» Hiraeth Chapter 10 || Haikyuu AU
❝They will learn how to fly.❞ – an AU where the kids of Haikyuu characters grow their passion for volleyball and face their problems.
Starring our OC’s Hoshi, Minami, and Leo! (don’t worry they’re as fluffy as our babies from Haikyuu but sprinkle in more angst)
With a huge smile on her face, Minami waved goodbye to her family and ran towards the court that was going to hold her first game.
She dodged large groups of people, passing by other teams, all who looked terrifying to fight against. Their gazes would land on her as she ran by, eyes widening when they read ‘Karasuno’ on her uniform. They would turn to gossip to their fellow teammates.
Minami ignored them— they didn’t know anything, and they weren’t her problem until they were on opposite sides of the court.
Approaching the door, she saw Kaori waiting out in front of the door, head swiveling around the room frantically looking for Minami.
“Whats up?” Minami asked, walking towards Kaori, slowly peeking her own eyes into the court.
“Looking for you,” Kaori replied, a smile breaking out when their eyes met, “they’re warming up so we should get going too.”
Minami nodded, walking through the door following Kaori.
When her foot crossed the threshold she had to blink her eyes, temporarily shielding them from the blinding burst of bright lights shining on the large crowd of people up in the stands. The floors were shiny and glossy, looking down, she saw her reflection staring back at her. Glancing back up, she saw their banner flying in the air with her family right behind.
Hinata and Kageyama waved, with Leo besides them unsure as to why he was there.
She waved back, ignoring the pang in her heart when she saw Leo’s hazy eyes. But soon, those eyes disappeared when he sent Minami a small smile.
Grinning, she approached the team with the girls stretching and preparing for the long game ahead.
“Would you look at that, our first year duo finally decided to join us!” Riki called out from the floor, with her legs sprawled out in a split. She jumped up in a flourish, slowly making her way towards the two, “you guys ready?”
Minami excitedly nodded walking towards their coach who carried a clipboard, repeatedly checking her notes. The team huddled around her as she spoke, “okay, we all know we’re playing against Takagi High School,” looking at the girls who stared back at her with their eyes aflame. The Coach looked at everyones eyes and grinned in relief, “you guys will do great. Fly high!”
They nodded as the Coach stepped out of the group, prompting the captain to step up in her place. Yumia sighed, calming her nerves down as her eyes focused, “this is our first game and from what we’ve gathered, our opponent can be hard to play against.”
Yumia stopped talking, letting her words sink in, before suddenly yelling, “but that won’t stop us from winning, will it?” she cheered with a strong resolve.
“Yeah!” everyone answered.
“We’re not going home after this game, got it? Now come in.” Everyone placed their hands on top of one another, anticipating what was to come.
Minami held her breath— she was finally here, experiencing a real game! Something Minami spent her whole life practicing for. Something she will learned to love.
Minami felt the gaze of everyone on her back, promptly ignoring them, as her mind only focused on the victory she was certain she would receive.
Exhaling, she smiled. Her teammates knowing what was going to happen made no effort to stop Minami, knowing that nothing would get in her way. Instead, on a count of 3, they joined her cheer.
“GO KARASUNO!” the team shouted, bringing their hands up into the air.
The crowd was loud, the screams evident from all schools.
Walking onto the court, Minami couldn’t help but shiver, the raw feeling of anticipation and exhilaration coursed through her.
It was terrifying, this feeling, but it only further fueled her desire to show everyone why she deserved to fly on the court.
Both teams lined up on the opposite sides of the court and bowed. Ayami approached Takagi High’s captain, the coin flipped in the air and landed on heads, Yumia walked back satisfied. “We’re serving first,” she called out, to which Coach flashed her a thumbs up.
Minami walked up to the net, mouth open in awe, seeing the glistening white of the net that towered above her.
Violet situated herself next to Minami, sending her an encouraging smile. Minami stared back at everyone, the black and white uniforms all blending together to become a unified front.
She exhaled, closing her eyes, settling her nerves, and reminding herself that her family was in the crowd, she looked for them and when her eyes landed, she saw huge grins of happiness. Hinata was yelling “good luck” to which Kageyama struggled to calm him down. Minami laughed as the little ordeal seemed to knock all her fears out of the way.
“Give em hell Captain!” Riki yelled, a smirk on her face, her knees bent, ready for whatever was about to happen.
Yumia stepped forward, the ball thrown high into the air, her hands immediately colliding with it. The ball quickly flew into the other side of the court, prompting the enemy libero to dive for it. “Got it!” the libero called out, the ball landing in her arms. It was then bumped towards their setter who set it towards the spiker in front of Minami.
Minami watched the entire interaction in bliss, seeing the ball fly through the air, and waiting patiently for the perfect time to jump. She glanced at Violet who told her to wait. As they both eyed the ball, the enemy team’s spiker jumped with both Violet and Minami following in response.
Minami cried out cheerfully as the ball collided into her hands, “one touch!”
Ivy ran towards the ball, bumping it towards Ayami who was assessing the situation.
The crowd was on edge, waiting for someone to score the first point.
Ayami sent Minami a glance and nodded, her hands already in the air, ready to toss.
Minami backed up then bolted forward. Her arms pushed back, lifting her legs off the floor. Her hand hit the ball perfectly, making it slam down on the other side of the court, cutting the silence that accompanied the crowd’s anticipation.
Minami dropped to the ground and looked around seeing everyone staring at the spot where the ball landed. The court was silent as they awaited for the referee’s call.
The whistle blew, piercing the air, as the referee pointed towards Karasuno.
Sound seemed to explode out of nowhere with everyone celebrating their first point.
Minami laughed as Riki and Violet patted her on the back. Kaori cried out from the side, cheering loudly.
She turned her head towards the stands, meeting Hinata’s and Kageyama’s eyes that looked back at her with fondness.
Leo still sat in his seat, eyes wide. Minami didn’t think much of it, letting the thought go in favor of jumping towards her team in happiness.
“Keep this up guys!” Coach called out from the bench, sending a smile towards Minami.
Minami’s body seemed to overflow with euphoria. Yes, it was only one point but it mattered. She knew that the momentum was on their side now.
Minami peered at her hands, a blossoming color of red seemed to cover her skin. She clenched her hands into a fist.
This was their game, and she was going to win it.
Yumia resumed her spot, the ball thrown high into the air once again as it flew through the air.
The enemy captain dove for the ball, but it landed awkwardly on her arms, bouncing it in the opposite direction. It landed gently on the ground, signaling the second point for Karasuno.
Riki whistled, “damn how hard did you hit that?” she asked, facing Yumia. Ayami from the front studied the other team, her eyes calculating as if unsure of what just happened.
“It’s still our point, but stay on guard,” Yumia called out, the ball returning back to her hands. Minami turned back around, the other team patiently waiting. “Hm,” muttered Violet.
“Is something wrong Violet?” Minami asked.
Violet responded, her eyes still on the other team, “well what do you think about this Minami?”
“I’m not sure, but Yumia’s serve shouldn’t have done that,” Minami replied, thinking hard to herself.
“Maybe they’re trying to get through defending fast enough and then go hardcore on attacking?”
Violet’s lips thinned, “wouldn’t it be easier to get a point then and end our attacks?”
Minami nodded, now unsure of what to think. But this new revelation further stroked the fire within her reminding her it was an obstacle that they needed to overcome in order to win.
The ball once again flew over the net, the libero bumping it over to the setter who set it over to the middle blocker. Violet jumped in response, but grimaced when it landed on the ground besides her.
Minami dove, her fingers brushing the ball before it landed on the ground along with Minami, whose arms were outstretched at the ball in front of her. Her fist collided onto the floor in anger. Minami looked up to see bleakness in Violet’s eyes and her hands outstretched for Minami.
Minami grabbed her hands, pulling herself up to look at Violet, “it’s not over yet.”
Violet stayed silent but responded, “it’s not over till we win.”
Rotating around, now with Minami in the middle, she watched as the spiker from before served the ball over.
“Got it,” called out Riki, knees bending to receive the ball and bumping it over towards Ayami.
“Ivy!” she called out as she set the ball high into the air. Ivy ran up to meet the ball, hands slamming it as the wall that formed in front of her prevented the ball from falling onto the ground. “One touch!” they called out.
The setter’s hands were already in the air when the ace began to jump from behind the attack line. The ball soared through the air before the ace spiked it down in front of Riki who scowled.
The force was so strong, that the ball dribbled down the court in a matter of seconds.
“They were waiting this entire time,” Ayami said, her eyes focused on the celebrating team, “we have to end this or else we’ll be punished.”
Yumia stood with her arms crossed, “they were testing us.”
Yumia sighed, “we’re not some remarkable team but I think,” her eyes landed on Minami, “they saw who happened to be on our roster and got curious.”
“So those first two points mean nothing?” Riki yelled, frustration coursing through her words.
Yumia shook her head, “of course they count, but we’re here to prove ourselves, so stay on guard and help each other.” She turned around to face the other team, “I meant what I said earlier, we’re not going home till we win.”
“Or lose,” quipped Ayami.
Yumia gave an exasperated sigh, followed by Minami who let out a giggle, the tension finally dissipating from the team.
Time blurred in Minami’s mind as her eyes darted all over the court.
The cogs in her mind continually rotated, coming up with new ideas to keep the game in their favor.
The times when she would glance at the scoreboard, she would wonder where all those points came from. It was all just a blur.
Sweat dribbled down her temple and her breaths were becoming more labored every second, but she was living.
Takagi High was no easy opponent, and she knew. Wiping the sweat off of her brow with her hand, she smirked, her body hunched over from exhaustion.
But she wasn’t done yet and neither was the team.
Their bodies might be tired, but the fire in their eyes still burned as bright as ever.
Her eyes would occasionally flash towards her family seeing Hinata and Kageyama out of their seats cheering, while Leo was staring starry eyed at the court with a slight frown that grazed his lips.
So close, they were so close to winning the first round. Peeking at the scoreboard, it read 23-22. Gritting her teeth, Minami knew the momentum was on their side again.
A resounding thud of a ball landed besides her, the score being flipped to 23-23. “Sorry,” Minami muttered, as she eyed the spot the ball had landed on.
“Don’t mind! Pick up the next ball!” Yumia yelled over. Nodding, Minami resumed her focus. They were so close, so close to winning the first set, and then the set after that as well.
Sighing for a brief second, Minami remembered a game she played with Leo out on their lawn with Leo believing that he would win— but he didn’t.
“Damn, I jinxed myself didn’t I?” he sheepishly said.
“Yup,” a smirking Minami said as she relished in her victory.
Minami smiled, the memory bubbling out of her head. Knees bent, her arms out in front of her ready for the ball, she knew they were going to be okay.
“Ivy!” Ayami yells from across the court. The ball flew through the air in a high arc.
Ivy looked up, legs bent, her right arm preparing to hit the ball. “Get the last point Ivy!” Riki yelled, her booming voice calling out to her fellow teammate.
Ivy slammed hard down against the ball as it ran right into the arms of the blockers. “Shi-” escaped her lips when she realized the ball was going to land on their own side and there was nothing she could do.
A grunt soon rang out from next to her as Minami’s knees buckled in order to pick up the ball in the short amount of time she had.
Minami’s eyes met with Ivy’s, “go get it ace,” she said, grinning as the ball flew upwards towards Yumia.
Ivy nodded, backing up and preparing her run. Yumia proceeded to bump the ball back towards Ivy as her arms flew back into the air.
Legs off the ground, arms back, a powerful force made the ball collide into the ball, landing with a loud thump.
Minami finally saw the shit-eating grins of their opponents dissipate.
Silence followed as the court waited for the answer.
A whistle blew through the air.
Karasuno had won their first set.
The team trudged to the side where Kaori and Haori were waiting, the latter averting with little care. “You guys did it!” Kaori said enthusiastically as she helped hand out water bottles.
“We still got one more to win,” sighed Ivy as she rolled her shoulders.
She turned to face Minami, “thanks for that save back there.”
Minami grinned, “that’s what a team is for.”
Quickly drinking the refreshing water, Minami turned towards the stand, seeing the way her family flail their arms in the air.
Smiling, her body shook from the adrenaline. The quick rest helped refuel her energy and even if part of her was tired, the rest still wanted to go out and play.
They wanted to keep fighting.
They wanted to stay on the court for as long as they could.
The whistle blew, signaling the end of their rest period, and with a hop in her step, Minami walked back out into the court.
Minami stretched her body out, awaiting for the beginning of the game.
A whistle blew from the referee, but instead of the game starting, Minami turned to see Kaori standing with her hands up, a white pad with the number five on it.
Violet walked over and held the pad and switched off of the court.
Kaori sighed as if hesitant to be on the court.
Minami walked over, patting her on the back, “you got this, buddy.”
Kaori nodded, letting Mianmi’s words settle into her head. Her eyes seemed to glow brighter, walking over to the serving spot with the ball in her hands.
And soon the whistle blew, the second set beginning, the eyes of the crowd watching, waiting to see who would become the victor.
