Chapter Text
"Shouyou, I have to tell you something," Hinata Akari said to her eldest daughter with a sad look on her face, "We have to return to Japan in two weeks from now. My job... they decided to transfer me back there since I'm the only Japanese worker there."
Hinata Akari was a 39 years old woman with short, bob-styled black hair and a pair of honey-hazel eyes and a single mother with two beautiful daughters. She was originally a homemaker but after her husband's death, she had to take over his place and provide for her children.
Akari's job demanded her to move from place to place, which was exhausted her physically and mentally. But she remained strong, thinking only of her daughters' well-beings at stake.
When she first received the news of her transfer to Brazil, she was upset. She just lost her beloved two months prior and her youngest daughter, Natsu was only five months old. She was worried, who would visit her husband's grave while they are overseas? She had zero experience in travelling to another country, and doubted that she could speak a foreign language. She didn't want to leave her daughters behind, of course. Shouyou and Natsu were her utmost priorities.
Her mother-in-law assured her that she would do well at the other side of the world, that it would be a great experience for her and her grandchildren. It wasn't often that countryside people gets to live in another country and learn their cultures and languages. It would be a great opportunity for Shouyou and Natsu to learn new things outside of Miyagi Prefecture and Japan.
She told her that she had faith in Shouyou that she would achieve greatness at Rio de Janeiro and she said that confidently. Akari asked her what does she mean by that and her mother-in-law only gave her a mysterious smile in response.
Hinata stared at her mother for a brief moment, a flash of sadness and shock in her eyes before she covered them with a bright smile on her lips. "Oh? That's great, I guess! It's been awhile since we left Japan. I wonder how Granny and and Gramps are doing!" She said.
Akari's eyes watered, kneeling in front of her daughter to match her eye-level and grasped her upper arms gently. "I'm so sorry, Shouyou..! I know that you have a great life here! You are a top beach volleyball player in the country and the youngest one ever at that! You were the youngest player among the other U-17 players and I'm so, so proud of you for that!"
Matching honey eyes stared at each other. "Now I understand what your grandmother meant when she said you will achieve greatness here," she smiled softly, "She believed in you, that you would become a great beach volleyball player like your father used to be."
Tears welled up in Hinata's eyes at the mention of her deceased father. Hinata Haru was a professional beach volleyball player in Japan and was well-known in the international circuits. He died in a tragic accident that also killed 287 others after their plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. She grew up watching his games and vowed to continue his legacy.
"I... I don't want to leave my friends and teammates behind...," she said in a small voice. "Pedro, Heitor, Coach Lucio... they all helped me become the player I am today. I knew that just because I'm dad's daughter doesn't mean I'll become an amazing athlete like he was."
"Yes, I know. You earned the nickname 'Ninja Shouyou' based on your hardwork and skills alone," her mother said as she wiped away the tears on her daughter's face soothingly, "Honestly, you don't have to force yourself, Shouyou. You are already amazing just the way you are. You don't have to become the next Hinata Haru. I'm sure your father would say the same thing if he was here with us," she said firmly.
Hinata took a deep breath shakily and nodded. "Thank you for telling me, mom. I'll talk to my friends and Coach Lucio about it," she said.
Her mother smiled softly, stroking her daughter's soft ginger locks, so much like Haru's. "Take your time, Shouyou."
"No way! You're going back to Japan in two weeks?!" Pedro, Heitor and Coach Lucio stared at her in disbelief.
Pedro was two years younger than Hinata and wasn't a professional player. He and his family were their neighbours next doors and they got along quickly. He was a huge fan of animes and always shared his interest with her. He also always accompanied Hinata to the beach when she wanted to play while he read mangas on his phone.
Heitor was her senior by four years. His parents were professional players like her father so he immediately recognized her by her hair and surname. However, unlike her, he didn't have any interest to pursue the sport professionally, admitting that to him, beach volleyball was just a job. Hinata supported him no matter what, and they always trained together to sharpen each other's skills. They had a brother-sister relationship.
"Yeah. My mom had to move because of her job and she didn't want to leave us behind. I don't want to burden her, of course. Natsu will be starting her elementary year at Japan so I have to go with them," she said in a fluent Portuguese. "I'm going to miss everyone here. Reading mangas and watching animes with you, Pedro. Training and play beach volleyball with you, Heitor. And don't think I forget all the times I had to be the third-wheel whenever you went on dates with Nice," she joked, making a mocking exasperated look on her face, which they laughed at before that look melted away as she continued, "Beach volleyball isn't all that common in Japan so there's a chance that I might not be able to continue playing since only few people are interested to play it," she said sadly.
Pedro, the ever introverted one, surprisingly was the first to cry as he sniffed. "I'm going to miss you, Shouyou! You're the only one who was willing to hear all that anime theories I shared with you!" He sobbed as he lunged forward before wrapping his arms around her. "I got to learn Japanese because of you too!"
"Actually, my mom taught you that. I'm Japanese but I'm pretty sure I'm going mix Japanese and Portuguese when I speak after I go back there soon," she laughed as she patted his back and head warmly.
Heitor was the next one to speak. "Damn, it never cross my mind that I would actually have to see you leave us, Shouyou," he said with a sad smile. "Nine years are long enough for me to think that you're one of us and not actually from Japan. Now, I wish that I get to play beach volleyball with you longer," he wiped the tears that began to well up in his eyes before they can pour down his cheeks. "I don't want you to stop playing beach volleyball after you made me realize that it's more than just a job."
"Actually, Shouyou can still continue playing volleyball even though she's going to return to Japan," Lucio finally spoke after he had been silent since the beginning.
They all turned to him. "What do you mean, Coach?" Hinata asked.
"There's only one way for you to continue playing volleyball and that is by switching to indoor volleyball," he stated.
The three of them went silent as the redhead stared at her coach in bewilderment. "Indoor volleyball...?" She repeated dumbly.
He nodded. "You see, Shouyou, I was once a transfer student in Japan when I was in high school. I'm a Shiratorizawa alumnus. I played indoor volleyball and won the nationals before I switch to beach after I graduated," he explained.
"What?! Really?! You never told me about this before!" Hinata whined adorably as she pointed an accusing finger at her coach.
"Well, now I'm telling you," Lucio replied cheekily, which made her puff out her cheeks in response. "I think my bull-headed coach is still coaching the volleyball team there. I swear that old man isn't going to die anytime soon if he can still shouts at the players," he chuckled, remembering the strict coach.
"Bull-headed coach--" Pedro and Heitor chortled before they looked away to hide their laughter.
"Anyway, what I'm going to say is that I'm going to train you about indoor volleyball for these two weeks before you return to Japan so you'll adapt with the changes easier. The regulations and rules in beach and indoor volleyballs are different so I'll teach you about them after this. After you arrive there, go find Shiratorizawa Academy and search for Coach Washijou and said that Katou Lucio recommended you," Lucio explained to her.
Hinata gasped. "You're going to recommend me to Shiratorizawa Academy? It sounds like a prestigious school!" She exclaimed.
"Hold up, you're going to make her meet the bull-headed coach?" Heitor looked at the beach volleyball coach incredulously and horror. "What if that guy bully our precious Shouyou here?!"
"Don't worry, Washijou may be a strict and mean old man but he means well. He just believe that strong players are those with height and natural powers," he shrugged. "But I'm sure Shouyou will prove him wrong, right? It's okay if you don't get accept into the academy. You can still go to other schools and join their team."
"Yeah! I'm going to show them that Ninja Shouyou is dangerous on the court just as she was on the sand!" Hinata grinned with an intense look in her eyes, one that thirst for challenge and promising victory.
"That's the spirit, Shouyou!" Lucio exclaimed happily as he ruffled her hair.
Hinata trained for indoor volleyball for two weeks under Coach Lucio's teaching. On the sand, her specialties were receives, shots, sets, serves and blocks. However, her setting skills were decent and still needed a few polishing. Her height was average for beach volleyball, only 165cm but she was as skillful as those who are taller than her. She was quite nervous to switch to indoor but her coach reassured her that she would do exceptionally well on the court as beach volleyball will hone her skill there.
She started playing beach volleyball when she was 7, it turned out that the apartment where they were staying was located near a beach. Every evening, her mother would take her and Natsu there so they can play. One day, she saw a crowd gathering around a volleyball match. She watched in amazement as the players moved around the sand so smoothly and tried to imitate them the next day.
After that day, every time they went to the beach, Hinata played beach volleyball with other kids her age, she even joined a group of adults playing an informal match. They all were awed by her speed and praised her skills. That was where she met Heitor for the first time. She saw him playing with his parents.
She played with him several times and he was impressed by her. Then, he introduced her to Katou Lucio, a man who trained beach volleyball players and a coach to junior indoor volleyball team. Lucio was all too happy to take her under his wings, recognizing her as the daughter of the famous Hinata Haru. He said she was the most disciplined player he has ever met.
Under his guidance, Hinata became popular among the locals as she grew older, the way how she was unpredictable in a match and her almost inhuman speed earned her the nickname 'Ninja Shouyou'. She defeated locals and foreigners alike and became widely-known in the country.
After the news that she and her family will be returning back to Japan spread out, they all were sad to hear the news. They had grown attached to not only Hinata, but also her mother and sister. The story of how a single mother raised her two young daughters alone in a foreign country earned sympathy among the locals.
At the airport, the small family said their last goodbye to the neighbours, friends and teammates. They received souvenirs and gifts from them, Hinata received the most of them since some of them were from her fans.
Pedro claimed that he was her first fan and told her to never forget him. She giggled and promised that she would still keep in touch with him and the others.
Nice, Heitor's girlfriend, bawled her eyes out, crying that she will miss her sister figure and pulled poor Natsu into the group hug as well, which made everyone laugh.
Lucio and Heitor have her a few last advices and tips about volleyball and reassured her that everything will be fine. The former even gave her a special edition of the national volleyball team's jersey that was signed by the Brazil ace himself, Nicolas Romero, which she happily accepted with stars in her eyes.
After they landed safely in Japan, where their family and relatives were waiting, Hinata's mother told her that she would be entering her first year in high school in the middle of the year, July to be exact. She was lucky that by the time they arrive, they all just finished their final exams and she didn't have to join them as she was only a new student.
She asked her mother where they would be staying since their old house was sold to someone else. Apparently, their new house was located near Karasuno High so that's where she would enroll at.
Hinata sighed as she collapsed onto her bed and closed her eyes, hoping that tomorrow will be a good day.