TIME TO FLY HIGHER
CHAPTER ONE:
TAKING FLIGHT…
"Please tell me you're joking?" A frantic, yet older dark skin woman yelled at the two medical professionals, she crossed her arms. It was as if this was a nuisance to the lady.
"Yes. Unfortunately, Keira will never be able to play on the court again. Or any intense sport for that matter. Until she gets her ACLs repaired. She can't go far."
This is not a good way to finish middle school. Seeing your disappointed parents look over at you as you were injured; as if this simple accident was your fault... Standing before them was a younger girl with two braces on her knees.
Keira was awake, sure, but her eyes seemed lifeless. Nothing but empty emotions as the doctors concluded their time in the ICU.
"Sorry, Ms. Fujikawa. We can discuss more about getting a prescription for the injures Keira has and if you need to schedule an appointment for examining the-"
"NO- I will just take the prescription and we will look into an appointment at a later date."
After the doctors finalize their conversation and exit the room, Keira sat in silence with her mother. She would look down at her case on her legs and would daggle them lightly. The pain was still there but it wasn't as intense from before when it had the impact.
The real pain… was truly hearing her mother berate her as she was sitting on that hospital bed, internalizing every moment there.
"Keira. You really thought doing all this wasn't going to hurt you in the end? You simply can't sit still for a second? You are hard-headed. What were you even thinking?!" Her mother would get up and start walking to the door, she would turn back and the eyes of disgust would send Keira into a spiral.
"Don't you ever ask about joining another sport or club again. You know what my answer will be, every time."
Once her mother left to insist on a discharge, Keira would feel a flood of tears falling from both her cheeks. The silence was loud despite being the single person in that room. Her whimpers ended up growing louder and louder. Keira truly felt alone and lost for the first time.
She never felt this amount of pain before. She was removed from the only thing that made her happy. Her mother was right, she can't sign up for any more sports after this.
She will never be able to fly again.
2 YEARS LATER… LATE-APRIL, 2013
Keira is now in her second year. She now goes to Karasuno High School. At first, it certainly wasn't ideal as it was the first time away from any other clubs, she was alone and to herself. She got used to it and created a personal bubble away from everyone else.
Especially after that unfaithful day in middle school, she felt like she was nothing but dead weight.
But attending this school have some perks. She did end up developing a friendship, to her own shock. A fellow 2nd year would always be there to talk with her new profound pal. During lunch, it would be her pal, Kimiko Hisaki doing all the talking while Keira would sit and converse occasionally since she doesn't have much to talk about.
Today was no different…well…somewhat.
Keira keeps to herself, strolling down the hallways of the second year wing. Murmurs of fellow students, cackling on and shooting a breeze amongst themselves about the fellow student from the style of her hair to the way Keira walks.
It was familiar to the poor girl. Nothing for her to not handle though. She got to her homeroom and classes eventually resumed.
Lunch was soon approaching and so was another fellow student who was indeed watching Keira from afar. Keira did not become aware of this individual until she eventually advanced closer.
A short girl with most of her blonde hair down but one was parted to the side as a ponytail was standing before the melanin girl, quivering in her school shoes.
She was surely uncomfortable and flustered by this situation but after many hours of being rejected by many students that weren't interested in what she had in her hand to begin with, it left her no other choice. Besides, Keira seemed to be more- or less likely to yell at her, right? Also, she indeed found the girl very attractive yet…scary!
Eep! Why do pretty girls always look so intimidating?! Yachi would say to herself, her body began to shake even more; fighting back the analysis paralysis and just trying to stay calm.
"Uhm! Excuse me?" the blonde would look down; her eyes very much glued onto Keira's. "Uh sorry! For bothering you-"
Just a couple seconds of silence threw the blonde girl all the way off and swung a piece of folded up paper towards Keira's face. She shouts at her.
"W-WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR CLUB?!"
Keira blinks before receiving the paper and puts it down on her desk. The girl would continue conversing, still a little unnerved.
"I know you're new but everyone else rejected my offer and you were the only one left to ask…" She wasn't kidding… Keira looked down at the unopened paper and then back at the blonde girl. Based on this conversation, she was tired and taken aback by the social exposure.
Finally, Keke would voice out her thanks.
"Uh my name is Hitoka, by the way-" The girl concluded, "sorry for bothering you again! Nice meeting you."
"It's okay, nice to meet you too."
And soon enough, lunchtime was underway. After everyone traveled about the building, either eating somewhere along the school corridors or whatnot, Keira would still be in her seat, staring down at that paper.
However, her dear ole' friend Kimiko was already standing in front of Keira's desk, also observing the paper. The object was finally opened and Keira was very apprehensive.
The paper had a photo of a fellow volleyball player, wearing his designated uniform and just about to spike the ball across the net.
"Hmm…It looks like the boys' volleyball club is looking for both players and managers!" Kimi announced which Keira would nod.
"Yeah. I don't know Kimi.. I just think that this wouldn't-"
"AHHH THIS REMINDS ME THAT CUTE BOY THAT'S IN MY CLASS! HE'S PART OF THAT CLUB! He's so tall and chiseled…" She particularly had heart eyes. Her cheeks were tinted a light pink and her body sways as she was enchanted by her own thoughts/fantasies.
Keke would give Kimi that look of discontentment before looking back down at that brochure. She can't. She shouldn't. She couldn't.
She doesn't want to get in trouble with her mom… yeah. That's exactly why she can't join-
"OMG! Keke-chan, you should totally join!"
"Huh!?"
"YES!" Kimiko leapt into the air! Her face was still flushed with excitement. She was thrilled that her friend was finally getting out of her comfort zone and experiencing new things. Kimi truly wants the best for her well-considered close friend! "It's been for-never since you joined a club. Maybe this will be your new thing for the next school year!"
"Uhm…no." Keira gets up with the paper now crumbled in her hand. Kimi looked shocked. "Sorry Kimi-san, I can't do anymore clubs. My mom wants me to focus on my education and possible employment." She got up and took that crushed brochure and threw it in the trash.
The conversation halted when Keke's belly started to rumble. She could feel the bits of her stomach touching her backsides. Unfortunately, yet again, Keira forgot to grab lunch. Usually Keira would rush herself to get ready and everything else just falls to the wayside; including her basic needs.
Sometimes Keke would not even proceed to eat lunch. She ends up starving until she gets home. Even Kimi has to offer her own half of her meal, just so Keira can eat something!
Keira's strings of hair flew in the wind due to the cool, May air. She was prancing over to the other side of the building to grab a few snacks since she arrived unprepared today.
Momentarily, Keira has finally made it to the schoolyard, nearby were vending machines. It was vacant at first, which was perfect timing. No people to create unasked attention to. So she thought.
Before she made it past the pathway, near the walls of the building, a figure would turn the corner, causing Keira to stop in her tracks.
She freezes as the individual was indeed taking his territory. Keira watched the student punch in his change, push down onto two buttons and cartoons were sent to the shoot. The guy had black, silk hair, he was tall and colossal.
He seemed taller than an average teenage boy her age but she was a staggering 163cm so she had no place to talk. Some students walking pass were either just as shocked as the latter or admired by the kid either way.
Then all of this info eventually clicked in Keira's mind. Was this the boy Kimiko was talking about? Keira introspecting with herself, examining the guy from afar. He wasn't bad looking surely enough but his tough exterior flew everything off. Would he be a perfect match for Kimi? Would he like her back?
Keira just wanted some food…She wasn't going to wait for the guy to finish pinching the straw into his cartons, she stepped forward to the vending machine.
She really wanted her favorite mixed rice onigiri and daifuku mochi brands. She would recall, grabbing her wallet from her house this morning as she always had it in one of her jacket pockets but she was rushing yet again.
She cursed to herself as she looked defeated; in mourning, what could've been a delicious meal of two snacks she would've enjoyed. Keke then had her back turned, ready to step away. The same boy was watching this all happen. He treads forward and taps the girl's shoulder.
"Yo. Need something?"
Keira's eyes enlarge, she quickly rotates towards the raven boy. "Huh?" Their eyes would meet which made Keira turn away suddenly from the awkwardness. Never thought she would be talking to Kimiko's supposedly crush right now but here she was, unexpectedly doing so!
The boy would sigh, rolling his eyes. "Listen, I saw you looking at the machine all sad and you want something from there. I'll pay."
"Uh I-sure?"
"Cool."
Before she knew it, after pointing at the things she wanted from the machine, it was a simple quick exchange that made Keira get whiplash. He didn't seem like a talker at all. The raven boy was well on his way back to the building. Keke dealt with this cogitation of everything that just happened and was watching the boy figure fade from her sight.
What the hell just happened? Not even an introduction or a "you're welcome". Well- in his defense Keira never thanked the guy. But the lunch bell rang and Keira had to wait until after school to eat as time grew short.
"Damn.. lunch is over already?" She ran across the school, putting her indoor school shoes back on and headed to class. Throughout the rest of the day, hungry Keira tried her hardest to maintain focus during her afternoon lessons. Indeed challenging but she'd prevailed.
Once school was concluded, as the students were cleaning up the rooms and winding down from the school day, they students heard a loud "UGH!" and it was coming from Keira as she exclaimed, caressing her stomach.
Some murmurs were heard all around but Keira didn't seem to care, she was digging into her snacks finally. Even if the melted mochi was divine to her.
Kimiko would be already making her way towards her friend, with her hands hidden behind. Keira, with her mouth filled with some powder and cream smeared on her lips. She blinked sheepishly, wrapping her mouth clean with her fingers. To Kimiko, she laughed before pulling out from behind her.
This made Keira frozen in her place. It was now the crumpled, Karasuno volleyball club brochure. Kimiko must've grabbed it from the trash bin while Keke wasn't in her sight.
"I know you said you didn't want to join due to parental reasons. Don't mind me intervening but whatever you do privately won't hurt you, especially if your mother doesn't find out."
Kimiko's smile shrinks Keke's glare into a soft pout. Her friend was persistent. Or maybe Kimi wants something from her? Or maybe she wants a favor? THE CRUSH!
"Wait wait wait- so is there a catch? LikeIgotopracticeandaskyourcrushaboutyouandbeyourwingmanforaday?" Keira's smirking caused Kimiko to flush pink and be taken aback.
"What? Uh NO! I mean- that's not what I was going to have you do at all…" Now come to think of it, Keke would be closer to her crush. This is where Keira has her hooked.
"I mean, I did see your crush earlier- or supposedly…"
"REALLY?!" The classroom froze as they looked over at Kimiko from her sudden outburst. Sheepishly smiling before glaring over at Keira. "Are you being for real?" She asked.
Keira would look unsure. Everything from that moment happened so quickly. "I mean- I think I did. He was tall… he has raven black hair an-"
"AAAEEUGGH- wrong!" Keira blinked, her eyes narrowed at her dirty blonde haired friend. Who was that guy from the vending machine that helped her then?
"My crush has blonde hair and glasses. He's also very lean yet tall!" Kimiko would conclude, making Keira sit there at her desk, bewildered. "Although, there is another boy that's in class 2 that is mentioned by my classmates and is also part of the VB team.."
"You know?" Keira added, "you seem so familiar with volleyball. I think you would make a great fit as a manager! Better than me! So this summarizes this-"
"NOPE! No can do. I am currently involved with the student council club this year again-!" Kimiko smirked as she looked over at defeated Keira, crossing her arms. Keira cursed at herself. She really thought she could get out of this with a simple exchange.
But then Kimiko proclaimed something that made Keira freak out. "WHAT?!"
"Uh huh!" Kimi giggled, snickering some more at Keke.
"You want me to go to the volleyball practice, introduce myself to everything AND talk to your crush and ask him about you?!"
"Sounds about right!"
"What the hell, Kimi-kun…" Keira would facepalm at this. She doesn't want to abandon Kimi though. Kimi was indeed busy with her club and will indeed overlap with volleyball practice. Keira has no other choice. Even if the amount of obsessive roundabouts with Kimi and her crush can be a bit… unpleasant and a lot… but even then, Keke still wants her friend to be happy.
"Fine. I'll go."
"REALLY?"
"Yup.." Keira was just about ready to join in on the cleaning before departing for dismissal. Afterwards she must find Hitoka, the person that advertised the opportunity in the first place.
Kimiko would give Keira a firm, tight hug. "Thank you, love! You are amazing.. You know that?"
Keira dissociates from that moment forward and all she gives Kimi was a simple nod and a small smile. Once she was finished cleaning with her classmates, as she was walking towards the stairwell to head to the lower floors, she ended up running into Yachi herself, in the hallways as she was also dismissed from her classroom.
She gave a simple response to Hitoka and the girl's face lit up. She was also overjoyed by Keira's reply.
Keira never even thought she was going to go into this full circle moment. Being back in the reigns of volleyball. She was trying her hardest to not get involved again but…well… she isn't! She is simply doing a favor for a friend. She's going to find the blonde haired glasses boy and send him off to her friend and be the best wing person there is!
Keke already sworn to never play or be part of the volleyball team again! And that is a promise not to her mother, but to herself… Even if it seems promising or maybe even fun? This is not the way.
Little did she know? This was only the beginning. Keira was by the gym entrance to the court. Standing by her was a stilled yet thrilled Hitoka.
"Are you ready?"
Keira looked over at her and before she could respond, a loud crashing sound of somebody being shamed onto the ground was heard from behind the door, leaving both of the girls shaken!
"HINATA YOU IDIOT!"
"What good are wings without the courage to fly?"
- Atticus
TO BE CONTINUED…
...
**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this first chapter!
I am currently rewatching and rereading this
anime/manga! Love this show sm.
I wanted to add more diversity with adding
a main black/blasian OC within the cast
and still keep the Haikyuu!
feel alive even after the manga is long gone
and the anime is being concluded
*CUTELY WAITS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
RELEASE DATE*