𝟸 & 𝟺

-twenty-nine-

The first round of games had finally come to a close. It had seemed as though it would be forever until it would wrap up, and end the start to a tedious and arduous adventure. It was as though it would take longer to lose than to win.

Anticipation set is as games went forth, teams started to leave, others started to slowly become more and more comfortable with where they sat in the bracket, other celebrated the one milestone onto the next.

The way it worked with one and done; teams scurried in and out of the gym either in complete pride or shame. It was painful to watch either one.

Even if you scraped by the first game, barely clenching on to the score, it was painful to watch teams explode out the doors in sudden rage or happiness.

Only to know they would be one of many opponents. Either the next one, or the last one. All depended how the bracket formed. How teams dropped, how teams finished.

How they left the court. Did they leave more than just the game on the court? Did they leave themselves along with the shame of losing the opening match? Did they leave a piece of themselves, in hopes of finding it when they most need it.

It wasn't a way to go. Some just weren't meant to lose what they didn't have.

You slowly exited the other gym, made your way to the bracket with updates and new names in the following brackets. The marker etches and scratches had made it clear someone had been on top of everything, noting the next teams, set wins and even scores.

The score didn't bother you, the mere fact you won still didn't seem to sink it. You had it in you to go farther than you imagined. Both you and Suga could go beyond the limits you placed upon your shoulders.

It felt farther out, since everyone's doubt still sat on your backs, weighing you down and keeping you from exploding the doors open, proving yourselves to the world.

You took a critical look at the board. It had only been two matches, but it laid out the rest of the course for everyone. Seeing the matches, and their results;

Bracket One & Two (GAMES 1 & 2):

Karasuno - Oomisaki (2:1)
Shiratorizawa - Tenzan (2:1)

A man walked out of the gym, as the second batch of games slowly wrapped up. You hadn't paid much mind to them; being in the adjacent gym for a team meeting had no other effect on it at all.

He had papers in hand, markers and all the tallies of the other two games.

You simply couldn't care for them, despite one game determining the game you would play next. You didn't want to know.

One part of you wanted to know if a rematch of tyranny would occur with Aoba Johsai, despite trying to show little to no interest in the king and his antics. Another part wanted the other team to win, badly.

He stepped beside you in front of the board, and started quickly etching in all the results, in recorded order and signing names into the next boxes. He took his tiens with the scores, and set ratios.

He slowly stepped back, checked his notes and left with his clipboard to his side. He seemed to be in a rush, since the games had slowly falling behind schedule.

You turned back to the board, and almost screamed with no warning.

Bracket One & Two (GAMES 3 & 4):

Aoba Johsai - Niiyama (2:0)
Wakunan - Johzenji (2:0)

That seemed to explain why it felt like no time passed in between your game, since both teams finished in a demolishing type of game, with only two sets and far off scores.