A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on november 21st, 2021 @ 4:36am

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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE - THE FORMER COWARD'S FIGHT

HIDEAKI WATCHED AS KYOTANI THREW the ball up high in the air as he did a jump serve, Hideaki winced when he saw how he slammed the ball over the net as Daichi managed to receive it, but fell over due to the powerful spike.

"Sorry! It's long!"

"Mattsun!"

Hideaki's eyes followed the ball as it goes towards Aoba Johsai, as Matsukawa scores a point when he spikes the ball down. He glanced over to the scoreboard to see where they were at.

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno

18

Hideaki let out a breath, trying to shake any negative thoughts that he had in his mind as he tells his teammates to scoot back, in which they did so. Kyotani does his jump serve as Tanaka was quick on his feet as he crouched down and saved the ball.

"Tanaka!"

"Yeah!"

Hideaki watched as the volleyball went through the air towards Kageyama. He holds his hands up and did a small jump, sending the ball to Hinata who quickly slams it down, getting Karasuno a point. It was Hinata's turn to serve.

"Shoyo, nice serve!" Nishinoya encouraged. Hideaki widened his eyes when he saw how Yamaguchi was taking Hinata's place as the pinch server.

"I'm sorry, we're making a subsitution." Takeda told the referee, as Hideaki watched Yamaguchi walk onto the court with confidence. He also saw how Hinata jogged over to grab the number plate from him.

"Yamaguchi, go get 10 points!" Hinata exclaimed as Yamaguchi flinched at his comment.

"That would end the match."

Hinata then offered the ball to him. "I'll forgive you." He said as Yamaguchi gave a smile and nodded. Hideaki sweat dropped when he saw Tanaka and Asahi look at Yamaguchi with nerves for him.

"G-Go give 'em one, Yamaguchi!" Tanaka stuttered as Asahi was stiff.

"Y-You gotta k-keep your cool!" Asahi stammered as well. Hideaki let out a long sigh.

"Nice serve!" Kageyama called out to Yamaguchi bluntly.

"Nice serve." Hideaki heard Tsukishima mumble out loud too. Hideaki soon saw Daichi walk over.

"Give it your all!" He encouraged as Hideaki got back in position.

"One, and..."

Hideaki blinked as he looked over and gave a deadpan look at Sugawara and the others on the sidelines, doing a pose for Yamaguchi.

"Yamaguchi, one more! Nice serve!"

Hideaki watched as Yamaguchi breaths in. He glanced at him and noticed he wasn't tense as he had been in the past, which made the hawk-eyed ace slightly grin.

"Show Aoba Johsai the results of your training, Yamaguchi!" Hideaki thought as he waited for the whistle to blow.

The whistle soon blows as Yamaguchi took in another deep breath. It was silent as Yamaguchi eventually throws the volleyball in the air as he ran a little forward and jumped up, Hideaki smirked when he performed a perfect jump floater.

"Out!"

"Yeah, I don't think so."

Hideaki watched with a knowing look as he saw the ball land in the court, as the referee holds up the flag and whistled, indicating Yamaguchi had gotten the point, making Karasuno at 20 points. He looked over and saw Yamaguchi in shock by this as him and the others cheered.

"All right!"

Hideaki glanced over when he saw Sugawara and Ennoshita holding back Nishinoya and Hinata from running over to Yamaguchi and tackling him into a hug.

"All..."

"...right!"

Hideaki sent Yamaguchi a slight smile. "Nice serve." He praised as Yamaguchi smiled happily at his senior's comment. Tanaka started to ruffle Yamaguchi's head, as his teammates praised him.

"That was amazing, Yamaguchi! Damn you!" Tanaka praised as Daichi smiled proudly at Yamaguchi.

"Y-Yes!" Yamaguchi managed to stammer out as Hideaki looked over towards Tsukishima glancing at his friend before turning away.

"It's not that surprising." He stated, making everyone look at him.

"There you go again—" Tanaka started to scold Tsukishima but he was cut off by the blonde.

"In the past five months... He's practiced serving more than anyone else."

Hideaki smiled as he looked over to Yamaguchi who looked as if he was about to cry tears of joy, which resulted in Tanaka lightly punching Tsukishima in the chest a few times, smirking at him.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you!" Tanaka laughed as Tsukishima grunted at each punch while Hideaki sweat dropped at the two.

"Yamaguchi, one more!" Hideaki heard Hinata exclaim as Hideaki focused back to the game.

The referee blows the whistle making Yamaguchi do another jump float, Kyotani went in to receive the ball, but his face was too close, making the volleyball bounce off his arm and out of bounds, getting Karasuno another point.

"A-A service ace!"

"Yes!"

"All right!"

Hideaki watched as his teammates all ruffle and pat Yamaguchi, everyone excluding Tsukishima.

"Yamaguchi!"

"Nice serve." Tsukishima bluntly said.

"Yamaguchi!" Hinata called out as everyone on the sides yelled out together in unison.

"One more!"

The referee blew the whistle once more for Yamaguchi to serve again. "Bring it!" Iwaizumi and Watari shout out, as him and his teammates get into position to receive the ball. This time, the jump floater was dug up with an overhand receive by Hanamaki.

Hideaki watched as Oikawa sets the ball to the back row as Iwaizumi jumps up and spikes through the blocks, Yamaguchi was able to receive it with his body.

"Cover!"

Everyone on the sidelines shouted. Kageyama ran over and slid down to save the ball, sending it back up, soon Tsukishima jumped up and Daichi sets to him, as Tsukishima did a feint cross shot, getting Karasuno another point.

"All right!"

Oikawa gave a small scowl at Tsukishima, which Hideaki found amusing. He glanced over to the scoreboard.

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno

22

The ball rolls over to Karasuno's side as Tsukishima picked it up and handed it over to Yamaguchi. "One more." He spoke, and even though he sounded bored, his words seemed to have a huge impact on Yamaguchi.

"Yeah!" Yamaguchi replied with a determined look.

TWEEEET!

Hideaki turned to see that Aoba Johsai had taken a time out, Oikawa and Hideaki made eye contact, but Hideaki ignored him as he followed his teammates off the court.

"You made Seijoh take a time out! That's amazing, Yamaguchi!" Sugawara smiled at him.

"Yamaguchi!" Hinata cheered as Yamaguchi seemed a little sheepish at the sudden attention he was receiving.

"Th-Thank you..." He smiled.

TWEEEET!

The whistle blew and everyone went back onto the court. "Yamaguchi!" Nishinoya shouted out.

"One more!"

Yamaguchi bounced the ball as he breathed in to focus, as the whistle blew and he did another jump float serve, the ball hits the net but it rolled off on Aoba Johsai's side, making Karasuno get a point and tie with Aoba Johsai.

The crowd watching the game cheered for them. "It's in!" Everyone shouted.

Hideaki let out a long sigh, stressed that they were tied with Aoba Johsai as the ball bounced back to Yamaguchi.

"Yamaguchi, one more!" Tanaka encouraged his underclassman.

"Yamaguchi, nice serve!" Hinata also called out.

"Right!"

Hideaki blinked as he looked over towards Oikawa who was smiling at his teammates as he extended his arms out. "Let's calm down, now." He told them, smirking. Hideaki fought back a laugh as everyone on his boyfriend's team seemed to give their captain a deadpan look.

"We're calm."

"Well, that one was unavoidable."

"We'll get the next one."

Oikawa sweats at how calm his teammates were. "That's it, you guys! You guys are too great. It makes your captain sad." He announced, as he seemed distraught that his team wasn't annoyed.

Hideaki reached under the net and smacked his boyfriend upside the head, making him yelp in pain.

"Stop being dramatic, Tōru. You're pissing me off."

"Aki-chan!"

Iwaizumi and the others on Oikawa's team laughed at the interaction.

The whistle blew as Hideaki turned his focus back to the game as Yamaguchi took another deep breath as he threw the ball up and did another jump floating serve. However, it wasn't changing direction as Iwaizumi received it.

"Got it!" Iwaizumi called out, as he sends the ball back up, as Oikawa gets ready to set it.

Oikawa tosses the volleyball to his teammate on the far-right side of the net, Tsukishima also saw this as he ran over and jumped up, getting a one touch in.

"One touch!" He shouted.

"Nice one-touch!" Yamaguchi complimented as Hideaki kept his eyes on the ball.

He watched as Tanaka dived down and received the ball, sending it back up. Kageyama also runs over and sends the ball to Hideaki.

"Izuki-san!" Kageyama announced as Hideaki focused on the incoming ball.

"Nice, Kageyama!"

"Triple block!"

Hideaki jumps up, getting ready to spike the ball, he hits the ball, but Oikawa's hand managed to have the ball rebound back to Karasuno.

"Back!" Hinata shouted. Tanaka quickly followed after the ball, but Hideaki noticed it was going to be an out.

"Out!" Hideaki exclaimed, hoping Tanaka trusted his words. Tanaka pauses from saving the volleyball as the said ball goes out of the court, making Karasuno ahead of Aoba Johsai.

"All right!" Asahi cheered from the sidelines as Oikawa grumbled in annoyance.

"Izuki-san, nice call!"

Hideaki grunted as Tanaka ran over and punched the black haired male's shoulder playfully as Daichi praised him as well.

Once that was over, Hideaki looked over at the scores and almost smiled when he saw that Karasuno was a match point. "One more! Nice serve!" Daichi encouraged. Hideaki glanced back to Yamaguchi, as the whistle blew.

"Yamaguchi! Just one more!"

"Get it in there!" Hinata shouted again as Hideaki let out an anxious sigh. "You can do it, Yamaguchi." Hideaki thought, sweating a little as Yamaguchi threw the ball up as he hits it towards the net.

"I'll get it!" Watari announced as he managed to save the ball.

Hideaki focused on the game as Oikawa sets the ball to Iwaizumi who spikes it down past Karasuno's blockers, it bounced off of Yamaguchi's arms as the ball also swerves out, making the black haired male twitch his eye in irritation. Both teams were now tied with each other.

TWEEEET!

Hinata was swapping in for Yamaguchi who jogged over and took his number plate from Hinata, who jogged back onto the court. Nishinoya was then coming onto the court, as him and Hinata had to swap.

"Concentrate on the one!" Hinata called out as the whistle blew, making it Aoba Johsai's turn to serve. "This is a chance Yamaguchi gave to us..." Hideaki noted as he narrowed his eyes when the ball gets served and Daichi receives it, sending it back up.

"...do not let it slip away!"

Kageyama tossed the ball to Hideaki who spiked it down past the blockers, getting Karasuno a point. "All right!" Karasuno cheered as they huddled together, as they were at match point once more. The game continued with Aoba Johsai getting a point as well, making it a tie again.

"Every time we get to match point, Aoba Johsai scores a point to make it a tie. This rally will go on forever." Hideaki thought.

The game continued as Kageyama sets the ball making Tsukishima run over and spike it down, getting a point for Karasuno. Hideaki chuckled at the shocked faces of Kindaichi and Oikawa.

"All right!" Karasuno cheered.

Hideaki was now serving, as he bounced the ball. "Hideaki, get this!" Sugawara announced from the sidelines.

"Nice serve!" Kinoshita encouraged. The whistle blew for Hideaki to serve the ball.

Hideaki ran forward and did his jump serve but Hanamaki managed to save it.

"It's long! Get this!"

Oikawa runs over as Tsukishima and Kageyama both jump up to block him, in case he did a dump, but Oikawa instead just gave a one handed toss to his teammate, Kindaichi, who slams it down and the ball bounces off Hideaki, making Aoba Johsai get the point.

Hideaki huffed but then was on high alert when he realized it was Aoba Johsai's turn to serve. "Not now of all times..." Hideaki thought, as he stared at his boyfriend who had the volleyball in his hands. His teammates were on guard, and focused on Oikawa.

The referee blew the whistle as Oikawa threw the ball up as Hideaki got into a defensive position in case he needed to receive the ball. Oikawa spikes the ball and Nishinoya had dived down to try and save it, however it bounced off his shoulder and goes towards the audience, hitting the rail and Aoba Johsai gets a point.

Hideaki let out a scoff before glancing over towards the scoreboard.

Aoba Johsai

27

Karasuno

26

"They managed to turn the points so they can be at match point..."

"Damn it!" Nishinoya hissed in annoyance as Hideaki looked over at Daichi.

"This isn't possible with just the two of us." Daichi stated as he gestured for Hideaki to come over before looking at him.

"Hideaki, please. We're counting on you." Daichi informed.

"Yeah." Hideaki replied.

Hideaki looked back to Oikawa who gets ready to serve again. The whistle blew, signaling for Oikawa to do his serve once more.

"Bring it!"

"Nice serve!"

Oikawa throws the volleyball into the air as he runs forward to do his jump serve, the ball comes towards Karasuno's side.

"Daichi!" Nishinoya called out to their captain who quickly dived down and received the volleyball. However, the volleyball was close to the net as Kindaichi slammed it down.

Tanaka wasn't going to let that happen as he extended his arm out and received it. "Tanaka, nice!" Daichi praised.

"Kageyama!" Tanaka called out as the first-year quickly rushed over, following the ball as he jumped up to toss the ball.

"Izuki-san!" Kageyama announced as the volleyball goes to the hawk-eyed ace who slams it over the net.

But Hanamaki was there to save the ball as it went back up. Hideaki saw how Kyotani charged forward, but Hideaki had a feeling Oikawa wasn't going to set the ball to him, as he saw how Iwaizumi jumps up from the back row.

He was too late as Iwaizumi hits the ball and gets a point for Aoba Johsai. Hideaki grunted at his slow reaction.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had lost the second set, and they were now moving onto the third and final set, making Hideaki anxious as they switched sides.

"Let's change it up!" Daichi clapped his hands together.

"Right!"

Hideaki had walked over to the sides, grabbing a water bottle before shooting the cool liquid down his throat.

"The final set... If we lose now, it's over for us." Hideaki thinks to himself as he glanced over at Aoba Johsai in which he noticed both Oikawa and Iwaizumi were looking at him.

"Tōru, Hajime... The three of us have the same goal, and that's going to nationals. And I'm sorry. But I'm setting my feelings aside and winning this for my team!"

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Also, I'm planning on having Iwaizumi and Hideaki be locked in a joust and then Hideaki getting injured as a result (but not too badly), because slight angst, am I right? Anyways, thanks for reading!