During the lunch break, all of Karasuno gathered in the public canteen of the gym.
Nobody ate too much, the afternoon match was coming, and the last thing anyone wanted was stomach cramps in the middle of a game.
With about an hour left before the game, Jin had nothing better to do, so he wandered around the gymnasium. The whole venue was buzzing, not just volleyball, but basketball and badminton matches were happening too. It was noisy, crowded, and strangely relaxing. Then he heard it.
"Crack! Kick! What's broken?"
"Crack! Kick! Guess what?"
"…The human heart~!"
The singsong voice cut through the air, followed by a lanky figure weaving through the crowd like a street performer. Red hair stuck out at odd angles, his movements sharp one moment and floppy the next, like a puppet with loose strings.
He spun past one passerby, then another, until suddenly face-to-face with Jin.
Most people would've stepped aside but Jin didn't. He kept walking, forcing the redhead to twist away in a dramatic spin, arms spread wide.
"Whoa, dangerous, dangerous!" the boy exclaimed, landing in a crouch with theatrical flair.
Jin didn't need a second glance. The weird gait, the eccentric voice, the team jacket, this was unmistakable.
Tendō Satori. Shiratorizawa's middle blocker. The "Guess Blocker."
"What a reckless little brat," Tendō said, light voice edged with sarcasm. "Don't you look where you're walking? Dangerous, dangerous."
He had been the one zig-zagging like a clown through crowd, but now he was pinning the blame on Jin without missing a beat.
Then his eyes narrowed, recognizing Jin. His grin stretched wide. "Ohooo~ silver-hair. It's you. Still calling yourself Karasuno's ace?"
Jin shoved his hands into his pockets, smirking. "Of course. What, did you think I'd be satisfied after one practice match?"
"Practice match, he says…" Tendō tilted his head, mock-thoughtful. "You came in, spiked on Ushiwaka, blocked him once, and then walked out like a main character. You've been living rent-free in Ushiwaka's head since then, y'know."
"Hehe," Jin chuckled, scratching his head. "That's because I 'am' a main character."
That got Tendō's eyes glint. He leaned closer, smile sharpening. "Anyways be careful, Jin-kun. Next time we're across the net, I won't just let you do as you please. No matter where you attack from, I'll be waiting. And when I catch you…" He clenched a fist with a sudden snap. "I'll break you."
He wasn't bluffing. Everyone who'd faced him knew how terrifying Tendō's intuition was. His guess blocks landed like he had a sixth sense, and when he got serious, eight out of ten attacks died in his hands. In the previous practice match, he just did casually, but this time he is serious.
Before the tension could bubble over, a heavy voice cut in.
"Tendō. Don't waste time here."
That voice was enough to silence the hallway.
Jin turned, smiling even before he saw him. "Long time no see, Ushijima-san."
Ushijima Wakatoshi walked up with his usual unshakable presence. He didn't need to say much, his sheer aura did the work. Even before stepping on court, his size and momentum pressed down on everyone around him.
"Yo," Ushijima said simply. For him, that counted as a rare greeting. His eyes locked on Jin. "I heard Karasuno won their first match. I hope to see you in the finals."
It wasn't empty talk. For Ushijima, who rarely spoke more than necessary, going out of his way to check Karasuno's result said everything. He acknowledged Jin, not just as some cocky first-year, but as a rival worth watching.
"Finals, huh?" Jin's grin widened. "Make sure you don't trip before then."
"Let's go," Ushijima said, turning to leave.
But Tendō wasn't finished. He leaned down until his face was almost brushing Jin's, grin mischievous. "Hey hey, silver-hair. Back at the practice match, I never really got to test you, did I? Not properly."
Jin tilted his head. "Test me? What, you want me to run drills for you?"
"Nope." Tendō's grin grew. "Reflexes. Let's see if they're faster than my guess."
Jin's grin twitched sharper. "Oh, I've got a fast reflexes, y'know."
"Ohh." Tendō clapped his hands together dramatically. "Then let's play a game."
"A game?"
"Rock, paper, scissors!" Tendō declared, arms flailing in rhythm like a stage performer.
Jin blinked, then smirked. "Seriously? That's your test?"
"Seriously. It's not about the hands, it's about the timing." Tendō's voice dropped, unusually serious for a second. "Let's see if your reflexes beats my instinct."
Jin's eyes gleamed. "Good. Let's do it."
In perfect sync, they tossed their jackets aside, crouching slightly as if it were the start of a fight. A ridiculous sight to anyone watching, but neither backed down.
"Senpai should act like a senpai, y'know," Tendō teased. "Don't cry if you lose."
"You start," Jin shot back, grin sharp.