Chapter 4 – "The Day the Crows Gained Silver Wings"
The morning light spilled through the half-open curtains of Akira Tōru's room, brushing the silver strands of his hair with a soft glow. The house was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator downstairs. He sat at the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, a phone in one hand. On the screen, a message from Karasuno's coach — short, polite, but heavy with expectation — stared back at him:
We'd be honored to have you. Let us know your answer.
He could still feel the faint ache in his hands from the last match with Chidoriyama, the echo of the crowd, the snap of the ball meeting his palm. But this decision… it wasn't about comfort or nostalgia. It was about the future.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Without waiting for permission, Oikawa stepped in. His hair was perfectly set, as always, and his smile was as practiced as his jump serve.
"So… little brother," Oikawa began, leaning casually against the doorframe, "Have you finally come to your senses and decided to wear Seijoh blue?"
Akira smirked, tilting his head. "You mean 'Oikawa's Kingdom'? Tempting. But you know… I'm not really the 'prince under the king' type."
Oikawa's smile faltered, just a little. "You'd fit perfectly with our lineup. You and I together— unstoppable. Why waste your last three years carrying some… fallen crows?"
"That's the point," Akira replied softly. "They fell. Now they want to fly again. And I…" he looked down at his hands, clenching them slightly, "…I want to see if I can make them soar higher than anyone expects."
There was a pause. The siblings locked eyes, the unspoken rivalry between them flickering. Finally, Oikawa sighed, ruffling Akira's hair in a rare gesture of affection. "Fine. Do what you want. But don't expect me to go easy when we meet on the court."
"That's the plan," Akira said with a grin.
By noon, he was standing in the small park where he and Hinata often met after school. Hinata was already there, bouncing on the balls of his feet as if he'd been waiting all morning.
"So? So?!" Hinata blurted the moment Akira was within range. "Did you decide? Please tell me you're coming to Karasuno—"
Akira raised an eyebrow. "Not even gonna let me sit down first?"
Hinata leaned forward, eyes blazing with anticipation.
"…Alright," Akira said finally, stretching the word out just to watch Hinata squirm. "I'll join Karasuno."
For a moment, Hinata just froze. Then he erupted — literally leaping into the air like he'd just scored match point. "YES! I knew it! We're gonna be the strongest team ever! You—me—Kageyama—" He stopped mid-celebration and smirked. "Ohhh, Kageyama's gonna be soooo salty."
Akira laughed. "Guess I'll find out soon enough."
Karasuno Volleyball Club – Gym
Ukai Keishin was in the middle of reorganizing the practice schedule when his phone buzzed. One look at the message, and his eyes widened. Without a word, he forwarded it to the group chat.
The reactions came fast.
Tanaka:WAIT—THE THREE-TIME CHAMP?!Daichi:Language, Tanaka.Sugawara:Is this real?Tanaka:THIS IS REAL, RIGHT?Ukai:It's real.Tanaka:OH MY—WE'RE GONNA DESTROY EVERYONE.Sugawara:Tanaka, breathe.
Daichi, usually the calmest of the bunch, had to admit he felt a thrill. The idea of a player on that level joining them… it wasn't just about skill. It was about belief. The whole prefecture would look at Karasuno differently now.
Aoba Johsai High – Gym
Oikawa stood at the far end of the court, tossing a ball lazily to himself. His phone buzzed. Iwaizumi, who was stretching nearby, glanced over.
"Bad news?" Iwaizumi asked.
Oikawa clicked his tongue. "My little brother's going to Karasuno."
For a moment, Iwaizumi looked stunned. Then he chuckled. "Guess that means we'll have to crush two Tōrus in one season."
Oikawa's smirk returned. "Oh, we will. But… Karasuno's about to get a whole lot more dangerous."
Shiratorizawa Academy – Training Court
Ushijima Wakatoshi listened silently as Tendō read the news aloud from his phone.
"…Akira Tōru. Three-time middle school national champion. Silver hair. Apparently the brother of Seijoh's Oikawa. And he's going to—" Tendō broke off with a grin. "…Karasuno. Huh. Guess they're not as boring as I thought."
Ushijima simply said, "We'll face them if they reach the finals."
Tendō laughed. "Oh, we will. And it'll be fun."
Date Tech High – Locker Room
The Iron Wall crew stared at the article like it was some kind of bad omen. "A… spiker who can block Kageyama? And spike past everyone?" Futakuchi muttered.
Koganegawa grinned. "Sounds like a challenge!"
The news spread like wildfire through the prefecture. By the time Akira walked past the local convenience store that afternoon, he caught his own name on the small TV above the counter. The headline read: Three-Time Champion to Join Karasuno High – The Return of the Crows?
He didn't stop walking, but a small smile tugged at his lips.
That evening, Hinata dragged him up the hill toward Karasuno's front gate. The sun was dipping low, painting the sky in streaks of gold and crimson.
"Tomorrow," Hinata said, almost breathless from excitement, "we start. You're gonna love it. It's crazy, but it's our crazy."
Akira stopped just short of the gate, looking up at the silhouette of the school against the fiery sky. The wind rustled the leaves, catching the silver in his hair.
Karasuno High School.Once flightless, now hungry to soar.
Akira's smile widened."Alright then… let's fly."