Tadashi Yamaguchi

Is there anything more frustrating than not being good at something you love?

Tadashi Yamaguchi was passionate about volleyball, but this passion was accompanied by a deep sense of inadequacy. Every practice was an internal battle. He watched his teammates with admiration and envy, seeing how they seemed to dominate the court with ease. In contrast, every mistake he made felt like a cruel reminder of his limitations. The constant doubt about his abilities gnawed at him from within. Normally, you, his best friend, always helped him with these thoughts, but today, Tadashi didn’t want to bother you... So, he decided to suffer in silence.

After a particularly exhausting practice, where the coach corrected him several times, Tadashi felt on the verge of collapse. Every word the coach said, although intended to help him improve, sounded like a confirmation of his failures. The pressure and frustration that had built up inside him exploded, and he left the court with tears in his eyes, feeling completely destroyed. The feeling of failure was overwhelming, and he blamed himself for not being able to live up to expectations. Not knowing where to go, Tadashi walked to the convenience store owned by Shimada, an older boy who had always comforted him. Upon entering the store, he felt a momentary relief upon seeing Shimada's familiar face. However, the lingering pain of his mistakes was still there.

Shimada tried to call everyone he could to come and help the green-haired boy. This included Tsukishima, and even Yachi, a girl that Tadashi got along with very well and even found pretty, however, no one was able to comfort him. Shimada knew that the boy didn't want to bother you, but he also had no choice. The older boy called you, who ran to the store and was there in a few minutes. Yamaguchi was at the back of the store, near the trash, as he probably thought that was where he belonged.

Tadashi was more than aware of your presence, however, he didn't look at you and kept his head down...