In the Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium, the atmosphere was just as energetic as ever.
Fans packed the bleachers, colourful banners waving in the air. Some waved flags with Hikari and Mei's faces on them, shouting words of encouragement.
Among the lively crowd sat Hikaru and Teshii.
Hikaru leaned forward in his seat, elbows on his knees, eyes locked onto the court where both teams were huddling as the match was about to begin.
Beside him, Teshii sat upright and still, scanning the scene with the detached curiosity of a man trying to solve a puzzle.
"So…" Teshii said slowly, brow furrowing, "how does this sport work?"
Hikaru turned to Teshii, completely dumbfounded.
"Wait… you don't know the rules?"
"Nope." Teshii replied casually.
Hikaru sighed heavily, just as the referee's whistle blew and the match officially began.
The ball shot into the air – a serve from the opposing team.
"Okay, it's six players per team," Hikaru began, keeping one eye on the game.
"You have three in the front row – opposite hitter, middle blocker, and outside hitter – and three in the back row – outside hitter again, libero, and the setter."
Teshii tilted his head slightly, absorbing the information.
"I see. So are Hikari and Rich Girl…"
"Hikari is the libero, and Mei is the setter." Hikaru said.
"And how do you get points?" Teshii asked, genuinely curious.
Hikaru pointed at the court.
"Get the ball over the net and onto the floor on the opponent's side. Each side only gets three touches before they have to send it back over."
He paused, then smirked.
"And no punching, it doesn't count."
Teshii glanced sideways at Hikaru.
"Was that a dig at me?"
"Nope." Hikaru said, a little too innocently.
Teshii turned his attention back to the match, just in time to see the opposition score the first point.
"It looks deceptively simple."
Hikaru leaned back slightly, arms crossed.
"It's not. Trust me." He smirked.
"Positioning, timing, teamwork – one mistake and you lose a point. Plus, the serve? It can absolutely make or break you."
Teshii's crimson glasses gleamed as he narrowed his eyes, starting to take it all in more seriously now.
The whistle cut sharply through the excited buzz of the gymnasium, commanding all attention.
The opponent's server stepped up first, sending a hard, spinning serve screaming toward Hikari's side of the court.
Hikari, crouched low near the backline, locked her eyes on the ball like a hawk.
With perfect timing, she shifted her weight and dug the serve with a clean, sharp bump.
The ball soared upward in a controlled arc – high, steady, and perfect for a teammate.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Mio Takahashi
Age: 24
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Height: 5'5
Weight: 130lbs
Occupation: Professional Volleyball Player
At the front line, Mio stepped smoothly into position, her movements fluid and almost choreographed.
Her hands rose in a flash – confident, decisive.
Without hesitation, she set the ball – fast and low – just inches above the net, spinning precisely into the perfect zone for their outside hitter.
"Now!" Mio shouted.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Rin Uehara
Age: 27
Hair Colour: Yellow
Eye Colour: Blue
Height: 5'4
Weight: 129lbs
Occupation: Professional Volleyball Player
Rin charged forward, her steps like clockwork.
She timed her leap perfectly.
A sharp swing.
A crack of pure impact.
The ball rocketed past the opponent's blockers, slamming into the court with a loud, satisfying thud.
The referee's hand shot up.
"Point! 1-1!"
Cheers erupted from their side of the bleachers.
Rin turned, facing Mio with a bright grin, giving her a thumbs up.
"Nice set, Mio!"
Mio nodded coolly, already preparing for the next play.
Meanwhile, Mei ran toward Hikari, raising her hand for a high-five. Hikari smiled brightly and slapped her hand with Mei's, the crisp sound of their connection adding to the roar of the crowd.
In the stands…
"LET'S GO!"
Hikaru jumped up from his seat, fists pumping the air as he celebrated the point.
Teshii also stood up, clapping his hands enthusiastically.
On the court, Hikari returned to her position and glanced up at the stands – her sharp eyes immediately spotting Teshii.
Teshii saw her, smiled warmly, and waved.
Hikari's cheeks flushed pink as she quickly turned her head back to the court, a small but genuine smile lingering on her lips.
12 Minutes Later…
The scoreboard blinked: 10-10.
The opponent served again – a quick floater aimed low toward the sideline.
Hikari read it instantly, sliding across the court like a shadow. She dug the ball with a sharp, controlled bump, sending it spinning into the air.
"Mei!" she called, her voice steady and clear.
Mei moved without hesitation, positioning herself perfectly under the ball. Her fingers formed the perfect set, flicking it high and tight toward the outside.
"Now, Rin!"
Rin sprinted into her approach, eyes fierce, muscles coling like springs. She launched into the air and smashed the ball down with a powerful cross-court hit.
Boom!
The ball sailed past the blockers–
–but the opponent's libero managed an incredible diving save, barely scraping it back into play.
The opponent quickly scrambled to set up a counterattack – fast, sharp, aggressive.
Their outside hitter surged forward and slammed a spike toward Mio's zone.
Mio, already ready at the net, leapt for the block – but the opponent's shot angled just wide of her fingertips.
The ball zipped past, landing right on the backline.
The referee's whistle blew.
"Point! 11-10."
The scoreboard flipped with a mechanical click.
The opponent was now leading.
"Damn it! The opponent is now winning," Teshii muttered from the stands, frowning.
Hikaru sat down, arms crossed but his expression calm and steady.
"Don't worry, Teshii. Losing the set doesn't mean they've lost the match."
Teshii turned to Hikaru, raising an eyebrow behind the crimson glasses.
"Losing the set? What do you mean, Sunshine?"
Hikaru kept his eyes on the court.
"In a volleyball match, it's divided into four sets. It's basically the team to win three sets. Even if Hikari and Mei's team lose the first set, they still have three more to fight back."
Teshii leaned back in his seat, absorbing the information carefully.
"I see. But… what if both teams win two sets each? What happens after?"
Hikaru turned to him, smiling slightly.
"If that happens, they'll play one final deciding set. Whoever wins that one… wins the match."
Teshii nodded thoughtfully and turned back toward the court–
–just in time to see Hikari performing a stunning diving save, skimming the ball inches above the floor.
10 Minutes Later…
The gym felt heavier now – every rally crackling with tension, the crowd's cheers rising and falling with each point.
The scoreboard glared: 20-19, the opponents holding a slim lead.
The opponent served hard, sending a spinning missile toward the backline.
Hikari moved like lightning, dropping low and scooping the ball cleanly upward.
The pass was perfect – high, centered, and floating right toward Mei.
Hikaru immediately stood up from the stands, cupping his hands around his mouth.
"C'MON, MEI!"
Mei's hands rose.
Every eye followed her – expecting a fast set to Rin on the outside, or a quick set to Mio in the middle.
But instead–
–a flick of Mei's wrist.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Atsuko Okazaki
Age: 25
Hair Colour: Blue with Purple Highlights
Eye Colour: Green
Height: 5'6
Weight: 132lbs
Occupation: Professional Volleyball Player
Atsuki, the team's quiet but lethal right-side hitter, sprinted into position.
"Now!"
With almost no warning, Atsuko slammed the ball across the net – catching the blockers mid-shift.
Boom!
The ball struck the opponent's backcourt untouched, landing clean on the line.
The referee's whistle shrieked.
"Point! 20-20!"
Their side erupted in cheers. Even the normally quiet Atsuko cracked a small, confident smile as she jogged back into position.
Hikari nodded to herself, glancing at Atsuko with admiration.
"Atsuko Okazaki – she's not the loudest voice on the team, but she has the sharpest eye. Where others attack with brute force, Atsuko fights with precision – exploiting gaps, reading defences like an open book, and striking exactly where it hurts the most," she thought.
From the stands–
"LET'S GO, MEI!"
Hikaru shouted Mei's name in celebration for the point, punching the air excitedly.
Teshii turned to Hikaru, one eyebrow raised behind his crimson glasses. "Um… Sunshine. You do know Rich Girl wasn't the one who scored the point, right?"
"Doesn't matter! Mei was the reason they got a point!" Hikaru replied stubbornly.
Teshii chuckled and turned back to the court.
"Right… whatever you say, Sunshine."
6 Minutes Later…
The scoreboard showed 23-24, a set point for the opponents.
Teshii stared at the scoreboard.
"24-23, huh?" He turned to Hikaru. "Does that mean if the opponent scores another point right now, they win the first set?"
Hikaru nodded. "Yeah. But if Hikari's team scores the next point, both teams have to reach 26 points to win."
Then–
The opponent's server bounced the ball once, twice – then launched it high.
The serve cut through the air sharply, aimed toward the far corner.
Hikari sprinted forward, digging it cleanly with a desperate stretch. The ball soared up – a little off-centre, but still playable.
Mei rushed under it, calm ever under pressure, hands flashing as she set a perfect quick ball to Mio in the middle.
Mio exploded upward, swinging hard–
Blocked!
The opponent's double block deflected the spike back toward their side.
Hikari lunged again, this time barely popping it up.
Atsuko took a quick, emergency set over her shoulder toward Rin at the outside.
Rin jumped, spiked–
The opponent's libero dove and miraculously saved it with one-armed dig.
A messy pass flew to their setter – who, without hesitation, quick-set it to their middle hitter.
Smash.
The spike thundered past Mio's late block attempt, slipping just past Hikari's outstretched fingers–
–and slammed into the floor.
Thud.
Silence.
The referee's whistle sliced through the stillness.
"Point. Set. 25-23."
The scoreboard blinked, confirming it.
The opponents had won the first set.
Mei stood tall, steadying her breathing.
Hikari pushed herself up from the floor, jaw tight.
Both teams walked to their benches.
Mio, Atsuko, and Rin regrouped, wiping sweat from their faces.
From the stands.
Hikaru clenched his fist, while Teshii stood beside him with arms crossed.
"So… the first set goes to the opponent, huh." Teshii said calmly.
"Yeah." Hikaru muttered.
Both of them looked down at the team's bench where the coach was already gathering them.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Emi Shimada
Age: 49
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Height: 5'6
Weight: 135lbs
Occupation: Professional Volleyball Coach
"Guys! Emi Shimada's voice rang out, strong and reassuring. "Don't let the first set bring the morale down! We still have three more sets to go."
Hikari, Mei, and the others nodded, determination sparking in their eyes as they formed a tight huddle.
Rin, the captain, stepped forward and spoke:
"Coach is right, guys! We can't let one set decide the whole match. We fought hard. We kept up. We belonged out there."
Her voice dropped slightly, fierce and steady.
"Forget the scoreboard. Forget the crowd. Play for each other. Play for us."
Hikari, Mei, and the rest of the team smiled, a renewed fire burning in their chests after Rin's words.
"We've come too far to back down now," Rin finished, punching her palm lightly. "Let's go show them who we really are."
They threw their hands together at the centre of the huddle.
"One team! One fight!"
Their voices rang through the gym, louder than the crowd.
And just like that – the memory of the first set vanished.
Now, they were playing to win.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!