The squeaks of sneakered feet rang across the gym and Daichi felt a rush of adrenaline come over him as a whistle signalled another point won by the team. They were neck and neck; one misstep away from losing the game, one miracle away from winning it. The sound of a palm smacking the surface of the ball drew his attention and he braced himself as he watched it fly over the net and connect with the arms of a nearby teammate. It rose in the air, meeting the fingertips of their setter, and was then spiked back across to the opposing team. They received it with ease and Daichi cursed as it flew towards him at breakneck speed. It stung when it hit his hands and he flinched, watching it fly away across the net and to the waiting arms the opposing receiver. It was a perfect set up in the face of his own team’s scramble to regroup and he knew this was the end.
A tug in his gut told him otherwise. With wide eyes he watched as the other teams setter passed it their wing spiker, only for the ball to slip seamlessly past a waiting palm and fall gracefully to the ground near the referee’s feet.
The following silence was broken only by the shrill sound of a whistle being blown as Daichi’s team was awarded the point. Beside him someone whooped, stirring the rest of the team from their frozen shock. Cheers erupted from the stands and Daichi watched the other team’s surprise turn to defeat as someone took him by the arm and pulled him into a group hug.
They had won the game.
Daichi was still in shock as he and the rest of his team shook hands with the opposing team. Their coach congratulated them as they walked toward the locker room, patting their backs and singing praises of their improvements within the last few months. Daichi felt a swell of pride as he watched some of their younger members blush at the compliments and patted them on the shoulders as he walked by. After changing, he tabbed through his phone.
[6:47 pm]
[To Asahi] < We won!>
He packed his uniform into his bag and put his sneakers back on, slipping away with the excuse of needing to get back home and help with dinner.
“One day you’ll come hang out with us, Sawamura,” his captain called, but Daichi only laughed in response and waved over his shoulder. He passed the bike rack as he walked away from the gym and felt a ping of regret of never getting a bike to ride to school with. But the year was almost over, so what would it matter. Graduation would be soon and then he’d probably never be back here anyway.
The sky above New Jersey was growing dark as he made his way home on foot and the night air was cool, one of the things Daichi like about late Spring on the east coast. He watched the stars as he walked, searching out constellations and planets as best he could. The sky out here was less tainted by smog and artificial light than in the city, and he relished the ability to see the stars so clearly.
Turning onto his street, Daichi switched from stargazing to staring at the houses as he passed. Inside some he could see families sitting down for dinner or gathered in their living rooms. Inside one he could have sworn he’s seen a young girl alone, stoking the fire, but she had disappeared by the time he turned back to take a closer look. His house stood at the end of a long driveway at the curve of the street and, unlike its neighbors, was dark. Daichi made his way up the drive, shivering as a cool wind blew through. He unlocked the front door and hurried inside, shutting the door behind him with a huff.
“Hello,” he called out into the house, but was met with silence. There was no light except for the small amount of moonlight filtering in through the nearby window. Daichi stood for a second, taking in the stillness of the house, before flipping the lightswitch and flooding the room with artificial light. Squinting, he made his way to the kitchen, noting the lack of note on the counter or fridge. He sighed and took out a bowl and a pack of ramen, setting the kettle on the stove to boil water. He check his phone.
[6:51 pm]
[From Asahi] <isn’t it a bit unfair with you on the team???]
[7:08 pm]
[To Asahi] <it won’t be once oyu come back. Your bad luck will weigh us down for
sure>
[7:08 pm]
[To Asahi] <*you>
[7:09 pm]
[From Asahi] <cruel way to talk to your injured friend]
[7:10 pm]
[To Asahi] <its ur own fault for not landing correctly>
Daichi pocketed the phone as the kettle began to whistle and finished making his ramen, adding the final touch of grated cheese from the fridge to create impromptu “mac and cheese,” something his father had taught him when he was younger.
He sat on the couch, skimming through his phone and chatting with Asahi about volleyball and the upcoming Summer. He felt a pang of nostalgia as they talked about camp; he missed it. His friends and siblings. The activities. Daichi sighed as his phone alerted him of low battery. He rose from the couch and put his dishes in the sink, vowing to wash them in the morning. Slowly he made his way upstairs and into the bathroom for his nightly routine, before turning into his bedroom and falling gracelessly into bed. He kicked off his pants and somehow managed to wiggle out of his shirt, burrowing down underneath plush covers.
Daichi sighed, staring that the small calendar next to his bed. He reached out for the marker next to it and gently crossed out the current day. He counted, flipping to the next page. It was only a few weeks until graduation and then…
