A/N: Hello, readers! This is where more of Atsushi's past continues! Enjoy!

edited on february 12th, 2022 @ 7:09am

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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX - THE VOLLEYBALL IDIOTS

TSUKISHIMA HEADED TOWARDS UKAI. "Tsukishima—" He began. But Tsukishima had cut him off, making Ukai be taken aback.

"The bleeding has stopped. They immbolilized the part that was dislocated rock hard. Because it was my pinky, it'll effect my play extremely little." Tsukishima interrupted as Ukai glanced over to Kiyoko.

"That basically sums it up." Kiyoko confirmed.

Shiratorizawa's cheering squad continued cheering as Sakamoto was switched out with Yunohama.

"It's probably going to be a jump float serve. We need to move up our defenses." Daichi informed as Nishinoya and Atsushi nodded.

The whistle blew as Yunohama served the ball. "Daichi-san!" Nishinoya called out as Daichi received it.

Kageyama got into setting position as Narita jumped up to spike. However, Kageyama did a setter dump, making Karasuno get a point as they cheered.

Both teams had 15 points. The buzzer sounded as Tsukishima was switched in with Narita. "We're counting on you, Tsukishima." Narita informed as Tsukishima just nodded.

"Tsukishima!" Atsushi shouted, causing Tsukishima to glance over at the brunette. "Look at you, showing up like some hero, you jerk!"

"Um... about when we do a 3-person block..." Tsukishima began.

"Not phased one bit, are you?" Atsushi questioned.

"Tsukishima!"

"We're counting on you!"

Karasuno was huddled in a circle. "We're gonna get through this!" Daichi exclaimed.

"Yeah!"

Asahi was up next to serve as he bounced the ball. "All right! Bring it!" Atsushi challenged. The whistle blew as Asahi threw the ball up into the air before slamming the ball against his palm. Leon barely had time to dive down and receive it.

"Yes!" Leon cheered.

Shirabu sent a toss back towards Wakatoshi. Tsukishima and Kageyama both jumped up to block him as the ball had hit Tsukishima's injured hand.

"One touch!" Tsukishima shouted.

Iwaizumi widened his eyes in surprise. "They managed to stop it again." He commented.

"What happened to Four-Eyes?" Oikawa questioned before continuing. "At the first practice match, I thought he was just a tall guy that was slightly intelligent."

Asahi quickly dived down to save the ball as Nishinoya quickly covered for him. "Nice, Nishinoya!" Asahi complimented.

Daichi then received the ball over. "Chance ball!" Yamagata called out before receiving it. "Ushijima-san!" Shirabu shouted, tossing the ball over towards Wakatoshi.

"We're going to open it up!" Tsukishima informed as him and Atsushi jumped up to block.

Wakatoshi spiked the ball as Nishinoya received it. "Nice receive!" Daichi complimented. Atsushi nodded over to Tsukishima.

"I'm surprised he's able to make these decisions so quickly and still be able to instruct others." Atsushi thinks to himself.

Kageyama tossed the ball. "Asahi-san!" Atsushi shouted out as Asahi spiked the ball.

"Tsutomu!" Wakatoshi shouted as Goshiki dived down to save the ball.

"Nice! Get the last!" Yamagata said, sending the ball over.

Wakatoshi jumped up as Tsukishima and Atsushi jumped up to block. Wakatoshi ended up hitting the net as Nishinoya dived down to receive it.

"Yes!" Ukai cheered.

"This is our chance!" Takeda shouted.

Karasuno then backed up a bit. "My legs are so friggin' heavy... Don't give up, legs!" Atsushi thought as he began running forward.

"I'm going to hit it!"

Tsukishima then ran sideways, as if he was doing a slide hit. Tsukishima jumped up as Kageyama sets the ball over to Atsushi who jumped up as Tendou went over to block him.

Atsushi slams the ball past Tendou and Wakatoshi, sending the ball down to the court and scoring Karasuno a point.

"I-It's a break!"

Karasuno now had 16 points. Washijo then called for a time out. "I guess it's no surprise that Shiratorizawa took a time out." Oikawa commented.

"Karasuno really is versatile." Iwaizumi added on. "I've never seen Glasses do a slide hit... Even if he was just a decoy."

"We can't easily abandon a near perfect time difference attack, and Shiratorizawa's not gonna change their style of strengthening individual strengths. That's why we're called powerhouse schools now. But Karasuno probably doesn't have a style they need to protect. They may have had one when they were a powerhouse school. So they don't hesitate to try new things. They gave up that miracle-like quick immediately and made it new." Oikawa ranted on.

"The old and dependable Shiratorizawa... The new and reckeless Karasuno... Either one of them winning is going to piss me off, so they should both lose." Oikawa finished.

"You really are a crappy guy." Iwaizumi told him.

"Could you stop calling me a "crappy guy"?!" Oikawa complained.

"Pick between that or a "shitty guy."" Iwaizumi offered.

"Well, then I guess I choose "crappy"!" Oikawa exclaimed.

"As usual, my Nii-san is beyond impressive. I knew there was no way I could beat him in a match, but..." Atsushi clenched his water bottle.

"I heard from your older brother that you're not coming to the team next year." Washijo announced, looking at a third-year junior high Atsushi, who was fidgeting in his chair across from him.

"That's right, sir." Atsushi responded.

"You have your whole future set out for you here, and you just want to throw that away. Why?" Washijo asked.

"I... want to spread my wings." Atsushi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I want to be able to improve without my Nii-san's help. If I come to Shiratorizawa, I'll just be babied and feel like I won't step out of Toshi-nii's shadow. If I play for a different school, I'll be around people who don't know me personally and who'll help me move forward."

Atsushi then stood up from his spot. "I'm sorry, coach. But this is my final decision." He finished before stepping out of Washijo's office.

The sound of the buzzer snapped Atsushi out of his thoughts. "If volleyball was a one-on-one sport, we wouldn't be able to win against Shiratorizawa. We're smaller, and our individual attack strength falls short in comparison. But there are six of us on the court. If we win, it's not because a miracle happened. Our concept won't change until the very end! We're going to punch our way through!" Daichi announced.

"Yeah!"

Both teams were now back on the court. "Nice serve, Asahi!" Daichi encouraged.

TWEEEET!

Asahi threw the ball up in the air before it connected with his palm. It landed on Shiratorizawa's side of the court as Yamagata was late on receiving it. However, the referee raised up his flag, signaling that it was an out.

"Sorry!" Asahi apologized.

"Don't mind!" Daichi reassured.

Atsushi glanced over to see that Wakatoshi was next to serve as he bounced the ball. The whistle blew as Wakatoshi threw the ball up in the air, slamming the ball against his palm and getting a point for Shiratorizawa.

However, the flag was raised as well, signaling it was an out. "Sorry." Wakatoshi apologized.

"Don't mind!" Yamagata told him.

Nishinoya slapped Hinata's hand as he was switched out with him while Tsukishima was next to serve.

Tsukishima serves the ball as Leon receives it. "Ushijima-san!" Shirabu shouted, tossing the volleyball up in the air.

Hinata and Atsushi both jumped up to block him. Wakatoshi was able to score a point as the ball landed on the court.

Both teams were now tied with 17 points as Leon was next to serve. "Nice serve!" Shirabu and Tendou encouraged.

"Bring it!" Daichi, Asahi, and Nishinoya shouted.

Leon did his jump serve as Asahi received it. "Sorry, it's short!" He shouted.

"It's plenty!" Kageyama said.

"Bring it on!" Atsushi shouted out, running forward.

Kageyama tossed over to Hinata instead, who scored a point for Karasuno.

"All right!"

Kageyama was up to serve as he bounced the ball. "Nice serve, Kageyama!" Daichi called out.

"Go, Kageyama!" Sugawara shouted from the sidelines.

"Nice serve!"

"We're counting on you!"

The whistle blew as Kageyama threw the ball up in the air before doing his jump serve in which Leon dived down to receive it.

"Chance ball!" Nishinoya shouted, sending the ball back up in the air.

Hinata then jumped up to spike. Kageyama tossed the ball towards him, but Hinata got blocked by Tendou, making the ball fall down onto the court as everyone looked at the fallen ball in irritation.

TWEEEEET!

Shiratorizawa then cheered for their point. "Karasuno's #10 is being a lot quieter than usual." Iwaizumi pointed out.

"He's thinking." Oikawa replied, making Iwaizumi hum. "He just got shut down on a deuce in the final set, and since he can't waste time being sad, he's thinking about the next step."

"Don't mind! We'll get the next one!" Daichi reassured Hinata.

"Right!" Hinata said.

"How disgusting." Oikawa finished.

Both teams had 18 points. "Go, Atsushi!" Daichi encouraged as Atsushi slammed the ball past Shirabu and Sakamoto, scoring a point for Karasuno.

"All right!"

Atsushi was up next to serve as he spun the ball in his hands. The whistle then blew. "Here we go!" Atsushi shouted, throwing the ball up in the air and doing his jump serve.

"Leon-san!"

Leon then crouched down and saved the ball. Hinata then moved over to block Goshiki, who ended up getting a point for Shiratorizawa.

"You jerk!" Hinata exclaimed, hitting his leg in irritation.

"Forgive it, Hinata!" Atsushi reassured.

Shirabu was next to serve as he threw the ball up in the air, but ended up hitting the net instead as it began falling.

Nishinoya quickly dived down to receive the ball. Goshiki then jumped up to spike it as Hinata jumped up to block him. Goshiki slammed the ball as Nishinoya received it.

"Nishinoya!" Sugawara shouted.

Kageyama tossed the ball up in the air as Asahi spiked it down past Wakatoshi in which Karasuno cheered.

"Nice kill, Asahi!"

"Thanks, Nishinoya!" Daichi told the libero.

"Karasuno can depend on me!" Nishinoya said, pointing to himself. "But... There are things that I can't do, as well. I know I'm asking for the impossible when I say this, but even if your thighs were to split open, I'm counting on you guys in the mid-air battles."

"Yeah!"

"Right!"

Atsushi glanced over at the score.

Shiratorizawa

19

Karasuno

20

"I'm counting on you!" Nishinoya told Tsukishima, slapping his hand as he was switched out with him.

"Hinata, nice serve!" Atsushi encouraged as Hinata bounced the ball.

The whistle blew as Hinata served the ball up into the air in which Yamagata received it. "It went in." Hinata announced.

"Hinata, change positions with me!" Kageyama informed, moving Hinata aside.

Shirabu tossed the ball as Sakamoto jumped up. "Go, Chikao!" Shirabu encouraged as Tsukishima jumped up to block him.

Tsukishima was able to block Sakamoto successfully as everyone looked in shock.

"One touch!"

"Chance ball!" Ukai shouted out as Atsushi easily received it. "There's no other..." Atsushi thinks to himself.

"...choice..."

"...but to..."

"...attack!"

Hinata then began running forward as he jumped up while Kageyama tossed to him.

"Go!" Tsukishima shouted out.

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A/N: And I left it off at a cliffhanger! I don't know where I'll be putting Atsushi's joust with his older brother, but it'll be in the next chapter! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1889 words.