~Back In The Game~

~Chapter Seventeen~

-Last Time-

"The inter-high qualifiers are coming up. But... it's almost time for him to be coming back." Daichi says with a knowing look on his face.

"Him?" You ask confused.

"Karasuno's own... Guardian Deity."

"A Guardian Deity...?!" Hinata exclaims.

--

"We have other team members still?" Kageyama asked excitedly.

"Yeah. We do." Suga says sadly. You look at him in concern while Kageyama looks at him in confusion. Takeda calls everyone to the bus to leave, so we make our way that way.

-Meanwhile in Aoba Johsai's Gym-

"Y'know... Kageyama got pretty freaking good." Iwaizumi says to Oikawa.

"Yep. All his pent-up genius has found an outlet. I doubt any normal player can keep up with him now." He responds while tossing a volleyball up and down with one hand.

"Are you admitting that he's better than you?"

"At setting, yes. I don't think anyone in the prefecture can top him now. Buuuut... serving, spiking, blocking... those are a different story. He won't beat me so easily."

"Say he's going to beat you as a setting too, you block-head!!" Iwaizumi yells as he throws a volleyball at Oikawa's head. "You're our starting setter!!"

"Ow! It's true!" Oikawa whines. His mood suddenly turns serious. "That's why we'll destroy their receivers. Even if he's a prodigy at setting, it's meaningless if the ball doesn't get to him. If we do go up against Karasuno in a tournament..." All of a sudden he turns giddy. "I can't wait to screw up their entire receiving game! He won't even get a chance to set! And then I'm going to say to him, 'Even if you're really good, you can't win the game on your own!' I sooooo want to say that to him! It'll feel sooo good!!"

Iwaizumi just stares at Oikawa in disgust, "..."

"What? Don't naturals like him tick you off?"

"Smug pretty boys who get all the girls tick me off more!" Iwaizumi exclaims before throwing the ball at Oikawa's head repeatedly.

"Ow! Jealousy is seriously uncool Iwa-chan!"

Bap "Ow!" Bap "Ow!" Iwaizumi stops when he hears Kindaichi and a first year with a tired expression talking.

"Karasuno's manager is kinda scary," Kindaichi says.

"Eh, I don't think so..." The other boy says.

"Really?!"

"Yeah..."

"Well, you at least have to admit she's cute..."

"...She is." As the two are talking, Iwazumi is listening which makes Oikawa confused as to why he's not being hit in the head anymore. Oikawa hears them too and starts listening as well.

"Did you see the way she yelled at Kageyama?" Kindaichi asks. The other boy nods in response. "I've never seen anyone do that, not even a coach. And the way Kageyama pulled her away from Oikawa."

"What about me?~"

The two first years jump slightly as they realize Oikawa is behind them.

"W-We were just talking about Karasuno's first-year manager." Kindaichi stutters.

"What about her?" Iwaizumi asks, acting clueless while walking up to them.

"U-Uh..."

"How she and Kageyama interact." The other boy says, covering for him and Kindaichi.