Chapter 80:

Chapter 80: Self-Breakthrough

Oikawa stared at the Shiratorizawa freshman glued to Iwaizumi, feeling momentarily lost. How on earth had things turned out like this?

Was there really someone who wouldn’t fall at the feet of the Great King Oikawa?!

He stole a glance at Ryosuke, who was chattering nonstop beside Iwaizumi, and felt profoundly unbalanced. His resentment was practically leaking into the air.

“So you’re practicing your serves here?” Iwaizumi asked, puzzled.

Oikawa’s eyes flew open. “Hey! Seriously?! You can just tell us something like that?!”

Ryosuke blinked, confused. “Huh? Is that not okay? You just don’t have to tell the Shiratorizawa side.”

He had absolutely no sense of caution. Iwaizumi asked, so he answered honestly.

Iwaizumi covered his face hard, then dragged the still-shocked Oikawa off to the side.

“He already said it, so you’d better keep your mouth shut too, got it?!” Iwaizumi raised a fist, threatening Oikawa for the sake of his little fanboy.

Once Oikawa processed that, his spirits instantly lifted. “So what you’re saying is—we know something even Little Ushiwaka doesn’t know, and only we know it, right?”

Iwaizumi scratched the back of his head, confused. “I guess… yeah?”

“Then if you round that up, doesn’t that mean I beat Ushiwaka?!”

Iwaizumi: “?”

Ignoring Iwaizumi’s confusion entirely, Oikawa bounced over to Ryosuke with sparkling energy. “Alright! Since you’re so honest, Lord Oikawa will graciously acknowledge you!”

Ryosuke stared at the chocolate-brown–haired handsome guy in front of him, a wave of doubt rising in his heart. This childish person… was he really the Oikawa Toru everyone talked about nonstop?

“Hey! What’s with that look of disbelief in your eyes?!”

Oikawa bristled, stomping his foot as he shouted in outrage.

Seeing the commotion, Iwaizumi sighed and grabbed Oikawa by the collar, hauling him aside.

Ryosuke fell silent. He tugged Iwaizumi to face away from Oikawa and whispered, “Um… is Oikawa-senpai’s intelligence maybe… a little low?”

That comment hit Iwaizumi right in the funny bone. He mentally replayed every sad moment of his life just to keep from laughing, his voice trembling slightly.

“Y-Yeah… he… sigh.”
The half-serious tone and the shake in his voice made Ryosuke believe it almost completely.

When Ryosuke turned back around, Oikawa found his eyes filled with an inexplicable, overflowing fondness.

Oikawa frowned. “Why do I feel like you’re thinking something really rude?”

Ryosuke shook his head gently, patting Oikawa on the shoulder with sympathy. “It’s okay. You’ve worked hard.”

“Oh… oh…” Oikawa replied blankly, completely lost.

Iwaizumi was on the verge of laughing himself to death.

After forcibly resetting his facial muscles, he walked over to Ryosuke.
“Are you heading back?”

Ryosuke nodded obediently.

“We’re going for ramen. Come with us.”

Ryosuke nodded so hard it was almost violent.

The more Iwaizumi looked at this junior, the more he liked him. Well-behaved, sensible—if only he could trick him into Seijo Academy. For the first time, he thought that maybe Oikawa’s usual shameless tactics were worth trying.

Oikawa glanced at his childhood friend and clicked his tongue. So even Iwa-chan had a devious side sometimes.

On the way, Oikawa watched the boy trailing behind Iwaizumi like a cat, eyes narrowing.

He really did look like a cat. The way he walked felt like he had soft paw pads, silent and light. More than once, Oikawa thought Ryosuke had fallen behind, only to turn around and see him looking up in confusion.

What kind of strategy was Shiratorizawa planning this time? What kind of potential did this boy have? Just thinking about it made Oikawa feel energized all over.

Iwaizumi was also quietly observing Ryosuke. He’d been seeing him in the gym every day lately—clearly working hard.

But today, he seemed a bit down.

Iwaizumi led them to the ramen shop he and Oikawa loved most.

With the air of a big brother, Iwaizumi declared, “My treat today. Order whatever you want.”

Ryosuke looked from Iwaizumi to Oikawa. Seeing no objections, he nodded. “Then I won’t hold back.”

He ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. He’d been craving it for a long time, but lately he’d been busy controlling his diet and hadn’t had the chance.

While waiting, the atmosphere stayed pleasant. Ryosuke wasn’t very talkative—he answered when spoken to—but it didn’t feel awkward.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi both thought he was easy to deal with. Such a polite kid.

As the conversation drifted, it naturally turned to Ryosuke himself.

Oikawa slung an arm over him in a buddy-like way and asked, “Hey, Ryosuke-kun, why do you look so down?”

Iwaizumi immediately brought his fist down hard on Oikawa’s head. “Hey! That’s way too rude!”

Startled, Ryosuke hurried to check Oikawa’s head. Oikawa didn’t even get the chance to play up the pain before Ryosuke grabbed him and examined him carefully, leaving him at a loss for words.

Ryosuke stared worriedly at the top of Oikawa’s head. Iwaizumi-senpai really hit him hard… Oikawa-senpai isn’t that smart to begin with. What if this makes him stupid…

Well, if he does end up dumb, I’ll take care of him. For Iwaizumi-senpai’s sake, it’s fine. My family’s rich anyway. When Oikawa-senpai gets old, I’ll look after him too.

Oikawa had no idea that in just a few seconds, Ryosuke had already planned out the rest of his life.

Iwaizumi couldn’t stand the sight of Oikawa’s dazed, vacant expression.

After checking him over and finding nothing wrong, Ryosuke actually looked a little disappointed.

Oikawa, who didn’t know the truth: Why do you look disappointed?
Iwaizumi, who understood everything: “Pfft—hahahaha!”

Ryosuke sighed and answered Oikawa’s question. “I guess I am a little unhappy.”

He explained his confusion while serving and relayed what Udai had said, then added quietly,
“I don’t know where I went wrong. Udai-senpai said it was my own problem, but I just keep thinking… if I fail, will someone be disappointed?”

Ryosuke let out a long breath. Finally—finally—he’d said what was on his mind. Keeping it bottled up had been unbearable.

Iwaizumi instinctively glanced at Oikawa. Somehow, these two were alike in certain ways: one was a genius who worked himself to the bone without realizing it (Oikawa), and the other was a genius who knew he was talented but couldn’t trust it (Ryosuke).

Oikawa caught that look immediately and rolled his eyes hard. Iwa-chan is definitely insulting me in his head again.

Carefully choosing his words, Oikawa tried to explain. “You’re talented at volleyball. And talent happens to be the thing I hate most. I’m just an ordinary person with no talent at all—but I never hesitated.”

Ryosuke knew that. That was exactly why he was conflicted. He’d heard it from his teammates—Oikawa was someone even geniuses feared. He kept losing, yet kept challenging.

If it were him, if he saw disappointment in his coach’s or teammates’ eyes, his mentality would collapse instantly.

“Why?” Ryosuke asked sincerely.

“Why do you play volleyball? Because you happen to be on a team? Because being on a team means you have to compete? Have to win? That’s not it. No one is forcing you to play,” Oikawa said, looking at him seriously.

Ryosuke realized that the Oikawa-senpai in front of him now felt completely different from the one he’d just met.

“The answer to why you play volleyball is already in your heart. Don’t be afraid of mistakes. There are so many teams in Miyagi, and every single one is full of people who love volleyball. Every year, tons of teams get knocked out in the first round.” Oikawa spread his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture.

“You should be grateful for your talent, your ability, your good team and coach, instead of being afraid of failure all the time. I really hate Shiratorizawa, but I believe that even if you fail, even if you lose a match, no one will blame you. Because everyone there understands that one lost match doesn’t mean anything.

A single loss just makes people pick up volleyball again and set out once more.
Maybe it takes a day. Maybe a year or two. But you’ll fall in love with volleyball again. Don’t hesitate—hesitation only costs you time you could be using to polish yourself.

In this world, people either love volleyball or they don’t. Which one are you?”

Oikawa squeezed his brain dry and rattled off that entire speech in one breath. Iwaizumi, quick on the draw, shoved a bowl of miso soup into his hands.

Oikawa took a big slurp. “Ah—so good!”

Ryosuke lowered his head and stayed silent. The atmosphere grew quiet as the server brought his tonkotsu ramen to the table.

After a moment, he looked up and smiled. “Thank you, senpai. I’ll remember this.”

To be honest, Ryosuke didn’t fully understand everything. But he did understand one thing clearly—he was very lucky. He had opportunities many people never would: the best coach, excellent conditions. There was nothing to hesitate over.

If he failed, he’d just try again. There was still time before the IH. More than enough time to refine his skills.

Letting go of the heavy burden in his heart, Ryosuke smiled, eyes curving gently.

Watching Ryosuke grin to himself, Oikawa knew he hadn’t really understood. Oh well. Remembering it was enough. If not now, he’d understand someday.

“Wow, Ryosuke-kun, there’s chashu in your ramen! I want some too!”

“Hey! Trash-kawa, don’t be so shameless!”

“Ow! It’s hot—waaah!”

“Pfft.”

The last trace of discomfort in Ryosuke’s heart vanished, blown away by Oikawa’s antics.

His mind felt clear and calm.

...

Chapter 81: Chance Encounter

After dinner, Oikawa and Iwaizumi said goodbye to Ryosuke.

Iwaizumi didn’t say much. He quietly observed Ryosuke’s expression, and only after confirming that there wasn’t the slightest trace of gloom on his face did he finally relax.

Oikawa waved his hand. “Remember to come practice tomorrow.”

Standing in the afterglow of the sunset, Ryosuke smiled brightly. “Got it. Thanks, senpai.”

With that, he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed home, kicking little pebbles along the road, hopping and skipping in high spirits.

Ryosuke suddenly stopped and tilted his head in confusion.
…It feels like I forgot something??

Ah, whatever. If I forgot it, it probably wasn’t important. He shook his head and didn’t dwell on it.

And so, Ryosuke once again forgot his bicycle, cheerfully walking all the way home in an excellent mood.

When he got back, Washijō noticed something quite unusual—Ryosuke didn’t seem nearly as resistant to the nutritional meal waiting for him on the table.

Even though he’d already eaten out, Ryosuke was still in a growth phase. Normally, he’d complain endlessly about how awful the nutrition meals tasted, but today he ate obediently.

As far as Ryosuke was concerned, he’d figured it out. Whether he struggled or not, the outcome was the same. Since it wouldn’t kill him, he might as well train as hard as possible—wasting his talent would be the real loss.

Dinner ended in a strangely cheerful atmosphere, with Ryosuke humming softly to himself.

He polished off every last bit of the blanched vegetables and meat on his plate.

“I’m done. I’ll head upstairs now.”

Washijō stared, dumbfounded. Had this kid really changed? He exchanged looks with Mrs. Washijō, both of them equally stunned.

Ryosuke, of course, had no idea about the storm of thoughts downstairs.

He flopped eagerly onto his bed, pulled out his phone, and messaged Sakusa. It was time for their daily check-in.

Whatever crossed his mind, he sent it—complaining about the strange Goshiki; talking about how much he disliked nutritional meals but was seriously trying to overcome it; mentioning how Udai really felt like an older sister to him; and how he’d met Oikawa and Iwaizumi today…

He rambled on endlessly. Staring at the long string of messages, Ryosuke figured Sakusa must be busy. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she reply?

He turned off his phone, washed up, and went to bed, sleeping soundly.

The next morning, his phone was flooded with messages from “Clean Freak.” Seeing over a dozen unread notifications, Ryosuke smiled so hard his eyes curved into crescents.

After packing his things, he headed to school.

These past few days, Ryosuke had gotten used to a routine of physical conditioning combined with regular training, plus Udai’s evening mini-lessons. Perhaps the effects of the earlier conditioning were finally showing.

He could clearly feel a difference in his stamina and endurance during practice. It might also have been because his body was still developing and storing more energy. Either way, in the Shiratorizawa cafeteria lately, people often saw Ryosuke—who normally needed constant coaxing just to take one bite—

eating nutritional meals as if they were the finest delicacy in the world.

Goshiki watched from the side, swallowing again and again. He’d tried it once before—completely bland, nothing but the raw taste of the ingredients. He genuinely couldn’t understand how Ryosuke managed to eat it so enthusiastically.

Reon watched Ryosuke demolish his meal with a complicated expression. What on earth was wrong with this kid? How could he make nutrition meals look that good?

During afternoon practice, the two who needed extra conditioning naturally ended up together. Yunohama rubbed his thigh and leaned over to Ryosuke, his face full of amazement.

“Ryosuke, this is incredible. My explosive power’s gotten stronger.”

Ryosuke glanced at him, a little confused.

Yunohama continued excitedly, “I can jump really high now with just a two-step run-up. It feels like my legs are all muscle!”

Ryosuke nodded. “Of course. Physical training works. We’re both doing it, but these routines were specially designed by Coach Washijō and Team Doctor Saitō based on our individual limits.”

Yunohama stared in awe. “Whoa…”

Seeing Yunohama look so hopelessly impressed for once, Ryosuke couldn’t help glancing at him a few more times.

Once practice ended, Ryosuke headed straight for the team doctor’s office.

Now that he was familiar with the place, he wasn’t nervous at all. He pushed the door open, got a routine checkup, and then rushed off to Sendai Gymnasium to practice with Udai.

Udai herself wasn’t sure what had changed. Ever since that day she told Ryosuke to think things through, Ryosuke seemed to have… figured something out. Or rather, for Ryosuke, it was more like giving up worrying—if he failed, then he’d just try again.

After adjusting his mindset, Ryosuke quickly pinpointed the issues in his serve.

Whether it was tossing the ball too early or hesitating at contact, at least at this stage of training, he was no longer completely whiffing the ball.

But a new problem surfaced. Ryosuke’s serves never quite landed where they should. His hook serves came out all over the place—clipping the net, flying out of bounds, even spinning unpredictably.

When Ryosuke sent yet another ball curving strangely through the air, Udai’s emotions grew incredibly complicated.

Was this talent… or pure coincidence? A ball that bent like that was impressive, but the problem was that Ryosuke couldn’t send two identical serves in a row.

Udai stepped in and called a halt, studying Ryosuke carefully. Something wasn’t right. At this level, he shouldn’t be making these kinds of mistakes…

Ryosuke looked at Udai expectantly, clearly hoping for guidance. Udai pinched the bridge of her nose, a headache forming. She couldn’t teach this—she really couldn’t. The ball seemed to have its own ideas. Did Ryosuke’s hands have minds of their own too?

Udai suddenly snapped her head up, slapping her left hand into her right in realization.

“I get it—it’s your hands! No wonder your serve felt off. Don’t use your receiving posture to serve! Are you a middle blocker or what?!”

Ryosuke’s cat-like eyes blinked guiltily, his gaze drifting.

Udai controlled her tone and continued, “Right now, use a proper serving stance. Forget your receiving habits for the moment. Control the rebound and hand precision, and make full use of your field of vision.”

Ryosuke nodded along with the rapid instructions, showing that he understood. Taking advice was one of his strengths—correcting ingrained receiving habits would just have to be done step by step.

Udai immediately started fixing the issue. Thankfully, they’d caught it early. Otherwise, who knew what kind of hook serve this kid would’ve developed.

After practice, Ryosuke ran into Oikawa and Iwaizumi at the gym again.

A few days earlier, Iwaizumi had dragged Ryosuke into a game and gotten a firsthand look at his blocking—over an hour of play, they’d only scored four or five points.

Oikawa had laughed himself half to death on the sidelines. Iwaizumi eventually snapped and hauled Oikawa onto the court.

Half an hour later, Iwaizumi emerged with a completely wilted Oikawa. He gave Ryosuke an approving nod. Nicely done.

From then on, the two of them seemed to lock horns with Ryosuke. Oikawa declared that Ryosuke was an excellent practice partner—no matter how hard you spiked, he never got angry. If only he’d occasionally go a bit easy.

Lord Oikawa had been blocked so hard his face had turned green. Just seeing Ryosuke gave him a headache—he’d developed a full-on stress response. The upside was that—

when they went back to play practice matches with their own team, Hanamaki’s blocks got absolutely smashed by Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

Now, Oikawa and Iwaizumi spent their days scheming against Ryosuke’s blocking, trying to break through it. Against ordinary blocks, Iwaizumi didn’t even feel like spiking anymore.

In a way, Ryosuke had raised the bar for both of them when it came to finding worthy opponents.

Ryosuke stretched his joints, yawned, and headed back.

The weather was getting hotter, and night fell later and later. He suddenly remembered that he’d forgotten his homework when he left earlier, so he had to go back and grab it.

Walking along the road back toward Shiratorizawa, he reached a small path near the school and felt an odd sensation, as if someone were watching him.

When he turned around, he was startled to see a person completely covered in mud, squatting by the roadside and staring at him.

Ryosuke flinched, then looked more closely. It seemed to be a middle schooler—no idea how he’d ended up in that state.

Ryosuke walked over, crouched down, and asked, “What happened?”

Hinata stared wide-eyed at the person approaching him.
Wow… Mom, this person is really good-looking.

Noticing that he was being stared at, Hinata quickly spoke up, a little flustered but still loud as ever.

“Oh! I was running too fast and fell into a ditch! When I climbed out, I realized I got lost! This place is kinda scary and I don’t know the way at all. What’s your name? Uh—sorry, I just meant you look really cool! Oh, right—I’m Shoyo Hinata!”

Ryosuke rubbed his temples as he looked at the mud-covered boy crouching there, bursting with energy like a puppy.
…That damn familiar feeling again. Was he seriously not Goshiki’s long-lost brother or something?

... 

If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.

p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)

You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.