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

Chapter 30: Announcement

𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞
#111923
•••

The wind breeze was cool that afternoon, brushing lightly against Aeris and Kiyoko as they stood by the shore, filling up buckets of seawater for the science club's project. Waves lapped gently against the rocks, and gulls cried overhead—not a bad place for casual conversation.

Aeris broke the silence first. "Kiyo, I just realized something."

Kiyoko glanced over. "Hm? What is it?"

"There's a girls' volleyball team."

Kiyoko blinked. "Yeah. What about them?"

"I didn't know they share the court with the basketball team."

"That's right," Kiyoko said. "They've always shared it. Girls' volleyball isn't... well, it's not very popular at our school. They don't get a lot of attention."

Aeris looked out at the water, eyebrows knitting. "That's kinda sad. How do they even practice like that? Basketball is loud, they move around a lot, and volleyball needs space."

"Usually the basketball club trains there," Kiyoko explained. "The girls' volleyball team only gets it when the basketball team doesn't need it. Sometimes they have to schedule around each other."

Aeris sighed, lifting her bucket. "That's rough."

They walked up the shore together, sand crunching beneath their shoes.

Aeris spoke again. "Hey, Kiyo... I've been thinking about joining them."

Kiyoko stopped mid-step. "Wait—the girls' volleyball team? I thought you said you wanted two clubs. Isn't dance club one of them?"

"It was," Aeris admitted. "But I changed my mind. Dance club is fun, but... I don't think I'll grow there. And the girls' volleyball team feels like... I don't know. Something I could really help with."

Kiyoko raised a brow. "You know the boys won't like that."

"I know," Aeris said flatly. "I'll deal with them. If they complain, I'll beat them up."

Kiyoko choked on her laugh. "Please don't."

Aeris smirked. "No promises."

A few days later, Aeris stood between Takeda-sensei and Ukai. Both of them were mid-discussion when she knocked on the doorframe.

"Ah, Aeris-chan," Takeda-sensei said. "What's the matter?"

Aeris hesitated for only a second before saying, "I've been thinking about signing up for the girls' volleyball team."

Takeda-sensei's eyes widened. "You... want to join them?"

Ukai leaned back in his seat. "You know the boys are gonna freak out, right?"

"Why?" Aeris asked bluntly. "I'm alive. I can join more than one club."

Ukai snorted. "That's not what I meant. It's just—they're gonna miss having you around."

Takeda-sensei cleared his throat. "But, well... actually, Aeris-chan, the girls' team could really use someone like you. They're at a rough spot right now."

Ukai nodded. "They don't even have a real coach. Just an advisor. The poor woman's trying her best, but... that team's struggling to stay afloat."

Takeda-sensei added, "I talked with their advisor recently. She's overwhelmed. Low members, barely any court time, no one helping structure their training..."