Another Manager (Akashi Seijuro x OC)

1.23 The Point that Changes the Momentum

A picture of Akashi in exchange for classical music. :)

***

Reference:

Aoba Johsai Private High School (Seijoh):
Head Coach - Irihata Nobuteru
Coach - Mizoguchi Sadayuki
#1 Oikawa Tōru (Captain) - 3 - S
#2 Matsukawa Issei - 3 - MB
#3 Hanamaki Takahiro - 3 - WS / Outside Hitter
#4 Iwaizumi Hajime (Vice Captain & Ace) - 3 - WS / Outside Hitter
#6 Yahaba Shigeru - 2 - S / Pinch Server
#7 Watari Shinji - 2 - Li
#12 Kindaichi Yūtarō - 1 - MB
#13 Kunimi Akira - 1 - WS / Opposite Hitter

***

As the third and final set started, Ai struggled to concentrate. The rallies were long, and Hinata and Kageyama's duo quick attacks weren't going through as much. Karasuno barely kept up with the help of their outstandingly talented libero. The advantage was to Aoba Johsai.

After Oikawa received a serve, she made a memo of the libero who tossed for the official setter's spike. She remembered that his name was Watari and continued to watch the game.

During a timeout, Coach Ukai advised his players while the coaches on the other side didn't interact, leaving the team to think for themselves. Ai studied the teal-colored members, wondering if her team could somehow take their example. Unfortunately, her head hurt just by thinking about it.

The greatest decoy was in use. Hinata's broad attack worked a few times too, but Seijoh adapted to it quickly. They stopped blocking and left it to the receivers to handle it. It was a smart way to widen the view of the awaiting libero.

Then, Yamaguchi made his debut. Coach Ukai had glanced at Shimada in the stands before sending him in as a pinch server. Everyone agreed that it was a sadistic move to put that amount of pressure on the young first-year, and Ai's face was grim. His first serve in an official game. A nightmare come true, it was Aoba Johsai's lead by two points with 19-17, going onto 20.

Ennoshita and Sugawara noticed the gravity of his nervousness, so the people in the warmup zone performed a stunt to lessen the tension a bit. However, a guy like him would be nervous no matter the circumstance.

As he dribbled the ball a few times, the sphere hit his foot and rolled away. He stumbled to chase it.

All eyes were on him, and that was precisely the problem.

"Tadashi. Imagine nobody's watching. Just like practice," she called down and exhorted next to an anxious Shimada. The grocery store owner and Yamaguchi's mentor rubbed his hands together in prayer.

The boy downstairs nodded, hearing her advice, but it didn't help. He threw the ball in the air and jumped, surprising the opponents with a floater serve. They prayed for it to make it, and for a point that changes the momentum. To at least deviate the flow of the game.

The ball caught the net, and it dropped to the floor.

Yamaguchi was switched back out immediately with slumped shoulders, as noted by the three fangirls of Oikawa sitting nearby.

The looks on everyone's faces changed, and the team's mood shifted. Yes, they were still exhausted, but their resilience burned. Both teams were giving it their all; Kunimi dove bravely for a receive, Asahi made an accurate judgment call, Tanaka caught a ball with his foot, and Hinata slid and face-planted on the floor to hit it back toward the net. It tipped the white line and dropped onto the other side of the net in front of Iwaizumi. Kageyama's turn to serve, and Daichi's receives were as reliable as always.