Nekoma vs Karasuno.

"Hey Ukai," I spoke up, keeping my eyes on the game. I felt him glance at me from the corner of his eye. "Did you see Shoyo's expression?"

"Expression?" he asked, confused.

"When Lev blocked him just now... His expression seemed like the one from when Seijoh blocked him," I said, watching as Hinata competitively stared at him. "Things are going to change in Shoyo. I wonder if it will be good for the team or cause a rift."

Kageyama jumped, setting the ball to Asahi. Lev jumped after him, the ball hitting his palm. "I tou... One touch!" Lev shouted.

"For a second there, I really thought he'd been taken in by Hinata too! Even though he was a step behind he still got high enough to block it!" Suga said amazed, yet his expression was full of exasperation,

"Free ball!" "Take that!"

"Huahh! We got hit with a counter!"

"You'll get the next one!" "Dammit!"

"Should we call a timeout?" Takeda asked and I looked over to Ukai who nodded.

The boys surrounded us as Ukai spoke. "Keep your cool. They've been on high alert for that quick strike since the beginning, so it's understandable. For now, use Azumane and Tanaka on the left as the pivot of attack against Nekoma."

"Got it." "Osu!" "Hell yeah!"

Ukai grit his teeth. 'Is this really alright? Ain't I just bein' weak-kneed about this.'

'Do you think they'll evolve by playing it safe Kenshin?' Coach Nekomata thought to himself. 'If you keep doing that, then the monster next to you will stray from the path and continue to walk on her own.'

'Oh man... what is this... Nekoma... Lev... They're really strong teams... So strong. We've gotta get stronger, or we won't be able to beat them.'

I narrowed my eyes at Hinata who was smiling, his fist clenching his shirt. 'His aura... it's changing?'

"Nice serve!" "Cover it!"

"Sorry it's a bit short!" Daichi shouted

"Asahi!" "Last hit Asahi!"

"Huh?" I blurted out, eyes wide as I watched both Hinata and Asahi jump for the ball. The two bumped into each other and Hinata fell to the ground. 'Hinata didn't seem to notice him?'

"A-ARE YOU O-OKAY!?" Asahi asked, worried.

"I-I'm sorry! I was only looking at the ball and...! Sorry! Did you get hurt?!" Hinata rambled.

"I'm just fine." "Hinata you alright?"

"Hinata dumbass!" "I'm okayyy."

"C'mon be more careful," Tanaka laughed.

"I mean you're the one that's going to get knocked out, you know," Noya jabbed and Hinata apologized again.

"Dumbass! Dumbass Hinata!" Kageyama shouted.

"Pay close attention to things around you dumbass! Why the hell do you think we call stuff out all the time, dammit!" Ukai yelled, an irk mark on his face as he pointed at Hinata. 'It was definitely unconsciously, but just now Hinata seemed as if he were trying to steal away the toss sent to the ace.'

'So it's time for the baby crow to grow up, huh...? Will that bode well or ill for the team? Still those who don't seek to change won't evolve. If that is what you're searching for, then whether you're a star on the court, or a hero, or an ace who propels your team to victory... You could say that that avid pursuit is what places you at the very top.'

"He's changing..." I mumbled under my breath. "He's going to-"

"Hey Kageyama. About the "Gyun!" quick strike... I'm going to stop closing my eyes."

"-evolve into something stronger." 'Desire will bring about the chick's evolution.'

Kageyama glowered. "Come again?" he asked, threateningly.

Hinata gulped. "Urk.. It's no good the way things are now. I can't have you enabling me to hit that quick."

"We do it this way because you couldn't on your own. You remember what happened with the normal quick strike," Kageyama said. "I don;t know what's on your mind, but I'll listen to it later. However, if you're saying you'll start immediately, I'll tell you now, I have no intention of tossing to someone who I know will miss."

"Am I imagining it, or have things started to... become strained between Hinata and Kageyama-kun..." Yachi asked both Kiyoko and I.

"They have," Kiyoko muttered. "But it's not just Hinata and Kageyama. Since that collision between Hinata and Azumane... Everyone's tensions have been running high..."

"You know..." I started, my lips pursing as I looked at the boys. "This reminds me of my old team, the one I was an assistant coach for at Teiko."

"The basketball team?" Yachi mumbled and I nodded.

"The team was strong, individually and when they came together... But as they got stronger and evolved more beyond expectations... Their teamwork became strained, so much so that they couldn't trust each other anymore." 'They couldn't even trust Tetsu, they'd just go off on their own.' "I wouldn't like to see a broken and tension high team again. If Karasuno's teamwork became just like theirs... Then they would be on one court, divided."

"It's no good the way things are now."

Daichi smirked. 'Hinata really hit home with something that had been gnawing at the back of our minds.'

'That time... I felt a vague sort of fear. At this rate I'll be swallowed up by Hinata's earnest thirst for growth.'

"It seems there's a shift in your players' attitudes going on?" Nekomata said, whistling as he walked away from Ukai and I.

"You guys are certainly the weakest team here, huh?"

I spluttered, whipping my head around to see Takeda-sensei smiling at the boys innocently. I covered my mouth, shoulders shaking. 'I certainly wanted to say that to them, but to think Takeda-sensei would beat me to it! Hah! They look so annoyed, but it's true so they can't deny it.'

"Every team you've faced in an official match has been an incredibly troublesome opponent. Whether you see them as a mere enemy or as specialists whose techniques you should learn from, you guys being weak means you have room to grow. And there's no greater joy than that," Takeda lectured and I felt a sting in my heart.

"Just now you were as supportive as a teacher! Thanks!" Ukai held a thumbs up.

"Er... I am a teacher though...!"

"Nice serve!" The boys looked away, watching the Shinzen and Ubugawa High game. As they were distracted, I walked up to Takeda and tapped his shoulder.

He smiled, looking at me. "Do you need something (Y/N)?"

"Yeah, um..." I awkwardly shifted, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand. "When you said that... being weak means you have room to grow... What about those who are strong?"

"Huh?"

"Do those who are already stronger than the strong... Do they also have room to grow and change?" I asked, my voice quiet. I felt nervous, I wondered how he would respond. 'Will he give the same answer like him...?

Takeda hummed. "Those who are already stronger than the strong, of course they have room to grow."

My eyes widened. "Heh?"

"There is no limit to how strong one can get. Whether it be improving the basics, changing a move, trying something new, creating something... There is always room to grow in change in humans." He smiled, his hand gentling holding my shoulder. "That's why, you should keep striving forward (Y/N), there is always someone improving and someone out there that is stronger than you. The only way to catch up is to keep training to get stronger."

I stood there, standing in silence and shock. The hands at my side clenched into fists as I looked down at the ground, my hair covering my eyes.

"Can those who are stronger than strong grow even more?" He laughed, shaking his hand in the air in a dismissive manner. My heart seemed to sink at his answer. "That's impossible. They are already strong enough, what is there to improve? They'll just keep playing better than everyone without having to do much. What point would there be for them to get stronger?"

'Why... Why didn't I have a teacher like you back then... If I only did... then... maybe everything would be different... Not only for me, but for the rest of us as well...'

"(Y/N) is something wrong?" he asked and I looked up, giving him a closed eyed smile.

"Nope... Nothing is wrong at all," I replied, holding ym facade. But I'm pretty sure we both noticed... Noticed that my voice had wavered and my nails were digging deeply into my skin. Blood dripping in lies.

"Umm..." I looked behind and saw Suga sheepishly smiling at me. "(Y/N), do you mind coming with us?" 'Us?' Behind him was Hinata and Kageyama. My jaw clenched as I internally frowned. 'This is not going to end up well...'

"-Still there's no harm in trying, right?? I mean the last time we played Nekoma, he even managed a full blown normal quick... Just barely though," Suga said, his arms in the air as he frantically looked between the two. We stood between them just in case.

"At the time there was a likelihood of the normal quick succeeding, so I don't think that can be considered a breakthrough," Kageyama replied.

Hinata frowned. "In the last play against Seijoh, I didn't realize it until we already lost. When I did, the ball was already behind me and falling to the floor. I hated the fact that you apologized to me, when I was the one who lost it for us."

'I knew it would weigh on his mind... Dammit Ukai! I told you this yet you ignored me and my warning!'

"I want to fight on my own in the air, down to the very last second!" Hinata declared and I felt a bit of pride as I watched him wanting to take the first step to change.

"...In the match with Seijoh, I started to understand that the setter is the one who draws out 100% of the spikers' power. That quick strike is your greatest weapon. So, where that quick is concerned... A slight gap becomes a fatal one. There is no need for you to think on your own in that quick strike," Kageyama retorted, moving to walk away.

'...Kageyama isn't emotionally negating what was said, like in one of their usual quarrels... He's stating an objective truth... Kageyama's been the one shouldering all the technical aspects of that quick strike. Basically, he's saying that a problem will arise between the technical aspect and Hinata acting independently.'

'Hinata also has a say in that quick strike... If he wants to improve it then you should give him a chance...' I bit my lip, crossing my arms as I leaned against the wall. 'Koshi-senpai, say something...'

"Sorry Hinata. Now that I've... heard Kageyama's viewpoint, I think he's right this time. That quick strike is amazing enough already. I think it would be best to refine other attacks centered around it," Suga said and my jaw dropped, my arms falling to my side.

'What the hell? Oi?! Koshi-senpai what the hell are you saying... Are you really just going to let that happen? Are you trying to cut off the plug to Shoyo's growth?!'

"Looks like the Ubugawa vs. Shinzen match is over. The next set's starting."

"Yeah, I agree with Sugawara on this one. Even if you say "I want to fight on my own", the oddball quick strike is a mere moment's battle. Frankly I think it'd be hard to do something like that in such a small window," Ukai said and my foot started to tap against the ground. I was told it was a habit of mine, something I did when I was angry.

"...But when I'm in good form, I can see everything as if in slow motion. Like what Tanaka-san described."

Ukai rubbed his head. "Well there are times you can see the block more clearly than normal."

"During the final point in the practice match with Seijoh, I could see the Gra... Oikawa-san's face. I could see his eyes."

'Face? Eyes?' "That's... What it seemed like you mean?"

"And the first time we scored with a quick in the 3-on-3 match, I could see the other side of the net. I could see everything spread out beneath me from the highest point. Tsukishima was coming from the right, his hand just about to reach, and the captain trying to move to get the receive."

'Oi oi... This is... he can see that too?' I bit the inside of my cheek thinking. 'Eagle Eyes? No... I don't think so, Shoyo doesn't seem to have a skill like that... But if he can see the entire court, everything in slow motion like I do then... He has a lot of potential and it would be a waste for him not to grow.'

"...Like I said, you're talking about what it seemed like-" 'Tch this is annoying! Just listen to him!' "Aren't you-"

I punched the wall making everyone's attention focus on me and Ukai stop talking. (Y-Y/N)? Hey! You're hand!"

"Oi, you guys are pissing me off," I spoke up for the first time in the conversation. I felt frustrated. 'How dare they decide that... They're just thinking for themselves and the team, not about how Hinata feels.' "Shoyo has a say in this. Keeping the weird quick the same... I told you already, Ukai, that it's not an unbeatable weapon, we can't revolve the team attack around it! It will end up just like Seijoh and Nekoma again! If they were able to stop it, who knows who else can. If you guys don't want to change then that's completely fine to me, but I won't let you guys hinder Shoyo's evolution because you're afraid to step outside the box. I can rant and argue all day about this but..."

"The freak quick... it can become better. You saw Tobio and I do it before. It was stronger, faster - my eyes were opened. If I can do that then Shoyo can do. You're acting like it's impossible, like there is a limit to how much they can do. There are many people out there in the world of sports. The freak quick... someone else might be able to do it as well, people other than Shoyo, Tobio, and I. They can be able to do it too, whether it be better or worse than the original. So don't just go and shove off Shoyo's feelings and what he wants to do to improve."

Frowning, I glared at the three. Their eyes widened and I could only guess it was because of my change in expression. After all, they've only ever seen the fake side of me that was always smiling and chill. I was letting my frustration and feelings out. "I don't think Shoyo will evolve to my level, the GOM level, but with his thirst for growth... He might leave everyone behind if they don't strive for it at all. We came to this camp to change and get stronger, yet it seems like Shoyo is the only one willing to do that. To take the first step and start walking towards his transformation."

I then walked away from the gym, not even looking over my shoulder to see their expressions, I gripped my hand, seeing it start to change color. "Those who strive for change... for evolution shall get stronger... and they will leave the rest behind in their dust."

I stopped, sending them one last glare over my shoulder, opening my mouth to finish the conversation.

"(Y/N) do you know that..."

"Those who do not aim to move forward will stand still in the road as the others pass ahead of them. People like that are not interesting at all, they don't deserve to be on the court."

"The weak watch as the strong stand on the court."

A/N : heyyyy it's been 2 weeks... Ik I said I'd be updating weekly again but the moment I said I wasn't busy...

School : 5 projects, 2 essays, 1 packet, 1 book to read, final exams for some classes

Me : FUCK!

Sorry about that and not giving u a 2 chap update. I  still am busy since I'm still working on that school. I'll try to update once a week now if I can.

Anyways, shit is gonna get deep in the next few chaps. Ik (Y/N) seems like a hypocrite with how she said there are people stronger out there yet she ran away from sports --> I can get if it ur frustrated with how she acts but worry not! Her past shall get revealed after like 2 or 3 chaps. I have some bullet points on how I want the chaps to go, so I need to write those in my free time. Also... we gonna get to see a GOM member coming up soon in one of those 2-3 chaps ;)

Have a good one. And to those who are taking APs, good luck.