"Hey Jodie! Are you okay? You're sweating like crazy!"
Hoshizaki ran up to me and patted my back. Kimura jumped off her chair and handed me a bottle of water. I accepted it gratefully and drank almost the entire bottle in one gulp.
Even though Sumikawa was on the other side of the court, I could still notice her somewhat cocky look.
"Ha! I knew it! You're not the famous Jodie Josselyn after all!"
What happened to her pure soul?
"Am I really that well-known even on the other side of the earth?"
I coughed multiple times. Sumikawa walked over to me and appeared to be scrutinizing my body.
"Stop staring, please… I haven't played any sports since elementary…"
I wasn't embarrassed because she was looking at my body; I was ashamed that I had let myself go without caring for my physical state.
"Kimura. Hoshizaki. Can I talk with Jodie for the remainder of the day?"
I tilted my head, slightly confused. Kimura and Hoshizaki looked at each other and then back at us. They nodded their heads.
"Sure, but make sure to come back tomorrow after school!"
She took my wrist in a slightly painful grip. I could see how she and Hoshizaki were related.
"Where are we going, Sumikawa?"
"To the cafeteria. I'm going to stuff you with food."
"Huh?!"
What is it with these sudden personality swaps today?
"Hey! I can feed myself—!"
"Just eat! We have to put some meat on those skinny bones!"
Sumikawa shoved a spoonful of chicken curry mixed with rice into my mouth. It was really hot. I resisted the urge to spit it out and had to take in this beautiful moment.
I was being fed by a beautiful girl. I could admire her beauty for days—.
"Another!"
"Wait a second—!"
Another spoonful. Then another. Then another. Then I lost count.
"I think I'm going to throw up…"
"Ah, sorry…"
Yeah, never mind. I'm never going to fall for this girl for as long as I live.
At the moment, Sumikawa was patting my back as we both sat on a bench in a nearby park after school ended.
I barely hung onto my sanity as my stuffed stomach took hold of consciousness.
"I'm going home…"
"Eh?! What about the training?!"
"Do you want me to throw up on you?"
"…"
"That's what I thought."
I stood up from the bench, clenched my incredibly full stomach, and left the park.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this, but my uncle owns a bakery, which is why he's almost never home. Our home is above the bakery he owns, but he doesn't usually finish his shift until at least midnight.
Because of that, I've made an effort to maintain the home above while he maintains the income below.
***
"Uncle! I'm home!"
"Ah! Jodie! How was school, my boy?"
Uncle exited the back of the bakery shop wearing an apron and the bakery's signature cap. It was a white cap with black stripes that conjoined at the top to form a unique pattern.
"Tiring…"
"Did you make any friends?"
"Hm. I guess you could say I did? I joined a club."
"Really?! What club?!"
Uncle leaned over the counter with wide eyes.
"Just the volleyball club…"
"T-The volleyball club?"
Uncle stuttered for some reason. It made me curious. Why did he stutter? Was there a reason?
"Is something wrong, Uncle?"
"I'm just so happy you're making friends, Jodie…"
Uncle wiped away some hidden tears in his eyes.
"Sorry. I won't be able to get off early tonight, so just make what you want."
"Ah. I understand, Uncle. Have a good night."
"Night, Jodie!"
I entered through the back way of the bakery and took some stairs to the upper floor where our house was.
I sighed and leaned against the door as I closed it, muttering softly, "I think this stomach ache is dying down… thank goodness! I thought I was going to die."
Tossing my backpack across the room and perfectly landing it on the couch, I rolled up my school uniform's sleeves.
"What should I make for dinner tonight then? Ugh… I'm still pretty full, so maybe something simple. Ah! The rice isn't bad, so I'll just make spam."
***
Then, the last bell of the school day rang. I debated whether to go to the club or not.
It's not out of pity that I joined; I just really love volleyball. This is probably my only opportunity to play it for the first time in four years.
And I also want to improve my body. I was completely drained yesterday after Hoshizaki pulled me to the gym and tried to receive Sumikawa's jump serve.
"Man, I'm pathetic…"
I stood outside the gym door.
What will happen today? Maybe I'll be able to regain my skills I used to have? Then again, I think I was nine years old when I last played officially, and now I'm a first year.
Whatever. I just want to play volleyball. Nothing more or less.
I cautiously opened the sliding door and Hoshizaki immediately saw me. He was practicing his setting skills by continuously setting the ball against a wall near the entrance.
"Eh?! You actually came, Jodie?!"
I entered the school gym, already changing my shoes to something appropriate for the sport.
"Of course I did. I want to play volleyball."
"It's like you did an entire 180 on us!"
I looked towards the spot where Kimura sat yesterday.
"Hm? Is Kimura-senpai not here?"
"Ah, she just didn't feel like coming today."
"What about Sumikawa?"
"She was here earlier, but said she had to run and get something from her class. So it's just me and you for the time being. Wanna practice a bit?"
"Hey, let me stretch a bit at least. I haven't touched a volleyball in four years. And workout…"
I muttered the last part, but it was sadly true.
I started my warm-up by jogging around the gym at a steady pace while occasionally drinking a cup of water.
The regime I used when I was nine consisted of these workouts:
————————————————————
• Eight Jogging Laps Around the Court
• Rest
• Hip Crossover (Both left and right, respectively)
• Hamstring Stretch
————————————————————
There was only one problem with that workout… I'm already sweating on the third lap of my jog!
Both panting and sweating furiously, I eventually collapsed near my bag on the ground and drank all of the water in my bottle.
Hoshizaki ran up to me not long after.
"Hey! Don't push yourself, Jodie!"
He knelt in front of me and slapped my face multiple times to make sure I was still awake and not dead.
"Stop slapping me! I'm just a bit tired!"
"Okay! I'm going to get some more water for you. Don't move."
Hoshizaki grabbed the water bottle out of my hands and quickly left.
I sighed and sat against the wall of the gym, grabbing my backpack close to myself as a makeshift pillow.
"Man… I'm so weak…"
I felt a hot breath against my neck. I flinched and saw Sumikawa on her knees. Her lips were three inches away from mine.
Instinctively, I pulled back and flipped backward and looked like a complete idiot while doing so.
A loud howl of laughter came from Sumikawa after.
"Pft! What the hell was that?!"
"W-What the hell were you doing, huh?!"
I retorted. I could feel my face reddening. What is this feeling? It's not love, that's for sure. Is it pleasure?
"I was trying to examine that lump on your forehead!"
"Lump?"
I reached for my forehead and rubbed the right corner of my hairline.
"Ah… I got that when I was running around my house as a baby, and I accidentally ran into the table."
"Pft, what?! That's hilarious!"
"Shut up! It hurt a lot!"
Damn it! How is this girl of all people teasing me?!
I pulled my legs to my chest as I sat against the gym wall once more after getting up properly. I noticed that Sumikawa was carrying the same water bottle I had.
She probably uses the same brand.
"Ah! Here's your water bottle!"
Sumikawa pushed the ice-cold water bottle against my neck and I shivered.
"Gyah! What the, Sumikawa?!"
"Kya! Sorry! I just had to! I've always seen that type of stuff in mangas and wanted to see if it works or not. It does!"
"Anyways, why do you even have my water bottle?"
I grabbed my bottle and immediately took a giant sip. My thirst was dying down.
"When I was walking back after doing something important, I saw Aki running through the halls."
"Aki?"
"Ah, Hoshizaki's first name."
"Oh yeah. You two are cousins. I completely forgot."
"Anyways, he ran up to me and was like…"
***
"Hoshiko! Could you fill this bottle with cold water and give it to Jodie? I have to do something really important!"
["Who's Hoshiko?"]
["That's my first name."]
["I see. Please continue."]
"E-Eh?! Why are you asking me so suddenly?"
"Just please do this for me, Hoshiko!"
***
"That was pretty short, no? Was there really a need for the asterisks?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Never mind…"
"Anyways, that's how we got to this moment!"
I envied her cheerful personality.
"What about Hoshizaki? Didn't sound like he was okay."
"Aki? I'm not sure of the details, but it's probably between him and Kimura."
"Are they a couple?"
"They used to be back in middle school, but I'm not sure why they broke up."
I took one last sip of cold water before placing it down beside me. I looked towards Sumikawa, who had an odd expression on her face. It was a mixture of excitement and worry.
"Uhm… I might regret this, but wanna play some volleyball?"
But once those words left my mouth, she immediately took hold of my hands in a tight grip and spoke like a child on Christmas Eve.
"Yes! I've always wanted to play against you since that day! You know, you're pretty good. It took me a week to realize that you're a pretty solid player.
"What do you mean?"
I shouldn't be "good." I mean, I ran out of stamina on my third jogging lap.
"When I spiked my jump serve towards you a week ago, I didn't notice how you change your receiving form. Even though the ball curved last second, if it didn't, you would've bumped that serve perfectly."
I wasn't sure what to say. Perhaps the shock was too much.
'Eh?! Did I do it instinctively?! Could there still be a chance that the years of volleyball in me weren't for nothing after all?'
"Why are your eyes shining like that, Jodie?"
"You're the best, Sumikawa!"