The Third Miya: Isuma

L

Yes, I'm rushing through this arc. To be honest, the practice matches are just a setup for what I'm looking forward to:

A) the formal event

B) The accident. Remember that, all the way in Chapter I? Yep, that. We're getting there fam. Timeskip is going to be almost immediately after the accident, and there will be a skip of around 6 years :>

Isuma had been pondering on when to spring the question; every time she considered asking, Tamiko's expression made her stop. He didn't seem aware of the way his face was always tightened and drawn, the way his eyes revealed the churning emotions and troubles inside of him. He knew perfectly well what people were expecting from him, and he didn't like it.

Finally, she managed to work up the courage to ask him. He and a few of the others were gathering the dozens of volleyballs on the gym floors; Isuma waited until they'd shut them away before approaching him. She hesitated. "Tamiko-kun."

Tamiko looked up, wiping his face with his shirt. "Yes?"

"...why don't you want to be captain next year?" Isuma questioned. His smile faded for a brief second before he realized his mistake. "Did Hino-nii request you to ask?"

"Yes. But I want to know too. I would've asked even if he hadn't told me to. But you don't have to answer." Isuma looked at him, her eyes inquisitive. Tamiko sighed. "Isuma-san, I'm me. I can barely piece a sentence together when I talk to people, let alone do leadership-y things like encouraging and reprimanding. A captain needs to be social and good with people."

"But you are. People listen to you, Tamiko-kun. You know what your team needs. That's a setter's job- they help their team be the best they can. That's what you do, right?" Isuma said all this nonchalantly as if she were merely stating facts. Tamiko was staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. "...well, yeah. But I still can't. I wouldn't last a week as captain. I don't want to tempt fate."

She didn't seem at all fazed. "But you want to be captain, right?"

He hesitated. Truthfully, he did want to be captain- yes, only because Hinosa was counting on him, but he still did. Hinosa was the one person he looked up to and trusted completely- if Hinosa thought he'd be a great captain, then he probably would be. But despite the dozens of reassurances Hinosa had given him, he was still terrified of screwing up one thing or another. "...I might. I'll consider it."

***The second day was much busier than the first, as a routine had been hammered out and the managers knew where and whom to assist. Isuma didn't have much time to talk with the other two, which was just as well, because neither she nor Saru had forgotten their sharp... discussion from the previous day.

The coaches purposefully set the matches so there would be clashes in ability; Kamino Academy, who were well-known for their precision and strategies, went against Shazun, renowned for being chaotic and picking things up on the fly. Neither team could grasp how to handle the other; it was difficult to keep the volleyball up for more than six seconds.

Tamiko was still being kept on the sidelines because of his injury. The doctor point-blank refused to let him play, insisting Tamiko needed to allow his leg time to heal, although he conceded that he could attend practices by mid-January. Kamino was making do with their reserve setter, but it was hard for Tamiko to stay on the sidelines.

Isuma had come to appreciate the difference between all the teams; they each shone in their own ways and had unique styles, all being honed with every minute of practice. The slight differences in the same attacks became clearer- whether it was a small delay or a change in the setter's position, each team had adjusted basic attacks. It was amazing how certain tweaks and adjustments could completely alter something.