"The great king is so cool! I want to hurry and play with him!"
"Yeah! I hope he aim his serve at me! I'll totally get them! Right lei-chan?" Nishinoya excitedly look at his kohai, anticipating his positive answer.
The three are standing near the railings to get a better view of the game (as they are small), while the rest of the guys are sitting on the chair.
"Ehh? What's with that look?" Nishinoya exclaim as he saw that Lei look a bit gloomy.
He haven't really notice it but Lei have been sporting that look ever since the game started, specifically since he saw that great king again. He still hold a grudge about what he said to him.
"..Nothing.." Lei pouted as he rest his head on the railings. His male pride still hurts. Just looking at him makes him irritated, but the situation is not on his side as they still have to study their moves for the upcoming match with them.
"Are you scared, Lei-chan? Don't be! You have your senpai at your back! " Nishinoya point his pointer finger towards himself. A confident look on his face making the two first year look at him in awe.
Although Lei is not really scared to fight them in the court but having his senpai assured him that he got their back, immediately brighten up his mood and makes him forget his encounter with Seijo's setter.
"Heheh thank you, Nishinoya-senpai!"
Seeing that his Kohai is smiling again, Nishinoya can't help but to blush at his cuteness as he too grin brightly.
"Woaahhh! You're so cool Noya-san!" Hinata cheered too. How lucky they are to have a cool senpai to rely on.
Nishinoya just grin at Hinata as he turn his gaze downwards, seeing something that immediately catch his attention.
"OH! Look, Shoyo! Lei-chan! A TV crew is here!" Nishinoya excitedly called out to the two, who immediately peered down as soon as they are called.
"TV?! Awesome! I want to be on TV too!!" Hinata excitedly exclaimed as he too peered down.
While Lei only look silently at the TV crew, not really to excited about seeing one.
"Hey, now...You two junior high- maybe your grade school middle kids. Quiet down a little. Look at your sister- oh, is she also your classmate? She's well behave, be like her." One of the TV crew suddenly stated, making the two stop their boisturios conversation and dejectedly muttered a small apology.
Lei on the other hand stared blankly at the crew who compared him to the two.
"She?...Sister?.. Did he just-"
"Pffft-"
"WHAHAHAHAHA hey chibi-chan! You should properly take care of your little brothers, big sister. HAHAHAAH" Tsukkishima can't stop laughing as he clutch his stomach for support. The other members can't also help but to chuckle quietly, not wanting to further offend the smaller boy.
"I-is he picking a fight with me?!"
"W-wait! Lei-chan, calm down." Sugawara immediately grasp the boy's shoulder, preventing him from picking a fight with the TV crew. "He might not meant it like that. C'mmon seat beside me."
"B-but-" Lei was about to say more but Suga is already pushing him to seat on the chair besides him. Not wanting to fight with his senpai, Lei obediently sat down, pouting with griviance.
Minutes passed and almost too quickly, the game ends with Aoba Josai winning and easily advancing to the next match.
"Let's go back now."
"Hai!"
_____________
It's already the 3rd day, the day of Seijo's match with Karasuno. And currently both teams are already at the gym peacefully taking turns for warm-up, that is until.
"Yohoo! Girly-chan!" Oikawa wave out his hands from the other side of the net, catching the attention of all the players of Karasuno, specifically the small strawberry blonde hair boy. Making him grit his teeth in irritation.
Lei typically forget things easily, especially if it happens a few days ago and when its not really a big of a deal. But a day just passed and although the great king taunted his sexual orientation and it did a big blow to his male pride. He is willing to forget that incident or even forgive him for it, but he just have to keep calling him that. Making his irritation at him come back.
"He might have a flat ass but he sure is a big ass."
"Hey! notice me!~" Oikawa called out again, not minding the angry glare and dark aura surrounding the opposite team. Lei stop on his track for a second before he continue picking up the scattered volley balls. "Don't mind him. You still can't kill him today."
"Yohoo-" he was about to call the him again when he noticed that the boy is not paying him any attention, key word 'about to', when a ball is suddenly smack on his head almost making him bite his tongue.
"Augh! Ittai! What if I accidentally bite my tong-" Oikawa was about to throw a tantrum when he notice the dark aura surrounding his childhood friend.
"Good then, so you can shut your trap." Iwaizumi menenzingly stated. Glaring at him to shut up.
"..Hai"
A few minutes passed and it's finally starting.
The 1st set started with Tsukkishima serving the ball towards Seijo and #13, Kunimi, immediately received it towards their setter, Oikawa.
With two guy jumping up at the same time, Karasuno was waiting for any of them to spike but unexpectedly it became a dump. Scoring Seijo their first point and shocking Karasuno with the unexpected play.
"Woah-" Lei was about to voice out his amazement when he suddenly remembered who perform it. "I can't be amazed. I'm still angry at him."
Lei glance at the great king for a second before he immediately turn his attention elsewhere, not wanting to be caught looking. "But that move is so cool!"
The game, which is basically a setter to setter match, continued. Both teams showcasing their skills and talents to surpass each other and doing their best to score points.
But the game which is going good, with Seijo leading the match by a point, suddenly called for a time out. Confusing the spectators and making Karasuno on edge.
"Could it be, they've already realize it?" Mumbled Sugawara, looking at Seijo's side who seems to be meeting about something.
"Dammed it, that was fast." Seijo (Oikawa) must have studied them thoroughly to know about their signs so early in the game.
With the time out, Seijo discussed about what Hinata would yelled out when the weird combo would perform their quick, when Oikawa suddenly remembered what he saw at the video last night.
"Oh! There's one more thing. Although he haven't played yet but that Girly-chan would be a big trouble." Oikawa stated seriously. "I've notice from their match with Dateko that his serve and spike is hard to deal with. The players can't seem to properly receive his serve and same goes with his spike, they can't completely block out him."
"Eh? Is it not because he got lucky with his spike? That it somehow got in." Kindaichi commented. He didn't really think that small (but pretty) boy is much of a big deal. Sure his spike and serve have quite the force in it. But surely it's not impossible to receive, right?
"That might be possible if that happened with some random school but we're talking about Dateko. A school renowned for their Iron wall. And they are also one of the top school in the prefecture, so their receiving would not fall behind ours. Thats why it's almost impossible that they only manage to stop his serve by luck or when that Girly-chan made the mistake first, same with his spikes." Oikawa dismissed what his kohai just said.
He firmly believe that it's not just luck and besides no one can be that lucky.
"T-then what should we do?" Yahaba ask worriedly. Judging from what Oikawa just said it's almost sounds like he's hard to deal with.
"Well....I've notice this from their match with Dateko but I'm still not sure. And besides their must be a reason why his not a starting player."
_________
After Seijo's first time out, their score gap with them continuous to widen. Making Karasuno feel tense and on edge with what they should do. The coach can't still sub in Lei as the current rotation is not on his favor. He would only left with a serious disadvantage when he stand on the court right now.
Left with no choice, coach Ukai called for a time out but its seems like it didn't do much, especially to Tanaka as he seems to be the most affected, with Seijo targeting him, he's starting to feel the pressure
And it only continued with Tanaka missing to receive the serve and being completely block out by his spike, building up his pressure and stress. Calling for a 2nd time out would be the wise choice.
Lei was looking at his senpai who seems to be having a mental breakdown. He wants to confort him but he don't know how to, but his worrying is replaced by relief when he saw Tanaka slapping his face, leaving red marks.
"I'm sorry!" Tanaka bow down in front of his teammates, startling them for a second before sighing in relief. It looks like he already pick himself up.
With Tanaka snapping out of his build up pressure, they were able to successfully stop Oikawa's serve and also successfully stopping their momentum, or so they thought.
Lei sigh as he look at whats currently happening on the court. First its Tanaka and now its him.
Kageyama is panicking. His thingking is clouded with the desire to win the match, that lead to him making faster tosses than what his teammates are used to. Making them unintentionally feel pressured as well.
He's not on the court but he can feel the build up pressure from here. Lei sigh again. It looks like Seijo's taking the first set, well they can always fight in the next round.
"Shit, I spoke- I mean thought to soon. Now Seijo really won the first set." Lei sweatdrop. He feels like it's his fault for loosing faith for his teammates.
"But-"
Lei look at his teammates. After subbing in Sugawara, the team finally pick themselves up. With the quick wittedness of his senpai and the pace of the game slowing down they were able to ransacked some points, although its not enough to win the first set but it's enough to finally regain their momentum.
Although his disappointed that he didn't get to play but with his inexperienced with playing volleyball, the coach might have thought that he would be swallowed whole by the pressure.
How foolish.