Back in the gym, Shirogane Jin moved to the sideline on Captain Daichi's advice.
It made sense, if he stayed on court the whole time, the other first-years wouldn't get a chance to play.
Even with just a handful of points, Jin had already proven his strength.
While resting, he noticed Shimizu Kiyoko sitting nearby with her notebook. It had been a few days since their last awkward encounter. He wasn't sure if she still minded.
"It's amazing Shirogane-kun. Against a top-four prefecture team, your performance really stood out," Kiyoko said suddenly, almost without thinking.
Jin could tell she meant it sincerely. But the polite '-kun' and surname suffixes felt stiff to him.
"Thanks. What are you writing?" he asked, leaning over.
Kiyoko opened her notebook. It held score tallies and tactical notes for both teams. The last few lines caught Jin's eye.
"You're looking for a new manager?" he asked. "Like… a kohai to help?"
Kiyoko nodded. "Yes. With so many new members this year, I've been looking for another manager. Probably someone from the first-years."
Jin slapped his chest confidently. "I'll help you find one. Promise I'll bring someone perfect."
Kiyoko gave him a small, gentle smile. "Really? Then thank you, Shirogane-kun."
Jin's expression turned serious. "Kiyoko, I told you before, I'm chasing you. So next time, don't call me with surname and kun. Just Jin."
She was started and quickly looked away, embarrassed. "I… I know. Jin."
Her shy tone made Jin's heart swell with triumph. But when he turned, he froze, he saw Tanaka was glaring daggers at him from the court, fists clenched. Jin coughed nervously and looked away.
On court, Aoba Jōsai's offense had clearly faltered after Oikawa's injury. Even after adjusting, they were overwhelmed by Kageyama and Hinata's freak quick attacks.
The practice match ended after just two sets.
To take down a top-four prefecture team so smoothly shocked even Takeda-sensei. It strengthened his resolve to find Karasuno a proper coach.
On the way back, Hinata bounced with excitement. "That was amazing! My first real team match, and we won!"
"You idiot," Kageyama barked. "Your receives were awful. You almost cost us points every time. What's there to brag about?!"
Tsukishima adjusted his glasses. "Honestly, with Jin as our main attacker, only Captain Daichi can consistently receive. Everyone else still lacking. Our defensive center is wide open."
"What we're missing is a libero," Kageyama added. "Someone who doesn't attack, just controls the backcourt and defense 100%."
Sugawara waved a hand lightly. "Relax. If we wait a bit, that fiery second-year will be back soon."
"Come back? Who's coming back?" Hinata asked eagerly.
Daichi smiled knowingly. "Karasuno's guardian angel."
'Nishinoya Yū' the libero smaller than Hinata, but with defensive skills unmatched. Jin remembered him well from the anime. Agile, sharp instincts, reckless saves… one of the best liberos in the series.
"Besides the libero, Karasuno also used to have a powerhouse ace," Jin said knowingly.
"Asahi Azumane," Daichi confirmed, his voice a little heavy. "Our former ace. Wild-looking, but softhearted. If he comes back, Jin, you'll have to fight to surpass him."
Jin understood. In terms of skills, he was already at ace level. But pure power? Maybe he was still little behind Asahi.
But being the team's trump card wasn't just about strength.
"It doesn't matter how strong the senpai are," Jin said firmly, eyes burning with resolve. "I'm the man who's going to become Karasuno's ace!"