With the team fully motivated to win the match, they returned to their positions, just like the opposing team.
But this time, it wasn't like the first set.
This time, Hikari, Mei, and the others wore confidence like armour.
From the stands, Teshii noticed their determined expressions.
"Oh?" he muttered, tilting his head slightly. "They seem confident, despite losing the first set."
Hikaru, arms crossed, watched intently.
"Well," he said quietly, "let's hope that their confidence leads them to victory."
As the two exchanged words, the referee blew the whistle sharply – signalling the start of the second set.
15 Minutes Later…
The scoreboard blinked: 10-4
The opponent's server launched the ball high into the air–
But before it could even cross the net properly, Hikari was already moving, reading it like an open book.
"There!"
She crouched low, digging the ball with perfect form.
It shot cleanly toward Mei, who moved as if she already knew exactly what to do.
Mei's hands rose – a quick, practiced motion – but instead of a high set to Rin or Atsuko, she flicked a sneak quick set toward the rear court.
"Kayoko!" Mei called sharply.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Kayoko Matsubara
Age: 26
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue Eyes
Heigh: 5'4
Weight: 129lbs
Occupation: Professional Volleyball Player
Kayoko, the reliable back hitter, sprinted into position, adjusting her angle mid-step.
With flawless timing, Kayoko launched upward and smashed the ball over the blockers–
Aimed deep into the opponent's back corner.
The defenders scrambled – too slow.
Boom.
The ball slammed into the floor untouched.
Point. 11-4.
Their side of the gymnasium erupted into a wave of cheers and applause.
Teshii let out a low whistle and turned to Hikaru with a sly grin.
"Wow, Sunshine! You're a lucky guy – your girlfriend's really good!"
Hikaru nodded in agreement, the pride in his face impossible to hide.
"Yeah!"
Then–
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
His cheeks immediately flushed bright red, and he spun toward Teshii.
"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"
But Teshii ignored him, a mischievous smile curling on his lips as he turned back to the court.
6 Minutes Later…
The scoreboard blinked: 14-8 in Hikari's team's favour.
As Mei prepared to serve the ball, Teshii and Hikaru continued watching the match.
Teshii had finally grasped the fundamentals of the sport–
But…
He still didn't quite understand the specific positions.
He turned to Hikaru.
"Sunshine," he said.
"Hmm?" Hikaru glanced at him. "What is it?"
"Any chance you can explain the positions?" Teshii asked, his expression genuinely curious. "I completely understand how the sport works now, but… I still don't quite get the roles."
Hikaru blinked and then nodded.
"Fine! So…" Hikaru pointed toward his twin sister, Hikari. "Hikari is the libero."
Teshii raised an eyebrow.
"Libero?"
"Yeah," Hikaru explained. "A libero is the first line of defence on the volleyball court. They're mainly responsible for receiving serves and are crucial for the second line of defence against attacks."
"I see…" Teshii muttered, looking back at the court just in time to see the opposition score a point, narrowing the gap to 14-9.
The opposing setter quickly served the ball back toward Hikari's team. Hikari, true to her role as the libero, crouched low, arms steady, and dug the ball cleanly upward.
Then–
Mio's hands rose in a flash, sending a crisp set toward Rin.
Rin charged forward, powerful and fast, her steps perfectly timed. She leapt into the air–
–and slammed the ball across the net.
Boom!
The ball struck the opponent's side of the court, the opposing libero narrowly missing it by inches.
The referee's whistle pierced the air.
"Point! 15-9!"
Hikaru immediately leaped up from his seat in excitement.
"YES!" he shouted, pumping his fist.
Teshii also stood up, clapping enthusiastically as he watched Hikari in action. His eyes gleamed behind his crimson glasses.
"Hikari… you're amazing!" he said, a rare, genuine admiration in his voice.
The scoreboard now flashed: 15-9, with Hikari and Mei's team maintaining a solid lead.
Hikaru was still standing, eyes gleaming, watching every moment unfold on the court.
Teshii sat beside him, observing silently.
His mind whirred, processing everything – but what truly caught his attention was Mio.
Her movements were different from the others. While her teammates flowed and chased every ball, Mio sometimes seemed almost still, merely watching – only moving sharply when the ball came her way.
Teshii turned to Hikaru.
"Sunshine, that Mio girl… her movement seems different from the others."
"Yeah," Hikaru nodded. "That's because she's the middle blocker."
Teshii raised an eyebrow.
"Is she like the defender or something?"
"Yeah, in a way," Hikaru said, explaining carefully. "Their main role is being the first line of defence against the opposing team's hits. Mio has to read the attacks quickly and raise her arms above the net to block their spikes."
"So, it's just a defence-only position?" Teshii asked.
"Not exactly," Hikaru replied. "Middle blockers can also help create quick scoring opportunities. They're crucial for fast plays that catch the opponent off-guard."
Suddenly–
Boom!
Hikari's team scored another point, pushing the score to 16-9.
The scoreboard now flashed: 16-9.
"YES!" Hikaru shouted, pumping his fist.
The big screen above the court showed the replay:
The opposing hitter had gone up for a spike–
But Mio had read it perfectly.
She had leapt high, arms raised over the net, and blocked the spike, sending the ball crashing back into the opponent's court.
Teshii smiled as he watched the replay.
"What a block!"
The play reset quickly with Hikari's team still holding their momentum.
Down on the court, Mei stood ready, bouncing the ball once, then twice, preparing for the next serve.
This caught Teshii's attention.
Curious, he turned to Hikaru.
"So, Sunshine. How about your girlfriend? What's her role?" Teshii asked casually.
Hikaru's eye twitched slightly but answered anyway.
"Mei is the setter," Hikaru said.
Teshii glanced sideways at him.
"I'm assuming Rich Girl is the one that starts the attack?"
"Yeah," Hikaru said. "She's like the team's commander. She decides who attacks, where the ball goes, and how fast or slow the play moves. She has to read the opponent's blockers and her own teammates all at once – and make split-second decisions without hesitation."
Teshii's interest sharpened.
"So in other words… she's the playmaker."
Hikaru nodded and pointed toward the court, where Mei was already moving fluidly into the next setup, calm and composed.
"If Hikari, Mio, and the others are the sword," Hikaru said, "then Mei's the hand that wields it."
Teshii's eyes gleamed faintly behind his crimson glasses, the analogy clicking immediately.
"I see."
Hikaru continued, voice earnest, passionate.
"Good hitters can smash the ball. But a good setter like Mei? She makes it unstoppable."
He paused, then muttered, cheeks flushing.
"And also–"
"Hmm?" Teshii tilted his head, smirking, sensing something interesting.
"CAN YOU STOP SAYING SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND? PEOPLE WILL MISUNDERSTAND!"
Teshii just chuckled, clearly not taking the outburst seriously.
As they spoke, the ball sailed over the net.
Hikari was already there, reading it perfectly.
She dug it cleanly, sending a smooth pass straight to Mei.
Without hesitation, Mei's hands flashed up–
A flawless, lightning-fast set.
Low. Sharp. Perfect.
Mio exploded into the air, hammering the ball through the unprepared opponent's blockers.
Boom!
The referee whistled.
"Point! 17-9!"
The crowd roared in excitement.
Down on the court, Mei didn't even celebrate much. She simply signalled the next formation, already moving with the calm precision of a general plotting her next move.
Teshii gave a rare, genuine chuckle.
"In the game," he said, smiling slightly, "she's an amazing leader. But when it comes to Sunshine…"
He glanced at Hikaru teasingly.
"She's just a very shy girl."
20 Minutes Later…
The scoreboard flickered: 24-19 in favour of Hikari and Mei's team.
It was set point.
Their chance to tie the match.
On the court, Hikari crouched low at the backline, her heartbeat pounding in her ears – not with fear, but sharpened focus.
"One point. Just one more," she thought.
Mei stood calmly at the net, her fingertips flexing lightly.
Even under the crushing weight of the moment, she looked serene – like she had already seen the path to victory mapped out in her mind.
Across the court, the opposing team was desperate.
Their libero wiped sweaty palms on her shorts.
Their captain barked quick instructions, tense and frantic.
They couldn't afford a mistake – but neither could Hikari's side.
The referee raised his hand.
The serve whistled through the air – a fast, risky shot aimed toward the far corner.
Hikari moved without hesitation, instincts sharpened by countless hours of practice.
"Got it," she thought.
She slid across the polished floor, digging the ball cleanly.
It soared in a perfect arc toward the setter's zone.
Mei moved into place, her steps light, precise, measured.
The opposing blockers tensed, watching her hands, trying to predict her next move.
Mei feinted a quick set toward Mio at the centre – the blockers bit, leaping too soon.
But at the last moment, Mei's hands flicked expertly, sending a flawless back set toward the right side instead.
Rin was already charging.
The crowd collectively gasped.
Rin's eyes blazed as she leapt, time slowing for just a second – the world narrowing to the ball, the swing, the perfect window.
BOOM!
The spike cracked against the floor, just inside the sideline – untouched.
The referee's whistle split the air.
"Point! Set, 25-19!"
The gym exploded with noise – cheers, clapping, stomping feet shaking the stands.
On the court, Hikari let out a rare, triumphant shout, pumping her fist hard into the air.
Mei smiled slightly, her calm composure softening at the edges as she clapped her hands once in quiet victory.
Rin landed on her feet, roaring toward the bench, pumping both fists like a boxer after a knockout punch.
Mio grinned broadly, high-fiving Kayoko and Atsuko as they celebrated the turnaround.
From the stands, Hikaru shot to his feet, clapping fiercely, his wide smile impossible to hide.
"YES! LET'S GO, HIKARI! MEI!"
Teshii pumped his fists, shouting with excitement.
"YES! Now… they are tied!"
Then–
RING! RING! RING!
Teshii's phone buzzed aggressively in his fleece pocket.
He pulled it out quickly, glancing at the caller ID.
"Sorry, Sunshine! I gotta take this!" Teshii said hurriedly.
Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
"Who is it?"
Teshii smirked as he stood up.
"Who else but the bossman."
As Teshii left the stands to take the call, Hikaru just watched him go, curious but choosing to focus back on the court.
Back on the court, Hikari and her teammates gathered around the bench in a tight huddle.
Coach Emi wasn't smiling yet. Her arms were crossed, her expression serious.
She knew better than anyone – it wasn't over yet.
"Now that we're tied," Coach Emi said, her voice cutting clean through the gym's roar. "Think of it as 0-0 again. Fight for every single point. No matter what."
Rin, flushed with adrenaline, grinned fiercely.
"Let's end this!"
Hikari met Mei's gaze – silent, steady, resolute.
They understood.
This wasn't about revenge for the first set anymore.
It was about proving who they had become.
They threw their hands into the centre of the circle.
"One team! One fight!"
Their voice boomed louder than the crowd, louder than the doubts, louder than the memory of the first set loss.
Meanwhile, across the court, the opposing team's coach gritted his teeth, face tense with frustration.
He turned sharply to a tall, black-haired, black-eyed girl seated at the far end of the bench.
"I'm making a substitution!" the coach barked.
He pointed directly at her.
"You're coming on!"
The girl immediately stood up, nodding sharply.
"Yes, sir!"
TO BE CONTINUED!!!