JSWGAS Chapter 122

Chapter 122 122.

Chapter 122 122.

122.

Besides frequent practice matches, the multi-school joint training camp also includes various individual training sessions. Miyano quickly developed a good relationship with the captains of other schools during this process – at least they can now calmly smile into each other’s cameras without changing their expressions.

Meanwhile, Oikawa Tōru quickly integrated into the other teams, his popularity being directly proportional to the number of people who came to watch each training session. After all, the sets he provided to each spiker during individual training were genuinely comfortable. They even became less accustomed to their own setters’ sets in the end.

The others also gained friendships during these few days of interaction. For example, Ko-E formed a strong bond with the liberos of other schools due to his stable receiving technique; Onoda became a savior for those with decision-making difficulties by offering sharp critiques and recommendations for Rikkai Dai’s cafeteria; Iwaizumi became interested in the enticing ‘Muscle Club’ mentioned by Rikkai Dai’s ace after chatting with him for a few sentences…

Compared to them, Kokonoe Taka’s friendships with people from other schools were slightly more complicated.

For example, a rather brash member from Namikawa came over to provoke him with a few words before the match, but ended up being targeted by him throughout the entire game, resulting in such a miserable spiking rate that even the coach standing on the sidelines couldn’t help but show sympathy before heartlessly adding four or five sets of spiking drills for him;

Others who thought his blocking was good came over to practice with him, and although the training results were decent, they were still slowly and deliberately met with comments like, ‘Ah, is that all you’ve got?’, ‘I thought you were better than that Rikkai Dai senior,’ ‘The spike path is too obvious, can’t you feel it yourself?’ – things that didn’t seem intentional but still made them feel subtly insulted, leaving them choked with frustration.

Especially when they realized that some of the spectators on the sidelines were also there for Kokonoe, this complexity was further compounded by a strange sense of indignant resentment, so they practiced with him even more energetically – after all, his skill level was truly excellent, and he was unexpectedly open to anyone who came, except for those infuriating factors mentioned above.

“Don’t you think this is a lot like a game player trying to conquer the final boss?” Matsukawa Seihwa discussed with Hanamaki, and as they spoke, another spiker launched an attack at Kokonoe, who was a little dejected after being blocked, but then began to giggle foolishly after being praised by Kokonoe with a sentence, “It felt better than before.”

“…If we were to use the dating simulation game I’ve been playing recently as an analogy, shouldn’t it be that Kokonoe has conquered all of them instead…”

“The game you’ve been playing recently?” Matsukawa pondered. “So that’s why your blanket was still emitting blue light after the lights were turned off at night?” God knows how shocked he was when he accidentally turned his head and saw a glowing blanket on the bed next to him.

Hanamaki stiffened for a moment. “Uh, you noticed?”

“I’m not blind, and you weren’t even trying to hide it, were you?” Matsukawa retorted. “You secretly brought a handheld game console?”

“After all, the daily training is so monotonous, you have to find something fun to do at night!” Hanamaki said with righteous indignation. “I originally wanted to go out and wander around, but aside from stamina monsters, no one can be a hundred times more energetic after a day of training, right?”

“I’m assuming you’re not referring to Kokonoe when you say stamina monster.”

“Assumption failed, I’m talking about him.”

“…” Matsukawa was silent for a moment, realizing he couldn’t refute it. “That’s not important. But you’re playing a game console without me?”

“Is that what you wanted to say…” Hanamaki was speechless. “I wouldn’t have minded, but I downloaded the wrong game back then and only realized it after bringing it here.”

“What game?”

“A dating sim… Ugh, Oikawa, when did you get here! Do you walk without making a sound!”

“Ta-da!” Oikawa Tōru made a V sign. “Hanamaki, you’re being so unfair, playing games without calling us!”

Hanamaki spread his hands. “Well, I’m very welcome to have you guys play.”

“You’re not saying that because you can’t beat the game, are you?”

“…Showing the expression of being called out, Hanamaki.”

“Shut up, are you coming or not, one word?”

“Of course I’m coming!”

At 9 p.m., all training ended, and the people from each school left the gymnasium one after another, some to find food and others to take a shower.

Kokonoe Taka shared a room with Iwaizumi Hajime and Oikawa Tōru. Before the evening training ended, he had noticed that Oikawa Tōru had been winking at Hanamaki, and Iwaizumi Hajime had also seen it but was too lazy to care. The latter turned to Kokonoe and said, “I’ve made plans with Aida-senpai to try out his fitness equipment in his room tonight, so I might be back a little later. Do you want an onigiri?”

Aida was Rikkai Dai’s current ace. Kokonoe Taka nodded. “Curry flavor is fine, come back early.”

Turning his head again, Oikawa Tōru was nowhere to be found, and Hanamaki was also missing. Kokonoe and Katori, another senior spiker on the team, went back to the dormitory together. On the way, Katori took him to see a newly discovered litter of kittens, and the two of them dawdled for fifteen minutes, finally bidding farewell at the door covered in cat hair.

The room was empty, with only moonlight scattered across the floor from the window. Kokonoe Taka cautiously turned on the light, narrowed his eyes keenly to observe his surroundings, and breathed a slight sigh of relief only after confirming that Oikawa Tōru wasn’t hiding in some nook or cranny waiting to scare him. He really couldn’t forget what happened a month ago on Iwaizumi Hajime’s birthday, when he was responsible for taking Iwaizumi out to delay time, and Oikawa led people to set up a surprise, but when they returned, they were both startled by Oikawa suddenly jumping out from under the table where the gifts were placed.

–As an aside, Oikawa honorably injured himself that day, singing a birthday song to Iwaizumi Hajime with panda eyes (although he deliberately sang off-key).

Half an hour later, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel on his head. He had cleaned the clothes covered in cat hair and was going to send them to the dryer later. After doing all this and replying to a few messages on the chat app, Iwaizumi also pushed the door open, carrying a bag of snacks from outside.

“A lot, did you rob a convenience store?”

“I just bought them on the way. Where’s that guy Oikawa?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t see him when I got back.”

“Tch, forget it.”

Kokonoe Taka rummaged through the bag for an onigiri and opened a can of grape soda, reminding Iwaizumi, who was opening the bathroom doors without looking up, “The water is a little cold today, run it for a while longer.”

“Oh.”

The refreshing grape soda went down his throat, the bubbles gurgling pleasantly. Kokonoe Taka sat at the table, lazily browsing his phone while propping his head up. Summer training camps were perhaps a common occurrence for sporty boys, from Hokkaido to Nagano, some complained about the unsuitable climate and others pitifully lived in cabins in the woods. In comparison, Rikkai Dai was a really good place. He took another sip of soda, just as the summer night breeze rustled intermittently, and he got up to close the window. In the next second after he closed the window, Iwaizumi Hajime also walked out of the bathroom, steaming from the shower.

“What are you drinking?”

“Anything.”

“The drinks you bought don’t include ‘anything’.”

“…Then the same as you.”

It was really refreshing to open a can of drink after taking a shower. Iwaizumi Hajime exhaled comfortably, looking at his idle friend – especially without the ruckus of a troublesome guy. They chatted in a pleasant atmosphere for a while, but another roommate still hadn’t returned by 10:30.

“…That guy, he’s not lost to another campus, is he?” “…”

The two exchanged glances, they couldn’t really lock Oikawa out, although they really wanted to try it.

“He should be with Hanamaki and Matsukawa.” Kokonoe Taka said, “I saw them whispering sneakily before the training ended, and when I went over, they started talking about how delicious the curry rice at the easternmost window of the cafeteria was, trying to cover it up.”

“The easternmost…isn’t that the chicken cutlet rice?”

“Yes.”

“What the heck are they up to…”

“Go check out their room?”

Aoba Johsai occupied one floor of this dormitory building, with corridors running through the front and back. But perhaps because of the sudden occupancy and some aging of the electrical circuits, the fuses were blown the next night. So opening the door was like plunging into a bottomless darkness. Apart from the light cast from their room, there was only a little light until the stairwell.

Neither Kokonoe Taka nor Iwaizumi Hajime were afraid of the dark, and they were only frowning at this time because it was difficult to find the room where Hanamaki and Matsukawa were staying, and they could only rely on the light from their phones to proceed cautiously.

The two stopped in front of a certain door at the same time.

The reason was nothing more than the screams and laughter coming out of the crack in the door were too obvious.

Matsukawa opened the door while laughing, “Kokonoe? Iwaizumi? Why are you here?”

“To catch Oikawa and take him back…what are you guys doing?”

Matsukawa rubbed his stomach, his face muscles a little stiff from laughing for so long.

“Oikawa’s playing Hanamaki’s handheld game console.” he said, “Um… at the beginning, he said confidently that this kind of game could be easily cleared, but he’s still stuck on the first stage.”

Kokonoe greeted Onoda and Kodai, who were in the same grade as him and were also laughing uncontrollably in the room. Oikawa was sitting on Hanamaki’s bed, staring intently at the game console in his hand, occasionally emitting a couple of “Damn it?!” “Why?!” unexplained wails, not even noticing the two of them coming in.

“What game?”

“Oh, you guys are here.” Hanamaki got up, he almost fell under the bed just now from laughing at Oikawa. “It’s a dating simulation game, the kind where you die if you fall in love.”

“What, this kind of game is just like a survival game disguised as a dating simulation game…” Oikawa threw the game console away indignantly, naturally continuing the conversation, and turning to complain to them, “You die if you increase affection, you die if you decrease affection, you die if you confess and you die if you don’t confess – I’ve never gotten so many bad ends!”

“Are there things you can’t handle?” Iwaizumi Hajime mocked him, “Aren’t you usually very good at this?”

“It’s different, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa Tōru puffed out his cheeks. “I’m controlling a girl, and there’s no dangerous person who would give me a shot if I confessed in reality.”

“That’s why I said you can’t clear it, I’ve been stuck for several days.” Hanamaki slowly reached out to take the game console, asking casually, “Iwaizumi and Kokonoe want to try it?”

Oikawa’s footsteps towards the outside faltered.

Kokonoe narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Okay, we’re going back… why are you two sitting down! Didn’t you come to find Oikawa-senpai?”

“I’m quite interested in the game that makes you wail.” Iwaizumi said, “Hanamaki.”

Hanamaki handed the game console to him very servilely, “Please.”

Oikawa turned to look at Kokonoe, “Taka, say something!”

Kokonoe Taka nodded, unfazed, “Iwa-chan, do your best, at least don’t lose to Tōru.”

“Oh!”

“…That’s not what I wanted you to say!”