I am so sorry for the delayed update!!

I think I got a bit carried away with this one, and it took me a while…

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the very long chapter! ~

(Maybe I should've made this into two chapters…?)

The next morning, Ai woke up early and changed into her white Karasuno T-shirt and a black sports skirt. It was days like this when she wished that she was still in Vermont with its cool climate.

Then, she went to greet her home team before going to Nekoma's group. They were going to have a few more practice sets before they left to go back to Miyagi in the afternoon.

To start, Nekoma was paired with Fukurōdani again. Ai sat in a metal chair next to Coach Nekomata and took more notes. Lev was amazing, despite his little volleyball experience, and Taketora was a great sportsman. The mohawked ace was always shouting encouragements and narrated the game.

After scoring a point, Lev approached the second-year setter with his head bowed. "Sorry for being rude. I overstepped my bounds."

"And I keep telling you not to worry about it. I'm more disturbed that you suddenly asked for a broad jump setup," Kenma replied coolly.

"So that thing just now is called a broad jump? That's so awesome!"

From the side of the court, Kageyama was surprised. "That broad jump was spur-of-the-moment?"

"But," Lev said, "we were able to do it."

Hinata was in awe. A center ace.

Left and right wing spikers usually got the title, but he and Lev were middle blockers. Only, another way to define the position was the person who won them the most points. In their separate teams, Kise, Aomine, and Midorima were all aces.

"Hey, Kenma! It's your turn to serve!" Coach Naoi stood and instructed.

"Kenma-san! One nice serve!" The half-Russian stood on the far right as he put his hands up, ready to block. Beside him was Taketora in front of the net.

From what she had learned, Nekoma had lost at Tokyo Interhigh Preliminaries. And although it may not be the right path, they had new blood flowing through their veins with Lev's addition.

It was a question of improvement. Did Karasuno need stability or evolution for more power?

.

"Gather round!" Daichi called.

Karasuno's first game today was with Nekoma. It was the third set overall against the cats, but the crows had lost both of the two sets yesterday, 17-25 and 19-25.

Meaning, they hadn't won a single set against Nekoma. It was also the first set with them since Hinata and Kageyama had arrived.

Ai stood with the coaches wearing red, in front of the three metal folding chairs. She was to Coach Nekomata's left while the younger, Coach Naoi was on his right. Karasuno was to her far left, and Ai could pick up some of Ukai's words as he spoke to the team in yellow jerseys.

The referee blew the whistle, and the players ran onto the court. Once they were in place, a guy from Fukurōdani checked their numbers on their back.

The clock ticked as 10:09 am when the set began with Fukunaga's serve. Hinata flew for a broad jump and hit it with his eyes closed. Lev jumped to block but didn't touch it. Yaku slid after the ball, but he also missed.

"All right!" Karasuno shouted.

"Damn it, that's amazing!" Nekoma's tallest middle blocker admitted.

"Shake it off, Lev! That was close!" The ace, Yamamoto Taketora was good at keeping the team's spirits up.

"Yessir!"

"Tanaka, one nice serve!" Asahi yelled back, and the whistle blew.

"Karasuno's Number 10 does shut his eyes the moment he hits that fast attack," two coaches from Shinzen observed.

"Yeah..." the man with dark glasses said. "So the true nature of that miraculous fast attack is the amazingly sophisticated techniques of the setter."

Hinata made efforts, trying to escape the blocks by switching from an A quick to a C, but it was no use. Lev got to him, and Nishinoya didn't make it.

"All right!" Lev cheered with Taketora and Kai. Kenma was surprised, too.

"He actually did it!" Taketora applauded.

Ai watched on emotionlessly. Nekoma had always been good at reacting to the quick attack. On top of that, their new middle blocker's height and quick reaction time were amazing. It was a matter of time they would stop him, as Aoba Johsai had done.

"Kenma, nice serve!" Taketora shouted as the setter jogged to the back line.

Meanwhile, the rotation brought Lev in front of Hinata again. The Russian bent over and motioned with his hand to bring it on. Kageyama attempted to combat them with the normal, floaty fast attacks, but Lev also changed to read blocking, as instructed by the opposite quiet setter.

When the scoreboard changed Karasuno to Nekoma, 2-3, Ukai asked for a time out.

"Well, stay calm. They started off on guard against the fast attacks. Not to mention what kind of 'advice' their new manager might have tipped them with to throw us off," he grumbled.

Nishinoya glanced in Ai's direction, where she was obliging Lev with a high five. The libero trusted her and knew that she wouldn't do anything to betray them. If anything, he liked a challenge that would make his plays better.

"For the time being, when we're up against Nekoma, let's have Azumane and Tanaka focus on attacking from the left."

But, was that being too cowardly? Could they evolve by becoming more defensive?

As Coach Nekomata peeked at Karasuno's side of the court, Ai smiled.

"Are you curious about my team, Coach Nekomata?"

The older coach laughed heartily. "Hm, of course I am. It's Keishin's team after all."

Ai giggled with him and watched as her junior manager worked hard, fumbling sometimes here and there.

The whistle blew, and they continued. At one point, Kageyama dug up a spike from the opposite team, to which even Nishinoya complimented. Daichi covered for him, but it was a bit short. Asahi jumped to hit the ball, but Hinata was also already in the air.

Sugawara gasped when he saw, while Ai immediately called him out.

"Shōyō!"

The first-year crashed into Asahi's side and fell onto his back. The ball dropped and bounced away. A moment of silence followed, as everyone stopped and stared. The timid ace started to panic, but Hinata quickly sat up. The first-year proceeded to make a dogeza as he apologized repeatedly. He might have acted completely subconsciously just then, but it looked like Hinata was trying to steal the toss from the ace.

Perhaps it was time for the fledgling crows to evolve, as chicks grow up and leave the nest. Hopefully, it would be a blessing rather than a curse for their team. However, evolution doesn't come to those that don't seek change. If that's what you wish, no matter if you are the star of the court, the hero, or the ace that brings forth the victory, be greedy and declare that you are the one at the summit.

Afterward, things got heated with the duo, and the tension between Hinata and Kageyama increased.

Hinata proclaimed that he was going to stop closing his eyes for the quick attack, and it was a confrontation for them all. "We can't keep going like this. It's no good to do the fast attacks that you let me hit."

"You learned the normal fast attack because the other was something you couldn't manage, right?" the setter argued. "I don't know what you're thinking, but if you have something to say, I'll listen to it later. But if you're saying you're gonna do that right now, I have no intention of tossing the ball to someone who I know will miss."

It wasn't just them. After Hinata and Asahi had bumped into each other, they were all on edge. Hinata had blurted out what they had all realized, and his greed for becoming the ace was creeping up on Asahi. Nervousness ran through their bodies, making them more stiff than usual.

Ai took this chance to try a mental exercise. Inhaling some courage, she shouted at the team. "What are you so tense about, Yū!? Your fight isn't over yet!" Both teams plus their coaches stared at her with dropped jaws. "Ryu! Spike with care, don't hit it till it breaks! Look up, Asahi-san! Breathe! Call it out, Sawamura-senpai! Shōyō, do you want Lev to spike past you!? Keep up!"

Sugawara looked worried and terrified at the same time. "What's gotten into her?"

"Is she mad?" Yamaguchi asked nervously.

"Uhh… No…? I think she's just trying something?" Ennoshita answered.

Kiyoko caught on to her plan. "Ai-chan…" she whispered as Yachi wondered if the second-year manager was okay.

Unfortunately, Nekoma's ace got in the last ball and spiked it through. "All right!!!" Taketora shouted with the team.

The set ended with another one of their losses; 18-25, Nekoma.

Ai swiftly distributed the towels and water bottles and assisted the players in cooling down from the exercise.

"Let's go!" Daichi called, leading the team for a lap of flying receives. The guys got in line and waited for their turn. Nishinoya laughed at Hinata's attempt of a diving receive and showed him an example as an expert libero.

Before Kageyama could start on his round, Ai excused herself from Nekoma's team for a bit and turned sharply on her heels. She glared at the Karasuno group, making some of them take a step back.

"Tobio." She marched straight up to him. "This is a practice match, and it's only one set. Unlike Akira and Yūtarō, you've finally found a partner and friend to match your tosses. Don't lose him, and open your mind," she reprimanded.

Kageyama stared away from her stubbornly. In his mind, he wasn't wrong. "Yes, ma'am," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry?" she pressed.

"Yes, ma'am," he stated more clearly.

Ai huffed and gave him one more look before returning to Nekoma's team.

True, Hinata had spent most of his middle school years in the volleyball club alone, but Kageyama had been lonely, too. She knew that the prodigious setter had been looking for a spiker to match his sets, just as Hinata had been longing for a setter to give him tosses. Now, Kageyama finally found one in Hinata. He must have felt as happy as the middle blocker to have a good partner within the sport.

"What's wrong with him?" Kenma asked when she came back.

"He's being a selfish king again," Ai sighed. Picking up a stack of clean, folded towels, she presented the setter with one. "Towel, Kenma?"

He nodded and took it.

She turned to the others and took care of the cat team.

"Your height is truly a remarkable advantage, Lev," she said, also handing him a white cloth.

"Thanks, Ai-senpai! I'm going to beat everyone and become the ace!"

"Hah!? Guys who can't even defend properly don't get to be called the ace!" Taketora butted in.

"You seem to have a prerequisite for being Nekoma's ace." She laughed gently. "You sound like someone else I know."

"You mean Shōyō?" Kenma asked, resting beside her. "He seemed stumped to me."

Her smile was bittersweet. "He is, but it's only temporary," she assured.

"Always on their side, huh? Was it a mistake to invite you over to my team?" Kuroo teased with a cunning smirk.

She turned to face him. "I'd hope not. I'm starting to grow fond of cats." She patted Lev's chest, the only place she could reach. "And kittens."

"I'm not a kitten! I'll have you know, I'm a lion!" He slapped his hand onto his chest.

Ai tilted her head. "A cub, perhaps. Don't you think, Kenma?"

He shrugged but gave a small smile. "Maybe."

"Don't worry. I hear you've only just started volleyball this year. I'm sure you'll become better with time, like Ryota-kun."

"Who?" the setter asked, but Lev's voice was louder than the quiet question.

"Of course I will!" the first-year middle blocker grinned.

"We'll decide that after you improve your receives," Kuroo retorted.

"Hey Ai, will you show us your notes again?" Yaku called to her from where he stood with the two coaches.

"Hey! No honorifics? How rude!" Kuroo shook his head in disapproval.

"Shut up! She told me not to yesterday!" Yaku shouted back.

"Of course." She waved at the small group and joined the libero and coaches in going over her scribbles.

While Kuroo wanted to talk to her more, he was mostly too preoccupied with the next tournament on his mind. So, the red team's captain and manager worked back to back, each focused on their own devotion to volleyball.

.

When they were done with the penalty, Karasuno's players in yellow got feedback from the supervisors.

"You guys are the weakest of the teams that are here right now, right?" Takeda-sensei said candidly with a smile.

Although they wanted to, the team didn't have anything to argue back.

"If we were to have an official match with any of these teams, they would be difficult opponents. Do you see them as just an enemy, or do you see them as masters to absorb new techniques from? I believe it's a perspective that your manager, Akatsuki-san has been working on all along."

The group of males glanced at Ai, who was smiling and chatting with their nemeses. It was safe to say that more than one of them felt a pang of jealousy.

"The fact that you are weak means that there is potential for growth. Nothing can be more fun than that."

The speech uplifted the guys, and they thanked the teacher and dispersed for a break. Sugawara, who broke off from the group, led the two first-years outside to beside the pool.

"But, it wouldn't hurt to at least try! I mean, he was able to do a normal quick on the fly in the last Nekoma match," the older setter advised.

"At that time, there was a possibility the normal quick would work, and I thought that was the only chance we had." Kageyama stared down at Hinata.

Ukai hid behind the door and listened in. Ai also snuck up behind the coach and stood by to hear the conversation. She leaned against the wall, and her eyes drifted to the other ongoing games.

"Before I knew it," the middle blocker started to confess, "we lost the last set with Seijoh. By the time I noticed what was going on, the ball I hit was behind me and already dropped on the floor."

It was the time Kageyama had apologized to him. Oikawa had read the first-year setter like a book, and Kageyama had honestly thought that he was at fault. However, Hinata believed that he was the one that lost, and didn't want him to apologize.

"I want to fight for myself in the air, down to the very last moment!" the orange-haired boy cried.

Kageyama spoke next. "With the Seijoh match, I understood, just a little bit, how the setter draws out 100% of the spikers' talents. That quick attack is your ultimate weapon. And, even the smallest error in the timing of that quick attack becomes a fatal mistake."

He was referring to when they had played against Nekoma for the first time in May; Hinata had tried to battle with Inuoka by himself.

"Your opinion is not necessary for that quick attack."

A pair of footsteps came closer, and Kageyama came back inside. He nodded to the coach, who was still eavesdropping, and tried to walk away when Ai caught his arm.

"Tobio."

"Ai-senpai…" He stared down at her confidently, but the back of his mind wondered if she was still mad at him from before.

However, Ai let go of his arm and hugged him instead. "I'm glad you got a better understanding of your position as a setter. It's things like that which will make you a better player."

He stiffened for a second and hesitated, debating whether he should hug his senpai back. "T-thank you."

She stepped away and nodded to the rest of the Karasuno team. "Go on, now."

"Yes," he bobbed his head and went to take a break with the others.

Sure, he said some harsh things, and he could've worded it a bit differently, but he had done his part in talking to Hinata. It wasn't his mistake, nor was it his role to be soft on his partner.

Besides, Kageyama wasn't denying him in an emotional outburst. He was merely stating the fact as it were.

"Sorry, Hinata," Sugawara's voice sounded. "This time, I've got to agree with Kageyama. I think he's exactly right."

She could hear the pain in Hinata's slight gasp.

"That fast attack is amazing enough already. Perfecting the other attacks with that at the core is probably what is best for us."

He sucked in a breath and was just about to try to reason with the older setter when the coach revealed himself.

"Yeah, I agree with Sugawara." Ukai ashamedly stepped out from behind the door.

"Ukai-san?" the vice-captain said, surprised.

Ai chose to join their discussion. "It's not like you to be so negative, Sugawara-senpai. Where is your hope?" She appeared from behind the coach, shocking the men.

"Gah! Since when were you there?!" Ukai flinched.

She just smiled and responded, "Kuroko-kun is much better at killing his presence, while hiding his fighting spirit within his heart."

Ukai made a squinting face. "Aren't you supposed to be with Nekoma?"

"Are you telling me to abandon Karasuno?" She walked forward, passing by the coach to stand in front of Hinata. She looked at him in the eyes, took one of his hands in hers, and squeezed tightly. "I would never, Shōyō."

The boy looked a little relieved, finally having someone on his side.

It was her job to protect their morale and support their emotional well-being. She knew how vital a good headspace was in sports, besides physical health. Complete denial and unacceptance from his teammates could lead to depressive thoughts.

Ukai huffed and walked to them as well. "You say you want to fight with your own will, but the deviant fast attack depends on a split-second decision. I honestly think it's pretty hard trying to figure out what to do in that split second mid-air."

"But when I'm doing well, I can see it in slow motion, just like Tanaka-san said." Hinata tried to prove himself to the unbelievers. 'There are times I can see the opponent's blocks real clear in midair, like in slow-mo. It's just like a light passing through,' the boy recalled the wing spiker saying.

"Well, there are times that blocks are more visible, right?" Ukai turned to the third-year.

Sugawara nodded, agreeing with the veteran player.

"In the practice match against Seijoh…" Hinata started again, and the older guys listened to what the first-year had to say.

"In the last point… I could see the Great King's… Oikawa-san's face. I could see his eyes."

"Oh, you felt like you could?" Ukai asked.

The memory revived in her mind. "That was what it was," Ai said quietly, mostly to herself.

"Hm?" Sugawara asked. "Did something happen that I can't remember?"

Ai shook her head and stepped closer to Hinata. She had left her notebook that had Seijoh's match back in Miyagi, but she made a mental note to look for it when they went home. "Just an intuition."

She stood by the middle blocker, so that the first-year wasn't alone in facing off against the older two.

"The first time I nailed that fast attack in the 3-on-3," Hinata continued to give examples to make them believe in what he was saying. "I could see the other side, too. I saw the scenery from the summit."

"So, you mean you felt like that's what you saw, right?"

She sighed and put a supportive hand on Hinata's upper back. "I know he's still a first-year, but would you please stop degrading him, Coach?"

Ukai pursed his lips, but his expression changed drastically when the orange-haired boy looked up and met his eyes.

Then, Daichi came to the door and looked around. Spotting them in their group of four, he called them over. "Oh, there you are. We're starting."

"Gaah!" Coach Ukai was startled again.

"Ah, I'll be right there!" Hinata said as he and the vice-captain jogged to go inside.

"Shōyō," she said before he left.

He stopped and turned back. "Yes?"

Sugawara also stayed behind to see what Ai was going to say.

"I believe you." She smiled and walked toward them. "Now, let's get back before Kuroo-san or Coach Nekomata starts to look for me."

.

For the next set with Fukurōdani and Karasuno, Ukai decided to switch Hinata out with Narita.

Although she couldn't understand why they were in such opposition to giving him a chance, Ai shared the coach's sentiments of not wanting to risk anyone getting hurt with collisions during plays like earlier.

She went to Narita and gave him a high five before he entered the court. "Go for it, Kazuhito," she smiled.

Then, stepping behind Hinata on the sidelines, Ai squeezed his shoulders and whispered where she could reach below his ear. "Watch and learn what you can from out here. Then, you'll find a way to accomplish your goals for when you're in the arena."

He nodded a little hesitantly. She patted his back and went back to Nekoma's side of the court. Ai handed out water bottles while the cats played against Ubugawa. While the voices of Fukurōdani sounded from behind, Ai sat and took notes of both teams, paying closer attention to her new team.

.

All too soon, it was time to leave Tokyo. After all, they still had a couple more weeks of school before the vacation. Karasuno's athletes thanked the other teams at 2:30 and went to change into fresh, more comfortable clothes for the drive back.

Ai said her goodbyes to Nekoma's guys and decided to leave her red notebook with them.

"Would you keep this for me, Kai-san?" she requested the vice-captain.

"Are you sure you don't want to take it with you?" Yaku asked for the third time.

"Yes. It's for your team, anyway. I'll just continue the notes at the next training camp."

"We'll be sure to pack it with us then." Kai smiled and promised. "I'll bring it to Shinzen High in Saitama."

"Have a safe trip back, Ai-senpai," Shibayama said.

Inuoka nodded. "See you soon!"

"Thank you, Yūki, Sō." She faced the blushing ace. "You too, Taketora-kun."

He stuttered and lost his words. It was quite the opposite from the way he was so verbal on the court.

Feeling a poke on her shoulder, she turned to see Fukunaga silently holding his hand out. The wing spiker of few words then guided her smaller hand in movements to invent a secret handshake.

She giggled when he was done. "I'll try to remember that."

He beamed and nodded, giving her a final fist bump.

"Come on, Ai. I'll walk you out," Kenma offered. "Kuro's already gone with the other captains."

"Can I come, too?!" Lev asked, pointing to himself.

"Of course you can, Lev. Just let me greet Coach Nekomata and Coach Naoi before I leave."

The boys nodded, so she went out into the hallway. After quickly finding the younger coach, Ai bowed to the teachers and coaches of the Fukurōdani, Shinzen, and Ubugawa teams as well.

She also accompanied Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai in thanking Coach Nekomata again.

"We'll see you the week after the next, at the summer vacation training camp," Coach Nekomata smiled.

"Yes! We'll see you then!" the younger men said synchronously.

Nekoma's coach smirked. "This is where it's going to get real. It will be the first and last long-term training camp before the Spring Nationals preliminaries."

"Yes," Takeda-sensei concurred solemnly.

Coach Nekomata smiled. "I look forward to working with you again too, Ai-san. You are an amazing manager."

"Yes, sir." She grinned back. "Thank you for the opportunity," Ai said and bowed.

Seeming satisfied, the elder coach turned to walk away. "Just know that you're gonna be joining me for drinks every night for a week," he said to the two adults.

"Yes, sir!" Takeda-sensei grinned while Ukai sighed.

Apparently, Coaches Naoi and Ukai weren't as good at holding their liquor as Coach Nekomata and Takeda-sensei.

As they were heading to the bus, Ukai slid her an irked look. "Already on a first-name basis, huh?"

"He's very kind under his teasing," she replied. "And, he's known me from before."

"Huh? When?"

"You knew him from Tokyo, Akatsuki-san?" the teacher clarified.

"No, only he knew of me from basketball." She shrugged. "I didn't realize how famous Teikō graduates were in the Kantō sports community, either."

.

Outside on the blacktop, Kuroo scowled as he talked to Daichi as captains. Nekoma had had bad luck in being paired with last year's winners and had gotten knocked out of the Interhigh Preliminaries in the quarterfinals.

"Pretty amazing being in the top eight in all of Tokyo though," Daichi remarked.

"There's no point if we don't win."

"You're right."

Hinata and Kageyama thanked Saeko for driving them as Sugawara checked inside the bus. Tanaka squatted on the ground and the vice-captain and Ai started to lug the bags into the long tour bus.

"We're gonna be piling the bags in, so keep them coming!" Sugawara yelled to the guys.

"Ok!" Nishinoya answered.

Ai brought her personal and club bags to load, but the kind setter took them from her.

"Leave it to us, Ai." He smiled. "We can do the heavy stuff."

Asahi nodded to her. "Yeah, you can just take a seat on the bus if you want."

"Who are you sitting next to this time?" Tanaka asked.

"I was next to Kazuhito yesterday on the way here, but no one's scheduled anything with me yet." Ai smirked at him. "Why? Did you want to?"

He kissed his teeth and waved her off. "Nah, I'll probably just go with Noya."

Sugawara and Asahi both glanced at her, wondering if they could bounce some ideas off of her intelligence in sports.

Ai felt the two third-years' gazes on her, but someone called her name.

"Akatsuki!"

She turned to see Kuroo jogging up to her. Waving to her three clubmates, she created a distance from the bus to speak with Nekoma's captain. "Kuroo-san, thank you so much for this weekend. It's been such a pleasure working with your team."

"Ah, yeah. Us, too." He rubbed the back of his head. "It's too bad you can't stay longer."

"We'll be back during summer vacation. I'm so glad we were able to come to Tokyo, even just for a night." She smiled.

He was awestruck for a moment. "Y-yeah, I'm glad too. Did you... always live in Tokyo? Before Miyagi?"

"No, I lived in Chiba and went to America for a few years."

"Chiba?" His voice suddenly got a little louder, and he leaned in.

"Yes," she drew out skeptically.

"Sorry," he apologized and straightened. "That's really cool."

"Thank you."

Then, Daichi called everyone to get on the bus.

"I have to go. Thank you again, and my sincerest regards to the rest of your team." She bowed and turned away.

Kuroo reached a hand out and stammered, but he didn't know what to say.

Ai hadn't noticed, or pretended not to see something move in her peripheral vision. If he had something to say, he should be out with it. Ai went to Kenma, who had genially come to see them off, and the half-Russian middle blocker instead.

"See you later, Hinata. I'll stop you next time, too," Lev was saying when she walked closer.

"I'm not gonna lose! I'll show you that 163cm can win against 194cm!" Hinata challenged back.

Lev grinned and walked away with a hand on his hip.

Ai chuckled at their friendship and spoke to the setter. "Goodbye, Kenma. Take care of yourself."

He smiled a small smile and nodded. "Bye, Ai."

"May I give you a hug?"

Blushing, he nodded again. "Sure…" the second-year said timidly.

Ai stepped forward and delicately hugged him around his upper arms. His height was barely within range of the few players she could actually reach without feeling like a dwarf.

Kenma raised one of his hands that were at his sides and placed it on her back, pressing lightly.

After he let go, Ai turned to the first-year. "Goodbye, Lev. DasviDAniya."

The taller one crouched down so that she could gently ruffle his silky silver hair. "DasviDAniya, Ai-senpai! I'll miss you."

She chuckled. "I'll miss you, too."

Then, Lev stood up straight so he could hug her. She barely reached his torso. "You're even smaller than Yaku-san," he bluntly observed.

"Be careful what you say, Lev. I would hate to only find your tombstone the next time I see you."

"Does that mean you're coming to see me?" he asked excitedly.

She laughed. "Yes, although not just you."

"Lev!" Kuroo yelled. "Come on, we're standing over here!"

Yachi and Kiyoko got on the bus, followed by Tsukishima and the others. Ai hurried to meet with the captains of Shinzen and Ubugawa and shake their hands as well.

"See you again, Ai-chan!" Bokuto high-fived her before she left.

Ai smiled and nodded. "It was a great pleasure meeting you, Bokuto-san. Please give my farewell to Keiji-kun as well."

The teacher turned the engine over and started the bus. Lev waved at them from behind Kenma, and the four captains lined up side by side to see them off.

Karasuno waved back from inside the bus and drove away.

.

After their preview of the busy training camp, most of them were tired and sleepy, Takeda-sensei especially. He had driven the bus both times and was probably as equally fatigued as the students.

Ai had sat next to Hinata on the way back. Across the narrow aisle was the grumpy setter. Kiyoko and Yachi took the front this time, and Narita and Kinoshita sat behind the females. Nishinoya and Tanaka snored with their mouths open, Asahi looked out the window in thought, and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi sat together as usual. In front of Kageyama were Ennoshita, Sugawara, and Daichi in a line, but only the captain slept. Coach Ukai was in the passenger seat, with all of their bags stacked in the very back. A few of them took the chance to rest up, but the people who were awake stared at the window. They had found all sorts of issues to tackle, and some of their minds were too filled with thoughts to sleep.

"Shōyō, could I ask you something?" Ai asked from beside him.

"Yes?"

"Are you still conscious of the ace's position?"

"Um…" Hinata looked hesitant to answer.

She smiled. "It's not a bad thing. Titles like that are cool and aspiring."

"Mhmm." He nodded in agreement.

"Do you remember what Asahi-san said when he came back to the team?"

It felt like ages ago, but Hinata faintly recalled it. "Yes, I think. But, why…?"

Ai's expression turned apologetic. "I'm sorry, I overheard it before," she explained. "Titles aren't everything. Skill is part of it, yes, but relationships with teammates are just as important."

The boy stared at his lap.

She tried to explain what she meant. "For example, the Generation of Miracles didn't include that. In fact, they didn't like to be called the Generation of Miracles because it was like they were all bundled up into a single, convenient package. They wanted to prove which one of them was the strongest and made a pact." She shook her head, knowing now to disapprove of that type of team dynamic. It might have worked before, but this was different.

"That aside, however, no matter what name the position is given, isn't the coolest player the one that terrifies the opposing team the most?"

Hinata nodded slowly. "But, I have to be strong to be intimidating."

"And, you will be." She smiled and held his hand, to his surprise. Sure, it was smaller when compared to others. However, his hand was still larger than hers, and it felt calloused and masculine.

"To be honest with you, Shōyō, I'm not knowledgeable enough in volleyball to tell you how to improve yourself. Practicing with Tobio may be your best bet for now, if you can convince him to."

Ai had attentively watched the research material Momoi had sent her, and she'd finally finished all of the videos after several nights of staying up until unspeakable times. She'd paid particularly close attention to Midorima and Takao's combination play, where the latter throws the orange leather ball into the former's hands, who was already in a shooting motion. It was unfortunate Midorima wasn't ambidextrous.

In any case, it was exactly like their deviant freak quick. However, in basketball, the goal was the opponent's hoop, whereas, in volleyball, the ball had to touch the floor for them to score a point. In other words, there was only one place to aim in basketball, but there are multiple ways to gain points in volleyball. If Kageyama kept controlling how Hinata spiked, the volleyball-adoring middle blocker would never be able to improve, and would never be able to fight on his own.

Takao and Midorima were skilled in their own ways. But, for Hinata?

How limiting his possibilities would be if he had to rely on Kageyama's tosses for the rest of his life. It was unfathomable.

Perhaps she could look into Shūtoku's playstyle some more, and ask Momoi again for her help. Ai instinctively squeezed his hand tighter. "Remember, I'm always happy to help. Just send me an invitation, or tell me what you'd like to know. I'll research it for you."

The first-year stared at their joint hands, his palm beginning to sweat a bit. His voice cracked at first, but he cleared his throat. "Wh... What was Nekoma like from the inside?"

She thought about it and summarized the team in her head before parting her lips. "Their coaches are observant, and the team's plays mostly reflect their personalities. Kenma was yelled at when he dodged Fukurōdani's ace's spike, and I'm sure you've noticed how similar their Taketora is to our Ryu. The only person who was unexpectedly quiet was Kuroo-san."

"Nekoma's captain."

"Yes." She leaned her head back onto the headrest and closed her eyes. "Practicing with them is like a dream, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."

.

Ai: We're on our way back to Miyagi now.

Seijuro: Good. How was Tokyo?

Ai: Nostalgic, and insightful.

Biting her lip, she added,

Ai: Not being strong enough is a bitter pill to swallow, isn't it?

Seijuro: What happened? Do you want to call?

Ai: It's ok, I'm fine. And, we're still on the bus.

Seijuro: I'm sure you'll be tired from your trip, and tomorrow's a school day. Call me when you can.

A few seconds passed before Akashi texted her a second text.

Seijuro: You'll find another way. You always do.

Author's Note:

Any readers from Russia? Please correct me if I got it wrong!

Thanks for commenting about what I should update!! Should I continue on to 2.6 Tempo or add in the OVA…? I'm indecisive right now lol

I used to love reading, but now, the only books I read are for school. (‸)

I feel like it's affecting my writing, and I'm sorry if it isn't very good. Leave a comment or message if some parts seem weird or need editing and improvements!

(Is it just me who gets really emotional and cries every time I rewatch Haikyuu?)

Reference:

Types of Quick Attacks -

(When watching from behind the net)

A Quick: an attack that's a short distance to the left of the setter

B Quick: an attack that's about 2~3 meters to the left of the setter, (a longer distance away from the setter)

C Quick: an attack that's a short distance to the right of the setter

D Quick: an attack that's about 2~3 meters to the right of the setter, (a longer distance away from the setter)

Broad Jump Attack - running sideways and jumping off of one foot to spike the ball

Total Word Count: 6163

(Don't mind me kind of questioning how I spend my time… haha)