Chapter 6: Unexpected Events
Time Skip (About 7 years later) Sora is now in middle school and 13 years old.
3rd POV
Sora, her brown hair was cut from her mid back length when she was in elementary to a short cut that rested just above her shoulders. She was now in middle school, Niiyama Girls Middle School. A school which would later send their students to the Niiyama High school. A school known for their sport, Volleyball.
Though her hair has grown quite the bit since her first year, her hair was a short cropped cut to be able to play in the team.
However during her time in Niiyama girls junior high, she has been recognized as a "Genius" player for techniques and skills at a young age. She is one of the main players, on the roster, a wing spiker.
Even though she went to a different school she still would hang out with Hinata after school or over the weekends. However, since she started to play volleyball in her club she became a lot more busier and practiced a lot more to train herself. She would practice more on weekends, more hours and time put into practice, more videos of professionals and practice matches.
Though she would always try to make time for Hinata. Though they saw each other less and less, but still remained a close childhood friendship that they created. When she does have time and they hang out together they normally talk and go the park or catching up.
But this year and the change of events will change everything.
Sora POV
The Volleyball season was wrapping up for the prefecture of Miyagi with the final games of the tournament.
My team, the Niiyama Girls team, had won all of our games and became victorious. We had just wrapped up the game and said our "Thanks you's" to the opposite team. While our team smiled and hugged each other in victory the other cried and consoled each other.
'A painful experience....The feeling of loss.' I thought and was brought out of it with a slap on my back from my captain, Yuuki. "Good game out there Sora!!" she said with a smile. I smiled back at her and hugged her "You too Captain! You were amazing as ever with your dives!" I said back and she blushed a bit and rubbed her nose. "Nah it's nothing!" She said.
While she did this our vice captain, Yuri came up from behind her and ruffled my head and shoved Yuuki. "If it wasn't nothing than why you acting so bashful huh captain~" she teased and I laughed a bit and others that heard laughed as well. Yuuki puffed out her cheeks and looked away.
Our coach laughed with us too at the sight and called us over "Girls! Good game today! We will have the awarding ceremony and leave! That's it get some rest!" the team nodded and went to finish stretching and grabbing water.
The awarding ceremony soon came. "The winners of the Girls Volleyball Tounament is Niiyama Girls Junior High!! Congratulations!" the announcer said while handing the cup to Yuuki and shaking her hand along with Yuri. After that they awarded us with medals that said 1st place and the year.
Once we all received one we all huddled together to take a team picture. We all received a copy pf the picture along with a small trophy to go along with it. We all hugged each other and made our way outside of the venue. "That was a good season guys!" Yuuki exclaimed while patting all of our members on the back. The first years and second years including me all looked at each other and smiled brightly. Then ran to attack the third years into a hug.
"Good game senpai's!!" we yelled and we all joked and laughed together as we headed towards the bus. I looked around and saw the boys venue. 'They should have already started the games and should be done soon.' I thought to myself. I continued to stare at the venue wanting to go watch.
I was snapped out it when the girls called out to me "Sora!! Hurry up we're gonna leave you behind!" I snapped my head towards them. "Okay!" I yelled at went up to the coach as I was getting on.
"Hey coach! I wanted to stay behind a bit to watch the boys game a bit. I'm a bit interested. Would that be alright? You guys can go ahead, it'll be fine because I'll catch a bus and head home from here." I said and she raised her eyebrow before sighing seeing me sparkle to see some moves and a good game.
She nodded her head. "Sure go ahead. Make sure you get home safely you hear?" She said to me and I nodded my head and gave her a huge smile. "Thanks!"
Before I could get off the bus some of my teammates yelled "Oooo~ Sora gonna see a boyfriend??" Or "Sora get some good pictures of some hot and cute guys!~" they said and giggled together. I rolled my eyes at them and gave them a grin. "We'll see! I'll see you guys at school! Good job guys!" I said and watched them leave.
I turned back around and headed to the boys venue quickly not wanting to miss anymore. I walked inside and found an empty spot by the edge where I could get a good view of the game. I looked at the score board and saw that they are wrapping up the second set. 'Wow!' I thought and saw that they had a rally going on for a while.
I looked at the teams "Kitagawa Daiichi and Shiratorizawa" I looked down at the players to see familiar faces which I've seen from before. I continued to stare at them longer than others. 'Where did I see them before.......' Then a light bulb went off. 'How could I forget! No wonder why! They're from the show! But wow this game is heated.'
'Ushijima has powerful spikes even though he is in middle school still! And Oikawa is a really skilled setter too! This my first time seeing this in live action.' I thought as I watched intently and awing at the techniques and power. While at times for some players I made notes in my head at their techniques or stuff they could fix.
I would open and close my mouth at times while the teams in the stands cheered whenever their team made a point or serve. "Sugoi~" I said as I watched Oikawa set up a ball for the Ace, Iwaizumi, I believe. 'The team work and how he uses each player.' I thought to myself. I huff out a bit remembering another setter that was pretty decent.
However that spike was dug up and sent over to the Ace, Ushijima. He slammed the ball straight down going through the block like it was nothing. 'The power!' I thought in awe. 'His power is stronger than mine. However my technique and way how I utilize it is better...' I thought 'However if I were to add the power and strength than it would deal a greater blow..'
This happened over and over till the whistle blew and ending the third set. The players bowed and shared a handshake. I clapped among the other audience as the teams came over to the stand to thank the audience. "Thank you!" they said and bowed.
I watched Kitagawa Daiichi's expression, the third years, namely Oikwa looking beyond irritated and upset at their lose. The team clenched their hands while the first years could only watch their upperclassmen. I watched them a bit longer and they rose their heads. I spoke up a little bit, but I doubt that they could hear from the claps from their cheer team in the stand.
"That was an amazing game. Good job." I said and sent the team a smile. I saw that Iwaizumi happened to glance at me and heard me I guess. His eyes widened and did a small bow in my direction. I gave him a smile and a small bow back and fixed my gym bag on my shoulder.
I glanced over at Shiratorizawa to see them finishing bowing and thanking their side. They walked back over to their coach and did their thing. While Kitagawa stretched.
Now it was only the award ceremony. A couple minutes passed when they brought out the awards and trophy. They also did a 'best ___' award like the girls team. I smiled slightly as I watched.
Once the ceremony was up, they cleaned up and packed their stuff. For some reason I shifted my attention over to Shiratorizawa, to see Ushijima looking at me. I stiffened under his stare. I gave a smile and a small bow before fixing my bag on my shoulder again. I turned away and made my way out of the venue.
It took a while to get out, maneuvering out of the building and halls with all the audience and some players that stayed to watch the games. As I finally made my way outside I took a breath and sighed in relief getting out.
I started walking out of the area to see some players of the team that played in the parking lot, making their way into the bus or waiting for the rest of the team. I glanced at them but left going to the nearest bus stop to catch.
3rd POV
Little did Sora know that during the game, some of the players on both side wondered who this girl was. Considering she was in their age but she was in a school sport/track uniform on. They didn't see her in the beginning of the game, only towards the end.
Once the game finished they thanked the audeince and got a closer look at this girl, seeing that she was still there. She was also clapping along with the others but her voice was heard by some boys "That was an amazing game. Good job." she said and he looked up to see where this voice came from.
His eyes widened seeing her, she was cute with short brown hair in a school tracksuit with her gym/school bag on her shoulder. She somehow seemed familiar to him like he saw her somewhere before. But he couldn't place his thoughts on where. But he seemed surprised when she smiled at him, directly right after he looked at her. He quickly bowed to her which she did the same.
She soon glanced over to Shiratorizawa to see them doing the same and leaving back to thier bench. As Iwaizumi and his team made their way back to the bench. Iwaizumi slapped the back of Oikawa and stretched.
As Sora had a small thing with Kitagawa Daiichi's Ace, Shiratorizawa's ace looked at her from where he was and stared at her for a while until they had to go back. He watched her interaction with the other team and heard her "That was an amazing game. Good job."
Once his team listened to their coach and proceeded to stretch and drink water he looked back towards her and made eye contact. He watched her give him a smile and a bow before she walked away. He was some what intrigued by her, he too has seen her somewhere beofre but didn't know where. Once she turned around he saw the back of her tracksuit 'Niiyama Girls Volleyball team' on it.
He watched her walk away and continued to stretch. His team and the other team soon left. The third years of Shiratorizawa made their way out of the venue first. As Ushijima saw Oikawa by the bathroom he want up to him and said his famous line. "You still have time, for high school, come to Shiratorizawa." he said.
Oikawa grew irk marks and was utterly fustrated by his loss and yet this man comes up to him and tells him he should attend his school. Oikawa gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. "Never, even in hell! I would never go to your school!" Oikawa said as he stomped away to go to his bus.
Ushijima stood there a bit dumb founded and proceeded to leave the venue out to the parking lot to the bus as well. Some of the players were there and on the other side were their opponents from before loading their items on the bus and some waiting around. As he too waited for the others to finish their business in the bathroom or get out the venue.
Some of Shiratorizawa players that were waiting outside pointed out the girl that watched their game leave and head towards their direction to leave. While at the same time, Kitagawa Daiichi watched and looked at her leave. They were able to get a closer look at her earlier when she was up in the stands but now they were able to see her clearly. A pretty girl who had short above shoulder length hair in a pink tracksuit and saw the words 'Niiyama Girls Volleyball Team' on it.
Some boys whispered and said the words to themselves. They watched as she left the parking lot and made a turn walking down the street.
Once she left, some boys whispered about her being pretty and cute. Then a boy from Kitagawa Daiichi, his eyes widened once he realized who that girl was "That girl!! She's Akiyama Sora!! The girl from volleyball weekly, the new and rising volleyball star who is a wing Spiker who takes the spot of Ace from Niiyama Girls Volleyball Team!" he shouted out to his friend on the team.
He was clearly loud enough for others on his team that were there to hear as well as those on Shiratorizawa. Once Ushijima and Iwaizumi heard this their eyes widened for a bit. 'So that's who she was.' Everybody thought.
But then a boy on Shiratorizawa team asked him friend "But they had a game today too, I saw that they won from the board that they posted at the door. But why is she still here when the rest of her team left??" he asked and his friend just shrugged. "Do you think she is a fangirl?!" One boy asked while the others for talking about Sora but then one made a good point of "Then wouldn't she be screaming like the other girls that were there earlier?"
The rest nodded but pondered. As the rest of the team members came and both teams set off in their bus.
Sora POV
I just got off the bus not to long ago and walking towards my house. "What a long day..." I say to myself walking under the lights since the sun went down a while ago. A couple minutes later I end up at my house.
"I'm home!" I say as I take off my shoes and walk into the house. As I walk in I see a man sitting at our dinning table with a cup of water talking with my mom and dad.
"I'm home?" I say again catching their attention. The man turned around and saw me. He smiles and stood up giving me a bow receiving a bow from me in return. Mom got up from the table and took me to sit next to them at the table.
"Sora, this man here is Nakamoto Ikeshi." She tells me while gesturing to the man. He smiles at us and sits back down as I take my seat. "Ah, Its nice to meet you Nakamoto-san. I'm Akiyama Sora." I say and look between my parents and the man, being confused.
Nakamoto noticing my confusion spoke up "Ah, Sora. I have been talking to your parents for a while about you and volleyball." he says causing me to raise an eyebrow. He continues "I'm a trainer and a volleyball coach that has connections in America but I also work in both Japan and America. I heard about you and saw your plays, your game earlier today was fantastic! I thought that maybe you would be interested in coming to train under me."
As he told me this my eyes widened and I looked at him to back to my parents. "Are you serious?!" I ask with a wide smile on my face. The man laughed at me as well as my parents.
"Yes, indeed it is. However, I'm going back to America soon. So, I have been talking to your parents about this. Would you be interested in coming with me to America to train?" He asked with a serious face while looking at me and glancing at my parents.
My smile slowly faded off my face. "Leaving Japan....Go to America??" I said processing it. I look back over to my parents with my mom smiling fondly at me and my dad looking proudly at me. Mom speaks up looking at my hesitance. "Sora, honey. If you want to go, go. It'll be ok, we know how much you love volleyball, we've seen your progress and your talent for it. We will be here for you waiting here at home when you come back. So, it's your decision." she tells me.
My eyes widen and I look over at my dad to see him smiling at me and nodding his head. "Sora, you have a dream don't you? I know you told me when you were younger each time when I came home from work. So don't you want to fulfill it? This will take you one step closer. You'll be able to fly higher." He says.
'Fly higher' I repeat in my head.
"Fly. Your future awaits..." These words come back to me once again. These same words that I heard years ago, the same ones that allowed me to come here.
I looked at my parents and gave them a smile and looked at Nakamoto-san sternly. "Nakamoto-san, if you will. May I join you and have you train me in America?" I ask and he smiles widely at my answer.
"Yes, of course. It would be my pleasure to have a wonderful student." he tells me. He continues on "However you must be prepared to for what awaits in the future. Your training will not be easy." he says.
Causing me to smile widely and look at him excitedly. "I don't expect anything other than that."
He chuckles at my answer. "I see than. Well let's work this out that shall we?" he says while bringing out some paper work and a calendar.
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