Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 74: Shall We?

"Ukai-kun, please stop scaring the students..." Takeda said weakly to the Coach, who received a low grumble (which sounded like a threatening growl) as he scowled at his friend with his bloodshot eyes.

"Damn it... D'you know how hard it is to manage the store and farm at three in the morning in one day?!" He snapped at his friend, waving Ayame's notebook furiously centimeters away from Takeda's face. "You know how hard it is to strategize game plans by yourself?! Especially ones that will actually stand against that two meter giant?!"

Takeda only gulped nervously as a response...Seeing the Coach look so stressed out and snap at him made him turn pale in complexion. The coach immediately noticed this, letting out a frustrated sigh, he mumbled an apology under his breath before settling back down on the bench, burying his face in the notebook.

"I'll - I'll go and get the papers from the tournament then..." Takeda sensei said, excusing himself from the Coach and walked out of the gym as the other club members watched from afar.

"Coach sure is taking the news badly..." Sugawara said, a hint of uneasiness in his tone.

"But it's been almost two weeks since she left! How are we gonna face that giant, huh?!" Tanaka said, gesturing his hand way above his head, shouting in disbelief. "TWO METERS!!"

"I heard that he plans on tweaking on the existing attack patterns for the upcoming matches." Daichi added, giving Tanaka a scolding look at his sudden outburst.

"If only Ayame was here..." Yachi trailed off gloomily, followed by Yamaguchi giving her a nod of agreement.

"Yeah..."

The raven haired setter looked grumpy. To be honest, she played a vital role in his part, since he always asked for her input due to her extensive knowledge of the other technical aspects of volleyball. "She still owes me pork curry... "

"Hora! Hora!" Noya said, thumping a fist in his chest in a determined way. "Ayame would get mad at you right now if you waste time sulking instead of practicing! Let's keep our heads up high and win this for her!"

"Noya-san..." Tanaka trailed off, clearly touched by his encouraging words as he wiped comical tears that beaded on the corner of his eyes along with Hinata.

"Senpai! You're so cool!"

"We're truly glad to have Noya-san in these times..." Asahi said with a nervous smile to the two third years.

"Besides... " Sugawara said surreptitiously, looking at his surroundings before continuing. "...I think we all know who's taking this the worst..."

The three third years nodded, casting a quick glance at a specific blonde boy from afar. He stretched his arms with his signature bored look on his face, with Yamaguchi joining in and doing the same. Odd. He seems perfectly fine to most spectators. You'd expect him to move on after two whole weeks of her absence, but that didn't seem to convince the third years one bit.

Low murmurs of the third years got interrupted by the loud bang of the doors, revealing Takeda-sensei. He was a wreck: his hair was ruffled and messy, glasses clumsily crooked and nearly fell out of his face as he hunched down and caught his breath for a good couple seconds. Confused stares met him as he breathlessly gestured out the door and yelled:

"SHE'S...SHE'S ON TV!"

Of course, the dumber lot (and Coach Ukai) sprinted with inhumane speeds to the teachers lounge while the rest followed soon after, leaving Tsukishima and Yamaguchi behind. The blonde scowled, reluctant to see her face - her voice - her anything really. He didn't want to succumb back into that quicksand again.