Chapter 14: Countdown to the Game I will train hard for my first match...
Sakurai Rika quietly squeezed onto a stool with Xiangcheng: "I heard...you and Yukimura went to eat barbecue together?"
Yuihara Kaoru, who had played a little online game with Momo last night, explained weakly, "It was with a lot of people."
"Those people are not important," Sakurai Rika moved closer and closer: "Do you want to have your love fortune told?"
"What, what?" Yuihara Kaoru was so frightened that she almost flew off the stool. Fortunately, Sakurai Rika pulled her back.
"Don't say that kind of thing, I'm afraid I'll get beaten up."
Sakurai Rika looked at her in confusion: "Being beaten?"
Yuihara Kaoru seemed to understand and said, "I've read a ton of romance novels. Shouldn't someone like Yukimura have fangirls? A fan club?"
Sakurai Rika rolled her eyes and said, "At most, I can just watch them compete. Have you ever seen anything like this since the start of school?"
"Not really," Yukihara Kaoru nodded honestly, "I'm also confused by that. I've never seen Yukimura confessed to before."
That's because - Sakurai Rika recalled his third year of junior high school, when Yukimura, having recovered from his illness, became terrifying, his eyes filled with only the desire for victory. At that time, a girl in his class blocked his way to training and confessed her feelings.
Yukimura, who usually appears gentle, frowned abnormally, put away his smile, and walked past her without giving her a good look.
Not to mention that after losing the national tournament, Yukimura's daily routine was all about studying and practicing, seemingly unconcerned with anything else. The chocolates everyone gave him were shared with the rest of the tennis club. Even at graduation, he only perfunctorily took photos with them.
After high school started, he finally returned to his old self. But that situation never happened again.
Boys who are very strong in their own beliefs really like to take the initiative - this is what Sakurai Rika analyzed, but when did Yukimura start to treat Yucheng differently?
But, Sakurai Rika thought to herself, Kaoru really doesn't look like someone who would fall in love.
My sleepiness peaked after physics class. As Xiangcheng changed her Chinese textbook for the next period, she complained, "Why didn't a watermelon hit Newton?"
"Is it possible that... watermelons don't grow on trees?" Sakurai Rika asked back.
"Smashing durian is fine."
"Sure," Yukimura Seiichi suggested, "Durian does grow on trees."
A boy next to Xiangcheng chimed in, "But Newton is British, right? There shouldn't be durian in Britain."
"In that case, why not 'little boy'?"
"Hey! This is a bit too hellish!"
The students, who were so frightened by the hellish joke that they shuddered collectively, tacitly skipped this section.
I still want to catch up on some sleep...but I haven't finished memorizing the Chinese text yet. If I don't want to be punished by Miss Kinomoto by standing, I can only force myself to continue memorizing the last paragraph.
[Rika, I want to take a nap. Please leave me alone during lunch. — by Xiangcheng]
After receiving the small note that Xiangcheng had precisely delivered when Miss Kinomoto wasn't paying attention, Sakurai Rika made a gesture behind her that everyone in the row understood, and then went on to take notes.
Xiangcheng, who was holding on, finally waited until the lunch break, and fell asleep quickly with his head resting in his arms.
This sleep was so peaceful, like wandering in a sea of daisies, with the clouds gently wrapping her in a warm embrace.
The peaceful and comfortable dream was interrupted by herself - her brain thought she had crashed, so she twitched and woke her up to make sure she was still alive.
Yuihara Xiangcheng sat up holding her head, feeling a little annoyed, but she felt something slip off her shoulder and fall to the ground with a "thump".
"Huh?" Xiang Cheng looked down and saw a jacket from the tennis club. She reached out and picked it up, quickly shaking it to avoid dust. Sure enough, Yukimura's name was embroidered on the collar.
It seems that the topic has gradually changed from saying he is a "good man" to "how can he be so good".
I slowly folded the clothes and put them in my schoolbag - I'd better wash them first and then return them to him.
Looking out the window, the rolling black clouds foreshadowed the coming heavy rain.
"Really?" Yuihara Kaoru muttered, "Can the weather forecast lie?"
Because of the rain, all sports club activities were suspended, including indoor clubs like the volleyball club.
Yukimura earnestly promised Yukimura that she would wash the clothes and bring them to him tomorrow. Yukimura's expression was dim in the rain, but his tone remained calm.
"The IH tournament preliminaries are about to begin this week," Matsumoto Genon said, holding one of her usual Tuesday morning meetings in the clubroom. The preliminaries were mapped out on a whiteboard. "There's nothing much to say about the first match. Abe-senpai has already been there to observe. Hatano's overall strength is about the same as last year. We'll try to finish in two games."
Abe Makoto raised her hand, and Matsumoto Genon asked her to continue: "For the first match... I want Rika to play."
Everyone looked at her. Abe-senpai's face was calm: "Come to think of it, I'm a senior in high school now. It's time for Rika to practice as well."
Sakurai Rika stood up and bowed deeply: "Sister Abe, I..."
Who wouldn't want to compete in a major tournament? Her skills weren't good enough to convince everyone to tacitly choose her over Abe-senpai—but if given the chance, she'd definitely prove herself!
Abe didn't say anything more, but asked her to sit down and they continued to discuss other topics.
"This week... I may have some other distractions. If nothing unexpected happens, please follow Abe-senpai's arrangements. I will try my best to ensure training." Matsumoto Genon continued.
Yuihara Kaoru frowned quietly, not understanding why the Buchou, the only setter with good skills in the team, would be distracted when the game was about to start.
After the meeting, there was still half an hour of free practice time. Sakurai Rika called over Abe Makoto and Yuihara Kaori and asked them to practice with her for a while. They both agreed with a smile.
The three of them practiced passing, hitting, and defending. Abe Makoto passed the ball, Yuihara Kaoru attacked, and Sakurai Rika defended. Sakurai said energetically, "Please don't attack me carelessly!"
Yuhara Kaoru said, "Oh?" and recalled the defensive training with Captain Matsumoto. With a sly smile, he targeted the hardest part of the ball.
Sakurai Rika's initial composure gradually turned into a state of disarray. She'd forcefully dunk the ball into difficult areas like the chest and the side of her face, or hit a sudden, dribble-like shot that should have landed behind her but suddenly dropped. Despite wearing knee and elbow pads at Yuihara's behest, Sakurai Rika inevitably sustained numerous bruises from the constant falling and getting up in just half an hour.
It was so brutal that Abe couldn't bear it any more. After it was finally over, he pulled up Sakurai Rika who had fallen to the ground. But seeing that Yuihara Kaoru was also breathing heavily from the constant jumping and waving of her arms, he said nothing.
I hope...I hope Rikkai University can go further and stand on the national stage!
The lively Sakurai Rika became a drowned puppy this morning. Abe Makoto and Yuihara Kaori helped her to the club office and found the medicine box to treat her wounds.
"Hiss—Xiangcheng, even if you kill someone, you still can't get over it!"
"I'm sorry!" Yuihara Kaoru softened her grip and applied the iodine more gently. Senior Abe, holding Sakurai Rika's other arm, also gently applied the medicine.
"Come to think of it, if it weren't for the competition, I wouldn't be working so hard." Sakurai Rika whispered, "I don't usually pay attention, and I only get anxious when I'm on the court..."
"It's okay—" Abe Makoto and Yuihara Kaoru said at the same time, looking at each other and laughing. Abe Makoto smoothed his short hair. "It's the same thing. When I was a freshman in high school, I was like that. I figured I wouldn't be able to play anyway, so I didn't train hard. But then a senior got injured and called me up at short notice... That scene was a nightmare for the rest of my life."
"So thank you so much, senior!" Sakurai Rika grabbed Abe Makoto's hand, feeling the roughness of the palm of the volleyball team's strongest defender.
——The texture is the same as Yuzuki’s hand.
I fear pain, injury, deformed fingers, and the rough, unsightly appearance of my hands. I once had other ideas, yearning to find my true self in this sport, neglecting my focus and hoping to become the shining star of the field like Xiangcheng. Now, in just a moment, I'm in such a state of disgrace...
"Hey," Yuhara Kaoru lifted her face, "What are you thinking about? If you feel you can't do it, practice more!"
Abe was dumbfounded: "Hey, Xiangcheng, this action... is so manly!" Jieyuan Xiangcheng withdrew his hand: "Hey, that's not the point!"
"I know!" Sakurai Rika's whole body began to light up again: "I will train hard and compete in the first game!"
"Well, that's pretty good!" Abe Shinya felt relieved.
After parting with senior Abe, Yuihara Kaori dragged Sakurai Rika back to the classroom. Sakurai Rika was focused on discussing with her how they should conduct intensive training in the next few days. When they were almost close to the classroom, she found that Yuihara Kaori started to answer her with "hmm".
Sakurai Rika followed Yuihara Kaoru's line of sight and saw Matsumoto-senpai and Yukimura Seiichi leaning on the windowsill in the corridor, talking about something.
"Hello, Senior!" The two came over to greet her. Senior Matsumoto returned the greeting with a slightly awkward look, then said to Yukimura, "That's it for now, Yukimura-kun. We'll talk later if there's anything further."
Yukimura smiled and raised his hand: "Okay, see you later, Senior!"
"Goodbye, senior~" Yuihara Kaoru and Sakurai Rika also raised their hands with confusion.
Sakurai couldn't contain his curiosity and immediately asked, "Yukimura, why did Senior come to you?"
"Secret~" Yukimura shook his index finger.
"Class is about to start," Yuhara Kaoru pulled Sakurai's hand and said, "Let's go in quickly."
Sakurai Rika gave Yukimura a look that said "just wait."
So this week, Matsumoto-senpai, who had said that she had some private matters to attend to, was often seen by them alone with Yukimura.
The author has something to say:
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[shy][shy] Please collect!
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