Re-entering The Battle
I was infront of Aoba Johsai now. My parents' old high-school. I sighed with exasperation and pulled out my earphones from my pockets and put them on my ears. I walked inside as I listened to Olivia Rodrigo on Spotify.
Traitor played on my ears as I remembered my parents tricking me into transferring to Seijoh.
I pouted and continued walking remembering some old articles online about Seijoh's volleyball team. If Shiratorizawa was the most incomplete team in the Miyagi prefecture years ago, then Seijoh was the most complete team back then. Mostly carried by Oikawa Tooru, as stated by online sources. After papa graduated along with the other 3rd years like dad, uncle Issei, and uncle Hiro, Seijoh fell off and as time passed and new generations emerged, they started falling off even harder.
They couldn't produce anymore good players. Players as good as the great Oikawa Tooru and the amazing Iwaizumi Hajime, experienced players like Hanamaki Takahiro and Matsukawa Issei, or even players that have witnessed how Seijoh was like when it was under the leadership of Oikawa Tooru like Yahaba Shigeru, Kyoutani Kentaro, Watari Shinji, Kindaichi Yutaro and Kunimi Akira.
Even then, uncle Shige was an incredible captain after the 3rd years graduated and uncle Ken was an excellent ace alongside uncle Shin, uncle Akira and uncle Taro's support. It was the following generations that failed Seijoh's legacy.
It was my dream to conquer the nationals and join Aoba Johsai. I wanted to continue what my parents started. But, after realizing I wasn't meant for volleyball, I quit much to my parents' persistence.
It was an irony that only after I mentioned about quiting volleyball, only then did my parents start paying attention to me by trying to convince me otherwise.
Were they expecting me to get back into volleyball after setting foot into this school? If so, how stupid do they think I am? I'm not that lowly to all of a sudden change my mind all because I set foot in a school that they oh so happened to attend way back then. My goal right now, is to avoid anything related to volleyball.
I'd be too anxious to even hold a ball, even yet throwing it towards the spiker— but the feeling is what makes it so exhilarating to even do. The way the ball— wait. What am I thinking about now?
I scratched the back of my head and clenched my fist. I halted when I saw a familiar figure that had familiar ombre pink locks.
"i-chan?" I blurted out.
Matsukawa Ino is the childhood and most closest friend of Iwaizumi Hatoru. They were friends even when they were in diapers. They played volleyball together as kids and even talked to eachother about going to nationals. Matsukawa was the first person to ever hear about Hatoru's dream.
Matsukawa cares deeply for Hatoru. But, you wouldn't catch him saying that. Ever.
"Yo." Ino waved his hand towards Hatoru.
Hatoru froze and started tweaking. He pointed accusatorily at the pink-haired boy. "W-what are you doing here!!"
"What do you think?" Ino arched a brow, hinting at the door infront of him that had a sign that read, 'VOLLEYBALL CLUB.'
Hatoru glanced at the paper in Ino's hand and broke a cold sweat before asking, "Are you sick right now, i-chan?"
Ino raised the paper in his hand and used it to hit Hatoru. "Toru," He started cracking his knuckles, blurting out that nickname which Hatoru hated because it made him feel more like his dad who harbors the name Tooru— making it so much more scarier while continuing, "say one more word and I'll actually end you."
Hatoru pouted and replied, "But it's true! Even when we were kids you always made volleyball as a 'hobby'! You even told me that you weren't planning to continue volleyball in high-school!!"
"Well, my mind changed."
Hatoru squinted his eyes towards Ino as he scanned him head to toe. He then makes a shocked face when the realization hits him.
"i-chan." He held Ino's shoulders and glared at him. "My parents set you up to this didn't they?"
Ino tries to avoid Hatoru's question by averting his eyes while Hatoru continues to glare at him menacingly.
"Hey. How about you come with me?" Ino said. His eyes chill and relaxed while his his lips curve awkwardly.
"Inside?" Hatoru raised a brow. "Geez. You're not even trying to hide it this time." He rolled his eyes.
"Who knows. Maybe your mind will change too." Ino responded coolly.
"That would just be a waste of time. And time is gold so no." Hatoru shrugged.
"You're saying no but your eyes say otherwise." Ino smirked approaching p Hatoru closer and closer... their foreheads almost touching and— Click!
The door infront of them opens and they both turn away from eachother awkwardly. A 3rd year appears before them and welcomes them in, ignoring what he saw earlier.
"Okay. Where are we now??" A boy dressed too much for the sunny weather asks.
"Aki, Sho, I don't recognize where we are." Wakajino breaks a cold sweat as he looks around trying to get a grip to where they currently are.
"Oh! There's a café right there." Shotora places his sunglasses on his head and points out.
"Great timing I'm hungry." Akito huffs and takes off his coat.
The three of them sits down near the window to enjoy the view outside. Shotora is busy on his phone, Akito is resting his head on Wakajino's shoulder while scrolling through his phone, and Wakajino is busy reading a book his father bought for him on Christmas.
"Hey, Ushijima." Akito jumps from his seat and looks at Wakajino.
"Are we calling eachother by surnames now? What is it, Sakusa." Wakajino rolls his eyes playfully while answering.
"Toru's in Seijoh now." Akito flops back onto the seat.
"Oops, don't say that nickname infront of him. You're bound to get a beating. You know how much he hates that nickname." Wakajino sneers.
Shotora blows his bubblegum until it pops and continues chewing on it, ignoring Wakajino's sentiment saying, "About damn time. He's too focused on what he did wrong that he completely ignored everything he did right. I bet 5000 yen he's gonna be the one to make Seijoh equally as recognized as they were back then, and maybe Shiratorizawa is finally gonna get a rematch with the best setter in the Miyagi prefecture back in Junior high?" He teased as he rests his chin on his palm.
"He'll lose anyways." Wakajino smirks. "Just like last time." He said under his breathe.
"Right. Ya'll hate eachother." Akito laughs.
"He just gets on my damn nerves, okay?" Wakajino shrugs nonchalantly.
"Him and Matsukawa are way more obvious than your guys' brothers." Shotora comments.
"That's what I'm saying!" Akito shouts like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Eh. Have you seen those guys from your team?" Wakajino puts on a thinking face before brightening up, "The short Russian and the tall ass gamer!"
"Val-senpai and Ketsuro-senpai?" Shotora blinks.
"Yeah." Wakajino stretches his arms.
"I mean, they are pretty obvious." Shotora coolly says.
"You'll never catch me lacking like that." Akito smiles smugly.
"Says the guy whose boyfriend is literally in Argentina." Wakajino snickers while Akito flips him off.
Shotora scrolls through his phone and his lips curve into a small smile as he glances at his phone.
"What's wrong?" Wakajino stares at him and Akito does the same.
"There's a trend now on X about the upcoming volleyball tournament being started by the great Ninja Shoyo.." Shotora shows them his phone and they both look at the trending tag that says, '#Re-enteringTheBattle.'