The Ball I Pass to You

Himeko Nakamura is a volleyball player for the Port Osea Divers in Voland's top-tier professional league. This essentially makes her one of the wealthiest and most famous people in the country. Many would assume that, given the opportunity, Himeko would capitalize on it to advance her career as much as possible. The thing is...

Himeko hates the fame that comes with her profession.

Notorious for her introversion, Himeko hates doing commercials just for extra cash. She despises press conferences where reporters ask off-topic questions that have nothing to do with volleyball, invading her privacy. And while she deeply respects the fans who support her, her habit of giving one-second handshakes and hilariously brief answers has led fans to jokingly dub her the "Iron Maiden."

Still, it has been seven years since Himeko joined the VNL (Voland National League), and that once-difficult girl has matured significantly when it comes to handling the media. Nowadays, Himeko does what is expected of her without showing too much overt annoyance. That being said, her aversion to strangers still lingers to this day.

And, just as life always seemed to challenge her, during that fateful Olympics, she meets Kevin Marvant - the ultimate nemesis to her introversion. He is everything she is not. He is extroverted, loud, loves invading other people's personal space just to have fun, and he plays a truly free-spirited and emotional brand of volleyball. Most terrifying of all... he seems to have taken an interest in her.

Himeko does everything to push him away; Kevin does everything to pull her in. Even though Himeko reluctantly plays his games, she soon realizes his presence isn't as bad as she thought. In fact, it is Kevin's presence that brings about the biggest changes to the things mattering most to Himeko - her volleyball career, her relationships, and the way she views the world.

From a lighthearted slice-of-life volleyball story with a touch of romance, 'The Ball I Pass to You' gradually evolves, chapter by chapter, into a detailed chronicle of Voland's professional volleyball scene from 2026 to 2027, told through the primary perspective of Himeko Nakamura. It is a period full of ups and downs, where talent, hard work, and resolve are romantically celebrated, ultimately seeking to answer one overarching question: does a person have the courage to seize their own fate despite the odds weighing against them?

This fiction is written for non-volleyball players. Give it a chance, you will have a blast ^-^!

Artwork by: J. Win