"Ah, Shimizu-chan, good afternoon. Buying things with your boyfriend again?"
The auntie at the seasoning shop smiled as she watched the two of them walk in together.
Long used to the teasing from the shopkeepers along the shopping street, Kiyoko nodded, tacitly accepting Hayato's title as her boyfriend.
"Auntie Kijima, good afternoon. Please give me a bottle of soy sauce and some mirin. Ah, and a jar of shichimi pepper too."
"Certainly. The usual kind?"
"Yes, please."
After thanking Auntie Kijima from the seasoning shop, Kiyoko explained to Hayato while she went to fetch the items.
"Since you're here, I might as well restock the seasonings we're running out of at home."
He raised the hand holding the bags and flexed his muscles.
"Leave it to me~"
Hayato gladly accepted Kiyoko's suggestion. After buying everything, the two of them carried several large bags back to Kiyoko's house. The moment they entered, they saw Kiyoko's mother tidying up the entryway.
Ever since they had returned from Hawaii last time, Kiyoko's mother had discreetly asked Kiyoko what the two of them had done. When she learned that Hayato had not crossed any lines, she became even more satisfied with the polite and restrained young man.
When she heard that Hayato would also be coming over for hot pot that evening, Kiyoko's mother happily welcomed him. After setting a time, Hayato excused himself, saying he still needed to clean up his house.
After he left, Kiyoko's mother rested her chin on her hand.
"My, Hayato really does seem like he'd make a wonderful son-in-law."
Naturally, Kiyoko, who had already gone upstairs, did not hear that.
After cleaning the house, bringing the dried bedding back into her room, and doing some summer homework, it was six in the evening before Hayato arrived right on time to freeload a meal.
After Kiyoko led him into the living room, her father, who had already returned from work, was sitting in the seat of honor.
"Hayato's here. Good evening. Come on over and have a seat."
"Good evening, Uncle Seiichi."
The head of the Shimizu household, Shimizu Seiichi, was a section chief at a track-and-field sporting goods company, while Shimizu Misato was a full-time housewife. Both of them had gentle personalities. When Hayato was little, he was often entrusted to the Shimizu family's care, which was why he and Kiyoko had been so close since childhood.
"I heard from Kiyoko that you've already been selected as a regular? When are the matches? Aunt Misato and I will come watch you play."
Smiling kindly at Hayato, Seiichi asked about the Karasuno Volleyball Club's match schedule.
As Hayato chatted with Seiichi, Kiyoko and her mother quickly brought the prepared ingredients to the table. Seeing that everything was ready, Seiichi stopped chatting and told everyone to dig in.
At the dinner table, Hayato did not stand on ceremony, picking whatever he wanted into his bowl. Kiyoko looked after him beside him, serving him food and pouring him water. Seeing Kiyoko care for Hayato like a wife, Seiichi and Misato exchanged smiles without saying anything.
After finishing the hot pot, the satisfied Hayato was called over to the sofa by Seiichi, where the two men began chatting while Kiyoko and her mother cleared the table.
"You know, Kiyoko has always liked taking care of you since she was little, and you've always been willing to follow her around. Honestly, I'm not worried about you two. But I do have a question: when the time comes, will the ceremony be Western-style or Japanese-style?"
The bombshell opening topic made Hayato choke, while Kiyoko called out "Dad!" in a spoiled tone from the kitchen.
After coughing twice and finally catching his breath, Hayato rubbed the tip of his nose.
"Well, Uncle Seiichi, isn't it a little too early to be talking about that?"
"Oh, it's not too early. You two aren't children anymore, and Kiyoko will be graduating soon. Once she starts university, won't you two be apart for a year? So it's perfect to settle things now."
Kiyoko's future plans form appeared to say she would continue on to university, and Seiichi knew that. Hayato was only in his second year, so once Kiyoko graduated and entered university, the two of them would have to spend a year apart. That was why he intended to settle these matters in advance.
"Well, Kiyoko-senpai and I are still young. Let's wait a few more years."
Hayato and Kiyoko had discussed this over the phone as well. Kiyoko planned to attend university and become a nutritionist, while Hayato would definitely enter the professional volleyball league after graduation. Once Kiyoko graduated, she would apply to become the nutritionist for Hayato's team, and then they would be together again.
"Mm. Since you two have thought it through carefully, I won't pry any further."
Seeing Hayato answer with such a serious expression, Seiichi did not press the matter.
After staying at Kiyoko's house for a while longer, Hayato said goodbye. Kiyoko saw him to the entryway, and the two stopped in front of her house.
"Don't take what Dad said to heart. Right now, you need to focus on your matches, understand?"
With her hands on her hips, Kiyoko took on the air of an older sister and told Hayato not to overthink it. What she did not realize was that her bright red ears had already given away how embarrassed she was. When her father mentioned the ceremony, she had imagined herself in a wedding dress and a white kimono.
"Yes~ yes~"
"You only need to say it once."
Unable to do anything about Hayato, Kiyoko smiled helplessly, then saw him out through the gate. When Hayato reached his own iron gate, he suddenly turned back for one last attack.
"Kiyoko-senpai would definitely look absolutely gorgeous in either a wedding dress or a white kimono! Good night!"
Without waiting for Kiyoko's response, he waved and went inside.
"This guy..."
Hayato's teasing made Kiyoko's face flush red. Smiling, she shook her head and remained outside for a while longer, waiting for the heat in her face to fade before returning home.
Once club activities resumed, every day passed ordinarily. Hayato and Kiyoko repeated their daily routine of going to school, practicing, then going home to do summer homework. Sometimes, after club activities ended, they would go see a movie or stroll around town. Summer club activities did not last from morning to night, so they still had time for dates.
For Hayato, the only thing that felt remotely new was the day the Spring High committee came to record the new players' information. The volleyball team gathered together, with one row crouching in front and another standing behind, for a large group photo.
And just like that, the day before the Spring High preliminaries arrived.
Before club activities began, Teacher Takeda called everyone over, read them the tournament bracket, and encouraged them. After the summer training camp and all their recent practice, the transformed Karasuno would surely leave a deep impression on the other schools.
Everyone was brimming with fighting spirit for tomorrow's match.
Once practice began, Teacher Takeda sat in a chair looking through the booklet that had just been sent to him, when Coach Ukai happened to walk over.
"Teacher, what are you looking at so seriously?"
"Ah, Ukai. The booklet from the other day's photo session just arrived. Our newcomers are impressive, but I didn't expect the other teams to be so strong too."
Teacher Takeda showed the booklet in his hands to Coach Ukai. On the open page was a particularly tall player, with Kakugawa Academy written on his uniform.
"Ah, that guy really is impressive."
Seeing that player, Coach Ukai also sighed in admiration. Then he looked toward the Karasuno members who were training.
"But, Teacher Takeda, we still have to believe in them."
"That's true."
Watching the club members train hard, Teacher Takeda and Coach Ukai smiled at the same time.
Faced with the upcoming match, Hayato was also incredibly excited. Even the power of his hits had increased noticeably during practice.
"So heavy, Hayato. Your spikes have gotten a lot stronger again."
Nishinoya praised him after receiving Hayato's spike.
"You still got it up, but the next one won't be so easy. Here it comes!"
"Bring it on!"
On the day before Spring High, everyone trained hard before finally wrapping up the day's practice.
After returning home, Hayato neatly folded the uniform he had been issued and placed it into his sports bag.
"It's about to begin. The first step toward nationals—the Spring High preliminaries. Here I come."
Standing excitedly on the balcony and looking at the stars in the sky, Hayato clenched his fist.
Just then, Kiyoko stepped out onto the balcony across from his.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"You're not asleep either, Kiyoko-senpai. I just can't sleep."
"Me neither. This will be our third-years' final tournament."
Leaning against the balcony railing, Kiyoko looked up at the stars just as Hayato had.
"Mm."
"Hayato."
"Mm?"
"Do your best tomorrow."
"Of course. Just believe in me."
August 11 All-Japan High School Volleyball Tournament, commonly known as Spring High Miyagi Prefecture Representative Selection Tournament First-Round Preliminaries Begin
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