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It’s day two of the interhigh national tournament and all four courts are still in the middle of a game. Everything is lively, from the games on the court to the audience on the bleachers. The different cheers are loud and its echoes fill the gymnasium. It's almost distracting enough for Motoya to focus on the game in front of him when the crowd watching from another court is getting all riled up. He sits on the bleachers along with the rest of his team. Kiyoomi sitting right beside him. The game in front of them being Matsukawa Tech vs Inarizaki, barely in the middle of the second set.
Much like last year, the cheering on Inarizaki's side was grand and hostile. Motoya feels bad for everyone serving in Matsukawa, going through the unpleasant feeling of getting boo-ed at. It's already bad enough that they are six points behind Inarizaki but they seem to be catching up when a wall of their blockers scores, blocking a spike from Ojiro Aran no less.
He wanted to watch a little longer. After all, Inarizaki is a team Itachiyama has an eye on for many reasons. Matsukawa Tech also had their best server in the current rotation. As a libero, Motoya needs to understand how they play for him to know how to best receive. But, he'd like to drink something that isn't water before a game, maybe go to the restroom and wash up. It will save him from Kiyoomi's commanding scowl when he asked if he had washed his hands.
Motoya excuses himself. As he stand, Iizuna-san, who is sitting behind him, asks "where are you going?"
"I'm gonna try to find some Potari sweat and go to the restroom."
"Oh, I'll come with you. I actually want to see what they have on the t-shirt stalls."
"I'll come, too." Kiyoomi said, still focused on the game.
"You want to go to the restroom, too?" Motoya said, hinting it to something which Kiyoomi doesn't like by side-eyeing him.
"I want to see Shiatorizawa's match up close," his cousin coldly states.
Motoya scans the occupied courts, the match with Shiratorizawa is way on the other side. If they're quick on their feet, they won't mess much. Not feeling the need to tease his cousin any further, he waits for their captain and his cousin to stand and they all excuse themselves from their team as they walk out of the lined seats. Letting Iizuna-san lead the way. "Let's get going," he said to them.
"Who are Shiratorizawa up against?" Motoya asked, padding the pocket of his sports jacket, checking if he had left some money in them. It had enough money for a drink.
"It's Chikuida," Kiyoomi said, not a hint of enthusiasm for the mentioned team. They're not a powerhouse like Shiratorizawa or Itachiyama, nor are they newcomers to the national tournament.
"They're back this year?" Motoya said, somewhat excited. "Good luck to them I guess." And good luck is all he could wish for them. Much as he likes for the tables to turn to Chikuida's favor and for something fresh and new on the tournament brackets, he doubts they could actually beat Shiratorizawa, especially against Ushijima-san’s spikes. It is an exciting thought if they can. When they walk up to the game in question, it, too, is at its second set, which is already impressive given Shiratorizawa won both sets the day before. "Wow, they're even so far," Iizuna-san pointed to the scoreboard, displaying 10-11. In that moment, Chikuida scored from a spike from their opposite hitter sticking directly on the line, changing the score, 11-11.
They watched without seating on the bleachers and out of the way from where people were walking. The game flows with the two teams basically interchanging points, continuously neck and neck. Then, Chikuida is ahead of Shiratorizawa by four points. Kiyoomi leans a little closer. Motoya notices and he snickers a little. As per-usual, Sakusa Kiyoomi gets agitated at the possibility that another team is inching closer to the level of powerhouse schools.
Iizuna-san waves for Motoya to come with him then turns to Kiyoomi. "Sakusa, I'll go ahead with Komori. Be back in a minute."
Kiyoomi only nods in silence, attention still at the game. Motoya and Iizuna-san leave him in the spacious area among the audience of the Shiratorizawa vs Chikuida match. The two then split up when Iizuna-san headed to the t-shirt stalls to peruse.
The restroom came first before the vending machine, so Motoya goes there to wash his hand – wiping with his own handkerchief, of course – before buying a drink. Lucky for him, one of the machines has Potari sweat and it drops out without much trouble for him. As he walks, he snaps open the white cap of the bottle, deciding whether he should go back to Kiyoomi or look for Iizuna-san.
And then, the crowd suddenly grew densers, players, gymnasium staff, and the media staff merging in the hall. Their long strides became careful short walks not to add more hassle in the crampedness. Motoya does his best to move around everyone that comes in front of him from what he can tell, he’s getting closer to where he last saw Iizuna-san.
He keeps an open eye for the signature bright yellow of Itachiyama’s jersey in the crowd while closing the led of the bottle. Instead, Iizuna’s mint green hair is the first thing he spots. Motoya calls out to his captain as he waves his unoccupied hand though doesn’t seem to hear it. He moves forward through the crowd until he allows a pair of players to pass. Coming from a different direction, someone bumps into Motoya and the person yelps weakly. The collision has him losing grip of the bottle. As the person starts a half scream that's immediately cut when they catch it could hit the ground.
"Ah, sorry!" He quickly apologizes with his hands shyly reaching out to them, worried that he might have bumped into them somewhere inappropriate. The person stops and stands up right meeting his gaze. A player on the girls side of the tournament. She hands the bottle over. Her team uniform is white with dark green sleeves and a green number 11. She looks at him in shock, worry and apologetic, but she squints. Then, it instantly switches to a charming, wide smile that almost had her cheeks hide her eyes.
“OH HEY!” the girl chimes, less of a greeting and more of realization. Voice smooth and silky, mixed with a kind of bubbly friendliness. "You really do have round eyebrows! That's so cute!!"
Confusion came like being thrown a bucket of warm water on his back. His first reaction is to laugh in his befuddlement.
“Eh???” is all Motoyo could muster as he stands still and grip on the bottle getting firmer.
Then, there's giggling from beside the girl, players in the same uniforms as her, trying their best to hide their laughing and wheezing. They seem just as confused as to what just occurred and appear apologetic on her behalf. Their sweet and nice voices adds to Motoya’s embarrassment. Lucky for him, they are having secondhand embarrassment from teammate’s action underneath their laughter.
"That's what you say first?" The girl in number 5 said in disbelief, grinning from ear to ear as she teases her teammate. "Not even a ‘sorry’?" Said the girl with the number 8, who sounded more troubled despite being humored by it as well.
Someone with the jersey labeled number 2 steps forward, confident and concerned. Their vice-captain, he assumes. "I'm really sorry for my teammate here,” she starts, bowing to Motoya. “She doesn't know how to think before she opens her mouth."
He would have said ‘no worries’ or ‘ it's fine.’ But still a bit surprised from what's happening, Motoya’s words practically froze and he could hesitantly bow back while darting from one girl to the next assessing how many saw that. It did not help that they are all very pretty and they don’t seem offended by him.
“I’m sorry,” number 11 said. “Your arm’s not hurt, is it?” She speaks so kindly.
Motoya actually checks for pain. Nothing is really there other than a sting that will leave in a moment or two, so he shakes his head. “It’s alright. no harm done,” he said, trying to match her softness to appear not irritated, waving his arms to her to communicate not to pay no more concern over it.
Chuckling, number 5 says, “you really are something, huh? Calling the nation’s best libero ‘cute’.”
The mention of his appointed title was an arrow of panic in Motoya’s veins. They know him?! He screamed in his thoughts. What else do they know!?
"She's right though, you are pretty cute," bluntly said by number 12, hand on her chin as she eyes Motoya up and done. Her eyes hinting cheeky interest in him and he thinks something popped in his head. Getting called cute by a pretty girl once is flustering, but again by another girl? That's more than he thinks he can take. Motoya could feel two more degrees of heat up his face. What should he say after that?
“Um.. thanks?” Motoya said in appreciation while trying his hardest not to sound squeaky in front of these them.
Number 11 turns to Motoya again and simply states, “I mean, you do look better in person,” effortlessly doubling down on her comment. They all laugh at her honesty to blatantly compliment him again.
“And taller,” added 5 and some of the girls shook their heads in agreement. Number 2 is the only one who does not join in, placing a hand over her face.
“Um, what's going on here?” Iizuna’s voice invades and takes everyone's attention, and he is with Kiyoomi. The question was more likely pointed to Motoya, but the vice captain of the girl’s team quickly raised her hand and bowed slightly to the two players. “I’m sorry. One of my teammates bumped into your libero and nearly dropped his drink,” she explained.
The other girls follow suit by apologizing to Motoya’s teammates. One by one, they bid the libero farewell. Saying ‘bye’ to Motoya teasingly with a sweet tune as they smile and wave.
“Good luck to you, guys,” formally said the vice-captain. Motoya and Iizuna-san return it.
11 waves to him.“Sorry again, Komori-chan.” Her voice still caught him off guard.
Motoya’s eyes last strays on the girl with number 9, who has been covering her laughter the entire time. She gives him an amused look as she smirks at Motoya then sends him a flirty nod. The gesture makes him want to hide his warm face.
He watches them all leave, almost in a trance. While Iizuna and Kiyoomi are left to ponder what they just walked into.
Suddenly, Motoya sharply turns to the two. Fists clenched and pumped. “GUYS!” He calls them. His cheeks and ears slowly turned to a shade of red. Eyes wide in nervousness, panicked, yet determined. A quivering smile.
“WE- WE’RE GOING TO WIN!!!”
“That is the goal,” Kiyoomi deadpans.
The two may not completely know what had happened but it must have been something enough to practically short-circuit his brain. It finally settles to Motoya that his heart is rushing.
Iizuna nervously laughs, "How about you drink that Potari of yours?"
Motoya does and he accidentally chugs down the entirety of the bottle.
“You good?” Iizuna asks, concern and somewhat finding it funny.
Motoya meekly says “yeah” but he doesn't believe him. With the Libero drinking a 500ml bottle, it leads all of them back to the restroom. Kiyoomi washes his hands again for good measure while Motoya does business, then washing his hands and face. Yet he is still flustered.
Returning with their one teammate several shades redder, Iizuna had to explain that It isn’t a fever or anything and his loose understanding of the situation that happened.
After that, Itachiyama won their match that day and the following matches after that up until the finals.
That little interaction Motoya had with the girls was long forgotten by the time they won the inter-high school tournament. To Iizuna, it's probably the strangest prophetic thing he has witnessed. He isn't superstitious, but it sure was funny to think that Motoya basically manifested their wins. Kiyoomi could care less. As for Motoya, little compliments placked in his brain and the memory of the event comes back to him clear as day. If he thinks a little too long about it, he’ll just steam his head up like a kettle.