The old district was covered in the heavy snow characteristic of northern regions, which made a crunching sound when stepped upon.
Even the thick scarf and gloves couldn't ward off the cold, making Miya Atsumu unable to resist shrinking his neck into his collar.
Walking out of this residential area and turning left at the end of the road, you would find Yukinoshita Junior High.
—The school that Hinata claimed only had a Women's Volleyball club.
Just as Miya Atsumu looked up to observe the main building of Yukinoshita, several students who looked quite young and should have been in their first year of Junior High rushed out from the school.
“Tatsuya—over here, over here! The court over there is free!”
Koji, wait for me!
Suzuki-senpai! Don't run so fast—
The light-haired boy, who was running the fastest, looked back and shouted, "If we're late, those old guys will take them all!"
Miya Atsumu followed their gaze toward the small park across the road; there was indeed a small volleyball court there, judging by the color of the floor, it seemed to have been built not long ago.
The junior high students crossed the road and rushed to the edge of the court, cheering together, "Yes! We got it!!"
Miya Atsumu smiled knowingly, unable to resist stepping across the crosswalk in front of him and walking toward the court over there.
The Yukinoshita Men's Volleyball Club, huh..
Wait, didn't he remember that the Yukinoshita Men's Volleyball Club was established last year by Hinata after he managed to gather three freshmen?
Wouldn't that mean—
Suzuki Koyaya in the field also noticed the tall, burly blond man by the roadside.
Realizing that this overly distinct face looked somewhat familiar, he quickly searched his memory for the person.
Finally, after his gaze swept across the gates of Yukinoshita, he found this face alongside Hinata Shoyo, who was wearing the number 17 black uniform in his memory.
—The Inarizaki setter who won the Haruko championship alongside Hinata-senpai this year.
Wh-what was his name again?
There was no time to think too much; Suzuki left the court directly and approached the nearby fence.
He called out to Miya Atsumu, "Um.. Senpai!"
Miya Atsumu froze for a moment, but he still turned to look at Suzuki Koyaya.
He said nothing, merely looking down at the other person with a blank expression, appearing quite serious and intimidating.
Suzuki took a step back, but still immediately mustered the courage to speak up and ask, "If you're here, does that mean Hinata-senpai has also returned?"
Miya Atsumu crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head slightly.
Hearing that he was looking for Hinata, his expression softened slightly. "Is there something you need from him?"
Suzuki lowered his head, his hands behind his back constantly clutching his clothes. "It's nothing.."
Under Miya Atsumu's scrutiny, he was extremely nervous.
But certain desires and obsessions ultimately drove Suzuki to hold his head high, speaking loudly as if making a declaration: "We just want Hinata-senpai to come and see our Volleyball Club."
We won our first match in last year's Interhigh Junior High, this year our results will be even better.
Looking down at the young boy in front of him, Miya Atsumu lowered the hands he had originally had crossed over his chest.
A smile spread from his eyes to the corners of his mouth as he responded softly, "Will you guys still be here tomorrow?"
Suzuki's expression instantly turned to one of pleasant surprise as he understood the subtext in Miya Atsumu's words, he nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah!"
“The courts over at the gymnasium are being used by the Women's Volleyball and Badminton Club, so when we don't have any practice matches, we can only practice the basics. If we want to play a scrimmage, we have to use the outdoor courts.” He scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
“We still have too few people, we don't have any substantial achievements yet..”
Currently, he serves as both the Captain and the Coach of the club. Fortunately, there are several newcomers from last year's freshman class who have played volleyball since they were young, so the overall situation is actually quite alright.
Miya Atsumu rarely offered comfort to others: "It'll get better eventually."
Then tomorrow, Hinata and I will come to visit you, probably around this time. I won't disturb your training any further.
Having said that, Atsumu turned to leave.
Suzuki and Miya Atsumu waved, "See you later, Atsumu-senpai!!"
He rubbed his nose, which had already turned red from the cold, turned to look at his teammates. "Alright, alright! We're lucky enough that we don't have to do snow training today. Let's start with some jogging!"
Although it wasn't very comfortable to receive serves while wearing long sleeves, it was still better than having no way to play a practice match.
Their current lineup is just right for a three-on-three, if they have the chance to recruit another Libero next year..
Suzuki gave a silly grin, then immediately shook his head to shake off the fantasy in his mind and immediately led the team in a slow jog to warm up.
Meanwhile, Miya Atsumu had already walked through the entire school district near Yukinoshita and had wandered into a small commercial street.
Passing the clothing store and two adjacent wagashi shops, the Misaka Electric Store, which sells electrical appliances, is located not far away.
A massive LCD TV was placed in the display window next to the shop entrance, its screen broadcasting a sports channel program that was currently reporting on the progress of this year's Winter Cup.
Miya Atsumu sat down in the cafe across from the electric store with bread and Pudding, ordering a steaming cup of milk to ward off the cold.
He rested his chin in his hands, turning his head to watch the television opposite him.
It was during the winter break, many children were riding bicycles through the commercial street.
At that moment, the image on the television screen suddenly shifted.
After the general report on the Winter Cup basketball matches, what appeared in Miya Atsumu's field of vision was the incredibly familiar orange floor.
[After five days of fierce battles, this year's Spring High School Volleyball Tournament has come to a close. Representing Hyogo Prefecture, Inarizaki High School claimed the men's championship, while representing Miyagi Prefecture, Shinzan Girls' High School also successfully defended their title.]
[Several players from both schools have been selected for the Japan Youth National Team, delivering truly spectacular performances.]
It is worth mentioning that in this tournament, a first-year player from Inarizaki has won an individual honor.
[Hinata, a player from Inarizaki, was also the shortest player in this tournament, but he made a massive contribution to the team's victory through his outstanding jumping ability and tactical execution, making him a truly outstanding player.]
A figure wearing the number 17 jersey appeared on the television screen.
The orange hair traced a beautiful arc through the air with his upward movement, before he leaped to reach the high point.
Even though the opponent was more than a full head taller than him, he used his jump to forcefully soar above everyone else.
On that court, Hinata was the undisputed morning star.
The coffee shop owner wiped a cup in his hands, turning his head to say to the clerk beside him, "I know this orange-haired boy; it seems like he lives nearby."
A few years ago, I used to see him riding his bicycle past the entrance all the time, but I haven't seen him this past year. So he moved over to Kansai.
The boss laughed, "A national champion, how impressive.."
Although he hadn't spoken a single word to Hinata, the figure passing by the entrance for years had long since become a part of his life.
Now that he could see the other person standing on the stage of his dreams.. along with the sense of emotion, he felt even more joy.
Miya Atsumu looked at his own reflection in the glass beside him.
Let's sit for a little longer before heading back; Hinata should be back soon after finishing his meal.
He also wanted to go to the convenience store to see if there were any snacks or treats he could buy for the Hinata siblings..
As expected, if Suna wasn't there to cause trouble, he still had plenty of pocket money.
After walking through both the supermarket and the convenience store, Miya Atsumu walked back toward the Hinata family on a path bathed in the sunset on the horizon.
From a distance, he saw a tuft of orange hair swaying back and forth behind the corner ahead.
Miya Atsumu paused before reaching that corner.
Having been pranked by the twins more than once, he easily guessed what someone was planning to do.
After a few seconds of silence, Atsumu took the initiative, lunging directly behind the corner and letting out a roar while making a claw shape with his hands: "Uwaaaaah!"
Waaaaaaaah—
Waaaaah—
The two orange-headed ones, one large and one small, were so startled that they recoiled, eventually falling together into the snow.
Hinata Shoyo and Hinata Natsu, who had originally intended to give Miya Atsumu a fright, held each other as they watched the dark silhouette walking toward the two of them against the light.
Having already realized who the newcomer was, Hinata said with some annoyance, "Atsumu-senpai is too wicked."
Miya Atsumu stood with one hand on his hip, looking at Hinata with a slight raise of his eyebrows. "It's clearly Shoyo and Natsu who are more wicked, actually, for trying to lie in wait for me here."
Hinata pulled his sister up and asked curiously, "Atsumu-senpai, how did you find me?"
He brushed the snow off himself, then helped Xiaoxia clear the snow from her back.
Then he turned his back to Miya Atsumu, gesturing for Miya Atsumu to help him clear the snow from the spots he couldn't reach.
Miya Atsumu used his gloved hands to pat the snow off Hinata, then pointed to a tuft of hair sticking up on his head. "Your hair is sticking out."
Hinata froze for a moment, then raised his hand to cover his hair. "How can that be? I've never been caught when I was lying in ambush for Dad before!"
This spot had been carefully selected by him over many years; whether it was scaring Mom or playing pranks on Azumi and Koji, he had never failed!
Miya Atsumu raised his hand and pressed down on Hinata's head, rubbing it until he was swaying from side to side.
Under Xiaoxia's dissatisfied gaze, Miya Atsumu also reached out and stroked her head.
A voice with a hint of a smile followed immediately, "Dummy, it's because you've grown taller, Shoyo."
Chapter 247: The Two Hundred and Forty-Seventh Fox
"That's right!" Hinata's eyes lit up.
Compared to when he was in Junior High, he has grown much taller; it's only natural that the perimeter wall can't hold him back now.
If there's another chance next time, try to lower your center of gravity even more..
Miya Atsumu felt helpless, taking both of them by their hands and leading them toward the Hinata family's entrance. "Alright, alright, it's freezing outside, your noses are all red from the cold."
The group quickly stepped into the house, the warm feeling inside instantly dispelled the chill from their bodies.
Hinata looked up at Miya Atsumu, using the light from the entranceway to look at his face. "Atsumu-senpai's nose is even redder."
He and Xiaoxia had only been crouching here for a short while, whereas Atsumu-senpai must have walked back from a long distance away; not only was his nose red, but his face was also flushed.