REACHING BEYOND THE NET

An Unexpected Delivery

The training hall was alive with the sounds of intense practice—grunts of exertion, the sharp slaps of volleyballs hitting the floor, and the squeak of sneakers on polished wood. I'd been here for hours, running drills, refining our strategy, and pushing my limits. The pressure of the upcoming Olympics weighed heavily on all of us, but for me, it was a familiar burden, one that I'd learned to carry with pride.

As I wiped the sweat from my brow, I caught sight of a group of people entering the hall. It was unusual for anyone other than coaches and players to be here during our training sessions, so my attention was immediately drawn to them. Two figures stood out—one tall and broad-shouldered, the other smaller, with a shock of bright orange hair that was impossible to miss.

Hinata.

I felt a flutter of surprise, mixed with something else that I couldn't quite identify. It had been a few weeks since I first saw him, and the memory of our brief encounter had lingered in the back of my mind. Now, here he was, standing just a few feet away, looking even more out of place among the towering athletes than I'd remembered.

Next to him was Asahi, the renowned designer who had become something of a legend in the fashion world. It made sense that they were here—they must be delivering the uniforms we'd been waiting for. The team had been talking about them for weeks, and Asahi's designs were always the best.

Asahi handed a large box of uniforms to one of the staff members, then turned to Hinata, who seemed a little overwhelmed by the noise and energy in the hall. He looked around, his wide eyes scanning the room as if searching for something—or someone.

I took a step forward, intending to greet them, but before I could get closer, I noticed a shift in Hinata's demeanor. His expression, which had been curious and a bit awestruck, suddenly changed. His eyes locked onto someone across the court, and I saw his face go pale.

It was Atsumu.

Atsumu had just finished a particularly intense drill and was laughing loudly with Bokuto, oblivious to the sudden tension that had gripped Hinata. But I could see it—Hinata's eyes widened in panic, his breath quickened, and he took a small, almost imperceptible step back.

For a moment, it looked like he might collapse.

"What's wrong?" I heard Asahi ask, his voice tinged with concern as he noticed the change in Hinata.

Hinata didn't respond. He just stood there, frozen, staring at Atsumu as if he'd seen a ghost. His hands began to tremble, and he clutched at the fabric of his jacket, his knuckles turning white.

I felt a surge of protectiveness rise within me, though I couldn't explain why. I didn't know what was happening, but it was clear that something was terribly wrong.

Without thinking, I crossed the court quickly, my eyes never leaving Hinata's trembling form. By the time I reached him, Asahi was trying to guide him to a nearby bench, his voice low and soothing, but Hinata wasn't responding. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and there was a wild, almost desperate look in his eyes.

"Hinata!" I called out, trying to snap him out of whatever was happening. But he didn't seem to hear me. He was trapped in his own mind, lost in a panic that none of us understood.

I glanced at Atsumu, who had finally noticed the commotion and was looking over, his usual smug expression replaced with confusion. Whatever had happened between them, it was clear that Atsumu was the trigger for this breakdown.

I turned back to Hinata, my heart racing. I didn't know what to do, but I couldn't just stand there and watch him fall apart.

"Hey, it's okay," I said softly, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "You're safe. Just breathe."

He flinched at the contact, his eyes flickering to mine for just a second before darting away. But in that brief moment, I saw the fear and pain that he was trying so hard to hide. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing all the things I'd buried deep inside myself.

Asahi knelt beside him, still speaking softly, trying to calm him down. But Hinata was slipping further into panic, his breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.

"Shoyo, focus on me," Asahi urged, but it was clear that Hinata was beyond hearing.

I felt a sense of helplessness wash over me, a feeling I wasn't used to. I was supposed to be in control, to have the answers, but right now, I had none. All I could do was stay by his side, hoping that my presence would offer some small comfort.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hinata's breathing began to slow. He still looked pale and shaken, but the wildness in his eyes had faded. He blinked, as if coming out of a fog, and looked around, clearly disoriented.

"Shoyo, are you okay?" Asahi asked again, his voice filled with concern.

Hinata nodded weakly, though it was clear he was far from okay. "I'm... I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to..."

Asahi shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for. Do you want to leave?"

Hinata hesitated, his eyes darting back to where Atsumu stood, still watching the scene with a mix of confusion and curiosity. I saw Hinata's hands tighten into fists, his knuckles going white again, but he quickly looked away, as if trying to distance himself from the source of his panic.

"I... I think I need some air," he murmured.

Asahi nodded, standing up and offering Hinata a hand. "Let's go outside for a bit."

Hinata took the offered hand, allowing Asahi to help him to his feet. As they started to walk away, I felt an impulse to follow, but something held me back. This was their moment, and I didn't want to intrude.

But as I watched them leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was so much more to Hinata than what I'd seen. There was a depth to his pain, a story that had yet to be told, and I found myself wanting to know more.

Atsumu finally approached, frowning slightly as he watched Hinata and Asahi disappear through the doors. "What the hell just happened?" he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.

I didn't answer. Instead, I turned away, my mind still on Hinata and the panic that had gripped him. I didn't know what his connection to Atsumu was, but I knew one thing for sure—I wasn't going to let it end here.

I would see him again. And when I did, I'd find a way to help him, even if it meant confronting the demons of his past.

But for now, all I could do was wait, hoping that he would be okay.