"You're first-years at Aoba Johsai, right? Haven't seen you two with the team before." Satori Tendo rested his hands behind his head, starin
"You're first-years at Aoba Johsai, right? Haven't seen you two with the team before." Satori Tendo rested his hands behind his head, starin
"You're first-years at Aoba Johsai, right? Haven't seen you two with the team before." Satori Tendo rested his hands behind his head, staring intently at the pair eating chicken cutlet rice across the table.
Yuma Kikuzawa swallowed a bite before responding, "Yes, we just joined Aoba Johsai this year. I'm Yuma Kikuzawa, and this is my younger brother Yuuki Kikuzawa."
Under the table, Yuma nudged Yuuki with his foot. Frozen under Tendo's gaze, Yuuki barely managed a nod under his brother's unspoken pressure.
Tendo either didn't notice Yuuki's discomfort or simply didn't care, his eyes sliding past Yuma to lock onto Yuuki. "Ohhh, twins! That's rare. I'm Satori Tendo, middle blocker for Shiratorizawa's volleyball team."
"I'm a wing spiker, my brother's the setter. Um...Tendo-san, could you stop staring at my brother? He's kinda socially awkward."
"Ah, sorry sorry." Tendo waved his hand with a chuckle. "His reactions are just too entertaining, couldn't help myself."
Yuma thought: This guy's got really twisted tastes.
Yuuki: !!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
After finishing breakfast, the three headed to Shiratorizawa's gymnasium. While the Kikuzawa brothers rejoined their team without incident, Tendo - as the last Shiratorizawa member to return - was immediately met with Coach Washijo's furious scolding before he could even set down his drink. Completely unfazed by his coach's routine berating, Tendo casually walked over to Wakatoshi Ushijima to share his discovery.
"Hey hey, Wakatoshi-kun, just met two new Aoba Johsai first-years in the cafeteria. Twins! And just like Inarizaki's Miya twins, one's a wing spiker and the other's a setter."
"I see," Ushijima replied curtly, not pausing his warm-up routine.
"But their personalities are totally different! The younger Aoba Johsai twin seemed super introverted - actually trembled when I looked at him~"
"Your gaze is objectively unsettling."
"Eh? Really?"
...
"You're finally back. Hurry up and warm up - the match is starting soon," Hajime Iwaizumi reminded the tardy duo.
"Yes sir!"
After responding to their upperclassman, Yuma and Yuuki found an open space to begin stretching. As he stretched, Yuma noticed Tooru Oikawa sneaking glances at Shiratorizawa's players, his attention particularly focused on Ushijima - so absorbed that he didn't notice a certain silver-haired underclassman approaching.
"Oikawa-senpai..."
Yuma's ghostly whisper right behind Oikawa made him jump. "GYAH!"
Turning to face his mischievous kouhai, Oikawa's irritation was palpable. "Don't sneak up on me like that, Yuma-chan! Trying to give your captain a heart attack so you can get a new one? So mean."
"Sorry~ You looked so tense, I thought you needed cheering up."
"The Great Oikawa doesn't get tense! What gave you that idea? (｀へ´)"
"Anyway..." Yuma quickly changed subjects seeing Oikawa's rising embarrassment, "That serious-looking tall guy over there is Wakatoshi Ushijima, right? First time seeing him in person."
Oikawa looked back toward Shiratorizawa just in time to see Ushijima deliver a powerful spike that slammed into the court with a resounding boom. Ushijima landed smoothly, his gaze meeting Oikawa's across the court before giving a stiff nod.
[Wakatoshi Ushijima, 18 years old, 189.5cm, 84.8kg, reach 340cm, Power 96, Speed 82, Stamina 91, Intelligence 79, Spike 96, Set 75, Serve 91, Block 88, Receive 80] Overall 86
With a 340cm reach and 96 power rating, calling Ushijima the prefecture's strongest wing spiker wasn't exaggeration.
Yuma's eyes shifted to Tendo beside Ushijima.
[Satori Tendo, 18 years old, 187.7cm, 71.1kg, reach 327cm, Power 62, Speed 78, Stamina 70, Intelligence 88, Spike 80, Set 71, Serve 75, Block 95, Receive 70] Overall 78
Block 95...the highest high school stat Yuma had ever seen. Tendo possessed razor-sharp intuition that let him predict spike trajectories, combined with his irritating personality made him every spiker's nightmare.
"Ushijima-senpai! I'll prove my worth in this match! I'll become Shiratorizawa's ace!"
While Yuma was analyzing the opponents, a fringe-haired Shiratorizawa first-year was making bold declarations to their ace. The boy stood ramrod straight before Ushijima, eyes burning with admiration and determination.
"I see. Do your best," Ushijima replied with typical stoicism, utterly unmoved.
"Haha, Go, always so fired up! I've got high hopes for you!" Tendo patted Tsutomu Goshiki's shoulder encouragingly.
"Hai!"
Watching this enthusiastic exchange, Yuma's eye twitched as he pulled up the brave soul's stats.
[Tsutomu Goshiki, 16 years old, 181.5cm, 69.5kg, reach 328cm, Power 79, Speed 79, Stamina 85, Intelligence 68, Spike 83, Set 62, Serve 63, Block 70, Receive 66] Overall 72
Yuma broke out in a cold sweat.
Seriously? With those numbers, how can you say you'll become ace with a straight face? If I had thicker skin, could I tell Iwaizumi-senpai "I'll be Aoba Johsai's ace!" too...?
As this thought crossed his mind, his eyes unconsciously drifted toward Iwaizumi.
Noticing the gaze, Iwaizumi asked, "What?"
Yuma snapped to attention. "Nothing!"
...
The teams took their positions as the match began.
Starting Lineups:
Aoba Johsai:
Tooru Oikawa, Hajime Iwaizumi, Issei Matsukawa
Yuma Kikuzawa, Yuuki Kikuzawa, Takahiro Hanamaki
(Libero: Shinji Watari)
Shiratorizawa:
Kazuyoshi Taira, Wakatoshi Ushijima, Kenjirō Shirabu
Satori Tendo, Taichi Kawanishi, Tsutomu Goshiki
(Libero: Hayato Yamagata)
Ushijima lost the coin toss to Oikawa, giving Aoba Johsai first serve. Oikawa walked solemnly to the service line, volleyball in hand, his unusually serious expression prompting comments from his teammates.
"Don't make such a scary face, Oikawa. You're freaking out the first-years," Matsukawa called, hands cupped around his mouth.
Hanamaki added fuel to the fire: "Miss this serve and Iwaizumi will punch you."
Yuma piled on: "Captain, you wouldn't let Aoba Johsai lose the first point, would you?"
Iwaizumi delivered the final blow: "Miss and you're dead."
Watching his teammates' "encouragement," Oikawa's face darkened. "Since when is this how you cheer someone up?!"
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