Your Mentor

Practice

Yukikos POV

Monday 27, 2012

I was in my dorm room doing some work I was falling behind on. I've been a little distracted lately, I glanced up at the orchids that guy gave me. They've been on my windowsill, getting the sun it needs and I gave it the right amount of water. I've thought about him ever since that game, Ushijima Wakatoshi, his reputation preserves him. His school has won many championships and his abilities alone are high tier, it makes me wonder why he would want my help in getting better when he's already the best there is. He's nearly above my level and we play two separate positions, so why. "Hello! Earth to Yukiko!" I flinched and looked up seeing Rise next to me.

"Jesus! You scared me!" I said, hitting her arm "OW! Get out of la la land then, I've been texting and calling you for like an hour now" she said. I looked at my phone and she was right, I had multiple missed calls and texts from her "shoot, sorry, I've been busy" I said "more like out of it I was starting to get worried" she looked down at my desk "you haven't finished your assignments yet?" she asked "it's due in two weeks, I still have time" I said "yeah, which is why I'm shocked that you're still doing it, you usually submit stuff at the earliest convenience" she said sitting on the edge of my desk "what's really going on, your whole demeanor had changed ever since the last game we had". Something to know about Rise, she's very detail oriented and if the slightest thing is off she's the first one to notice. "It's just...there's been someone on my mind lately" I said.

"Someone? Wait, you have a crush on someone?!" she exclaimed "No! It's nothing like that, there was a guy that came up to me after the game and he told me that he admired my abilities and wanted to practice with me...then he gave me orchids" I explained. "A guy? What guy?" she asked "do you remember that team in the Miyagi region that went to nationals last year? It was their captain" I said "wait really? He came to our game?" she asked "he really admires us as a team, I agreed to practice with him but I have no idea what I would be able to do for him when he plays spiker" I said. "He probably wants to improve, even if he's this talented player we all strive to know more. As a spiker myself, it's better to have a good setter to perfect your technique, that's why I improved so much...I have you" she explained nugging my shoulder. "Do you think he wants something more?" she asked. "I don't know. The orchids are really throwing me off though...maybe he was just being nice".

I gripped my hair and laid my head down on the desk, "are you going to contact him?" she asked "I said I would, I don't mind helping him at all, he seemed really nice and genuine I just...don't want to lead anyone on or disappoint someone". "Hey, don't think about it that much. He just wants some practice with you, and the orchids were probably just the standard congratulations flowers". I sighed and leaned back looking at them, "I cried in front of him" I confessed "Jesus you're screwed" she got off my desk and stretched, starting to head towards the door. "Just help him practice his spikes and maybe you guys can be friends, don't overthink it alright? And if anything happens fill me in". Rise left the dorm, leaving me to ponder on my decisions; I looked at my phone and finally decided to text him. It's good to take risks in life or else you'll live a boring life...or get hurt in the end but you'll never know until you try.

Oikawa's POV

"He messed up so bad! It was the end of the game and he went to go talk to her, afterwards I saw her rush out the gym with the flowers crying her eyes out. And he had the nerve to tell me that he messed up?! Of course you did!" I paced back and forth in Iwazumis living room as I explained what happened to him. "And he's still waiting for her to text him! I'm this close to telling him that he lost his chance" I said "maybe not, you have no idea why she started crying in the first place, and it might not be because of him" Iwa said. I give him a conflicted look, "maybe, but I don't think she's going to contact him. Do you really think all he wants with her is to practice volleyball?" I asked "I don't know, why are you so invested? You didn't even want to agree to this in the first place and now you're acting like his counselor". I paused for a moment, "I...don't know what you're talking about, I'm just worried about him" I said "that's the problem".