[August 31st, Aoba Johsai's Third Gymnasium]

  The members of Seijoh's volleyball team gathered together once again.

  Though school officially resumed the day, bringing the regur schedule of club activities back with it, nearly three weeks without training as a team had left the pyers eager to reunite on the court.

  After the usual warm-up drills, the team naturally split into familiar groups for practice.

  "Kindaichi, hasn't Taichi returned yet?" Oikawa Tōru asked listlessly, his ret days feeling excruciatingly dull.

  "I think he just got baiyagi st night. He's probably still jet-gged today…" Kindaichi Yūtarō replied sheepishly.

  pared to the uppercssmen, Kaedehara Taichi teo i more frequently with his same-year peer, Kindaichi.

  "Must be nice. I'd love to spend aire month pying around in Hawaii," Oikawa said, pouting slightly.

  "That's not it! Taichi said he was training every day over there!" Kindaichi hastily defended his friend.

  "Tut tut~! Kindaichi, you're too na?ve," Oikawa said with a spiratorial air. "I tell just by looking at Taichi—he's totally the type to lie. He just doesn't dare to sck off when I'm around as his senior."

  "Really? But Taichi doesn't seem like the type to shirk training…" Kindaichi scratched his head, puzzled.

  "Exactly! It's Hawaii! While we've beeing it out in this summer heat, Taichi robably lounging on golden beaches, basking in the sun! Afterwards, maybe he'd surf a little, enjoy some local cuisine, ahe day sipping drinks at a beachside bar with a Hawaiiway in his arm…"

  Oikawa closed his eyes, fully immersed in the picturesque se he was weaving, plete with exaggerated gestures.

  "But, uh…I'm not even old enough to dri."

  A familiar voice broke through his fantasy.

  "Huh?" Oikawa snapped his eyes open, spinning toward the source of the voice. A mixture of surprise and fusion lit up his face. "Taichi?!"

  The other pyers also turo look, their expressions blending astonishment and curiosity.

  Kaedehara Taichi stood at the entrance, looking both familiar and…transformed.

  In just one month, he seemed to have grown taller, his once-fair plexion now a sun-kissed tan from weeks of outdoor training. His lean frame exuded a quiet strength that was impossible to ignore.

  Taichi wasn't bulky iraditional sense; his physique had always leaoward the slender side. But now, his body radiated a tent power, as though every inch of him was honed and ready t into a.

  "What's wrong? It's only been a month—did you all fet who I am~?" Taichi teased lightly, notig their exaggerated reas to his appearance.

  "Taichi, how tall are you now?" Iwaizumi Hajime voiced the question on everyone's minds.

  "Measured a few days ago—188 cm," Taichi replied, trying to suppress a grin to avoid rubbing it in too much.

  "Haha…hah…ha…" Iwaizumi let out a hollow ugh before retreating to the er to draw circles on the ground in silent despair.

  He had struggled to gain just 0.7 cm, while Taichi had grown a staggering 5 half a year.

  Oikawa's expression was equally flicted. At the start of the school year, he had been slightly taller than Taichi. Now, even after growing 2 cm himself, he had beeaken.

  "What's your reach height now?" Oikawa asked, fog on what mattered most to a setter.

  Taichi's smile brightehis was the area where his month of training had truly paid off.

  "Why not test it for yourself, Oikawa-senpai?"

  -----

  After ging and warming up, Taichi joihe court, while the other pyers tiheir training.

  Oikawa stood off to the side, Taichi's movements closely. His warm-up routine was smooth and effit, every gesture fluid yet powerful.

  The toned muscles of his arms occasionally cast subtle shadows, and the explosive strength in his legs became apparent during even the simplest as.

  Taichi resembled a sheathed sword—calm and uated, yet brimming with potential.

  How enviable…

  "Senpai, I'm ready," Taichi called out after finishing his warm-up.

  "Alright," Oikalied.

  He motioned for Kunimi Akira to toss the ball while he positioned himself at the .

  The first toss was at the height Taichi had been most fortable with a month ago.

  Taichi approached the ball effortlessly, his steps light. At the three-meter line, he leapt into the air, his airborne posture more posed than ever before.

  —Bang!

  The ball zipped down the diagonal, hitting the opposite court with a sharp sound.

  "Hmm…" Oikaondered silently, raising the oss half a hand's width higher.

  Taichi's rea was immediate. He assessed the ball's height, adjusted his approach, and unched himself off the ground with a powerful step. His feet pushed off with remarkable force, verting the floor's resistao upward momentum.

  —Bang!"

  The ball struck the tre of the oppo's court.

  "How does that feel?" Oikawa asked.

  "Still a bit low. Let's go for a full high set, Senpai," Taichi replied fidently.

  "What a monster…" Kunimi muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

  "No problem," Oikawa said, grinning. Having Taichi around always made things more iing.

  For the third toss, Oikawa sent the ball s to the left wing.

  Taichi grew calm, his body leaning slightly forward, knees bending. The surrounding noise faded into silence as his focus sharpened, eyes locked onto the ball s above.

  Now!

  Taichi exploded into motion. His steps were quid precise, every muscle in his legs and core firing in unison as he unched himself upward.

  The feeling of solid grouh his feet reassured him—so different from the unstable sarained on in Hawaii. His hips snapped forward, torshtening as he asded.

  Suspended mid-air, Taichi arched his bato a graceful bow, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the ball.

  "What a beautiful form…" Kunimi murmured, entranced.

  Taichi's exceptional jump gave him extra time to adjust his position. When his body reached full extension, the se seemed to freeze, as if time itself had halted to withe moment.

  "Such a perfect set, Oikawa-senpai. Even a high ball feels incredible with your touch," Taichi thought to himself, a hint of admiration fshing across his mind.

  He tightened his arm and swung it down in one swift, explosive motion. The ball deformed slightly under his palm before rocketing toward the opposite court.

  —BOOM!—

  The deafening impact silehe entire gym. Every movement on the court came to an abrupt halt as all eyes turoward the source of the sound.

  The ball had struck the oppo's baselih pinpoint precision.

  Height. Power. Accuracy.

  This was the culmination of Kaedehara Taichi's month-long training, presented in a single, devastating spike.

  The air in the gym grew teh anticipation, a quiet excitement spreading among the pyers.

  Oikawa could feel his heartbeat qui. For the first time, he sensed a palpable pressure emanating from Taichi.

  [Kaedehara Taichi: Height 188 bsp;| Power: 95 | Jump: 85 | Stamina: 92 | Speed: 92 | Key Skills: Receive: 88 | Set: 80 | Serve: 90 | Spike: 90]

  _________

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