A family thing

Chapter 22 Feel my ego

"Now then tell me more about this boy!", Kagaya said as she and Natsu were taking a bath at their inn. The calm mood inside the spa area has immediately changed. Everyone's attention was grabbed by that simple sentence. 
"What boy?", Sawada, their middle blocker asked curiously. 
"Wait, Natsu has a boyfriend?", Megumi asked as she stuck her head out of the shower. She was the second outside hitter in the starting line up of the team. One of Natsu's best friends but also her greatest rival if it came to volleyball of course. 
"No way!", Kaeda said as she was washing up her hair. "Was that the reason you were late for two hours two days ago?" 
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!!!!", Natsu shouted embarassed and splashed water onto Kagaya. 
"Is that so? Then tell me why you started to wear arm sleeves then?", the Libero asked unfazed from the act of her friend. 
"Because... what's the problem with wearing arm sleeves?", Natsu tried to defend herself. "I mean... now that we're playing at the Nationals, the spikes are going to be a lot harder and..." 
"And you still wouldn't wear arm sleeves when you are playing with your brother.", Kaeda ended her sentence for her. "Whom I believe has a higher spiking velocity than a bunch of high school girls. Now spell the damn beans, Natsu!" 
"Yes, but have you seen Suma from the Inarizaki girl's volleyball team?", the said girl argued back to no use. Her captain was very strict if it came to training and excercises but she could also become very persistent, when it came to tea or the love life of her fellow team mates. 
"You do know that the average spiking speed in men's volleyball at professional level is about ten kilometer per hour higher than the spiking speed of women's volleyball.", Sawada pointed out. "Someone who has trained with a brother like yours... with a brother who never holds back... well I think that digging slower balls is easier than digging faster balls." 
"Yeah, Natsu. Spell the beans! Your arguments don't make any sense. Now, do you have a boyfriend?", Megumi asked. 
"No.", she answered quickly. "Why aren't you guys believing me?" 
"Well because you are a very bad liar if I may say so and you are currently lying.", Sawada stated and leaned back inside the pool to relax. 
"Yes. And because you are wearing arm sleeves, gifted to you by a boy we don't know and you're wearing them at out matches even though, you've never worn any arm sleeves before. So where does that little change come from?" , Kagaya shouted impatiently. Her team really could turn into a pack of hyenas if it came to gossip. 
"I just like these arm sleeves.", Natsu stated and hoped, her team mates would let her off the hook for that explanation. She hoped. But hopes die at last. 
"Yeah, you like them because that Yoichi has given them to you.", said Kagaya and crossed her arms in front of her chest. 
"Oh so his name is Yoichi~", Kaeda smirked and looked at Natsu who puffed her cheeks. 
"Your pouting isn't going to get you anywhere. Now spill the damn beans!!!", Megumi shouted. 

Chigiri ran down the pitch but stopped in front of a certain four eyes. Zantetsu was ready for him, "No where to go now, princess?!"
The pink haired looked over his options. What could he do? That guy was way faster than him. 
'That is only for the first two three meters.', Chigiri realised and pushed the ball forward just like the way he did it against team W. 
"You think you are faster than me?", Zantetsu muttered and accelerated towards the ball. "I am the fastest player in this facility."
"But only in short distances.", Chigiri replied. "If it came to further distances, I am the faster player, dumb Zantetsu." 
With that, Chigiri caught up to the boy wearing glasses and dribbled to the goal. He easily got past the rest of the defenders and shot it right from the place he has last positioned the ball. The scores were now tied. 3-3. Yoichi walked back to his position and waited for the restart. Right now, he was on fire. Every drop of blood inside his veins were burning hot. 
"Tch.", Reo cursed and stepped onto the ball. "Those little bastards."
He then passed it to Nagi, who chipped it over to Zantetsu. The speed monster with the goggles made the run of his life and gost past the pink haired. 
'Not gonna lie, might have a bad time deciding wether I call him princess or pink panther...', Yoichi thought as he observed the scene without leaving Nagi out of his sight. Zantetsu swung his leg for a cross, however, the second he kicked the ball, it was deflected by Chigiri and flew out of bounds. 
"Told ya, I was faster than you.", he smirked as he stood up. The four eyes just glared at him for a second and ran to the side-out-line for a quick restart.