The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

It was the morning Yuki had to go with Kato to the astronomy camp in Gunma, and while usually, at that time, all the children there would've still been on their bed, things were different there. Some of them gathered in front of Yuki's room, staring at their Obaasan fussing around their big brother over everything.

"Have you checked the requirements? Your study report, student ID, and the registration form?"

"I have, and it is on the map."

"Four sets of clothes?"

"Here."

"Blanket?"

"Is it necessary? It is summer, you know?"

"Yes, Dear, it is. The night there will be a nightmare without a blanket."

"Okay."

"Snacks and foods to spend on the road?"

"In the plastic bag."

"Your shower essentials? Shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, and toothbrush?"

"Already inside the bag."

"Well, good! You are ready to go." Aiko smiled in a satisfied manner as she closed Yuki's bag neatly. The small, poor bag Yuki usually used to go to school every day was now bloated with stuff for his three days of astronomy camp, looking like it was about to vomit what was inside at all times. Aiko herself didn't notice – or just ignored – the poor bag and smiled at Yuki. "Now that you are going on a trip with a girl your age, maybe, it is time for me to give you 'the talk'."

"No, no, no, no way!" Yuki shook his head quickly. "No offense to you, Obaasan, you know how much I love you, but I cannot bear to suffer from 'the talk' again." He shuddered at the only memory of his parents he wanted so badly to erase from his brain. "Do you know how many days I cannot look at my mom with a straight face and without blushing like some sort of perv?"

"Aw… Are you sure I cannot do that to you?" She pouted slightly, trying to give her best impression of a stray puppy. Yuki just rolled his eyes at her. If before, he still thought she brought the idea out of care, now the boy was sure she just wanted to tease him. However, the children who were there didn't think so. Looking at their Obaasan's expression, they jumped on their big brother immediately.

"Don't be a meanie, Yuki-nii!"

"Yeah! Apologize to Obaasan!"

"You are so rude!"

"Ow! Hey, don't kick my shin! No, Hina-chan, don't do that! Ow, Mai-chan, don't grab my hair too hard! Obaasan, help me!" Yuki cried desperately as he was attacked by three children at the same time.

"Well, you should've known better to reject my idea," Aiko sniffed, yet the amusement glint on her face told Yuki otherwise. After another round of fighting, which somehow ended with Yuki on the floor while the children were sitting on his back, the older woman finally took pity on him. "Okay, everyone. Have some mercy on your brother. Your Kato-nee will arrive in the next few minutes."

"Kato-nee!" All the girls rose from their spot immediately, rushing and squealing over the door. Yuki coughed a little, groaning as he felt a bit of pain in his back. He glared at the matron for causing this, which she returned with a small giggle. "Real mature, Obaasan. Real mature, indeed." He muttered.

"Okay, I apologize. But you have to admit that it is funny, though. Come here, let me help you do it." It took a few seconds to fix the messiness brought by the children, and Yuki was as good as before. "On a serious note, though, I know there is a slight tension brewing among you two which will definitely break during your time there, so please, don't cross the line, okay?"

Yuki's cheek reddened, trying his best to ignore her words. After a while, the squeals from the children waiting at the door snapped him from his thoughts.

"Kato-nee! You are here!"

"Yuki-nii has been waiting for you! Come on!"

Hearing that, Yuki picked up the bag and laced his shoes immediately. Aiko also rose from her spot, greeting Kato at the door. The girl wore a long-sleeve shirt that was rolled up to her elbows, giving her a sporty look while still being neat. Her jeans fit comfortably, allowing her to move around easily. The excitement shone behind her glasses, showing that she was more than ready to go.

"You look great, Kato-san." Yuki praised genuinely.

"A-Ah! Thank you!" Kato blushed shyly.

Misaki stared at the two lovebirds in amusement before she broke the silence. "Okay, you can sort things out later when you both are alone. For now, let's go!" The two teenagers blushed, yet still followed the girl's mother to her car. After bidding farewell, Misaki brought them to the station as the train would go in 15 minutes.

"Yuki-kun, please, keep your eyes on her, okay?"

"Yes, Misaki-Obaasan."

"Don't let her wander around alone, remind her to eat on time, and don't let anyone bully her."

"Yes, Obaasan."

"Also, don't – "

"Okaasan!" Kato cut the conversation with her face flushed red. "Please, don't treat me like a child!"

"I cannot help it, Dear." The mother smiled fondly. "Although I know you are old enough to go alone, I know how you will forget about everything once something picks your interest. Yuki-kun, please, take care of her, okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied solemnly.

Misaki could only accompany them until the train station, but she didn't forget to bring a lot of snacks that Yuki thought were impossible to finish just for the trip alone. The journey itself took about four and half an hour, similar to when they went to Fukushima. Yuki was surprised to realize that Gunma was farther than he was led to believe.

However, Gunma Train Station wasn't their final destination. After reaching there, they both had to go to the closest bus station and took another one and half an hour of journey before they arrived at the foothills. From there, they had to climb to reach their final destination, Gunma Observatory.

As they climbed over the hill, Kato started to struggle to keep up with her friend. With each step, her breathing became heavier. "I can't believe how steep this is!" she gasped, stopping to catch her breath.

Yuki turned back, concerned, and pulled out a bottle of water from his backpack. "Hey, let's take a break. Here, drink some water," he said, handing it to her. Kato nodded, her cheeks flushed from the effort.

They took a seat at the grass field nearby, letting the cold water refresh their body. Yuki took a glance at the observation upward and grimaced, knowing that their journey would become harder after this. He started to doubt whether the camp was really held there or not.

However, the doubt itself disappeared when he heard someone suddenly shout at him. "Ah! You are the guy from Tsunemori! What are you doing here?!"