Crows || Kageyama Tobio

° 21 °

It was already night time as the members had finished cleaning the place. They were dismissed by their captain as some of them still there catching their breaths.

Kageyama and Hinata were drinking their bottles beside each other. Kazumi walked to them with her notebook in hand as she stood between them. She look up at the ceiling as she thought out loud. "Think things would be much easier for Suga and Noya if Asahi came back?"

"I hope so. We have to have the ace here so I can see how he acts!" Hinata exclaimed, pumping his hands up before frowning back. "Suga said Asahi tends to take all the blame, but don't you think he himself is like that?"

The tangerine head turned to Kageyama as he closed his bottle. "I guess they both feel equally guilty. Even though there's no way you can win by yourself."

"Y-You're one to talk! I clearly remembered what you said, you know!" Hinata yelled, making Kazumi jumped to his sudden raised voice. He flatten his hair down, imitating the young setter.

"If I'm stuck working with him, I'd rather do every receive, spike, and set by myself."

Kazumi covered her mouth trying to not let out a laugh. The boy blushed before gripping onto Hinata's shirt. "S-Shut up!"

"I rather do everything by myself..."

Kazumi couldn't hold it as she laughed lightly. Kageyama's blush was brightly red as he threw Hinata away from them. The boy knew it was coming as he easily landed on his feet.

"Everyone on our side of the court should be our ally, without exception." Hinata said, suddenly went away from his childish act. "So I can't stand it when things on our side are all awkward."

Kazumi smiled to how caring the little tangerine head could feel as she walked to him. "If that's what you thought, then you two don't mind helping me tomorrow?"

================

As planned, Kazumi, Kageyama and Hinata were now in front of Asahi. They had convince him to join with a little pep talk. The senior was confused as to why the first-years were so desperate for him to come and join them back.

"B-Because if you don't come back, our seniors will never cheer u--"

Both Kageyama and Kazumi jab Hinata on both sides of his waist to shut him up.

"Keep it down, boke."

"We're in the third-year's floor, respect."

"Do you two have to hit me so hard?!"

Asahi let out a laugh. "Hah! You three are a riot. But, I'm sorry."

Hinata stopped gripping his sides as he look up to him. "I used to visualize breaking through high blocks in front of me, but I've completely lost that ability now." He's started to remember their opponents' hands blocking his way to spike behind the net. He almost stutter.

"I keep seeing images of getting shut out, or getting so scared of it that I self-destruct."

Kazumi bit her tongue a bit to prevent her from screaming to him about his fear of blocking, until Hinata begin to speak.

"I'm just a first-year midget, so you might think I'm cocky for saying this." He started, hesitated to say.

"I won't. Go ahead."

Hearing him saying okay, Hinata look up to him. "I get what you're saying. I have neither the height nor the technique, so I keep getting my shots blocked. But now..."

He pointed to Kageyama. "With this guy setting for me, and Kazumi helping me the way to spike, I can evade any block and spike with ease, no matter how high it may be."

Both Kageyama and Kazumi looked at him, one smiling and the other only wore a stern look.

"The blockers vanish from my sight, and I get a clear view of the other sight of the net!" Hinata open his arms with a bright face.

Asahi was a little lost in words before saying. "Yeah. I kinda know what that view is like."

"The ball hits my hand when I'm at the highest point on the court, and I can feel all of its weight in my palm." He jumped and intimidate how he would usually spike. "I love it!"

Kazumi put a hand on her hip as she smiled to him, knowing the feeling all too well.

Hinata continued, looking down. "I envy you, Asahi. Right now, I have neither the height nor the power to break through blocks on my own. But you do. So what if you've had plenty of spikes blocked? Haven't you scored with loads more? That is why everyone calls you the ace!"

Asahi was taken aback by his words and hearing him calling himself the ace. Kazumi looked at the third-year, knowing he was surprised.

The bell rang, signaling them that they have to go back to class. Kageyama called out Hinata to head back. When he wasn't he hit his back head before walking away. Hinata followed close while rubbing his head.

Kazumi turned to follow and look at the upperclassman, who look down. "Um..."

Asahi look at her as Kazumi smiled. "It's only natural that you can't win all by yourself. That's why you stand on the court with a team of six."

"Tama..." Asahi murmured, who he had learned her name when Miyuki had introduced her.

"Kazumi is fine." The girl said before looking back at Kageyama and Hinata as both of them went downstairs. "Kageyama doesn't realize that until very recently. So I'm surprised he had actually accept team effort. So take Hinata's advice."

Kazumi look back at him. "Being the ace may feel like you will bring the team to victory, but know this. A former ace to another, as long as you have your team with you, then there will be no more to block you." She then bowed down to him. "Excuse me."

As Kazumi walk away, Asahi eyed her, both shocked to her words and confused to what she said.

==============

Asahi think back to what both Hinata and Kazumi had said to him as he walk home. He passed to a door leading to the gym, hearing the sound of sport shoes hitting the floor. He decided to see what was happening inside.

"One more. One more time!"

"Shut up! You don't need to tell me!"

"Ready? Here it goes!"

"All right!"

Asahi stopped his track when he saw Hinata jumped high above the net and spike the ball. He remembered what he had said, looking at his palm.

"The ball hits my hand when I'm at the highest point on the court, and I can feel all of its weight in my palm. I love it!"

He knew it all too well of that feeling.