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amaya's point of view
the next day, i'm sitting in my last period class. i bounce my knee up and down anxiously as the time comes closer for my first day of volleyball practice.
hinata gave me my application before school, and an upperclassman named kiyoko approached me around lunch time about how hinata told her i was interested in joining. i've already given her my application, so i can't back out now.
i don't exactly know why i'm so nervous about meeting the volleyball team. i already know tobio and shoyo. and if i can deal with shoyo then i can deal with anyone.
maybe it's just that i'm going to be meeting them all at the same time. that's always very overwhelming for me. i really don't do well in large social situations like that.
i mentally curse keiko for being busy with soccer.
i think in the back of my mind i really do want to do this. i could have said i'm going to be busy with figure skating, but i didn't.
and so, once the bell rings, i nervously pack up my things and make my way out of the classroom. i see tobio's dark hair a little ahead of me and i make my way up to him.
"hey!" i smile, trying to conceal my anxiety.
"hey amaya. are you coming to practice today?" he asks, a tinge of hope in his voice.
"um, yeah," i laugh a little. he seems to notice my uneasy state, and stops me, pulling me over to the side of the hall out of the crowd of people. he places a hand on my shoulder and i feel my cheeks heat up. i bring my eyes up to meet his.
"i can tell you're nervous. i understand because i would be the same way. but, i'm glad you're doing this," he says, his lips forming a genuine smile.
woah, he's got such a nice smile. why is my heart beating so fast?
"i-is it that obvious?" i ask, shaking my head a little. he grabs my shoulders and turns me forward, urging me to walk as he moves from behind me to beside me.
"you'll be fine. our captain, daichi, is really nice, and so are our vice-captain, sugawara and our ace asahi. nishinoya and tanaka, you've met already. they're probably the most wild on the team aside from hinata. tsukishima might come off rude, so just ignore him," he says as we make our way to the gym. he continues, describing everyone else on the team as well as the coach and club advisor to me. it makes me feel a bit better.
we make it to the entrance of the gym. i slow a bit and almost stop, before tobio places his hand on the small of my back and opens the door. there's not really anyone in there, but i see kiyoko, who smiles and waves me over.
"i have to go get changed. it looks like kiyoko wants to talk to you," he says softly, walking away.
"thank you," i quietly say although i'm not sure he heard. i nervously walk over to kiyoko.
"sugihara! you do not know how grateful i am that you're here! i really want the boys to have a great manager once i'm gone. it seems you already know hinata and kageyama?" she smiles.
"yeah, i do! and i'm glad hinata asked me. i actually used to play volleyball in middle school. but i quit because i got too busy with my figure skating competitions," i say. kiyoko seems really kind, and my nerves die down a bit.
"oh, even better! so you know the rules and positions?" she asks. i nod my head.
"yep, i actually was my libero for my team," i smile. she pats my head.
"let me just say, our libero is much different than you," she chuckles. as if on queue, the door bursts open and a guy with a buzz cut and a short boy enter the gym.
"heyyyy kiyoko! wait- who's that?" the short boy asks as they both run up.
"is this our replacement manager?" the buzzed hair guy energetically asks. kiyoko nods.
"this is amaya, she's a first year. you can thank hinata and kageyama for her being here," kiyoko softly says. i smile awkwardly.
"amaya? wait, you're not the girl that kageyama accidentally dialed that one day, are you?" the buzzed hair guy questions. i nod my head.
"wait, we talked to you! i'm nishinoya!" the short boy smiles. "nice to meet you!"
"you're pretty! i'm tanaka!" the buzz cut guy says.
"oh- i DID talk to you guys," i chuckle. "it's nice to meet you guys! what positions do you guys play?"
"i'm the libero, and tanaka is a wing spiker," nishinoya says, nudging tanaka. tanaka nudges him back, harder, before they start play fighting and running around. i look back at kiyoko. she just shakes her head and rolls her eyes playfully.
"once everyone else gets here, i'll introduce you, okay?" she kindly smiles. i nod. "okay, well for now, we just have to fill up the team's water bottles before practice. mind helping me?" i shake my head, before following her to help out.
