Promise

Under questioning, Yamaguchi admitted he was from Karasuno's girls' team. However, he refused to divulge his specific grade, class, or name. The two people who thought they were Kiyoko's personal guards and intended to expand their group were denied when he flushed red and denied it. He shook his head similarly when Hitoka was mentioned.

This shocked Hayato. Could it be that it wasn't Hitoka? Or was he just pretending to deny it because he didn't want to reveal his feelings? Staring at Yamaguchi's face for a long time, Hayato, unable to tell if he was being truthful or not, gave up on further observation. Since they couldn't get any more information, everyone started chatting casually.

Listening to the conversation, Hayato gradually drifted off to sleep.

Hayato, who was jogging at the track and field stadium as usual and taking care of the first-years, returned after his workout to find the managers heading down to the cafeteria to prepare breakfast. When the girls saw Hayato, they all looked at him and started whispering amongst themselves.

"Oh, oh, oh, it's Kuroba-kun."

"He and Kiyoko-chan make a cute couple."

Hayato didn't hear what they were saying because their voices were very low. He greeted Kiyoko, and the girls on the other side became excited, glancing over at her strangely.

"Kiyoko-senpai? What's going on over there?"

"Don't mind them. Come on, go back and wash up. Look at you, all sweaty."

Subconsciously feeling he shouldn't linger there, Hayato followed Kiyoko's advice. Before leaving, he glanced at Hitoka. They had known each other for quite some time, so Hitoka shouldn't be afraid of him anymore. Why was Hitoka still looking so timid just now?

Hayato left with his doubts. As soon as he was gone, the girls swarmed Kiyoko.

"She called you Kiyoko-senpai."

"How nice~ Kuroba-kun is quite handsome too, with that loyal puppy vibe."

"Yeah, yeah, I think so too."

She just smiled faintly and didn't answer their questions. The girls' conversation faded into the distance.

After breakfast, another day of intensive training began. Today, Coach Ukai's training plan for everyone was to practice using multiple simultaneous attacks in games and to avoid sticking to a single lineup.

With Coach Ukai's directive, today's on-court personnel would be a lineup of the five main players plus one substitute.

Ennoshita was no longer as nervous after the past two days of on-court experience. After entering the game in the first set, he took over Daichi's role of directing the other players, while Hayato was placed on the bench.

"Relax, leave this ball to me!"

Ennoshita, constantly communicating with his teammates, seized the opportunity ball and simultaneously observed the opposing team's positioning.

"Watch the left side."

"Give it to me!"

A familiar line, and Hinata and Kageyama's perfect combination successfully scored a point.

"Good job, you two."

After scoring, Ennoshita praised the two juniors. However, the opposing Morisaki team wouldn't let them keep scoring and immediately retaliated with a standard multiple simultaneous attack to win back a point.

"As expected, Morisaki's multiple simultaneous attack coordination is the best."

"Yeah, they're definitely worth learning from."

Sugawara and Hayato, watching from the sidelines, marveled at Morisaki's flawless coordination. This kind of perfect teamwork was precisely what their Karasuno team was striving for, but with their current strength, Karasuno would need a lot more practice to execute such a multiple simultaneous attack.

"Don't worry about it."

"Prepare for the next point."

On the court, Ennoshita encouraged his teammates not to dwell on the point they lost. Ever since Hayato was decided as the next captain by Coach Ukai and the third-years, the position of vice-captain fell to Ennoshita.

He possessed both authority, capable of keeping Tanaka and Nishinoya in line, and the ability to understand others' feelings. Ennoshita's personality was a perfect complement to Hayato's. The captain and vice-captain had different roles, which was essential for leading a team effectively.

As a result, Ennoshita's playing time was significantly increased. Although Ennoshita wasn't aware of this development yet, he cherished every opportunity he got on the court and continuously trained himself.

Feeling guilty about his past avoidance, Ennoshita, after rejoining the team, valued his chances to play more than anyone else. Since they had already decided to advance to nationals, relying solely on Hayato and the others wouldn't be enough; he had to work harder too.

This was also the reason Ennoshita had been diligently practicing during his recent personal training sessions.

The ball was set up again, and the Karasuno team started running simultaneously, clearly intending to attempt a multiple simultaneous attack. Those off the court watched them nervously. This tactic heavily relied on team coordination. Karasuno's success rate during the training camp these past two days hadn't been particularly high, mainly because they frequently rotated players, changing the lineup.

However, this time, the ball was passed to Tanaka at the front row. He sent a straight shot directly over the net, grazing the arms of the blocking players. The Morisaki blockers didn't even touch the ball before the spike scored a point.

"We did it!"

"Nice! Tanaka!"

"Great pass, Kageyama!"

Immediately after the opposing team launched a multiple simultaneous attack, they retaliated with the same tactic and successfully scored. It was hard not to get excited. Ennoshita called everyone over, and they formed a huddle to celebrate.

The others off the court also cheered for them loudly.

Although everyone's condition was excellent in the first half, their offense encountered obstacles in the second half. Morisaki High School also demonstrated the resilience of a strong team, closely trailing the score and ultimately winning 25:23.

"Damn it, I'm sorry everyone. I couldn't receive the last few balls properly."

Ennoshita apologized to the others, holding his head in regret. Receiving technique had always been Karasuno's weak point. There was no shortcut to improving this fundamental skill; it could only be strengthened through repetitive practice. In the end, Morisaki had been targeting Ennoshita, even though he could have retreated and passed the ball to Nishinoya.

But Ennoshita was still a young man, and being targeted like that would surely make him defiant. The result was that Ennoshita's refusal to give up and his attempt to receive the ball led to dropped points, allowing Morisaki to come from behind and win.

"Don't worry about it, we'll try harder next time."

"Yeah, this set is over now."

Tanaka and Nishinoya patted Ennoshita on the shoulder, telling him not to mind it too much. They weren't invincible, and losing was normal.

After composing themselves, under the leadership of captain Daichi, all of Karasuno ran a memorable uphill and downhill sprint, accompanied by the chirping of cicadas and the summer sun.

The July temperature was already high, and after exercising in the gymnasium, they were then exposed to the sun again. Even the substitutes had flushed red faces. Everyone took the water bottles prepared by the manager to rehydrate.

Hitoka, standing nearby, hesitated for a long time before finally approaching Hayato.

"Um, Kuroba-senpai..."

Feeling that she still needed to tell Hayato about yesterday, Hitoka bowed deeply to apologize to him after speaking. She had revealed the relationship between Hayato and Kiyoko. Although Kiyoko had comforted Hitoka last night, saying she didn't mind, Hitoka still felt she should apologize to Kuroba-senpai as well.

After hearing Hitoka's words, Hayato finally understood why Kiyoko had reacted that way that morning and why the other girls had been staring at him.

"It's nothing, it's not like it's something that absolutely has to be kept a secret. Relax, Hitoka-chan. I'm not angry."

Waving his hand, Hayato first comforted Hitoka. Seeing that she still looked very guilty, he patted her shoulder.

"R-really?"

"Of course. Alright, don't think about these things anymore. As Karasuno's manager, the more important thing right now is to take care of everyone's logistical needs, isn't it? Here, thank you."

Smiling, Hayato shook the water bottle Hitoka had just handed him and thanked her.

"Yes! Kuroba-senpai!"

Seeing Hayato smile and thank her, Hitoka finally felt relieved. She bowed to Hayato again and went back to her work. Some people had already finished their water, and Hitoka had to refill it.

"Hitoka came to talk to you about yesterday?"

"Yeah, she felt very guilty about what happened yesterday. Honestly, I don't think it's a big deal, right, Kiyoko-senpai?"

Kiyoko had walked over to Hayato at some point. They stood under the shade of a tree, their shoulders close enough that they could touch with a slight shift.

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll be looking forward to the day the big event happens."

Hayato knew exactly what Kiyoko meant by "big event." It was their promise to confess to Kiyoko on the day they won the championship.

"I will definitely do my best to ensure this big event is a complete success."

"Mhm, I'm looking forward to it."

Under the shade of the tree, the boy and girl looked at each other in silence. Sunlight dappled their bodies, and a sudden breeze ruffled the girl's hair, revealing the beauty mark at the corner of her lips.