Fly (Keishin Ukai) - COMPLETED

6 - New Information

Yuki Noshinoya stood alone in the gym. The only light was from the moon rays that seeped through the high windows. Sweat dripped from her face and her long dark hair stuck to her forehead. Her heavy breathing was the only thing breaking the silence. Her hands held firmly onto the Volleyball, her eyes focused on the corner of the court that passed the net.

That was her sixth time in two weeks being in the gym alone past practise time. Ever since she caught the ball, her body craved the sensation she felt that day. It was as if she was a smoker lacking nicotine. All she could do was think about Volleyball - but not like before when she was thinking about the boy's team playing, but herself playing. Yuki would stare at her hands, imagining the stinging feeling she would feel if she spiked a ball.

With that in mind, the next few practise sessions Yuki did all she could to ensure she touched, caught or threw a ball. Everyone on the team was surprised when they saw she was not in the corner with her head stuck in her notepad but walking around with a smile. Her hair still covered most of her face, but her demeanour changed, she was eager to get involved in drills. Ukai was taken back when she offered to pass balls to the boys to spike - she usually would avoid being physically involved during training, and he was speechless for a moment before agreeing. He found himself watching her with a faint smile as she tried her best to give pointers to the team, though her strutter was being a nuisance so most of the time she gave a thumbs up, down or middle depending on how well they spiked. Ukai was not sure who was more heartbroken, Yuki giving Hinata the thumbs down or him receiving them - it was apparent she felt bad about giving them out, but Ukai liked she was honest despite it.

The growth was not sudden, it started with collecting balls at the end of the session, but even though she held the volleyball, the sensation she was yearning for did not return. Disappointed, at the next practice she tried a little more. Collecting stray balls during the session and passing them back to whoever needed them - again, the feeling was missing. Annoyed, she tried again and tried to involve herself more with the drills themselves - being supportive and giving tips best she could, hoping that maybe it was not the physical touch of the ball that caused the feeling but being involved with the sport itself. Again, nothing. Frustrated, she put herself into a drill - combining both the physical and mental parts, but when that did not work, she found herself in tears on her bed. Yuki could not understand why the feeling had never returned. What was she doing wrong? What was missing?

Night fell quickly, and she found herself sitting at her desk, pencil in hand as she sketched. Drawing was the only thing that could distract her mind from the obsession of 'the feeling' over the last week. Her mind almost went blank when she drew, allowing her hand to take the lead and illustrate whatever she felt.

The time was nearing three in the morning when the image was finally completed. Yuki knew that meant her morning run would be postponed, but it was worth it. The image was similar to one she drew not too long ago. A cage with its door open, a crow was sitting on the edge, ready to fly.

Fly.

Fly?

Fly.

"FLY!" Yuki's hand slammed down onto her desk, the pencil falling from the sudden vibrations. When she caught the ball that day, she leapt into the air to grab it. She was a spiker, her most important moments during a game were in the air. It was not the touch of the ball that caused the feeling, it was flying.

At the realisation of this, Yuki had devised a plan. She wanted to keep what she was doing a secret. Her parents would not allow her to do it, and she felt everyone else would just put pressure on her. She needed to do it alone. So, first she 'accidentally' took the key to the gym home, and copied it, so when she returned them, she would have her own pair. Then she told her parents she was volunteering at the library during the evening after practice - she said to them it was so she could start to make her way into the real world. After each practice Yuki would walk out of the school with the boys and walk in the opposite direction, once they were out of sight, she would return back to the gym. It was risky and devious and possibly illegal, and she did not like the idea of lying to anyone but felt it needed to be done. She wanted to play Volleyball again, but at her own pace, with no eyes watching her every move or telling her it's too dangerous.