9 The Spiders 3

Genji

*

There's a tiny spiker from the opposing team. He's a starter, and he had been nothing but a surprise in this ongoing match so far. He can serve a floater, and he's a reliable scorer also for their team. His attack earlier was really something else. I wonder if I am capable of doing the same.

As far as I know, during the last game my senpais played against this team, it was our team who emerged victorious. Seeing the results of the first set, I can't help but wonder about the fact that really, there no path to certain victory. Yes, they were defeated last time, but that doesn't guarantee even for a single bit that the same thing will be true for now.

The beginning of the second set frenzied the crowd some more, and though I wouldnt like to admit it, I am feeling a little bit jealous. A strong sense of dread tightened around my guts upon watching my teammates play. Because I wish to be there with them on the same court. However for now, I'm stuck here in the bench, only observing the game unfold before my very eyes.

I glanced at the scoreboard and saw that we are currently leading at 9 – 7.

Since we scored the last point, Fukuzawa-senpai served from the other end. It was received by the libero of the other team but it was off. The ball, instead of going back to the setter, bounced towards the back row.

"Sorry, cover!" short guys usually play libero, but this guy is even taller than their spiker, like me.

"Get the last one!" Another guy from their team hustled after the ball and successfully dug it.

"Alright!" The one called Sumeragi from the far back row jumped surprisingly high and spiked the ball towards our side of the court. Kouen got a hand under it but it still flew out of bounds.

"YAAAA!" The players clad in black were shouting for the point. "Hiragi, nice save! Sumeragi, nice kill!"

"That's really something you don't see everyday." I commented.

"Agreed. That little guy from Kurokumogi is amazing. Don't you think so too, Asuma?" Our team manager said in response to my rambling.

"Sumeragi, nice serve!" A delinquent-looking guy from the black team shouted.

I looked at the player and watched his movements from the service line. So far, he's been doing floater serves. But then he positioned himself close to the line and did something unexpected. He tossed the ball in the air, and hit it with his fist from underneath. The ball made a huge, long arc towards the ceiling before it reached our captain who was positioning himself for an underarm receive. However, he was off in position by a few inches and the ball landed beside his foot.

"What?! Ceiling serve?! He can do that too aside from jump floaters?!" Our manager stood up from her seat in shock.

"SUMERAGI!!!" Some of the guy's teammates were now tackling him. Score's now tied at 9-all.

Sumeragi did a similar serve the next play but this time, Maki received the ball cleanly and returned it to Kouen who tossed the ball to Hiro, who then spiked it from the center. The spike, however, was received by the captain of Kurokumogi, and as it was about to cross the net, Kouha did a direct, scoring a point for our team.

"YEAH!"

It's now Hiro's turn to serve. Despite them scoring the last point, the middle blocker was scowling. He unleashed a powerful lefty serve that seems to have all the ire in the world.

"O-ut!" Sumeragi sighed. He was the target of that serve and he was just lucky enough to dodge it and not get hit in the face. The ball was not touched and went obviously out of bounds.

"Oi Hiro! This ain't baseball dude! Nobody asked for yer homeruns!" Kouha shrieked at him.

"Tch." His scowl only became more pronounced. Why is he always acting like he's angry every time he makes a mistake or someone from the opposing team is able to somehow overpower him? I mean, I think that's just normal for sports. Someone will always be better than you, even I, already know this fact since long ago.

"Hiro-senpai's got no chill." I said absentmindedly.

"I don't really know how to explain it. But ever since we lost in our last official game in the previous season, he's been somehow more….distant from the rest of the team. No - scratch that. I think he began to change after his stint at the NYTC. Maybe he saw so many talents there that he started to feel inferior? And when he plays now, he seems to be more on the edge. Like his only focus is towards winning. I know hard work and the drive to win is important, but that isn't all there is about volleyball, or any other sport actually. It's always best to enjoy what you play. Honestly, I couldn't comprehend him at all." Kayo replied with a frown.

"Kayo-san, do you mean to say, that you think Hiro-senpai isn't having fun anymore in playing volleyball?" I got curious about her answer, but I think she was caught off guard by my sudden question.

"I - I didn't say that… don't mind my rambling, hehe."

The ball was served from the other side and was received by Toshiro. Kouen got the pass and tossed the ball towards Maki who was already flying in from the left. He spiked the ball but Kurokumogi's tall libero got it up, opening an opportunity for a quick by another guy from their team, which was received by Kakuzo on the our end. Kouen got the pass and yelled "Hiro!" That set looks so clean.

There were no blockers who were able to keep up with that back quick attack. Hiro spiked it towards Sumeragi's direction. It hit the guy's shoulders before it flew towards the bleachers in the second floor.

"That must've hurt." I made a face that sympathizes with Sumeragi's pain. We now got the lead at 11 – 10. When I looked at Kayo, she was facepalming.

"You're right, Asuma. Homeboy's got no chill. That's a point for us, though." Kayo said while shaking her head.

Kurokumogi called for a time-out. The players huddled on the bench to wipe their sweat and get a drink. Our managers was handing out their towels and water bottles to my teammates.

For the next rally, Hiro switched with Gaito and Kouha served. The ball was raised by a foreign-looking guy from Kurokumogi. It got to their setter who tossed it to their captain and his spike went through the gap between Kakuzo's arms. We are tied again at 11 – 11.

"Don't do a banzai block, Kakuzo!" Coach Soma said from the bench. I'm not sure what a banzai block is, and I'm sure Kakuzo doesn't know it either, as he looked lost upon the coach's instruction.

"That'll only invite the spikers to hit from the wide space above your head. He's gotta close it in." Hiro said after watching that play. So that kinda gave me the idea of what coach meant by 'banzai' block.

"Nice kill, Captain Katsuki-san!" the Sumeragi guy yelled from the court.

The opponent served and it was cleanly received by Gaito. The ball went to Kouen and he tossed to Kakuzo, who spiked it from the middle. It was received by Sumeragi who passed towards their setter, who tossed the ball to the delinquent-looking guy. I braced myself for a powerful spike.

Yes he did it, the spike was smacked so loudly with a resounding boom. However, our team employed what Coach told them when they huddled during the break.

"Remember to watch out for Yama and Shishio's attacks. Even if you can't block it, at least narrow its course. They usually go for crosses, so try to block for the crosses. This will force them to make a straight. Gai and Maki, you will be responsible to take these receives from the straights. Blockers, make sure you clear the path for them to see the ball clearly."

That's what happened – Maki, Kakuzo and Kouen jumped for the cross, and the spiker was forced to hit a straight. Gaito clearly saw it coming, and got in time to receive it. But the ball had a really powerful spin, and it flew right out of his hands. As it was about to go out, Kouha hustled for it, and by some miracle, managed to get a dig on it. "Get the last touch!" he yelled from the floor.

"Alright!" Toshiro has no choice but to just toss it over to the opponent's side.

"Chance ball!" the redhead captain shouted as he received it. It cleanly went back to the setter, who tossed the ball this time to another big guy from the left. He attacked and Kakuzo was there to touch it.

"One touch!" He said.

"Kakuzo, nice one touch!" Gaito said as he dug the ball which made a long arc towards the right. Kouha was there for the attack and he smacked it towards Sumeragi. The ball bounced directly to our side. Kouen received it with an overhand and tossed the ball to Maki, who hit it from the middle. His spike was bumped by Kurokumogi's setter, who yelled, "Follow!"

This time, Brown, the foreign-looking dude, got it and tossed it to the delinquent-looking dude, Shishio. The same thing from earlier happened. Kakuzo and Kouen jumped for the cross, and the guy hit a strong straight. Only this time, Gaito got it up. "I raised it!" Our libero said as the ball flew beautifully towards Kouha.

Kouen was doing a run-up approach. It seems that something clicked and only the brothers understood what's going on.

A high toss a little far from the net but closer to the antenna was made by Kouha. Kouen audibly kicked the floor to get himself a good lift, and he displayed his vertical glory as he slammed the ball home. It hit the floor of the opponent's side before it bounced towards the bleachers.

We scored. What a long-ass rally that was. Too much had to be done to get a single point. I realized what a troublesome team this is we're currently having a practice match against with. 12 – 11, Shiroshikata.

"GINOZAAAAAA!!!" Some girls from the nearby bleachers were screaming in delight.

"Didja see that?! The spiker made the set and the setter hit that spike!" Someone else exclaimed.

"That's it! That's the Ginoza brothers' inverse quick attack! Yuss!" Kayo was pumping her fist from the bench.

"Wow. Sugoi-ne…" My fellow rookie, Takumi, also muttered from beside me. The coach slow-clapped.

Meanwhile, I looked at Hiro-senpai from the bench but he was expressionless as he softly muttered. "Nice kill."

Even as a spectator from our bench, I got tired just by watching this. Both teams are struggling against each other. Neither team is going easy. This does not feel like a practice match at all.