Daichi stepped out, gently closed the door behind him, then shot a resentful look at Takeda-sensei, who was standing nearby with a grin.
"Takeda-sensei, you should've told me beforehand. That was so sudden… If I hadn't reacted in time, it would've been really embarrassing."
Daichi looked at him in mock accusation. Takeda-sensei just smiled wider.
"That's exactly what makes interviews interesting."
"Takeda-sensei!" Ukai's voice rang out from inside.
"Ah! Coming!" Takeda-sensei hurried back in without another word, slipping through the door as if in a rush. The people inside immediately seemed to start discussing something.
Daichi shook his head. Takeda-sensei really worked hard.
Still, that interview hadn't gone badly. Thinking back on it, Daichi nodded to himself, feeling satisfied, then walked down the hallway toward the gym.
"Well, well, look who's back," Sugawara teased in a deliberately exaggerated tone as he glanced at him.
Daichi shot him a helpless look.
"Cut it out, Suga. Takeda-sensei is looking for you. He's outside."
"Huh?" Sugawara froze, briefly thinking it was about filling out third-year career forms, leaving him momentarily confused.
"What does Takeda-sensei want with Sugawara?" Nishinoya's eyes lit up with curiosity.
Daichi knocked him lightly on the head, then dragged him away.
"Quit messing around. It's definitely something important."
Still puzzled, Sugawara stepped outside and saw Takeda-sensei beckoning to him mysteriously. It didn't look like paperwork at all, and Sugawara let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Following him to the lounge door, Takeda-sensei gave him a knowing look and motioned for him to go in.
As soon as Sugawara pushed the door open, he saw Ukai looking thoroughly irritated, along with a group of smiling staff holding cameras.
Right, the interview.
Kuiya noticed Sugawara and couldn't help but admire him. What a good-looking guy.
Honestly, the setter position really was something special. Every one of them looked great on their own.
Shiratorizawa's Shirabu and Eita Semi, Aobajosai's Oikawa… and this Sugawara wasn't any less impressive.
He had a warm smile, a gentle presence, and that tear mole under his eye gave him a distinctive charm.
"Water nourishes all things."
For some reason, that phrase surfaced in Kuiya's mind. Sugawara felt like water at first glance. Gentle, tolerant, and clear.
"Hello, I'm a reporter from Miyagi Sports TV. You can call me Anri or Kuiya."
Sugawara returned the greeting politely, calm and composed, without the slightest trace of nervousness Daichi had shown earlier.
They both sat down. Off to the side, Ukai rubbed his forehead.
Just earlier, he had been unknowingly led into revealing things by Kuiya. Judging from that, the next questions were probably going to be tricky.
Ukai looked at Sugawara with a complicated expression, a hint of apology in his eyes.
The two chatted casually at first, circling around light topics without getting to the point. Kuiya could handle any conversation with ease, and Sugawara was naturally talkative, so the lead-in stretched a bit longer.
After some back and forth, Kuiya finally moved to the main question.
"Sugawara, I noticed that as a third-year setter, you didn't take the court this time. Could you explain why?"
Ukai covered his face.
This guy really had no mercy.
Wasn't this just poking at Sugawara's sore spot?
Sugawara paused, clearly surprised that the reporter knew. For a moment, he didn't know how to answer. This was tied to his pride as a third-year.
"Yes, I didn't start. But in the third set against Aobajosai, I did come in as a substitute. It seems Mr. Kuiya didn't watch that closely."
He calmly pointed out the small mistake.
Kuiya gave an awkward smile. Missing details in match footage was normal, but being corrected directly still stung a bit.
Sugawara smiled faintly and continued.
"I chose to be a substitute. I was conflicted at the time, but I knew the key to breaking Karasuno's situation lay with those first-years.
As a senior, making room for juniors is completely natural."
"And it's not that I'm avoiding their strengths. It's just that in this match, having Kageyama as the setter gave us a better chance of winning. That doesn't mean I'll keep stepping back. I'll find my own way to stand on the court again."
He spoke steadily, completely at ease.
Kuiya nodded, acknowledging the answer, then pressed on.
"So within Karasuno, can your former teammates accept a new setter taking your place?
And what do you think of Kageyama's style?"
He was clearly trying to stir tension. Interviews were more interesting with conflict.
But for some reason, every volleyball team he had interviewed so far had strong bonds. No real conflicts, just small frictions.
Would Karasuno be any different?
Sugawara crossed his arms and answered calmly.
"There's no conflict. Kageyama's technique is excellent. He's a true genius. For someone like him to grow at Karasuno, all of us are supporting him."
A flawless answer.
Kuiya leaned back slightly, disappointed.
"Then what are your thoughts on losing to Aobajosai?"
Sugawara's expression turned serious.
"This loss… we regret it. But it was also unavoidable. In many ways, Karasuno still falls short of Aobajosai. Reaching that stage was something we pushed through together by sheer determination."
"At Spring High, Karasuno will challenge Aobajosai again. Every single one of us. And we'll challenge Shiratorizawa too."
His voice grew more intense, as if he could already see that future.
Kuiya didn't interrupt. That mindset was a good thing. They could build on this loss.
"Lastly, is there anything you want to say to other third-years who are about to graduate?"
Sugawara paused.
The passion from earlier faded.
Right… he was already a third-year.
"I believe that as long as you love volleyball, no matter what you do in the future, whether you keep playing or not, you'll remember those three years fighting alongside your teammates.
High school isn't the end. There's a bigger world ahead.
Let's meet again at the top."
He looked into the camera with a soft smile, like he was quietly comforting an old friend.
So gentle.
Kuiya watched him in silence.
"Thank you, Sugawara."
The interview ended, and Kuiya walked him out.
...
Back at Shiratorizawa, after watching Daichi and Sugawara's interviews, Ryosuke suddenly froze and said,
"The seniors… are already third-years this year."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
…
…
The chatter stopped. Everyone fell silent.
Goshiki's eyes widened.
"We'll stay with you until your second year."
Ushijima spoke calmly. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it.
"Yeah. There's still time," Tendo said with a grin, ruffling Ryosuke's hair.
Goshiki quietly let out a breath, though his chest still felt heavy.
Even then, the seniors would still graduate.
Yamagata lowered his head, lost in thought.
In just a few months, the three first-years had grown used to relying on their seniors, used to the daily laughter and noise.
If one day those seniors graduated, and only they remained in that vast gym…
It wouldn't feel the same.
No one spoke again. This kind of mood came every year.
Back when Tendo was a first-year, he thought moments like this were perfect for slacking off.
Now, he just felt…
If only time would slow down a little.
"Alright, keep watching. Don't think too much."
Reon's steady voice broke the silence, and the atmosphere slowly warmed again.
The third person to appear was Karasuno's ace, Asahi Azumane.
Yamagata stood up and pointed.
"Ah! It's that mustached guy from Karasuno whose spikes are like Reon's!"
Semi stared at the screen for a moment.
"…Yeah. He really does look like a delinquent."
Ryosuke let out a muffled laugh.
If Asahi heard that, he'd be crushed.
He was so timid, yet because of his height and appearance, people kept misunderstanding him.
Just thinking about it felt a little sad.
...
In the lounge, Asahi sat stiffly in his chair, his face pale. He glanced at Kuiya, then quickly looked away.
Kuiya looked at Ukai, confused.
What was with Karasuno? They looked intimidating, but this guy seemed like he was about to faint.
Takeda-sensei glanced at Ukai, who was sitting there smoking, then stepped on his foot hard.
"Ah—!"
Ukai yelped, then quickly swallowed the rest of the sound, remembering where he was.
Takeda-sensei smiled and gestured toward Asahi.
At least pay attention to your player. Can't you see he's about to collapse?
"Ahem…"
Ukai cleared his throat and muttered quietly to Kuiya,
"He… gets scared easily."
Kuiya nodded.
That was obvious.
With a sigh, he patiently helped calm Asahi down. It wasn't that he was a child. He was just overwhelmed by the unfamiliar situation.
(Fake social anxiety: Ryosuke
Real social anxiety: Asahi)
After steadying himself, Asahi gradually calmed down, though his face was still a bit pale.
"Sorry for the trouble…"
Kuiya waved it off and began.
"Asahi, this might be a bit direct, but I'd like to ask. With your personality, how did you hold onto the position of ace?"
Asahi froze for a moment, instinctively about to explain, but then he caught sight of Takeda-sensei below, silently mouthing:
Take it slow.
He steadied himself.
"At Karasuno, the ace is simply the one who scores the most points. It's not limited to any specific position.
As for my personality… that's just how I am. But to really understand someone, you have to see for yourself before judging."
Kuiya was taken aback.
Without knowing the full picture, don't judge.
He had forgotten something that simple.
"So who do you think will be the next ace?"
Asahi hesitated.
"That's hard to say… Tanaka, or Hinata. One is a second-year, the other a first-year."
"Could you elaborate?"
Asahi nodded.
"Tanaka has been with us longer. He might seem unreliable and likes to mess around, but he's actually very attentive and works extremely hard.
His cut shots and straight shots are becoming more consistent, and his explosiveness and stamina are both strong."
"He always says he's just an ordinary guy, but to us, he's the heart of the team's energy. He trains two or three times harder than others. Since he knows he lacks natural talent, he makes up for it elsewhere. After we graduate, the ace will be his."
He paused to swallow, and Takeda-sensei quietly handed him a cup of warm water.
After a sip, he continued.
"As for Hinata… he's a first-year. Compared to Kageyama, he's not as polished, but his talent isn't lacking. He just hasn't realized it yet.
At his height, his speed and jumping ability are remarkable.
His quick attack with Kageyama scored a lot of points in this tournament. People think Kageyama controls that play, but from my perspective as a spiker, Hinata is the one driving the attack.
He just still lacks experience and technique. That will come with time."
Kuiya nodded, taking notes.
Ukai watched him suspiciously.
This didn't feel like an interview anymore. It felt like he was gathering intel on Karasuno.
Closing his notebook, Kuiya asked the final question.
"During Karasuno's difficult years, who are you most grateful to? Why, and is there anything you want to say to them?"
Asahi's gaze moved past everyone in the room…
And landed directly on Takeda-sensei.
...
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