The Newbie ~ Tsukishima Kei

Chapter 19 ~ Strong Serves

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OIKAWA HAD TOLD HER CONCENTRATION WAS KEY, but she'd lost it all already, to her teammates congratulating her.

But it was easy for her to find focus, Yamaguchi had told her she could use something consistent in the crowd to help her focus, like a constant in a math formula. She had that, her constant was Karasuno's banner now that they'd switched sides for the second set. 

But then came the crowd.

They were loud, and surely would distract her. But she was used to the cheers, to the crowds and the yelling fans, and she'd eventually learned how to tune them out.

Tune out the cheers and the stares.

It's just you, the ball, the constant, and the sound of the whistle.

There's the sound of the whistle.

Where will you aim? Is your form good?

Before she knew it, she was jumping, the ball was in her sight. Emerald green eyes dart around the court before settling on the spot that'd be best to aim for.

Her jump felt good, and the ball was just in the right place.

Hit it.

The ball landed at the spot, but somebody was there for the receive. Luckily, it wasn't their libero, it wasn't clear if it was an easy receive for him, but what was clear was that it wasn't an easy receive for the other player, who just so happened to be Seijoh's ace.

He was good at receiving, but this wasn't any normal ball, this was a jump serve, with the skill similar to Oikawa's, and Oikawa's were monster serves.

The ball sent a shiver down his spine due of how similar it was.

Nine out of ten times he couldn't receive Oikawa's serves, and the setter made sure to rub it in his face. These serves were a little different, in terms of power, but they were eerily similar.

And he'd been wondering what Oikawa was doing, meeting up with a member of Karasuno's team. He didn't think it was training, he had his doubts, but he was sure of it now.

The ball was out of his control, his receive went wrong and the ball went out of bounds, earning Karasuno another point.

"Another service ace!"

Akiko was cheered on again, but this time it was shorter. They were confident in her now.

More stares came her way now, analytical and hateful and excited. Their ace was thinking on perfecting his form, their dog was hating how she was taking away his spiking time, their libero really wanted to try his hand at receiving the serve.

Another serve, the same constant, the same ball, the same her. However many more times she needed to do this, she'd do it. If it was for the win, for her team, she'd do it.

They were tied now, she just needed five more if she was given the opportunity.

Five out of twenty-five, she could do it.