égoïste [Akaashi Keiji]

raison #3

So that's what 'exhilaration' meant, Akaashi had searched up the word Shiori used earlier. She said, 'I want to feel that exhilaration again'.

He shut the dictionary and stared at his notebook, this 'exhilaration'; is this the same as when somebody gets a spike in in volleyball? Is it like when Bokuto-san spikes a cross that doesn't get caught out by blockers?

The setter glanced up. Shiori was helping Konoha with his revision and watching over how he did things, while Yukie was helping out Bokuto with explaining the same thing over and over again, trying to drill it into his volleyball fuelled mind.

Maybe so. That's probably the reason she keeps playing volleyball, away from the eyes of those with connection to the National stages, Akaashi twirled a pen around his fingers.

What problem does she have with wanting to go on a bigger stage, anyway?

Shiori opened her phone, checking if she had any messages. Konoha was currently filling up some blank spaces on a worksheet, so she had a little bit of free time.

She opened an app that allowed her to converse with people who had the same interest as her: those who read Shonen Jump, or those who read manga and watched anime. It just so happened that she received a message from one of the people she's been talking to for a while about different series they both liked, their username 'MiracleBoy'.

Shiori's username was 'FlyHigh', the name of one of her favourite anime openings.

I still don't know why this person's called themselves 'Miracle Boy', Shiori let a small smile on her lips when she looked at his message.

MiracleBoy: Did you read the new chapter of the volleyball manga?! That was intense!

FlyHigh: I saw! It really was! I can't wait to see this animated! Season 4 where you at?!

Shiori closed the app, putting her phone face down so that she could concentrate on what she had to do now.

"Ah—Aki, you're spelling that one wrong." She pointed to the box that read 'beginning'. "This one's supposed to have a double n."

"What, really?!" The wing spiker frowned, rubbing it out with an eraser, "Damn it!"

The female snickered at his reaction but patted his shoulder, "It's fine, you'll get it eventually."

"I damn hope this is on the quiz next week."

"Bokuto, that's wrong." Yukie sighed for the umpteenth time. They were stuck doing the same question for an hour after dinner, and it was beginning to annoy her that he wasn't getting it. Moreover, they were only on the 5th exercise's 1st question.

"But how?! I swear I'm doing it the way you're teaching me!" The owl frowned, looking up at her with a frustrated expression.

Yukie furrowed her brows slightly. She really did want to help Bokuto, but he was really testing her patience. Plus, working on the same thing for over an hour was taxing. She glanced over at Akaashi, "Akaashi..." She started.

The setter let out a small exhale and turned towards his captain, "What don't you get, Bokuto-san?"

As the volleyball captain told his vice-captain of everything that he didn't get, Yukie sighed in relief and excused herself to take a break.

Shiori only smiled at the scene. It was something that only Bokuto could do, and it was something that amused her. She was surprised Yukie was able to hold out for an hour or longer; Shiori wouldn't be able to do that. Her patience span was probably maximum 30 minutes on the same thing before she blew her lid. On especially good days, it'll be a maximum of 45 minutes.