It's September 9th. Yuki and I are heading to the volleybal school club for the first time.
It's kind of late already, and the night will start soon.
"So guys this is Nikko and Yuki. From now on they're going to attend our club." Aito introduces us. Aito is Yuki's friend. She introduced me to him yesterday at lunch. I was just sitting, eating some rice with chicken in the grey diner, and suddenly Yuki comes with this blonde, tall guy. I almost choked on the rice when he talked to me. He's very attractive. Slim, but muscular, and visibly confident.He's 2 years older and studies different fields at this university. I find him very friendly, and just a chill guy.
A weight drops off my shoulders as everybody here is so welcoming. I was scared to go here, thinking I'd be the only small, foreign boy, who will be judged for not being experienced enough. Fortunately, this club is clearly for everyone, and I'm not the only European here!
I have wanted to attend a volleyball club since forever, but I never had the confidence to do so. I was never bad at sports, but people at school made me feel like I was a total failure. They used to laugh at every fail, they were always judging and giggling at me. Not for my skills, but just for my status-the small, quiet boy. When I told Yuki, she was determined to bring my confidence back. Since we first met, she has been practicing volleyball with me everyday. It wasn't even that serious, and so we created some pretty memories together, and got even more comfortable with each other. And now I'm not so nervous, nor stressed. I don't feel exactly confident, but Yuki gave me something else. She subconsciously taught me how to socialise better, and now I'm not so worried about meeting new people. The way she talks to everyone so boldly…
"I'll try my best, but I kinda suck. I've never been to a volleyball club before." I say.
"Oh that's alright. None of us can really play." A sporty guy assures me with a smile.
"Yeah, I barely can serve haha" says a small girl, just a year older than me and Yuki.
"Don't worry, we don't take it too seriously. It's just a few people who want to have a little movement and fun after school." Aito laughs.
In a while the game starts and we begin to play. When I first serve, a wave of slight nervousness hits me. It brings back those memories of when people used to laugh at me for it. I breathe in shakily. I toss the ball into the air, and then smack it with my full strength. It crosses the net successfully. I feel relieved.
It indeed is fun. Nothing and nobody is too serious. Nobody judges me when I make a mistake, because everybody here makes mistakes, and we all learn. With every other serve I'm getting more and more into the game.
Yuki silently supports me with her glances. She knows I've been very anxious about this.
This whole year has been so crazy. Maturita, moving to Japan alone, and having to meet so many new people. My social anxiety has been killing me, but at the same time it got much better with meeting such kind people. All of these big things have been hard for me, but I'm immensely happy for what it gave me. It brought me many real friends and a real peace in my heart.
After like an hour and a half we get kind of tired, and stop playing. We sit in a circle on the cold floor. Few people have to go already, so there's only eight of us left, including Aito and Yuki. The other five are Maya, Daehyun and his girlfriend Naomi, Shui and Tomi. For another hour we talk, getting to know each other. We all attend the same university, but only some of us are from the same field, yet everyone here is friends with everyone. Haha. We laugh and talk about stuff until people have to leave.Even Yuki leaves already, but I stay. I stay as one of the last ones.
It's 9 PM already. It's dark outside and I'm sitting on a bench before the hall/ winter stadium. I'm so sleepy, but I'm smiling,writing all the memories from today in my diary. It has gotten colder. The leaves are flying in a slight wind, the street lamps are giving out their yellowish light,and it smells like autumn here. I close my diary, snuggle up in my hoodie and just observe the world and listen to the sounds of the calm side of the city. It brings back memories of my friends that I used to talk with, under street lamps at night. All the secret we've shared under them, all the-
Suddenly the stadium door opens and a guy walks out. He didn't notice me as the bench is easy to disregard. But I get surprised when I recognize his face.
I met the guy from the crossing like four times already, but it was always on the crossing. Since the first time we've met I couldn't stop thinking about him. His hair, always so soft and free, is now pulled back. Right, It's him.
The new hairstyle only adds to his already attractive appearance.
He keeps walking, heading somewhere.
Should I reach out to him now?