Hinata lifted his head and looked at the pitch-black camera. He knew that as long as he spoke to it, everyone would be able to see him.
"Height doesn't determine whether you can play volleyball. Even shorter players can stand on the court. Remember, volleyball is a sport where you always look upward."
"Volleyball is a sport where you look upward." On the screen, Hinata wore a bright, sparkling smile, full of energy.
Inside Shiratorizawa's gym, those words lingered for a long time.
"So this is the short guy you were talking about. The one who jumps really high?" Kawanishi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He didn't look that impressive.
Goshiki nodded quickly.
"He really jumps high. Probably only a little worse than Hoshiumi."
"Seriously?" That got everyone's attention. They might not know Hinata well, but they definitely knew Hoshiumi. As the main scorer of Kamomedai, the "Small Giant" Hoshiumi had proven himself. Even if Hinata couldn't match him, the fact that Goshiki remembered him at all meant he had some skill.
Ryosuke watched as Goshiki casually turned Hinata into the center of discussion and sighed inwardly. Still, it wasn't a bad thing for everyone to start taking him seriously.
"Hinata is still far from Hoshiumi."
Ryosuke, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Everyone turned to look at him. After all, he always knew more about outside players than the rest, practically an encyclopedia.
"Hinata has talent, but he hasn't gone through systematic training. A lot of what he does is self-taught. Still, he learns quickly. By the next Spring High, he might start to stand out.
Losing to Aobajosai this time was expected. In some aspects, Karasuno just can't compare."
Reon tilted his head slightly, glancing at Ryosuke with some surprise. Did he know Hinata? Usually, when Ryosuke talked about players, it sounded like he was just reciting information. But when it came to this number 10, there was a clear sense of familiarity in his tone.
Ryosuke continued.
"Karasuno's first-years are strong this year. Their setter is a junior from the same middle school as Oikawa-senpai. Besides Hinata, there's also a middle blocker who's very solid. Just being able to block Iwaizumi-senpai already says a lot.
Yamaguchi doesn't stand out much yet, and his serve isn't fully developed, but once his jump float improves, it'll be really troublesome."
Tendo nodded and teased, "So Ryosuke, you're pretty optimistic about Karasuno?"
Ryosuke chuckled softly and said nothing, but he didn't deny it either.
Sitting in the back, Washijō fell briefly into a daze during Hinata's interview.
That boy, speaking so firmly about how shorter players could play volleyball, reminded him strongly of another boy from a few years ago. Udai.
Back then, Udai had come to ask to join Shiratorizawa's training camp, but Washijō had rejected him outright.
He remembered it clearly. Udai had thrown his backpack to the ground, stood in front of him with a stubborn expression, and spoke defiantly.
"Coach Washijō, don't underestimate me. Is it just because I'm short? Short players can play volleyball too. I'll find a way for players like us to stand on the center court. Just wait and see."
After that, Udai earned the name "Small Giant," but his temper grew worse and worse.
After three years in the spotlight, injuries forced him out of the public eye. He quieted down. The arrogance of his youth was worn away by setback after setback, until he had no choice but to accept reality.
During those years, the national team never once invited him. The years he spent waiting felt like a harsh slap in the face.
People stubbornly believed that shorter players didn't belong on the court. Just like Washijō once had. Even with outstanding talent and skill, a lack of height was enough for others to dismiss you outright.
Sometimes, Washijō wondered if his decision back then had been right. Had he crushed a young boy's dream? If he had reached out instead, would that boy have had more opportunities?
...
It was all in the past.
He only hoped that this boy, Hinata, could carry on the dream of his predecessor, the Small Giant. That one day, just as he said, shorter players would truly be able to stand on the court.
This had remained an unresolved knot in Washijō's heart for years.
Back at Karasuno, the interview ended after Hinata finished speaking. Hinata, however, didn't leave right away. He still wanted to ask Kuiya more about the Small Giant interview.
Kuiya covered his face with a headache coming on. He had only said those things earlier to appease the kid. If he really tried to recall that interview from years ago, his memory would probably be vague at best. He gave a wry smile, about to speak.
At that moment, Hinata's phone rang.
"Little bunny, be good, open the door..."
"!!"
Hinata's face instantly turned bright red. Everyone in the lounge looked at him, amused by the ringtone.
Hinata waved his hands frantically.
"No, that's not me. My little sister set it. I didn't choose it."
Kuiya nodded with a smile, though whether he believed him was another matter. Ukai was holding back laughter, his shoulders shaking. He clearly hadn't expected Hinata's ringtone to be so childish.
Hinata ran out to answer the call, still flushed. Before picking up, he checked the screen.
Ryosuke.
"Hello, Ryosuke. What's up?"
"What. Really?!"
Hinata's eyes lit up as if they were glowing. He was beyond excited. Ryosuke had just told him he could arrange a meeting with the Small Giant. Was this real? Was he dreaming?
Ever since Ryosuke learned that the Small Giant Hinata admired was Udai-senpai, he had been thinking about introducing them. Unfortunately, his memory was terrible, and he kept forgetting.
It wasn't until a few days ago, when he saw discussions on the school forum, that he remembered. People were talking about Karasuno defeating Shiratorizawa and bringing up the Small Giant again.
Only then did it click.
At the same time, he realized just how popular Udai was at his school. It felt a bit strange. Like your kid admiring your rival. And yet, Ryosuke himself was that rival's junior. The whole situation felt oddly complicated.
The thought even made him laugh.
So he immediately made the call.
Although it had been planned earlier, the timing ended up perfect. The call came right after Hinata's interview, unintentionally saving Kuiya from a difficult situation.
Standing in the hallway, Ryosuke spoke apologetically.
"I'm really sorry, Hinata. I knew you admired the Small Giant, but I'm only telling you now."
Hinata shook his head quickly, then realized Ryosuke couldn't see him.
"No need to apologize. Ryosuke, you're too nice. You remembered me at a time like this. I'm really touched."
His voice even carried a slight tremble.
Ryosuke understood. Anyone would be emotional about meeting their idol.
For Hinata, though, this call did more than excite him. It cleared away the confusion he had been feeling. He wanted to meet the senior he had admired for so long, then pull himself together and keep moving forward.
They quickly set a time and ended the call.
Ryosuke, still thinking about it, decided he would call Hinata again after the broadcast. Karasuno's training camp was coming up soon. If they didn't arrange things now, there might not be another chance.
Kuiya noticed that after the call, Hinata's mood had completely improved. He no longer pressed him with questions. That made Kuiya curious. Who was that? One phone call had saved him from trouble. That person deserved a shrine.
Takeda, seeing the interview was over, coaxed and ushered the two problem children out of the lounge before continuing his discussion with Kuiya.
Kuiya felt that interviewing them together worked well. One could be interviewed while the other reacted below. It saved both time and effort. He immediately decided to continue this format.
Next up were the first-years Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. The two were always together, so they would be easy to find.
Yamaguchi had no idea what was going on that day. No one seemed to be in a hurry to train. Hinata and the others had gone for interviews, and Daichi and Sugawara had taken Nishinoya and Tanaka to the infirmary to check Nishinoya's back. Only a few confused players remained in the gym.
Naturally, they assumed practice was temporarily off.
Tsukishima and Yamaguchi stood outside and exchanged a glance. Since no one else seemed busy, they didn't need to rush either.
That morning, both of them had been late for a quiz and missed the news about the interviews. Everyone else assumed someone had told them, so in the end, no one actually did.
Now, Yamaguchi was walking with Tsukishima outside the school gates.
Tsukishima had mentioned in the morning that he wanted strawberry cake. By coincidence, Yamaguchi had seen a shop with a beautiful strawberry cake in the display window. It looked delicious. Tsukishima would definitely like it.
Tsukishima walked with his hands in his pockets, headphones on, looking indifferent. Yamaguchi kept glancing at the shops, talking nonstop.
"Tsukishima, that cake shop looks amazing. I heard their cream is made from fresh strawberries. They only sell a limited amount every day. If you go late, it's gone. And their chocolate cake is really good too..."
Tsukishima frowned.
"You're too noisy, Yamaguchi."
"Sorry, Tsukishima," Yamaguchi replied casually, without much sincerity.
"Wait. Yamaguchi. Tsukishima."
Takeda's voice came from behind.
Yamaguchi turned around, confused. Did he really just hear Takeda-sensei?
He had.
Yamaguchi tugged on Tsukishima's sleeve to stop him. Tsukishima pulled off his headphones with visible annoyance but said nothing.
Takeda scratched his head and explained the interview situation.
The two exchanged a look. When did this happen? You didn't know either?
From each other's expressions, they understood. Neither of them knew.
Yamaguchi was puzzled. The distance from the gym to the school gate was not short. How had Takeda found them here? It was almost like he had a tracking device.
And why didn't he call?
Right. Takeda didn't use a phone.
Seeing their confusion, Takeda explained a bit sheepishly.
"I saw strawberry cake at the shop near the school gate. Since Tsukishima likes it, I came to check. Don't worry, I already reserved one. It wasn't easy to get."
Strawberry cake...
Wait. Strawberry cake?!
Tsukishima froze mid-step, eyes wide in disbelief. He looked at Takeda, then at Yamaguchi. His usually composed face flushed bright red, lips pressed tight in embarrassment.
Yamaguchi panicked, waving his hands rapidly to show he hadn't said anything. Tsukishima cared a lot about his image. If others found out about this, he would definitely be upset. Yamaguchi had never mentioned it to anyone.
Takeda laughed.
"Tsukishima always has a small piece of strawberry cake in his lunchbox. Yamaguchi sometimes brings homemade ones too. If you pay attention, you'll notice.
Don't worry. Only we know."
Yamaguchi let out a breath of relief.
Tsukishima, still flushed, thought to himself that he had been careless. Next time, he wouldn't let Yamaguchi put cake in his lunchbox.
Even so, he forced himself to stay composed.
"I'll pay you back, Takeda-sensei."
Takeda smiled and shook his head.
"It's fine. I bought some for Hinata and the others too. You and Yamaguchi have your share."
Takeda really was like a caring parent.
As for the other one, that would naturally be Sugawara. One handled daily care, the other provided support. Together, they looked after the first-years thoroughly.
Take Hinata, for example. No matter the match, he always ran to Sugawara first, on or off the court, asking for praise.
Even Tsukishima behaved much more obediently in front of Sugawara.
The three of them chatted as they walked back to the lounge.
On the way, Yamaguchi suggested that Takeda get a phone. If something happened and no one could reach him, it would be a problem.
Takeda thought about it, then smiled and pushed them toward the door.
"Alright, don't worry about me. You should focus on the interview."
After that, he went off to check on the others, asking why no one had informed them about the interview.
Lately, he had been hearing a lot about isolation and bullying. Even though he trusted his students, he couldn't help worrying.
...
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