Compared to the team banners on the court with slogans like "Invincible," "All-out Attack," or "Strive," Inarizaki's banner was certainly more obscure.
“That doesn't matter.”
Miya Atsumu interrupted the two people who were lost in thought: "You only need to remember that what we want is victory."
Hinata seemed to understand but wasn't entirely sure: "Yes."
Before everyone dispersed, Hinata raised one last question: "But Atsumu-senpai, which school is that 'pig-headed' one from?"
It's a bit far, but that red and green flag is quite eye-catching.
"Ah, that's Municipal Kobe," Miya Atsumu said.
Rishia muttered to Hinata, "Speaking of Kobe, it should be Kobe beef. I feel like something about being 'cow-tastic' would be more appropriate?"
Hinata nodded. "I think so too."
In fact, since his literature skills weren't great, he couldn't understand the true meaning of these four-character idioms being used as the team flag; to him, Kanji was just so complicated..
It was obvious that the first-years were all full of curiosity and probably didn't want to follow the main group.
Kita Shinsuke took the initiative to say, "We are going to watch the Yamakita match in the H Block stands. You are free to move about; if anything comes up, you can come find us."
Everyone responded in unison, "Yes!!"
Author's Note:
Also, regarding extra updates, would you all prefer two updates a day, or something like two chapters combined into one?
The story of Haikyu!! takes place more than ten years ago. According to incomplete research, there were 58 participating teams in the Interhigh and the Spring High at that time. Tokyo, Hokkaido, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka, Shizuoka, Aichi, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo each had two qualifying spots, while regions like Miyagi and Nagano had one, plus one spot for the host.
Currently, many regions have returned to having only one slot for both the Interhigh and Haruko, including Hyogo. The total number of participating teams in this tournament is currently 52. The Interhigh has also changed its format from pure knockout to a combination of group stages and knockout stages, whereas Haruko remains a pure knockout tournament, making it quite brutal.
Chapter 27: The Twenty-Seventh Fox
Watching the seniors depart, Hinata finally relaxed completely, spreading his arms to soak in the atmosphere of the arena.
Heisuke! This venue is so huge! The ceiling is so high!" Hinata snapped his head around, looking at Rishia with eyes full of anticipation, his gaze clearly saying, "Let's go on an adventure!
So Rishia took the initiative and suggested, "Shall we go take a look around first?"
"Yes!" Hinata raised his hand.
"Are you going, Unabara?" Rishia looked toward Unabara on the other side.
Unabara Uta waved his hand, then pointed toward the court on the other side. "I see my junior high teammates over there. I'm going to go check on them."
Rishia nodded. "Alright, I'll see you by the seniors then."
Kumagai, who had followed the seniors over to hang the team flags and pack up belongings for the rehearsal, was a bit too slow. By the time he rushed to the railing to call for help, everyone had already dispersed.
“Hey! Shoyo! Heisuke! Unabara! Someone help me!”
Behind them, Tokura's mind went blank: "Hurry up and come back, I can't carry this anymore.."
Hinata and Rishia toured the entire gymnasium from end to end, even checking out the women's volleyball side.
Because all four of the top four teams from the previous tournament were granted automatic entry into this year's top sixteen, the only ones worth focusing on were the few powerhouse schools that had suffered disastrous defeats previously.
Aside from Inarizaki, who have consistently made it to the nationals for several years, the competition for the remaining slot in Hyogo is still quite intense.
That number 2's spike just now was so cool!
Did that Libero just fly through the air to save the ball?
Heisuke, Heisuke, was that the side-spin serve Coach was telling us about last week?
By the time the first round of matches ended, the two of them had finished exploring most of the venue.
Rishia asked proactively, "Do you want to go eat?"
Hinata nodded frantically, "Eat! I'm starving. But wait for me, Heisuke, I need to go to the restroom."
He drank too much water with his motion sickness pills this morning..
Rishia nodded. "Alright, that gives me some time to think about what to eat."
Watching Hinata disappear into the restroom, Rishia leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone to look through snack shops near the Kobe City Gymnasium.
They aren't traveling with the team today and don't have any matches, so they obviously don't need to eat bento.
In the restroom, Hinata quickly finished his business and was humming a song while washing his hands, feeling in a great mood.
Just as Hinata was preparing to head out to find Rishia, a voice suddenly called out from behind him.
“Hey, Little Orange.”
Hinata froze for a moment, then turned his head to look at the person who had spoken.
Warm white hair, clearly a face that could be described as "model-tier," though the red, green, blue team uniform was certainly eye-catching..
However, what Hinata really cared about was that the other person was actually only a little bit taller than him.
“You.. hello?” Hinata blinked, unable to tell for a moment if the other person was a senior.
"Just call me Wakamura-senpai." After a brief explanation regarding the address, Wakamura looked Hinata up and down, eventually locking his gaze on the name tag on his chest.
[Inarizaki High School Hinata Shoyo]
[Position: Men's Volleyball Club Manager]
Wakamura stood with his hands on his hips, a slight look of smugness on his face: "As expected of a manager, I knew Inarizaki wouldn't recruit shorties."
While Hinata was stunned, he continued to ask, "Do you like playing volleyball?"
Hinata didn't even need to think about the answer to this question; he replied decisively, "Yes."
"I knew it." Wakamura-senpai looked as if he already understood, his eyes filled with profound sympathy.
Life at Inarizaki must be tough. I heard those twins love bullying their juniors; you must have chosen to be a manager doing chores because you can't play volleyball, right?
How pitiful..
Hinata's eyes were filled with confusion.
Being bullied, looked down upon, unable to play volleyball, so you settle for being a manager just to get by?
Who? Him?
“No, Wakamura-senpai..” Before Hinata could even attempt to argue, the stranger standing opposite him was already wiping away tears.
Wakamura, who had clearly been playing out an entire drama in his head, reached out and patted Hinata's shoulder. "I understand. After all, Coach Kurosu has never liked short players."
Hinata tried to interject: "That.."
Wakamura was full of indignation: "Inarizaki! You guys are truly wicked—"
Before Hinata could take the opportunity to say a few words in defense of Inarizaki, Matou had already pushed open the bathroom door, his deep black eyes quietly watching Wakamura. "What are you doing, Souya? Don't bully your juniors."
Wakamura put his hands on his hips: "How am I bullying a junior? I'm saving a youth who has lost his way."
Before leaving, Wakamura solemnly patted Hinata's shoulder: "Don't worry, if there ever comes a day when you can't stand Inarizaki, you can come to our Kobe anytime. Regardless of how well you play, you can always enjoy volleyball here in Kobe!"
See you later, Little Orange!
Watching the two of them leave, Rishia finally had the chance to squeeze into the restroom: "Shoyo, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but.." Hinata's expression was quite strange.
The intermittent sound of two people conversing drifted from the distance.
Why did you go and provoke the manager?
How can you call it 'provoking'? Besides, that nickname of yours is disgusting..
Don't be so hostile toward Inarizaki.
I was wrong.. Yukimaru! Stop lecturing me!
Hinata looked up at Rishia Heisuke: "Heisuke, Coach Kurosu.. shouldn't be against short players, right?"
It seemed like a question, but Hinata's tone was quite certain.
Rishia didn't react at all. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Hinata shook his head, no longer thinking about the matter.
Coach Kurosu had never shown him any negative emotions; he even had seniors with free time come to accompany him for practice every day.
Personally, Coach Kurosu was an extremely gentle elder, patiently tolerating him, who didn't know much of anything..
But besides his dissatisfaction with Inarizaki's performance, the tone of that senior just now somehow made him feel an inexplicable sense of sadness.
Hinata didn't understand what it was about that.
Leaving the restroom, Hinata asked Rishia, "By the way, Heisuke, aren't you going to watch your junior high teammates' match?"
Rishia looked a bit embarrassed: "Well.. actually, I'm not that close to any of them."
Because of the transfer, he didn't have much contact with his teammates on either side.
Not to mention that many retired after being eliminated in the Interhigh Junior High preliminaries, many others no longer play volleyball at all.
After one round of the group stage matches, Coach Kurosu, who had also been roaming the arena, had already finished observing the teams that required attention; the remaining major competitors were not scheduled to appear until next week.
Amagasaki is on the edge of Hyogo, a certain distance from Kobe.
Since there were people like Hinata who suffered from motion sickness, because there was no need to book hotel rooms, Inarizaki did not stay behind to watch the subsequent matches the next day.
Throughout this entire week of classes, Hinata has been somewhat distracted.
Before school ended on Friday, members of the brass band from his class gathered around him and Unabara Uta: "Good luck with the volleyball club match! We'll be there to cheer you on!"
Hinata! Remember to get Atsumu-senpai's autograph for me!
“Once he becomes famous, this will be a one-of-a-kind collector's item!"
With a nervous heart, Hinata arrived at the Kobe City Gymnasium by bus with the team once again.
Unlike his last visit, Inarizaki would be competing this time, this was the first time Hinata had accompanied a team into such a formal competition venue.
Hinata had noticed it the last time he was here; the floor of the Kobe City Gymnasium was not made of wood, but was an orange floor, just like the one from the match involving the Little Giant in his memories.
Carrying his backpack, Hinata came to a halt at the entrance of the players' tunnel.