It was early December, just after the second term’s final exams had wrapped up. All that was left was to wait for the results. I felt like I’d done pretty well, but for me, it's not about getting a high absolute score—what matters is whether I beat Hina. Judging from her expression, though, she seems confident too. Can’t let my guard down.
Meanwhile, the December issue of V-Ball, a monthly volleyball magazine that Asuka is probably the only subscriber of at this school, went on sale.
On the release day, during a break, I ended up reading it together with my classmate Hina, like usual. Asuka had picked it up that morning on her way to school from a convenience store—apparently, she asked the store to stock it on release day each month.
By the way, the Tachibana household has three copies of this issue preordered at a nearby bookstore. One is for browsing, one is for keeps, and the last is for sending to our dad overseas.
On the cover of the December issue of V-Ball are the words “Spring High Special” along with high school players wearing their team uniforms, and...
“Is that a foreigner on the cover?”
A striking red-haired woman—pretty enough to rank above Asuka but below Hina—was featured.
“Look who’s talking.”
That was Hina’s line.
“You mean the red-haired girl? She’s Japanese. Her name’s Anna Tsuganezawa, and she’s half-Dutch. Like Tobita-san, your acquaintance, she was also selected for the U-19 national team.”
Oh, I see.
Despite the “Spring High Special” title, there are actually two “foreign-looking” players on the cover—myself and this Tsuganezawa person. So it’s not Asuka, the captain, but me who’s featured? Usually, Asuka would start reading from the first page, but today, she humored us.
She skipped the boys’ Spring High coverage and turned straight to the girls’ section. The first spread featured Osaka’s No. 1 representative: Kinhouzan Gakuen High School.
[The Queen Kinhouzan: Following Summer and Autumn, the Spring Title Is Within Reach. No Weakness in Sight.]
That was the headline, accompanied by photos and an article on the team. Let’s see...
Average height of 184cm (excluding the libero), the highest in girls’ volleyball. Kinhouzan triumphed in both the Inter-High and the National Sports Festival with their powerful, high-reaching play. Their ace, Miyamoto, had struggled during the Nationals but regained form during the Osaka qualifiers. With sights set on a year-long championship streak, there appear to be no weak points.
The article praised them as a well-rounded powerhouse with height, strength, and technique. In the featured players section were Mai-san and the ace, Miyamoto-senpai. With two U-19 stars leading the team, the piece basically said it’s no surprise they’re so strong.
Next up was Ryusenzan High School, Tokyo’s No. 1 representative, also on a two-page spread.
[Settle the Spring High Score at Spring High! Taking Down Kinhouzan – Fourth Time’s the Charm!]
That was their slogan. Apparently, they were champions two years ago and had won last year’s Inter-High, but ever since last year’s Spring High, they’ve lost only to Kinhouzan and now have no titles this year. With the deepest bench in the nation, they have five players selected for U-19 and two first-years previously called up for U-16.
Impressive.
Their featured players were also two people. One was Tsuganezawa-senpai, the striking girl from the cover, and the other was a fellow first-year like us named Kanedaichi, who had been the ace for U-16.
Tsuganezawa is the tallest among all registered players at 197cm, while Kanedaichi is 163cm. According to the article, they're a duo with the greatest height difference among all teams—excluding liberos.
…They specifically excluded liberos. That’s definitely because of our team. The height gap between Kaori and Yuki is 35cm, which is actually 1cm greater than theirs.
The next two-page spread was ours.
[The Smallest, Shortest, and Most Unconventional Team in Tournament History Brings the Storm!]
Well, the tagline alone is pretty rough. We’re supposedly a “dark horse,” but if we’re famous enough to be written about, are we really one? Anyway, let’s read.
[Matsubara Girls’ High School is a highly unconventional team. With only eight members, including the libero, this is the first such case in tournament history. Their average height is 168cm, three centimeters shorter than Tokiwagi Girls’ Academy, who made waves 13 years ago as the ‘Tiny Titans of the Heisei Era’ with an average of 171cm. Naturally, they rank dead last in average height this tournament. In fact, you’d have to go back before the introduction of liberos to find a team this short.]
[Including the libero, their average height drops to 165cm—the shortest since Ashiyama Commercial High School in 1974. Other unusual aspects include (omitted)…]
[Despite these disadvantages, Matsubara is not a weak team. Their ace, first-year Yuuri Tachibana, has a spike reach of 378cm. Her spikes, delivered from such height, are powerful to the extreme. National team coach Tashiro even remarked, ‘In terms of serve and spike alone, she’s already world-class—even by pro standards.’]
[The players are also known for their athleticism. Despite being the shortest on average, their spike and block reach are both above the national average.]
...Girls’ volleyball is scary. Even 168cm gets you labeled short. That means even Asuka’s considered petite.
Two players were featured for our team too—myself, and surprisingly, Yuki. Not Reiko?
[Even among the already short Matsubara Girls’ team, the two shortest players are ace Yuuri Tachibana and libero Yukiko Arimura. Tachibana’s height of 155cm is the shortest among all players excluding liberos, and even with liberos included, she ranks fourth shortest. Arimura, at 143cm, is the shortest among all registered players, and the only one under 150cm. However, just like the saying ‘Small but spicy,’ these two are not to be underestimated. As the heart of the offense and defense, respectively—]
Ah… I get it. They intentionally chose Yuki over Reiko to make a “short duo” angle featuring me and Yuki. I see. I do. But still... My shoulders trembled with frustration, and I couldn't hold it in.
“Who are you calling 155cm?! I’m 156!”
What I couldn’t forgive was how they listed my height as 155cm. During the recent physical exam, the equipment malfunctioned and measured me 2mm short, but even then I was 155.9cm. That practically is 156cm!
But neither Hina nor Asuka took my complaint seriously.
“Come on, calm down, Miss 155.”
“It’s fine. You’re still in the 150s, so you’re short either way. Right, 150-chan?”
Th-this girl! She secretly shaved off six whole centimeters!
“I’m not 150! I’m 156!”
“Isn’t it better to be underestimated for being short? Makes it easier to win. So 155’s fine.”
“Besides, being small—everywhere—is a good thing.”
“Wh-who’s small everywhere?!”
“Hmm? I never said anything about that. But I hear smaller’s easier on the shoulders, you know?”
“Exactly. Hina’s totally right. I’m actually kind of jealous of you, Yuuri.”
“That just sounds sarcastic!”
It was a hopeless battle, facing off alone against these two with their models' bodies. I had no choice but to call on a fellow member of the modest-bust club: Kayo.
“Kayo~! The bust monsters are bullying me~!”
If I said that, surely she would…
“Sorry, Yuuri, you’re the enemy now.”
“Huh? Why?!”
“Big-chests are the enemy! Off with them!”
...For some reason, Kayo had decided I was one of the bust monsters too. I don’t get it…
No comments:
Post a Comment