2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team (2.43 清陰高校男子バレー部)

Over to the left!

So close!

Miles away more like it.

Three blockers on the left again.

Got it!

Step back when receiving!

We could shut the PTA up by winning for once.

It's Sota's fault for not showing up.

I didn't do anything wrong.

Not a damn thing.

We're right in the middle of a match here.

The hospital? Are you sure it's Yoshino Sota?

They found him at home?

He tried to...?

Chika! Wait up!

Yuni.

So, you're moving to Tokyo?

We're not gonna see each other anymore!

Yeah. But I promise--

No matter what I'll never forget you, Yuni!

I promise, too! Don't worry!

I won't forget you, either!

I wish we could have stayed together forever.

Goodbye, Yuni.

Guess what I heard.

The transfer student's gonna be late.

I wonder if he's hot.

Please tell me he's hot.

Rest assured, he's average.

Maybe even below so.

Stop me if I'm wrong, but last time you saw him

was back in kindergarten, right?

There's no telling what he's gonna look like now.

Fine, then here's my best guess.

I'm sure he's still a four-eyed shrimp who sucks at sports.

What's with you?

Always pouting like a kid.

Is 'lil baby Kuroba grumpy?

Give it a rest!

What are you? My older sister?

Go annoy your own class.

Yeah, yeah. I was leaving anyway.

I'm wearing shorts underneath,

so there's no point trying to sneak a peek.

There're not even cute ones.

What're those made of, wool?

The school's heated.

Why even wear them?

Because, dork, they're stylish.

No point trying to explain the concept to you.

You know what never gets old?

All the different ways your cousin gives you crap.

Do me a favor and shut your mouth.

This transfer student--

they're like a childhood friend of yours?

Back from kindergarten.

That long? Reunited at last, huh?

Seriously? Please. He's just a dude.

To be honest, I was pretty excited.

What's Chika's problem?

The guy finished moving back during the winter break.

He didn't even stop by to see me once.

Chika!

Huh? Maybe he didn't recognize me?

This is Haijima Kimichika from Tokyo.

I understand his grandfather lives here,

and he resided in Suzumu

until he was in kindergarten and had to move away.

I'll ignore you.

-- Kuroba. --Huh? What?

Apparently, Haijima played volleyball

at his previous school and has decided to join our team.

Since he's a brand-new student here,

I trust you'll make sure

to show him around our school, won't you?

Speaking of which,

why don't you take a seat in front of Kuroba?

What position?

Huh?

Yeah? Well? You do play volleyball?

You're talking about my position on the team.

The truth is,

I don't really have like a designated spot or anything.

I'm not sure I understand.

You have a system to decide during matches?

You're gonna laugh,

but I've never played an actual match before

and our practices are kinda whenever.

Full disclosure, most of the guys on the team

just needed some sort of club to join.

Oh, right. Joining a club.

It's sort of required by the school,

but I guess you wouldn't have known that.

Hey, did your last school have some kind of

super outstanding volleyball team or something?

You're a waste of centimeters.

Wha...? A waste?

What's going on with him?

Chika? Wait. Kimichika?

Yeah, I remember that kid.

Good to know, because if you do, he must be real.

Not some figment of my imagination.

You didn't seriously think he was a ghost?

I swear, you're as stupid as ever.

If you're so smart, then tell me the reason he moved to Tokyo?

Or do you actually know?

'Cause of his mom dying and all.

I can still remember the geezer all dressed up

on the day of her funeral.

As for his pops, he was originally from Tokyo.

Kinda makes me wonder why

he ended up coming back to this place.

Man, like I know.

Ask him yourself.

If I could, do you think I'd be in this mess?

He's got this barrier around right now.

Hey, um, I'm not a waste of centimeters, am I?

I'm the wrong person to ask.

As a fellow pointlessly tall person, I can't be objective.

Still, you ain't got nothin' on my height.

Yeah?

No need to go and brag.

-- Here. -- You there, Yuni?

Auntie says it's time for dinner.

Get your butt home.

Hold on a sec.

How did Itoko know I was with you?

Seriously, you're such an idiot.

Why's that?

Hello, Kuroba.

Hey, Chika! I mean, Haijima.

Why're you out so late?

I had club.

As in, like, volleyball?

Practice was today.

Sure, but no one else was there.

No.

You practiced by yourself?

That's right.

Hey. This is Chika, huh?

You were a runt last time I saw you.

Dude's almost as tall as you, Yuni.

This is Yori. You've met before.

He's my cousin who used play shogi at Gramp's place.

I remember him. So what?

Just so you know, you're wasting your height and your life.

What's that supposed to mean?

You think you're going around

doin' something amazing with yours, huh?

Compared to you two, yeah.

What's his problem?

Height's not the only thing that's changed about him.

He acts the same way at school.

Guy's a loner.

Come on! Next up! Go!

That's a heckuva spike serve.

So awesome.

Hey, Transfer Student.

By yourself again, I see.

Don't know if you've noticed or not,

but we're kinda short on space 'cause of you.

Seeing how you don't have a team,

how 'bout practicing in a corner?

We need to use the whole gym.

Anything less, we're missing out.

And my sport requires half the gym.

There're more of you, so what?

If you don't have enough room to practice

then take it up with your advisor.

You just got here, and you act like you run the school.

Yo. Now there're two of us, so stop complaining.

Um, sorry for being late and stuff.

What's your deal?

Just sizing you up.

After you had the nerve to tell me

I was wastin' my life yesterday.

I figured why not stop by the gym

and see what you were doing with yours?

And in case you were wondering,

I didn't come here to help you out, okay?

It's not like you needed it.

Still, one up against 20 isn't an even match.

Not sure two against 20 will make that much

of a difference in the long run either.

Do you have any idea of how annoying you are?

For real though, is it any wonder

you don't have a single friend at school?

By the way, those spike serves earlier

were looking pretty awesome.

I need to get better, or I can't use them in matches.

Ah-ha, so that's why you were here working on your serves.

No, that's all I can do while practicing alone.

I don't have my tracksuit, but I suppose I could do some drills.

Besides, it's not like I made plans with Yori today.

Fair warning to you though, I'm still pretty sucky,

so I might not be much help.

You feel you're better off on your own, I'll go.

Cool?

What's with that look dude?

Hang on. I'll put in my contacts.