A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on april 18th, 2022 @ 9:29am

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX - TAKE IT EASY

IT WAS DARK OUT AS everyone was having dinner. Kageyama was sitting at table in the cafeteria along with another Shinzen member.

"Man... I feel so much better when there's someone I know around."

Kageyama picked up a piece of broccoli with his chopsticks before eating it.

"He's been hard to get along with since the summer training camp, but... What is he even thinking?"

"You guys at Karasuno beat Shiratorizawa, and you're going to nationals, right?"

"Yeah." Kageyama simply replied.

"That's awesome. My team lost a full set at the finals. I was sure we'd win, too."

Footsteps were soon heard. "Hey." A voice said, grabbing the attention of the two, only to see that it was Sakusa.

"Sakusa!"

"I haven't seen the video yet, but why did Shiratorizawa lose? Was Wakatoshi-kun not at his best?" Sakusa questioned.

Kageyama didn't respond as he glanced down. "He seemed to be playing his best to me." He finally answered.

"What?" Sakusa asked in confusion, narrowing his eyes. "Then why the hell did he lose? How did you manage that? Did someone actually manage to stop Wakatoshi-kun?"

"Yeah... They did." Kageyama answered. "Though in Hinata's case, it was basically a receive..."

A lightning bolt struck through Sakusa. "Who was it? What year? What's their name? What junior—" Sakusa began interrogating Tobio.

"Sorry about that!" Komori apologized, walking towards the group. "He's as negative as you can get. He has to know everything about anyone who could be a threat to him."

"I'm not negative. I'm just cautious." Sakusa denied.

"You haven't actually gotten serious yet, have you, Sakusa-san?" Kageyama asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"It's just a feeling." Kageyama answered. "I mean, you're way more normal than what I'd imagined you'd be like, so far."

Another lightning bolt struck through Sakusa as he had an irritating look on his face while Komori let out a laugh.

"Right now, he thinks his shoulders aren't doing so great. Though in his case, it's usually just his head." Komori stated. "I guess there's nothing bad about being cautious about it."

"Bath time." Sakusa simply said, turning around as he left.

"Already?" Komori questioned, looking back at his cousin.

"I'm taking one before anyone else can fill the tub with their germs."

"Sorry to bug you guys!" Komori said, rushing to quickly follow Sakusa as Kageyama drank his soup.

"Man, that scared me! I can't believe you called one of the top three in Japan 'normal!'"

"I said he seems normal so far." Kageyama stated, placing his bowl down.

"Everyone here's crazy good. Especially him." The two glanced over at a spiky white haired male. "I wonder who he is."

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

It was the next day as Atsumu was up to serve. He served the ball up into the air but it got received.

Kageyama got into setting position as he jumped up to toss, but a spiker jumped up to spike the ball onto the court.

"Nice kill!"

"You don't need to focus so hard on hitting a target if you're just going to pass right over the net." Hitaki informed.

"Yes, sir."

"Setter, you can stand a little further away from the net." Hitaki told Kageyama.

"Yes, sir!" Kageyama responded.

The match continued as Kageyama tosses the ball up for a spiker who jumped up, and scored a point.

"Nice kill!" Kageyama complimented.

"Kageyama... He didn't have a problem syncing with that left-handed middle blocker." Hitaki pointed out.

"His technique and instinct are both wonderful."

"How was that?" Kageyama asked.

"I think I could hit it faster. Could you make it a bit more compact and zippy?"

"Got it." Kageyama said.

"It's terrifying that this kid can agree to that so quickly and actually follow through." Komori thinks to himself.

"Um... Could you keep passing like that?"

"Got it."

"I'm pretty sure Kageyama's not the best at communicating, but you can tell he's definitely trying."

On the other side of the net, Atsumu was giving a closed eyed smile as the ball went up again.

"Front! Front!"

Atsumu dived down to receive the ball.

"Nice!"

The ball then got tossed into the air.

"Left!"

Hoshiumi jumped up into the air with incredible jumping power as he slammed down the ball onto the court.

"Talk about a high jump..." Komori commented as Hitaki clapped in amazement.

"Great job. That was right on the end line." He stated.

Kageyama just walked away from the net as Hoshiumi looked back at him.

"Make sure you're properly stretching."

Everyone then began to stretch. "Hey." Hoshiumi called out, getting Kageyama's attention.

"Have you seen me before?" Hoshiumi asked.

"Yeah, since I came here." Kageyama answered.

"That's not what I meant!" Hoshiumi said in irritation. "I'm asking you if you've seen any of my games before."

"No." Kageyama responded.

"Someone's trying to pick a fight with Kageyama again."

"I see..." Hoshiumi said. "Then be more scared of me! Be surprised! You've just been staring at me like, "Huh..." ever since you saw me!"

Kageyama gave him the exact "huh" look he was talking about. "Usually people underestimate me because of my height... And then freak out when they see my skills! That's how this is usually supposed to work!" Hoshiumi exclaimed.

"You do freak me out." Kageyama admitted. "But... You're a great reference, too."

"What?!" Hoshiumi yelled, a lightning bolt going through him.

Atsumu let out a laugh. "Wow, you've got guts." He spoke.

"That guy's a setter and second-year... Miya Atsumu." Kageyama thinks to himself.

"I actually thought you were gonna be pretty prickly at first, but on the court..." Atsumu lowered his head. "You're a Goody Two-Shoes, aren't ya?"

"What?" Kageyama questioned.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

"Here's your drink!" Hinata exclaimed, passing a water bottle towards Kindaichi.

"Thanks." Kindaichi said, catching the water bottle in his hands.

"Huh? Where's my..." Koganegawa trailed off.

"Here's your towel!" Hinata interrupted, tossing the towel towards him in which he caught.

"Oh, that's right! I put it over there." Koganegawa stated. "Thanks!"

"You sure are observant, Shoyo."

The match resumed as the ball ended up getting saved, but went up in the stands.

"Whoops, it really went up there. I'll go get—"

"I'll go get it!" Hinata interrupted.

"Thanks."

The ball went up in the air as Kunimi crouched down to receive it while Hinata watched from above. Goshiki went to spike the ball.

"Hyakuzawa!"

Hyakuzawa was able to receive the ball just as it went past Koganegawa and another blocker. "Someone get that!" Koganegawa called out.

It was too late as the ball had touched the ground.

"Come on! Let's take this seriously! You totally could've gotten that!" Koganegawa scolded Kunimi. "We're playing together with guys we can't play with usually! Let's go all-out!"

Kunimi's eyes had a dark shadow over them.

Kunimi Akira (15).
Least favorite phrase #2: "Go all out."

Kindaichi then walked behind him. "Uh... sorry about that. I promise he does try sometimes." He then turned over towards Kunimi. "Come on, Kunimi! You should've gone after that one!"

"Sure." Kunimi replied in a bored tone.

TWEEEEET!

"All right. Go get rehydrated and we'll do 2-on-2 drills."

"2-on-2, huh?"

"These drills are the roughest." Kindaichi pointed out.

"Yeah, because if there's only two of us, we have to keep moving nonstop."

"But the one who has it the hardest is that guy over there, since he has the least experience." Kindaichi thinks to himself, looking over at Hyakuzawa.

"I don't want to be that guy, but I'd rather not be with the guy who's two meters tall."

"Yeah. He's tall, but his technique is still junior high level. It's hard trying to pick up after him."

TWEEEET!

"Gather round!" Anabara announced. "The rules are the same. When you're spiking, no dinking allowed. First to get ten points wins. I know I've said this before, but always think about your next move. You're not going to be able to win this if you're half-assing it."

"Yes, sir!"

Kunimi and Kawashita went first as they were going against Kindaichi and Koganegawa.

"Screw you! Screw you, Kunimi!" Kindaichi said in irritation when Kunimi did a setter dump. He turned around and stuck his tongue out.

"Hyakuzawa!"

Hyakuzawa kept missing the ball everytime. "This feeling of being left further and further behind... I can tell that my playing is getting worse. Since there are only two of us, it's hard to do any kind of complicated attack. So you just need to watch the other guy and pounce on his mistake. And... I know that I'm making a bunch of mistakes." He collapses to the ground.

"But just realizing that... isn't going to magically make me be able to keep up. Ugh... I can't wait for this 2-on-2 to hurry up and be over!"

"I wish you were the one invited here instead of me..."

Hyakuzawa's words made Hinata stop as Hyakuzawa flinched right after he spoke.

"How stupid can I be?! He obviously feels that way more than anyone else! He's a starter for a powerhouse team, and everyone here who's been up against him is watching his every move. Unlike me, who just happens to be here, he's the kind of guy who makes people want to pick him." Hyakuzawa thinks to himself.

Hinata placed his hand on his chin in thought. "Hey, now. You mean you wish it was me and you who got invited here together, right?" He questioned. "Everyone who's been invited here's pretty amazing in one way or another, and I mean, you're super huge and tall. And I admit... Without Kageyama, I'm just a little... Emphasis on the "little"... Inconvenienced, and can't quite display everything I've got... But even then..."

"But I'm just huge." Hyakuzawa interrupted.

This made Hinata freak out. "Hey! What do you mean, "just"?!" He exclaimed out. "Do you... Do you realize how cool two meters is?! If I could pick between having a killer serve and being two meters tall right now, I'd definitely pick being two meters tall! I mean, I can always work on my serve, but there's nothing I can do about my height! Anyway! Being two meters tall is the bestest... The most ultimate... The most amazingly awesome super talent there is!"

"Cheering up a rival? You must be confident." Tsukishima commented smugly as Hinata turned over towards him.

"The heck are you talking about?! I'm chewing him out!" Hinata denied.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're cheering him up." Koganegawa agreed.

"Really?" Hinata questioned. "I mean, I guess that's fine in the end."

"What good does it do you to cheer me up?" Hyakuzawa asked.

"Lots! I mean... I wanna beat you." Hinata replied before kneeling down. "Hey, there's something that I noticed, since I was watching you guys play. Could you try something for me?"

"I wont be able to do anything that requires a lot of technique." Hyakuzawa responded.

"It's super easy! I'm sure you'll be able to do it!" Hinata reassured.

The whistle blew once more. "Make the last hit!" Kuroishi called out towards Hyakuzawa as he jumped up to hit the ball. Nagamatsu tosses the ball back up.

"Front! Front!"

Hyakuzawa dives down to receive the ball, but misses. "The back... is wide open!" Kunimi thought, saving the ball as it went back in the air.

Hyakuzawa jumped up, shocking Kunimi. "Let's take it easy, Hyakuzawa!" Hinata cheered from the sidelines.

Hyakuzawa released a breath as he tossed the ball back over the net. Kuroishi tosses the ball over towards him as he spiked it down onto the court, shocking everyone.

"There's no way I can win head-to-head with a giant that's two meters tall." Kunimi thought.

"Man, you're so big! I'm so jealous, damn it!" Hinata exclaimed as Hyakuzawa sent a high five towards Kuroishi.

"Hey, Hyakuzawa! Nice kill, hey!" Hinata cheered.

Hyakuzawa walked over to him before giving him a high five.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

A/N: Sorry! No Hideaki in this chapter. As I mentioned before, writing season four is difficult when the first five episodes are the training camps. Thanks for reading!