Behind a strong man [Ushiwaka /Oc]

Chapter 57 - A thin yet strong thread

Hello my little balls of sunshine,

I hope you're all doing well.

My holiday is now over and it was so refreshing to stay in nature for 3 weeks.

The manga is now officially over but I'm sure you'll all agree that the characters will live on in our hearts and fanfictions.

And my birthday is coming up soon. I'll turn 27 >-< helps!

Anyway let's get this started.

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"Alright, boys," the coach shouted. "See you all tomorrow."

A few calls of acknowledgement echoed through the gym. Ushijima let out a puff of air and dried the sweat from his forehead and neck. This has been another day off intense training, just the way he liked it but he wasn't satisfied. He wanted to train more and more. The things he was trying out didn't seem to work. Maybe he could ask the coach for advice. Before he could approach the man the coach was already looking in his direction.

"Ushijima," came a call from the coach. "Could you come and see me once you're done?"

Ushijima nodded and followed the rest of the team to the changing rooms. He began to wonder what the coach wanted from him. Had he done something he shouldn't have done? Wasn't he performing to the coaches expectations? His imagination was running wild until he concluded that he had done nothing wrong and that he would just go to him and see. After a well-deserved shower he returned to the courts where the coach beaconed to follow him. At the coaches' office they took their seats.

Coach Suzaku Banjo was new to the team like Ushijima but had joined the team a month before him. He had taken over the team after the previous coach retired. Despite his similarities to coach Washijo, coach Suzuka was much younger. This made the training easier for Ushijima, since it was something familiar. Now both were sitting opposite each other in the office.

"How are things going in the team for you?" he asked.

"Very good, sir," Ushijima answered.

"Have you made any goals for the end of the season? Things you want to try? New training regime, new diet?"

"I do want to improve my spike," he revealed. "A new technique to smash through the blocks more effectively."

"I see and I guess you have been experimenting already?"

"You noticed, sir?"

"Yes but I've also noticed something else. I can see that there is a lot of frustration in your spikes recently," the coach noted. "What is bothering you?"

"Nothing, I'm in peque condition," Ushijima said.

"Physically maybe but not mentally. Is it a relationship or the city?"

"It's none of that, sir," he insisted.

"Then what is bothering you?" the coach asked.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I've noticed a change in your spikes a month ago," he said. "It has become more and more unstable which I'm sure you have noticed too."

"I just have to train more," Ushijima said.

"Listen, kiddo," the coach said. "I've lived through something similar when I was your age. I moved to a big city, away from my hometown. Away from all my friends and family to live on my own. You may not notice it now but it takes its toll on your mental health. It's okay to feel alone and the team is ready to support you but if you need the support you have to tell me first."