Of course, while everyone had already accepted Koji's departure from the team, that didn't an it didn't affect the entire team's performance. It was a day right before the ga between Tsunemori High and Matsuyama Kita High, and while the students who were not on the team were busy preparing for the choreography to be brought to the gymnasium for the ga, the situation on the team itself was bad.
Besides Yuki and Riku, all the Tsunemori players were sophomore students just like Koji, and they had been fighting together from the very first day they entered this school. The revelation about Koji's feelings was a huge blow to the whole team, and now, so of them couldn't help but start to question their motivation to be here.
Akira himself also had a headache here. With only one day left, he had to formulate an ergency plan to cover the hole that would be left wide open due to Koji's departure. While the boy himself didn't have a huge presence in defense, his role to put more pressure on the opponent's line of blockers was very crucial during the team's offense, and it was sothing that almost no one on the team had right now.
Of course, he could have just put either Yuki or Riku for that kind of role. However, their original role in the team was also important, not sothing that the team could put aside no matter how urgent it was for the team to fill up Koji's previous role. As for Asahi and Ogawa, while they were good in offense, they themselves were never a heavy-hitter type of player. No, they didn't have the raw power to pull sothing like that constantly. If anything, they were probably the best second-attackers available for the team, what with their high mobility on the court.
Speaking of the players, Akira also had to solve one more important thing here, and that was the lack of players available on the team.
Yeah, with Koji's departure, there were only seven players left there, with Okamura filled the position as a libero. That ant they had no player for a rotation in the middle of the ga, and one injury would be enough to destroy the entire team. Their situation right now was far more terrible than they initially thought.
In the end, though, Akira still stuck with his decision. One day before the ga began, he decided to give the team a day off, not only to prepare for tomorrow, but also to cool off their emotion. However, right before they left the school, they received a broadcast ssage from gumi, and they couldn't help but feel intrigued.
gumi Ayaka: Everyone, don't go back first! Go to the eting room, there is sothing that we can do there!"
Riku Agostini: Oh? What is that, Senpai?
gumi Ayaka: It is secret :P
gumi Ayaka: Just go there and see it for yourself!
Even though so of them had already left the school, they went back imdiately due to their respect for gumi. They were also curious about what the girl wanted to do, especially since it was a day before the ga. Usually, she would be the one who reminded everyone to take a good rest and not fool around one day before the ga, even to the point that she would scold so who stayed until midnight while risking their condition for their next ga. So, for her to gather the players there, she should have sothing important to do.
When they arrived at the usual eting room, though, they were dumbfounded at the drastic transformation there. Gone were the chairs and desks that were usually there, replaced by a thick, comfortable rug with so many pillows there, allowing them to lay down and relax on the floor. gumi also didn't forget to turn on the heater, and not just that, the snacks that were on the table in the middle of the room were also enough to make them drool hungrily.
The biggest change that gumi made, though, was the presence of a giant LCD that was the sa size of the blackboard behind it, connected with the laptop close to the front row. Just by this alone, everyone could see that gumi invited them all to watch a movie together in this room.
"Ah! You all are here! Co on, don't be shy! Just get one of the pillows there and make yourself comfortable!" The voice that no one expected before greeted them out of nowhere, and when they turned around, all the Tsunemori players were shocked to see the presence of a beautiful girl with platinum hair smiling at them.
"Arina-senpai? What are you doing here?" Yuki, who was the closest person to the forr school council president, couldn't help but ask.
"What? Am I not allowed to be here?" She pouted childishly, which made almost all the boys here lt on the spot. Yuki himself was not bothered by this trick, knowing how playful Arina Sugawara could be. He just stood still with both arms crossed, crooking one of his eyebrows while waiting patiently for the older girl to answer. In the end, Arina Sugawara gave up, huffing a little before answering, "Well, gu-chan has already told about Koji-kun's departure, and I am sorry for your loss. So, gu-chan and I have this brilliant idea to cheer you up and that is to invite you all to watch a movie together! Are you not flattered that you are invited by two beautiful girls at the sa ti?" She smiled seductively, making almost all the boys there blush.
Yuki himself was immune to this attack. He just rolled his eyes exasperatedly, knowing full well that this was the trick that the girls often used to get what they wanted from him, and since gumi, Arina Sugawara, and Kato were constant guests in the orphanage, Yuki had already gotten used to this trick by now. Of course, he wouldn't reveal this information straight away, or his senpai would hang his head on the spot.
In the end, though, after gumi joined the fun, they all relaxed in the room, watching movies while also enjoying their ti together with the team. They all piled into their cozy eting room, the lights dimd low, and a big screen flickered to life. Popcorn and candy bowls were passed around, and soon the air was filled with the rustling of bags and the happy sounds of munching.
Seeing the peaceful scene in front of them, gumi and Arina Sugawara stared at each other, relieved that their idea worked perfectly here. Now that the tension and depression due to Koji's departure dissipated slowly from their face, the team was finally able to face tomorrow bravely. Now, they still had one more surprise for the team, and they couldn't help but feel eager to watch their reaction to it. Unfortunately, the surprise could only be delivered tomorrow, so they had to stay patient about it.
'Well, hopefully, the boys would appreciate what Akira-sensei, Arina Sugawara, and I have been preparing since yesterday…'
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