chapter 3

The practice match against Aobajohsai was actually going swimmingly for Karasuno much to the opposite’s side frustrations. Kindaichi eyed how well the short ginger was working with Kageyama and could actually hit the setter’s sets! ,

Iwaizumi Hajime was noticing this too, remembering the boy as a starry-eyed loner back when they were in middle school and Kindaichi and Kumi had told him that Kageyama’s heart had harden shortly after that but now… while he was still prickly he clearly had soften with this team they’re playing with especially with that red-headed number five.

Kumi voiced, “We’ve seen him before at the middle school tournament in the first round where we won against them hard.”

Kindaichi added in, “That’s what I don’t get; I thought for sure the shorty would hate being Kageyama’s teammate because of that but the guy actually changed his sets for him!”

The coach mentioned, “Indeed, number five is clearly an expectation for Kageyama’s play style, making it quite the deadly combination especially when number five has complete trust in Kageyama.”

The assistant coach pointed, “We tried to recruit Kageyama to come here but we were flat-out rejected when he told us he had his heart set on Karasuno no matter what.”

Kindaichi gapped, “Huh?! But I recalled he was going try for Shiratorizawa! When the frick did he change his mind?!”

“I think it was during the fall, when we had our advisor meetings.” Kumi mentioned, “He must have figured he couldn’t pass the exam even if he tried.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true, his grades were always terrible.”

“Now is that anyway to talk about a former teammate?”

The two first years turned in surprise to find their sempai and captain was back from sick leave.

...----------------...

Tanaka was pissed off by the fangirls in the overhead balcony this a-hole was attracting and Suga sighed in exasperation, uttering lowly, “You already have a soulmate, Tanaka.”

“Yeah but it’s the principle of the thing! There are a lot of lonely hearts out there whom will never get to experience that kind of fawning in their life!”

Suga sighed again and face-palmed before it was time to play again.

Karasuno soon learned what an adversity Oikawa Tooru was and had barely won the practice match and as they were leaving, Seijoh’s captain confronted them then after directly challenging Kageyama he tilted toward Hinata.

“You know you and the Chibi really surprised us today, I was watching you two closely and noticed how unusually close you were in working together for people that have become new teammates recently.” he eyed him dubiously.

Tsukishima voiced, “They’re just freaks like that, nothing more.”

Tanaka added in, “Yeah they’re totally volleyball heads that love the game way too much!”

Sugawara smirked, muttering to his soulmate, “That’s part of it.”

Daichi smirked back.

Oikawa hummed, “Well whatever the case, we’re going to beat you next time. Ciao!” he waved with his fingers and went back inside the school.

...----------------...

“So why did you choose our school, Kageyama?” Tanaka questioned after the team left the general store that evening, “Shiratorizawa is the best in the whole prefecture, why didn’t you go there?”

“Oh, um…” side-eying Hinata before saying, “I was going to but my grades weren’t good enough so I forfeited taking the exam. Besides I heard Coach Ukai was coming out of retirement and hoped I could learn from him, it wasn’t until later I found out he couldn’t come back due to back problems.” exchanging a nod with Suga.

Shouyou felt disappointed he didn’t tell them the whole reason why he picked Karasuno.

I wish he would just tell them we’re soulmates and we planned on going to Karasuno together after he changed his mind about Shiratorizawa. Stingyshima and Yamaguchi already know and I’m pretty sure Sugawara-san is on to us. Is he really that scared of letting people know I’m his other half? Am I… just a burden to him?

He clutched on to his bag strap in worry.

Tanaka and the third years went on explaining who Coach Ukai was and Daichi brought up Karasuno’s Guardian giving Hinata a brief distraction from his woes.

Meeting Nishinoya Yuu was quite surprising to say the least since the guy was a little shorter than Shouyou and began helping him with his receives even though he said he won’t return to the club unless their ace, Azumane Asahi did.

Nishinoya promised him ice-cream after practice and when they got them, Shouyou questioned under the street light, “Why won’t you come back to the club unless the ace does?”

“Lots of reasons but the main one is that I want is for us to work together again to redeem for the loss we encountered three months ago and he…” he inhaled through his nose with pink tainting his cheeks, rolling up his sleeve showing a thorny rose soulmark on his forearm.

Hinata let out a soft gasp, realizing this was the other soulmate pair Suga had mentioned before. Then he voiced in confusion, “But the way you acted with Kiyoko-san earlier…?”

“All an act my man!” he chortled, “Sure she’s gorgeous and I still like girls of course but Asahi… the big dummy… he’s special… he’s ruggedly handsome, sweet, and badass with a serve!”

“But then why be a horny tornado…?”

Noya shook his head and held his finger to his mouth, “Trade secret, sorry.”

“Oh. Okay then.” still feeling very confused but took his sempai’s word for it.

Meanwhile just down the street at the general store, Takeda Ittetsu was trying hard to convince a certain manager to come help coach the volleyball club but to no avail and was forced to go…

Six hours later however at the hospital…

Keishin groaned in the waiting room and put his hands on his face.

Takeda was fretting while waving his hands, saying, “I swear! I never thought this would happen! I was only trying to get you to be the coach!”

“Yeah Specs I get that, cool your jets…” putting his head back to the wall.

Ittetsu nervously scratched his cheek while blushing; he never thought this was how he would meet his soulmate.

“If nothing else I do like a man with tenacity even if it’s freaking annoying.” the blonde admitted.

Takeda laughed anxiously, “I swear that’s not the only thing about me.”

“So coffee then? And maybe stay at a bed and breakfast for the rest of the night, seeing how we can’t be separated for more than six hours? As pain-in-the-*** that is.” Ukai scoffed.

“That sounds perfect.” Ittetsu beamed.

“Just don’t bring up the subject of coaching, okay?” the other man got up and held his hand.

“Right.” the teacher nodded, thinking; Besides I got another plan in the works anyway… and took the strong hand, grasping it.

...----------------...

Yuu stared at his cell phone, since his suspension he was forbidden to contact his friends as punishment for getting in trouble with the vice-principal and now that it was over he wanted to reach out to Asahi and yell at him for letting his insecurities get the better of him and missing club activities while he was gone.

“We’re partners for life you idiot,” tears started building in his eyes, “don’t you see that you’re just hurting yourself by doing this?” holding the phone to his forehead.

But deep down he knew this was his soulmate’s hurdle to overcome and he already made the decision to drop the club should it come to that as he told Daichi earlier that afternoon. Without Asahi on the team, it wouldn’t be the same for him especially when volleyball was the reason they met and fell in love with each other.

He touched his soulmark on his arm not realizing the man he loved was doing the same thing in his own bedroom at that moment being in deep in thought of what he should do next.

Asahi loved Yuu with all his heart and staying away from the club hurts like hell but without that feeling of being able to see the view on the other side again he can’t come back…

...----------------...

“You little bastard…” Ukai uttered, “This was your plan all along wasn’t it?!” he accused after hearing about the Nekoma practice game from his soulmate.

Takeda pushed his glasses up with a knowing look, “I cannot confirm or deny the truth of that statement.”

A flush ran across the other’s face, “You’re dangerous…” then a surge of confidence ran through him and pressed his hand against the vending machine above Ittetsu’s head making the other freeze in place, “You’re lucky I’m into that…” he tipped his chin up making the teacher gapped and dryly swallow, his own cheeks flushing from the closeness.

Ukai moved back, saying, “I need to make few calls.” getting out his phone leaving poor Takeda stunned.

...----------------...

“So what’s the story on those two? Did they meet in middle school or elementary school?” Ukai questioned when seeing how well Hinata and Kageyama’s teamwork was on the court.

“Oh, no as far as I know they’ve only met recently.” Takeda responded.

“Really? It just seems they’ve known each other for longer than that. And from the looks of things a lot of these kids already have a soulmate as crazy as that is.”

“That’s true, Sawamura and Sugawara have a matching soulmark same for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi and I think I spotted Nishinoya and Azumane having a matching mark too.”

“Sheesh, either I’m just too old to understand young love now or the fates just love to mess around with us humans.”

“I know, the fact that we didn’t find each other until now is surreal compared to the students here.”

“And that’s why I’m thinking the genius and the ginger are soulmates too.”

“Really?! You think so?”

“Not sure but they definitely have something special with that quick attack of theirs and that boundless trust they have for each other… honestly there’s no other explanation for it.”

They went back to watch the game just in time to see a jump float serve being put into action.

The game was finally done for the night, the team said their thank yous to the Neighborhood Association, did their stretches, and are now finally doing clean-up duty.

When everyone else was distracted, Noya pulled Asahi into the storage room and yanked his shirt down to kiss the gentle giant right on the mouth.

Y-Yuu!” Asahi stuttered, his face going red when he pulled back.

“Took you long enough, you big dummy.” putting his hands on the taller’s chest, “But just so you know even if you hadn’t come back, I would have quit the team too.”

“Wha…?” Asahi was shocked.

“It wouldn’t have been right without you and I would have missed you way too much. Volleyball is our sport for a reason Asahi… It’s what helped us get this marks on our arms… We belong anywhere we go, Asahi…”

Asahi was utterly speechless before crouching down to kiss Yuu this time, the other wrapping his short arms around his thick neck as he was being dipped.

Suga was passing by the room and ended up witnessing the sweet scene giving off a warm smile.

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