thirty-four

                                    

                                          
ayako
my phone buzzed in my jacket pocket, as i was leaned over the railing, watching from the stands as hayashi took his place on the starting line for his 400m finals. 
i pulled it out, and my heart skipped a beat when i realized who it was from. 
to: miyazaki from: kageyama
subject: semi-finals 
we got through quarterfinals, and we're facing seijoh in the semi-finals. 
whatever fuzzy feeling i had felt when i first realized i had gotten a text from kageyama disappeared, and now i was just plain worried for him, because of what had happened during the inter high. 
i didn't even reply to his text, i called him straightaway. 
hurrying down the stands to the outside of the stadium where it was quieter, i waited for my friend to pick up the call. 
"miyazaki?" 
"i just wanted to check on you...if you're nervous or anything for the seijoh match. because of what happened at interhigh."   
"ie, i'm fine. we're gonna get to nationals, so we're not planning on losing to seijoh." 
"you sure? but if you get anxious or anything right before the match starts, just call me, okay? there's still a while before my race starts." 
"hai. good luck for your race, miyazaki." 
"arigato, you too. go out there and kick seijoh's ass, okay? remember, it's not a competition between you and tooru-nii. i already think you're a better setter." 
"t-thanks." 
with that, kageyama killed the call, and i slipped my phone back into my pocket, jogging back to the stands to hopefully be in time to see the results of hayashi's race. 
kageyama sounded okay, and i was relieved. 
honestly, i was more worried about the volleyball boys' outcome of today than i was for my finals. 
because if they couldn't get to nationals this spring high, the third-years would have no more chance. 
i let out a long exhale, getting out of my thoughts and back to the meet. 
hayashi had topped finals, cutting his time again. 
i scanned the track below for him, and there i found him, nakamura jumping onto him to squeeze him into a tight embrace. 
despite just completing a full 400m run with that timing, he was still able to catch her, and lift her off her feet. 
i couldn't help but smile. they were both so happy together. 
"they need to stop doing that," sakurai, who was also leaned over the railing next to me, clucked her tongue, also noticing the sight of them before us. 
"they really like each other, huh?" i wondered out loud. 
my upperclassman stretched and arm out to ruffle my hair. "as much as you like that volleyball boy." 
-
i rubbed my palms together, as i waited for the command for the athletes to step forward to the starting line. 
it was always right before the start of the race, where my nerves would start kicking in. 
i started taking deep breaths, assuring myself it was all going to be okay.