CH 11 - Setter

3rd POV

"Kita-san, Sukii has not been around all day. Have you seen her?" Suna said as he dried his hair, just finished showering after training.

Kita turned to him as he slung his bag over his shoulder, about to leave.

"She's absent this day," Atsumu said as he drank from his caprisun.

Osamu just frowned, eyes on the floor.

"Because she wasn't around, 'Samu has been all gloomy all day," Atsumu said. Osamu threw his closed water bottle at him and the blond caught it while complaining.

"I'm just worried if she's sick. She isn't answering any of my texts," He muttered.

Kita hid his smile as he checked his phone for the time, "She isn't. She's excused from school and is at Nishinomiya."

The three boys head perked up and furrowed their brows in confusion.

"I'll be late. Get home safe," Kita said as he was about to exit the gymnasium.

"Wait, why is she there? Isn't that where JT Gymnasium is?" Suna raised a brow.

Atsumu clicked his tongue, "If I remember correctly, the volleyball girls' team is competing there for eliminations for the upcoming Nationals. Will you be watching the girls' team play, Kita-san?"

"Yeah," Kita said as he opened the gym doors, "Sukii's playing."

It was silent after Kita left.

"What?!"

•

2nd POV

You huffed as you continued to stretch your torso and taped fingers. It was a habit to tape them to provide more stability since it has been a while since you last played.

It was bustling with cheers in the gymnasium as both teams have 20 minutes left to officially play in court. Inarizaki girls are lined up for a roll call, as well as the enemy team.

Kita told you that he'll be watching after their training. What you weren't aware of, is the fact that Suna and the twins begged Kita to take them with him to watch as well.

The boy captain stood on the bleachers with his arms crossed as the three other boys have not yet recovered from the fact that you were there on court.

Your hair was tied a little high in a ponytail. The red color of your hair was mesmerizing as it moves around in soft waves whenever you'd turn to other people and talk. You were wearing clear contacts and the boys looked at you from the bleachers amid cheering Inarizaki students.

They gawked at your appearance. Your sleeveless jersey fit nicely to your unexpectedly toned body as your legs shined with only one kneecap. Your shorts were as short as the other member girls' are wearing, with both of your arms protected by black volleyball arm sleeves.

"Osamu, isn't your birthday the 5th of October?" Suna smirked as they saw your jersey with #5 written at the front and back.

Osamu blushed as he clenched his jaw, "Shut up."

Atsumu kept teasing him until Kita made a 'shh' sound as it was time for their roll call. The enemy team was first before Inarizaki girls were finally called.

"Give it up for the Inarizaki Girls' Team! The Inarizaki team seemed to have a familiar setter on the team as opposed to the first lineup they have submitted. What interesting rotation!" The speakers boomed as they called the names of the players.

"Number 5 of Inarizaki, Notabe Sukii as their lineup's setter! It clicked in my head a while ago and wow! I realized that she is the famous 1st year former setter playing for Itachiyama last year who happened to attend the youth camp before. What a nice twist! Hahaha!"

Suna's and the twins' eyes almost popped off from their pockets. Kita clapped loudly with a blank face yet he felt proud to see you in court again.

"No fucking way!" Atsumu blurted out with a big smile as he leaned over the rail of the bleachers. Osamu had a shocked face with his mouth slightly agape and did the same as he watched you jogged to the coaches and smile at the audience before going to the court with the others. Suna had his brows furrowed and a face that screamed disbelief as he crossed his arms with his hand slightly covering his mouth.

Kita laughed, making the boys turn to him, "Shocking, isn't it?"

They continued to watch until the roll call ended and was time for the official match.

"And the official match has begun with #5 as their first server. Inarizaki really is starting strong with their rotation this year - after all both teams are playing for eliminations for whoever gets the ticket to Nationals! Now, #5! Let's see what the uproar of Itachiyama's former setter is all about!"

You exhaled deeply and dribbled the ball you caught from a ball boy as you jogged to the service area.

The boys' eyes widened when you took steps far from the line.

"Don't tell me...!" Osamu said.

The referee whistled as you threw the ball high and made an approach. With a grunt, you jumped high and spiked the ball with your left hand, it spun and dropped on the open area just beside the enemy libero's face.

"No touch service ace! Notabe Sukii with the strong, first serve! There it is - the intimidating serve of Inarizaki's setter - shaking the audience with her heavy serve!"

"WOOOOAH!" Atsumu, Suna, and Osamu screamed in shock and awe as Kita giggled with his eyes closed.

Your serves went on for 3 straight points, you clicked your tongue when their libero was beginning to get used to it. Atsumu's eyes widened when you did a float server.

"What a nasty float! Slipped through the gap between their setter and libero! Service acee!"

The crowd cheered loudly as Suna's face paled from too much shock. Atsumu and Osamu were violently shaking each other while screaming proudly, while Kita kept clapping his hands like a proud brother.

Your serve was cut off by the time your score hit 6, it went out of bounds and almost hit the ball boy who shrieked. You bowed to him from afar and went back to your position as the enemy team served.

"She's just like me for real.. it's okay, Sukii! It happens!" Atsumu yelled as Osamu rolled his eyes at him.

"You just happen to suck!" Osamu smacked the back of Atsumu's head while Suna took occasional videos of you as clips.

The teams rallied for a while and earned points for each other until the ball received by your libero bounced away from her arms and out of bounds.

"Get in position! Jump!" You yelled and chased the ball. The crowd went crazy as you jumped and set the ball backwards towards the wing spiker. She scored.

"Let's go!" The twins screamed and cheered. Osamu was smiling widely and felt his heart pump loud.

You just kept giving him more and more reasons to like you deeply.

"Wooo!" Suna shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth. Atsumu was laughing, proud of your consistent sets. Kita was also smiling.

"Sukii is really amazing," Osamu breathed out as his heart beat faster and faster.

The sets went by as your team scored 2, while the enemy scored 2 as well. It was time for the final set, the fifth.

Whoever wins step in Nationals.

Atsumu flipped when you solo-blocked their ace. Osamu clapped loudly and Suna clipped it.

It was your serve again. You dribbled the ball as the referee whistled.

Cut her off with one. Cut her off with one. Cut her off! The enemy team mentally screamed.

The Inarizaki band were too loud for you to focus, so you brought your hand up and balled your fist. They immediately went quiet. Atsumu grinned, proud.

"She did it better," Osamu snickered at Atsumu who pouted. Suna laughed and held his phone up to record.

"She's an all-rounder. That girl's amazing," Kita said, making the boys nod in agreement.

You're truly amazing, Sukii. Osamu chuckled to himself as he watched you with his eyes full of adoration.

For the first few weeks, Osamu only saw you as a girl who's scared of the world. A girl who's quiet most of the time but babbles everytime food was involved. You are an introvert at heart - but the moment you handle yourself and focus - your aura exudes charisma. The boy really took a deep interest in you.

You served a spike and your eyes widened when it hit their libero's face. She dropped to the floor wincing as her nose bled.

You got to be kidding me. You mentally cried.

The referee whistled as you and your team rushed to their side.

"I'm so sorry!" You panicked and bowed to the libero. She waved at you to dismiss it and stood up, but fell again.

I did it again. You paled.

"Yikes," Suna whistled as Atsumu laughed. Osamu turned to Kita who looked like he was used to it happening.

The referee rolled his arms together to signal a substitution as the match proceeded.

Your heart was filled with guilt yet again as you served. Almost everyone in the court and in the audience noticed that you held back with your next serve, the enemy gained the point when they scored.

Hmm. Atsumu hummed in his head.

Win, Sukii. Osamu exhaled.

It was 7-9 with the enemy team in favor, Inarizaki girls were at 7 out of 15.

The ball was a chance ball from the enemy team. Your team's libero bumped it to your captain as she accidentally made a high set behind you. No one was there.

You ran backwards as an approach and went for the ball.

"Oh my fucking god," Osamu said under his breath with his eyes wide when you jumped higher and spiked the ball.

"It's like she's...," Osamu started.

"... she'll get the ball, no matter what," Kita said.

The ball hit one of their middle's blocker face. She dropped to the ground and passed out.

"Fuck!" You yelped and covered your face, ashamed of yourself before jogging back to their team.

Suna and Atsumu cackled before Kita shot them a look. The boys went quiet as Osamu worriedly looked at you, since guilt was plastered all over your face with your brows furrowed and your lip bite.

"I'm sor-"

Their captain glared at you, "Leave."

There it is..

You gulped, anxious. Your head droop low as you went back to the court. Your team reassured you and clapped to signal focus as both teams continued playing.

15-14. Inarizaki's favor.

"One more point! One more point!" Inarizaki cheered. Atsumu was cheering with Suna and Kita, while Osamu watched with a serious face.

You slid sidewards to drop on your knee protected by your kneecap and stretched your foot to kick the ball, setting it to your wing spiker.

I'm touched. The twins thought.

The enemy team managed to bump it and their spiker almost made a blockout. Your captain received it and set it to one of your middle blockers. She spiked the ball towards their captain and cursed when she managed to receive it.

Their setter set the ball for a back attack and their captain spiked it just above your head when you jumped with your middle blocker to block. You clicked your tongue and looked back to your libero who received it, but the ball went back to the enemy's court.

Get back. I'll finish this. Your eyes glowed with hunger as you watched the captain receive it.

The enemy team cursed when their captain struggled due to exhaustion, making the ball bounce close to your side's net.

You jumped with your back to the net and spiked it on their side backwards using your right hand.

Thud.

The enemy team dove for the ball but failed. Their eyes widened in disbelief and defeat.

Whistle. Inarizaki girls won.

Everyone lost their shit as your team ran to you and the others, celebrating their win and ticket to Nationals.

"WOOOOO!" Osamu yelled on top of his lungs. You got startled and turned to where the noise was from.

Your eyes widened as you saw Kita laughing and clapping, Suna was smiling and waving, Atsumu kept screaming and putting his arm in the air, and Osamu was grinning at you widely while saying 'Good job! You're amazing!'.

You blushed hard and smiled widely, raising your arms up with your fist balled. Osamu's face flushed red and was captivated by your sweet, beaming smile.

The teams shook hands with each other, you faced their captain as she glared at you even harder.

She gripped your hand tightly, "Your team only won because our libero and middle blocker got benched."

You froze at her words and continued to shake her hand. Her glare faltered as she winced when you returned her tight grip. She swore she felt one of her fingers crack.

"Good game," You smiled bitterly and went back with the others for the awarding.

Inarizaki cheered even more after your team thanked the audience. The twins, Suna, and Kita rushed to you when you got back to the benches.

The girls' team panicked when they saw them from the volleyball boys' team, the girls' coaches eyes widened when they saw as well.

Kita smiled and shook hands with their coach, "Your team did great. Congratulations."

Atsumu walked to you as Osamu beat him to it by gripping your hands with his.

"You're amazing out there!" Osamu beamed at you while you blushed.

A laugh escaped your lips, "Thank you, Osamu."

His eyes, along with the others who were watching, widened when you brought his hands clasped together with yours to your lips and kissed it. Unaware, you smiled as your eyes shaped into crescents.

"Marry me," He muttered quietly under his breath, frozen before clearing his throat, "Seriously, you're amazing.."

The girls shot you a teasing stare, making you blush and realized what you just did. Kita went to pat your head as congratulations, Suna showed you some preview clips of what he record, while Atsumu kept talking about your plays like an excited kid.

You reached to hold Osamu's hand. He turned to you with surprise in his eyes, "Wait for me."

It meant differently to him, but he understood that you meant to wait for you and the girls to finish up before going home. He smiled and nodded as you told the others that you were just going to grab your things before you guys return home.

Ah, I'm falling deeper. Osamu mentally said.

-