YOU'RE IN MY HEART. 𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘢 𝘺𝘶𝘶

26 | oplan: figure things out

A week before Nationals, the air around the gym was buzzing with anticipation. Practices had intensified, and every drill seemed to hold the weight of their final goal. The team members were focused, but a quiet anxiety hung over each of them, they knew this was their last chance to make every practice, every set, and every serve count.

In the weeks since her conversation with Nishinoya, the black-haired girl found herself growing more aware of every little thing he did. The way he laughed with his teammates, his intense focus during practice, even the way he absentmindedly dribbled the ball between drills. Each detail now seemed magnified. Despite their confessions, though, nothing had changed between them outwardly. They still exchanged glances and shared smiles, but neither had made the next move, leaving their relationship suspended somewhere between friendship and something more.

Meanwhile, the team was adjusting to the news about Kageyama and Tsukishima's invitations to the prestigious training camps. Excitement and pride mixed with the usual Karasuno determination; everyone knew these camps could only make the team stronger. But no one was more affected than Hinata, who felt both left out and incredibly motivated. When he decided to sneak into the camp, he had to swallow his pride and accept the role of a ball boy. It wasn't the ideal situation, but Hinata was determined to prove himself, if not with his spikes, then with his relentless passion and eagerness to learn.

Back at Karasuno, the team wasn't content to sit back while their first years trained elsewhere. Daichi, Suga, and Asahi led the remaining players in a rigorous training regimen. With Coach Ukai's guidance, they focused on honing the teamwork and skills that would make them formidable once the team was whole again. Each practice was grueling, but everyone could feel the improvements with every drill, every serve, and every receive.

The black-haired girl threw herself into her managerial duties with new dedication, coordinating their drills and tracking each player's stats. She hoped that by helping the team improve, she'd be doing her part to support both Nishinoya and the absent first years. Though she missed seeing Nishinoya's easy-going smile every day, she knew these next weeks would be crucial for all of them.

That conversation lingered in her mind like an echo. Sitting there in the secluded courtyard, neither of them needed to fill the silence with words; just being near him felt enough. Nishinoya's usual energy had softened that day, replaced by something quiet yet just as intense. His smile, usually bold and unrestrained, felt almost gentle, a contrast to the fire he brought onto the court.

"Yuu," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "Do you ever feel like... maybe we're all just chasing things we're not sure of? Like... what we want doesn't even make sense sometimes?"

Nishinoya blinked, surprised by her words. He didn't always understand the deeper questions, but he could tell this one meant a lot to her. He thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. I mean, volleyball's easy, right? But everything else? I'm just trying to figure it out as I go. But I think that's okay," he said, offering her a reassuring smile.

She chuckled softly, glancing down at her hands. "I wish I could see it like that. It's just, sometimes, I feel like everyone around me has it all figured out. You guys with volleyball, Kiyoko with managing. And then there's me, caught up in things that... that don't even make sense half the time."

"You're overthinking it," Nishinoya replied gently, giving her a nudge. "You're not just caught up in 'nothing', you're amazing at what you do. The team wouldn't be the same without you. And... well, it's not like I have everything together either. But I do know one thing." He paused, his gaze softening. "You're a big part of why I keep going, you know?"

A big part of him, huh?

Somehow, she found it both hard and easy to believe. The words wouldn’t fully form in her mind, and she struggled to grasp it all at once, yet… maybe she could understand it, after all. She just didn’t want to.