The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

A long silence fell on the court, as everyone stared at the ball in disbelief. Everyone had already counted Ezaki off, thinking that the boy was too exhausted to run, let alone jump. No one expected the boy to emerge in such a critical moment, predicting where the ball would go and killing the game decisively, not giving the opponent one more chance to fight back.

In the end, the first to react there was Ezaki, and it wasn't his usual powerful roar to vent out his emotion.No, right after he realized that the team won the game, the boy felt that all the strength on his knees that was supporting his body collapsed instantly, and it didn't take a long time before he lost all the strength, falling on the spot.

Brugh!

That was when all the Shimo High players finally realized what had happened and reacted.

"Shit! Ezaki, are you okay?!"

"Hey, don't push around like that! Let me check it first!"

"Fuck! Give a way to Miura-sensei! Let him do that!"

For a moment, chaos fell on the court, as everyone watching the Shimo High succumbed to panic. Hell, they didn't even have a chance to celebrate the win properly, more concerned about Ezaki's current state. That was the respect they gave after what the boy had done in this game, carrying the team until the end.

Fortunately, the boy himself had no problem there. No, his fall was just an instant reaction after realizing that everything was over, a sign of relief that he had already done his work. When his mind finally caught up, the boy suddenly chuckled, and then it turned into full laughter, confusing everyone around him.

"So, we win, huh? Hahaha! We win! Why are you guys looking so gloomy like that?! We win! We win! Hahahaha!"

When all the Shimo High players saw that, they sighed in relief, and that was when the tension finally cracked. Smiles spread from one player to another, and then, a full section of laughter exploded there, followed by cheers coming from all around the building. freёnovelkiss.com

"Damn, Ezaki! You scare the shit of us!"

"Hey, you cannot blame him! You only have the right to do so if you could do all the work he had done and could stand still after everything!"

"Hey, that is a fucking joke! No need to be so offensive like that!"

"Woah, Senpai! Slow down!"

In the next second, Ezaki was carried by Hideo on his shoulder, and even the supporters on the stand also gave him a standing ovation. The boy's reaction changed quickly, from dumbfounded, astonished, and embarrassed, to acceptance, and in the end, he just laughed while waving his hand cheerfully. Everyone just shook his head in amusement when they watched his antics, yet not a single one of them stopped or even took a moment to rest. This was the respect that the boy deserved after everything he had done today.

Meanwhile, just like in any other game, there would always be a loser side here, the one who cried bitterly at their opponent's happiness. This time, Shirayuki High had to bear this role even though they were unwilling to do that. Some of the players there started crying, losing all the strength remaining in their bodies. They didn't expect that after fighting for so long, they would meet their end today.

"Sorry, everyone. I mess everything up." Takumi smiled weakly, his hand trembling heavily. It was clear that he was holding back his tears here, not wanting to show any weakness to his teammates. The boy was probably the one who got hit the hardest by this defeat, especially since he was the one who executed the last play that ended up getting blocked by Ezaki. "As expected, I cannot do anything properly even in my last game for the team."

Yeah, it was his last game for the team.

Even though he knew for so long that losing would mean game over for him, when the time came, when the words left out of his mouth, everything hit differently here. Memories flashed through his head, visiting his consciousness one by one. From the first time he entered the team, the first win he had there, the first defeat and the frustrated feeling he suffered, even the first time he captained the team, everything flashed in front of his eyes, letting him know that this was the last piece that would complete the puzzle that he would save as his volleyball career as the proud member of the great Shirayuki High.

When that thought came, he didn't even know tears started streaming down his face.

"Oi, what the hell are you crying about?!" Shun Matsuena came and slapped his back hard. "You have done a good job holding this team together for the entire year! If someone is allowed to make a mistake here, in the play where we have to put our fate, it has to be you! So, don't you dare cry and regret over the last play, okay?! Nobody here is blaming you!"

Kuniyoshi also came, patting his shoulder gently. "Takumi, you are the team's captain. Don't turn your back against them, especially in this moment, okay?"

Facing such an encouragement, of course, Takumi didn't dare to ignore it. He turned slowly, just to find out that all the Shirayuki players, from the main one to those who always supported from the bench, were standing in front of him, waiting for their captain to address them. Some of the players there – Yuya, Kubota, and even the bench players – could be seen sobbing silently, yet they still looked at their captain directly. They were all quiet, letting their captain process everything that was happening there.

Suddenly, all the feelings Takumi had kept inside for years came rushing out. His eyes filled with tears, and he couldn't hold them back. His teammates also started crying, feeling the pain of saying goodbye to their captain.

In the end, facing such a situation like this, there was only one appropriate answer that the captain could give. He stepped back a little, then bowing his body 90 degree, showing his genuine feeling. Most of his teammates there were taken aback by this sudden action, some even felt uncomfortable to see their captain bowing so politely at them like this. However, before they could say anything, the captain was one step faster, shouting so loudly, "THANK YOU, EVERYONE!"

And with that, the game between Shimoyawata High and Shirayuki High finally ended, with the former one winning the ticket to advance through the semifinal phase of the winter tournament.