Volleyball: The Time of Resonance

Yinchuan Mian didn't want to crush Kozume Kenma, so a few minutes later, a large brown sheep lay unsteadily on the back of the current captain of Nekoma, Kuroo Tetsurou.

"Don't strangle me!"

Kuroo Tetsurou, who stumbled forward two steps due to Ginkawa Myaya's sudden fall, instinctively supported Ginkawa Myaya's thigh with his hand, and at the same time felt a sense of suffocation.

A tiny sprout of guilt appeared in the sheep's heart, and it obediently loosened its grip, but showed no intention of letting go.

"Little Black..."

"what?"

Yinchuan Mian also changed the subject.

What's the point of high school intensive training?

"Just like in junior high, training."

Kuroo Tetsuro didn't know exactly what he was doing, but the purpose of the training camp was, in general, to train.

The sheep, who had just finished training in junior high, was a little discouraged. "It's going to be so tiring..."

"Making you comfortable is useless."

"..." Yinchuan Mian was also a little angry, but she didn't know how she could express it.

Kuroo Tetsuro wanted to say something to his classmates, so he weighed the sheep on his back and said, "Get down."

"No," Yinchuan Mianye resolutely refused.

"Get down," Kuroo Tetsuro repeated.

"don't want."

Are you coming down or not?

"No, I won't get down!"

"Are you some three-year-old?"

"Then you're a 4-year-old!"

"You can't bear to put in the effort of grinding ink, so you're only targeting me?"

"I'm just bullying you!"

If you ignore Kuroo Tetsuro's beaming smile, it would indeed be a very childish argument, but...

Clearly, this is just mindless, harmonious communication, mainly intended to highlight the deep affection between the two parties.

......

"They have such a good relationship." Yoruichiro thought with a hint of envy. This must be the loneliness of being an only child.

"My sister and I have a very good relationship too," Yamamoto Taketora said with a hint of pride, having just been receiving guidance from Yoru-senpai.

"Huh?!" Yoruichi turned around in shock. "You have a younger sister!"

"Hehe, yeah! My little sister is super cute!" Yamamoto Taketora proudly tossed his head. "And she'll be coming to high school next year!"

"Wow!" Yoru Eisuke leaped up with incredible speed, grabbing Yamamoto Taketora by the neck. "Do you have a picture of her? Let me see!!"

"Your wrist sometimes does this when you receive the ball," Hisense said, pulling his wrist inward. "Hardballs are always heavier, so this is more suitable."

When Hisense talks about these things, it always gives people a serious feeling, but Fukunaga Shohei doesn't feel uncomfortable at all, and follows along with the actions with a look of sudden realization.

"Creak—" The same door, the same sound, the same intense attention.

Naoi Manabu resisted the urge to rub his forehead and joked, "It seems that if we don't oil it soon, the protests will only get louder."

The volleyball room erupted in laughter.

"Come over here and tell everyone about the training camp." Without any intention of keeping everyone in suspense, Naoi Manabu directly revealed the good news.

The cats scattered throughout the volleyball court obediently gathered together.

"The school approved the training camp application, but the holiday starts tomorrow, and there's no time to contact accommodation and venue now."

The training camp application was approved! Yinchuan Mian tilted her head, so impressive! Xiao Hei applied every other day but was rejected. Adults are definitely more useful.

But—if no results are produced, the school probably won't allocate much money.

"My idea is to postpone it by one day. Everyone can rest normally tomorrow and meet at the school gate at 8 a.m. the day after tomorrow."

After finishing his sentence, Naoi Manabu stopped talking and waited for the students' feedback.

"Yay!"

"That's great, thank you coach!!"

"Coach, where are we going?!"

"Coach, do we need to bring a lot of stuff?!"

Listening to the cats chattering amongst themselves, Naoi Manabu smiled.

"It's still in Tokyo, and my accommodation won't be too far from the school," Naoi Manabu replied.

A group of kittens, half as tall as him, showed no disappointment on their faces, their joyful cries inspiring the others.

"Can the coach go home for dinner?" Fukunaga Shohei thought of a new angle. His family owned a noodle shop, which was super close to the school. It was the best ramen in the country!

Yinchuan Mian guessed correctly. He knew that the school wouldn't suddenly allocate a lot of money to the volleyball team. The training camp expenses were usually covered by the school and then arranged by the coach.

Prices in Tokyo are not low, and accommodation and food for 8 people for 4 days is not cheap. Schools will close during such a long holiday, and volleyball courts will cost extra. If the location is far away, Yinchuan Mian would find it strange.

This isn't the first time the Otoko volleyball club has faced such a lack of support, voice, and funds.

Yinchuan Mian thought to herself indifferently that with Xiao Hei around, things would always be alright.

"No, the training schedule is tight. Everyone should be prepared to have no rest time for these four days."

Naoi Manabu rejected Fukunaga Shohei's suggestion, saying "let's go," and deliberately glanced at Kozume Makoto, who was hiding in the outer circle.

Yinchuan Mian also pinched the fingertips of Heiwei Tielang behind his back.

Good news: If we're training together, we can sleep between Xiao Hei and Mo Ran.

Bad news: Definitely—no! Absolutely exhausting...

Kozume Kenma moved out of his sight, turned his head away from Naoi Manabu, and pretended that he hadn't heard or seen anything.

Let tomorrow's self handle everything. First, level up and become the king or queen so you can rest.

Mushroom cheered itself on, and the chibi version of Mian in its mind suddenly grew taller and sprouted devil horns.

"Grinding".

A warm body pressed against his back, feeling a little sticky. A fluffy head rubbed against his shoulder without giving him a chance to refuse, and then simply turned its head and pressed its face against his cheek.

"Boom—" The big boss in his mind exploded on the spot and was enveloped in a cloud of white smoke. When the white smoke dissipated, it turned into a soft, long-haired Persian cat kitten.

Yinchuan Mian was just pinching Kuroo Tetsurou's fingertips when, perhaps he hurt him, Kuroo Tetsurou grabbed his wrist tightly.

Because Coach Naoki was talking, Yinchuan Mian couldn't make any big movements to pull her hand away, and only pulled it back when her hand was pinched red.

Xiao Hei's strength is clearly not that great...

(Kuroo Tetsuro: Even though we're both Riki-san, eating for an extra year is still eating for an extra year. Arrogant JPG.)

"I'll tell you the details of the training camp later. Oh, and remember to bring a few extra sets of clothes."

"Yes!" the members of the group answered in unison.

Naoi Manabu gave the signed consent form for the training camp to Kuroo Tetsuro and asked him to distribute it.

"Although it's troublesome, you still need your parents' permission to stay overnight outside. Remember to give me the form the day after tomorrow."

"yes!"

......

"Yinchuan, come here for a second." Naoki Manabu waved to Yinchuan Mianye.

"Coach." Yin Chuanmian felt guilty; had her little action just now been seen...?

Naoi Manabu definitely saw it all and planned to give him more training assignments: ^_^

The young man and the others came up to him but did not speak immediately. Instead, they led him outside.

The door was opened and closed again, making a creaking sound. Yin Chuanmian didn't understand the purpose of calling her here suddenly.

It can't really be because of some petty tricks, it should be an example made of others on the volleyball court.

What do you think of Otoko now?

Yinchuan Mian was also puzzled, and lowered his head to carefully consider Yinju's current situation.

"It's fine." Yinchuan Mian couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Naoi Manabu looked intently at the boy in front of him. "You used to play as an outside hitter, and you were very good at it. Why did you switch positions after coming here?"

This is the most significant thing that Naoi Manabu has done since joining Otokoma. He doesn't believe that an excellent outside hitter would voluntarily change positions when nothing has happened.

The young man thought a lot about it. After observing for the past two days since discovering this, he was surprised to find that Yinchuan Mian also had very little contact with other people. If his previous friends were not around, he could only squat in a corner.

Naoi Manabu didn't want to think that way, but if it really was a case of being ostracized and forced—

"It's appropriate, because having four main attackers would be odd."

Yinchuan Mianye originally wanted to share his theory on rest, but he stopped himself before he could finish speaking. After all, he was a coach, and speaking out might have negative consequences.

And Xiao Hei didn't let him rest at all QAQ

"Yinchuan, what are your thoughts? Are you willing?"

Naoki had met the current second-year high school students once before and found them to be very serious and hardworking. Hearing this, his heart skipped a beat. People's hearts can change, and he couldn't help but have some doubts.

Yinchuan Mian had no idea what her new coach was imagining. She blinked and said, "Feels good, I'm willing."

I've thought about playing this position before, but it's not what I imagined. Yinchuan Mian also thinks it's alright.

His distinctive blue eyes stared directly at another person, appearing slightly cold when devoid of emotion. But now, as if thinking of something, those eyes held a hint of tenderness, making him look very obedient.

Naoki suddenly felt a pang of tenderness in his heart, and his thoughts inexplicably drifted to the idea that he would love for his future child to be a daughter—polite, sensible, and adorable.

"If anything happens, you must tell me. We are indeed short-staffed right now, but this is a school, a place for teaching and nurturing students. I will not allow people with questionable character to continue to stay in the volleyball team."

Naoi Manabu may have acted somewhat rashly, but on his first day at the volleyball club, after understanding the situation and based on his own impressions, he decisively persuaded the senior students to quit.

"?" Is it because of those senior high school students? Yinchuan Mian nodded, also puzzled. "Okay, coach."

When the boy with dark brown curly hair reappeared in the volleyball room, Mushroom Cat, who was sitting in a chair playing games, looked at him curiously.

"It's not a specific time, just when she asks me how the volleyball team is doing." Yinchuan Mian knows her childhood friend well and took the initiative to tell me the gist of the matter.

The curious cat looked away.

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

On the day of the training camp, Yinchuan Mian also got up early, which was rare for him.

The sheep opened its blue eyes and pressed its face against the mochi being held in its arms (sucking mushrooms JPG).

Kozume Momo's frame wasn't large, perhaps because he had a small appetite. He was also very thin, not like someone who participated in a sports club. Kozume Momo could be completely stuffed into Yinchuan Mianye's arms.

Still in his dream, Kuzan felt a sense of suffocation, his golden eyes misty.

"Mianye!" He stirred, trying to open his eyes, only to find himself being held tightly. He struggled weakly, trying to push the large sheep away.

Having had her fill of sucking, Yinchuan Mian obediently let go, allowing her face to be pushed out of the other's plump flesh.

"I'm a person, I need to breathe! Don't hug me so tightly every time." He angrily pinched the other's cheek, and suddenly missed Xiao Hei.

If Xiao Hei were here, I might not be the one being hugged so tightly.

The game consoles were scattered on the bed and under the bed. Kozume Grinding stepped on the ground with his bare feet, found it was cold, and immediately withdrew.

After searching around the bed for a while, I put on my slippers before standing on the floor again and putting the game console away.

"But I was asleep. I think that's the problem with the sleeping me, not the awake me." Yinchuan Mian also rolled around on the bed for a while before starting to make the quilt.

"Grind!"

The bedroom door was suddenly opened, and the loud noise startled the two people who were tidying up.

"Little Black." Yinchuan Mian also waved its paw in greeting.

Kuroo Tetsuro was dressed neatly and was carrying two bags.

"Not bad, I thought you guys would play games until midnight and then sleep in together in the morning."

Kuroo Tetsuro put down what he was holding and naturally took the game console from Kozume Kenji and put it in the cabinet.

"If you hadn't taken us to play ball all day, this would have been the result," Kozume Masami stared resentfully at Kuroo Tetsurou.

That's the downside of childhood friends; the other person knows him too well, knowing exactly how much he'll be too tired to stay up late playing games.

"Well, time's almost up, let's hurry." Kuroo Tetsuro joined the packing team with a grin, completely unashamed.

As if remembering something, the boy with the black mohawk opened Kozume Kenpaku's wardrobe and pulled out a jacket.

"Bring an extra layer, it's still a bit chilly in the mornings these days."

...He still had to train in the morning, and the figure of Kozakatsu, grinding and moving, looked even more tired.

Yinchuan Mianye stared intently at Kuroo Tetsurou with her blue eyes.

"The cotton stuff is down there."

Yinchuan Mian also lowered her head to change her clothes with satisfaction.

Most of their belongings had been packed the day before, and the three of them quickly headed to school.

You can see the red cat at the entrance of Yinju School from afar.

"Thank goodness we're not late." Kuroo Tetsuro followed the two sleepy little animals on either side.

"Why are you all so listless?" Yoruichi asked, hands on his hips.

"I haven't had any energy this morning," Kuroo Tetsuro said, rubbing his chin helplessly.

"Where are your consent forms?" Naoi Manabu beckoned to the three of them, and Kuroo Tetsuro stepped forward and took out three folded pieces of paper from his pocket.

The young man carefully flipped through the consent form. When he got to Yinchuan Mianye's page, he was surprised to find that the parent's name was written as Kozaki's surname.

"Are Ginkawa Mina and Kozume Kenma related?" Naoi Manabu asked the boy in front of him.

"No, no one from my family is home. I called to confirm and asked Uncle Kozume to sign it for me," Kuroo Tetsurou explained. This kind of thing often happened when he was in junior high school, so he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"Okay." Naoki glanced at the paper carefully but didn't delve into it further.

The accommodation was indeed not far from the school; it was next to a club.

This club looks like it's been built for a long time; you can even see some of the paint peeling off the walls from the guesthouse.

Clubs in such remote areas are not uncommon in Tokyo; most people prefer to go to clubs in the city center rather than these more remote locations.

Therefore, the usage fee here is cheaper than that of the club in the center.

"Xiao Hei, this is the club we used to come to when we were kids!" Yin Chuan Mian also discovered fragments of memories.