In the PE gymnasium, where Ren's team just lost their first set.
"Ok, both teams get a two-minute timeout to rehydrate and talk over game plan," the ref said.
We went over to our side; they went over to their side. We were all hydrating. Then I had my head down and spoke.
"What was that… supposed to be?" I said.
They just looked at me. Then I lifted my head and asked them again,
"What the hell was that performance? Answer me," I said.
"Sorry, I know I messed up," Takashi said.
"No… you did worse than that. Yoru—what exactly is wrong with you?" I said.
"What do you mean? He got into my head," Takashi said.
"Yeah, he disrespected me, my mom, and my whole dignity," Yoru said.
I stood up and stared at Yoru.
"Yoru, look at my face," I said to him.
"Ok, I'm looking at your face," Yoru said.
"Now tell me, does it look like I care about what you're saying? I don't care what he said. If you lose control, you lose—simple as that."
"Right now, this isn't a six-on-six. It's six against four… because two of you checked out," I said.
"He's right, we're going to lose. I don't know what happened between y'all, and I don't care. I really just want to win," Akira said.
"Yeah, let's work together and beat the brakes off of them," Youske said.
"If you can't handle that, then walk off the court now. We don't need dead weight," I said, walking away.
"Yeah, lock in, please," Youske said.
"You guys are better than this, I know it, so just please let's work as a team and do this," Akira said, and she walked away.
"Come on, this is for the team," Marasu said, going on the court.
"So we really are just bringing the team down, huh?" Takashi said.
"Sure looks like it. Man, we got to do better. They need us," Yoru said.
"You're right, we got to do better," Takashi agreed.
I was stretching, then I saw Daiki get on the court, and I approached him.
"So this is the game you're playing, huh?" I said.
"What? I'm just using the same trick you used earlier. Or is it only fair when you do it?" Daiki said.
"It doesn't matter what you think you're doing. I'm telling you right now, I am not losing," I said.
"We'll see," Daiki said, walking away.
The ref blew the whistle. "The break is up, it's time for the second set," the ref said.
Then Takashi and Yoru walked on the court, then Takashi said, "No… we're winning this. No excuses."
"I'm done messing up… I'll do whatever it takes this time," Yoru said.
"Me too," Takashi backed him up.
"I love the spirit, but I also need to see if you mean it," I said.
"Alright, we're back now, let's win this set," Youske said.
Daiki started off the serve. Yoru set it for me, I jumped up, then I spiked it. They were able to hit it back over.
"I got this one!" Takashi screamed, and he hit it over. Daiki set it to one of his men. They tried to spike it, but Takashi jumped up and blocked it, and we got a point.
We didn't celebrate; we needed more points. It was my serve, and I hit far right. They hit it back over, but they hit it too hard, and it went out of bounds.
We were on a roll. Our motivation was at our peak. We started working together, we communicated, we were fighting hard. We won the set.
21-16. We won.
The ref blew the whistle. "Ok, both teams have a two-minute timeout to rehydrate and talk over game plan."
"Let's go, all we need to do is win one more set," Takashi said.
"That was good… but it's not over yet," Akira said.
"Yeah, we were on fire," Yoru said.
"Tell me about it," Youske said.
Then Marasu spoke.
"You don't seem too excited, Ren," Marasu said.
"Yeah, is something wrong?" Akira asked.
I stopped drinking my water, then I spoke. "Why would I get excited when we got another set to play? Plus, they went easy on us."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Yoru said.
"There is no way we just crushed them that bad," Takashi said.
"Yeah, it probably did look like that, but they were just going fifty percent. They probably just wanted to give us hope, then crush us. That's just the type of person Daiki is," I said.
"Well, it doesn't matter. We will make them regret giving us hope," Takashi said.
"I hope so too. That's why I've got a plan," I said.
"What plan?" Yoru asked.
"We're going to start doing fakes," I said with a smile.
On Daiki's side
"I don't care anymore. We're going full power this set, you hear me?" Daiki said.
They all said, "Yeah," together.
The ref blew the whistle. "Ok, break time is up, it's time for the third set to seal the game," the ref said.
"Alright, before we go out there, let's put our hands together," I said.
And we all put our hands together.
"Let's say 'win' on three. One, two, three," I said.
"Win!" we all said together.
We were on the court, ready. The ref blew the whistle. It was Marasu's turn to serve, and she served it with full power. They hit it back over. Akira set it for me, and I spiked it close to out of bounds, but it was inbound—we got the point.
Marasu served it again. Daiki hit it back over. Yoru set it to me. I faked a hit, and Takashi came behind me and hit it for another point.
"Let's go, it worked!" Takashi said.
Marasu served it again. Daiki hit lightly just above the net. Yoru was too slow to get it.
"Damnit, I was so close," Yoru said.
"On the ground, just where you belong," Daiki said, laughing.
Just let him speak. I can't get mad over simple words. I need to win for my team, Yoru thought.
Daiki served it over the net. Takashi hit it up. I ran and spiked it close to out of bounds, but Daiki's men saved it, and the ball went in the air. Daiki ran and jumped up.
I got him, Takashi thought.
Daiki faked the hit right. Takashi went right, and Daiki's man hit the ball for another point.
Damnit, he faked me, Takashi thought.
So you're copying us now… interesting.
We went back and forth—fakes after fakes, points after points—but we kept up.
Score: 17-17
Akira was serving. She served. They hit it back over. I ran up, acting like I was going to set it, but I hit it over to catch them off guard and got the point.
17-18, we're up.
Akira went back up to serve. She served it. Daiki set it. Two of his teammates did a fake hit, but I was able to save it.
That was too close.
The ball was up in the air. Takashi ran at full speed and spiked it. They hit the ball, but it went out of bounds.
"Whooo yeah, baby!" Takashi said.
17-19, we're up.
"Lock the hell in, we can't lose!" Daiki said to his teammates.
Akira served it. Daiki's teammates set it. Daiki went for the spike. Marasu was able to hit it up. I jumped up, faked it. Takashi jumped up and faked it. Yoru jumped up and faked it too.
A triple fake, Daiki thought.
Then Akira spiked the ball, but it was too hard, and it went out of bounds. Daiki's team was stunned. They looked like they had seen a ghost.
"What the hell, a triple fake?" Daiki said.
"Thank God that ball went out of bounds," Daiki's teammates said.
"Yeah, boss, that's the first time I saw that in volleyball."
"I'm very sorry that I hit the ball out of bounds. I had one job," Akira said.
"It's alright, it's fine," Takashi said.
"Yeah, all cool, we can still win," Youske said.
Man, she should have gotten that point. They didn't even expect it. At least we're still up.
18-19, we're up.
"Let's not take this opportunity for granted. Let's end this game already and win," Daiki told his teammates.
Daiki served it, and Akira hit it back over. Daiki's teammates hit it back.
They didn't even set it. What are they doing?
I ran and tried the fake set again, but they caught on and saved it. The ball was back on our side. Takashi set it to Youske, and Youske spiked it, but Daiki saved it.
Daiki's teammate spiked it back over at full force, but Takashi was able to hit it back.
Daiki set it. Daiki's teammates hit a fake spike, and then his other teammate hit it, but we already caught it, and Youske hit it up. Yoru hit a fake spike, and I came and spiked it. They were able to save it. Daiki's teammate set it for him, and Daiki hit straight to Takashi.
Takashi set it, and Yoru went for the spike, but two of Daiki's teammates towered over Yoru and blocked his spike again to tie the game.
19-19
"Damnit, man," Yoru said.
"It's ok, we still got this," Takashi said.
"Yeah, don't feel down about it," Youske said.
Daiki served it again. Marasu hit it back over. Daiki ran full speed and spiked it. Takashi hit it up. I ran and spiked it to the left. The ball bounced off Daiki's teammate's foot, and Daiki spiked it again. Akira hit it up to the left.
"Stay on your toes, guys!" Daiki screamed.
Takashi fake-spiked it. Yoru fake-spiked it too. I ran and tried to spike it quickly to the right, but Daiki had read it and was able to get to it. Takashi was running over there.
Daiki spiked it, but Takashi leaped trying to block, and it hit the tips of Takashi's hands.
Damnit, I was too slow, Takashi thought.
It went over Marasu; it was going to be inbounds.
I have to get it, Marasu thought. She rushed over, then leaped. She was able to get her hands under the ball and save it. The ball was in the air by the net where Yoru was.
Yoru jumped, and Daiki's teammates did too.
I can't let them block me again. I just can't, Yoru thought.
"Yoru, you got this!" Takashi screamed.
"You better block him!" Daiki screamed.
Yoru hit the ball just over the defenders' fingertips, and it went over them, and Yoru scored the point.
"Yeahhhh!" Yoru screamed.
"You did it!" Takashi said.
19-20, we're up. One more point to win it.
"That was an awesome save, Marasu," I said.
"Yeah, if it weren't for Marasu, that would have never happened," Yoru said.
"No, please, it was nothing," Marasu said.
"You pathetic fools… all you had to do was block him, and you still failed," Daiki said.
They all said, "Sorry, boss."
"Well, we better come back now," Daiki said.
"All we need is one more point and we win," Akira said.
"We're right there—don't let it slip now," Yoru said.
It was our turn to serve, and I was serving. I jumped up, and all I could do was think.
Like I told you, Daiki, I wasn't going to lose. But I can't blame you, after all…
I served, and it curved to the right.
"Don't touch it, it's going out of bounds!" Daiki screamed.
The ball curved. Everyone on the court was watching to see where my ball would end up. It touched inbounds right before it went out of bounds.
The ref blew the whistle. "Game over," he said.
I landed, then I smiled.
I'm Ren Aokami, and I never lose.
"The first years won this match, 21-19," the ref said.
To Be Continued