A Trip to Japan (Ongoing)

Chapter 34

"Kei-chan!" tawag ko kay Kei habang pinapalapit siya. Agad naman siyang lumapit sa'min.

"Ano nararamdaman mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Kaba." babatukan ko dapat siya kaso naalala ko, manager nila ako at kailangan kong maging propesyonal.

"I mean your finger." sagot ko sabay turo sa mga daliri niyang naka-tape.

"Daijobou desu! (it's okay)" saad niya habang naka-thumbs up at todo ngiti. Aba, mukhang walang injury ah. Atat na atat yatang maglaro 'to.

"Saa (now).... Let's put in our minds that we are in advantage at the fifth set. The opponent is drained but that doesn't mean we won't exert full effort. Always use every opportunity to score. You've got each other out there. You got this." napangiti naman ang lahat dahil sa motivation ni Coach.

Mayroon pang ilang minutong break para sa next set kaya pinagpahinga muna sila. Tinawag ko naman ulit si Hiro, Rouzier, Captain, at si Fujii dahil may gusto akong sabihin sa kanila.

"Like what Coach said, we're going to use every opportunity to score. You're not just going to spike the ball at third touch, you can also do it at second touch. If the receive is far from the setter, hit it. Also, Fujii-san, try to land some drop balls, okay? Jaa... ganbare (do your best)." tumango naman sila sa akin at bumalik na sila sa kinauupuan nila maliban kay Hiro.

"Mayu-chan. Nakita ko 'yung kanina ah." saad ni Hiro nang may nakakaasar na tingin.

Right, that man kissed me accidentally. From another point of view like Hiro's, it seemed intentional. Makakatikim talaga 'to si Kei ng kamao ko mamaya!

"That wasn't intentional, Hiro, and you kow it." sagot ko at napahalakhak na lang siya.

"Well, it looks to me you enjoyed it. 'Yun ba 'yung dahilan kung bakit mo siya ipinasok?" babatukan ko na dapat si Hiro kaso agad siyang tumakbo papalayo sa'kin habang tumatawa. Nasisiraan na talaga ng ulo 'yung Toray.

Lumapit naman ako kay Kei na nag-jojog-in-place. Handang-handa na talaga 'to sumalang sa court.

Sinenyasan ko siyang yumuko dahil may gusto akong sabihin sa kanya na 'di dapat marinig ng iba at dahil na rin napakatangkad niya. Tumaas naman 'yung dalawang kilay ni Keiji.

Hinila ko naman 'yung tenga niya at saka nagsalita. "Your team went through hardships to get those two sets from Panasonic so you better make it happen out there or else you'll be dead." saad ko at idinaan ko sa bandang leeg ko ang saradong kamao ko.

Nakita ko namang napalunok muna siya bago siya tumango. Tumunog na uli 'yung buzzer ngunit hinatak ko 'yung kamay ni Keiji dahil may gusto pa 'kong sabihin.

" 'Di ko pa nakakalimutan 'yung ginawa mo kanina. 'Pag pinanalo mo 'to, palalampasin ko pa. Pero kung hindi, malilintikan ka sa'kin." tumango naman siya sa'kin nang maraming beses.

"Also, good luck. Be careful out there." I patted his head before he went to his position. Aish, that man. He better win this.

Nang pumasok si Keiji sa court, ang daming fans na naghiyawan. Napatakip naman ako nang bahagya sa tenga ko dahil sa ingay. Ang dami naman ng fans ng mokong na 'yon. Siguro akala nila na hindi na paglalaruin si Keiji.

And the last set begin with our side to serve. I signalled number '10' to our Captain, aiming for the opponent's middle blocker that is on the back of the court. I just noticed that this man isn't that good in receiving so I chose him.

Tumango naman sa'kin si Captain. He tossed the ball high, approaching for a jump serve. The moment he hit the ball, I realized that his timing was early, making the serve longer. Akala ko magkakaroon ng service error. But before it crossed the other service line, it already dropped between it.