These are thoughts

~~~

Mizuki pov.
Shit, well this is tiring.

I turned to the scoreboard, out of breath.

21 - 17, Shiratorizawa

"Dammit." I mutter.

We just got a point, so we rotate. I stand at the serving spot again.

The whistle blows, and does a switching signal. Yamaguchi holds a small sign with my number.

I walk up to him and I hold the sign as well.

"You got this, Yams!" I cheer, taking the sign. "Get us some points"

"Y-ya, okay!" He replies, shaking a little.

I give him a thumbs up and I jog to the bench.

"Here." I give Takeda the sign.

"Nice job, Mizuki!" He replies.

"Thank you." I bow, and then I join the others.

"That was awesome, Zuki!" Tanaka highfives me.

"Yup, you're doing great" Suga ruffles my hair.

"Thanks." I smile.

I turn to the court and I watch.

The whistle sounds, and Yamaguchi serves the ball. He does a jump float serve.

The volleyball goes over the net, and moves around unpredictably down.

They don't hit the ball up, and it bounces on the floor.

"Nice serve, Yams!" I yell.

He shyly nods and stand at his spot again.

Yamaguchi serves the ball. Number 8 tries to receive the ball, but it bounces away. We get another point.

"Nice, Yamaguchi!" Suga calls.

He serves a third time, but they receive it. Number 10 sets the ball and Ushijima spikes it.

Like his other spikes, the ball slams onto the ground, giving them a point.

Aw well shit.

The ref calls sub and I switch with Yamaguchi.

"That was great Yams" I give him a highfive.

He nods slowly, and heads to the bench.

I watch him as I walk to my spot.

He's probably frustrated from getting two points.....but that's really good...

"Mizuki, focus!" Daichi orders.

"Yesssir" I reply.

"Wake up, would ya?" Tsukishima rolls his eyes.

"Shut up" I say back.

Number 8 gets the ball and he serves.

~~~
Time skip to the end of the match
~~~

I'mon the ground, covering my face with my arms.

"You good?" Kinoshita asks.

"Yup....just...tired." I reply between breaths.

"Let's line up." He extends his hand to me.

"Thanks Kino" I take it and I stand.

We walk together to the line. I glance at the scoreboard.

25 - 19, Shiratorizawa

Both teams bow.

"Thank you for the match!" We say in unison.

We head over to the bench.

"That was a good game." Keishin says. "Great job."

"Yes, you all did well against them." Takeda agrees. "The other matches are still going, so for now we can rest. Depending on which teams finish next, it'll decide who we go against."

"Relax a little, and save some energy for the next game." Keishin finishes.

"Yes sir!" The team replies.

I walk to the door and I lay down on the grass.

This is way better. Anyways, how to beat Shiratorizawa......?

"Um, hello!" Someone says, walking up to me.

I sit up and see some members of Shiratorizawa. Including Ushijima.

"Hey." I wave. "What's up?"

Silence. I tilt my head, confused.

"Mizuki, you should have come to Shiratorizawa." Ushijima says.

"IS THAT WHAT YOU CAME TO TELL ME?!" I yell at him. "IF IT IS, GO AWAY"

"Zuki, calm downnnnn" Tendo sits beside me.

I sigh. "Hello Tendo."

Standing beside Ushijima was Suga 2.0 and a boy with a bowl cut.

"Name's Ukai Mizuki, but Mizuki is fine." I introduce myself.

"Semi Eita." Suga 2.0 replies.

"I'm Tsutomu Goshiki!" The last boy says.

"Nice to meet you, I guess." I shrug.

I stand up and stretch. "I'll see you later."

"Where're you going?" Goshiki asks.

"To check the other teams." I walk back to the gym.

I wave to the boys, and I go in.

Beside the court we were just playing in, Inarizaki was playing against Fukurodani.

I stroll to the next gym. Shinzen plays against Dateko and Ubugawa plays against Seijoh.

Just as I enter, I hear Shiratorizawa getting ready to play against Nekoma in the last gym too.

So we have to wait. Again. Dammit.

I look at the scoreboards.

15 - 14, Shinzen
10 - 11, Seijoh

I peek into the next gym to see the scores.

15 - 15, tie (Fukurodani and Inarizaki)
0 - 1, Shiratorizawa

No one is close to done either!

I sulk as I lean against the wall.

"Waiting to play?" Ennoshita asks.

"None of the matches are really close to done, so we have to waaaaaaaaait" I complain.

"But you could get some info about them, right?" He points out.

"...true." I think to myself. "Thanks."

I sit on the ground and I watch the matches intensely.

"I'll leave you too it." Ennoshita chuckles.

He walks away, and I continue to watch.

Dateko and Seijoh here.

For Dateko, their block is still really good. Their new member...he's a setter. Oh wait a second. They're missing some people...

Third years probably retired. That would make the most sense.

And also...

Daichi pov.
Ennoshita walks back to us.

"...is Mizuki okay?" I ask him.

Right now, she's watching the matches...very seriously.

"Uh, ya." Ennoshita replies. "Getting some info and stuff."

I nod. "Anyways, I think we should have a meeting after this. Maybe to go over some stuff."

"That's a good idea." Sugawara agrees. "We could work on our attacks and everything. And our combos, and-"

"You're really excited to play aren't you." I point out.

"Yes. Yes I am." Suga smiles proudly. "I'm not letting the younger members play all the matches!"

"It is our last year, after all..." Asahi mumbles.

"Stop looking at the negative side!" Suga punches him.

"Ow!"

Suga puts his hands on his hips. "We should focus on what's happening right now, since we aren't graduating yet!"

I nod and Asahi shivers. Ennoshita smiles.

"I'm not giving up my spot either." Ennoshita adds.

"That's the spirit!" Suga exclaims.

"...Kunimi saves his energy so he can play more after, and Kindaichi's attacks are getting stronger." I hear Mizuki mumble. "...new guy is strong. His attacks are really powerful, and could probably be the next ace...but he looks a little angry and annoyed at everything... maybe he doesn't get along really great with the others...? but he is on the team..."

She walks over to us, looking down and reciting some stuff.

...I don't think she knows where she's going...

Mizuki slowly walks over to us. I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"You okay?" I ask.

Her head jolts up and look around.

"...oh was I walking?" She asks.

The four of us sweatdrop.

"Um, yes you did." Asahi replies.

"Whoops. Sorry!" She apologizes.

"It's fine. What were you saying just now though?" I ask.

"Some stuff about the teams, I guess." Mizuki answers.

"...you guess?" Suga asks.

She shrugs. "Anyways, do you think we'll be playing soon?"

I look at the clock. It's a few minutes until dinner.

"I don't think so..." I think to myself.

I turn back to Mizuki. She looks shocked.

"We only played one match?!" She whines.

"There's always tomorrow, right?" Suga tries to cheer her up.

"...I guess." She mumbles.

"Well, after dinner, we're going to have a small meeting." I say. "So that we know what to improve, and maybe some info about the teams."

Mizuki nods.

"Could you tell the others?" I ask her.

"Sure" She jogs over to the others.

"I'm starving!" Suga comments. "I wonder what we'll have."

The door opens and the managers come in.

"DINNER IS READY!" Suzumeda yells.

"NEW TEAMS, YOU GUYS EAT IN YOUR DORM!" Otaki continues. "EVERYONE ELSE, YOU EAT AT THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE"

"Well, I guess we'll find out then." I say to Suga.

We walk together to the caf to get food.

Mizuki pov.
I sit with my team while we eat.

Then, Eri and Yukie get our attention.

"Everyone!" She yells. We all listen.

"So, since there are new teams, we managers, would have to make more food." Eri continues. "Most of the teams don't have managers, so it's a handful for us."

"Which is why teams will take turns to help cook." Yukie finishes. "Teams will rotate and help us make some food."

"The coaches are okay with it, so we're asking if you'll be okay with it." Eri adds.

"Not like you'll have a choice though." Yukie mumbles.

"So could the captains just talk it over with your teams?" Eri ignores Yukie. "Thank you!"

All the teams start talking.

"Everyone." Daichi calls us. "So as you heard we'll have to help make food."

"Some people here know how to cook already, right?" Suga asks. "We know Zuki can, from before. I can kinda too."

"You know, it's best not to let some people in the kitchen too." Tsukishima adds, smirking. "You know who I'm talking about."

He glances at Hinata and Kageyama.

"Hey!" Hinata protests. Kageyama glares back.

"The third years can cook though, right?" Ennoshita asks.

Daichi and Suga nod. Asahi nods and shrugs.

"I'd prefer not to..." He mumbles.

"Um, Tsukki can bake a little too!" Yamaguchi peeps.

"Shut up Yamaguchi." Tsukishima says.

"Sorry Tsukki"

"What can you bake?" I persist.

"None of your business." He replies.

"Yamaguchi, can you cook or bake too?" Suga asks.

"I can bake a few things. I've had experience with cooking, but not much." He replies.

"I know a little too." Kinoshita adds. "Enno and Narita also."

"Yup." Ennoshita nods.

"I can kinda..." Narita runs the back of his neck. "My brother taught me a little."

"That leaves Tanaka, Nishinoya, Hinata and Kageyama." Daichi says after nodding.

"I can!" Nishinoya exclaims.

"Can you really?" Tsukishima rolls his eyes.

"I don't think I can do much." Tanaka mumbles. "My sister does more of the cooking."

"Sho? Kags?" I ask the two. "How about you?"

"I can!" Hinata says.

"I bet I can cook better!" Kageyama replies.

"No, I can!" Hinata protests.

"No, I can!" Kageyama counters.

"Can you or not?" Daichi asks.

"Yes!" The boys say in unison. Then they glare at each other.

"...no offence to them, but I don't trust them" I mumble.

"You're not the only one." Daichi sighs.

"Okay, for cooking, it'll be me, Suga, Ennoshita, Kinoshita, Narita, Mizuki and Yamaguchi." The captain recites. "Possibly Nishinoya, Tsukishima, and maybe Hinata and Kageyama."

"There are also other things to make other than actually cooking." Suga finishes. "So whoever can't, and whoever isn't going to can do that too."

"Great, that works." Kiyoko appears. "You'll be helping us tomorrow morning. We're making curry rice, soup, onigiri and some fruit."

"How early do we wake up?" I ask.

"Around an hour and a half, possibly two hour, before breakfast." She replies. "So at around six."

"Alright everyone! Finish eating and the get ready for practice." Daichi orders. "We'll be playing for a little, then straight to bed."

I quickly finish my food and I head to the gym.

Then, I wait for the others.

~~~