Chapter Text
Yachi held paper tightly in her trembling hands. She had been thinking about this all night that, the dream didn't come to her and therefore she didn't slept. Dark circles under her eyes were prominent and her body was numb from being in the same position on her bed at dawn. She knew she was being paranoid, but because of her anxiety she couldn't help it.
While she was sure that’s what she wanted, it was different to say it out loud, especially with the expectant look of the beautiful girl in front of her. Her big, curious brown eyes didn’t leave her, even when she took the paper out of her hands.
Michimiya – if she wasn’t mistaken – smiled at her gratefully and said some words she didn’t hear before he left. Yachi was in a mental trance enough to hear more than just her heartbeat. Had she really done it? She had. Now she not only had the opportunity to show off all she’d learned in the middle school, but to get closer to her crush of years ago, Kageyama Tobio.
Since she met Kageyama, part of her got quickly hooked on the way he moved his fingers and how passionate he was about volleyball. A flash of inspiration appeared in her after seeing him setting the ball in one of his games that she happened to attend. From that day on, something inside her felt strangely happy and curiosity arose moments later. How would it feel to setting a ball the same way he did?
From then on, she dedicated herself to investigate the basic concepts of volleyball and practice with female team, finding in that an inexplicable joy and same overflowing passion every time she made good passes. However, she also felt frustration of having her thoughts eaten away at every occasion that she was not able to get the ball up properly and– indisposition of the women’s team didn't help her at all. But when she decided maybe that wasn’t her thing and she was willing to give up her practice, she met a guy with the same intensity Kageyama had, whose desire to win was equal to or greater than the King of the Court had.
Hinata was a kind and sincere person, so the two made an instant connection and immediately became friends and practice partners. He once told her that he aspired to be like the Little Giant and he would go to Karasuno, so every day he practiced harder than the last. This awakened in her the same desire to do things better and hunger to win. So, she would setting the ball for Hinata and he would spike it up until his arms hurt. Yachi no longer did this for Kageyama, but for herself, although she sometimes dreamed that boy would look at her even for an instant and perhaps– fall in love with her and her settings.
It never happened and time to graduate came faster than expected.
Now that she knew Kageyama had gone to Karasuno as well, she had a chance to get closer to him and find an excuse to talk to him. She never told Hinata about her crush – and she didn’t plan to either – not until she got up the courage to talk to him. However, Hinata strongly encouraged her to join the women’s volleyball club and thus become rivals. Desire for victory among them increased over time.
Yachi couldn't back down at this point. She would enter the club and become the team’s main setter. She would grow as an athlete and polish skills she had acquired over the months. She would have teammates that she could call a team and beat Hinata. She would beat Kageyama. And if he was optimistic, Kageyama would look at her this time. Too be amazed at her abilities, and she would finally have the courage to speak to him. She would invite him to practice after school, they would talk after they were exhausted, he would walk her home every night, they would become close friends and eventually he would ask her out on a date. They would last for three years until they both went to college, then he would ask her to move in with him and–
Someone waved his hands against her face. “Hitoka, Hitoka!”
Oh, no. She was rambling again.
She struck both her cheeks with palms of her hands, leaving a red mark on her white skin. She looked at Hinata in front of her and smiled weakly at him, calming his concern at once. He returned his pearly tooth smile and showed her his thumb up.
"I'm on the team," he exclaimed with emotion on his face. Yachi's smile widened.
"I'm glad. I knew you would." She took him by the hand and they both took small jumps of happiness.
"And what about you?" Hinata asked impatiently when they realized they were getting attention of the people walking down the aisle.
"W-well, I-- um..." she looked down, concentrating on her own shoes. "I think I have an after-school test. Michimiya-senpai said I didn't have to, but I insisted so much and in the end she said yes."
She was almost embarrassed to remember she almost cried when Michimiya refused to give her a test. She wanted to show what she could do and be taken seriously. Hinata probably would have begged to his team see his amazing spikes too.
She let out a chuckle as she imagined the boy whining about being allowed on the team. From the way he had talked about Kageyama over the past few months, maybe they had had a little fight before someone else broke it off and reprimanded them for their bad behavior. She had heard rumors they had even beaten up the vice principal, causing him to lose his precious wig.
Hinata crossed his arms, “what's so funny?”
"Oh, nothing, nothing!" Yachi waved her arms in an attempt to appease her friend. "The important thing is I will get on the team and beat you, Hinata Shouyou."
"Oh? Don't be so sure about that, Yachi Hitoka. I'm on a team now, I'll work double– triple to make it to nationals. And you'll see me win." He said effusively. His big brown eyes were burning brightly and Yachi quickly caught on to his competitive spirit. It was something that always happened, only with Hinata.
"Good!" She raised her fist to his face. "Let's go to the Nationals, Shouyou."
Maybe she wanted Kageyama to watch her play, to fall in love with her play and eventually fall in love with her. Maybe it was a little bit about him, after all. However, at times like these, when someone else was encouraging her to move on for and with her, then it was about herself. About her desires and her goals. Because Yachi wanted to ascend and chase the stars next to her. Because she loved what she did and would show everyone that she could look fragile, but she wasn’t. She would play volleyball with the same intensity as anyone else.
“Let’s go to Nationals, Hitoka.”