knowing that? Maybe was it why she had been so sentimental over this defeat...and when she recalled it, the quiet face of Akashi flashed in her mind.
Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment remembering the day she spoke with him after the Volleyball Nationals. To say she had been oversentimental in front of Akashi of all things, how embarrassing! Nevertheless, she had been truly happy that he had spared a little of his time to see and listen to her when she was feeling troubled. She found him quite unreachable and strange at times like an alien, but whatever her opinion of him, Akashi had undoubtedly a kind heart.
Didn't she already note so during the school festival?
"Hmm? Your face is red, Asaka-kun. It's stinking hot, huh? Here, some refreshments and a towel." Hareki gave her a sports flask of fresh water and a white towel to wipe the sweat, then she turned her head to Yūzuki, "Take it too, Yūzuki-kun. We definetely can't have someone die on us, not today! Survive this day, it'll be a splendid night tonight! The sky's clear and no sight of clouds!"
"Oooooh!" Yūzuki let out that long exclamation knowing perfectly what Hareki was talking about, "This year too?"
"Hibari-kun and Hoshino-kun talked about it."
Not really understanding, Ritsu enquired, "There's something special tonight?"
"There is! But I'll keep the secret! Look forward to it!"
Ritsu didn't know if it was good or bad news. If Hibari, Hoshino and Hareki were behind that idea, she could say goodbye to a peaceful night. Worried about what they have in store for tonight, Ritsu glanced at Yūzuki to squeeze out a bit more information.
But as if she guessed her intentions through that look, Hareki warned her with a bright smile, "Don't even try to ask others or you won't survive this day, A-s-a-k-a-kun!"
"A-All right... I won't ask." The ashblond-haired girl gave up.
"Good!" Hareki clasped her hands in acknowledgement and hummed her victory.
"I'm going to check on Kimi-chan." said Yūzuki looking around for her childhood friend.
"Oh, yeah, Yagami-kun can't stand the heat. I saw her leave outside to get refreshed, you should find her at the drinking fountain nearby." Hareki told her about Yagami's whereabouts since she was nowhere to be found in the gymnasium. She handed her an extra towel, "Make sure she doesn't get another heatstroke! It'll be no fun without her tonight!"
Yūzuki laughed and walked outside.
"Now then," The chirpy manager grabbed two sports flasks and towels at the bench and eyed mischievously the vice-captain and the ace still in the middle of their quarrel, "Let's cool them down!"
As Ritsu caught on her intention, it'd probably more correct to say that Hareki was going add more fuel to the fire rather than tempering the actual situation. In spite of knowing that, Ritsu said nothing to stop her and heaved a long sigh.
The last day at the training camp will be a very long day as it seems...
Freshly out of the bath, Ritsu wore the yukata set provided by the attendant of the traditional inn they were staying in for the training camp. Outside, she could hear the other girls relaxing in the open air bath forgetting all about the pain and hardship of the day.
After tying the obi around her waist, she stretched out her back feeling all the benefits of hot springs. Hot springs sure did miracles for sore muscles. She felt completely refreshed, as if volleyball training was now a distant memory, though she still had wished to have stayed a bit longer in the bath and enjoyed since it was the last day of the training camp. But well, by bathing in a hot spring in summer, she wasn't about to break any time record, the hot water and steam could quickly make someone dizzy.
So to cool herself down, she decided to go buy a fruit juice in a vending machine and go for a walk around the inn. She had time to kill before all the girls gathered for dinner, seeing that she was one of the very firsts to get out of the bath.
In front of the machine, she grabbed the peach juice at the bottom. While enjoying her little refreshment, she headed to the inner garden of the establishment. There, she saw Yagami crouched near a pond filled with koi fishes, quietly watching them. Before joining her, Ritsu went back to the vending machine and selected a bottle of green tea.
"Take some fresh air? Here, for you."
Upon seeing the bottle of green tea on the corner of her eyes, Yagami craned her head and smiled at her, "Asaka. Already out of the bath?"
She gladly accepted the drink and put it on her cheek, appreciating the coldness before taking a sip.
"I felt a bit dizzy, it must be because of the fatigue. I think I'm reaching my limits."
"Well, we did spend four hellish days in training from morning to evening under an unbearable heat." acknownledged the navy-haired girl fanning herself with a round paper fan. "Haa, summer isn't for me. This season swarms with insects and the thermometer hits crazy temperatures. All day long, you're all sticky and the heat, it's like it's draining every drops of strength you have and makes you sluggish for nothing, I honestly can't stand it. I just want summer to end and wait for winter..."
Her complains made Ritsu laugh. At the club, Yagami usually kept low her complains, peculiary about trivial things. Seemingly, she as well, has already hit her limits in this training camp.
"I'm like you, I prefer winter over summer."
"Eeh, winter?" Yagami mused, "I've always seen you as a spring lover, Asaka."
"I was born in spring, that must explain your feeling."
"Perhaps," She chuckled, accepting that silly explanation as an answer, "but spring suits you in a way. It's relaxing to be around you, just like when we view the cherry blossom, we feel at peace and it's kind of warm."
Ritsu stayed silent and held dear her words. For a couple of minutes, they didn't exchange a word and watched the koi fishes swimming in the pond. Both enjoying the calm of the night.
In that moment of silence, Yagami let out a long yawn.
"Ah, sorry." She apologized for her rude manner, then rubbed softly her tired eyes.
"I see, I'm too relaxing that you'll get sleepy?" Ritsu teased her.
"I've never said it doesn't have side-effects. But isn't it a good thing to get sleepy around someone?" Yagami smiled at her and stood up. She stretched out her legs a bit, numb after staying too long crouched, then she sat down on the grass. "I think I'll go to bed early tonight, I'm totally spent!"
Ritsu sneaked a glance at her. She did look tired, very tired in fact. "It's true, you're looking like you're about to collapse any time. Heat is truly your worst ennemy, Yagami. I've rarily seen you this tired, even after practicing late at the club."
"You said it." She heaved a deep sigh.
"You've caused an uproar when you passed out in the middle of practice the first day of the training camp."
Ritsu recalled the incident amusingly but the navy-haired girl wasn't sharing the same feeling and grimaced as she remembered. And for good reason, she couldn't complete her special training menu of the camp because of a heatstroke, and as hardworking as she is, she took it like a failure. Although the training menu was different and more challenging from the one she usually followed at the club, the amount of training was practically the same as usual. In short, she failed because of her weakness of heat, and that was very embarrassing for her.
"I'll appreciate if you can please erase that incident off your memory." sulked Yagami, pulling her legs towards her chest.
"As you wish."
"But you know,"As she said that, Yagami seemed to hesitate in saying the rest, "...I didn't passed out just because of the heat. The moment I lost consciousness, I had had no more strength left in me, and well, I think the heat just finished me off. I was knocked out cold."
"You pushed yourself too hard?"
"That's pretty much what happened." answered the navy-haired girl without trying to hide anything else.
Ritsu was quite surprised to hear that. It happened for Yagami to overtax herself time to time but she was aware of her own limits. She would never go as far as to hurt herself, let alone wear herself out to the point of collapsing.
"How come?"
"Playing in the same team as Hoshino-senpai can be very demanding. I tried to keep up with her pace but her style is very aggressive, I mean, she hardly slows down and always pushes forward."
Which explains the reason she was completely spent. At the beginning of the training camp, Yagami was instructed by the coach to team up with Hoshino and set the ball for when there were practice games.
"It takes me everything I've got to keep up with her while my stamina is not that bad."
Yagami didn't exaggerate when she said that teaming up with Hoshino was taxing. Having her as her mentor, she ought to know. Many times, she had been left in the dust for not being able to match her wild pace.
Ritsu nodded knowingly. "Hoshino-senpai can be forceful at times. She isn't the type of girl to wait around when she can do something, and sadly to say, she won't wait for us either. If you can't follow, she won't stop in her track to look at you, you have to stand on your own. In a way, it's like she's imposing her pace to the team. No wonder Kazehaya-senpai is constantly on her back."
"You got the character right," Yagami acknowledged with a faint chuckle, "But I'm not saying it as a bad thing, though." She pensively looked up at the evening sky, "It's that wild and fierce temper that makes her the ace of our team. She always pushes the team to the limits and keeps looking straight ahead, I think of them as valuable qualities."
Ritsu understood well Yagami's high esteem for their ace. Certainly she might gave the impression she care not about the team, but that was wrong. Hoshino was that fire that drove all to keep going and make efforts to overcome hardships and achieve. She just wouldn't wait for those who give up on the way and would lead those who have the will to fight along her. That's how she became the shining star of their team, and everyone acknowledged her as such.
"That said," Yagami lowered her gaze on the pond again, "I'm impressed by Hibari-senpai for being able to play so well with Hoshino-senpai. When teaming up with her, I noticed how hard it is to set the ball for her. Hoshino-senpai plays fast and to connect with her, decisions have to be made quick in order not to break her momentums. Drawing out the best of her is tough."
"Those two sure make a good set. When you observe her play, Hibari-senpai makes it real easy to connect with Hoshino-senpai."
"She really does." concurred Yagami, "Hoshino-senpai is a powerful athlete, and to be able to be on par with her is not an easy task. That's why, sometimes, I'm impressed by you as well, Asaka."
Ritsu slightly widened her eyes in surprise. "Why's that?"
"Whenever I see you training with Hoshino-senpai, I can see the difference between you and me, peculiarily concerning our progresses. Even though we're both first years, you're already one of the few who can compete with her in the team. You have talent for volleyball."
"Compete is little too strong, I feel more like I'm chasing after her. Besides, since I joined the club, I'm practicing with her most of the times, so I got used to her style in a way. I don't think talent has anything to do with it if you ask me."
"If you say so." Yagami said nothing else, though her long silence told her she was unconvinced. Then she breathed deeply. "But when will your talent eventually show up then?"
"Huh?"
Seeing that Ritsu gave her a weird look, Yagami laughed it off, "It's just a question I'm asking to myself, don't mind it...But sometimes I don't get you."
Although she told her not to mind it, after saying such a thing Ritsu had no other choice but to ask what she meant by that.
"What are you not getting about me?"
Yagami didn't answer immediately and stared vacantly at the numerous waves caused by the koi fishes. Yet, her gaze was serious. Despite her words, she was very concerned by that matter of talent.
"I noticed that everytime we're putting the light on your talent or you, you're pulling away from it. As if you don't want to assume it."
"You mean I'm lacking confidence in myself or even that I'm shy about it?"
She shook her head. "It's not about your character. As far as I know, you have confidence in yourself to take action and you're not shy at all...I'd rather say it's your behaviour that makes me say that."
"My behaviour?"
"You don't want to stand out much."
Ritsu didn't deny it, and Yagami didn't push the matter further waiting for a reaction from her.
"Well, most people doesn't like to stand out, me included."
"Problably. However, in your case, I don't think it's because you don't like it, you just refrain yourself from standing out, though I don't know if it's conscious or not...But if you're doing it consciously, then stop it."
Ritsu's lips parted opened without a sound coming out. How many times was she told she doesn't draw much attention? So many times she lost count of it. And yet lately, it fiercely came to strike her deep. She has become aware she couldn't stay in the background as she conformed herself to.
"It's frustrating sometimes to see and hear you belittling yourself when you have the potential to do great things."
Yagami stood up and looked straight at her.
"Unfortunately for you, you have talent and you're strong, Asaka. Admit it once and for all and show it." She told her, her eyes shining strongly. "We both want to grow stronger, what are you waiting for? In your shoes, I wouldn't hesitate in moving forward to become the best volleyball player out there."
"Yagami..."
Her expression softened as a warm smile tugged her lips. "We're doing sports for a reason, but doesn't we do it for ourselves first? Like wanting to test our limits or proving ourselves to others or whatever else?"
She fanned air over her face, slightly embarrassed of her words.
"Anyways, I'm telling you this because we'll be in the same team for a quite long time and I truly want us to make a great team together." Yagami turned her head at her "Don't you too?"
"I do."
Ritsu smiled at her, looking up at the night sky.
After dinner, most of the girls went about their business. Playing ping-pong or cards in their room, strolling around the inn or packing their bags, nothing special on the horizon. But Ritsu didn't forget about the special event that her seniors had in store for the team tonight. What kind of trials will they have to go through in the middle of the night?
"Haaa...I wish we could stay here a few days more! I haven't gotten my fill!"
"Getting sentimental?"
Ritsu suddenly stopped mid-track, the two voices sounded familiar. They were coming from the corner of the open corridor she was walking on. She advanced to the corner and saw on her left side, Hibari and Kazehaya talking together.
"Kind of. When I think it's the last time I come here with the rest of you..." Hibari sighed and leaned on the wooden railing. "Times really flies. I'll miss my days at the club and Teikō."
"There still are two terms coming up before you can say your goodbye. Even if you were to quit the club at the new term, you'd be around for a while."
Upon hearing such cold response, the older girl let out a grunt. "Did someone have already told that you're not cute at all?"
"You're not the first to tell me."
Hibari laughed. As her laugh toned down, her smile slowly faded into a quiet yet sad one, "Well, it's just as you said, there's still time and I don't intend to quit the club so soon. However, at the next term, I will leave the team in your hands, Kazehaya."
A fleeting silence interrupted the conversation. Hibari paused to take a glimpse of the girl's reaction, but Kazehaya didn't utter a sound.
"Yūzuki will be there to assist you, I've already talked it over with her a while ago. And the coach has approved of my decision." She continued before nudging Kazehaya, so as to force out a little reaction from her. "So do your best when the time comes, captain Kazehaya."
"Ugh...Count on me." The auburn-haired girl eventually said while slightly wincing in pain. Hibari didn't nudge her in fact, she hit her real hard on her ribs with her elbow. "But you're sure about it?"
At the unexpected question, Hibari almost grinned. "How unusual. You're not confident?"
"I'm asking you if the others are fine with it?" Kazehaya rephrased her question more clearly.
Sadly for her, that question to tickle Hibari's amusement even more.
"Eeeh, looks like you've finally come to question your low popularity at the club."
"Would you stop trying to pick a fight with me, Hibari-san?" She warned her senior.
"Okay, okay, give it a rest!" Hibari tempered, then she rested her chin on her hand and looked around the inner garder beneath. "Coming back at what you ask, I'm certain that there won't be any great troubles for you regarding that matter, unless you think the contrary."
"We're different." declared Kazehaya in a curt tone.
"I know that." The older girl simply said. "But you're not telling me that out of anxiety if I'm guessing right. You intend to do things your own way."
The vice-captain didn't refute. "I just wanted to tell you."
Her honesty made Hibari burst out laughing. "You wanted to tell me? Now I can rest assured I've made the right choice about you!"
It forced a smile out of Kazehaya. Hibari regained a bit of composure after a while.
"More seriously, it's true that we have very few points in common concerning leadership, but I trust in you, we both set our sights on the same goal : make the strongest team ever and win." She asserted, "The coach and I didn't appoint you to follow in my footsteps. Knowing you, you'd barely put with that situation anyways but whatever you decide, see it through..."
As Hibari's voice pitched down in her last statement, Kazehaya mused on her, "Although you say that, it doesn't mean you'll actually be fine with everything I might do."
"Can't hide it from you."
"You never bothered," The vice-captain shrugged her shoulders, "you think I'm too hard on people and put too much pressure on them."
"You set your standards high, not everyone is as ambitious as you, but still and all, I'm not against a bit of pressure. Just don't go overboard, you can't push high expectations onto people who don't have yet the shoulders to bear them."
The older girl fell silent, reflecting. Noticing it, Kazehaya didn't leave it at that.
"You're talking about Asaka?"
As she heard her name, Ritsu leaned a bit more and pricked up her ears.
Hibari slightly straightened her back, a smile on the corner of her lips.
"If you ask me, I'd rather say everyone. You're so bossy, you know." She began to brush it off. Kazehaya frowned at the reaction as she wanted to hear a serious answer. "Yet, Asaka's case is one of the most relevant."
The auburn-haired girl relaxed and asked, "You think she's weak under pressure?"
"Not really." Hibari shook her head. "Rather, she still hasn't figured out what she needs to do to become stronger. And as long as she's stuck on it, it simply means she doesn't have the shoulders to carry the weight of our expectations yet."
"For me it only means our expectations in her are too high compared to her potential."
Put it more bluntly, she was weak. Ritsu closed her eyes in reflection, letting that one word sank in her.
"Straight as ever." Hibari said without adding more.
It echoed the same as the time she realised that day with Akashi. She has yet proved her worth to her teammates, and more generally to everyone. Now hearing Hibari and Kazehaya affirm it so frankly, that truth sink in her to the deepest part of her being.
She was weak, not because of the reasons she always thought like a lack of strength or problems with her way of playing, but because she didn't aspire enough to become one of the best volleyball player. No matter how talented people are, a talent is only wasted if no motivation follows.
«But when will your talent eventually show up then?»
Yagami noticed it. She didn't want to stand out because she found unnecessary to show herself when people could already catch a glimpse of her talent. For her, talent was something that was shown through one's hardwork and accomplishment, and not something to display for all to see.
«You shouldn't belittle yourself.»
Akashi noticed it. She didn't want to be more special than others because she refused to trample over people to achieve and chose to leave people behind her. There was no point in doing a teamsports if it was to play all alone.
«If you do sports, you can't stay in conformity. Because average or ordinary tend to...no, it means weak in the sports world.»
Hibari noticed it. She wanted to stay ordinary because everyone started running from that starting line. Talent or not, everyone makes efforts to achieve greatly. It was normal.
However, in the end, it was all wrong from her. By thinking like that, she was just taking lightly the sports world all along. She thought that just being able to play in game and with everyone was what brought the fun in sports, but that was merely a pure and naive view. It wasn't enough determination to grow stronger, in reality could this be even determination at all?
She can't keep playing so half-heartedly.
"Well, leave her time."
Kazehaya nodded silently at her, then she looked away, crossing her arms over her chest. "She has until the new year to wake up. Without Hoshino-san in the team, our team will no longer have added value to make a difference; it'll be tough. "
"Hmmm, you do say nice things about Wakana."
"She's not our ace for nothing. Anyways, if Asaka is not ready to shoulder the same role by then, I'll find someone else."
Their words sank in Ritsu. An ace... The strongest player of a team and their light. Somehow she laughed at her own naivety, just how much of a fool has she been for not realising this until now? She tries to stay in the shadow while people only waits for her to shine.
It was such simple thing. Of course what was asked of her was heavy and more complicated, and perhaps not within everyone's reach. Yet, when she resumed it in one sentence, it only means that she has to become the best. Wasn't it what Yagami, Akashi or Hibari tried to tell her all along?
If she isn't aiming to become the best, she will not get very far and will be left behind, because sports is a matter of progress and efforts.
So she...
"UWAA!"
Someone pinched her in the ribs, drawing her out of her long reflection. She jerked forwards and spun around, Ugai greeted her with a grin. Hareki was with her, also amused by her reaction.
"You can't sleep yet, Asa-chan! The night's just getting started!" Ugai passed an arm around hers and pulled her out of the corner.
"Hibari-kun! Kazehaya-kun!" called out Hareki as soon she caught sight of the two. Near them, she then asked, "Hibari-kun, you got the permission from the coach and the advisor for tonight?"
"Without breaking a sweat!" confirmed Hibari. "They just told me not to bring everyone back too late and they'll be waiting."
"What is it about?"
Ritsu responded with ignorance to Kazehaya's enquiring gaze. So, even shen wasn't informed of Tonight's special event.
"We're all going for a stroll tonight. To that place."
Kazehaya tilted her head, searching in her memories a mention of that place. After a while, her eyes twinkled, "Oh. There."
"Yes, there."
Seeing that Kazehaya seemed pleased by the idea, Ritsu's curiosity tickled her more and more but she held back asking questions. Anyhow, it musn't be something very troublesome if the strictest girl of the club was looking forward to it.
"No time to waste! Go get changed everyone, we're going out!"