The Enduring Libero

Chapter 4

Tokyo Welcomes the Club!

"Alright," Mr. Takeda said, waving at the bus. "Let's get going." All of us turned and lined up, filing into the school bus. Every member of the team was going to Tokyo, except two of them. Both Hinata and Kageyama had failed one subject, but at least it wasn't worse. Frankly they had actually done pretty well, it was only small flukes that had kept them from attending the camp. Plus, I had heard they were going to come later once they finished their makeup work.

As I sat down, I maneuvered my bag so that it was laying on the bus's wall. We had an odd number of people going, so I was sitting by myself. It both bothered me, and was alright with me. Since I wasn't next to anyone, I could put my earbuds in and just listen to an audiobook. However, since I was alone I couldn't try building a better friendship with anyone in the club. Though it had been almost two weeks since I joined, I really only had a superficial idea of who each of the players were. I leaned my head against the window, propping my fist under my chin.

Oh well, I thought. I guess there will be other times. At least what I knew of them already was favorable. Tanaka was aggressive, but just because he was passionate. Tadashi was nervous but kind, Tsukishima was bored with life (He was the only one I was uncertain about calling kind), and Hinata and Kageyama were very competitive. The three oldest guys were very much stuck in the role of taking care of the others, and Innoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita were very chill. Lastly there was their libero, and I was inclined to like Nishinoya. He was pretty funny, and full of life. Basically, they were all nice, but each in their own way. If I wanted to learn more about them, it would have to be over time, and not on a bus. I clicked several buttons on my phone, selecting the previously downloaded book. There was no point ruminating over the circumstance when I had a book to listen too, and nothing could be done about it anyway.

  The sound of Jesse Burnstein's voice floated through my earbuds, the beginning of the third book in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I sighed slightly and watched the scenery outside. I was excited to go to Tokyo, but maybe not as much as the other team members, as I had already been there. To watch one of Hajime's games. I was really excited to see the other teams Karasuno would be playing against. Supposedly they were some of the best in the prefecture. I also heard that the guys had some friends on Nekoma's team, so I was curious who they were.

  Halfway through the drive, Yachi came over and sat with me. I pulled out both earbuds as she smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you were sitting all alone. I figured I would come talk to you."

"It's no bother." I said, rolling up the cord of my earbuds. "I was just listening to a book."

"Ohh." She rubbed her head.

I smiled. Yachi was the only one on the team I felt I had really connected with in terms of conversation, and though she always seemed nervous when talking to me, we were able to talk pleasantly.

"Are you excited to see Tokyo?" I asked.

"Yes!" Yachi fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke. "I just hope I won't fumble anything important."

"You'll be fine." I told her. "There isn't anything to be worried about." My calm tone seemed to be helping her relax.

"You're probably right." Yachi gave in, pulling at her hair. "Are you excited?"

"Yep." I shoved the phone in my bag.

"I figured." she told me. "You were smiling a lot more than you usually do at the club."

I blinked. "Was I? Oh." Thinking back, I guess I had been smiling.

"You must really love volleyball if you're willing to just watch."