The night after Kaisei's crushing victory, Renji couldn't sleep.
He replayed the match footage in his mind—Haruto's deceptive sets, the flawless tempo, the effortless way he directed his team like a conductor with a baton.
Renji had always been precise.
But Haruto was... elegant.
There was no visible strain in his play. No sign of nerves. Just ice-cold brilliance.
And the way he looked at Asuka?
Like he still knew her heart.
A Dangerous Obsession
The next morning, Renji was the first one in the gym.
He pulled out the portable net, set up cones, and spent nearly an hour working on faster, tighter sets.
No wasted movement. No extra breath.
He even began mimicking Haruto's serve toss—quick, angled, with an almost indifferent posture.
When Asuka arrived, she stood at the door, watching.
"You're early," she said.
Renji looked up, startled. "Couldn't sleep."
She walked over and handed him a towel. "You're working too hard."
"I need to level up," he said quietly.
"Renji—"
"Haruto doesn't make mistakes."
Asuka flinched at the name.
"You don't have to become him," she said.
Renji forced a smile. "I know."
But he didn't believe it.
Not yet.
Cracks in the Flow
During practice, the team noticed it too.
Renji's sets were faster than usual. Too fast.
Arai misread a tempo and mistimed his jump.
Yuuto slammed a ball into the net, cursing under his breath.
"Slow down," Yuuto snapped. "We're not machines!"
Renji swallowed hard. "I'm trying to increase our pace. It worked for Kaisei."
"We're not Kaisei!" Yuuto shouted.
The gym went silent.
Asuka looked from Renji to Yuuto. Coach Anzai said nothing—but his gaze lingered on Renji a beat longer than usual.
Practice ended in a quiet shuffle of sneakers and sweaty sighs.
Confrontation
After everyone left, Yuuto cornered Renji near the water fountain.
"Talk to me," he said. "What's going on with you?"
Renji stared at the floor. "I just… want to be better."
"You are better," Yuuto replied. "But you're not him, and you don't need to be."
Renji's fists clenched. "But what if she still—"
Yuuto cut him off. "This isn't about Asuka."
He paused.
"Or maybe it is. But either way, you're not going to win her, or win games, by turning into someone else."
Renji looked away.
Yuuto softened. "You made this team yours, Renji. Don't throw that away trying to chase a shadow."
Back to the Core
That night, Renji found himself in the old gym.
Empty. Still. Lit by a single row of flickering ceiling lights.
He sat on the floor, holding a volleyball between his palms.
He remembered who he used to be:
The quiet kid in the back corner.
Afraid to speak up.
Afraid to be seen.
And now?
He was leading.
Not like Haruto.
Not like Yuuto.
But in his own way.
He wasn't meant to be the flashiest.
He was the calm.
The balance.
The eyes of the court.
And that was enough.
The Spark Returns
Next day at practice, Renji called the team into a circle.
"I was trying to be something I'm not," he admitted. "That's on me."
He turned to Arai. "I'll work on syncing better with your tempo."
Then to Yuuto. "And I won't try to control everything. I'll trust more."
Yuuto gave a subtle nod.
Coach Anzai clapped once. "Good. Let's build again."
The drills that day felt smoother. Lighter.
Renji's sets weren't perfect.
But they were his.
Calculated.
Instinctive.
Real.
Asuka passed him a towel after the last whistle. "You're back."
Renji smiled. "I think I missed myself."
Final Scene
That evening, as Renji packed up to leave, Asuka lingered beside the gym door.
"Renji."
He looked at her.
"I want you to know something."
He waited.
"No matter what history I had with Haruto… he's the past."
She stepped closer.
"You're my now."
His breath caught.
She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
Then walked ahead without another word, her smile hanging in the air behind her.
And Renji?
He didn't need the spotlight anymore.
He had clarity.
And that was brighter than anything.
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End of Chapter 15
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To Be Continued