Hinata nodded vigorously, his face full of pride. "I asked."
He did exactly as Unabara suggested, so there definitely wouldn't be any problems!
Unabara Uta tried her best to smile. "How did Atsumu-senpai respond?"
Hinata replied, "Atsumu-senpai said he likes me."
Unabara Uta's smile deepened: "And then? What did you do?"
The expression on Hinata's face grew even more proud: "I've decided to start pursuing Atsumu-senpai."
Hearing these words, Unabara Uta instantly broke down, falling backward onto the ground: "Aaaaaah—I knew it!!"
He guessed it! He was right from beginning to end! He knew Shoyo would give him a huge surprise!
Huh?" Hinata was stunned. "Am I wrong?
Unabara sat up, grabbing Hinata's shoulders and shaking him frantically. "What do you mean, 'what'!"
Shoyo! My little ancestor! What on earth is inside your head! Is it just mush!
No, I'm strictly following your guidance for the pursuit plan, Unabara," Hinata said, counting off on his fingers, "I've given Atsumu-senpai gifts, had physical contact with him, picked him up after school, brought him food..
Unabara lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, listening to Hinata recite the intimate relationship tips he had taught him right in his ear.
After Hinata counted from morning until night, finally suppressing the complex mix of emotions in her heart, Unabara Uta sat up with a sudden movement, slapping the floor in frustration at her lack of resolve: "Please, he said he likes you!"
What's there to chase? You could just pounce on him and take a bite!
The scenes from the horror movie he had watched with Miya Atsumu at the hotel two days ago flashed through Hinata's mind for a split second. Hinata was startled and waved his hands repeatedly in refusal, "Ah? This.. this wouldn't be good, right?"
“Atsumu-senpai's face is so handsome, wouldn't that ruin it!”
Utaba suddenly felt exhausted, so he silently pulled out his phone, turned on the screen, held it up to show Hinata his lock screen: "Did you see? I'm talking about this one."
Seeing Unabara Uta kissing Imai's cheek on the wallpaper, while Imai, who had been making a peace sign toward the camera, looked a bit surprised, Hinata's face instantly turned red.
His head shook like a rattle: "This, this.. this isn't good!"
Unabara Uta's face was full of frustration at his lack of progress: "What's so bad about that? You like him, he likes you, you two are a match made in heaven."
Hinata wanted to say something more: "But.."
This time, Unabara Uta had learned his lesson and decided to fully transform into an emotional mentor to help Hinata find his footing: "Don't doubt it. Don't you believe me?"
If he doesn't believe him, who else can he trust?
Of the dozen or so people in the First String of this Volleyball Club, he's the only one who isn't single!
There's a senior in the Second String who has been chasing a senior girl from the basketball club next door; he's been rejected eight times during his confessions. It's truly tragic—
Hinata said seriously, "I believe you, Unabara."
In other words.. Atsumu-senpai actually really likes him?
Was that "like" that rang in his ears every day truly a "like" involving romantic affection?
At this thought, Hinata suddenly raised his hand and covered his face.
In his memory, Atsumu's face became exceptionally clear at this moment, those words, carried by warm breaths, replayed over and over in his mind.
[I love Shoyo.]
[I love Shoyo the most.]
If that's the case..
Atsumu-senpai is being a bit too unfair..
Unabara Uta raised a hand and pressed it against Hinata's knee, interrupting Shoyo's deep thought: "Shoyo, will you promise me one thing?"
Hinata pulled his attention back and sat up straight again, looking at Master Unabara: "What is it?"
Unabara Uta was practically on his knees begging Hinata: "Before we graduate, please, please, please, do not break up with Atsumu-senpai, okay?"
Setting aside the possibility that Atsumu-senpai might throw a tantrum, he felt it was more likely that he himself might not see tomorrow's sun.
Hearing this, Hinata, who hadn't even considered the possibility of a "breakup," patted his chest. "Don't worry, Unabara, I'm a very devoted person. Loving someone is a lifelong commitment."
Unabara Uta hurriedly hooked pinky fingers with Hinata. "It's a promise, no taking it back. My life and livelihood for these two years of high school are in your hands."
Hinata nodded repeatedly. "Yeah, yeah!"
Having received Hinata's assurance, Unabara Uta, who finally breathed a sigh of relief, lay back on the ground and looked up at the ceiling: "Ah.."
After days of being on edge, things have finally taken a turn for the better.
What a joy, what a joy!
Unabara looked at Hinata, who was kneeling on the opposite side, asked, "So Shoyo, you know what you need to do now, right?"
Hinata gave an affirmative response once again: "I understand completely."
Expressing his feelings to Atsumu-senpai, then taking a bite?
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Unabara stared at the ceiling, feeling a sense of confidence in his heart as he listened to Hinata's words.
With the major problem resolved, his skills had also improved slightly under Atsumu-senpai's scrutiny over the past two days. As long as he stayed in good form, there would definitely be no problem in the matches tomorrow or the day after.
Huh? What? You're saying he just locked Atsumu-senpai outside the gymnasium?
That's no big deal!
He is helping Atsumu-senpai, so Atsumu-senpai should actually thank him!
So Unabara Uta first quietly opened the main entrance of the Volleyball Hall, then closed it the moment Hinata opened the door to head out, slipped out through the back door.
As Hinata stepped out through the main entrance, he scanned the corridor outside but found no sign of Miya Atsumu.
He blinked, went to the Locker Room first to change his clothes, then, after putting on his bag and changing his shoes, walked toward the outermost glass door of the Gymnasium.
Miya Atsumu sat on the bottom step, hearing a noise behind him, he turned his head slightly to look at Hinata walking out.
He stood up and brushed the dust off himself. "I sent Heisuke back first; I'll take you home."
Hinata quickly took a few steps to reach Miya Atsumu's side and reached out to grab his wrist. "Yeah, thanks, Atsumu-senpai."
Miya Atsumu asked without even looking back, "Why are you looking at me?"
He was incredibly familiar with this gaze; the case was now officially closed—it was Hinata secretly looking at him.
Hinata chuckled, "Atsumu-senpai is good-looking."
Hearing that, Miya Atsumu turned his head slightly, leaving Hinata with nothing but a slightly reddened ear tip. "You've really picked up some bad habits from Unabara."
Hearing Unabara Uta's name, Hinata reached out and tugged on Miya Atsumu's sleeve: "Atsumu-senpai."
It forced him to come to a dead halt just as he had started to step forward.
Miya Atsumu slowed his pace and turned his head to look at Hinata following his movement: "What's wrong?"
Hinata's expression was very serious, his gaze toward Miya Atsumu was filled with solemnity.
Facing the distant setting sun, Hinata spoke very firmly, "After this match is over, I have something very important to tell you, Atsumu-senpai."
Miya Atsumu's eyes widened slightly as many possibilities flashed through his mind in an instant, but in the end, he simply smiled. "Sure, I happen to have something I want to say to Shoyo as well."
Some.. things he has wanted to say since winter.
He lowered his eyes, hiding the excitement within them, his expression became equally solemn and serious: "But for now, let's win this championship first."
Yeah!" Hinata nodded. "So, are we still going to my house to watch the footage today?
Miya Atsumu led him forward, saying, "That's right. I found some footage from when Kanzaki went out to compete with Kobe a while back; it should give us a general idea of how he's been doing lately."
“By the way, Atsumu-senpai said yesterday that Hanae-kun..”
Watching the two of them walk away, Unabara Uta, who had been hiding by the school's back gate, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Good, my life is saved!
Chapter 296: The 296th Fox
After the match schedules and capacities for each venue were determined, the location for the Hyogo Prefecture IH Preliminaries was finally set at the Kobe Municipal Central Gymnasium.
Compared to last year's competition venue, this gymnasium is larger in scale and has hosted many large-scale competitions in the past, making it more experienced in on-site organization and management.
The first round of the IH Preliminaries in Hyogo Prefecture has concluded in various gymnasiums across the region, the only teams able to enter this gymnasium are the remaining eight teams.
Among them, Inarizaki and Municipal Kobe were undisputed seed teams, both having been directly fast-tracked to the top eight by being placed at opposite ends of the entire bracket.
In the earlier matches, Coach Kurosu followed his usual arrangement, choosing to substitute in some players who lacked extensive match experience, they progressed quite smoothly all the way to the second day.
With no third-place match established for the preliminaries, the morning featured the Women's Volleyball Finals, the afternoon featured the Men's Volleyball Finals.
Hinata stood in the Players' Tunnel with his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath. "Mmm, that familiar scent of pain relief spray!"
Although he had participated in many small matches over these past few months, competing in a gymnasium filled with such roaring crowds.. was, for him, something he had been away from for a long time.
Unlike the frequent match schedules from summer to autumn, there are several months between the end of Haruko and the start of the following year's IH Preliminaries, there is also a two-month gap between the end of the preliminaries and the start of this tournament.
The preliminaries in Hyogo Prefecture were held in late May, making them among the earliest batches; aside from this, most other prefectures had their matches scheduled for early June.
Wearing a jacket, Miya Atsumu stood at the entrance of the Players' Tunnel, watching the instructions from the staff in the arena.
Hearing this, he turned his head slightly toward Hinata: "This can be considered making up for the regret of you not being able to participate in the IH last year."
"Yeah!" Hinata nodded heavily.
Yes, this was his first time participating in the IH as a player.
He did not play in yesterday's match; Ginjima played in his position, while Tokura played as a Middle Blocker to adapt to the match.
Seeing the staff's hand signals, Miya Atsumu clapped his hands. "Let's go."
The Inarizaki school song poured down from above Hinata's head once again, played by the brass band.
In their gradually clearing vision, the opponents wearing red and green uniforms also filed in from the opposite side, but there were indeed many more new faces.
A shout came from the stands behind them: "Over here! Over here! Look this way!"
Everyone turned around at the sound and saw Aran holding up a phone on the second floor, as well as.. Kita Shinsuke and the others beside him.