>>>>>>>Mizuki's POV>>>>>>>

[August 11th...]

"Could I get a copy?"

"Of course."

[A common date to the people who go about their business on this rather quiet sunny day.]

SQUEAK/FWOOM!

[However...]

"Go-Go~!"

"Push it--Push it~!"

[However...]

Clack...Clack...Clack...Clack...

[Within these walls lies another world.]

Slide~

"(Whispers)That's them. You know, Karasuno..."

"..."

"They're the ones that played a full set with Aoba Johsai at the Inter-High prelims and actually almost beat them."

"Woah, seriously?"

"Apparently, Kitagawa Daiichi's King of the Court is on that team."

"Apparently Chidoriyama Junior High's Nishinoya is also there, too."

"The guy who was called the best libero when we were in junior high?"

"Yeah. but other than the libero, I think there was one other guy who kept receiving Oikawa's serves. I think it's their captain."

'Heh~...seems they're the topic in most conversations, lately.'

"H-Hinata, are you okay?!"

"Urgh...my stomach is in knots."

"Again/Hah~."

"Use the restroom before we go on, stupid!"

"Ehehe..."

Even so, my team often shows their...uh...odd behavior that makes others doubt them.

"Since everything's normal here, I might as well get some juice."

I walk downstairs and into the gym lobby. Although, I've been getting a lot of attention from the bystanders, ever since people found out I was helping Karasuno during the Inter-High.

'Guess I'll have to get used to this overwhelming atmosphere.'

Clank-Clang!

"Hm?"

Just then, I see a can tumbling pass me from behind. Curious, I pick it up.

"Hey!"

I turn around to find a tall boy with slick-back, black hair, wearing a white-n-blue volleyball uniform.

"That's mi...ngh!"

He wide-eyes me, but I shrug it off.

"Oh, so it's yours. Sorry about that."

"A-ah, no! Thank you."

He sheepishly grabs it, but I gasp when he reaches for the pop-top.

"Wait!"

Fssh!

"Dah!!"

Luckily, I snatch it and point the spitting liquid towards the wall. Once it goes quiet, we sigh in relief.

"Thanks for that."

"No problem. I wouldn't want one of our opponents to have a different-colored shirt than the rest."

"Huh?"

"Your shirt reads Ohgi Minami High. You're going up against my team, Karasuno."

"What...? Karasuno?"

"Hai. Our goal is to go to nationals."

"..."

He walks past me.

"Sorry, but...don't make going to nationals sound so easy."

"It's not...but I mean it."

"I wouldn't count on...Ngh!"

From his reaction, he knew that my eyes show nothing but seriousness.

"They will beat everyone...and go to Tokyo."

"...(playfully scoffs)...Even if they were somehow lucky enough to keep winning, everyone just gets crushed by Shiratorizawa in the end. We'll at least make some good memories."

He waves as he left, leaving me to hum to myself.

>>>>>>>FAST FORWARD>>>>>>>

"Nice kill!"

"Next!"

"Hai!"

The guys were just about done warming up. I was with Kiyoko, Keishin, and Takeda-sensei by the bench. Unfortunately, only one manager is allowed, so Hitoka-chan had to stay with the crowd. Speaking of which, I look up into the stands to find her.

"Oh..."

That's when I spot the infamous old grandpa, senior Ukai, and two of the neighbor kids he teaches. When Ikken looks down, I wave to him, and he responds with a smile.

"Both teams line up!"

'It's starting.'

The ref motions his arms while blowing the whistle.

"Let's play~!!"

[Moments Later...]

Since Inter-High, Karasuno has taken on unfamiliar challenges that pushed their limits.

FWEET!

"Yosha~!"

"Nice kill!"

There were many failed attempts, but they are finally starting to take shape.

FWOOM~!

My brother spikes a quick serve.

"Alright~!

Right now, it's the first set and we were dominating the points. I glance at our opponents.

'The third-years have gone, but their power has always been from their second-years. And yet...'

"They're lacking something."

"...What'd you say?"

I sheepishly grin at Keishin when realizing I was talking aloud.

"Sorry...I was just thinking about Ohgi Minami's performance. How do I put it...?"

"Ah~ so you noticed too." He crosses his arms.

"They have the physical aspects needed...but mentally..."

"Earlier," I explain, "I bumped into their captain. After I said we were going to nationals, he didn't believe me. I can't blame him, considering he went up against a powerhouse school at Inter-High. Just by looking at them, it's like their spirit is fading...or rather...they're struggling to hold onto it."

I knew the feeling. Frustrated to a degree that makes you wanna scream; on the brink of giving up.

Pat!

"Wuahh!"

"You little genius," he smirks, "always caring about others."

"Okay, okay--stop messing up my hair."

I playfully swat his hand and continue to watch.

"Tsk!"

Nishinoya receives the captain's spike.

FWOOM!

Shoyo quickly runs across the other side as Kageyama sets the ball.

"Yeah/Alright~!"

FWEET~!

Once halftime came, both teams walk off. Shoyo runs up to me with a big grin.

"Did you see that nee-san?!"

"Yeah." We high-five before turning to the others.

"So far you're doing great, but let's not celebrate too early. With every match you play, the more difficult it becomes."

"Hai!"

"Also..."

"Hey! Damn it!"

"Hm/Eh?"

"Don't get all quiet!"

We look to Ohgi Minami's side. Above them stood a boy with a green shirt and three-thick locks sticking out on top of his head.

"C-Captain Akki-kun!"

"You guys are so tough when it comes to fighting," Akki hollers, "but why is it you get so weak when it comes to volleyball?"

"What/Hah?!"

"Eek! I-it doesn't matter how strong you are! I'm on the second floor, so I'm not scared!"

"Why did he even come?"

"...Pfft!"

"Mm? Mizuki?"

A giggle slips out of me as I grin.

"Being serious, giving your all, and doing your best...none of that's lame!"

"..."

"..."

"...Pfft...ahahaha..."

We watch as our opponent's captain begins to laugh, making his teammates wary of him.

"...Uh..."

Next thing I knew, he turns around to face us.

"I'm gonna say this once."

His upper body leans back, taking a deep breath.

"WE'RE GOING TO BEAT KARASUNO! WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THE PRELIMS! WE'RE GONNA BEAT SHIRATORIZAWA~!"

"Ahahaha! You actually just said that!"

"Well said, big mouth!"

His teammates tease him while laughing, though he didn't mind one bit. In fact, he looks proud.

"Looks like they found it again."

I glance at Keishin, who chuckles in agreement. I then nudge Tanaka's side, getting his attention.

"What are you waiting for? Get out there and make your declaration."

"...Haha! You got it, senpai!"

"We're gonna win this, guys!"

"Bring it on!"

"Challenge accepted!!"

With the second half in motion, both teams were pumped up to take the victory.

BAM!

"Ngh!"

"Nice receive!"

TOSS!

"..."

[Eh...really?]

"...Was this during the time you retired?"

"Urgh!"

"Yosha!"

I cup my hands and yell loud and clear.

"Nice receive, Daichi! Great serve, Asahi~!"

The two grin and give a thumbs up.

Now it was at match point. From the stands, anyone can see the difference between both teams' skills.

[But for me, we're all the same. We have weaknesses as much as strengths.]

"Kageyama, nice receive~!"

FWOOM!

Fweet!

"Yosha!"

[No matter what, there will be obstacles in our way.]

"Nice kill!"

TOSS~

[There will be people stronger than us.]

BUNT!

"It's up!"

.

.

.

.

.

[That's why...]

WHOOSH~!

"Argh~!"

"Gasp!"

Ohgi's captain dives for the save all while colliding into the supplies.

"Connect and finish it!"

"Ooraa~!"

BUNT!

FWAP!

The ball hits the top of the net and sinks down left.

"Damn!"

Nishinoya receives with a one-hand touch.

"Tanaka-san!"

Shoyo serves it to him as he swing his arm.

BAM/BUNT!

But Ohgi's libero dives again.

"It's not over yet!"

"Gimme the last one!"

TOSS/FWOOM!

"Ngh!"

Asahi easily brings the ball back up, giving my brother time to catch them off guard.

WHOOSH~!

All I could see now was him soaring over everyone. And how far they have come to be here.

.

.

.

FWIP!

>>>>>>>FAST FORWARD>>>>>>>

FSSH~

I finish washing my hands and dry them before heading out of the restroom. As I did, I see my boyfriend down the hallway.

"Asahi!"

"Oh, Mizuki...I was looking for you."

"Are the other teams still playing," I ask.

"Hai. The guys and I are gonna check out..."

Tug

I grab his jersey sleeve before he turns away.

"...What's wrong?"

"Ah, no...um..."

I look around and no one was nearby. Taking the chance, I tiptoe as high as I could and peck his cheek.

"E-eh...u-um..."

I smile at his flustered expression, even if I'm blushing, too.

"Since we can't openly show affection during the tournament, I kind of felt...well...a little sad."

"......"

"S-so, I thought I could, just this once--"

Chu

Asahi surprises me with a kiss on the lips. He smiles while petting my head.

"It's okay...and it's just during games, right? But thank you for that."

"...Hehehe...you've changed a lot, Asahi."

"You think," he chuckles.

We eventually catch up with the others where the board shows the tally.

"If we win the next game," Daichi advises, "we'll get through the prelims and continue on to the qualifiers in October. We're gonna get through no matter what!"

"Hai!"

'Kakugawa High, huh...they'll be tough to beat since they've got a weapon on their side.'

Clack-Clack

"Mm..."

I glance up and see the very boy walking pass us. Just being near him made everyone feel inferior or uncomfortable by his stature. The two-meter wall, jersey #9: Hyakuzawa Yudai. To top it off, he's just a first-year, so naturally he'll grow the next year.

"Gah!"

And naturally, my brother took the reality a bit too much to heart.

"201 centimeters and 162 centimeters, huh..."

"I-I'm 163 if you round up!"

"So there's a 40 centimeter difference."

"Listen to me!"

"F-Forty centimeters is the same size as Ketty-chan. That's not that big."

"I don't think that's the right way to comfort him, Hitoka-chan," I awkwardly smile.

"Tekachu is also 40 centimeters," Yamaguchi thought.

"So is a Fujikujira," Tsukishima implies.

"That's even worse," I retort, "why would you compare the difference with a small shark?"

"(Tiredly chuckles) If combined with that Fujikujira...(mumbles)..."

I awkwardly stare at my anxious brother. Well, he may look scared now, but it's different on the court.

"Come on," Keishin hollers, "let's start warming up!"

"Hai!"

As they run to the court, I stand beside Keishin.

"This could be tough," I thought.

"Yeah," he nods, "in volleyball, height is everything. Just by how tall someone or how good a player is can tip the scale in one's favor."

"Line up!"

"...How they'll deal with it, will definitely be worth watching."

"Let's go~!"

"Hai!!"

>>>>>>>No One's POV>>>>>>>

"You look like you're doing well again today, Hyakuzawa-kun, so we're set."

Kakugawa's coach smiles with delight as his team huddles for the pep-talk.

"Osu."

"By the looks of it," the libero says, "no one over there matches your height."

"Right."

"If you get confused about the rules again, make sure you ask."

"I think I've got the rules by now."

"You can see how their #3 and #9 serve," the captain implies, "so let's keep the ball in the air and cover our positions." He pushes his glasses up.

"This team was able to give Seijoh a hard time, but that doesn't matter. We will just fight, taking advantage of our strength."

"Let's play~!!"

[Moments Later...]

Tap!

Bunt!

"Ngh!"

BAM!

"Yosha!"

"...Hm...?"

Yachi sees the number of bystanders increasing around her.

'There's even more people now.'

"Oh, he's big."

"Mikako-sensei."

She sees the woman with glasses and pink shirt standing next to the old man in his green cap.

"Hello, Onoya-san."

"This is my neighbor," Onoya explains to Ikken, "she's the adviser for a junior high volleyball club."

"One of the players on the opposing team is really tall," Mikako thought, "everyone on my team is so small, so I can't help but cheer for the smaller team."

"No need to worry. That big guy's got nothing on Karasuno's #10. Right, Ukai-sensei?"

"It's true that he's got a disadvantage."

"Eh?"

"Like with height and speed. Once a simple and pure strength grows past a certain level, it becomes something that overwhelms an ordinary person. In a head-to-head competition, at least."

Senior Ukai glances at Mizuki, noticing that straight-faced gaze filled with intensity. It made his smirk widen.

'What are you up to, kiddo?'

At that time, Mizuki had not taken her eyes off the opposing team. She was in full-analytical mode. Unlike the crowd, she pays attention to every movement with each player.

'Their defense is solid, but they've only recently become a formidable team since Hyakuzawa joined. And by the looks of it, they rely on his height when it comes to an air-battle.'

WHAM!

Hyakuzawa does another right-diagonal spike.

"Alright!"

'...So I was right.'

Mizuki turns to Takeda-san.

"Sensei...call a timeout."

"Eh...ah, right."

FWEET~!

When the ref blows the whistle, both teams return to their side. While taking a water break, Hyakuzawa stares at Hinata.

"What's wrong?"

He turns back to his upperclassman.

"Their #10...I sort of feel bad when he's so small and trying his best to jump."

"Hey, are you trying to be mean?"

"Not really." His senpai sweat-drops at his monotone statement.

"Well," the spikey-haired boy says, "it's true that Hyakuzawa will be too tall for him, even though he's only played volleyball for six months. It sucks for him."

"...Passing in volleyball is hard," Hyakuzawa thought, "but it's...simple."

Meanwhile...

"No matter how high I jump, he keeps hitting from above me," Shoyo worries, "what should I do?"

"Calm down."

"Shoyo..." Nishinoya smiles with confidence.

"Volleyball isn't just about mid-air battles."

"Huh?"

"He's right." The boys turn to Mizuki.

"You've noticed, too, huh?"

"Hai."

"Good." She smiles while pointing at them.

"Because for this to work, you need to be spot on. Here's what I want you to do..."

They huddle around her as they listen.

FWEET!

"Left! Left!"

"Alright!"

The game continues with Kakugawa on the attack.

'Here he comes.'

Shoyo takes his position while reminding himself of the plan.

BAM!

BUNT!

Right where Hyakuzawa hits, Nishinoya was there to receive.

"Yosha~!"

"Ngh!"

FWOOM!

"Ah!"

TAP!

Bounce!

FWEET!

"Yosha!!"

On the sidelines, Kageyama was wriggling his fingers while examining them.

"...Hinata." He turns to his friend.