1Prologue
"Oh my, look! He's so tall."
"Are you sure he's a first year?"
"He must have played basketball."
"I walked past him and only stood to his chest. He's so big!"
"No. I'm sure he is the same age as us. But look at him!"
"Or maybe volleyball."
"He's scary. Big and scary."
Even with headphones on, those words still rung in his mind. Though it was not new news for him when he was already 170cm during his final elementary year and now stood almost 190cm, the tallest kid in the class. Perhaps the tallest kid in the high school. And growing. And the comment kept coming in. Not that it actually bothered him. Not that he cared anyway.
"Ne, Tsukki," Yamaguchi turned around from his chair. "I found this on the lobby's billboard. Here."
Tsukishima glanced at the piece of paper, decorated with a black, white and orange color scheme. Karasuno Boys' Volleyball Club - Let the Crows fly! it read out. Unfolded, and there were some pictures of the current line-up in their black jerseys and some wordings to explain the history of the sports club.
Major achievement: nine times as the Miyagi Prefecture representative for the National Tournament; it was written. But that was almost five years ago.
"They are opening try-outs for the first year. You're still going, right? You said you would." Yamaguchi asked.
Tsukishima glanced at the poorly made brochure and shrugged.
"Yeah, I know you would. I wonder who would be joining too. I'll look for the form after school. Or maybe tomorrow…"
Hmm, the comments were not entirely wrong. Tsukishima had been playing volleyball ever since junior high. And he intended to continue playing it again because…
Because well, he was not entirely sure. Hobby, maybe? Other than afternoon volleyball, he often spent most of his free time watching movies or playing games or reading something. What else, his brother? His brother did teach him how to play. He would admit there was a moment of enjoyment when he played; the sight of an opponent's spike bounced off his hand, or the feel of a subtle spike. But… That was a long time ago.
"Oh Tsukki, where are you going?"
"Bathroom." Tsukishima gave a short nod before pulling his chair away to stand. Casually walking out, he could hear it again.
"Oh wow, that boy is very tall…"
"Pfft, his head almost touches the door frame."
"Yeah—oh look at that. Who is that!"
"Ohmigod… that's so weird."
"Wow, she is just as tall as him!"
Tsukishima stopped his track when someone had occupied the space through the door. Brown hair roughly clipped back into a high bun, mouth chewing gum, one hand holding her bag the other lazily propped into her blazer pockets. For a moment neither of them moved, until she started walking again. "Ano, excuse me."
He stepped back to let her through. She is sure tall, he finally concluded.
Not long after, the bell rang and the teacher came for a welcoming speech into the school, as well as a brief introduction to the classes schedule and curriculum. And student rollcall.
"Suzuki Taomi."
"Hai." a female student stood and bowed slightly, and eyes immediately darted up to her in awe. "Suzuki Taomi-des. Nice to meet you."
"Ne, thank you Suzuki-san. Please be seated." The teacher nodded. "Tsukishima Kei."
He stood up and eyes darted up to him. "Hai."
The teacher glanced at the blonde student and nodded to the whole class. "Oh my, I didn't realize how kids these days could grow. It seems we have giants in Class 4. Interesting." A joke, a comment or a compliment, it was vague.
While the students responded to the teacher with some shy smile and unsure laugh, Tsukishima internally rolled his eyes as he sat back down. He felt a pair of eyes on him; the other said giant was staring from her table. He just stared back at her with his typical uninterested look: 'what?'
And Suzuki merely only shrugged one shoulder and turned back around: 'whatever.'