"Haikyuu: A Twin's Choice"

21- The Guardian and The Ace

Author's Note:

Heyyy, I'm baacckk! What do you think of the new cover book?

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Taking slow steps towards Karasuno, Sora feels the ache from his injury. Yet, he decides to sing softly to keep his spirits up.

With each small stride, he hums to himself, "I'm making my way to Karasuno, yes, I am! Even if I'm a bit hurt and all alone, I won't give up until I reach there!"

The tune becomes his companion, echoing through the quiet journey, helping him stay positive despite the challenges.

After 30 minutes of walking, he finally reached his destination.

'Finally, I made it!' Sora thought, feeling relieved.

But Sora knew his journey wasn't done yet. He still had to switch his shoes and head to his classroom.

"Ugh! I know Japan is all about keeping things tidy but doing it with this injury is a real hassle," he grumbled to himself.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed and pressed on, heading toward the entrance.

As he entered, he went to his locker and slowly changed from outdoor to inside shoes. With his injury, it took him 3 minutes to do it.

After switching shoes, he moved at a measured pace toward the 1-4 classroom.

Glancing around, he observed other students carrying their lunches and going about their activities. It dawned on him that he had arrived during lunchtime.

After another 5 minutes, he eventually made it to his classroom.

He gently slid the door open, peering inside to find Tsukishima and Yamaguchi quietly enjoying their lunch. The room seemed unusually empty, with only the two of them present.

Mid-bite, Yamaguchi noticed Sora. "Sora-san!"

Tsukishima turned around, his eyes slightly widening at the sight of Sora.

Waving his hand, Sora grinned. "Hey, guys!"

Gradually approaching them, Sora greeted, "How are you two doing? I hope you didn't miss me too much." He flashed a playful smile, easing into the familiar camaraderie of their friendship.

"We should be the ones asking that," Yamaguchi responded. "Shoyo-san told us that you were injured!"

Sora waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, please. This injury isn't that bad. I'll be back on my feet in just three weeks." He downplayed the severity, trying to maintain a light-hearted tone.

Sora then moved his chair near them and sat comfortably.

"When did your injury start?" Tsukishima questioned.

Sora leaned back, remembering, "It was in the first set against Aoba Johsai. I felt a twinge in my knee, and it's been bothering me since then."

"And it suddenly became that bad?" Tsukishima asked, concern evident in his voice.

Sora nodded.

BAM

Startled, all of them turned as the front door was aggressively slid open. They saw a short student with wild black hair that stuck upwards, a tiny tuft falling over his forehead, appearing bleached a dirty blond.

Sora's eyes widened in recognition-it was Nishinoya.

"Where's Sora Hinata!?" Nishinoya shouted, scanning the room.

Sora, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi exchanged glances with Nishinoya's arrival.

"Uhh... here," Sora slowly raised his hand.