XX

Um, so I've passed away. Writing this chapter was too cute for me. Sorry.

Wait, I'm back. Guess I can still write. All I can say is: tell me your reaction at the end of the chapter. I want to make sure I'm sane. (I may or may not have collapsed on my bed rereading this. And I'm the one who wrote it.)

"The way you pick up everything on the court. I can do that too. Not as well as you can, but I can tell what the opposing team is thinking. How their emotions affect their actions."

"You- you can see the way I do?" Isuma asked in disbelief. Kita replied, "Again, I can't do it as efficiently as you do, but yes. And, well, while you see their physical states, I can see their mental states. How the game is affecting them and the amount of pressure they're facing. What they'll decide and what risks they're willing to take. I'm not always sure- actually, I'm never usually sure- but I'm usually right about what the other team is going to do."

"...but doesn't it scare you? Knowing you could be wrong about everything and your team losing a match because of you?" Isuma asked. Kita looked down at his hands. "Back in middle school... I was never a starter then either, so no one knew me. The first time I tried to help... I was terrified. I was sure I was wrong, and on top of that, my upperclassmen didn't think a first-year would be right. But I turned out to be right about everything. Our school won against a powerhouse that day. So, Isuma-chan..."

He turned towards her. "I know how you feel right now. And I promise you, I saw everything you saw at Ameba High. You're right about this-"

Kita wasn't listening. So she got his attention the only way she knew how. "Shinsuke, listen to me."

He looked down at her, sure he'd misheard. Did she just... "You're amazing." Her eyes were locked on him, and she looked strangely desperate to tell him. "You're an amazing volleyball player even if you aren't a starter. You're confident about everything you do and can do everything. You're a great leader and captain- even Tsumu and Samu listen to you. You're at the top of your class. But I... I've never been good at anything. Even volleyball. I'm too... I can't lead anyone. I'm too shy to even talk like a normal person- I can't face somebody without freezing and not being able to do or say anything. I can't even restrain my own brothers. I'm not anybody. I- I'm not like you."

Isuma's hands were gripping the edge of the bench so tightly her fingers were white. Kita, still getting over the shock of being called Shinsuke- by Isuma, of all people- answered, "That's not true. You are somebody. Atsumu and Osamu never would've gotten as far as they are without you- not in volleyball, not in anything. You are the smartest person I know- every person who's told you you're too shy is going to regret it one day. And you- you don't ever get to say you aren't important. You are the most important person in your brothers' lives. You're an important person in Suna's life. In Ginjima's. In Akagi's. And... mine."

Her hand- the one that had been burned- was on the bench in between them. Kita briefly hesitated before taking her hand with both of his own. "I trust you, Isuma."

Isuma couldn't speak: his fingers gently ran over the still-pink skin on her hand- his hands were smooth and calloused from years of handling a volleyball, yet his touch was incredibly warm and comforting. Isuma's cheeks turned a warm shade of pink, just like they had when he'd taken her hand the first time...

This time, he didn't let go.

"Talk to me after the game. Rethink everything you just said and say it again to me later." Kita looked to the right just as Atsumu and Osamu walked back into the gym, followed by the others. He let her hand drop and stood up, grabbing his bag as they approached. No one felt the tense conversation they'd just stopped. "I'm going. Start your warm-ups."

"Yes, sir!" They pulled off their jackets and set them on the bench. Atsumu glanced at his sister. "Are you okay? You look a little off."

"I'm fine. Let's start."

<<Skip to Kita>>

Ginjima was exiting the bathroom when Kita entered. "Did you talk to her?"

He looked up. "I did. I think we're okay."

"That's good." Ginjima nodded as Kita went past him and entered the bathroom. He was alone inside, and after changing in a stall, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Kita hit the marble counter with his hands; he shut his eyes and hung his head, avoiding his reflection. What was wrong with him? What did- what happened to him every time Isuma was in the room? Did he-

No, Akagi wasn't right. And even if he did... Atsumu and Osamu wouldn't let him. Heck, they'd probably not let Kita within twenty meters of her for the rest of his life if they ever found out.

He splashed some water on his face, clearing his head. No. Isuma was off-limits to him. He couldn't-

"Shinsuke!!" Akagi burst into the bathroom and looked relieved when he saw him. "There you are; Coach was getting worried."

Kita picked up his bag. "Let's go."

***

"Now presenting the Inarizaki High starting line-up!! #2, third-year, middle blocker, Omimi Ren!"

Omimi high-fived the coaches and Kita before running onto the court. "#4, third-year, wing spiker Ojiro Aran! #5, second-year, wing spiker, Ginjima Hitoshi!! #7, second-year, setter, Miya Atsumu! #10, second-year, middle blocker Suna Rintaro! #11, second-year, opposite, Miya Osamu!! #15, third-year, libero, Akagi Michinari!"

Everyone cheered as they ran onto the court one by one. "Captain, #1, third-year, wing spiker, Kita Shinsuke!"

He bowed when his name was called. The coaches and Isuma were standing in front of the bench; Kita looked over just as the announcer exclaimed, "Coach, Kurosu Sensei."

He bowed to applause from the bleachers. "And finally, second-year, manager, Miya Isuma! "She didn't move for a brief second but then hastily bowed. Suna murmurer under his breath, "She took that well."

Atsumu heard him and flashed a smile. "'Course she did."

"Only now they're all talking about her."

Sure enough, the revelation of Isuma's name and presence had caused every boy in the gymnasium to look over at her. She noticed immediately; Kurosu Sensei said something to her and Isuma nodded, visibly relieved. She walked over to players not in the starting line-up, stopping right at the line that separated her from them. "Coach said to stay here with you."

Suna and Kita exchanged glances, then looked up at the bleachers: sure enough, everyone still looking at Isuma looked intimidated and uneasy. "That's a good idea."

Just then, the referee blew his whistle: it was the other team's serve, and Akagi received it perfectly. "Atsumu!!"

Isuma exhaled, watching her brother set. Kita's voice dropped to an impossibly soft whisper. "Ready to see if you're right?"

"Not really." Isuma shook her head, her eyes locked on the other team. She didn't see anything new or different. They looked the same. Their movements were just like before. They made the same small mistakes.

Getting ready to spike, Ginjima aimed for the player Kita and Isuma had told him to mark: #6, Hiroshima. His spike was slightly towards Hiroshima's right, which Ginjima had been hoping for. Hiroshima jumped left and received the ball, but his movement was stiff and he looked uneasy for a split-second. The ball flew up into the air shakily, but the Inarizaki players had seen what they needed to see.

Isuma had been right.

Kita didn't say anything- he would later, but for now, Isuma needed to accept it herself. She was looking at the court in disbelief. "It- it worked."

For the first time since they'd arrived, Isuma smiled. She clasped her hands and looked down, letting out her breath. Suna smiled slightly, amused by her surprise. "We knew, Isuma-chan. See? You had nothing to be worried about."

She didn't say anything, her eyes still watching the court intently. The score was 01:03, and they were leading... but now it was their captain's turn to serve. "He's the jump-floater, right?" Isuma looked down at her notebook. "That's right. But they're pretty unreliable and even he doesn't know where they go."

"He's not going for a jump float right now," Kita murmured. Suna looked over. "How do you know?"

"I just do." Just then, Aran caught Kita's eye, who shook his head. Aran nodded once and turned towards the others, saying something. Their formation shifted slightly, and they took a few steps forward. "Bring it!"

Sure enough, it was a spike serve. Daeko's eyes widened when Osamu received it perfectly. "Tsumu!"

Atsumu's fingers pushed off the ball, and it arced into the air just before Osamu slammed it down. Ameba's dived it, but his hand missed it by seconds. "Yeah!!"

Osamu slapped his brother's hand as one of the first-years asked, "Osamu Senpai has never been really good at receives, has he?"

Kita glanced over. "It depends on your meaning of 'good.'"

"What do you mean?" The first-year asked. Isuma replied, "We have great receivers- so good that people that are decent seem bad in comparison. Osamu's always been decent at receives."

"Always?" Suna repeated. Isuma tilted her head, considering it. "Maybe not so much when we were younger, because he played setter a lot. I remember once, at night, he suddenly asked me to help him practice his receives. It was probably our first year of junior high."

Suna asked, "Was Osamu a good setter?"

"We were little then, so he was nowhere he as good as Tsumu is now, but I'm sure if he kept at it, he'd be just as good." She smiled as she watched her brothers dart back and forth on the court. They were ahead by 8 points, and although Isuma was trying not to assume they'd win, she couldn't help but think about their next match. Finally, she asked, "Senpai, can I leave for a while?"

"-what? Why?" Kita asked, looking at her. Isuma answered, "If we win, then we'll play Kamino Academy. I should go watch their match and see their players. We don't have anything on them. They're not one of the schools I've watched."

"You can't go alone." Ginjima protested. "And none of us can go either."

"I can go myself." Seeing Ginjima's expression, she put her hand on his arm. "Gin, I'll be fine. If I'm not back by the end of the second set, come look for me."

Kita looked at Isuma and finally replied, "If Coach agrees, then go."

"Thanks!" She walked over to their coach, and after a few seconds, he nodded. Isuma went back to Kita and Ginjima. "Hurry back. If you're not back by the end of the second set I'm sending the army to look for you." Kita looked at her sternly. Ginjima added, "And the Navy."

Both of them looked serious about it. Kita looked over at the others. "Actually, hold on. Yuto!!"

The second-year looked over. "Yes, sir?"

"Can you go with Isuma to one of the other matches?" Kita asked. Yuto blinked. "-now?"

"Now." Kita nodded. "...sure, but what about the match?" Yuto asked. Kita looked at the court. "I don't think they'll be needing any help. It's fine."

Ginjima caught Yuto's arm and whispered something in his ear. Yuto laughed. "You got it, Hitoshi."

"Thanks." Ginjima nodded as Kita leaned forward and murmured something to Yuto under his breath. Isuma watched as Yuto laughed again. "Sure, Senpai. Let's go, Isuma."

I want something really bad to happen in the next chapter but is it too early? Yeah, I feel like it's too early. And there's already so much going on- this being their first match of the Inter-High, Isuma figuring things out, the whole Kita/Isuma thing... I actually passed away when she called Kita "Shinsuke." That was too cute for my heart. I want her to keep doing that almost Idk maybe she will. But anyway nothing terrible is going to happen. But next time, when things are a little less intense, I will! Maybe the quarter-finals or something :D Oh and yeah, tell me what your reaction was. I'm scared I'm going crazy.

Oh yeah and for this chapter's interesting thing I've been thinking about... um, okay so what do you think about the fact that Tanaka and Asahi have played in EVERY match without resting? I know Asahi didn't play in the Seijoh practice match but that's all; they've played in EVERY SINGLE match. Every single one. Also we at 20.2K thank y'all!💖