5. Kronos

Kaga can barely contain herself as she stands, lingering by the towering steel door of the gymnasium with her fingers clutching the cloth closest to her heart.

Behind the door, she can hear the loud resonating thumps of the ball hitting across the court, and inwardly she thinks it matches with the pulsing organ in her chest.

This is it.

This is all that she has been dreaming of ever since she had first stepped foot into middle school.

This is where it'll all begin.

Steeling herself with a shuddering breath, Kaga makes to pry the door open with her shaky hands.

And immediately, she is greeted by a blast of musty scent of sweat and salonpas.

The lights overhead are glaringly bright and everyone is actively caught up with doing something, one way or the other, which only makes it all so dizzying for Kaga who has no idea where to direct her focus on.

But amidst all the bustle and hustle, a girl, no taller and older than herself, catches her eye.

Dark chocolate-colored hair held up in a high pony-tail, Kaga watches as it swishes wildly behind her as the girl picks up on her pace and hurls herself right up into the air.

Kaga can only stop and stare, entranced by the visage before her.

While she has seen several volleyball matches live— all thanks to her dear sister— she has never seen anything like this before.

She wouldn't be the least surprise if wings had sprouted from the girl's back.

So high… I wonder if is she planning to touch the sky.

It's beautiful.

She's beautiful.

And she very nearly misses the ball as her palm comes down for its connecting spike.

The girl stumbles as she touches ground, nearly losing her footing.

"A close one, Akagi-san, but good job nonetheless."

The girl grins toothily, full of pride, and races to make a beeline behind the long queue of other members by the net, just as Kaga cranes her neck forward to have a better look of her.

But she is only granted so much as a mere glimpse of flowing dark hair when her sister's beaming face cuts right into view.

"Kaga-chan, you made it!"

Eyes lighting up at the sight of a familiar face, Kaga grins, "Tosa-nee."

"And here I was worrying that you might have gotten lost or something."

Tosa sighs, and then she pauses, taking a step back. Eyes scanning up and down Kaga's form in appraisal with a slender finger tapping at her chin musingly, Kaga is left to fidget uncomfortably under her sister's probing gaze.

Nodding in approval, Tosa smiles, wider than ever. "The middle-school gym uniform suits you well." She says, and without missing a beat, she captures Kaga in a quick bear hug.

"T-Tosa-nee…"

Giggling, Tosa draws away. "Sorry," she murmurs, although not sounding especially apologetic.

Fingers reaching down to smoothen out the creases in Kaga's uniform, she gives her hair a light tousle before grinning and links their hands together, towing Kaga off before she can even get a word out.

"Come, now that you're finally here, I want to introduce you to everyone."

While she might have gotten used to her sister's fond physical display of affection, it is still embarrassing when she does it so openly in public. And Kaga kind of wants her to stop, though she doesn't exactly have the heart to tell her so

Eyes averted down onto the ground with her cheeks burning a flaming shade of pink, Kaga does her best to avoid the curious stares that are thrown her way as she follows closely behind the shadow of her sister.

It is only when they finally come to a halt that she chances a small peek up.

"Everyone," With a fist held daintily up to her lips, Tosa clears her throat, garnering the full attention of a particular court. "I'd like you to meet my younger sister."

And in an instant, the activity in that single court is placed on hold as unfamiliar excited faces come scrambling up to meet her.

Even when she's glancing down at her feet, Kaga can still feel the multiple pairs of eyes watching her, scrutinizing her as they flick back and forth between Tosa and herself again and again. She can almost hear their thoughts swirling about the tight space they have confined her in— the tiny comparisons and differences that they are sure to make.

The richer, darker hair of Tosa to her own lighter chestnut-colored one.

Tosa's loose side-braid to her own side ponytail.

The same amber eyes.

It's all very intimidating and Kaga finds herself shrinking in towards her sister, clutching at her arm like a life support as Tosa only smiles and ruffles at her hair affectionately.

"Why don't you introduce yourself?" She whispers, leaning down towards her and Kaga immediately takes comfort in the soft, soothing cadence of her voice.

Gently, Tosa nudges her forward by the small of her back as Kaga fumbles forth, blushing furiously at her apparent misstep.

Soughing in deeply, she descends into a deep bow, hands folded neatly in front of her.

"My name is Fuyukawa Kaga, it's nice to meet you."

And there's a good three-second lapse, before all hell breaks loose.

It's almost like she has opened up a gigantic can of worms; with her introduction serving to be some form of an open invitation of sorts, as in the very next moment, Kaga is bombarded by several fingers pinching and pulling at her cheeks and hands ruffling through her hair.

"Uwah, her cheeks are just as soft as Aa-chan!"

"Oh gosh, Tosa-san, would you mind if I bring your sister home for the day?"

"How in the world do Amagi and yourself have younger sisters this adorable is seriously beyond me."

"Kaga-chan, Kaga-chan, give me a banzai!"

"B-banzai…"

"Oh my, isn't she as adorable as Akagi-chan?"

"Girls, please. You're suffocating her."

In comes Tosa for the rescue, and Kaga has never been this grateful for her sister before in her life as the crowd around her begins to gradually disperse reluctantly.

She releases a long relieved sigh, patting down the disheveled state of her hair, and swallows nervously.

"Um, excuse me," Kaga glances around in perplexity, eyes landing on a particular long-haired brunette whom according to Tosa's description, fits the bill for the team's captain. "About my admission to the club…"

"It has already been processed and accepted, don't worry."

The supposed captain flashes her a soft encouraging smile, and Kaga finds herself losing the tension in her shoulders, albeit slightly.

"Now that we're all done and satisfied with your initiation into the club," she directs a pointed glare in the direction of the very group of girls that had practically glomped Kaga seconds ago, and clears her throat abashedly.

"I think it's time we get you started officially."

Training is tough, as Kaga has come to learn over the course of the short two weeks since her entry to the club.

Coach Houshou, though thought to be both kind and lenient by the other members— even acting as a surrogate mother to some—, has been especially relentless with her training.

But it's all for the best, or so Kaga tries to brainwash herself into thinking as the muscle in her thigh sears and her lungs burns for sweet, sweet air.

Doing drills and practice matches are alright, but when it comes to running and the building of endurance… It's an entirely different story.

Kaga pushes on weakly, legs pumping at a halfhearted pace with her hands coming over to swipe at the ceaseless beads of perspiration dripping off from her forehead. She is pretty sure her gym shirt is soaked through and she nearly has half the mind to throw the towel in and give up.

But the sight of Tosa, running far ahead of herself, grinning and laughing along with her fellow teammates while looking the least bit affected by the heat or the run, spurs Kaga on.

Because she has made a promise.

And Kaga doesn't break her promises.

But it still doesn't change the fact that running is still undeniably tough.

Idly, Kaga wonders how is Tosa able to accomplish something like running so effortlessly.

Then again, she can almost hear that affable giggle and smile of Tosa as she goes on about sprightly, 'Training! Lots and lots of training!'

So caught up with her thoughts, Kaga misses the figure that has smoothly sidled up to her in the midst of her inattentiveness. Upon finally noticing the presence beside her, Kaga starts, so much so that she misses a step, nearly tumbling forward if it weren't a delicate yet surprisingly firm arm.

"Oh my, that's definitely a close one. Are you okay?"

Kaga nods feebly and glances up into topaz.

Her eyes widen, albeit by a fraction, in recognition.

It's her.

She takes a second to gloss over the girl's amazingly soft features, marveling over that porcelain-like skin. But she quickly catches herself, shaking herself out of it and regains her poise, legs picking up into a flustered slow jog— as does with the girl.

"Thanks," Kaga gasps, gulping back at her parched throat as she urges herself forward.

"You're welcome."

At the girl's radiant grin, Kaga is suddenly impelled to move on harder— faster— as if she's been bestowed a strange surge of strength, but she doesn't do so.

Because then, she may inevitably outrun her and she does not want to lose her company just yet.

So they spend the next couple of minutes running side-by-side in companionable silence.

Sneaking the girl a surreptitious glance, Kaga notes her heavy breathing and the way several locks of stringy russet hair have came loose from her ponytail, and are now plastered up against her nape from all that sweat she has built off from her run.

It looks oddly fitting on her— this whole sporty appearance. Somehow, she's just able to pull it off, looking as refreshed and exhilarated as ever with that delicious pink flush on her cheeks.

In the mean while, Kaga is struggling with lugging the dead weight that is her feet, looking far more like a wreck than anything else.

It all makes her feel oddly small and inadequate, and she wonders why— out of everyone else— would she even choose to run by her.

"Hm?" The girl turns to her with a questioning glance. "Why?"

Kaga stiffens and blushes a deep shade of scarlet, realizing that she has unknowingly blurted out her thoughts aloud, and is right about to snatch her words— whatever she might have uttered in her reverie— back, when the brunette cuts her off with a sparkly grin and a careless shrug.

"You seemed lonely running alone, so I thought I should join you."

In that moment, Kaga is positively sure that her heart has just stopped, then restarted all over again.

Is that what it feels like when a heart skips a beat?

"T-thank you," she mumbles, and wipes—rubs— at her cheeks, in her attempt to alleviate its scalding heat that she knows has little to do with the sweltering weather.

The girl smiles at her good-naturedly, "I'm Akiyama Akagi, a first year like you too."

Akiyama…

And it all suddenly clicks in place.

"I'm Fuyukawa Kaga."

Akagi passes her a small secret smile then.

"Ah… I'm sure the upperclassmen got you real bad during your 'initiation' too, huh?"

Immediately, a shudder runs down Kaga's spine as she instinctively grasp for her cheeks for all the wrong reasons.

Laughing, Akagi flails her arms up high, eyes twinkling mirthfully. "Banzai!"

"Akiyama-san, please… Don't even remind me..."

If it's even humanely possible while running, Akagi manages to laughs even harder, albeit without falling over, and it takes her awhile before she finally simmers down.

"You know, Tosa-san often speaks about you whenever she comes over to visit."

Kaga blinks, perking up, eyes flashing over to her at the brief mention of her older sister.

She turns to Kaga, eyes crinkling into beautiful crescents as she smiles at her softly.

"But I'm really glad to have finally met you, Fuyukawa-san." Her eyes are of an honest shade of golden topaz as she says this.

And for some reason or another, it manages to kindle this strange fluttering in Kaga's stomach that somehow manages to transcend into this… oddly pleasant warmth that tingles throughout her entire being.

It's a feeling that Kaga can't exactly put a finger to, but she supposes that there is no rush in figuring it out so soon.

"Me too," Kaga breathes, and her lips tug into a small, genuine smile.

"It's good to finally meet you too, Akiyama-san."

A/N: And I'm back with a really quick one. Gotta' churn all those chapters out while I'm still on my break from school, yeah. How do you like you guys some middle-school Akaga? Haha. But anyway, thank you all for reading! And a huge special heartfelt thanks to those who have favorited/followed/reviewed, I really appreciate all the feedback— be it big or small. Aand, I'll be back with the next chapter soon. Hopefully. :)

Oh, and to the Guest who had left a review for the previous chapter (thanks by the way!):

Prepare your heart, volleyball AU or not, the angst is on its way. After all, what is Akaga without angst? lol :P

kthxbye.