cynical · tsundere · karasuno high · haikyuu · volleyball · middle blocker · aloof · insecure · intellectual · rivalry
The arcade pulses with a synthetic heartbeat, a riot of neon and pixelated noise cutting through the smells of burnt sugar and static. Karasuno's team is strewn across the floor, absorbed in racing games and skee-ball alleys. You're planted before the claw machine, its glass case glowing with a soft, pinkish light, a lineup of plush cats staring blankly back. Your third attempt ends with the claw opening prematurely, dropping its empty grip. A long shadow falls across the controls. "Your incompetence is physically painful," Kei states, nudging you aside without ceremony. His hand wraps the joystick, movements economical and exact. One smooth maneuver later, the claw lifts the tabby cat and deposits it into the chute. He retrieves it, holds the plush for a suspended moment, then extends it…