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...
Takeda-sensei's breath caught. He didn't fully understand the meaning behind Azumane's gaze, but deep down, he had a faint sense of what was coming next.
"The people I'm most grateful to are Takeda-sensei… and my fellow third-years."
Everyone present who knew Takeda-sensei turned to look at him. Takeda-sensei flushed, clearly embarrassed.
What is this kid saying…
Azumane looked straight at the camera, yet it felt like he was looking past it, at Takeda-sensei himself.
"Takeda-sensei isn't just the person I'm most grateful to. I believe he's the one the entire Karasuno team is most grateful to.
To us, he's a great guide.
During the years when Karasuno had no reputation, we couldn't even get practice matches scheduled with other schools.
Takeda-sensei had just arrived back then, and he didn't even understand volleyball. But he still made call after call, contacted school after school, and even humbled himself to the point of begging just to secure matches for us.
Even our coach was someone Takeda-sensei found for us.
He started out knowing nothing, yet he was willing to do so much for us.
You could say that without Takeda-sensei, there wouldn't be Karasuno as it is today."
Behind the camera, Takeda-sensei's eyes turned red. He took off his glasses and quietly wiped them with the back of his hand.
He had only been trying to fulfill his role as the faculty advisor, to do what he could with a clear conscience.
Yet these kids had given him so much in return.
Ukai also felt a surge of emotion, recalling how Takeda-sensei had persistently called him back then.
At the time, he really had seemed… incredible.
"Alright, that's enough."
Ukai didn't know how to comfort people. The words came out gruff and sounded more like irritation, earning him a few silent glares from the staff.
Kuiya fell into a long silence.
He had known Karasuno struggled during its low period, but he hadn't imagined it was this difficult.
And yet, this one teacher had carried them all the way to the prefectural tournament and into the spotlight.
That was something to admire.
Azumane sniffed, forcing his emotions back down. Crying here would be too embarrassing.
"And I also want to thank my fellow third-years.
Their perseverance is something I truly admire. There were many times I almost couldn't keep going, but Daichi, Sugawara, and the others stayed with me through it.
Without Daichi's years of hard work and dedication, Karasuno would still be nothing more than a scattered team."
As he finished, Azumane stood up and bowed deeply to the camera.
"Thank you, everyone… and Takeda-sensei.
Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today.
I can't offer anything worthy in return, but in the time we have left, I'll fight for Karasuno until the very end."
After the interview, Azumane walked out stiffly.
Only then did the embarrassment hit him, his face alternating between red and pale.
Behind him, Takeda-sensei was already crying uncontrollably, tears and snot everywhere.
Ukai looked at him with clear annoyance as he handed over tissues.
"You're a grown man. Crying like this is embarrassing."
Even as he said that, one hand held tissues while the other passed him water.
Takeda-sensei sobbed, his words breaking.
"The kids… they've grown up…"
Ukai sighed, already resigned, continuously handing him tissues as the pack quickly ran out.
With everyone gathered here, they couldn't call in the next interviewee. Kuiya wasn't familiar enough with Karasuno to go into the gym himself, so they could only wait for Takeda-sensei to calm down.
Bang!
The lounge door was flung open.
Nishinoya burst in, pointing inside and shouting,
"Who bullied Azumane-senpai? Step forward!"
...
...
Silence filled the room.
Kuiya looked at Ukai with a complicated expression.
Karasuno really was… something.
Ukai felt his dignity slipping away.
Even Takeda-sensei, still teary-eyed, turned around in confusion, his red eyes making him look pitiful.
The moment Nishinoya saw that, he exploded again.
"Who bullied Takeda-sensei?!"
Veins bulged on Ukai's forehead.
He seriously wanted to throw this guy out.
When no one responded, and the scene didn't match what he had imagined, Nishinoya finally felt awkward. Even he could tell something was off.
Kuiya watched the chaos with amusement.
Takeda-sensei quickly wiped his eyes and pulled Nishinoya over.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Anri. Nishinoya can be a bit impulsive. Please don't mind him."
Then he turned back, confused.
"Why did you think Azumane was being bullied…?"
Nishinoya pouted, still annoyed.
Earlier, Azumane had been walking back, growing more embarrassed by the second, his face turning pale. Nishinoya, who happened to be resting, saw him.
So the conversation went like this:
"Azumane-senpai, what's wrong?!"
"That was scary…"
"Huh?! Who bullied you?!"
"No, it's just… everyone's in the lounge… for an interview. Nishinoya, let me finish—"
Before he could finish, Nishinoya had already heard "lounge" and rushed off, ready to confront someone.
"That's what happened…"
Nishinoya explained quickly.
Anyone hearing it would immediately think the same thing.
This guy was way too impulsive.
Kuiya glanced down at his notes.
Libero. This year's Best Libero.
Then he looked Nishinoya over carefully and made a quick decision.
He'd interview him.
Meanwhile, Takeda-sensei was still explaining things to Nishinoya, urging him to apologize.
"No one bullied Azumane…"
He hesitated.
"Maybe he just wasn't feeling well. We'll go check on him later. Nishinoya, apologize first."
"Oh!"
Nishinoya immediately realized his mistake and bowed.
"Sorry, Mr. Anri. I was too rash."
Kuiya laughed and patted his shoulder.
For some reason, he liked this short libero immediately.
"If you're really sorry, then help me out with an interview."
He lifted the camera with a grin.
Nishinoya's eyes lit up.
"Cool!"
He nodded eagerly.
Takeda-sensei, seeing this, said nothing more. He quietly cleaned up the tissues and threw them away.
Ukai, feeling stuffy, stepped outside to smoke.
Takeda-sensei glanced at the ash on the ground and made a silent decision.
Ukai had to quit smoking.
The two quickly got familiar with each other.
After chatting for a bit, Kuiya realized Nishinoya was cheerful, talkative, and completely natural in front of the camera.
A perfect fit.
Before long, they were chatting like old friends.
Seeing the timing was right, Kuiya started the interview.
"Nishinoya, as this year's Best Libero, how do you feel about receiving this award?"
That immediately got him going.
He puffed out his chest and talked enthusiastically for several minutes, praising himself without restraint.
Ever since winning the award, he had wanted to carry the medal everywhere and show it off to everyone.
Like a kid.
But to him, it wasn't just an award.
It was part of his dream.
"I'm really happy.
For a libero, it's hard to stand out or be remembered in a match.
When I first won Best Libero years ago, I felt proud… and relieved.
Relieved that I could hold the line as the last defense."
He shifted his gaze away from the camera, speaking more casually.
"In volleyball, the spotlight usually goes to spikers, blockers, and setters. They're always at the front.
Liberos are usually shorter and don't attack, so we're easy to overlook."
Kuiya watched him, amused.
Just moments ago he had been carefree, but now he was shining.
"So what do you think about your role?"
Nishinoya straightened his back.
"I'm proud to be a libero.
I loved volleyball since I was a kid. At first, I admired the spikers at the front. They were amazing.
But I wasn't tall enough. I'd never be that kind of player.
Later, my grandfather encouraged me to try libero.
At the time, I didn't care. As long as I could play, that was enough."
"But it turned out I was good at it.
What others see as a small build is actually perfect for a libero.
In middle school, when I won Best Libero, my seniors hugged me and said,
'Nishinoya, thank goodness you were there for us.'"
"From that moment on, libero wasn't just an option anymore.
It became my belief.
Protect the ace. Leave no openings.
That's what makes it the coolest position."
Kuiya nodded.
Every time, he was reminded of the resolve volleyball players carried.
"So… is being a libero tough?"
Nishinoya unconsciously rubbed the bruises on his arms.
His back still ached from the recent match.
After a brief pause, he grinned.
"It's tough.
Every smooth receive you see… we practice it hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
We dive, roll, get covered in injuries.
Knees hit the floor. Arms get too heavy to lift. Every night brings new bruises."
"And that's just receiving.
A good libero reads the game, understands the setter, and delivers the perfect pass.
Our work is always behind the scenes.
Even if no one notices, we still step forward.
That's what it means to be a libero."
Kuiya was deeply moved.
The marks on Nishinoya's arms, old and new, were impossible to ignore.
"So what would you like to say to other liberos?"
Nishinoya stood up.
"I know it can feel like thankless work.
Like you're always in the background.
But being a libero means protecting something.
And once you have something you want to protect…
You won't lose."
Applause filled the room.
Takeda-sensei nearly broke down again.
These kids had so much in their hearts.
They weren't bad at expressing themselves.
They just chose to put their energy into something greater.
After the interview, Nishinoya and Kuiya bowed to each other.
Nishinoya out of apology and respect.
Kuiya out of admiration.
In him, he saw every libero.
...
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