Everything has changed

Chapter 21: End of Beginning

The tension in the air was palpable as the final set of the match between Karasuno and Kamomedai unfolded. The gym echoed with the roar of the crowd, but it felt as if time itself had slowed down for the players and the coaches on the sidelines. With each serve, spike, and block, the energy on the court heightened, the stakes growing larger with every point scored. Karasuno had been pushing forward relentlessly, their spirits high despite the fierce competition, but something was off. The weight of the game seemed to press on them harder with each passing minute.

Yachi stood at the edge of the court, her heart in her throat as she observed the unfolding match. She could feel the nervous energy radiating from the players, but there was a sense of determination in their every move. They had come this far, and they weren't going to give up easily. Not when they were so close.

But it wasn't just the match that kept her on edge. It was Hinata.

She had noticed it from the very start. The subtle way he grimaced after every jump, the way he wiped his brow more than usual. His movements were slightly off-slower, less precise than his usual energetic and wild jumps. Yachi had tried to push the thought away. Maybe it was just the pressure of the game, the excitement that always came with playing in front of such a large crowd. But as the sets progressed, her worry only grew.

It wasn't until the second set that Yachi saw it. Hinata had collapsed to his knees after a particularly difficult play, his face drained of color. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she rushed to his side, her voice barely audible over the noise of the match.

"H-Hinata?" Daichi voice wavered as he knelt beside him.

He looked up at her, his eyes glassy, his face pale. "I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth, though his voice was weak, barely above a whisper. "I'll be fine, just let me-"

"No, you're not," Coach Ukai interrupted, her concern growing into full-blown panic. "You're burning up. You need to sit down."

Hinata shook his head, his determination flaring up despite his obvious weakness. "I'm not going to leave the court now. Not after everything-"

Yachi's heart pounded in her chest. She knew how much this game meant to Hinata. She knew how far he had come, how badly he wanted to prove himself. But this wasn't just about the game anymore. This was about his health.

"Hinata," Takeda-sensei said gently, her his shaking with the weight of his concern. "You have to go. You can't keep playing like this. You'll make it worse."

She could see the internal struggle in his eyes-the same struggle she had seen in him countless times before. He didn't want to be seen as weak. He didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially not his teammates. But finally, after a long pause, Hinata nodded, defeated. His body seemed to give up, the last of his strength draining away as he allowed himself to be escorted off the court.

The atmosphere shifted as the coach made the difficult decision to pull Hinata from the game. The tension in the gym seemed to freeze as the Karasuno players, still reeling from the sudden loss of their ace, watched their teammate limp off the court, supported by Yachi. The crowd's cheers, once vibrant and deafening, grew quieter, tinged with confusion and concern. Hinata, who had always been at the center of Karasuno's energy, had become the lifeblood of their team. Without his infectious enthusiasm and relentless energy, the pulse of the game seemed to falter. The players on the court struggled to keep their focus, their movements stiffening, unsure of how to fill the void that Hinata's absence had created.

From the sidelines, Nekoma's players exchanged concerned glances. Yaku, arms crossed and his usual sharp demeanor softened by the concern in his eyes, watched with a furrowed brow as Hinata was helped off the court. "That kid," he muttered under his breath, though his tone held no malice-just a deep sense of understanding. "He's a force of nature, but he's pushing himself too hard."