Running a wide arc to the other side of the net, Sugawara's slightly high set flew perfectly into Hayato's path. With a powerful swing, Hayato spiked the ball deep into the backcourt.
"Nice shot!"
"Well done!"
It had taken them hours of trial and error—Sugawara's sets missing the mark, Hayato and the spikers overrunning their timing—but at last, their coordination clicked. Their long-practiced "Double Quick, One Roaming" tactic finally succeeded.
The group bumped fists, beaming in triumph.
From the sidelines, Coach Ukai, who had been working with the underclassmen, caught the moment and gave a firm nod of approval. When Daichi and Sugawara had first suggested the new play, he had agreed without hesitation—after all, Karasuno's dual aces gave them the firepower to support it. As long as his players had the will to innovate, he would stand behind them.
Riding the wave of that success, Hayato and the third-years pushed for another round, while Hinata, fired up, dragged Kageyama to practice their New Quick Attack. Soon, the whole gym was buzzing with energy.
By the time practice ended, everyone was drenched in sweat but grinning from ear to ear.
On the walk home, Hayato brought up something he'd heard earlier.
"Kiyoko-nee, did you know you've got a nickname? The 'Volleyball Club's Glasses Beauty'?"
Kiyoko blinked in surprise, clearly hearing it for the first time. With a small shrug, she gave her usual cool reply:
"You know me. That kind of thing isn't really on my radar."
"Fair… Then what about me? Do you think I've got a nickname too?" Hayato asked hopefully.
"Hmm… maybe." Kiyoko tapped her chin, thinking. "Something simple. Like… 'Second-Year Hayato'?"
The way she said his name made him rub his nose in embarrassment.
"…Kiyoko-nee, say it again."
"Oh? You liked that?" Her lips curved into a teasing smile.
"Of course! I always call you Kiyoko-nee, so hearing you call me Hayato feels… really nice."
Shameless grin, bright eyes—Hayato didn't bother hiding his feelings. Kiyoko rolled her eyes and laughed softly.
"Keep dreaming."
"Aw, come on Kiyoko-nee Just once more~"
Their playful bickering echoed all the way home.
The week before autumn break flew by in a blur of training. Daichi and Sugawara's new play steadily matured, and soon the whole team boarded a bus bound for Tokyo.
"Tokyo, here we come again~!" Hinata shouted the moment they arrived, bouncing with uncontainable energy despite the overnight ride.
Hayato, on the other hand, stifled a yawn. "Good for you… Now grab your bag before I collapse."
As he hefted Hitoka's luggage, Hinata glanced at him. "Didn't sleep well?"
"Yeah… I'll manage. Go on ahead."
Kiyoko walked over quietly, concern flickering in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Just tired. Nothing serious."
When she reached up and touched his cheek, smiling gently, Hayato instinctively covered her hand with his own.
"…You're freezing. Kiyoko-nee, you really need to dress warmer."
The unconscious intimacy left Kiyoko blushing scarlet—right in front of the whole club. Luckily, Daichi's well-timed cough snapped Hayato back, and he awkwardly withdrew his hand.
"Right… uh, let's move the luggage."
Watching from a distance, Takeda chuckled. "Coach Ukai, this really is youth, isn't it?"
Ukai folded his arms. "Yeah. As long as they know their boundaries. Especially with the tournament coming up."
Takeda smiled knowingly. "They're not reckless kids. They'll be fine. All we can do is quietly watch over them."
Karasuno's first match of the camp was a harsh wake-up call: a loss to Nekoma.
The new attacks faltered, Hinata and Kageyama's timing was off, and even Hayato's spikes lacked bite. Ukai didn't hold back in his criticism, making every player face their shortcomings head-on.
But that harsh push reignited their fighting spirit. By the afternoon, Karasuno's rhythm returned, and they scraped out a victory in their next match. Though they still struggled against top-tier opponents like Nekoma and Fukurodani, they ended the first day with 5 wins out of 10 matches.
Not great—but not hopeless.
As Coach Ukai reminded them, training alone meant little without strong opponents. Today's struggles were proof of just how far they still had to go.
When practice ended, Bokuto was the first to rush over.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hayato! Let's spike together!"
"Bokuto, aren't you starving? Let's eat first."
Right on cue, Bokuto's stomach growled. He laughed it off and dragged Hayato to the cafeteria anyway—only to rope him (and, surprisingly, Tsukishima) into late-night training afterward.
"Wait, Tsukki, since when are you this motivated?" Hayato asked.
Tsukishima adjusted his glasses, a sly smirk on his face. "We're aiming for Nationals, aren't we? You can't ever train too much."
For the first time, Hayato noticed how even Tsukishima's usual sarcasm now carried a sharper edge of determination.
And with that, Karasuno's long autumn nights of training began anew.
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