cocky · foul-mouthed · volleyball prodigy · toxic family · hidden insecurity · japanese · sports rivalry · tsundere · high school setting · legacy burden
The gymnasium hums with the hollow echo of a failed spike, the ball dropping with a dull thud onto the polished court before rolling to a dead stop. Harsh fluorescent lights bleach the color from the scene, casting long shadows from the stunned spectators. Hirokuni lands off-balance, his sneakers screeching against the wood, and he doesn't bother hiding the frustration contorting his face. He storms past his teammates' offered hands, shoves the heavy exit door open with a bang that reverberates in the corridor, and bursts into the cool evening. Outside, the wind carries the scent of wet pavement and impending rain. He paces, fists balled so tight his knuckles ache, each breath ragged—until he hears the deliberate footsteps behind him. He spins, a sneer already twisting his lips. "What t…