sanctus ༄ k. kozume

v

The time had come, Nori was anxious. She sat at the bench, the coach explaining things to her. As they began, she cut him off, "I know how to play," she paused, biting her lip, "I was Shiraroizawa's female volleyball team's ace and captain."

"Oh. That's right." Nekomata chuckled, "you got expelled."

Noriko tensed, "I didn't want to...I was so close to end of the season-"

"We'll win for you, then." Nekomata said. "We'll make sure Nekoma wins, so you understand what it means to win."

"I know how it-" she began.

"The finals." He cut her off, "The proudness you'll have in your team again."

Is it so obvious that I miss my team?
Hotaru, Sakura, Miwa, Rika and Eri, Chiasa and Suzumi..Yuko, Aimi...

I failed them.

Hotaru hugged her. Miwa joined. Rika joined. Eri jumped on Miwa. Chiasa wrapped her arms around Hotaru and Rika, Sakura hugged Noriko from behind, Suzumi jumped onto Sakura, Yuko wrapped her arms around Suzumi and Sakura as Aimi threw herself onto Chiasa, causing all of them to topple over.

Noriko dismissed herself, the right feeing in her throat.

I failed them.

She walked down to the nearest washroom. It was the gender neutral "family" bathroom since the gym was more isolated from the rest of the school grounds. Nori ran in, turning on the faucet. "Stupid Noriko-if you didn't let it go that far- stupid Tanaka-Chan-"

Noriko's face was head-first in the sink, the water running over her head, drowning out the outside world.

I failed them.
I failed them.
I failed them.

She didn't hear the knock on the door, shutting her eyes.

I failed them.
I failed them.
I failed the-

The collar of her shirt was pulled up. What was she thinking? Nori gasped for air, her chest heaving up and down, her hair down to her chest was soaked or dampened by water and the water spilt on the floor, her shoes and socks wet. Noriko turned around to see who interrupted her, clenching her fist. She stopped immediately and backed up into the sink, slipping.

He grabbed her wrist, forcing her up. His concerned tone of voice sounded like anger to Nori. "Noriko-what are you doing?"

"..." she didn't have an answer.

"You were mumbling 'I failed them,' over and over, your head sunk deep in the sink full of water, the faucet running..."

Then she realized what Kenma's emotion was. He wasn't mad at her, or disappointment, or anything like that at all. He was concerned for her. Kenma...

She didn't meet his eyes, twiddling her fingers. "Come on, Noriko. Didn't you say 'To adapt, and overcome, Courage is the absence of fear?"

Nori paused, wondering where she heard it, remembering she wrote it during Homeroom, shamefully kicked to the curb. She bit her lip, "Yeah!" So he did pay attention, he just didn't seem to care. Nori walked out of the bathroom, "let's go!"

He carefully followed her, the sudden change of the mood. One minute she was fidgeting and sulking, and a second later, energetic as usual, a bright smile across her face. Kenma walked into the gym, Noriko inside. The others began filing in, Nori, anxious at the bench, changed into a spare male's uniform, tapping her feet. "Sanctus!" Kuroo beamed, running over, "What are you doing here?"

Smiling, she turned to face all of the other team members. "I'm your new manager now! Surprise!"

"Whaaaat?!"

The team raced forward, arms outstretched for a hug, embracing Noriko. To her, it felt like her old team. At her old school. Of course, this was new and of course they weren't the same. However, the words Nekomata said to her washed over her like reassurance.

"Okay, okay," Nekomata chuckled. "Time to start practice."

"YESSIR!"