The Cowardly Yuria

Chapter 5 Club Volleyball Princess

"Good afternoon" said Imel.

"Sore," said granny smiling kindly while Yuri was still gawking.

"It just so happened to meet you here, do you live near here?" ask Imel.

"Oh, mm," Yuri said as she nodded.

"Are you Yuri's friend?" ask grandma while paying attention.

"Yes, we're classmates," replied Imel who made Yuri even more shocked.

He did not expect though rarely talk but Imel already considered him as a friend.

"We just got back from the garden, how about you come have dinner with us?" haggard grandma.

"Can?" reply Imel asked.

"Of course" said Grandma.

"Alright then," said Imel gladly.

They started walking home, the grandmother asked Imel a lot about his house which made them finally have a long chat. While Yuri still could not believe that the one walking beside her grandmother was Imel, this week she always watched Imel from afar with many fantasies of them chatting like friends.

Of course this made Yuri shocked, all the way home even until they reached a point where Yuri did not make a sound.

He continued to pay attention to Imel who, although he had just met his grandmother but could already be familiar, even he helped grandma prepare dinner.

After dinner, Grandma lets Imel chat with Yuri in the room, but Yuri is silent as a statue while Imel continues to ask trite questions that are only answered briefly.

"So you live alone with your grandmother yes," said Imel while watching Yuri's bookcase filled with comics.

Yuri just nodded, too nervous about Imel's whereabouts in her room. This was the first time someone had entered her room except for her parents, not even grandmother had ever entered her room so of course she was nervous.

With the existence of Imel his mind fantasizes about the pajama party that is only attended by friends, of course it makes his face red with embarrassment.

"Yuri, you haven't been in any club, have you?" imel asked after finding the right time to talk.

Yuri shook her head, in her school she used to join a reading club consisting of smart students. He entered the club because club activities only read every time and do not need to interact much, after moving apparently in his new school there is no club read so he was confused what club to enter.

"What if you get into the volleyball club?" tawar Imel full of spirit.

Yuri gawked, of course because he did not like to exercise so it was impossible for him to enter a volleyball club. Especially if he enters the club he has to interact with many people, he must also be able to work as a team.

"But" said Yuri hesitantly.

"Actually I just saw you jump to get a balloon, your jump was high enough and if you go to a volleyball club I'm sure you can play. So how?" tanyakanya.

Yuri grew even more shocked, she did not expect that anyone would notice her.

"I. need your help" said Imel suddenly with a sad face.

"The women's volleyball club has only six members and we'll be in the tournament, which means we only have the main players. I thought everything would be fine, but yesterday our senior had a little accident. It made me realize what if during the tournament one of us was injured so we couldn't play anymore, because of that, I'd like to invite you to join the women's volleyball club so that at least we have a backup player," obviously Imel poured out his heart.

"You don't have to go to tournaments, I just need you to join a volleyball club and just get in training. Not coming every day is okay, too" persuaded Imel.

"I-i.... " Yuri doesn't know what to answer.

"What if you look around first, you can come on the field and play for a while if you want. After that, we just decided," he said.

Because he could not hold his hand in his hold and Imel's face and eyes were only fixed on him Yuri nodded, he decided to come tomorrow to the volleyball club to see.

Imel cheered with excitement although not necessarily Yuri wanted to join, because it was already night he was ready to go home.

Grandma who was happy about Imel's arrival gave him a bag of citrus fruits as souvenirs and asked Imel to come again sometime, so happy the next day when Yuri went to school grandma called Yuri's parents and talked about Imel.

Of course this news makes his mother happy, it turns out that what Yuri told about Imel is not a joke.

While Yuri who was still in shock could not stop being nervous while going to school, especially when Imel greeted her in class.

After the lesson was over Imel immediately approached Yuri and quickly took her to the volleyball court, unable to refuse or say anything Yuri let Imel take her.

Arriving on the field, all eyes were immediately on him, which made Yuri even more nervous to not dare to lift her face, especially after Imel introduced her to all club members.

All greeting and getting acquainted, Yuri could only smile and nod her head.

"Hows it? are you trying to play?" ask Imel.

"It's-it's okay, I'm looking at it," she replied nervously.

"Alright then stand on the edge, sometimes there is a stray ball so you should quickly avoid if there is a ball towards you," said Imel told.

Yuri nodded and let Imel go, following orders he noticed how the club members were warming up and training.

They ran here and there chasing the ball, hitting it over the net in full force so that not infrequently the ball drifted far and fell down hard.

Yuri saw it as a waste of energy, but despite their exhaustion they did not want to rest even so excited despite being bathed in sweat.

He never understood why people could smile so happily when they were exhausted, and that made him feel like he would not fit in with the club.

He immediately gathers the intention to reject Imel's invitation, but upon seeing Imel interacting with his friends Yuri suddenly remembers his mission of socializing.

Right, now he has a great opportunity to silence his mother's chatter. He doesn't have to chat all the time with them, just by entering a volleyball club and training every day his mother will stop forcing him to have friends.

After all, Imel has said he will only be a reserve player and does not need to practice every day, after the club activities are completed Yuri also answered Imel's invitation.

"I. want to join," he said.

"Really?" ask Imel not to believe.

Yuri nodded, making Imel exclaim for all the club members before they disbanded.

"From today Yuri joins the women's volleyball club, tomorrow she will start training," generally.

"Welcome to Yuri!" said the entire club members simultaneously which made Yuri's heart stop beating.