At long last summer vacation has ended, which means the Spring Tournament Qualifiers are happening soon. I'm excited to see everyone again.

"So I saw you on TV," Yacchan says, packing her bag.

"Yea well, what did you think of my acting skills? Pretty Oscar-worthy huh?"

Just with a couple words, I manage to turn it into a sour mood.

"Also, did you..."

"What?"

Yacchan walks up next to me, sniffing me like a police inspection dog.

"Seriously, what's going on?"

"You seem different."

"Firstly, I don't think I am. Secondly, it took you the whole day to decide I seem different?"

"Maybe it's my imagination."

"Anyways Yacchan, I gotta go."

I fling my bag over my shoulder and dash to the gym. I can finally see everyone again. I slide down the hand railing of the stairs, almost caught by the Vice Principal who turns a blind eye. It must be because of that TV segment, but I can't tell if more people have noticed me or not because the feeling of anxiety stays the same no matter how many eyes are on you. I think some people just can't believe I'm the same girl at the fashion show.

I slip out of my school uniform and into my black outfit in lightning speed.

Perhaps I over excitedly greeted everyone with hugs. Even the usually distant Kageyama and Tsukishima surrender to my happiness.

"Why so happy?" Suga-senpai says as I hug him.

"No reason." Why am I so happy? It's been a while since I've felt so much emotion. Even my smiles aren't the my usual half-assed closed lips ones. This is the most I've shown my teeth.

"Hori-san!"

"Hinata!" I throw my arms around him. "Long time no see." Can someone be muscular yet squishy at the same time? Shouldn't that be against some law?

"Hori-san." I release him immediately. Was I suffocating him? Hinata examines me, he squints his eyes as they travel up and down my body.

"Did you grow taller?" he asks. I look to Kageyama for confirmation but he doesn't know either. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi also shake their head. But then again, there's no point in asking the team's tallest players. An ant is still an ant, no matter where you stand.

"I mean, she does look a bit taller..." muses Daichi-senpai.

Hinata is on the verge of tears. Tsukishima smirks.

"Looks like someone didn't grow."

Kiyoko brings out the measuring tape. I press myself against the wall and after a stressful minute she announces my new height.

"167.6 centimetres." So I did grow taller.

Hinata falls to the ground. "Hinata, d-don't mind," I say, even though nothing could cheer him up.

"Hori-san, can't you give me some of your height?"

"I don't think that's how it works."

"But don't you think something else is different?" Yamaguchi has his fingers rested thoughtfully on his chin. Everyone gathers round.

"Hair," guesses Nishinoya.

"She's not like you Noya-san. Hori doesn't style her hair so that it adds to her height," says Tanaka, earning a punch from the angered libero.

"What about her shoes?" says Kageyama. I look down at my black NMDs.

"I've been wearing these since forever."

"Glasses?" Yamaguchi offers his opinion.

"She stopped wearing them ages ago," Tsukishima points out.

"Right, because I got too scared of Hinata's stray balls so I switched to contacts." Several nods show they approve of my change.

"Maybe it's because of her body..." says Tanaka as he eyes a specific part of me. I automatically cover my chest and Daichi-senpai and Suga-senpai proceed to throw him out of the gym followed by hollow sounds and Tanaka's scream. The DaiSuga combo: angry version. The very thought is enough to bring on eternal winter. The players remaining in the gym, we all cross ourselves. Rest In Peace Tanaka.

"I think it's her aura," says Asahi-senpai finally.

"My aura?"

"It's kinda..."

"Kinda?..."

Asahi-senpai ends up using vague hand gestures and broken sentences to describe this 'change' in aura. I just nod my head in confusion.

"I got it! Hori's aura is kinda like Kiyoko-san's." Nishinoya looks slightly proud to have made that connection.

"Erina-chan is like me?"

I shake my head. Can we just move on to a different topic now?

"Whatever, I got taller. That's all there is to it."

All of a sudden Kageyama places his hand above my head, pulling it back towards his neck, measuring my height.

"Well in any case, you can take over Hinata's role of ultimate decoy it seems," Tsukishima suggests.

"Tsukishima! That's so mean!" Hinata cries.

"I don't mind," says Kageyama way too seriously, propelling Hinata into the pits of depression.

"Okay! So let's stop all... whatever this is and actually start training." I clap my hands together. "We have first prelims on August 11th. Come on guys, now's not the time to slack off."

LINE: Kuroo has sent you a message.

Kuroo: Yo, so it looks like someone's Little Miss Famous.

Kuroo has sent a photo

Hori: Can you stop with the nicknames, Mr Bedhead.

Hori: Also, did you have to take a picture at that exact moment? Please delete it. Also, the interviewer came at the worst moment! I was stuffing my face with the profiteroles at the dessert table.

Kuroo: Bunny, unlike you I actually make good nicknames.

Kuroo: And no, I won't be deleting it.

Hori: Kuroo look! I made an emoticon of you ┐(Wヮ￣)┌

Kuroo: …