Akio hated having to make decisions. She was torn as to whether to try out for the team or become manager. Frankly, and she was not even being modest, she knew her volleyball skills was not up to par with all other other players because of not having played for years. However, she had trained every day before, how hoard would it take to get back into routine?

A little nervously, Akio walked into the community centre looking around the signs and finally finding the one which said gymnasium. Outside, she could hear the thuds of the ball. She waited at the entrance as she saw a game take place. She was just in time to see a ball thud hardly against the ground. Akio gulped.

"These people were too good for her," she thought as she prepared to leave.

"Nice going, Tooru Oji-san!" A voice exclaimed. Akio peered into see a very familiar looking boy grinning smugly with a smaller, darker haired boy. It was Tooru Oikawa who had won the 'Best setter in Miyagi' award in the last year of Junior High. His face had barely changed. In a way, she felt relieved that the powerful serve she had just witnessed was by someone as dedicated to volleyball as Oikawa. Oikawa turned to her and looked at Akio who looked dumbfounded.

"I think it's the women's session now," he said smiling at Akio who smiled back at him. He did not remember her which again made Akio relieved but in a way also a little disappointed. Did that even make sense.

"Aah, hello, you must be Minalo-san," a woman greeted.

"Hello..." Akio answered.

"Harukui Machiako," she replied.

"Hello, Machiako-san," Akio greeted.

"So, you said you've played volleyball before but not recently,"

Akio nodded.

"Well, we're just going to play a few games today. Everyone is of varying abilities

so you'll be fine,"

Everybody else seemed to be adults - college students who had previously payed volleyball or older adults.

Akio felt excited. She had not played a proper game of volleyball in ages ... however she was also anxious. What if she played horribly.

"This is Akio Minako!" One of the woman exclaimed.

"A young one," one of the older women said.

"You can be on Saruka-san's aside," she said pointing at the woman. Akio followed and waited on the court.

The whistle was blown. Akio watched as somebody on her side threw the ball up and served. Of course, it was nothing like Oikawa's serve but she began to wonder as to whether she would have been able to receive. It was received and tossed. One of the college students jumped and spiked it. Was she meant to get the ball? Fortunately, someone else on her team tossed it into the air towards her side. Could she spike? Suddenly, one of the other players came and spiked. The other side could not receive.

"Nice!" One of the players on her side exclaimed as they all patted the woman who had spiked on the back. Akio stared. She had did nothing. She looked at Harukui who smiled at her encouragingly.

"Your turn to serve,"

Akio caught the ball. She was off guard. Everyone on her smiled beamed. She did not want to let them down as she had did so in her final match.

Akio bounced the ball once before throwing it up. Was she shaking? SLAP. The ball was off - but it was off all wrong. Akio cringed as it hit the net. They were probably all judging her.

"It's alright!" One of the women on her side exclaimed.

"Don't worry," an older woman on the opposite side said , " You can do it,"

"Relax," Saruka said smiling encouragingly.

She was right. Akio was way too tense.

Again, the ball was thrown to her. Akio felt the ball in her hand. Slowly, she bouncing trying to release the strength in her muscles and clear her mind.

"Breathe," she thought. She threw the ball and hit it as she had been doing on the courts everyday for the past week. She had practised - she had no reason to be nervous. She watched as the ball flew over the net. The opposition attempted to receive but to no avail.

"See," the woman said.

"Service ace!" A woman exclaimed. Akio stared feeling the familiar satisfaction of scoring a point.

Akio walked in the corridor thinking about how different volleyball was. She felt a lot less stressed, a lot less critical of herself. Was that a good thing? She did not care. She was just too happy to be playing volleyball again.

"Excuse me,"

Akio turned to see the smug grin she had seen about an hour earlier.

"Yes," Akio said blushing that Tooru Oikawa who nearly every fangirled over was talking to her. Why was he still, here?

"Have I seen you before?"

"Yes, you have. You were watching the game where I let my team down," sb thought to herself.

"I don't know,"

"Oji-san!"

It was Oikawa's nephew.

"Sorry, I was just watching his session," Oikawa replied ruffling his nephew's hair. Akio nodded.

"Did you play volleyball at school," he continued.

"Yeah, when I was younger," she said coolly not going into too much details. He nodded.

"Well, see you next week," she said waving at Oikawa's nephew who waved back.

"See you too!" He exclaimed.

Akio hurried home. Maybe, he did remember after all. It did not matter anymore. Akio loved the new volleyball sessions. Everybody had everyone's back similar to Karasuno's volleyball team. She sighed remembering the "team" she was part of, she slightly shuddered. Last time she had heard, they had all continued playing volleyball into high school; only Akio had stopped. Maybe, one day she could be part of a better team. She had made up her mind. As soon as school started, she would try out for the new volleyball team.