At the Sendai City Gymnasium, clubs from many high schools and universities gathered together.
"The teams in Group A look pretty tough. The first match was Karasuno? Haven't they been weak the past few years?"
"Yeah, I heard they can't even make it through the first match anymore."
"Hahaha, so much for the 'fallen crows,' huh? They'll just lose again."
"Look, here they come."
Dressed in black tracksuits, Karasuno strode into the gymnasium with steady steps.
Tanaka and Asahi, walking in the middle of the group, always created an odd kind of energy whenever they stood together.
Tanaka grinned with his sharp, raised eyes and bald head, anyone who didn't know better would've thought he was some delinquent. Asahi, wild-looking but with his fragile pride, was often mistaken for a repeat-year student.
Every time they walked into a gym, people whispered, "Ouch, my heart hurts just looking at them." Asahi could never argue back, and Sugawara was left to comfort him.
"Don't care what they say," Daichi encouraged. "They'll see the new Karasuno soon enough."
Last year, they'd failed to even pass the first round. This year was their chance for revenge.
"That… Daichi, long time no see."
A timid voice came from the side.
Daichi stopped, blinked for a second, then smiled in surprise. "Ikejiri? Right, I forgot you went to Tokonami High. It's been a while."
While Daichi caught up with his old friend, Sugawara continued leading the rest of the team into the venue.
"Oh! That smell, Salonpas spray! I can smell that smell anywhere!" Hinata's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked around.
Kageyama frowned. "The hell is that?"
"I get it, I get it!" Nishinoya clenched his fists in agreement.
Tsukishima groaned. "The single-celled lifeform world is impossible to understand."
Karasuno's first match was on Court 3. After reaching their designated spot, they began warm-ups.
Only the trio Jin, Hinata, and Kageyama stayed behind to peel off their weighted gear. They'd worn the training weights for more than ten days straight.
"Ahh, so good! It's like being reborn." Jin twisted his body, joints popping as he moved.
Hinata and Kageyama both sighed in relief. Finally, it was time to test the results of their hellish training.
"Excuse me, is Daichi-san here?"
A sweet voice called from behind.
Jin turned his head, smiling faintly. It was the captain of Karasuno's Girls' Volleyball Club, Michimiya Yui.
"Daichi-senpai just ran into an old acquaintance. He's catching up a bit. Do you need him for something, senpai?" Jin's smile was bright, almost sheepishly harmless.
Kageyama, watching from the side, muttered, "Why does he always make that face around girls? It's so annoying…"
The girls' captain tilted her head, a little embarrassed. "Ah, sorry, do I know you?"
"I saw you at the mobilization meeting, so I recognized you. I'm Shirogane Jin, a first-year." Jin casually gave a reason. When the mobilization meeting started, he was still training with the old devil.
"Oh, I see… well, I shouldn't interrupt your warm-up then." She bowed politely and started down the corridor, clearly nervous.
Jin jogged after her. "Senpai!"
She blinked at him, startled. "Eh? Jin-kun? Why'd you follow me?"
"I'm here to cheer you up!" Jin said confidently.
"…H-huh? Cheer?" she stared at him in disbelief.
"Yes! Cheer!" Jin said with full certainty, gently guiding her toward a quieter corner of the hall.
The Michimiya Yui froze, tense at being pulled aside by a tall, overly bold underclassman. She glanced around nervously, unsure what strange thing might happen next.
"Senpai, you're thinking today's match is hopeless, right? That you can't win at all?" Jin cut straight to the point.
Her lips parted slightly. That was exactly what she'd been feeling, but being called out by a junior made her cheeks burn.
"Our practice, our abilities… compared to our opponents, we're way behind," she admitted quietly. "So of course we can't win, and besides…"
She trailed off. Deep down, she knew their team's atmosphere was shaky. Their captain, herself, wasn't strong enough to cheer them.
"There's no such thing as 'of course.' No such thing as an opponent you can't beat." Jin leaned in, his words annoyingly confident but strangely convincing. "The real enemy isn't them. It's yourself."
"…Myself?" she whispered.
He placed a hand on his chest. "Ask yourself, are you really fine with losing? Do you really feel nothing when you fail? If there's even a spark left in your heart, then grab it tight. Tell yourself, 'I want to win.'"
The captain's eyes widened. For a moment, the weight on her shoulders lifted. Her lips trembled. "…That's right. I want to win."
"The teams on Court 3, please enter for your match. The game will begin in five minutes."
The announcement echoed through the gym.
Jin waved and jogged off. "Do your best, senpai. I'm heading back."
She straightened up, raising her voice after him. "Thank you, Jin-kun!"
*Ding!*
"Love Story - Character Updated"
New Character Added: Michimiya Yui
Relation: Acquaintance
Side Task: "Assist her if she asks."
Jin's jaw dropped. All he'd done was to cheer her up and the system immediately flagged her into his "Love Story" questline.
"…Of course it'd give me another weird side mission," he muttered under his breath.