A/N: Hello,readers! Another chapter is here! Enjoy!

edited on march 22nd, 2021 @ 8:43pm

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - THE THIRD DAY

HIDEAKI WOKE UP THE NEXT day in a bad mood. "Today, Tōru and Hajime are going up against Ushijima and Shiratorizawa. I wish I was with them through it." He thought as he got up and put his school uniform on. "I know we left on good terms and no bad blood was shared. But I still can't help but be angry that I lost against them both."

Hideaki looked over to his black and orange jersey that was hanging on his closet door knob. "To think that our match against Aoba Johsai might've been my last." Hideaki thinks to himself. "Would Daichi really want to send us to retirement early and let the second and first-years take the mantle a little earlier?"

The hawk-eyed male picked up his phone and opened Oikawa's contact. He thought about it before sending him a message.

Aki-chan:
> Good luck against Shiratorizawa, Tōru. Tell Hajime I said the same. Win for me.

Tōru 💙:
Thanks, Aki-chan. I'll keep you posted on if we win 💙 <

Hideaki smiled as he placed his phone in his pocket. He grabbed his school bag and headed out of his apartment.

Hideaki arrived at school as he walked through the third year hallway with his head low. Nobody went up to question him. He figured that they must've heard the news about their lost in the Inter-High.

He walked into class 3-5, thankful that he didn't have Daichi, Sugawara, or Asahi in his class. He wasn't sure if he could face them.

Hideaki looked in his bag which was opened. His black volleyball jacket was inside. He quickly zipped up his bag, not wanting to look at it.

During lunch, Hideaki leaned his head on his desk, remembering the sound of the ball dropping onto the court.

Hideaki met up with Daichi, Sugawara and Asahi. "I think it's best that we back out here." Daichi began.

Asahi looked at him with shock. "Huh?" He said.

"I wanted all of us third-years to be able to compete in the spring tournament, so I wanted us to hang in there until then and go to Tokyo to fight. But..." Daichi continued as he paused.

"After watching the first and second-years, I think it might be better to hand the club over to them." Daichi said. "Their futures are so full of promise, that it might be better to let them start as the mainstays of a new team. That way, the team will—"

Sugawara was about to say something, but Hideaki beat him to it. "And you're so full of shit, Daichi." He interrupted, Asahi and Sugawara looked at him with shock. "Tell me, do you really mean that? Because that sounds to me like you're giving up and taking the cowardly way out, and believe me, I know what that looks like."

Hideaki walked closer to Daichi. "If you already made your decision, I won't object." Hideaki continued.

"I'm not running away anymore. Taking the cowardly way out isn't an option, Daichi. We're third-years now, I don't want our time on the court to end here. I say we stay on the team for the Spring High. We're not gonna let the second and first-years down." Hideaki ranted on.

"I'm staying, as well as Suga and Asahi." Hideaki said with the two nodding at his words. "We're putting this loss behind us and coming back stronger in the Spring. We'll have our revenge against Tōru and Aoba Johsai."

"Besides, you still got to fulfill that claim you made to Hinata and Tobio. Don't think I don't know about that. Suga told me." Hideaki finished, shocking Daichi. "So I'll ask again, what do you really want, Captain?"

Tears began to appear in his eyes. "I... Of course I want to keep playing! I want to keep playing volleyball with you guys!" Daichi exclaimed.

Asahi, Sugawara, and Hideaki all smiled.

The five third-years met up with Takeda. "If you guys try too hard and end up hurting yourselves badly enough to affect your futures, but still want to play, we will probably stop you. There are times where it's not best to act based on how you're feeling." He began.

"However, if you're able to keep challenging yourselves, there are choices. That's what I think." Takeda said. "Of course, I'm not saying the scoring poorly on an exam is nothing. To overcome difficulties, you need effort, endurance, and sacrifices."

"The hours you're putting into the club are hours others are putting into studying and securing their futures, which will give them an obvious lead over you. You all might end up regretting that. Please choose wisely. Choose the path that you will not regret in five, or even ten, years." Takeda finished.

Daichi, Sugawara, Asahi, and Hideaki were all running to the gym. "Crap, hurry." Sugawara exclaimed.

"Yeah, we are." Kiyoko told Hinata who beamed up at the sight of them.

"You're late!" Tanaka exclaimed.

"Let's go to the spring tournament!" Sugawara said.

"All right!"

Everyone was practicing when Coach Ukai walked in.

"Thank you!"

"You guys are in good spirits." Ukai said as they all rushed to him.

"Please continue to coach us!" Daichi exclaimed.

"Please!"

They all took a seat and gathered around. "We lost in a match that decided our superiority or inferiority. Seijoh was strong and we fell to them. That is our reality right now. As for today's finals for the Inter-High... The winner was... Shiratorizawa." Ukai informed.

"Seijoh..." Hinata began.

"...lost?" Kageyama finished.

Hideaki clenched his fist. "Tōru..." He thought.

"There are teams stronger than Seijoh, even in our prefecture. That just means we have to get stronger. I'm pretty sure you know what our next goal is, but... it's the spring tournament." Ukai announced.

"For the third-years who will be participating, it will be their last battle." Ukai continued. "Well, then, let's have the captain pump us all up."

Daichi stood up. "It's the stage that Karasuno has been to just once in the past... Tokyo. The Orange Court." He said, turning around to face the team.

"We're going there one more time!" Daichi exclaimed, turning to stare at his team.

"All right!" Everyone yelled, it made Hideaki jump as some of his teammates, such as Hinata and Nishinoya had literally jumped in the air.

"Take five!" Ukai announced for them to take a break.

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone headed to the side to grab some towels and water. "I wonder how Tōru is feeling. He's been wanting to beat Ushijima since junior high." He thought.

He decided to check on him as he grabbed his phone from his bag, wanting to text him, but saw that he already had a text from Oikawa.

Tōru 💙:
> Can we meet somewhere? I was thinking the park we went to when we were kids?

Hideaki quickly sent a reply back.

Aki-chan:
I'm at practice right now. But after it ends, I'll be there. <

"Okay, break time's up!"

Hideaki placed his phone back in his bag. "Yes, sir!" Everyone shouted as they continued practice.

"Time for spike practice!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Here goes!" Nishinoya announced, holding up the volleyball as he and Kiyoko help throw volleyballs into the air.

Everyone went at one time. Hideaki was the last person to spike on Sugawara's side.

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It was late at night as Hideaki was at the park where he was meeting up with Oikawa. "Sorry, did you wait long, Aki-chan?" Hideaki turned around to see the brunette still in his volleyball jacket with his hands stuffed in the pockets.

"No. I just got here."

Oikawa sighed. "We lost." He said. Hideaki paused at his words. He knew he was talking about the match. He shouldn't really be surprised since he already know, but to hear it come from his boyfriend's mouth still shocked him.

"Now I understand how you felt, when you lost to my team." Oikawa continued. "All of our strategies were overwhelmed by brute force."

Hideaki closed his eyes. "Ushijima's a monster. He always was." He commented, opening his eyes once more.

"When Aoba Johsai was going against Ushiwaka... I felt like something... No, someone was missing." Oikawa began, looking at Hideaki. "Iwa-chan felt it too. You wanna know who that someone was?"

Hideaki raised an eyebrow in confusion, not sure where Oikawa was going with this.

"You."

Hideaki widened his eyes with shock. "It was you, Aki-chan. You, me, and Iwa-chan started our path together when we were kids. That path continued throughout junior high, and finally stopped once we reached high school." Oikawa said.

"At one point during the match, when I was up to serve. I felt a presence next to me. Your presence." Oikawa continued.

Oikawa was up to serve. He let out a breath as he looked at his opponent on the other side of the net. Ushijima Wakatoshi. The person that he wanted to take down since his junior high days.

"Come on now, Tōru. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet now." A voice said. Oikawa looked next to him to see Hideaki in his black and orange Karasuno jersey smiling at him.

"Aki-chan?" Oikawa thought.

"You've been waiting for this moment, Tōru. You've been wanting to humiliate Ushijima since junior high. You can't give up now. Not when you've worked so hard to get here." Hideaki told him.

"You're not here with me, Aki-chan. You're not here with us. This was something you, me, and Iwa-chan we're gonna finish together." Oikawa said.

"I'll always be here, Tōru. Maybe not physically, but here." Hideaki said, putting his fist to his heart. "Go to nationals, Tōru!"

Oikawa chuckled as he did his usual jump serve, which landed on the court and got Aoba Johsai a point.

He looked back and saw Hideaki's back turned, showing his jersey number.

"Thanks, Aki-chan."

"You weren't physically there on the court with me, but having your presence there was enough to keep me going." Oikawa explained.

"I'm glad." Hideaki replied, intertwining his hand with Oikawa's.

Hideaki arrived back to his apartment after talking with Oikawa. His phone buzzed repeatedly as he took it out and saw that his younger brother was calling him.

"What's up, Shun?" Hideaki questioned.

"Seirin's going to the finals." Shun replied.

Hideaki widened his eyes. "Really? That's great! Who are you playing against?" He asked.

"Rakuzan. Apparently, they're the strongest school."

"Seirin has Kagami and Kuroko. I'm sure you guys will be fine."

"Are you coming to watch?" Shun asked.

"Yeah, I am." Hideaki replied. "Tōru and I should be there tomorrow."

"Your boyfriend's tagging along?"

"Yeah. He recently lost against someone who he's been trying to beat since junior high. I figured he should come with me to get his mind off of volleyball for awhile." Hideaki replied.

"Well, I'll let you sleep, Nii-san. It takes two hours to get to Tokyo by train. So you need all the rest you can get."

"Bye, Shun. I'll see you soon."

Hideaki hung up and placed his phone on charge. He thought about his conversation with Oikawa.

"If not even Seijoh could beat Shiratorizawa and Ushijima, what makes me think Karasuno can?" Hideaki thought. "Sure we have strong and talented players, but will that be enough to ensure our victory?"

༻ 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗡𝗘 ༺

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A/N: I've finally finished writing season one! Also, pay attention to that flashback. I added that part because it's important for the Shiratorizawa and Karasuno match in the future. Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 1966 words.