Haikyuu: Reborn in Karasuno

Clenching his fist, Hayato extended his arm and gently touched Tsukishima's chest.

"The flame in your heart isn't out. It might be small—so small you don't even notice it yourself—but one day, it'll burn brightly again. Maybe after a big win, maybe after a perfect play, or maybe the moment you block a spike you thought you couldn't. That's when you'll remember why you chose volleyball."

Tsukishima didn't respond immediately. His tone was calm, but a trace of doubt lingered.

"...And what if that moment never comes?"

"That's why we keep pushing," Hayato replied. "Everyone's working hard so we can go further—to reach Nationals. Until you find that moment, your teammates and your seniors will help buy you time."

Unbeknownst to them, the clouds above had slowly shifted, revealing the full moon casting its glow over the campus.

"Thanks, Kuroha-senpai."

Tsukishima gave a small bow and quietly walked off.

Watching his back fade into the shadows, Hayato scratched his head and let out a breath.

"Such a smart kid… but he overthinks everything."

He knew how it felt—how effort and talent always clashed in competitive sports. He had seen prodigies skyrocket with ease, and he'd seen hard workers fall short no matter how much time they put in. Tsukishima had both brains and height, yet still shackled himself. Would tonight change anything?

At the cafeteria, most of the teams were still finishing dinner. Tsukishima was nowhere to be found.

Hayato took a deep breath as Kiyoko handed him a steaming plate of chicken curry rice.

"Smells amazing. You really do need meat after a workout."

Kiyoko tilted her head.

"Something wrong? You seem off."

Caught, Hayato gave a sheepish smile.

"Kiyoko-nee always sees through me, huh? Something did happen… I'll tell you after I eat."

With a loud stomach growl and a line of players behind him, the timing wasn't ideal.

Sitting alone, he dug into the meal. At the next table, players were debating which manager was the prettiest—some voted for Fukurodani's, others for Seikawa's. No one mentioned Karasuno. A bit disappointing, but also… a relief.

He polished off the plate, wiped his mouth, and returned to Karasuno's empty classroom. Like past camps, they were all sleeping in spare classrooms on futons. He shot a quick message to Kiyoko, and after agreeing to meet, went to wash his face.

She arrived five minutes later.

"Sorry I'm late, I was helping clean up."

"It's fine. You worked hard, Kiyoko-nee."

Leaning against the wall, Hayato smiled up at her. She returned it—a rare smile only a few ever got to see.

"So what happened? Training went well today. Did something happen with Tsukishima-kun?"

Hayato told her everything. Kiyoko listened quietly, falling into thoughtful silence after.

"Coach Ukai once said something to Takeda-sensei… that Tsukishima gives off this vibe like he's always thinking, 'Doing the bare minimum is enough. Anything more is a waste.' We're not asking him to be a Hinata or a Nishinoya… but if he keeps being outpaced, he might lose his starting spot."

It was true. Everyone in Karasuno was improving fast. Those who couldn't keep up would be benched—it was the harsh reality of competitive clubs. Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita weren't weak, just edged out. That's how limited starter positions were.

Hayato exhaled.

"Sometimes I wonder… am I pushing too much? When Tsukishima said I was meddling in things he didn't want to share, I really questioned myself."

He let out a dry laugh, recalling how Tsukishima turned his own argument back at him.

"Maybe I overstep. I did the same with Hinata and Kageyama. It turned out okay… but was I forcing my will on them?"

Without a word, Kiyoko reached out and gently ruffled his hair.

Standing on tiptoe, she met his gaze.

"People influence each other just by existing. Didn't Tsukishima thank you in the end? So no, you weren't wrong."

She looked up at the moon, her voice softening.

"This is my last year at Karasuno. Once Spring High ends, we third-years graduate. None of the third-years have said it outright, but Hayato… we're all really glad you joined us."

"You can tell in how they've stepped up their training. They want Nationals more than ever."

She turned to him again.

"So… I'm really happy I got to meet you again. Both because we reunited, and because I never imagined your volleyball skills would be this incredible."

Hayato opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"And you're wrong—captains should meddle."

He blinked.

"...Captain?"

"Why are you acting so surprised? Hinata and Kageyama basically worship you. Yamaguchi trusts you completely. Tsukishima listens to you, even if he pretends not to. You bond naturally with everyone, and you guide them without even realizing it."

Kiyoko smiled.

"We talked about it today—Coach Ukai, Takeda-sensei, the third-years… and everyone agreed: you're the one. You've already been leading us without the title. You just didn't know it yet."

Hayato paused, then chuckled.

"You're making it sound like I was born for the job."

"You kind of were."

He recalled everything over the past year—the drills, the guidance, the late-night pep talks. He had acted like a captain without meaning to.

"Well then… if everyone believes in me, I'll accept it."

He looked up at the moon, hand outstretched.

"This is a captain's duty."

Kiyoko giggled.

"That's the spirit. Now it won't count as meddling—just responsibility."

They walked back together, chatting quietly. At the classroom hallway, Kiyoko waved goodbye and returned to the manager's room to sort notes.

But just as Hayato turned the corner—

"Oi."

He found himself flanked.

Tanaka had him in a headlock. Nishinoya jabbed a knuckle into his ribs.

"Sneaking off alone with Kiyoko-san again? Got guts, Kuroha!"

"We leave you for five minutes, and you're already off on a moonlit date?!"

Laughing helplessly, Hayato surrendered to their playful roughhousing, thinking:

Yeah… this team is in good hands.

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POWER STONE!!!

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