𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕦𝕒𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 || 𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕜𝕪𝕦𝕦

𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 - 𝕠𝕟𝕖

         exhaustion

         just as you predicted, suga went in for kageyama. you knew how kageyama hated being subbed out, because he thought it meant he wasn't good enough to play.

        "it's fine," you said as you patted him on the back. "look at me, i'm better than that ugly tsukishima kei, but i'm on the bench. why? because they want me to be a surprise element."

        "i thought you were on the bench because you were sick," kageyama said in confusion.

        "oh, um, well. . ." you stammered. "well, that's only part of the reason. and plus, i'm not really sick. it's just a nasty cough." at the end of your sentence, you launched into a series of violent coughs.

        yamaguchi handed you a water bottle. "are you sure you're alright, senpai?"

        "yeah," you waved him off. "just a little tired."

        you weren't overworking yourself, right? sure, you were staying up late at night studying for upcoming tests this week. and volleyball practice usually went on until seven to eight. the symptoms for overworking were fatigue, insomnia, sickness, and weakness, among other things.

        were you overworking yourself? the thought hadn't occurred to you during your late night study sessions, or tough volleyball practice.

        the match went on until the score was 22 - 15, with seijoh in the lead. unfortunately for karasuno, it was oikawa's turn to serve.

        "let me go in, coach," you rasped out. "only i know how to receive his serves."

        "i don't know," coach ukai said hesitantly. "i can't let you go in with that fever. what if you collapse?"

        "i'm not weak," you hissed. "i won't collapse like some weakling."

        "i can't," coach ukai stated. "maybe towards the end of the game."

        somewhere in you, there was this urge to prove you were the best. maybe it came from your dad always telling you that you had to be the best. maybe it was always being around and losing to talented players like ushiwaka and tooru. maybe it was because tooru said he didn't need you to win.

        you were going to make him eat his words.

        oikawa's serves racked up two points, making seijoh at set point. then, when hinata blocked a spike, it went out of bounds.

        seijoh won the first set.

        "i'm putting you in the second set for sure," coach ukai said. "somewhere at the end. so don't pester me about it, got it?"

        "got it," you sulked, pouting. you looked at the seijoh court and made eye - contact with hajime.

        "are you okay?" he mouthed, them mimicked coughing.