6

Ushijima clicked his tongue, remembering yesterday. The call with the coach left him confused and speechless for that matter. She played before? In a team, with that height? Maybe during Elementary, but the coach said she was scouting Yoshikami for a year now. It was during her third year in middle school.

The tall teen rolled over on his futon, staring at the wooden walls in confusion. That jump and power behind the spike wasn't a fluke. It looked like she practiced until she could do it perfectly. Even he knew that. After all, his father taught him the basics until it was embedded into his body.

And for someone as short as Yoshikami, she could jump.

Ushijima felt the heat rush to his face remembering what had happening yesterday morning at the nurse's office. He wasn't that kind of person- he never even had a girl to like; he focused solely on his studies and volleyball.

His mother took care of that. Five years after he was born, a marriage candidate had already been selected. After all, he was an Ushijima. He pursed his lips at the thought of marrying a girl he never met. He sighed.

He was fine as long as he could play volleyball at the best place possible. Thankfully, Shiratorizawa had both for the mind and for the body. He could hone his knowledge and play his favorite sport without his mother getting mad.

He looked at his hands. It was filled with scars. He managed to make the teachers and everyone else believe they were from playing volleyball. He closed his eyes, remembering he wanted to cover his fingers in bandages.

His mother didn't like it. The sounds of air whizzing by fast were stuck in his mind in replay. He couldn't forget that. Even after ten years had passed.

He sighed, opening his eyes. He didn't really care. It was for the purpose of him growing up to be this way. And he was thankful for that. It was needed.

He sat up and fished out his phone. It was an older model- a flip phone. He only needed it to make calls. His time was taken up by studies and volleyball. He looked at the time- 5:03 A.M. He pursed his lips. Morning practice wouldn't start until six. And he couldn't sleep.

Another sigh slipped past his lips. He fixed up his futon and prepared for the day- packing all his essential things into his sling bag. He bowed at his mother's and grandparent's room then left.

He had no interest in eating breakfast.

He lived at Sendai so he lived remotely close to school. So, he had no need of a bike or a car; he simply needed to walk.

Of course, he was dressed in the usual white shirt and purple shorts, which was washed and dried the night before. The players weren't allowed to wear anything else for practice; unless there was a proper excuse.

He began jogging, even with the bag on his side. He expected to see other people jogging in this fine morning. A couple, an elder,… anyone else but he never expected to run into her. His eyes widened at her small form closing in on him.

Yoshikami was going on the way to his house. She didn't seem to notice him, though her eyes locked with his.

"Yoshikami." He called out to her once she was close enough for him to reach her.

The short girl finally noticed his presence at the sound of his voice and slowed down. "Ushijima-san, isn't it quite early for morning practice?" She looked down at her wrist. "It's still 5:45." She looked up at him in confusion.

The tall teen tilted his head at her. He took note of her appearance for the first time in weeks. She had a sling bag, just like his but smaller hanging on her shoulder. She was wearing his purple jersey and black shorts. It fit her small form, despite it hanging loosely. It just…fit her.

"You're wearing my jersey." He blurted out before it registered into his mind.

He saw her face turn red. "Well, it was really soft…and I wanted to try it out during my morning exercises before returning it you…" She laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. "Of course, after rewashing it again, haha." She coughed. "You didn't answer my question."

Ushijima covered half of his face with palm of his hand realizing what he had just said. The unfamiliar heat brushed his cheeks again, making him more confused. He instinctively looked away.

"I couldn't go back to sleep." He muttered loud enough for her to hear.

Yoshikami nodded in understanding. "I see. Well…" She clapped her hands, looking up at him with a grin. "…I don't want to disturb your morning workout. I'll be heading on my way."

Ushijima snapped his head back at her, eyes wide. "No!" He shouted out his thoughts again.

The short girl jumped and looked at him in shock. He was in shock as well.

He shook his head, wondering what was wrong with him. "I mean, I want to accompany you."

Yoshikami looked genuinely confused. "You…want to accompany…me?" She pointed at him then at her to make sure she heard it right.

Ushijima nodded. "If you don't mind."

Yoshikami pursed her lips before shaking her head. "No, I don't… But what about the other guys?" She meant his teammates.

"I will just explain to the coach about that." He began to jog, looking over at her still body. "Coming?"

Yoshikami nodded in a daze. "Yea…Yea!" She jogged after him. The direction they were going to was the complete opposite where Ushijima was intending to go to. Though, it was the shorter way to Shiratorizawa.

After a few minutes, Ushijima asked what he wanted to ask since earlier. "So, you have this regime every morning?"

Yoshikami nodded, slightly breathless. "Yea, I've been doing it for about six years. I take breaks every Sunday."

Ushijima's eyes widened. "And why?" She didn't join any sport from what he recalled.

The short girl scoffed. "Just because I don't join any sport doesn't mean I don't want to stay fit."

She nudged his arm, though it didn't really give him much effect.

He nodded. "I see…"

"How about you?" Yoshikami asked. He looked down at her, brow raised. "How long have you been playing volleyball?"

Ushijima looked at the road ahead of him. His house should be down another mile. He answered, "Since my father taught me how to play." His eyes flickered down at the white-haired girl and saw a sad smile on her face. His chest constricted at the sight. Seriously, what was he feeling?

She laughed. A scorned laugh. The sadness in her voice was clear like the pain he felt in his chest. "It must be nice having parents supporting what you love to do."

Ushijima couldn't stop himself from asking. "Your parents don't?"

Yoshikami shook her head. "No… they don't want me to damage my head." She giggled. He didn't know why she laughed. It wasn't funny at all. "Maybe if I was taller, around your height. Maybe they'd have supported me."

'But I'm not.'

Those three words hung in the air and not one word could comfort her right now. Ushijima didn't understand what he was feeling right now- what Yoshikami is making him feel. He had never felt this way before.

He raised his arm, but hesitated. What was he trying to achieve? He knew for himself that Yoshikami playing volleyball was a lost cause. He should have felt insulted that someone as short as her was trying to prove something- someone who hadn't even went through the same grueling training he had to achieve the skill he has right now. Maybe if it was the him from days ago.

However, right now, he wanted to comfort her.

The hesitation nulled as he raised his hand and patted her head. It was soft, fluffy- like patting a pillow before one would sleep- and felt smooth to the touch.

"I'd support you." The words slipped out of his mouth. Now, it was not sudden. He really meant it.

Yoshikami came to a stop from jogging, looking up at him wide-eyed. Ushijima stopped as well, but didn't turn his back to her. This unfamiliar feeling…he just wanted to know what it was. And the only way to understand it was doing this.

The wind flowed against them slowly. It was as if time slowed down just for the both of them.

"What…do you mean?" Her voice betrayed her from staying her strong. She clenched her fists to her side. "You're just joking, right?" The quiver in her voice could be clearly heard. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she shouted, "Just what did you mean by that?!"

Ushijima slowly turned to face her. His eyes were steely, blank of any emotion. Yoshikami couldn't see through the tears, but she kept her gaze locked with his.

He stopped, just a step before her and said the words the short girl wanted to hear for a very long time. She didn't expect it to come from someone she loathed for having everything. From someone she didn't know thought of her as a friend. The tears came pouring out and she covered her face to hide her sobs.

"I said I'd support you. If your parents don't, then I will." Ushijima grabbed Yoshikami by her arm and pulled her into his embrace. Her head landed on his stomach and he felt the tears wet his shirt. "What I said before is still true. But now, you have me." Yoshikami looked up at him with her brows furrowed. He smiled, though it looked quite weird for him. "I'll help you train."

She grinned up at him and giggled. "I'm glad to have met you, Ushijima-san." Ushijima pulled her back into an embrace. "Eh? Ushijima-san, we should stop now." The heat was spread across his face right now.

"Oh my…so early in the morning…" A passerby whispered to her companion. Thankfully, it was only those two.

"Just wait for a moment, Yoshikami." Ushijima tried hard not let his voice quiver. The heat on his cheeks was hot and flaming. And his heart was thumping loudly.

The short girl flailed around. "You're embarrassing the both of us, Ushijima-san!" Ushijima didn't budge until the redness on his cheeks disappeared.

Critical eyes watched the two from outside her home's gate. Her eyes narrowed at the short girl, eyeing her with distaste and disappointment. That girl was a problem to her, especially her height. If her own son were to choose such a girl to marry, it would be an embarrassment to the family line. She looked away and clicked her tongue.

This was matters she had to take with her own hands.