The Beginning
That morning, when I woke up to my mother calling me for breakfast, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my volleyball. Today was my first day at Karasuno High School, and I was determined to make it count.
"Amamaro! Hurry up! You'll be late."
"Sorry Mom!" I gave her a smile, grabbing the pancakes she held out to me. "See you after school!"
"Bye Maro!" My little sister called with a smile.
"Bye Lissya!" I waved and ran out the door, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
When I arrived, I went straight to the gym we would be working in. "Sho! I didn't know you'd be here!"
"Maro? Hey!" He turned away from the black haired kid he was glaring at to smile at me. I ran up to him and gave him a hug. "Ah! Y-You're squishing me!"
"Oops. Sorry little guy." I put him down and turned to the other guy. "Amamaro Nirada." I held out my hand to him, and he nodded, taking it.
"Tobio Kageyama."
"Nice to meet you Kageyama. Oh and Sho? Why were you glaring at him?"
"Remember the King of the Court? The one who beat us in middle school?"
"You swore you'd win against him in high school right?"
"Well this is him."
"I see."
"Wait," Kageyama stared at me. "Aren't you the guy whose eyes stayed closed the whole match?"
"Mhm." I smiled. "I've got good hearing, so I rely on that instead of my crappy eyesight."
"Huh. That's an odd playstyle." He watched me with curiosity.
"It is, but it works. You should see us working together on the court. Sho is able to somehow get the ball to me, don't ask how with how shit he is at receives, but he can, and then I send it over."
"Show me." Kageyama demanded.
"Fine." I smirked and stepped onto the court. "Ready Sho?"
"Always!" I nodded and shut my eyes. I heard Kageyama serve the ball, and I carefully received, then stood still, waiting for the sound of Hinata hitting it up. When I heard it, I ran towards the net, at the approximate point he tosses it to every time, then swung, feeling the ball pass in front of my face.
I slammed the ball down, hearing it slam against the ground with a smile. As I dropped back to the ground, I opened my eyes and saw the vice principal shocked, his toupe on the floor and a red mark on his face.
"Oh no." I muttered, turning away. "That was bad."
"He has a toupe?" Shoyo snickered.
"Hey! You'll get me in more trouble."
"Sorry Maro."
Some taller upperclassman discussed something with the vice principal, and walked over to me, Shoyo and Kageyama. "Good news, he's not too angry. But he has sworn us to secrecy, and you three, should wait outside for a bit. Cool off."
"But we did nothing wrong." I muttered.
"Actually, you," the guy tapped my shoulder. "I want to talk to you."
"Huh? Uh, alright." I winced, hearing the other two start to shout at each other. "One moment." I went and smacked them both on the back of the head, then turned back to the other guy.
"Did you seriously just receive and spike with your eyes closed?"
"Yeah. Is that bad?"
"Not at all. I'm just confused. How could you do that?"
"I've got really good hearing." I shrugged. "So I use that."
"Interesting." He smiled. "Well, I'm Daichi Sawamura, captain of the Karasuno Volleyball Club, but feel free to call me Daichi."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Amamaro Nirada."
"Well, you should go out too. They're about to start fighting again."
"Sorry about Sho." I smiled then walked outside. Shoyo turned, and froze when he saw my calm glare. "Shoyo, Kageyama, stop fight now. Or else..."
Shoyo quickly turned to Kageyama. "Let's go!" Then they left.
"Wow." Daichi walked out to me. "You dissolved that fight rather fast."
"Eh. It was easy. Just a glare and Sho will do anything. Especially if I call him by his full name."
"I see. How long have you known him?"
"Ages." I smiled, leaning against the wall. "We've been friends since we were kids. So basically, I know how to gauge his moods better than most."
"Alright, then what're his thoughts on Kageyama?"
"Well, that boy hates him, but considers him to be almost as much of a rival as I am. He looks at Kageyama with the same awe-filled expression he's sent my way so many times throughout our life. I've gotta say, I might end up getting jealous." I chuckled. "Ah well. At least he's found another to look out. I'm getting tired of trying to make up new techniques to surprise him."
"I'm not sure I understand you two, but I can tell you care about him by that look on your face as you talk about him."
"Is it that obvious?"
"It is." Daichi smiled. "But it's not bad. Not in the slightest."
"I'm glad you think that. Well," I stood up fully. "Time for me to get to practicing."
The next day, I heard the two of them got into another fight, getting themselves banned from the gym until they learn to get along.
"I give them half an hour before they demand a match to prove themselves." I was practicing my serves, listening to them argue outside.
"I agree!" Some bald-headed guy said, sounding almost fierce.
"What's your name by the way?"
"Ryu Tanaka!"
"Amamaro Nirada." I paused my serves, looking him in the eyes.
"Why do you practice with your eyes closed Nirada?" Tanaka asked me, getting all up in my face.
"Because that's how he plays. Tanaka, get out of his face. You're scaring him."
"No he's not. Don't worry Daichi." I tossed the ball I was holding up, catching it easily.
"You must be one of the new members." Someone with gray haired smiled. "Welcome to the team. My name's Koshi Sugawara."
"Nice to meet you Sugawara-san." I held out my hand, and he took it. "Mine's Amamaro Nirada, and I look forward to being on this team with you."
"As do I." He smiled and started practicing as well.
"Mind helping me with my receives?" I called.
"Why not?" Sugawara smiled. We began, and I heard him gasp in shock when I perfectly received a ball with my eyes shut. "H-How'd you-?"
"I've got really good hearing. Hey, is anyone here a setter?"
"I am." Sugawara looked confused. "What do you need?"
"Set some for me. Try to get them a handbreadth above the net, and a little bit in front."
"Alright?" He looked confused. Tanaka helped us out by throwing a ball to Sugawara, who set it for me. I had already began running when he got the ball, and when I jumped and swung my arm, the ball was right there. I slammed it down, smiling at the sound it made.
"Yeah!" My eyes opened when I landed. "Just like that!"
"That- Your eyes were closed the whole time- H-How could you-?" Sugawara looked shocked. "Wait! I think I've seen you before. Weren't you teamed with that orange-haired kid in middle school? The one that jumps high?"
"Yeah." I smiled.
"I saw him set for you at one point, but I thought it was a fluke."
"It was since he actually managed to set it, but not on my part. That stuff's normal." Before I could say any more, I heard Shoyo and Kageyama knock on the door. "And there's the idiots." I smirked and opened the door. "What do you need?
"Please let us play a two-on-two against you guys!" They said it together, and I snorted. "Then you have to let us join!"
"Told you."
"If you lose...?" Daichi said, crossing his arms.
"Then you get to choose the penalty." Kageyama said.
"Huh. Here's an idea. We have two other first-years joining the club soon. You'll play against them in a three-on-three match. We do this game every year with our new club members to get an idea of how they play."
"But if it's gonna be three-on-three, then who's gonna be our third player?" Shoyo asked, looking confused.
"Well, Tanaka, you choose. Do you want to, or shall we have Nirada do it?"
"Nirada can. I want to see how he plays in a game."
"Thanks Tanaka." I gave him a small smile.
"Course."
"Now, here's the penalty if you lose. For the remainder of my time here at Karasuno, Kageyama cannot be the setter."
"Is that the only penalty we have?" Shoyo asked him.
"If the setter's aggressive, self-centered and driven by his own ego, the team can't win. I'm not saying I'll reject your application to join but I'm sure you'll be well-suited to a different position." Daichi said calmly as Kageyama grew more agitated.
"No way! I am a setter!" Kageyama shouted.
"Then win the game. You're the one who thought you could win without help, right?"
"Hey um, but what about me?" Shoyo asked the captain.
"We play on Saturday."
"Come on! I'm over here too you know!"
"See ya." Sugawara slammed the door in their faces.
"It's not smart to ignore Sho." I told Daichi.
"Eh. He'll be fine. I really do believe they'll learn to work together. Just let them work on some combinations, Karasuno will have the perfect team. It's gonna be fantastic."
