~Spalding [2na]~

            Spalding: when the hitters hit the ball and it hits the opposing defensive team in the face or on their body. Spalding refers to the letters of the ball staying on the player's face or body because it hit them so hard.

            Mina knew all the volleyball terms and jargon inside and out, if there was any needed explanations or questions about the sport she would usually be the one to answer it. She just never thought that some of the most craziest of terms that she has learned of from the sport would actually make an appearance in her experiences, although maybe she should have thoroughly considered everything when her girlfriend, Sana, tried out for the volleyball team.

            When Sana told her about it, Mina agreed wholeheartedly. She was ecstatic that her girlfriend had taken an interest in playing the sport she played herself. She had been excited to have Sana be with her on the volleyball courts instead of just in the audience cheering her on from the sidelines.

            Although the day of actual tryouts turned out much different than Mina ever could have imagined.

            As the middle blocker on the team, Mina is mainly in charge of blocking the opposing players' spikes from landing a point. She takes pride in her position, she's the one that acts as a wall that rebounds the ball and brings down the wing spiker's attack. Her calm demeanor allows her to assess the opponents clearly and read their movements, allowing her to choose the best way to block out their opponents' moves.

            When Mina questioned Sana about which position she would have preferred to play as on the team, Sana ended up picking out wing spiker.

            "Wing spiker? Why that position out of all the others?" Mina honestly though Sana would have chosen to be a middle blocker like herself since Sana wanted to join the team to have more time together.

            "You said the wing spikers have to go against the middle blockers right? That means if I become a wing spiker then I could help you practice your blocking and you can help me with my spiking! We'll be helping each other improve for the team," responds Sana cheerily. Sana was ready to put her full energy into this, whatever she had her mind set to she will be sure to accomplish it in anyway that she could.

            Mina blinks in surprise at the foresight Sana had in the situation because it surely didn't happen often.

            Sana's unpredictable qualities, however, makes things a bit more difficult for Mina to read and assess. A small detail that Mina accidentally forgets at the following tryout session. The usual routine for tryouts consists of the usual volleyball team versus the new recruits in order for their coach to evaluate the potential new members' abilities or their ability to play a certain position.

            At the coach's order, it was a simple three versus three match since Sana was the only one trying out. Most students would usually join at the beginning of the season but an exception was given at Mina's request. The teams consisted of Mina, Nayeon, and Momo on one side while Sana, Jungyeon, and Jihyo were on the other side of the volleyball court. The remaining members of the volleyball team stood on the sidelines to watch, or in Tzuyu and Dahyun's case pout and look longingly at the court since they weren't allowed to play because the couch said it's not fair to pit their ace player against their rookie recruit.

            It was decided that Mina's team would be the first to serve, the match winner would be decided after whichever team scored five points first.

            Momo serves the ball successfully over the net and Jungyeon received it easily sending the ball back into the air towards Jihyo who was ready to set it to Sana. Mina knows what's to come next, her muscles are coiled back tensely in anticipation. Nayeon is beside her ready to jump and block whenever she does while Momo is prepared to receive if the ball is spiked in a different location than they anticipated.

            Jihyo sets the volleyball to Sana, who jumps just as the ball reaches the highest peak. Sana feels the ball against the palm of her hand and slams it forward with every bit of her strength.

            Mina sees the perfect timing and jumps, releasing all the built up tension in her muscles, her arms are up to stop the ball's path and redirect it from her side of the court. It would have been the perfect block.

            'Would have' as in if this was a normal game with typical players and typical spikes it would have been the perfect block but since this was Sana's spike it was very far from a perfect block. In fact, the