Rule the Court - Haikyuu x Reader

Chapter 2 - Injury

Miyagi Prefecture

On a chilly Saturday morning, it was your third and last year at junior high, you had injured your wrist in a practice game. You were told that your wrist would take a couple of months to heal, and of course, your parents didn't take the news well.

"You can't be this reckless!" You mother said, looking disheveled, slamming her hands onto the table besides the hospital bed you sat on. It was obvious she was stressing about your health, you were her daughter after all.

"What would've happened if you injured it permanently?" You father added in, standing besides your mother with his arms crossed.

Your parents had immediately came to the hospital once they heard you've gotten injured, lecturing you for a hour. "It's your dominant hand too!"

"Volleyball doesn't matter as much as your health does." You kept quiet as the two continued to speak, you were too busy trying to think bout how you were going to play in the few months of healing.

"We're pulling you out of the club."

The sudden statement from your mother caused you to snap your attention up, thinking you might've misheard her.

At first, you didn't try to argue. You knew that even if you were in the team, you'd be useless with a injured wrist, so you decided to wait out the months and rejoin the team once you've healed.

But that didn't mean people wouldn't talk about you.

When you walked down the hallways at school, there were people whispering, pointing and pitying you. You paid them no mind, it wasn't like you were going to stop playing volleyball.

The whispers continued out of school too, you were pretty popular throughout the volleyball community, your team having gone to nationals multiple times.

You continued to ignore the curious and pitying glances sent your way.

—————

Months and months passed, you still woke up early and did basic exercises. In your free time, you would hang out with Iwazumi and Oikawa, your "free time" nowadays seemed to be quite often. Occasionally you would drop by to watch their high school practice, careful not to be seen because you wanted to avoid disturbing them.

After months of waiting, your wrist finally healed. You were overjoyed that you'd be able to play again, but your parents decided against this.

"You can't play volleyball anymore."

"What?" Your hopes instantly plummeted. "My wrist is all healed so-"

"Just because it's healed doesn't mean the same thing won't happen again."

"But that just happened because I overworked myself! It won't happen again, I'll be more careful!"

"I'm sorry y/n, but we just care for your health. If you happen to injury your wrist again, it might take be a permanent injury. Volleyball will put too much strain on it."

"But it's all better!" You were frantic. Your parents couldn't be serious, you can't just give up on volleyball! "This is my last year of junior high- I can't just leave and quit-"

You're parents looked down at you, both with the same pitying gazes of the people who whispered about you. "Y/n, you have to understand that volleyball won't be good for you."

What a joke.

—————

Almost a year after the accident, you were walking around Seijoh, which was going to be your new school in a couple of weeks. The official school year hasn't started yet, but they allowed incoming students to look around campus so they could get comfortable.

But you weren't looking at the classes.

You were looking at the gym.

Specifically, the boys gym, where the volleyball team is having practice, even if there's no school and they're supposed to be at home. The coaches aren't there, so you guess that the boys went in the gym without informing any staff.

You're watching Iwazumi and Oikawa, if you told them that you'd be watching practice, they'd get all excited and cause a riot. To avoid them making an announcement, you simply didn't tell them and hid up on the railings from the second floor.

You watched Oikawa serve. Although he acts like a spoiled brat, he is actually good at volleyball. If you had to guess, you'd say that Shiratorizawa may have tried scouting him, although he hates talking about that subject. Oikawa tossed the ball up, jumped, and spiked. A powerful serve that would shake any opponents to the bone.

You marveled at your friend's monstrous serve, although you would never admit to it, you respected Oikawa's skills when it comes to volleyball. If you'd ever say it to his face, he'd never let you forget it.

You analyzed the serve, the way his wrist moved, when he touched the ball, how many steps he took to hit the serve, where he was looking. You took it all in, taking out a notebook to record your observations.

A few minutes later, the boys had left the gym and packed up. But you stayed. You came down from the second floor and headed over to the supply closet. Everything was already packed up, so you just got out a single volleyball and headed to court, not bothering to set up the net.

The thing is, you never really gave up volleyball. Ever since your wrist healed, you'd sneak into the high school gym after the boys finished their practice, and you'd take out a single volleyball, and play. You practiced and practiced, not bothering to rest.

You could never give up volleyball. Even if you could never be on the team with the girls ever again, you still had to practice. It was addictive, you can't give up.

Ah... I wish I could play with everyone again... You thought about everyone on the girl's team in your junior high. Even if I make it on the team in high school... my parents will find out and just pull me out again.

—————

You headed home after, making sure that no trace of you was found on court. Walking around school, the number of whispers have gone down from before, but there were still a glances and stares.

You ignored them and went home. The cold night breeze brushed against your hair as you shoved your hands into your pockets. You wanted to be on court, you wanted to play.

And in these following three years, you have a chance too.