Volleyball: The Time of Resonance

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but something urgent came up at work... I'm really sorry," said a woman who looked clearly foreign, her golden hair swaying forward as she bowed.

"Haha, it's alright, it's alright. They're just kids. Taking care of one is the same as taking care of two."

The little boy with slightly curly black hair looked up at his mother, who was holding his hand. He pursed his lips, showing some resistance. He didn't say anything, but just lowered his head and held his mother's hand even tighter.

The two boys playing video games in the room exchanged a glance. The boy with the bob haircut put down the controller, nodded to the boy with messy, spiky hair, and tiptoed off the bed.

His movements were very light, like a kitten's. Perhaps he was wary, or perhaps he was curious, as he quietly opened the door a crack and looked outside through that narrow gap.

Another little kid?

The other adult's figure was blocked by his own father; he could only see the child looking up at his parents.

Kozume Kenma closed the door and looked back at the first child he had ever taken care of.

Kuroo Tetsuro obediently knelt on the ground, tilting his head, not understanding why the other person was suddenly looking at him.

"So silly..." the boy with the bob haircut thought to himself.

He walked forward, his feet barely touching the ground, looking weak and listless.

Ugh, I have to take care of the kids again...

Let's play games together then. I guess it's lucky we have three game controllers at home?

I hope the other person will be obedient, like Xiao Hei. If he's too unruly—just throw him out...

"Knock knock—" The bedroom door was knocked twice, neither too hard nor too soft. Kozume Kenma, who had just sat on the bed, sighed and dragged his small body toward the door again.

"Click"

"Grinding, could you please bring another child along?"

Lone Claw's father, with his hands on his knees, was discussing something with Lone Claw, who was pulling the doorknob and had opened the bedroom door halfway.

"Mm." The boy with the bob haircut nodded. They'd already brought him here; they couldn't just kick him out...

Wait, is this a boy or a girl?

Her slightly wavy hair was gathered at the back of her head and tied up with a blue hair tie.

The child opposite me had blue eyes, which looked rather cold at first glance.

"Hello..." Yin Chuanmian also shrank her neck and looked at the boy opposite her with a slight wariness.

That feeling of alienation vanished instantly.

"Hello." Kozume Kenma paused for a moment before replying.

Is it a boy? Hmm—it should be.

"Then I'll leave him to you. The three of you should get along well."

"Um."

Kneeling on the carpet, Kuroo Tetsuro tilted his head and saw the newly born person.

Kozume Grinding led the person into the house and then closed the door.

One was kneeling, one was leaning against the door, and one was standing. The three of them looked at each other in silence, and the air gradually became stiff.

Yin Chuanmian lowered his head slightly. He wasn't afraid of strangers, but he just didn't like them.

The little boy who brought him in was very nice, and the boy sitting on the floor didn't seem to have any ill intentions; after all, he was the one who came in and bothered others...

"My name is... Yinchuan Mianye," she began, making things easier. "I'm seven years old, a boy. Sorry to bother you."

"I, my name is Kuroo Tetsuro, I'm 8 years old, and I'm a boy." The slightly stunned, frizzy boy stood up in a bit of a panic, nervously clutching the hem of his clothes as he spoke.

"My name is Kozume Kenma." The golden eyes merely glanced indifferently at the boy still standing there. Age was one thing, but why introduce his gender?

"7 years old...boy."

He slowly walked to the bedside, sat down, and pulled a game controller from a drawer under the bed.

"Do you...play games?"

"Have fun, thank you."

...... ......

When we first met, I thought those blue eyes were filled with ice, but it turned out they were filled with water.

Three months later, the three children gathered at the Kuzan Grinding House to play games.

This time it's an adventure game, much easier than the previous level-based games—mainly because Kuroo Tetsuro isn't very good at level-based games.

The three form a team and split up after accepting the mission.

Saturdays always seem to fly by; one second it's 1 p.m., and the next it's 6 p.m.

When the lone claws submitted their task, they were surprised to find that their task was not yet completed.

It was Mianye's task. Kozume Kenma turned his head to look for his friends, but his gaze fell on nothing.

"?"

Kuroo Tetsuro, who also sensed something was wrong, looked at the boy behind them.

"?!"

The little boy, dressed in beige, hugged his knees, curled up into a small white ball, his body rising and falling slightly with his breathing.

"Asleep?" Kuroo Tetsurou asked Kozume Kenma in a husky voice.

The boy with the bob haircut nodded, his brows furrowing in confusion.

It's already autumn, the weather is neither too hot nor too cold, but sleeping directly on the floor will still make you sick.

Ah...should we wake him up?

Kuroo Tetsurou rubbed his messy head, when suddenly a yellow light bulb appeared above his head.

"Let's carry him up!" The boy's weak voice betrayed his excitement.

"No—" Kozume's eyes widened, then closed again, shaking his head rapidly from side to side like a rattle.

They're all about the same size, it's impossible to lift them.

"What should we do? Shall we wake him up?" Kuroo Tetsurou asked, squatting down next to Ginkawa Mianye and poking the sleeping sheep.

Kozume was deep in thought, his cheeks puffing out, and his hair was disheveled from the shaking.

Finally, the sheep was woken up, his blue eyes brimming with tears the moment he opened them.

I had a nightmare... Yinchuan Mian frowned, trying hard to control herself, but her heart was still pounding and her tears were completely out of control.

I hate it—it hurts.

"Wait, don't cry!" The brown-haired kitten exclaimed in shock!

"I... ah... I'm sorry! Don't cry!" The black kitten looked helpless.

The little sheep clutched the front of its shirt, tears streaming down its face uncontrollably.

The once peaceful bedroom instantly turned into chaos.

...... ......

Ever since Yinchuan Mianye slept (and cried) in front of them once, the relationship between the three of them has progressed so rapidly that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's like taking a plane.

Kozake Grinding withdrew his hand.

Yes, it really feels as nice to touch as I imagined.

Kuroo Tetsurou and Kozume Kenma were playing video games on the edge of the bed. Behind them lay a game controller and a curled-up green creature—Ginkawa Miya, dressed in green.

My hair tie was too loose today, and it easily fell off my hair.

Her slightly wavy hair fell loose, turning what should have been a period into a comma.

Unable to resist, Guzhao finally managed to touch the fluffy hair after poking the green glutinous rice cake with no response.

Yinchuan Mianye's hair is very fine and thick, and it looks brown in the sun. It has a gentle curl, making her look just like a little lamb.

Tetsuro Kuroo noticed this and chose to join in.

The hair at the roots felt warm. Kuroo Tetsurou clenched his palms and shifted his gaze to Kozume Mogen's head, successfully dispelling the brown cat's guard.

The boy with the rooster-comb haircut rubbed the sleeping green glutinous rice cake again with a pity.

...... ......

On another peaceful afternoon, today Blue Rice Cake huddled behind two boys, playing games through the gap between them.

"We won," said the blue glutinous rice cake, taking two steps forward and pressing himself against the millstone, his cheeks puffed out.

After a week of playing, I finally passed the level! Kozume Kenma made a small "V" sign with his right fist, but when he turned his head, he saw Kuroo Tetsurou yawning widely.

Do you... not like this game?

Yeah, we've been playing this for so long, let's switch to something else!

"Is there anything you'd like to play?"

The black cat, which had been somewhat drowsy, suddenly brightened up and pulled a volleyball from its backpack with lightning speed, holding it in both hands and raising it upwards.

"volleyball!

--game.