FRUSTRATION, TEARS AND JOY

God it's brutal out here -Olivia Rodrigo

—A DAY LATER

The atmosphere was noticeably different now, mixed with a sense of blandness and boredom. Frustration, sadness, and anger integrated within the team, casting a shadow over your spirits. For the third-years, facing the possibility of this being their last tournament added an extra layer of uncertainty and sadness .

The first-years, not used to defeat, dealt with the unfamiliar sting of loss, while the second-years, who had poured their hearts into preparation, felt the bitter sting of disappointment. As if that wasn't enough, the weight of expectations from school and family only served to compound your current situation .

Keisuke found himself consumed by his own insecurities, while Takashi's mom continually undermined his confidence, insisting that volleyball wasn't worth the effort. Hana longed for the comfort of her absent mother, while Mina faced constant arguments with hers.

As for your own struggles, your mom's constant praise of your brother's victories and her attempts to pull you out of the club left you feeling neglected and frustrated. Sick and tired of being overshadowed, you made a silent vow to yourself: this year's Inter Highs would be your chance to prove your worth and claim your own success.

Determined to achieve your goal, you dedicated yourself to daily practice sessions, squeezing in an hour of volleyball training before immersing yourself in study sessions for the upcoming finals.

As the top student, maintaining your academic achievements was non-negotiable. However, you were determined not only to keep your position but also to excel in volleyball, securing victory at the Inter Highs and pushing towards nationals.

You were in the school gym, practicing your serves with passion, determined to fulfill your promise. Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing none other than Hiroto, accompanied by Akira.

"Oh, you're here," Hiroto remarked casually. "What's that supposed to mean?" you retorted, crossing your left arm over your right, a hint of doubt in your tone. "Nothing," Hiroto answered nonchalantly, while Akira stood by, looking somewhat lost.

"Man, I love being an only child," a voice piped up. "Girl, please. You have two other siblings you didn't even know about," you remarked dryly. "Leave Shoyo and Natsu out of this," Hana retorted, defending her position.

"Then don't deny them," you retorted sharply. "Are y'all done arguing?" Keisuke interjected, breaking the tension. "Are you done staring at my sister like you're hungry?" Hiroto fired back at the fake blonde, silencing Keisuke as he retreated to the other side of the gym.

"Are they always like that?" Yuzuha asked Mina, who had witnessed the exchange. "No, it's just the stress of the third years leaving," Mina reassured the shorter girl, offering a comforting smile.

"Apparently, it happens to all of us second years. They say that we start arguing because the third years might quit the team. Surprisingly, it's always a first year that starts it all. Last year it was Keisuke," Takashi chimed in, appearing out of nowhere.

"Oh my gosh, you scared me," Mina exclaimed, startled by Takashi's sudden appearance.
"Good, that was my intention," Takashi replied with a mischievous grin. "We'll keep doing that and see what happens," "Oh, tell me, girl, what's gonna happen?" Takashi retorted sassily. "I'm gonna beat your ass," Mina threatened, her voice dripping with determination. "Go ahead, I'm waiting,"

"Okay, everyone, calm down!" Osana's voice rang out, cutting through the tension in the gym. "When Nijimura told us it was gonna be a tradition for us, I didn't think he was telling the truth," another voice chimed in. "Me neither," added Rin, standing alongside Curtis as they observed the scene unfold.

"I don't know what's happening or what's going on, but this needs to stop," Ai insisted, her voice firm with authority. "Yeah, no, I'm not dealing with this today," Yuta declared, casting a weary glance at the chaos unfolding before him.

"But at least the tradition got passed down to the next generation," Rin remarked, shrugging nonchalantly. "Now I know what the third years experienced when we were arguing. Do you remember?" Curtis asked Yuta. "Oh, I remember it like it happened a minute ago," Yuta replied with a nostalgic smile.

—FLASH BACK

On a quiet Monday morning, the gym lay still, instead of the usual sounds of activity. Suddenly, a brown-haired setter pushed open the door, breaking the silence. "Alright, the gym is empty," she announced to herself as she entered and placed her bag by the bench.

Determined to succeed, she swore to train harder than ever. Twenty minutes later, panting heavily, she leaned over, hands on her knees, feeling the intensity of her effort. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and grabbed another ball, but before she could throw it, the gym doors swung open.

"Oh, you're here," keisuke greeted her. "And what's that supposed to mean?" "Whatever you think it means," he retorted. "Are you two done arguing like children, or do I have to be a referee?" Curtis intervened. "Oh, shut it, Lix," they both snapped simultaneously.

"Did you guys just call me a loud monkey?" Curtis exclaimed, placing a hand over his chest in shock. "No, we didn't!" Rin and keisuke shouted simultaneously once more. "Are you guys done yelling? It's getting annoying," Osana remarked as she entered the room, her presence instilling fear in them all.

They glared daggers at her back, too intimidated to speak up. "Yeah, how about we all just calm down and try to get along?" Ai proposed, attempting to diffuse the tension. "Worst idea of the year," Yuta scoffed, starting an argument with Ai.

"Hey! Are you done arguing!?" They all turned their heads towards the entrance of the gym, where their upperclassmen and underclassmen stood, observing the scene. The underclassmen watched from behind the upperclassmen, hesitant to intervene in the tense atmosphere."Sorry," they all apologized, realizing the impact of their presence on the situation.

—BACK TO THE PRESENT

"Ah, the good old days," Rin reminisced with a smile.
"You mean bad days," Curtis countered. "Don't start with me,". "A tradition I'll never forget," Yuta added, a nostalgic smile on his face.

"Instead of having flashbacks, should you guys think about stopping them? Because I think that Keisuke and Hana are about to have a full-on fist fight," Yuzuha interjected. Finally, the third years sprang into action, rushing to intervene and stop the impending conflict, while Hiroto recorded the scene.

And then there was a cut to four teenagers trying to separate two other teenagers from each other while more teenagers where wether watching of filming.

MVP OF THIS CHAPTER

NIJIMURA KEIKO : ex karasuno student and volleyball member of the mixt volleyball team

Judas after Jesus said someone would betray him

Wrote at 18:51
Word count :1162
Published on :13/04
Re published : 14/05
UNEDITED

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