Chapter 86 Volleyball 46
Day 2 of summer vacation staycation.
Compared to the first day yesterday, the atmosphere of today's training match was obviously much more serious.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Kageyama and Hinata of Karasuno High School were having a conflict, and it was a rather serious conflict, to the point that the entire Karasuno team dared not even breathe a word.
It was not until Karasuno's coach, Keishin Uehara, substituted Hinata Shoyo that this suppressed emotion finally broke like a taut string.
Kurikawa Sana was also stunned for a moment.
If she remembered correctly, Hinata had said last night that he would talk to Karasuno's coach and ask him to teach him how to improve his monster fast break. But now Karasuno's coach had substituted him out, seemingly disagreeing with his idea.
When she saw Uehara Keishin walking out of the gymnasium with a cigarette, Kurikawa Sana thought for a second and decided to chase after him.
Inarizaki was playing a practice match with Otokoma, and Kita Shinsuke saw the black-haired girl chasing out of the gym, but didn't say anything.
When he turned his attention back to the game and the other side of the net, Kita Shinsuke saw that the captain of the opponent team, Kuroo Tetsuro, and the setter, Kozume Mamoru, both looked in the direction where Kurikawa Sana disappeared.
Although the other person's gaze was withdrawn quite quickly, he still caught it.
Kita Shinsuke was silent for a moment.
"We must win all of today's practice matches," Kita Shinsuke said. "If we lose, in addition to the hill climb penalty stipulated for the training camp, we'll also have to do three more diving jumps."
“?!!”
What's wrong with the North Team today? Why are they suddenly so strict?
The regulars from Inarizaki all shuddered and responded in unison, "Yes! Team North!"
…
*
Outside the gymnasium, Karasuno's coach, Karasuno Keishin, was still pondering the feasibility of running all the way outside the school gate to smoke, when he heard a pleasant girl's voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Hello, Mr. Wu Yang, may I bother you for a moment?"
Wu Yang Xixin turned around in surprise, and after seeing the girl's appearance, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. "Oh, it's you... Inarizaki's manager, if I'm not mistaken, your name is Kurikawa? What a surprise, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Kurikawa Sana nodded that Karasuno's coach actually knew her name, and then quickly got straight to the point: "It's like this, Mr. Karasuno, I happened to be there last night when Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun were arguing about the monster fast attack, so... I couldn't help but ask, does Mr. Karasuno disagree with Hinata-kun's idea?"
"Did you come out to tell me all this because you saw me subbing Hinata out just now? Don't worry, I didn't mean to do anything else by substituting him. I just wanted him to calm down. In yesterday's practice match, he and our team's ace, Touma Asahi, collided head-on when they jumped at the same time and nearly got injured. Now Hinata is even more agitated than yesterday, so he needs to calm down a bit."
After saying this, Wu Yang Xixin changed the subject and added, "However, Hinata did come to me. He said that he could see the scenery at the top for a moment and hoped to open his eyes and play a quick attack... I can understand Hinata's meaning, but I do think Kageyama's judgment is the most appropriate at the moment."
"I also played setter when I was young, so I can understand why Kageyama disagrees with Hinata's idea. Not only do Kageyama and I think this quick attack with the eyes open is not feasible, but Sugawara, another third-year setter on the team, also feels the same way."
"The Harutaka Miyagi Prefecture qualifiers will begin next month. Hinata and Kageyama's current Kaito Fast Attack is already a rare weapon that has astonished everyone nationwide. Any hasty changes would not only destroy this already powerful weapon, but could also disrupt the current balance of the entire Karasuno team."
"In this limited time, Hinata would be better off improving his receiving, blocking, and serving abilities. This is the closest Karasuno has come to the national stage in many years, and this lineup also has the most promising prospects in years. Sensei Takeda and my father both have high hopes for this. I must consider the overall situation and make the best decision for the team as a whole."
Kurikawa Sana listened quietly and obediently, but the more she listened, the more surprised she became. When the other party finally stopped talking, she couldn't help but say, "I'm surprised that Mr. Wuyang would say so much to an 'outsider' like me in one breath..."
“………”
Wu Yangxi realized belatedly that he had indeed spoken too much in one breath to a girl he had just met for the first time, and he suddenly fell silent.
"However, Mr. Wuyang told me so much because you don't really believe that in your heart, right?" Kurikawa Sana said softly, "Rather than a calm judgment, I feel like it's more like Mr. Wuyang trying to convince yourself that you also want to see another possibility of Hinata-kun."
"So, did Uyanga-sensei witness Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun trying to improve their Kaito Quick Attack drills?"
“……!”
Wu Yangxixin was stunned for a moment, "I haven't gone to see it specifically, but I heard that Kageyama carried two carts full of balls, and Hinata didn't dunk a single ball."
"Hinata-kun suddenly opened his eyes and became too focused on the ball, failing to jump to the highest point he should have, resulting in every dunk missing. Kageyama-kun also noticed this. With his skills, he could easily lift the ball to a position where Hinata-kun could dunk, but that would waste Hinata-kun's excellent jumping ability. Kageyama-kun was unwilling to do that, so it became a difficult situation to break."
Kurikawa Sana continued earnestly and sincerely, "But this isn't an unsolvable problem. Hinata-kun can adjust the height and duration of his jump by changing the timing of his run-up. Kageyama-kun can also change the speed and curve of his passes, allowing Hinata-kun to choose the path and style of play in mid-air. Then, whether it's a spike to avoid a block, a shot out of bounds, a lob, or a rebound to rally the team, it can all be decided by Hinata-kun."
The girl's series of professional and precise suggestions made Wu Yangxixin slowly open his eyes.
This is too good to be true! Are all high school team managers this skilled these days?!
But soon, Wu Yangxixin recalled something very important and subconsciously said, "...I remember it now. It's rhythm! Rhythm is what my old man is best at!"
Hmm... Is Mr. Uehara referring to the previous coach of Karasuno High School? Kurikawa Sana pondered.
Wu Yang Xixin: "You are right. The reason why Hinata can't dunk the ball after opening his eyes is because he always uses the fastest first rhythm. If Hinata can master the timing of running up and jumping, and Kageyama can stop the ball, then the monster fast break can be evolved."
Kurikawa Sana said in surprise: "That's right, you are worthy of being Mr. Wuyang!"
He immediately understood what she wanted to express, and even figured out a solution to let Kageyama "stop" the ball. Coach Wu Yang is indeed a setter. This is a training direction that she, who does not have the mindset of a setter, could not condense into words.
"No, rather, your observation skills and professionalism are also astonishing, Kurikawa-san..." Wu Yangxixin rubbed the back of his head with a hint of shame. "I took it for granted. I made a preconceived judgment without even watching them train in person."
"I know what to do. I'll give Hinata some extra training tonight. Whether it's driving my old man over from Miyagi Prefecture or giving him remote instruction via video call, I'll definitely teach Hinata how to master the rhythm. I'll also be in charge of coaching Kageyama and getting him to change his current passing technique."
Kurikawa Sana: "!!!"
Unexpected results, unexpectedly smooth, she couldn't help but bow, "Thank you, Teacher Wu Yang!"
Wu Yang was shocked. Although he was already a working man, he subconsciously bowed to the JK girl. "What are you talking about, Kurikawa-san? I should be thanking you! But why is Kurikawa-san so concerned about Hinata and Kageyama on our team?"
Kurikawa Sana was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Because Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun are both very good people, and I don't want to see them sad."
When she said this, the girl's exquisite and beautiful face, the gentle smile on her face, and the obvious genuine concern...
Wu Yangxi was silent for a moment.
If those two guys, Kageyama and Hinata, were here now, or knew how much she had done, they would have been secretly in love with each other for at least three years.
Wu Yangxi thought that if he were the passionate and hot-blooded him in high school now, he would also be unable to escape the disaster.
It’s great to be young.
Damn, why am I a little envious?
But thinking about the other side, Wu Yangxixin couldn't help but ask, "But is this really okay?"
Kurikawa Sana: "Hmm? What does Uyanga-sensei mean?"
"You're the manager of Inarizaki. If you insist, we Karasuno are your competitors, but Kurikawa-san comes to remind me that a coach like me is helping Kageyama and Hinata evolve—wouldn't your captain be angry if he knew about this?"
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
Good god, she really hadn't thought about this question.
But Kurikawa Sana was a good and honest child. She said sincerely, "Teacher, you are right. I will go and apologize to our captain in a moment."
Wu Yangxixin: "..."
No, that wasn't what he meant.
"Anyway, thank you very much for your advice, Kurikawa-san." Wu Yangxixin clenched his fists excitedly, even forgetting to smoke his cigarette. "Then I'll go back first. I can't wait to call the old man and ask him to polish this piece of jade, Hinata."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Teacher Wuyang!"
"It's not hard at all. Thank you very much, Kurikawa-san."
…
Seeing Wu Yang Xixin turning around and walking back into the gymnasium, Kurikawa Sana breathed a long sigh of relief.
That's great, this way, Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun should be able to reconcile soon.
It will definitely not be like the ending of the last round of Basketball World, where everyone in Teiko Junior High School fell apart.
She smiled with her eyes curved, and when she was about to go back to the gymnasium, she heard a clear and pleasant boy's voice.
"You really work hard, Senior."
The tone was filled with exclamations, and because of the excessive exclamations, it seemed to have a bit of a strange meaning.
...Huh?
Kurikawa Sana stood there in a daze.
——That was Tsukishima Hotaru's voice, and this seemed to be the first time she remembered that Tsukishima-kun called her senior.
Looking back, I saw a boy with short, flaxen hair, wearing a simple white T-shirt and quick-drying athletic pants, leaning against a tree trunk with his arms folded. Sunlight filtered through the shade onto his fair, handsome face, and his platinum eyes, behind his black-framed glasses, were filled with rationality.
"How rare." Kurikawa Sana was stunned for a moment, "Tsukishima-kun actually called me senpai..."
Tsukishima Hotaru: “…”
He paused, raised his hand and gently pushed up his glasses, "Shouldn't you pay more attention to my previous comment than to the name you gave me?"
Just now, the next second after she finished saying that, Tsukishima Hotaru herself was stunned for a moment, because that sentence was full of obvious malice, mocking her for working so hard for those two idiots, Kageyama and Hinata.
It was obvious that before today, no matter how many times he had seen it, he had never really said it out loud, but today he broke the silence.
If he had known, he would not have come out. After the practice match with Shengchuan High School, the other members of the team were still enthusiastically increasing their physical training, but he was the only one who came out to get some fresh air. As a result, he heard the entire conversation between her and the coach.
If those two idiots, Kageyama and Hinata, knew all the efforts she had made, they would definitely become even worse, right? Tsukishima Hotaru thought with a faint look in her eyes.
He had never been able to understand why she was so particular about Kageyama and Hinata.
Was it because they were both volleyball-loving, hot-blooded idiots? And she was also a good volleyball player, so her eyes were drawn to them uncontrollably?
But it was still hard to believe that she would go this far for Kageyama and Hinata.
They cried last night, and today I went to find a coach I didn’t know to help them.
...It turns out that this idiot is some kind of insensitive alien. Compared to his previous malicious words, she actually cared about the fact that he used the term "senior" to address her for the first time.
Kurikawa Sana looked at him expectantly, "Tsukishima-kun's voice sounds so nice when he calls you senpai. Can you call me that again?"
Tsukishima Hotaru: “…”
The boy turned his head away, unable to bear it any longer, and refused coldly: "...No."
"Wow, what a pity! I really want to hear it again..."
Tsukishima Hotaru clenched her fists.
This girl, rather than being insensitive, is more like someone who has mastered the art of subconsciously changing the subject.
"Can't you really yell again, Tsukishima-kun?"
The girl stretched out her white hand and gently grabbed the corner of his clothes, then spread out his palm with her other hand and stuffed a small pink strawberry pudding into his hand.
"Here, Tsukishima-kun."
"So, is that okay?"
The girl's deep blue eyes sparkled, as if the fragmented moonlight and starlight were infused into them during the day.
“…”
Do you think you can bribe him with just a little strawberry pudding?
It's simply a fantasy.
Tsukishima Hotaru coldly clenched the strawberry pudding in her hand.
"This isn't a situation where you need to call someone by their name. There's no need to hear it again."
He replied rather coldly.
"Is that so..." Kurikawa Sana lowered her head in disappointment, her tone low.
However, the next second.
A "ding" sound rang in her mind.
[Tsukishima Hotaru: Senior, my favorability +5.]
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
???
System, come out and take a few steps?
You are very happy again now, right?
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