"I'm heading out," Tetsuo Kuroo shouted towards the living room as he put on his shoes at the entrance.

"Are you going to look for Lanmo-kun?" Kuroo's grandma poked her head out and asked.

"Yeah," Tetsuo Kuroo replied, tied his shoelaces and stood up.

"Bring this cake box with you."

Kuroo's grandma handed the cake box to Tetsuo Kuroo and reminded him, "Be careful on the road and come home early."

"Got it." Tetsuo Kuroo took the cake box and left the house.

When he pushed open the door to Soliton Lapping's bedroom, he saw Soliton Lapping in his pajamas sitting on the bed playing games. His black hair was wet.

"Lanmo-kun." Tetsuo Kuroo sat on the swivel chair beside the bed with familiarity. "Don't you have homework today?"

"Little Black." Soliton Lapping did not even raise his head. "I'm done.

How's the volleyball team? "

"Not bad, but there aren't many people.

There are exactly six people in the second and third grades. "

Tetsuo Kuroo scratched his head. "Well, the seniors in the third grade seem more easy-going, but the second grade … as a junior, I shouldn't speak ill of the seniors."

"Oh.

Today, three first graders entered the volleyball team. Their skills are average. "Soliton Lapping said slowly.

"What about the new class? Do you know any classmates?"

"Not too many, they're all the same." Anyway, he did not want to have anything to do with them. It was not important whether he knew them or not.

"Speaking of which, I met a guy in the volleyball team who was out of my league."

Tetsuo Kuroo looked unhappy. "Not only was I beaten by his team in middle school, that guy didn't even like to eat fish!"

Most importantly!

That guy liked spicy curry and not sweet curry!

It was unforgivable!

"What's the connection between the two?" Soliton Lapping was a little speechless. "Besides, it must be Little Black who provoked them first."

Tetsuo Kuroo retorted angrily, "Of course not.

Anyway, I just feel annoyed whenever I see that guy. "

"That guy's hobbies are completely opposite to mine. How could we get along?!"

"Oh." Soliton Lapping gave a perfunctory reply.

Tetsuo Kuroo was speechless. Somehow, he felt that Grind was despising him more and more.

"By the way, Shōnen Sauce and I are deskmates again."

Tetsuo Kuroo persistently tried to find another topic to talk about, but after he said it, he suddenly felt a little strange.

"Yes, Shōnen Sauce has already told me," Soliton Lapping put down the game console and straightened his back, "We also made plans to have dinner together next Saturday."

Tetsuo Kuroo unconsciously cracked his index finger, "Why didn't I know … Is Grind thinking of quitting his job?"

"… Probably."

Soliton Lapping got out of bed and poured two glasses of water. He handed one to Tetsuo Kuroo and drank the other slowly, "Every time there's something about Shōnen Sauce, Little Black can't stay calm."

Tetsuo Kuroo paused in the middle of drinking water, "It's rare for Grind to say such provocative words."

Soliton Lapping sat back on the bed and played with the game console, "It's not a provocation."

"It's a provocation."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"…"

It was normal for him to lose his cool. After all, they were good friends who grew up together.

That night, Tetsuo Kuroo and Akihito Matsukaze were chatting on Line. When he saw Akihito Matsukaze's message, he asked if he was free to have dinner together next Saturday night.

Tetsuo Kuroo's gloomy mood immediately brightened up.

[Kuroo: I've asked Senpai. The volleyball team has training until six o 'clock on Saturday.

Grind should have finished at half past five, right?]

[Zhaoyan: It's okay. It's only half an hour.]

[Zhaoyan: I'll let you know when we've decided on a place for dinner. (Laughing)]

[Zhaoyan: [Happy emoji]]

[Kuroo: Thank you in advance for spending money.]

[Zhaoyan: Kuroo, it's very ungentlemanly to let a girl pay the bill.]

[Kuroo: I personally don't think there's a lady around who needs my gentlemanly behavior. (Laughing)]

[Zhaoyan: [Flipping table emoji]]

Tetsuo Kuroo could almost imagine Akihito Matsukaze's angry face. He couldn't help but smile.

He didn't realize at all that the expression on his face was so gentle and loving.

From Tetsuo Kuroo's perspective, the first year of high school was very peaceful and smooth. The courses weren't difficult and he could easily grasp them.

Although he didn't deliberately integrate into the class, he got along well with his classmates.

The volleyball team's training was also gradually on the right track. Although the atmosphere was a bit too cheerful and peaceful, at least the seniors didn't make things difficult for him. As for the volleyball team members of the same level …

When Tetsuo Kuroo was changing his clothes in the club room, he heard Yasuke Yaku complain. "Every day he yawns in between training. It must be because Kuroo is doing something strange every night."

The fair-skinned and delicate looking Yejiu Weifu, who looked a little shy, was a free man with outstanding ability. At the same time, he was also the person involved in Tetsuo Kurobi's "Overboard Mismatch".

"If you think this way, it means that you, Yaku, are the one doing strange things." Tetsuo Kuroo laughed.

"You perverted uncle who likes to eat sweet curry."

"Why can't you control your lack of docosahexaenoic acid?"

Yasuke Yaku: "Would it kill you to say DHA directly?"

Tetsuo Kuroo pretended to be surprised: "Oh, you finally know this common sense."

Common sense your head, Yasuke Yaku gritted his teeth.

Ever since Tetsuo Kuroo first mocked him with "lack of docosahexaenoic acid", he went to look up this thing – "a kind of unsaturated fatty acid. Sardines, blue and white fish are rich in this kind of unsaturated fatty acid, which has the effect of enhancing brain function."

Tetsuo Kuroo, this bastard, actually beat around the bush to say that his brain is not good!

"Okay, okay, quickly change your clothes, we have to go to the stadium early." Hisense, who looked honest and simple, quickly smoothed things over.

Tetsuo Kuroo and Yasuke Yaku glared at each other fiercely, took the volleyball shoes and left the club room with Hisense.

"According to the rules of the past years, the newcomers talk about their goals."

Takahashi, the head of the volleyball club, flipped through the training schedule. "By the way, our team's goal this year is the top eight in the Tokyo Tournament."

"In order." Takahashi flicked the training schedule again.

"Dominate the country!"

"Dominate the country!"

Tetsuo Kuroo and Yasuke Yaku blurted out.

Hisense smiled slightly. "My goal is the same as theirs."

The two, who had been at odds with each other, looked at each other. This guy still has some redeeming qualities.

Generally speaking, life in the club was quite smooth.

"Shōnen Sauce," Tetsuo Kuroo sighed. "If you don't make friends, be careful not to be ostracized."

Akihito Matsukaze tilted her head, seemingly puzzled.

"Sometimes, Shōnen Sauce is more worrying than Grind."

Akihito Matsukaze closed her book. "It's only been a week since school started, there's no hurry.

Besides, the friendship between girls and boys is different. "

Although she didn't interact much with the girls in class, she could still talk to the girls sitting in front and behind her. In the PE class, there were also girls who wanted to team up with her.

To be precise, it wasn't that others didn't want to pull her into the circle, but that she didn't want to be in a group.

However, Akihito Matsukaze didn't intend to explain.

Tetsuo Kuroo lay on the desk with his eyes half-closed. He looked a little lazy, but his tone was very serious. "I don't understand the friendship between girls.

But … if she was really bullied, then Shōnen Sauce is too weak. "

Akihito Matsukaze: "Kuroo is thinking too much."

Tetsuo Kuroo yawned and was a little sleepy.

He had been sleeping early recently, but he often dreamed at night and couldn't sleep well.

When he woke up, he couldn't remember what he dreamed of, which undoubtedly increased his sleepiness during the day.

In his half-asleep state, Tetsuo Kuroo heard Akihito Matsukaze's question. "Kuroo, could it be that a girl told you that she was bullied by other girls?"

Her sweet and soft voice was as soft as the spring wind. Tetsuo Kuroo couldn't explain what he was feeling.

He was a little more awake. "Yes, when I was in middle school." As he spoke, he yawned again.

"Then … how did Kuroo reply to her?" Akihito Matsukaze asked with interest.

"I told her that I was going home and that I didn't plan to go to the teacher's office."

Akihito Matsukaze: "… I don't know why, but I suddenly feel that the girl is a little pitiful."

Tetsuo Kuroo closed his eyes again. "At the time, I was the class monitor. Didn't she tell me this because she wanted me to pass on the message to the teacher?"

He muttered, "Well, if Shōnen Sauce told me that she was being bullied, I would probably do something about it."

Akihito Matsukaze: "…" So, you really don't understand, or are you doing it on purpose?

By the way, after the "Dominating the Country" incident, Tetsuo Kuroo sent a message to Soliton Lapping:

[Little Black: That annoying guy is finally more pleasing to the eye!

After all, he also wants to dominate the country!]

Soliton Lapping: "…" He really couldn't understand Little Black's hot-bloodedness and brain circuits.

The day of the gathering soon arrived. The meeting place was a sushi restaurant located in a business district in Tokyo.

Tetsuo Kuroo remembered that this restaurant once appeared on a morning food recommendation program on TV. It was said that all kinds of dishes were delicious.

Opening the wooden door, Tetsuo Kuroo discovered that the interior of the restaurant was designed in a traditional Japanese style. It was very simple and elegant.

Potted plants were embellished in the middle of the restaurant, exuding the vitality of spring.

The windows were pushed open from the bottom and held up with window brackets.

Looking out of the window from the entrance, the first thing that came into view was the crimson clouds under the afterglow of the setting sun.

"Welcome!"

Tetsuo Kuroo was led to the second floor by the waiter. He quickly found Akihito Matsukaze and Soliton Lapping sitting in front of the window booth, their heads leaning against each other as they played online games.

"Little Black/Kuroo." The two raised their heads and glanced at Tetsuo Kuroo before immediately returning their attention to the game interface.

"Sorry, today's work was delayed by half an hour."

Tetsuo Kuroo took off his shoes and sat cross-legged on the cushion. He wiped his face and hands with the hot towel that the waiter brought over and exhaled comfortably.

It was almost half past six in the evening, and the last traces of the setting sun disappeared. Night fell, and occasionally, a cool breeze blew into the booth through the open window.

To put it in a slightly artistic way, it was a sleepy and peaceful spring night.

Akihito Matsukaze controlled the game character and asked, "Are they preparing for the IH Qualifiers?"

"Yes, this is the last time the third years will participate in the IH Qualifiers.

After this competition, they will retire. "Tetsuo Kuroo rested his chin on his hand and muttered," I really hope the seniors can achieve their goals. "

"Will Little Black be the starter?" Soliton Lapping put down the game console and asked casually.

"No, he's a substitute." Tetsuo Kuroo shrugged, "If I'm the starter, the seniors in the second years won't be happy."

"You're dissatisfied with the seniors in the second years, Kuroo." Akihito Matsukaze put down the game console and checked the menu while complaining.

"How is that possible? I have a lot of respect for the seniors." Tetsuo Kuroo had an innocent look on his face.

Soliton Lapping took the menu from Akihito Matsukaze, "Isn't Little Black bored playing volleyball all the time?"

Tetsuo Kuroo asked back, "Grinding and playing games all the time. Isn't that boring?"

"It's not boring." Soliton Lapping checked a few items and handed the menu to Tetsuo Kuroo.

"I thought Shōnen Sauce would continue playing volleyball in high school."

Soliton Lapping put away the game console and reached out to hold the ceramic teacup. She still lowered her head slightly out of habit, "After all, Shōnen Sauce was very active on the volleyball court in middle school."

When this sentence came out of Grinding's mouth … Akihito Matsukaze blinked in surprise. Her expression was a little subtle.

Soliton Lapping glanced sideways at Akihito Matsukaze, and her eyes quickly wandered to the teacup.

… To some extent, this was probably Grinding's worry.

Akihito Matsukaze thought.

"Well, at that time, I was dragged into the volleyball club by a friend.

At that time, Shiratorozawa's women's volleyball club was very weak. They couldn't even afford to pay for the air conditioning in the gymnasium. So, I made a promise with my friend to make the volleyball club stronger. "

She rested her chin on her hand, and a look of reminiscence appeared on her face. Her pitch-black pupils seemed to be flowing under the soft yellow light, "At first, we went through a very difficult period. Then, it slowly got better.

Originally, if we were directly promoted to the higher school together, we should still continue to play volleyball.

But now I'm in Otokumo, and she's in Shiratorozawa. It doesn't matter if we don't play volleyball. "

"Shiratorozawa." Tetsuo Kuroo sighed, "That's really a rich school."

Akihito Matsukaze nodded, "Shiratorozawa is indeed very strong."

Tetsuo Kuroo expressed his understanding, and turned to look at Grinding, "Grinding, you must continue to play volleyball in high school. Let's dominate the country together!

You can't be as willful as Shōnen Sauce. "

Akihito Matsukaze muttered half coquettishly and half grumpily, "Why do you always say that I'm willful? Kuroo is so annoying …"

Tetsuo Kuroo raised his eyebrows and was about to say something when Soliton Lapping spoke unhurriedly.

"…?

G？

Playing volleyball is very tiring. "

Soliton Lapping's light brown cat eyes seemed to be a little aggrieved, "And it's only the third year of junior high school. Little Black, you're thinking too far ahead. You're just like an uncle in a relative's house."

Tetsuo Kuroo snorted, "That's because Grinding is too worrisome."

Soliton Lapping did not respond.

Akihito Matsukaze could not help but laugh, "If Grinding doesn't play volleyball in high school, Kuroo will probably be very troubled. Grinding will satisfy his wish a little."

"I know.

I didn't say that I won't play. "Soliton Lapping sighed," Little Black's brain circuit is really confusing sometimes. "

Akihito Matsukaze suddenly thought of the legendary young girl who once cried to Kuroo and immediately agreed with Soliton Lapping's words, "Grinding is right, Kuroo's brain is probably used on volleyball."

Tetsuo Kuroo, "… That's enough."

When Zhaoyan and Grinding were together, he could not do anything to them.

As the dishes were gradually served, Akihito Matsukaze seemed to have suddenly thought of something and moved the two kraft paper bags that were originally placed on the wooden board in front of Tetsuo Kuroo and Soliton Lapping, "Oh right, remember to bring these back."

The two teenagers' names were written on the kraft paper bags, and the sweet aroma of food faintly wafted out of the bags.

"Thank you." Tetsuo Kuroo and Soliton Lapping opened the bags to take a look, and a trace of surprise appeared on their faces.

The small transparent bags contained delicately shaped biscuits, gingerbread, and butterfly pastries, and the opening of the bags was tightly tied with beautiful yellow bows.

There were about twenty bags and five paper boxes. He didn't know what was in them.

Soliton Lapping smelled a familiar aroma, "Apple pie …"

"Yes, yes, there's also scone biscuits and puffs."

Akihito Matsukaze smiled, "I've adjusted the sweetness according to your taste, don't take the wrong ones."

Tetsuo Kuroo carefully put the bags aside, "Got it, we're not primary school students."

"Thank you." Soliton Lapping thanked again.

When it was time to settle the bill, it was not Akihito Matsukaze like Tetsuo Kuroo had said on LINE, but the three of them shared the bill equally.

Tetsuo Kuroo put away his wallet and said, "If Shōnen Sauce feels bad, I have a way."

Akihito Matsukaze, "I'm not listening, I don't have a way."

Tetsuo Kuroo, "…"