Just Being Alive Is Amazing: Starting Life Over in a Chastity-Reversed World - Chapter 192: Spring High & New Encounter

Chapter 192: Spring High & New Encounter

It’s early January, just past New Year’s. I’m at the volleyball national tournament venue with Satsuki-san, Mei-san, and Moka-san. It’s the place with the iconic orange court you see on TV and SNS.

“Arisa, Honami-san, do your best.”

“Yup! Aiming for the championship!”

“I’ll show my best!”

Arisa and Honami-san are pumped, full of energy.

“Takuya ♡ give everyone a high-five for motivation ♡”

“Yup, got it.”

As usual, I high-five all the team members to boost their spirits. It’s been our thing, almost a routine now.

Our school’s seeded again, so today’s their second-round match.

“It’s kinda chilly~”

Arisa and Honami-san are bundled up to stay warm. Satsuki-san and I are okay since we run hot.

“The level’s high…”

“Yup… can’t let our guard down.”

They eye the court from afar, sharpening their focus. Not nervous—there’s a spark of fighting spirit in their eyes.

The previous match ends, and it’s time for Keisei High’s turn.

“Arisa, Honami-san, go get ‘em.”

““We’re off!””

I send them and the team to the court, moving to a good viewing spot. I’m the one getting nervous.

The referee’s whistle blows, and the opponent’s serve starts the match.

As expected, they target first-year Arisa. But she’s seasoned from facing tough schools. She doesn’t crumble, passing the ball to the setter.

Our setter’s short but a master at tossing—outsmarting blockers, I’ve seen her dodge multiple times.

The first toss goes to our scorer, the third-year opposite.

A fierce spike from the right side scores Keisei High’s first point.

The serve shifts to Keisei, and the ball goes to Arisa, our big server.

She glances at me, winks, tosses the ball high, jumps, and smashes it into the opponent’s court. The serve blasts past their arms, nearly reaching the second tier.

Keisei takes two quick points, gaining momentum, but the opponent calls a timeout to break the flow and reset.

After the timeout, Arisa’s serve resumes the match. They’ve set a four-player defense now.

Still, Arisa’s powerful serve disrupts them. They barely return it, sending a weak ball back.

“Chance ball!!”

The libero receives, the setter sets, and Honami-san slams it over the block.

Arisa and Honami-san high-five, and I’m thrilled. They look my way, seeming relaxed.

Piling up points steadily, Keisei High wins the second-round match, advancing to the third.

“Phew~ ♡ We won, we won ♡”

“Arisa-chan, great serves ♡”

“Yup ♡ Honami, nice spikes and blocks too ♡”

“Good job, both of you.”

We high-five to keep the vibe up, then I head with Arisa and Honami-san to the merchandise area.

“Takuya ♡ what’re we getting? ♡”

“Let’s get these—they’ve got sizes for everyone.”

“Sweet~ ♡”

We buy matching T-shirts and check out. This time, they let me pay—as a celebration for their A-team promotion.

“Oh, Komine, right?”

“Oh! Aju!”

As we finish shopping, someone calls out to Arisa. Probably a friend—Arisa’s had tons of practice matches.

“Aki-chan, good work.”

Honami-san greets her too, using casual speech, so they’re the same age? She’s about my height, with flaxen short hair tied back—small for a volleyball player.

“Takuya, this is Mimori Aki. From a school in Osaka. Same age.”

“Oh, you’re Komine’s husband? Mimori Aki, nice to meet ya.”

“Nice to meet you…”

She speaks thick Kansai dialect and offers a handshake, so I take it. Satsuki-san and Mei-san are behind me like guardian statues—any trouble, and they’d probably strike… twice.

“…I ain’t washin’ this hand.”

“That’s gross, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Y’all might be fine, but for someone like me, this meetin’ might be my last.”

“Fufu ♡ It’s not the last, Aki-chan ♡”

“Huh?”

“‘Cause we’re coming back next year ♡”

“Oh, Honami, that’s good ♡”

True, for Honami-san, aiming for nationals again, it’s not the end. That’s bold for her—surprising and cool.

“Ho, ya say that? Then bring your husband next year too.”

“Yup. So you can’t lose either, Aki-chan.”

“Obviously! Well… uh…”

“Oh, I’m Izumi Takuya. Nice to meet you, Mimori-san.”

“Nice to meet ya, Izumin.”

Aki-san grins wide, saying, “Got a match later. Come watch,” and tells us her school’s name, Harabi High.

“Then, Takuya, let’s watch Aju’s match!”

“Got it.”

The tournament’s first and second rounds are today, third tomorrow, over about a week.

Aki-san’s team is almost the opposite of ours—they’d only meet in the final. Their match is in the sub-arena, so we head there.

“Why’s she called Aju?”

“Oh, Aju’s just Aki read differently. The ‘ju’ from tree.”

“Gotcha.”

A nickname, like her calling me “Izumin.”

“There’s Aki-chan. Look, the one in a different uniform.”

Honami-san points to Aki-san in a white uniform while others wear black.

“She’s a libero.”

“Yup, so she’s small.”

“Not small, average, right? Don’t say that, she might be sensitive.”

“Uuu… Takuya scolded me…”

Arisa’s kinda blunt with Aki-san, almost mean.

Aki-san notices me and waves, so I wave back. Her big smile makes it worth it.

As a defensive player, Aki-san receives tons of balls. Diving, rolling—her athleticism shines.

She picks up everything, frustrating the opponent’s spikers, who get irritated. It’s a sticky, relentless defense.

“Man~! I almost feel bad for their spikers!”

Arisa, a spiker herself, gets Aki-san’s toughness, scratching her head.

Harabi High dominates, as expected from a seeded team.

“Aki-chan’s school lost to us last time, got second.”

Honami-san explains, checking the bracket. They’re a championship contender, though our school’s the top dog.

“How was it, Izumin?”

“Amazing. Your defense was so solid…”

“Right? Our school wins with tough defense. Know what it means to be a libero there?”

“You’re the ace?”

“Exactly! I’m the defensive ace!”

Aki-san puffs out her chest proudly. Same height as me, no intimidation, but she feels big after that match.

“Hmph! We beat you, though!”

“I ain’t losin’ this time!”

Sparks fly as they glare, rivals through and through. Arisa’s ahead, maybe?

“What’s Izumin think of liberos? Cool?”

“Yup, I think they’re cool.”

“Ho, really? ♡”

“Too bad~ ♡ Takuya loves outside hitters best ♡ Right, Honami? ♡”

I’m so into outside hitters, Honami-san might switch positions…

“Yup ♡”

“What! …Just bein’ nice, huh…”

“Not being nice. I love outside hitters most, but liberos are cool too.”

“Izumin… ♡”

“Takuya’s so kind~ ♡”

“You can tell from one meetin’! You’re a good guy! Too good for Arisa, maybe?”

Aki-san grins, teasing Arisa back jokingly.

“Well, gotta head back. See ya~ ♡”

We say bye to Aki-san and return to our bench. The second round’s wrapping up, and it’s almost time to leave.

“Too good for me, huh~…”

“No way, Arisa. It’s the other way around.”

“That’s not true!”

“Fufu ♡ You’re perfect for each other to me ♡”

“Honami and Takuya are perfect too ♡”

We playfully argue who’s perfect for who, and the day’s matches end. Arisa and them board the bus to the school dorm for meetings. We high-five before they leave.

“Takuya~ ♡ Give us a pep talk before bed ♡”

Arisa calls before sleep, post-meeting, with the whole team on the line.

“Um… today’s match was amazing… I’ll be there tomorrow. Do your best.”

““““Yeah! ♡””””

I hear them huddle and cheer. With this vibe, they’ll nail tomorrow’s match too.