"S-SORRY... Can you help me find my glasses?" The helpless voice made Kobayashi Aotori shrink his neck, quickly agree, and immediately retrieve the glasses that had flown far away, handing them back to him, and then tidying up the things on the ground and returning them to his arms.

Whether it was an illusion or not, but the moment the man across from him put on his glasses, the scholarly air instantly peaked, and the handsome look just now was instantly replaced by elegance.

While Kobayashi Aotori was still frantically evaluating the person in his mind, the young man who had just put on his glasses, sighed in relief, and was about to thank him when his expression suddenly changed dramatically, as if he had seen a ghost, and he stammered in disbelief:

"Thank you... Ko-Ko-Kobayashi Aotori-san?!!"

Suddenly being called by name, Kobayashi Aotori was puzzled. In the next moment, a flash of insight struck his mind, and he suddenly remembered the bespectacled young man he had seen in the audience just now, also looking surprised.

"You're the one who was just watching the match?"

Recognized, the young man became even more nervous, quickly nodding his head, his drooping eyes looking extremely gentle. After hesitating for two seconds, as if suddenly remembering something, he immediately rummaged through the various items in his arms.

Under Kobayashi Aotori's puzzled gaze, he slowly took out a small notebook and a black gel pen, slightly lowered his head, and somewhat timidly handed the pen to Kobayashi Aotori.

"T-That... I'm your fan. C-Can you give me an autograph?"

...

......

Huh—? My fan?!

This guy, with features and temperament so superior that even his voice sounded more sophisticated than a voice actor's, is saying he's my fan?!

Could I have misheard?

Kobayashi Aotori stared blankly at the increasingly nervous young man. The prolonged silence seemed to make the other think it was a refusal, and his eyes dimmed as he slowly withdrew his hand.

"S-Sorry, it was presumptuous of me..."

"...Ah, sure."

Under the young man's surprised gaze, Kobayashi Aotori took the notebook and pen, awkwardly writing his name. Perhaps because it was his first time experiencing this, his writing was a bit awkward.

He accidentally glanced at the pen in his hand, his movement paused, and the action of capping the pen became much gentler.

...Probably because the price of this pen was enough for a month's living expenses.

Indeed, a guy with such temperament is obviously a rich second-generation!!

Kobayashi Aotori felt heavy inside, handing the notebook and pen back with both hands.

This guy, who looks like a protagonist, is good in every way, except his taste is questionable for liking someone as plain as me. Apart from my face, there's nothing noteworthy.

Wait... If he's a rich second generation, could he be a looks-conscious person?

Kobayashi Aotori suddenly felt a bit endangered.

He didn't notice that while signing, the young man was nervously looking around, as if afraid of being seen by someone.

Not knowing what image he had in his idol's eyes, the young man's gentle smile became more sincere when he received the signature, his eyes slightly narrowed with a hint of pleasure.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something, exclaiming "Ah," then was about to leave in panic. Before leaving, he casted a reluctant gaze to Kobayashi Aotori and with a gentle smile in his docile eyes:

"Thank you for the autograph. I have something to do, so I'll leave first! U-um, my name is Hibari Kyoya!"

After saying this, he swiftly ran away.

Left behind in confusion, Kobayashi Aotori stood still for a moment. After pinching his face, he shook his head and continued on to meet with Tomoko Ito.

By the way—has tomorrow's next opponent been decided?

It's Mujinazaka High School.

Hearing the discussions of people coming out of another venue, Kobayashi Aotori narrowed his eyes slightly.

We're going to face quite the "professional" opponent.

What a hassle.

——————

ON THE OTHER SIDE

The venue door opened, and Hibari Kyoya, who had just left the Shiratorizawa vs. Inarizaki match, cautiously walked in, quietly taking a seat and watching the match of Fukurodani Academy on the court. He sighed in relief.

F-fortunately I made it in time. It doesn't matter whether I watch the whole thing or not, as long as I don't miss the show.

Ah, luckily, I sneaked off to watch Shiratorizawa's match. Aotori-kun plays really well...

That kind of confidence and presence, dominating everything on the court, is truly enviable.

But I... although I'm a Fukurodani student, I sneaked off to another venue to watch another school's match... I absolutely can't be discovered!

Moreover, he, Hibari Kyoya—

——is the biological son of the principal of Fukurodani Academy.

Although this piece of news is unknown even to people within the school... Haha.

——————

AFTER RECEIVING Tomoko Ito's quite exciting encouragement, temporarily bid her farewell and returned to the hotel from yesterday with the Shiratorizawa team members.

In the room, Tendou Satori was singing like a child while changing clothes to take a shower. Today, however, Kobayashi Aotori learned his lesson and took the initiative to shower and changed clothes early.

He stood on the hotel balcony, feeling the summer evening breeze, and exhaled a deep breath.

The dark night made Kobayashi Aotori's handsome face appear even more cold and stern.

However, this elegant man always wore such a face, inwardly saying things that didn't match his appearance.

His short navy-blue hair fluttered in the wind, its color deepening under the night sky. He leaned on the railing with both hands, looking up at the starry sky.

"Oh?" Tendou Satori, having just finished his bath, glanced curiously in the direction of the balcony, then smiled slightly, watching Kobayashi Aotori lost in thought.

He turned around, turned on the hairdryer, his eyes, sharp as needles, now filled with warmth.

...Today's match seems to have quietly changed Aotori-chan?

He had long noticed Aotori-chan's mistaken judgment in official matches.

From Aotori-chan's training performance when he first joined the volleyball club, one could tell that he was not an arrogant person. Despite his outstanding talent, he still regarded training as his duty, is neither arrogant nor impatient, continuously honing himself with the goal of reaching the pinnacle.

At that time, he was truly deserving of the title "monster."

But in official matches, Kobayashi Aotori became even stronger, more oppressive, but at the same time, he also became weaker.

Whether it was because he had been called a genius in volleyball since childhood, Tendou Satori had specifically consulted the advisor and learned what Kobayashi Aotori had experienced in his childhood.

In all the competitions that can be named, as long as the name "Kobayashi Aotori" was a participant, there was only one result -

Victory.

He had never tasted the bitterness of failure in an official match.

So, in the high-difficulty, seemingly bad plays that puzzled many, deliberately giving points, choosing to let go of balls that could be saved, it wasn't just because Kobayashi Aotori had a bad personality.

—It was also because he had never tasted the bitterness of defeat.

Thus, he became more and more reckless, his high-intensity training and inhuman talent were barely supporting his playful attitude in official matches.

It could be said that Kobayashi Aotori's tendency to prioritize targeting the opponent's libero—the player with the highest receiving ability—in matches was simply due to his exceptional diligence and talent.

If Kobayashi Aotori's competitive career hadn't been so smooth, perhaps he wouldn't boldly challenge the opponent's libero on the court, wouldn't give up points in a deliberately insulting manner when scoring continuously with serves became boring, and wouldn't attack the opponent's mindset while others were desperately seeking victory.

Tendou Satori dried his hair and sat on the soft bed, swinging his long legs.

Coach Washijo was slightly wrong today.

Kobayashi Aotori's psychological warfare and rule-bending behavior are unlike Daishou Suguru, who employs these tactics strategically to secure a win.

He was just playing.

Ever since Tendou Satori accidentally overheard Kobayashi Aotori referring to playing volleyball as "playing" in Shiratorizawa, the mystery that had long troubled him was finally solved.

Yes, he was just playing.

Because, in his eyes, victory was the simplest thing, and the only thing he needed to consider was how to make the already decided match more "interesting."

He tilted his head, looking at the silhouette of the somber and gloomy young man on the balcony, suddenly pulling the corner of his mouth.

Speaking of which, we should thank Inarizaki for their sudden effort today, allowing us to see a side of Kobayashi Aotori that he had never shown before.

Every serve was unpredictable, meticulously calculated. No longer were they familiar borderline balls, nor were they only targeting the opponent's libero, but instead, choosing a way that was easier to score but more strenuous.

And always watching from the sidelines, leaving the blocking entirely to him and Goshiki, today he individually blocked the opponent's main attacker's spikes, truly showing a blocking method he had never seen before.

Though lacking in technique, the simple and neat movements came easily to Kobayashi Aotori's, who easily blocked the opponent's ball with principles that everyone understood.

No wonder Kobayashi Aotori chose to become a middle blocker, considering his strong blocking skills.

...But honestly, seeing Kobayashi Aotori dive to save the ball for the first time was quite a shock.

Usually, Kobayashi Aotori would give up such a ball, considering it a pointless save even if successful, but in today's match, he saved it.

Thinking about this, Tendou Satori curled the corner of his lips, revealing his distinctive playful smile.

Well... and he has a feeling that from now on, Kobayashi Aotori will always choose to save such balls.

How much potential can a serious Kobayashi Aotori unleash?

On the most superficial level, at least in today's match, everyone felt a lighter atmosphere despite the extra rounds. They understood that having the chance for extra rounds was thanks to—

Kobayashi Aotori's presence.

Ah, if this continues, tomorrow's match feels like it's going to be super enjoyable.

—Being teammates with the reliable Aotori-chan is really great~

So, Tendou Satori, who was completely wrong from the beginning, followed this line of thought and created a whole, reasonable, and quite complete character profile for Kobayashi Aotori.

At this time, Kobayashi Aotori didn't know that his teammates were filled with confidence for tomorrow's inevitably challenging match because of his "change."

He was still worrying under the starry sky. But it wasn't the self-reflection on his match attitude that Tendou Satori initially thought.

He was just purely worried about tomorrow's match.

Tendou Satori believed that childhood experiences influenced Kobayashi Aotori's match style, not knowing that it wasn't even Kobayashi Aotori's childhood! Our childhoods are fundamentally different!

Moreover, the root of his match style was already mismatched. Not to mention the position, the role of middle blocker was proposed by Kawanishi Taichi himself, not knowing that Kobayashi Aotori didn't feel he deserved to stand on the same court with them!

Not to mention blocking, there was absolutely no technique involved, nor the master coach they assumed taught him since childhood. Even if there was coaching, it was with the original host, not him!

Today's Kobayashi Aotori was also deeply trapped in the vortex of misunderstandings with his teammates.

The misunderstanding had grown so large that even if he told the truth now—

No one would believe him.