Everything has changed

Chapter 20: Crows and Cats

The evening before the match between Karasuno and Nekoma hung in the air with a weight that was almost tangible. It was as though the very atmosphere of the hotel was holding its breath, anticipating what was to come. Every passing second felt drawn out, as if the impending game had already begun to cast its shadow over everything. There was an undeniable sense of tension, not just in the players and coaches, but in every corner of the hotel. The hum of nervous energy was quiet but palpable, seeping into every conversation, every glance. Tomorrow would decide the fate of both teams, and the gravity of that fact seemed to seep into the very walls around them.

For Karasuno, tomorrow could be the final match for the third years-the last game for Daichi, Asahi and Sugawara. The thought of losing them, the team being forced to continue without the players who had carried them through thick and thin, was almost too much to bear. But for Nekoma, it would be the same fate for Kuroo, Yaku and Kai somehow, the thought of his loss weighed even heavier on Yachi's heart. She could hardly imagine the feeling of saying goodbye to Kuroo, to all of them. It was a bond that had grown over time, a connection she hadn't fully realized until now, and she knew it would never be the same after this game.

As she looked around, she found herself staring out the window, where the faint glow of the city lights flickered softly against the encroaching dark of the night. The outside world seemed so far away from the heaviness inside the hotel. Time felt like it was slipping through her fingers, each moment stretching into the next, making it feel as though the present was both painfully slow and incredibly fleeting all at once.

Yachi swallowed, trying to suppress the sudden ache in her chest. She couldn't help but think of the third years-how they had given so much to their teams, how every match had been more than just a game, but a culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and growth. It was a feeling that stretched beyond the court, beyond volleyball. This was a turning point in their lives. She could feel the finality of it in her bones. Tomorrow, one team would continue on, and the other would have to let go of everything they had worked for.

Her thoughts turned to Kuroo, and her heart clenched. She had come to know him and like him over the course of the training camps, the shared moments, the quiet conversations.

She was thinking about her feelings for him.

Should I tell him? she wondered. The thought of confessing her feelings made her heart race, but she wasn't sure if she was ready. What if he didn't feel the same way? She'd barely been able to express it herself, and the idea of laying her feelings bare in front of him made her stomach twist with uncertainty.

Her fingers brushed the edge of her notebook, and she tried to focus, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Kuroo. There was something in the way he looked at her sometimes-a gentleness mixed with curiosity-that made her wonder if he noticed her the same way she noticed him. But even if he did, could they have a future together? They came from different worlds, didn't they? He was confident, and a soon-to-be university student, while she was still learning how to speak her mind, still unsure of where she fit in all of this.

Could we work? Would he even want to try? The question lingered, but she didn't have an answer. She wanted to be brave, to believe that maybe, just maybe, something could grow between them. But doubt gnawed at her. There was so much uncertainty, so many what-ifs. She wanted to be certain before she risked opening up, but sometimes, the unknown seemed more terrifying than just taking the leap.

She sighed quietly, pushing her hair behind her ear.
Maybe it's better not to say anything. Maybe it's just a fleeting feeling. Or maybe, just maybe, it's something more.

She wondered what he was thinking, what he was feeling in this moment, knowing that tomorrow could be the last time he ever played with the team that had been his family for so many years. It was a thought that gnawed at her, a fear that she didn't want to face but couldn't escape.