Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 85: Setter Showdown

"Line up!"

Six players faced off to each other and shook hands. Ayame shook Hinata's hand, who shook it happily as Tsukishima and Kageyama tried to crush each other's phalanges, and Ryuuji shook Asahi's hand with a polite smile.

Spinning it as he tried to accustom himself with the new feel, Kageyama gripped at the ball with both hands. This will surely bring some difficulty in adjusting his power. He lets out a breath, focus intensifying.

"Nice serve Kageyama!"

Immediately - Ryuuji thought - his clean form suggested a service ace, dropping his hips and parting his legs slightly for the serve. Ayame did the same.

Eyes steady, Kageyama sprinted forward and slammed his hand against the ball with great force, zooming past Ayame's face, barely off by a two inches. It landed with a loud thud, bouncing past the white tape. A whistle blew.

"Out!"

A smirk formed on Ryuuji's lips, "my, what a shame. Killer spike, but home run. Better luck next time."

Kageyama clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Oi Kageyama! Stop sulking and hold back a little! It's a beach volleyball!" Hinata yelled across the court.

The only one unaffected by this was Ayame, who stared blankly at the wall, muttering to herself in awe. "...I get to see them do that on a daily basis... Still... It looks scarier when you're in the court..."

She gulped in hopes to rid the dryness in her throat as she readied herself for the next point. Volleyball in his grasp, Tsukishima narrowed his eyes across the court before serving the ball in a steady underhand. Asahi returned it shakily, sending it to Kageyama albeit the disorganization of their positions. Within a blink of an eye, Hinata sprinted up the net,and attempted to slam it down. However, two pairs of long arms loomed over him.

Tsukishima and Ryuuji successfully blocked the ball in one go.

"Geh! Twin towers!" Hinata said in intimidation, nose wrinkled as he looked up at the two towering men. Of course, the two smiled maliciously at him as they casted a shadow over him.

"It's almost not fair to have two 190cm players on one side..." Asahi chuckled weakly. "We won't be able to score at this point..."

"Not exactly." Kageyama said cooly, much to the surprise of Asahi, his composure did not crumble one bit. "Hinata hasn't shown is new move yet."

Asahi raised his eyebrows slightly before flashing a small grin.

"Hey! Aya-tan! Snap out of it! You're serving next!" Ryuuji said, passing the ball to her. As soon as the ball came in contact with her palm, the opposing team members dropped their hips and spread their arms.

Ryuuji grinned and flashed her a thumbs up. "It's been a while, huh sis?"

She spun the ball in her grasp and gave him a small smile. "Just like the good old times."

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment. Upon opening it, her eyes glinted. Eyes fixed and face remaining as stoic as ever, she sprinted up and leaped through the air, hitting the ball. It was not strong nor tricky, but it was fast. It landed straight to the left corner, barely making in.

"That precision... She can only pull that off in beach volleyballs." Ryuuji said, turning to see Tsukishima with his jaw dropped. "Ah. You haven't seen her play with beach volleyballs, right?"

Wordlessly, Tsukishima shook his head.

"Well. Because of the softness and versatility of a beach volleyball, she's able to better exploit the speed and direction. I wouldn't be all that surprised, she used to be so obsessed with watching beach volleyball matches on television and playing until the sun sets back at home - her observational skills improved a lot too."

Team B is winning from 2-0.

"Another service ace..." Takeda Sensei pointed out.

Ryuuji spotted his sister heaving and puffing. "You're tired already? Geez! Your endurance got even worse since last time I saw you!"

"Oh shut up." She huffed out. As she did so, her hands were slyly tucked to the back, forming an odd hand signal signal to her brother. With a subtlest knowing smirk, nodded.

The whistle blew as Tsukishima readied himself for the serve. He hits it on an underhand, which flew in Hinata's direction and hits his face flat, sending it clean to the setter.

"Nice recieve, Hinata!" Tanaka yelled from the sides. Ryuuji shrieked with a horrified expression. "What?! Is he okay?!"

"You get used to it after a while," Ayame reassured, eyes still fixed on the ball which floated across the net. "Chance ball! Get ready!"

Tsukishima receives it with ease, sending it to Ayame. With a quick nod to each other, Ryuuji sprinted cautiously up the net, tongue sticking out lightly, concentrating on the ball. Kageyama took action immediately, following him. However...

With a small flick of a wrist, Ayame redirected the ball's destination, sending it directly across the net.

"Dump shot..." Kageyama cursed under his breath.

"How's that, Kageyama? Setter to setter showdown?" Ayame challenged, getting an irritated scowl from him. However, his reaction did not do much to rile him up, leaving her impressed (as a coach assistant) and dismay (being her opponent).

When the whistle blew, Ryuuji took the ball in his hands and tossed it up, his hand hurling on the ball with sharp precision. Asahi received it, though it threw him off balance. Kageyama took his form, aware of the two pairs of eyes that studied his movements. Following Tsukishima's and Ryuuji's prediction, he tossed to Hinata. The pair jumped along withh Hinata but with a yell from the girl in the back. The calloused fingertip of the spiker simply brushed over the ball lightly.

"Wait...! It's a feint -!" She dove down the front of the net, elbows skidding on the floor as she missed the ball by a few inches. With a defeated grunt, she thumped her closed fist on the wooden floor.

"Ay - AYA-TAN!! WHERE DOES IT HURT?!" Ryuuji panicked as Tsukishima helped her up. With a blank face, she checked the back of her forearms and elbows, spotting a few red inflamed patches of skin.

"It's fine," she reassured him. Someone from across the net spoke, gaining her attention. Kageyama wore an eerily calm expression, to which Ayame greeted back with an competitive, breathless grin, somewhat unsettled yet eager.

"Setter showdown it is."