Dysphoria

04 | Boy

AN: The picture is a picrew of Fifi. She's around Saeko's age and has Y/n father's hair color with the front dyed pink and pulled back. 

TW: Cancer mention

* * * * *

"Fifi?" I hear my mom's voice call out. It's very quiet, making me concerned. Not being able to see her sister has caused her to stay up late contacting the hospitals in the Miyagi Prefecture. No one has been able to go into the hospital to see her since medical staff are still trying to figure out about her tumor. If it's cancerous, and if it is what type of cancer she has.

"Yeah?"

"The hospital contacted me." This isn't good. I bite my fingernail, anxious. "My sister," She paused. She needs to just say it. "she, she has a stage 3 tumor." Her voice is even more strained and I know why. She's crying.

"Mom-"

"I have even worse news," She sobs out. "I can't afford her treatment." I can feel her heart sink. My own breath hitches. All the money we saved for my last year of college can't pay for it?

"I'll get a job." I chime out. "You're friends with Coach Nekomata, right?" She nods, tears streaming down her face and onto the magazines in front of her. "Then I'm sure he'll let me help him coach volleyball. If we explain the situation, maybe he'll help us out." Her cries got quieter until it was only sniffles.

"Thank you."

"No problem mom."

* * *

"We only have four days," Coach Ukai announced. Kiyoko stood by you and who Hinata told you was Asahi stood beside you. "So what we have to do is practice." Mr. Takeda rolled out the balls on a platform, similar to ones you had in middle school. "Practice. Practice. Practice." He kept repeating the word, making sure everyone heard it. "After the practice games with the alumni I've noticed you guys all need work on receiving." Coach Ukai stood on top of the platform and set the ball cart beside it. "That's what we'll be doing today."

The entire team formed a line. You were between Daichi and Kageyama. Yamaguchi went first. Kiyoko left your side to toss Coach Ukai the balls to spike them over the net. This was a nicer version of what Coach Aoi had you doing.

"Y/n, step up!" It was your turn already? The anxiety you felt building up capsized. This felt so stressful.

You got five hits.

Five chances.

You watch as Kiyoko throws the ball up to Coach Ukai, him spiking the ball straight while you were to the left. Diving was your only option. Launching yourself forward, you watch the ball slam against the back of your hand and into the air. You managed to hit it.

But you didn't have shin guards on since yours hadn't come in the mall yet.

"Great receive." Kiyoko grabbed another ball to do it all over again.

"Great job, Y/n." Her soft voice was hardly heard as she got ready to throw the ball to Coach Ukai.

She said three words. Three words had you, Nishinoya and Tanaka flipping out. Tanaka and Nishinoya began screaming at you while she tossed the ball to Coach Ukai.

Those jittery feelings made you grow intoxicated. It was even stronger than before. All your anxiety was pushed to the back of your mind, the only thing you were thinking about was the ball. Coach Ukai noticed this. Your heels kept tapping against the floor. You were ready to move anywhere.

Not even catching where you moved, you dug up the ball. After hearing the smack the ball made against your skin you actually register that you moved so quickly to the opposite side of the court.

Your teammates noticed though.

"That was amazing Y/n!" Hinata was the first to break the silence, complementing you.

"Thanks."

"That was super fast," Sugawara said to Asahi.

"And he was a middle blocker?" The taller boy asks in response.

"That was almost faster than Nishinoya!" Yamaguchi says as Tsukishima scoffs.

"It was just luck."

You'll show him it was just luck. You had three more chances. Three chances to prove you could be good at more than just blocking in their eyes.

The ball went up again, this time Coach Ukai did a straight spike. Receiving it again, your team watched. Two chances left. Coach Ukai spiked it again, shorter than what you expected. Flying forward, the ball going up.

One more time.

"He's getting really good."

"Yeah."

Coach Ukai spikes the ball again, this time straight at you.

Volleyball was an intimidating sport. Not like hockey or baseball or soccer. Volleyball didn't have a large field to work with. There was only the net and both sides of a gym to work with.

The ball smacks against your outstretched arms, spiraling to where Naoki would be.