𝟭. 𝙃𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 || 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 [✔]

Chapter 28: The Line-up

𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞
#110223
•••

In the bustling gym, they were engrossed in a conversation about the latest magazine, discussing who's who within its glossy pages. Their chatter filled the room until suddenly, their discussion was interrupted by the sound of urgent footsteps approaching.

It was Takeda, huffing and puffing as he barged into the gym, his eyes wide with excitement. "Takeda-sensei, relax! What is it?" Aeris asked, her voice laced with concern.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Takeda finally managed to speak. "The interhigh preliminary line up is out," he said, panting.

As soon as those words left his lips, the atmosphere in the gym shifted. Nervous yet brimming with anticipation, they gathered around Takeda, their eyes scanning the lineup with a mixture of hope and anxiety.

Their team had been practicing tirelessly for this moment, pouring their heart and soul into every training session. They had come a long way and were determined to showcase their skills on the grand stage of interhigh.

"Relax, guys," Coach Ukai said reassuringly, sensing their jitters. "We can surely win this. Believe in yourselves, believe in the countless hours you've put into your hard-work."

"May the odds be ever in our favor," Daichi exclaimed, his voice laced with a high level of creativity. It was a playful reference to their favorite book, but in that moment, it held a deeper meaning.

With renewed determination, they made a pact to give their all in the upcoming interhigh tournament. They would leave no stone unturned, no effort spared, as they chased their dreams on the court.

𖤐 — ᡴꪫ ִ₊‧⁺˖๋࣭ ⭑ ᡴꪫ — ִ ࣪𖤐

Aeris and Tobio were busy cleaning the gym after a long and intense practice session. As they wiped the sweat off their brows, Aeris turned to Tobio and asked, "What should we eat later?"

Tobio paused for a moment, thinking about it. "Hmm, how about tempura and ramen?" he suggested, nodding in agreement with his own idea.

Just then, Hinata overheard their conversation and chimed in excitedly, "You guys have ramen? I love ramen!" His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Yeah, we have ramen. You guys can join us if you want," Aeris said.

Upon hearing this, Nishinoya and Tanaka's eyes lit up. "Can we come too? We love ramen!" they exclaimed in unison.

Asahi, known for his protective nature, stepped in and said, "Hey, stop bothering Aeris-chan. Let her finish her work in peace."

But Aeris interrupted, waving off Asahi's concern. "No, it's fine. They can eat at our place. We have enough food for everyone." Her kind gesture filled the air with warmth.

Excitedly, Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka jumped up and down, shouting in unison, "Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!"

Sugawara, with a gleam of amusement in his eyes, watched the scene unfold. "These guys are animals when it comes to food," he remarked, chuckling softly.

After cleaning the entire house, the five of them bid their goodbyes and headed over to Aeris and Tobio's house. As they stepped inside, Hinata couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, your place is so big and clean!"

Aeris smiled and replied, "Thank you! Why don't you guys make yourselves comfortable and watch a movie or play some video games while I cook?"

The others nodded in agreement, eager for some entertainment. Aeris swiftly made her way to the kitchen, not even bothering to change out of her school uniform. 

She washed her hands and began preparing a delicious meal from scratch. First, she decided to make fried tempura. The aroma of the sizzling tempura filled the air, making everyone's stomachs rumble in anticipation.

Once the tempura was done, Aeris moved on to cook some ramen. Although she used an instant pack for the noodles, she added her own special touch to the dish. She prepared toppings like Tamago, small chashu that she bought at the store, negi, and seaweed. Each ingredient added a burst of flavor to the already mouthwatering ramen.

"Guys, please help me with setting the table!" Aeris called out from the kitchen.

Without hesitation, they paused the video game and rushed to assist Aeris. Together, they quickly set the table, making sure everything was in its place. Finally, they all gathered around the table and shouted, "Itadakimasu!"

"Douzo meshiagare," Aeris responded with a warm smile.

As they dug into the meal that Aeris had prepared, their taste buds were treated to an explosion of flavors. Tanaka couldn't contain his excitement as he devoured the food in front of him. "Wow, this is absolutely amazing, Nanachan!" he said between bites.

Aeris simply scoffed and replied, "You're welcome," with a twinkle of pride in her eyes.

After discussing random topics and the boys eagerly devouring their food, Hinata posed a question.

"Nanachan, will I be able to see you play volleyball?" Hinata asked, his eyes filled with anticipation. Nishinoya smacked him playfully on the back of his head, causing Aeris to burst out laughing. "What are you, an interviewer?" she teased.

"You may not answer that, Nanachan. This dude never zips his mouth," Tobio chimed in, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Indeed, but I'll answer your question, interviewer-kun," Aeris replied, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "Hmm, I don't really know. If there's a sign, I'll take it."

"So we can see you play live volleyball in this lifetime?" Tobio probed further, his curiosity piqued. Aeris nodded

The conversation in the gym continued as the teams took a break between sets. Nishinoya, the libero with boundless energy and curiosity, couldn't resist his inquisitive nature.

"I wonder, how do you play, Nanachan?" Nishinoya asked, genuinely intrigued.

"She's an amazing player," Tobio said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Hinata, always eager to learn and improve, perked up at Tobio's comment. "You've seen her play, Kageyama?"

Tobio nodded, his eyes reflecting the admiration he held for Aeris. "Of course, I always watch her games."

After finishing their dinner, they gathered around the table to clean up. Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka enthusiastically took charge of clearing the table and washing the dishes. 

Once the kitchen was tidy and the dishes were done, Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka prepared to leave the house. 

Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka bid Aeris farewell, as they left, the atmosphere felt alive with anticipation and dreams of future volleyball matches. Aeris stood by the door, leaning against the frame and watching as they disappeared into the night.

« ֪ ׅ ֹ =͟͞ ♡
𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗.
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 ♡

Tamago - Japanese for “egg.” In ramen, they’re usually either hard- or soft-boiled
Chashu - Chashu is thinly sliced cuts of roasted or braised pork
Negi - the Japanese word for Japanese long green onions, which usually comes shredded or chopped.
itadakimasu - thank you for the food
Douzo meshiagare - please help yourself

— sidenote
• yes i reference the hunger games