12 The Spiders 6

Hiro

*

Kouen kicked the nearest thing he saw when he got to the bench. And it was his brother's bottle.

"What's yer problem?" Kouha moved menacingly at him. He did not answer but maintained a dark frown instead.

"Alright, let's talk this over." Coach cleared his throat before continuing. "Cool down, just score the next point because the next side out is critical. Let's not do a triple block in their next attack. Gaito, switch with Kakuzo at the back. Hiro and Toshiro, you will be responsible for the double block. Don't jump to the block Kouen, I need you to watch for dinks and make a quick toss when you can. Maki and Kouha, stay alert for those. Don't let the ball drop."

"Hai!" We got back inside the court to execute our next move. Now that we have Gaito-san in the back row, we got a breather on who will do the serve receive. He cleanly got up Brown's next serve. "Kouen!"

Both Toshiro and Kouha jumped for the toss, but Kouen delayed the set once more. Hiragi and Sumeragi jumped at the same time, but Katsuki delayed his block too. The pipe was almost successful, but I gotta hand it to Katsuki for his block timing. He figured out we'll do it, and so he managed to touch Kouha's back attack.

"One touch!" Kouha's eye twitched for the deflection. Nishiki saved the ball. Yama got the next touch and he tossed it towards Shishio.

"ARGGHHH!"

Toshiro and I were quick to react for the cross but Shishio hit a straight, directly at Gaito-san. Our libero was able to raise it but the ball went over the net, where the squirt went for a direct. It was a cross and Gaito-san's fast reflexes was able to get a save on that one too.

The liberos are upping up each other with their nice receives. We have our own guardian too. That was an excellent double save by Gaito-san.

"Nice receives, Gai!" Kouha said.

Kouen got there in time for a follow up, and he tossed to Maki-san who was already flying from the back. We finally ended Brown's serves. 10 – 12, Kurokumogi.

The whistle sounded and I wonder what it is for. Then I saw our freshman setter, Takumi Ikuya hold out a "number 6" for substitution. So coach decided to put in a pinch server for the next side out. That's why he said it would be crucial. Kouen got back to the bench with a rather disgusted look.

Takumi has been practicing his jump floaters. Though he looked nervous, there was also a clear look of determination on his face. He is really trying his best to make it to the regular line up.

He made his first one, and….

"Out! No - aaahh" Nishiki said but he was tricked by the ball's trajectory. It was in. For Nishiki to be blindsided like that, it was a big achievement for our rookie. 11 - 12, Kurokumogi.

"TAKUMI!!! ONE MORE NICE SERVE!!" the bench yelled as they cheered for Takumi. He made another one but Nishiki had a difficulty in saving it.

"Urgh, guys follow!" He yelled to his teammates. Sumeragi followed after the receive and Hiragi had no choice but to toss it over.

"Chance ball!" I yelled after I got the first touch. Takumi got the next and Kouha was there to spike it home.

But Nishiki got it up once more. "Counter!" He yelled.

Katsuki was there for the direct, but our libero was also there to raise it up too. "Follow, Maki!" and Maki-san was there to toss the ball to Kouha. He spiked but Sumeragi again bumped it with his shoulder. Hiragi threw the ball back to our side which was open.

I hustled for it and luckily, Gaito-san was there too to dig after it, and the ball made its way to Takumi, who tossed it in a high arc for Toshiro. Nishiki got a hand under it but it was low, and no one was able to make a follow up. Tied, 12 – 12.

"Nice kill, Fukuzawa-san!" Takumi said.

"Nice toss, Takumi." Toshiro said back.

The freshman served once more. Sumeragi got the first touch and he tossed to towards Yama. I jumped for the block and was able to deflect it. It made its way to the floor but Nishiki dived for yet another irksome save.

The ball made a nice arc and Katsuki hit a direct.

Maki-san got the ball up and this time, I returned the direct. But the setter, Hiragi landed a touch beneath the ball. "Ahhh…Sumeragi…."

Even if he's that tired already, he still bumped it shakily towards the squirt, who jumped from the middle. We were too slow to stop it. They got the lead again, 12 – 13.

Kouen was substituted back in and Hiragi served this time. Gaito-san made the first touch and he bounced the ball towards Kouen, who tossed to Toshiro. He was cleanly blocked by Katsuki.

"Yeah!!!"

Hiragi made another serve and it was still Gaito-san who got it first. The pass went to Kouen and he tossed to me this time. I managed to get it in between Katsuki's arms but the ball was received by Nishiki.

I am SO sick of this defense.

Their setter got the ball next. Yama, Sumeragi and Shishio jumped.

Toshiro and Kouha went to block after the squirt. My instinct tells me the ball will not come to him but I hesitated. I eventually made up my mind and tried to pull Kouha's jersey towards me to support me in the double block against Shishio. I gave him a look.

'Don't be fooled by the squirt's decoy.'

Kouha looked puzzled but then he understood almost instantly.

We jumped as the ball went to Shishio, but the delinquent-looking bastard delayed his spike. He hit the ball when the wall before him started to go down. As a result, he had a clearer view of what's ahead and launched his straight. Maki-san and Gaito-san dived after the ball but it still hit the floor. 12 – 15, Spiders.

If only I did not hesitate to jump after him immediately, even for a microsecond, we would've been able to block it. I groaned in frustration.

"KORAAAAA!!" He yelled.

"YAAAAHHHH!! SHISHIO NICE KILL!!" Nishiki said as he chest-bumped with him.

Meanwhile, everyone on our side of the court seems to be running out of breath. That was quite another exhausting rally. We were still catching air as Hiragi served once more, and Maki-san raised it. Kouha got the next and he tossed it towards Kouen. It was another inverse play by the Ginozas.

"WOOOOH!"

"NOT BAD, KOUHA!" Kouen said as he high-fived with Kouha.

Toshiro served next and Nishiki got it up but it returned directly to our side of the court. Gaito-san yelled "Kouen!" as he received it, and Kouen made a toss towards Maki-san. The triple block of Katsuki, Yama and Shishio overwhelmed him. 13 – 16, Kurokumogi.

Sumeragi served a nasty jump floater and he aced two of them. He had a mad look on his face as he made those. Gaito-san groaned loudly in frustration. He was targeted during those serves. The third serve he made was received by our libero through an overhand with extreme difficulty. It was low. "Sorry, its low!"

I hustled after it and yelled, "Get the last touch, Kouha!"

He tossed it towards the other side.

"Chance ball..." the setter got it and again, Shishio, Yama and the squirt jumped for the toss. I looked at the setter's eyes which were fixed towards Yama.

"To the right!" I yelled to Kouha and Maki-san. They understood and went after me for the jump after Yama. I was correct in predicting where the toss will go and I saw the setter looked with annoyance towards me. He's finally showing emotions.

I slammed hard towards Maki-san's side when I saw Yama's arm was bracing to hit a very sharp cross. It was indeed a very sharp angled cross but we were able to deflect it. 14 – 18. Kurokumogi. We ended the squirt's serving rampage.

"Are you ok, Maki-san?" I asked our captain as I helped him up.

"Don't worry. I'm fine." He responded.

I made my way to the service line and Kakuzo switched with Gaito-san. I targeted the serve towards the setter, who got it up rather shakily. He looks just about to fall apart from exhaustion.

"Haaaah, Shishio-san…" Shishio made a follow up, which was low, so the person who got the last touch had no choice but to toss the ball over the net.

"Alright I got this." Kouha dug after the ball and it flew towards Kouen, who tossed to me. "Finish it, Hiro!"

Three blockers – Katsuki, Yama and Shishio jumped for the toss.

Shit. The block is tall and wide. The only way I could score here is towards the right side. I bent my torso towards there and spiked using my left hand. It's much easier to do this from a left-inclined position, but there were no openings there. And spiking from a right-inclined position is damn hard for a lefty. But what choice do I have?

"ARGH!" the difficulty level of that attack is high and it over stretched my shoulder a little. I know that spike has less power than my usual ones. However, it did get through and that's all that matters now.

"YOSH! HIRO, NICE KILL!" Kouen clapped my back for that one. As I made my way to the service line again, my serve toss was off and my left arm hit it with less power. The ball hit the net. "Tch."

Gaito-san rotated with me. On the other side, it was Katsuki's turn to serve and Nishiki switched out with Brown coming in. The jump serve was raised by Gaito-san and he got it to Kouen, who tossed to Maki-san.

"One touch!" Brown yelled after getting a hand on it. Hiragi followed up with a toss towards the squirt. Kakuzo and Kouha went after it but the squirt scored another blockout. 15 – 19, Kurokumogi.

Katsuki aced his second serve but flunked on the third one. When Kouha made it to the service line, his toss too, was off, and it went out of bounds. 16 – 21, Kurokumogi.

"ARGGHHHHHH SORRY!"

Katsuki went out for Nishiki and Yama served next. It was received by Maki-san. He passed to Kouen who tossed immediately to his brother.

Kouha landed a thunderous spike towards Kurokumogi's side of the court, as if to erase the memory of the squirt's blockouts and his earlier blunders.

"YEEAAAHHH!"

Maki-served next and Nishiki passed it towards their setter. Brown, Sumeragi and Shishio jumped for the toss. But the sleepyhead dumped the ball right in Kouen's dumbfounded face. They glared daggers at each other after that play.

"Why ya little...." I heard Kouen mutter towards the other setter.

"I hate that setter." I muttered darkly from the bench and our managers' heads turned to me.

Yama served but it hit the net. "Sorry!" 18 – 22, Kurokumogi.

Kakuzo moved to the service line and I got back to the front as I switched places with Gaito-san. Unfortunately, his serve went out. Coach sighed from the bench. This isn't good. We are not catching up.

The next serve was made by Shishio. Maki-san returned it directly to Kurokumogi and Brown passed the first touch to Hiragi.

I hate this. I knew exactly who he'll toss to. There's no time to waste.

I jumped immediately at the squirt's direction, who appeared to be shocked in seeing me close on his spike. And I did.

The superfast quick attack was stuffed by me. The ball fell with a loud thud into the floor and I saw the three of them – Sumeragi, Hiragi and Nishiki – scamper after it.

"That's enough for you, chibi-chan." I told him as my eyes fell upon them.

Not one of them was able to raise it. I looked down at them and grinned evilly, feeling the satisfaction at the sight of their bodies diving after the ball they failed to save. Their faces are painted with a look of disgust. 19 – 23, Kurokumogi.

Kouen served. He aced the first one while the second one was received by Hiragi. He called for his teammates to follow and Nishiki was there to bump it towards Yama. We closed in for a cross and he was forced to hit a straight, then Maki-san got it up for us. "Counter!" he yelled.

Kouen tossed to Kouha. The receive was made by Shishio and it went over the net, where Sumeragi did a direct. I managed to block it, but Nishiki saved the ball.

I was shocked to see the setter jump towards the direction of the ball for a spike. Only that, it wasn't a spike. He purposely hit the ball towards my palm when I jumped in for the block to reset their offense.

A rebound.

The sleepyhead knows how to reset the ball by rebound.

"Nice one, Hiragi!" Nishiki said as he raised the ball once more, and Hiragi got it for the squirt to spike. The straight painted the line. 20 – 24, match point for the Spiders.

Brown made his way to serve and Nishiki went out for Katsuki. I got the first touch. Kouen got the next and it was Kouha who attempted to spike. Unluckily, Katsuki was there for the perfect kill block.

"They say history repeats itself, yeah? Nah, I don't think so." The captain of the Spiders stuck out his tongue at Kouha after he said those words.

The latter was fuming.

A deadly silence ensued.

I clenched my fists upon the sudden realization that we have fallen into the spiders' web, 20 – 25.

Kurokumogi High School won the practice match at 2 – 1.