For some reason, Ushijima now felt that this scene looked a lot like a company team-building event.
More and more people were gathering around them, but Bokuto and Hoshiumi, still standing right in the eye of the storm, had yet to notice. They were still chattering away.
Ryosuke, meanwhile, had long since been drawn in by the strange atmosphere around Ushijima and had obediently returned to stand at his side.
Ushijima nodded in satisfaction.
Keiji Akaashi and Hirugami exchanged a look, then each stepped forward and grabbed one of them, finally making the two settle down.
The crowd around them was still growing. Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Ushijima said to everyone,
"Let's go first. There are too many people here."
Then he led Ryosuke out ahead of the others. They all knew each other, so chatting together would not be awkward, but Ushijima still could not bring himself to stand in the middle of the training facility and talk as if no one else existed.
"Ah, perfect. I'm hungry too." Hoshiumi rubbed his stomach thoughtfully, already wondering where they should go for lunch.
Hirugami looked at him in utter disbelief. "Didn't you just eat breakfast after nine? Did a pig eat that huge bowl of noodles? Look at you, you've gotten fat lately."
"Hey!!" Hoshiumi snapped in embarrassment, trying to make Hirugami shut up.
"I'm still growing! Growing, okay! What's wrong with eating a little more when I'm growing?"
Hoshiumi had recently become extremely sensitive to the word "fat." He could be short, and he could be skinny, but he absolutely could not be fat. That was his last stubborn line of pride as an athlete.
Hirugami let out a muffled groan after Hoshiumi punched him, then quietly shook with laughter.
Ushijima looked at the very tiny Hoshiumi, then at the larger-sized Ryosuke. If only those two could average out their appetites.
With Ushijima leading the way, Wakatsu Kiryū, Hirugami, and Keiji Akaashi followed along. They had already seen the venue anyway, so walking around Tokyo with good friends did not sound bad.
Back at the training facility, Ushijima and the others had barely left when a blond setter arrived with a bag on his back, talking on the phone while muttering angrily.
"Huh? I knew it! Osamu, you stupid pig, you stole my rice ball! Now I have to eat that awful training food for the next whole week!"
The one making his entrance was Atsumu Miya, the setter from Inarizaki. His handsome face was red with anger as he kept accusing his twin brother, Osamu Miya, on the other end of the phone.
Osamu Miya took the last bite of the rice ball and smacked his lips.
"Burp… Mm. I didn't steal it on purpose. Kita-senpai said you weren't allowed to bring food over."
So Osamu Miya had stolen and eaten it today with complete confidence. He was not worried at all about Stupid Atsumu finding out. Even if he did, he could just bring up Senpai.
Atsumu Miya was so choked with anger that he could not speak for a moment. After some frustrated grumbling, he finally threw a threat into the phone.
"Just you wait! You're finished when I get back, idiot Osamu!"
Then he hung up with an angry snap.
The staff at the training center secretly glanced at this bad-tempered blond boy. Once Atsumu Miya noticed, he glared fiercely back at them.
"What are you looking at?! Never seen a handsome guy before?! Hmph!"
The staff shrank back in fright, then walked away muttering under their breath. Whatever they were saying probably was not anything nice.
Atsumu Miya looked around.
"Ha! Looks like I'm the first one here. I'm amazing."
Little did he know, the first group had already come and gone, leaving only Atsumu Miya there feeling smug by himself.
Meanwhile, on Ushijima's side.
"Wow! So cool!" Ryosuke's eyes sparkled as he watched Bokuto swallow a rice ball in one big bite. That wide-open mouth looked incredibly fascinating to him.
Hoshiumi refused to lose and stood up from his seat.
"Ryosuke, watch me!"
Hoshiumi grabbed a rice ball and swallowed it in one gulp. Hirugami gritted his teeth just watching. Was he really not going to choke to death?
With the rice ball stuffed in his mouth, Hoshiumi's cheeks bulged dramatically, as if he might spit it out at any second.
Ryosuke sat between Bokuto and Hoshiumi, looking left, then right, clapping like a seal. He was one step away from trying it himself.
Ushijima sighed and said gravely,
"Once training camp starts, we must separate those three."
His tone was exactly like that of an old father worried his child was having too much fun.
Keiji Akaashi nodded. "That's very true. A fair assessment."
Hirugami propped his chin on his hand and stopped looking at that headache-inducing scene, then chimed in.
"Not bad. Right to the point."
Kiryu listened to their strange conversation and wondered if he should join in too.
"Enough. The sooner we finish eating, the sooner we can go back."
Before Kiryu could say anything, Ushijima spoke first, and everyone nodded.
The three over there were still having the time of their lives.
Ushijima rubbed his hungry stomach, got up, and went to the counter to grab some teriyaki sauce and wasabi. When he returned, he saw Ryosuke holding a rice ball even bigger than his face.
Then Ryosuke opened his mouth wide and tried to swallow it in one go. Ushijima's brow furrowed so deeply he looked genuinely pained.
"Mm… urgh…"
Ryosuke actually managed to stuff the whole rice ball into his mouth at once and choked so hard his eyes rolled back. Ushijima's heart nearly jumped out of his chest watching him. He told him to eat properly, not to "eat properly" like this! Bokuto and Hoshiumi were going to lead Ryosuke astray!
After they finally finished the meal, Ushijima let out a breath of relief, and each person took one kid back.
Everyone had eaten until their bellies were round, and even Ryosuke had eaten quite a lot. They left the shop perfectly satisfied.
Ushijima looked at Ryosuke thoughtfully. He might have figured out the secret to Ryosuke's appetite.
Wakatsu Kiryū watched the others split up and go their separate ways, completely unable to understand. Why was he the only one who did not fit in? Why did everyone else have someone with them when they went out, while he had no one?!
Damn it! Those brats from Mujinazaka were way too useless. Just wait until he got back. They were in for it.
...
Time passed quickly, and Sunday was over in the blink of an eye.
Ryosuke felt like he really had not done anything. He had slept in, played games online with Kenma, then gone to bother Keigo Atobe and Ushijima.
Then he watched them play chess and made trouble for them.
When Ryosuke opened his eyes on Monday morning, the first thing he did was sigh. How had time gone by so fast? He had not even had enough fun yet.
But today he was going to training camp. Hmm… thinking about it that way, he was still a little happy, and Ryosuke got out of bed quickly.
Ushijima and Keigo Atobe were already sitting downstairs having breakfast. The way these two got along was so strange. They sat quietly together in a daze, and their schedules were also extremely similar. It really was amazing.
When Ryosuke went downstairs and saw Ushijima and Keigo already eating breakfast, his eyes widened. Ryosuke, who had woken up early, was in a bit of a bad mood.
He shouted unhappily,
"Why didn't you call me for breakfast?!"
Ushijima pressed his lips together in a smile and said nothing. Keigo let out a snort.
"Oh? I seem to remember that when I tried to wake a certain lazybones this morning, I got hit with a pillow. Tsk. I wonder who has such a bad temper."
Hm? Ryosuke blinked and remembered the pillow he had thrown in a daze. So he had not been dreaming? They really did call him?
"Mm. Okay, sorry."
Ryosuke was a good kid. When he did something wrong, he apologized.
Atobe did not say anything else and simply waved him over to sit down.
This morning, the small kitchen had made dumplings. They were tiny, and dipping them in a little vinegar made them especially appetizing, perfect for someone like Ryosuke who had no appetite in the morning.
Atobe leaned back in his chair and watched Ryosuke. He wanted to say something, but he was afraid Ryosuke would think he was nagging, so he could only keep looking at him again and again.
Ryosuke noticed Atobe's burning gaze and pouted.
"Just say what you want to say."
Keigo Atobe laughed.
"You really won't think I'm nagging?"
Ryosuke picked at his ear, then took the vinegar dish from beside Ushijima and mumbled,
"Isn't it a little late to worry about that?"
Atobe rubbed his nose. He could feel Ryosuke's disdain, but he still had to say what needed to be said.
"Training camp starts today… I had someone remove the snacks from your suitcase."
"What?!" Ryosuke shot up from his seat, his thin voice cracking slightly from the shout. He glared at Atobe with an expression that said, "If you don't explain this properly, I really will get angry."
Atobe laughed awkwardly and guiltily avoided his gaze. He did not want Ryosuke to suffer either, but there was no helping it. Besides, if he really told him it was a requirement from the training camp, who knew how upset Ryosuke would be?
Ushijima had more or less finished eating. He put down his chopsticks and spoke up at that moment.
"It was Coach Washijō's instruction."
Coach Washijō: ? What a massive scapegoat!
"He said you're not allowed to eat whatever you want and must eat proper meals. I'm here to keep an eye on you."
Ryosuke angrily set his bowl down and puffed up like a pufferfish.
Ushijima and Atobe exchanged a glance. Atobe stepped in at this point to say something nice and soothe Ryosuke's mood.
"Don't worry, Ryosuke. I'll secretly have someone send you a few snacks later. Don't be mad."
Only then did Ryosuke's expression improve a little, but he still felt bad about the meat jerky his grandmother had made.
Seeing that Ryosuke still was not very happy, Atobe added,
"The meat jerky Mrs. Washijō made by hand can keep for many days. I'll give it to you once your training is over."
"Fine." Ryosuke slumped his shoulders in defeat. Since everything had already been decided, why bother telling him? Forget it. Having cookies and meat jerky was already good enough.
Keigo Atobe nodded to Ushijima. Done.
The "snacks" Atobe had verbally promised were actually the energy bars and low-calorie dried fruit distributed by the training center every afternoon. It really was not easy to trick this kid Ryosuke.
Ryosuke had no idea what little schemes his beloved older brother and senior were plotting. Without realizing it, he had been completely handled.
After breakfast, Ryosuke and Ushijima were ready to leave. They took their water bottles and towels and headed out.
Since the shoes and training clothes were said to be standardized, there was no need to do anything extra.
When Ryosuke and Ushijima arrived at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium again, it was far livelier this morning than it had been on Saturday.
There were people everywhere: people with cameras, students in school uniforms, coaches, reporters, staff… The side entrance of the training center was packed so tightly that not even water could get through.
Ryosuke looked like he had never seen the world before, his mouth open wide enough to fit a duck egg. Even the opening day of the prefectural tournament had not been this lively.
Ushijima sighed and led Ryosuke to a less crowded spot. Then he took a bottle of mineral water and a Coke out of his bag and carefully reminded him,
"Wait here for a bit. I'm going to check the back entrance from yesterday."
Ryosuke asked in confusion,
"Why can't I go with you?"
Ushijima patted Ryosuke on the head.
"Wait here for now. There are too many people over there."
Ryosuke nodded obediently, indicating that he would stay here and not run around. Ushijima was still a little worried. After all, there were so many people. What if he got lost?
"Remember to check your phone at all times."
Ryosuke nodded again.
"Got it!"
Only then did Ushijima push through the crowd and walk forward.
The sun was quite strong this morning. Ryosuke had only stood there for a little while before his face turned red from the heat, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. He looked around.
Ryosuke saw a tree in a small corner beside the venue. Then he looked up at the bright sun in the sky, sighed, and wandered over.
The instant he stepped into the shade, Ryosuke felt the scorching sunlight on his body weaken.
From here, he could also conveniently watch the crowd at the entrance. It was the perfect viewing spot.
Ryosuke found a large stone and sat down, propping his chin in both hands as he watched the people over there.
After a short while, Ryosuke heard rustling sounds from the side and turned to look.
All at once, a delicate yet arrogant face appeared before Ryosuke's eyes.
He looks like a fox…
Ryosuke stared blankly.
Golden hair, upturned eyes that were not as sharp as Atobe's but looked rather flirtatious, a high nose bridge, and slightly tanned skin that looked a little… sexy?
For some reason, that word popped into Ryosuke's mind.
"Hello?"
Atsumu Miya waved a hand in front of the dazed kid. He had spotted this beautiful boy, who looked completely out of place, from far away. He was so beautiful that it was hard to tell whether he was male or female. That really was rare.
Atsumu Miya had no resistance to pretty faces by nature. Later, he definitely had to take a photo with this little beauty and show it off to Samu when he got back.
As twin brothers, Osamu Miya was also quite the face-con.
Only then did Ryosuke come back to his senses. Realizing that sitting on the stone looked a bit improper, he quickly stood up, somewhat restrained.
"Hello… My name is Ryosuke Hanyu."
Atsumu Miya raised an eyebrow. For some reason, that name sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before?
"My name is Atsumu Miya. I'm from…"
"Ah! I know you!"
Ryosuke interrupted Atsumu Miya, his eyes shining as he looked at him.
Atsumu Miya smugly stroked his chin. No way. Was he already this famous? Could he just strike up a conversation with someone outside the gym and have them recognize him?
"You're the setter from Inarizaki, right! I watched your match. You're really amazing, but Osamu Miya-senpai is also super amazing!"
"Huh?!" Atsumu Miya dug at his ear in disbelief. What did this kid just say? Did he just call that stupid Osamu amazing?
As if Atsumu Miya had not heard him clearly, Ryosuke emphasized it again.
"Yeah! It was last year's Spring High, the match between Inarizaki and Kamomedai. That final play where Osamu Miya-senpai acted as the setter was unbelievably cool!"
Ever since Ryosuke qualified from Miyagi, he had stayed up all night digging through videos of last year's Spring High and IH, wanting to see what kind of opponents he might face in his year.
Ryosuke recognized most of the people in those videos. They were all seniors from the last training camp. Only Inarizaki and Ichibayashi were relatively unfamiliar, so Ryosuke had deliberately watched them a bit more closely.
The moment Atsumu Miya said his name, Ryosuke immediately thought of that certain white-haired player on the court, decisive yet careful. In terms of volleyball thinking and technique, or even as a person overall, he was practically a combination of Tsutomu Goshiki and Reon-senpai.
...
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