The Third Miya: Isuma

XVI

Okay, we reached 1K and I was trying not to freak out. Then 2K- and I was screaming internally. Then 3K. Then 4K. Then 5K. Then 6K. And now we're close to 7K... and yeah, I'm not okay. But let's talk about Suma-chan. This part is mostly going to be flashbacks of them when they were younger.

Isuma ran into the nurse's office, breathless. Everyone glanced at her as she asked, "You needed me, Sensei?"

The others were all sitting on various chairs and tables inside the office, while Atsumu was putting his shirt back on. "We just got done measuring the jerseys," he explained.

"Could you take these to the store that makes their jerseys?" Kurosu handed her several sheets of paper. Isuma rifled through them. "I'll go now. Anything else?"

"These are their jerseys." Kurosu handed her a cardboard box. "Just give these to her."

"Sure."

Atsumu asked, "Are you going by yourself?"

"I can go by myself. It's fine." Isuma's hand stopped on the doorknob. Atsumu stood up. "I can go-"

"I can go myself, Tsumu!!" Isuma's voice was surprisingly firm and cold. Atsumu withdrew his hand, which had been reaching out towards her. "Right."

Kita looked at Isuma. "Are you-"

"I'm fine, Senpai." Isuma shut the door behind her; no one spoke for a few seconds. Kurosu glanced at the team. "Get to the gym, okay?"

"Got it." The second their sensei was out, Kita turned towards Osamu and Atsumu. "Don't follow her. Just talk to her later, when she's cooled off."

"Fine..." The two of them sat back down, lost in thoughts.

<<Flashback: Second Year of Middle School>>

"Hey, Miya!!"

Isuma stopped in the hallway and turned around when she heard her name. A boy was running towards her in a panic. "Your brothers are fighting in the gym!"

Isuma's eyes widened and he pushed past the boy, running towards the gym. Sure enough, Osamu and Atsumu were fighting while several teachers and teammates yelled at them to stop. Isuma's eyes sharpened and, to everyone's astonishment, she raised her voice. "Tsumu!! Samu!!!"

She pushed them away from one another, and the two collapsed on the ground. For a brief second, they glared at each other... and then they saw Isuma standing in between them, her eyes flaring. "What the heck are you doing?!?!!"

Both of them fell silent, seeing the anger in her expression. "What's wrong with you?! What on earth is so important that you need to beat up each other about it?!"

Nobody had ever seen Isuma talk more than a few sentences, let alone so worked up- except her brothers, of course. As the two of them got to their feet, Osamu murmured, "It's something about volleyball. You wouldn't understand."

Neither of them could see the dozens of people around them; in the Miyas' mind, they were the only people who existed right now. Isuma took a step back. "What do you mean, I wouldn't understand?"

They were was already testy, and seeing their sister wasn't helping. Atsumu snapped, "Because volleyball has never meant anything to you!! Just leave us alone!!!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Isuma's eyes widened and she caught her breath. Osamu reached out his hand. "Wait, no-"