Chapter 19 - Last & Lost

"Serving is the only thing you can do but you can't even do it propely."

"Lei-"

"Then what's the point of putting you in the court then? You can't even help your team."

"Lei-chan-"

"Just how useless can you get? Dragging them down like the useless baggage you are."

"Lei-chan are you oka-"

*slap!*

"-Eek! Oi! Are you okay?!" Sugawara ask incredulously. He have been trying to get the attention of the boy for a while now as he seems to be spacing out, but he was startled when the boy suddenly slap his face leaving red marks and almost making Suga feint in worries.

"Eh? Ahh yeah.. just thinking about something. Don't mind me hehehe" Lei scratch the red marks, feeling it sting for a bit, as he laugh awkwardly. Not wanting to worry his senpai anymore than necessary.

Suga look at him, scrutinizing his face face for any kind of problem and seeing him smiling and looking like he's back to his normal self, he finally sigh in relief. The boy worried him for a moment.

"Ohh! They finally caught up! Our teammates are so awesome!!" Lei exclaim in admiration. Before he was sub out, Seijo was in the lead but now, they're in a deuce, battling for the first one who will score two consecutive points.

"Hehehe! True! But-" Sugawara smile gently at the boy as he pat his head. Making Lei look up to his senpai in surprise. "You're amazing too, Lei-chan."

Lei didn't immediately respond as he bowed his head down, fighting the growing grin on his face. Being complimented by a senpai, whom you look up too, felt nice.

When he can no longer fight the grin on his face, he finally look up to his senpai, a bright smile now on his beautiful face. "Hehe Thank you!"

That smile left Suga in daze, he didn't expect him to suddenly smile at him like that, catching him off guard as he tried to fight the growing blush on his face.

They really can't underestimate the beauty of their little first year.

"Oh! It looks like the coach is calling for you." Suga lightly nudge the boy's shoulder as he point at their coach.

"It looks like you're being sub in." Suga continued as he grin at the boy, showing a thumps up. "Show them what you got, crazy spiker."

Lei's grin widen as he perform a mock salute to his senpai. Before turning around to jog towards their coach.

"Even when we thought that we manage to pull ahead, Seijo always manage to pull as back." Coach Ukai grit his teeth in frustration. "They really are a hard team to deal with and they just can't seem to back down even for a second."

Coach Ukai tried to relax himself. There's no point if he is too tense, he have to calm down to think properly. He swept his gaze all around the players in the court. "They seems to be exhausted but they can still manage to push through but they need something to push them higher."

Until it landed to the bench players and his face immediately brighten up. "He is our only chance." He purposely didn't call for him switch in as he know that the boy was a bit off after his serve but, "He looks okay now. Thanks Sugawara."

Not missing a beat, he immediately call the attention of the small strawberry blonde hair boy as he jog towards him.

After Lei reach him, he patted the sit besides him. "After this rotation, you'll  be sub in."

"Yes, Coach!" Lei bowed his head down, thankful for another opportunity to play but- "...would it be okay?" Although he's feeling better after talking with his Senpai but ut doesn't mean he's feeling his best. He might mess up and bring the team down and he don't like that.

Coach Ukai seeing him like that smack him on the head.

"I-Itaii!" Lei cried out as he grasp his throbbing head. He already slap his face and now his head.

"Don't be so down, First year boy! We put you on the court knowing that you suck and still inexperienced." Lei felt like an arrow peirce through his heart.

"And even if your techniques are still clumsy, you have other things that can make up for it, right?" Coach Ukai continued.

"Hai! I'll do my best coach!"

___________

"I may not be good at other things but the only thing that I can do now, is to spike and score points that can let us win this match!"

With a new found determination, Lei  walk back to the court, making their opponent on guard with the aura he's emitting.

Seijo serve the ball with Daichi easily receiving it towards Kageyama.

"Tobio!"

Moving a few steps backwards to gain more momentum, Lei jump, what he feels like the highest he have ever done and spike the ball with all he got. Not paying attention to the two blockers that tried to stop him as the force of the ball break their blocks and landed on their court.

"BOOM!"

With the loud sound of the ball landing on the opposite court, the gym is met with silence before it was replace with cheering and shouting of astonishment both from the Karasuno and the audience.

"Whoah! The heck is that spike?!"

"That number 13 is good!"

"Nice Lei-chan!"

Lei was surrounded by his teammates, patting him on the back and some messes his hair. They are too excited that now, they only need one point and they would win.

But it's not that easy.

When Karasuno scores a point, Seijo would always score back. It like a never ending rally that without then noticing the score finally reach up to 30, with both teams feeling the built up pressure and exhaustion.

And now, Seijo finally manage to pull ahead of them. They are finally in the match point and to make it worse, its Oikawa's turn to serve.

Oikawa serve the ball with Karasuno anticipating it to be another intense serve but he surprise them when it became a feint, successfully messing up their formation and restricting them from using a quick.

"Center!"

"Front!"

"Left!"

With all the spiker calling for the ball, kageyama receive it towards Asahi and him spiking it pass the blockers, but Seijo's libero is already running towards the ball and successfully receive it.

With the ball being received by their libero, Oikawa immediately toss the ball towards their ace and Iwaizumi spike it full force, although Tanaka manage to make the ball go up but it landed to Seijo's net giving Kindaichi a chance to spike it.

Both Lei and Hinata tried to block him but because of their height, it became a futile attempt but luckily Nishinoya dive and successfully receive it towars their setter.

With the perfect position and timing, Kageyama already know what they should do, their signature freak quick.

With no second thought, Kageyama set the ball to Hinata anticipating another score but with them repeatedly performing their quick, Seijo finally block it.

Lei watch the ball as it fall in front of him.

"Out of all the players, I'm the closest. Receive it! Receive it! It's not the end yet!"

Lei dive to receive the falling ball but he's only a second to late as it already landed on their court.

With a score of 33 - 31, Seijo wins the match as they celebrate for advancing to the next round while Karasuno is left on the ground, mourning for their lost.

"We lost.."

"Lei-chan stand up. We're about to line up." Daichi called.

"...Hai.." With the shock still on him, Lei manage to line up and shake hands with their opponent.

"And it's my fault"

___________

"We're about start the meeting, where are the others?" Coach Ukai called out as he scan all the players, noticing some missing faces.

"Ahh Nishinoya and Tanaka are on their way. While Takeda-sensai already called Hinata and Kageyama."

Daichi answered.

Coach Ukai humm as he scan for anymore missing player. "Then where's Lei?"

Suga was about to volunteer to look for him when Yamaguchi already answred the question.

"Lei's outside answering some call."

"Call?"

"Yeah.. I don't know who it is but he seems a bit panicky when he answered it." Yamaguchi answered back remembering the look on his face when he answer the call. They where about to go to the bathroom when he suddenly excuse himself and hurriedly run outside.

"Hmm then let's wait for them."

On the outside part of Sendai Gymnasium.

"Hello."

"Lei-chan! I'm glad you finally answered your phone." An old woman voice can be heard on other side of the phone.

"What is it granny? You made me worried when I saw 10 missed calls from you." Lei finally sigh in relief when he heard the older woman's voice on the phone. He don't know what he'll do if something did happen.

"Ohh, you silly child you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine. But that is not what I want to talk to you about." The old woman voice suddenly turn serious, startling the boy with the sudden change.

"What is it?"

"Your Father, he's here and he wants to see you."

Lei can feel his body loosing it's strength, he almost slip the phone out of his hold if he didn't rest his back on the wall. Giving him enough strength to regain his balance.

"F-Father?! Why is he here?! Isn't he supposed to be in states?!" The boy asked incredulously. The information slowly sinking in.

"That's what I heard too but there is no time dwelling with it. He's looking for you and he wants to see you now."

Lei didn't answer, still to shock to even formulate a response.

"I'm sending the driver right now, send me your location and I think it would be best to say goodbye to your teammates first."

"...Hai.."

Lei can hear the call being cut off but he didn't immediately bring the phone down. As he fully rest his back on the wall to tired to even do something.

"The timing can't get any worse."

With a one final sigh, he finally walk back on the court intending to say goodbye to his teammates first. Before he finally face the man who just toss him on Japan after finding out about his condition.

"This day can't get any worse."

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