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

edited on january 25th, 2021 @ 12:02pm

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - OIKAWA TŌRU IS NOT A GENIUS

KAGEYAMA WALKS AWAY FROM THE net as Oikawa glares at Kageyama's back, before walking away. Hinata bounces over. "That was awesome! You're not losing against the Great King, Kageyama!" Hinata brightly announced, punching the air.

"Even if he is the best overall player in the prefecture, I won't lose to him as a setter." Kageyama declared.

Rei rolled his eyes. "He's not the best player, at least I'd say so. Even I know there are better players than him." He stated.

He then glanced back at Oikawa. "Also, while I'm talking to you, I wanna state something." Rei informed, making Kageyama glance at his teammate.

"Don't hog all the glory." Rei said as he gave him a low smirk. "I wanna show some moves to him as well." He added as his teammates stiffen and nodded.

Hinata decided to speak to Kageyama again. "But aren't you serving next?" He asked the first year setter. "You're on the back line, right?" Hinata quizzed as Kageyama got flustered. "You said you'd do the same thing again, but isn't a dump from the back line illegal?" Hinata stated with a blunt look. Kageyama shakes in embarrassment.

"Shut up! I-I meant when I got back on the front line."

Kageyama, literally waddles away as Hinata had an innocent look on his face. Rei shook his head and sighed at his teammates tiredly.

"Kageyama, nice serve!" Daichi announced as Kageyama was serving the ball, the refree blows the whistle as Kageyama did a jump serve, however the ball went out, making Rei groan and shake his head.

Kageyama had an unhappy look. "Don't mind, don't mind." Daichi assured their setter.

"I'm sorry." Kageyama apologized. They got back into their positions. It was Oikawa's turn to serve as he held the ball out with his hand.

"Well, then... I guess I'll have to show you how it's done." Oikawa spoke, as Rei could hear the girls in the audience squeal for Oikawa, making Rei roll his eyes in annoyance.

The whistle blew and everyone on Rei's side, including himself was getting ready to receive his powerful serve. Oikawa throws the ball up, as he ran forward and did a jump serve, however, Rei noticed that he aimed at Nishinoya. Rei narrowed his eyes.

"Something wasn't right with that serve." Rei mentally noted. "That must mean it's coming head on... Wait, it's curving!" Rei widened his eyes, hoping that Nishinoya knew it was curving. He sighed in relief when Nishinoya predicted where the ball would go, and saves it effortlessly.

"Bring it!" Hinata yelled as he runs forward as Kageyama gets ready to set.

"#10! #10!" A guy from Aoba Johsai yelled as Hinata jumps up, Kageyama pretended he was gonna pass the ball to the right side, but it was a trick, it looked similar to what Kenma did when they had their practice match against Nekoma.

Kageyama tosses the ball to Hinata who spikes it down and got them a point. The two cheer, as Rei watched from afar, not joining in on the cheering. He looked over at Nishinoya as Hinata beams at Nishinoya and Daichi pats Nishinoya on the back, praising him for saving the ball.

Rei looked back at Oikawa, to see him tying his shoes, as he was discussing something with his teammate, Kindaichi. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, Oikawa seemed too calm at the moment. As if he knew something or starting to realize something.

Rei widened his eyes as he had a feeling what Oikawa was starting to suspect. "Shoot, I hope he isn't figuring out Hinata-kun's and Kageyama-kun's attack patterns." He mentally thought, sweating a little.

Asahi was up to serve as he bounced the ball a few times before he threw the ball up and ran forward, he jumped and used his palm to slam the ball and sent it over the net.

Aoba Johsai's libero ends up saving it, but just barely. The ball goes up, Rei watched Kindaichi run forward and calls for a toss. "An A-quick." Rei noted as Hinata jumps up to block, however, they all noticed that Kindaichi seemed to be jumping higher.

Aoba Johsai gets their point, as they cheer. "I wonder... Maybe I'm imagining it... Their #12 seems to be jumping higher than our practice match we had with them." Daichi stated as Rei glanced over to Kageyama who had a narrowed look.

Rei looked back to Oikawa to see him smirking as he gave Rei a small wave with a relaxed smile and turned away from him.

Rei glared then glanced at the score board.

Aoba Johsai

04

Karasuno

02

Rei growled under his breath. "I know it's only the first set, but things aren't looking good for us..." He thought, sweating a little. Soon, Iwaizumi was serving as he hits the ball over the net, Daichi saves it but the ball was a bit off.

"Sorry! Cover!" He exclaimed as Kageyama gets into setting position.

"Right!" Kageyama assured as Rei watched Hinata run forward.

"Toss to me!" He announced.

Hinata jumps up to spike but he was being a decoy as it was Asahi who spiked down the ball and got Karasuno a point. Rei felt as though they were being analyzed by Oikawa, which made him uncomfortable.

"Yep."

Kageyama and Rei both tense at Oikawa's words, as they saw him ask his coach for a timeout. Everyone went to the sides, as Kageyama, Hinata, Sugawara, and Rei all stared at Aoba Johsai.

"Could it be that they've already figured it out?" Sugawara asked.

"Damn it, that was fast." Kageyama hissed.

"Oikawa is good at analyzing players and what to do in a situation. So yeah, I would say he's starting to catch on." Rei informed as his teammates had nervous expressions.

Rei looked at Kageyama who had a serious look. "If Oikawa knows about the signals, it'll make Kageyama panic..." He thought, as he gave an expression of slight concern to his friend. Soon, Tanaka and Nishinoya came over and smiled.

"Hey! What's with the serious face? That's not like you." Nishinoya grinned.

"Nah, Noya. That's actually how he always looks." Tanaka said, smirking. "He has the same face when he's trying to decide between milk and a yogurt drink."

"That— he— that has nothing to do with anything!"

Rei held a sly grin at Kageyama in amusement. Then, he looked towards Nishinoya. "Noya-senpai, I'm amazed you were able to return that serve." Rei spoke up as the second-year glanced at him.

"I received that serve once back when I was in junior high. It was always an amazing serve, if he could actually get it in, but he missed a lot, and it didn't have as much control." Nishinoya replied as everyone looked over at Oikawa who was smiling and chatting with his team.

"I'm sure he practiced a lot." Nishinoya added. "Just because they have one guy who can serve really well and their setter is an all-round player, I don't think those are the only reasons they've stayed in the top four for so long. If we let our guard down, they'll take this game."

The whistle blew. "Let's give it our all!" Nishinoya exclaimed as everyone nodded in determination.

"Right!" Everyone replied back as they headed onto the court to continue the game.

As the game goes on, Aoba Johsai gets another point as they spiked it down and Hinata did a bad job at returning the ball, Rei sighed and walked over to Hinata who looked a bit down.

"Don't look down, even if you miss." Rei scolded him, having a hand on his hip, as he stared down at his orange haired teammate. Hinata jumped at the sight of him and nodded.

Kindaichi was then about to serve. "One point!" Kageyama announced. Kindaichi serves as the ball goes to Asahi, however, it wasn't a strong one, but Aoba Johsai managed to get a point.

"Sorry! We'll get the next one!"

"Don't mind! Don't mind!"

Aoba Johsai serves again, and once again gets a point as Asahi failed to receive the weaker serves, making Rei raise an eyebrow in question. "Are they purposely aiming the volleyball at Asahi?" Rei thinks to himself, humming a little.

Kindaichi serves one more time as Asahi saves it. "Yeah!" Asahi announced, making Rei grin. But he quickly wiped that away as Kageyama gave the ball a toss to Daichi who spiked down the ball and got us a point, Rei looked over to see that Oikawa was back in the front.

"#3! #3!"

"Nice serve!"

Rei looked over at Kageyama who was side glancing at three people who were on the other side of the net from him. "Kageyama-kun could be feeling pressure already..." Rei thought to himself, concerned a little as he focused his attention back on the ball.

Rei watched as Daichi receives the ball and it goes to Kageyama. "Nice receive!" Rei announced as he saw Kageyama jump up. Rei noticed that he was gonna do a setter dump, but that got blocked by Oikawa, as the ball fell back onto the court and Aoba Johsai gets a point, making Rei growl a little at himself for not reacting fast enough to save the ball.

"There's nothing easier to stop a dump when you're panicked." Oikawa smirked at Kageyama who looked as though he was panicking a little.

The game continued as Tsukishima ran forward when the ball goes to Kageyama. He tosses the ball up as Tsukishima jumped up and spiked it down past three blockers, making Karasuno gain a point.

"Let's turn this around and get those four points back." Tanaka yelled from the sides.

"Yeah!" Hinata agreed.

"They're so lively..." Rei heard Oikawa mumble. "...and troublesome."

Rei snorted at his comment. "You have no idea." He commented to himself, thinking Oikawa didn't hear him. But he saw Oikawa give him a teasing look, making Rei blush and look away from getting caught agreeing with him. He turned away.

Rei breathed in and out to focus on the ball. He watched as the ball goes over the net to Karasuno's side. "Give me a toss!" Hinata yells to Kageyama, Hinata jumped up to spike the ball, however, it seemed as though Aoba Johsai had the duo figured out as Kindaichi jumped to block the ball.

Hinata gives the volleyball a soft spike as it lands on the court and gained them a point but just barely. "I knew it, they must've figured it out." Rei thought as he watched Kageyama do a jump serve.

"Isn't that a bit too front?" Rei wondered to himself, noticing something different about Kageyama's serving. He saw him hit the ball into a soft serve, Aoba Johsai barely saves it as Oikawa did a toss from the back, making Kageyama touch the ball, which made Rei widen his eyes.

"Kageyama-kun touched the ball first! Now he won't be able to do a toss!" Rei mentally noted, his eyes holding panic.

Suddenly, his legs moved on his own as Rei ran forward, getting into setting position. "No one on my team knows I used to be a setter for awhile back in junior high... Remember, eyes on the ball, look at the spiker, and... toss!" Rei told himself.

"Daichi-san!" Rei called out, as he gave the ball a toss. Daichi jumps up to spike his toss, but he got blocked.

"I thought it would be perfect... then again, setting was always Fuji-kun's thing."

Rei saw that it was Oikawa's turn to serve, making him gulp a bit. Suddenly, Oikawa did a jump serve. However, he widened his eyes when he saw that Oikawa aimed it at him.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

Rei didn't have the time to react properly as the ball bounces off his arms, and Aoba Johsai gets a point, making him hiss.

"Don't mind! We'll get the next one!" Daichi shouted at him, but Rei still felt himself feeling weak and vulnerable for not saving the ball.

Rei gave a harsh look at Oikawa, who flinched a little and turned away. Before Oikawa was gonna serve, Karasuno had called for a timeout, they walked over and surrounded Ukai.

"Just lift it up! Even if it doesn't go to the setter, as long as we can get the ball up, we can recover somehow!" Ukai reassured them, as they took in his words.

"Right."

"By the way, Kageyama... What was with that dump earlier?"

"I'm sorry! I panicked!"

"If you realize that, it's fine. It's not that dumps are wrong. It's also in our favor if we have the enemy verify that we have lots of ways to attack. However, if they read that we're doing a dump, then it's likely that they'll stop it. Think carefully about when you're going to use it." Ukai told Kageyama.

"Yes!" Kageyama replied.

"Also, don't forget who we're fighting against. It's not Oikawa, but Aoba Johsai. Also, it's just not you fighting, it's Karasuno." Ukai added as they took in his words.

"Right." Kageyama said as they headed back onto court.

Rei got into his position as Oikawa serves the volleyball, the ball comes to Tanaka who was swapped in for Tsukishima. Since Oikawa seemed as though he was an easy target.

"Not this time!" Rei thought as he watched Tanaka jump to the right-hand side and save the volleyball in a blink of an eye.

Rei looked up to see Hinata had jumped to block the spike, but sadly Aoba Johsai got a point when Kindaichi spikes down the ball, Rei narrowed his eyes at this, annoyed.

"It's okay! It went up like it should, Tanaka!" Daichi pats the second years back, trying to reassure him, he nods stiffly.

"Right." He agrees hesitantly.

Oikawa serves again as Rei watched him do his famous jump serve, Tanaka gets in front of the ball and saves the ball with ease.

"Ryu!" Nishinoya exclaims with pride as the ball goes up.

"Hinata, cover!" Daichi yells out to the orange haired first year, who runs forward.

"Right!" Hinata yelled as he receives the ball, Rei kept his eyes locked on the ball above him.

"Tanaka!" Hinata shouts at Tanaka.

"#5! #5!"

Tanaka jumps up and spikes the ball, only to get blocked by three people.

TWEEET!

Karasuno had called for a timeout, as Rei was starting to get annoyed and pissed. He walked to the sides with his team as they surrounded their coach, Tanaka was quiet, which made some of Rei's teammates worried.

"Um—" Hinata spoke to him, but he got interrupted when Tanaka slapped his face, making his teammates gulp and flinch.

"I'm sorry!" He apologizes, bowing to everyone.

"Ryu! There are some things that can't be helped!" Nishinoya tried to comfort him.

"That toss was hard, and there was a three-person block. Noya-senpai or I should have followed up—" Rei added.

Tanaka interrupted him. "I didn't call the toss just now. I got scared for a second, damn it!" He hisses at everyone. His team was a bit taken aback by this.

"I'll have my regrets after the match! There's no point in someone worthless like me bringing everyone down because I'm upset about my own mistake! I'll get it next time!" Tanaka shouts, panting heavily.

"The fact that you're saying that shows how much worthy you are." Ukai smiles at him, as Tanaka then rubs his neck.

"Oh, right..." He muttered.

"If you try to receive by just using your arms, it'll just deflect, so move your legs, too." Ukai added.

"You should be just like Ryu, Asahi."

"If I could, I would!"

TWEEET!

"Bring it!" Karasuno yelled as they faced Aoba Johsai. Rei just wiped away his sweat, they watched as Oikawa did his jump serve, it was aimed at Tanaka once more, but this time, Tanaka managed to save it. The ball had actually hit his chest, and Rei watched the ball was falling to the ground.

Rei let his legs move on their own once more, as he dived down and saved the ball as it went into the air, Kageyama rushed over and also saved the ball, for it to go higher. Rei raced to his feet and watched the volleyball in the air.

"Talk about a close call." Rei noted to himself, wiping away his sweat. He watched as Oikawa tosses the ball and the spiker from Aoba Johsai smacks down the ball, but Nishinoya came into view and kept it in play.

"Nice receive!"

"Sorry! Cover!"

"Left!" Tanaka announced, calling for a toss. Kageyama does so by sending the ball to Tanaka, who races forward to hit it down, Rei watched as Tanaka jumped up and smacked down the volleyball against his palm as the volleyball goes past three blockers.

They managed to get a point.

"Yeah!"

Everyone cheered as Tanaka grins happily that he managed to stop Oikawa's momentum. Which was very impressive. "Tanaka!" Hinata exclaims in pride.

"Ryu!" Nishinoya adds, equally happy.

"Tanaka! Nice!" Daichi praised.

"Well done, Tanaka-san!" Rei beamed at his senior.

"Thanks for the nice follow-ups, everyone!"

Tanaka then grips his hands into fists. "This is the most I was able to see a block!" He grins as Hinata let out a confused noise.

"Sometimes I can see the opponents block in slow motion in the air. It's just like light passing by." Tanaka explained to Hinata, who brightens up.

"Tanaka, you're awesome!"

"Well, I am your senpai!"

Daichi came over and startled Tanaka. "Tanaka, serve!" Daichi ordered.

"Yes!" Tanaka yelped. Rei sighed in exhaustion before looking forward. "We were able to stop their momentum, but it's not over yet." Rei stated in his head.

Rei saw the ball get served by Tanaka, as Aoba Johsai saves it and went in for a spike, Hinata managed to one touch it.

"Chance ball!" Rei called out, as he readied his arms and sent the volleyball upwards.

"Bring it!" Hinata exclaims, running to the net. Rei saw Kageyama send the ball to Hinata quickly, Iwaizumi tried to block him but wasn't quick enough as Hinata spiked down the ball down on the court and got us a point.

"All right!"

Tanaka serves again, as the ball goes over the net and Aoba Johsai saves it. Rei watched as Oikawa tosses to Kindaichi who Daichi jumped up to block but failed as it went passed him and Nishinoya also didn't save it in time, making the point go to Aoba Johsai.

The game continues on as the ball goes around the place, Rei looked over at the score for a second. "A seven-point lead... We have to lessen it somehow." He thought to himself as Kageyama tosses it to Daichi who spiked it down, but got blocked, however the ball still got over the blocker and they barely get a point.

As the game goes, Hinata had got swapped out with Nishinoya, Rei looked away to keep his eyes on the ball, Daichi saves it.

"Cover!" He yells, Rei ran over and received the ball.

"Nice, Oshiro!" Daichi praised him, as the ball goes to Kageyama who tosses it Tsukishima, who gave a spike, but the ball goes back up.

"All right!" Nishinoya assured as he saves the volleyball in time. "One more! One more!" Daichi encouraged. Tanaka ran forward as the ball comes to Kageyama. Tanaka jumped up, however he released the ball coming to him, was a bit too fast, he did manage to spike it, but only just.

Rei looked at Kageyama, who still seemed to be panicking, which Rei understood why, but that wasn't a good sign. "Not good. I get why he's panicking, but that won't help us." Rei noted, sweating at him.

"Take your time! Don't panic!" Ukai exclaimed to them, as he must've noticed their attacks getting quicker.

Rei focused back on the game as Oikawa tosses the ball to his spiker who slams down the ball and got a point, Rei tried to save it, but it was too late. "Damn it! I wasn't fast enough!" He growled in his head, running a hand through his black hair in frustration.

Aoba Johsai serves as the ball comes to them. Tanaka dived down to receive it, however the ball was going over the net. "Push it! Kageyama!" Daichi encouraged as Rei saw both Oikawa and Kageyama jump up to see who can get the ball over the net.

It was an intense battle, however, not only was Oikawa taller, but he was older and had more experience than Kageyama as a setter, and just as a player in general. So, he got the upper hand and pushed the ball out of Kageyama's fingers, Rei dived in to do his best and save it, but he failed and Oikawa gets a point once the volleyball touches the court.

Kageyama fell onto his butt and Rei and Kageyama stare up at Oikawa who had a slight pleasing smile. He glanced at Kageyama and Rei for a second, before turning away.

"Bastard..." Rei thought.

The game goes on as Aoba Johsai serves once more, Rei ran over and saved the ball. "Nice receive!" Tanaka praised. Rei watched as Kageyama tosses the ball, however, he accidently missed Tsukishima who was a bit shocked, before the ball could fall down through, Asahi was quick to follow through and send the ball up and over to Aoba Johsai, making them have a chance ball.

Rei watched as Oikawa gave a toss to Kunimi as he slams down the volleyball, Tsukishima tried to block, but failed as the ball pasts Tanaka and Rei.

Rei gulped and looked at the score.

Aoba Johsai

20

Karasuno

11

"Not good, not good. We have to beat Oikawa. We can't lose!" Rei hissed to himself.

TWEEEET!

Rei jumped at the sudden whistle that interrupted his thoughts as he looked over, wondering what was happening, only to widen his eyes a little to see that Kageyama was being swapped out and Sugawara was going to replace him. Rei glanced at Kageyama who stared in shock, which Rei didn't blame him.

"He must be thinking about his time in junior high. His "king" days, and thinks that everyone is trusting Suga-san now, which we kind of all are, it's obvious Kageyama-kun is in a panic state." Rei noticed to himself, in his mind that is.

Rei let out a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves. He knew he was running out of stamina. He felt it.

"There's my bad feeling again..."

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

On the other side of the court, Hayashi looked at Rei with concern in his eyes. Kindaichi and Kunimi walked up to him.

"You okay, Hayashi?" Kindaichi asked.

"I'm fine, Kindaicchi." Hayashi replied. "I'm more worried about Shirocchi."

"Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting their first-year libero was on the same junior high team as you." Kindaichi stated as Hayashi nodded.

"I know how he gets during games." Hayashi said. "His body is starting to shake. Not as much as to where you can see it, but if you know him as long as I have, you'd notice." He added, remembering a memory back in junior high.

(Flashback)

Hayashi gasped as he saw the black haired male collapse on the court after their win. "He's a dumbass. An absolute dumbass." Mizuki growled.

"Shiro-chin knows his limits. He should've told us he needed to be subbed out." Nakano said lazily.

"You know how stubborn Rei is. Let's just make sure our libero is okay." Their red haired captain said as all of them nodded.

Hayashi heard a groan as he looked up and saw Rei opening his eyes.

"Shou-kun?" Rei muttered.

"I'm here, Rei-chan. The others have gone home already." Hayashi said as he texted the others that their teammate was fine. He placed his phone in his volleyball bag as he grabbed and energy bar and a water bottle, handing it to Rei. Who took it gratefully.

"You collapsed after the match." Hayashi told him. "You know you have limits, Rei-chan. Kawamuracchi knows that too."

"I know, Shou-kun." Rei said as he bit into the energy bar. "But you guys depend on me to guard your backs."

"Sometimes I think we take it for granted." Hayashi admitted. "Your body is weak, Rei-chan. Just— try and let us know if you need to be subbed out, okay?"

"Alright, Shou-kun."

(End Flashback)

Hayashi snapped out of his thoughts when Karasuno's #4 walked by him. He was their other libero, so if there was anyone Rei would listen to on his team, it would be him.

"Hey, shortie." Hayashi said as Nishinoya stopped and looked at him. "I'm only telling you this because Shirocchi seems to have a lot of respect for you. Please keep an eye on him and don't take his misdirection for granted. His body is weak. Sub him out before he collapses. I'm not doing this to benefit my team, I'm doing this because I care about him."

Nishinoya raised an eyebrow in confusion but just nodded.

Hayashi sighed in relief as he looked at Rei once more. "Please don't collapse, Rei-chan." He thought.

Unfortunately for him, his captain had heard his conversation with Nishinoya, suddenly thinking of an idea.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

A/N: Another chapter done! Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 4269 words.