#miyagi qualifier

[karlyboyyy]

Sometimes I think about the fact that Itadori grew up in Sendai which means it’s entirely possible that a little nine year old baby Yuuji watched Karasuno beat powerhouse Shiratorizawa in the 2012-2013 Miyagi Prefectural Spring Qualifiers at Sendai City Gym

In another life he could’ve been the future Ace of Shiratorizawa…

[softeninglooks]

iwaoi week 2024 | day 6: long distance relationship, soulmates au

hajime appears inside the screen of tooru's phone, illuminated by the dim flicker of his lamplight falling gently across his tired, but nonetheless smiling, face. behind him, the wispy shadows of the sunset streak across the wall, hitting a corner of the godzilla poster that used to be the most ostentatious piece of decoration in hajime's american college bedroom. it moved back to japan with hajime, the beloved character following him wherever he went. tooru is sure that he would never throw away the godzilla t-shirt that he used to wear in high school (he probably slept in it).

“well, good night, hajime.”

tooru waives at the screen, some twelve hours away from hajime, in san juan, argentina.

behind his back, the open goldenrod curtains allow hajime to take a look at the morning sun, which has just begun its peaceful climb above the horizon, a pallid line beyond the cityscape. the paleness of the sky almost melts into whiteness, clear and luminous.

there used to be a time when all that hajime could see above his head was a mass of greys, a perpetual unpigmented cloud of unknown. blue was something he did not know, nor could even envision. everyone was like this - born with a color missing from their lives, waiting to be found.

when he met tooru, that's when hajime knew. the world breathed in the deep blue of the oceans, the infinite degrees of the sky, the turquoises and teals of mountainscapes and lakes. hajime could have never imagined that a single color could so enlighten the world, like a mirrorball that brought hajime's entire universe together into a new harmony.

for tooru, the earth had risen from a sea of smoke when hajime arrived. in front of the boy's eyes, the fields of miyagi came to life in greens, changing with the seasons, dark under the winter frost or copper-shaded towards the end of summer. tooru had needed hajime's earthly steadiness to keep him tethered, rooted deeply in the kind ground that broke his falls and kept him standing unabated.

that was when they both understood soulmates.

in front of tooru sits an overflowing bowl of rice, the golden outline of an omelette, and some thick yogurt speckled with oats. a light green towel rests on the corner of the table, most of it cut off by the frames of tooru's phone screen, but hajime remembers its white-leafed pattern. many mornings are spent together in this kitchen, when hajime flies over to san juan to visit tooru.

“good morning to you,” hajime's fingers raise to greet tooru in return, grazing his cheek as he comfortably rests his jaw against the back of his hand. “so, game day today. how are you feeling?”

“good.” tooru nods firmly, smiling a relaxed smile back at hajime. “once i have breakfast, i'm ready to go all out.”

“good luck out there. though something's telling me you don't need luck,” hajime's eyes light up humorously.

“aw, iwa-chan, my biggest supporter,” tooru coos and laughs at hajime's subsequent grimace. “i'll dedicate this win to you.”

“don't, it'll jinx it,” hajime sighs fondly, rolling his eyes. “just do your best. you know that the paris olympics qualifiers are more important, so no brooding no matter what happens, okay?”

“all of a sudden, i feel invincible,” tooru quips, attacking his breakfast as hajime makes sure to tell him that he believes in him - a habit that has stuck since high school, with which hajime now sends tooru off to his professional games.

“and how are you, iwa-chan? how was your day?”

“'m good,” hajime runs a lazy hand through his hair, sighing softly. “another intense day. but i'm really happy with the team's progress,” he perks up a little, nodding with satisfaction.

“now, /that/ gets my blood pumping.”

“that's why i'm telling you.”

“at your own risk,” tooru shoots a half-threatening, half-teasing smile at hajime. “i can't wait to take your team down.”

“we have to qualify first, and then we'll talk. think about your game today, once step at a time.”

“ah, iwa-chan, ever serious. what would i do without you to keep my feet on the ground?”

“you'd be pretty miserable,” hajime says and smiles, locking eyes with tooru.

the chuckle in tooru's voice is filled with straightforward fondness - he can see right through hajime's tough act. all the shared dreams, memories, defeats, victories, and love between cannot be held back by any screen.

they may be thousands of miles away, tooru and hajime know their way to one another like the back of their hand. it is like muscle memory, deep-seated habits, lifelong routines.

the earth and the sky, threaded together at the edge of the world no matter how far apart they had been kept.

[astra-ella]

𝐙𝐎𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

fandom: haikyuu ship: nishinoya yuu x oc/reader status: complete ao3 link

"I think you're really pretty. Will you go out with me?" That was the first thing he's ever said to her. And needless to say, Amari Chiyo was not impressed. So as promised, Nishinoya Yuu will get to know her better and confess again. And again. And again. And again. It'll take 6 years and 9 confessions, but he'll get there. Eventually.

⌦ content: fluff, light angst, love at first sight, friends to lover, slice of life, haikyuu manga spoilers

⌦ note: you are free to insert yourself into Chiyo, just keep in mind she has her own character/backstory. i know some people don't like that, so just a heads-up.

story masterlist | previous chapter | next chapter

The seventh time he confessed was near the end of their second year — during their overnight school trip to Tokyo.

Nishinoya had already been to Tokyo once. Due to the Karasuno volleyball team somehow coming in first during the Spring Tournament preliminaries, securing their spot as representatives of the Miyagi prefecture. Alongside the rest of the school, Chiyo went to the final qualifiers match to cheer them on. She wanted to do the same when they headed off to Tokyo but had to stay back because of school. So the only thing she could do was watch the live broadcast at home, sending the occasional encouraging text message to Nishinoya right before a match.

They did surprisingly well, losing in the quarterfinals and ranking Top 8 in the country. Chiyo made sure to congratulate Nishinoya by making him a feast of his favorite foods once he got back to Miyagi. And as he sat at the table, telling stories upon stories of the rivals he faced at the large-scale national tournament, Chiyo could tell that Kaito was becoming more and more intrigued.

Maybe to some extent due to Nishinoya's influence, Kaito began to demonstrate great interest and talent in volleyball. He even joined a youth volleyball class at the local community center and became a star member after two years of playing. Perhaps one day, he would go on to play at a national tournament just like Nishinoya did. 

Regardless, spring was right around the corner. The current third-years would be graduating in three weeks while Chiyo and Nishinoya would be moving into their final year of high school. So before their students can get too wrapped up in another wave of examination hell, the school sent them off on their final school trip — the last chance to truly let loose before exam prep starts.

“Hey, Amari-san!” A girl from her activity group called out, waving as she descended the staircase to the subway platforms. “What’d you get for lunch?”

It was the second day of the school trip, and they were on their way to visit the Tokyo Skytree when the teachers decided to stop in the metro station to let everyone take a quick lunch break. 

“Just an onigiri from the convenient store,” she swung the little plastic bag in her hand. “I’m not that hungry.”

Her classmate peered into the plastic bag. “Really? I’m absolutely starving.”

“That’s because you skipped breakfast, Kikuchi-san,” Chiyo pointed out. She was about to say more when she heard a familiar voice call out.

“Oh, it’s Chiyo!”

She turned around to see Nishinoya standing at the top of the stairway, waving at her with one arm while carrying a large collection of snacks in the other. Chiyo smiled a little and waved back.

A train pulled into the station and the metal tracks let out an ear-piercing screech. Chiyo held a hand up to her hair, holding back the long red wisps that threatened to get caught up in the heated gush.

“Nishinoya-kun from Class 2-2, right?” Kikuchi said, just loud enough for Chiyo to hear over the ensemble of footsteps of white-collar workers making their way onto the platform and up the stairs. She eyed him from head to toe. “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you, Amari-san. There’s a rumor going around that you two are dating. Is that true?”

“N-No!” Chiyo immediately shook her head. “We’re not! We are not dating!”

“Really?” Kikuchi hummed, eyes wandering back to Nishinoya. She watched as he did his best to weave his way against the flood of people heading upstairs. 

“Then, can I have him?”

Chiyo’s eyes widened.

“Have him?” She repeated under her breath. “What do you…?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Kikuchi met her gaze pointedly. “He’s good-looking, has a cute personality, and he’s part of a sports team which is totally up my alley. Unless… he secretly has a girlfriend?”

Chiyo looked down, her grip tightening on the convenience store bag. “N-Not that I know of…”

“Then that’s perfect!” Clasping her hands together, Kikuchi’s face brightened. “Hey, will you help me put in a good word with him? I wanna try getting some alone time during the school trip.”

Chiyo’s lips parted. Suddenly, all she could see were flashes of the rest of the trip. And whenever she looked in Nishinoya’s direction, Kikuchi was somewhere nearby. She sucked in a harsh breath.

“No,” the words came out harsher than she would’ve liked, but her tone was resolute. 

“Hm?”

“You can’t have him.”

“Wha-?” Kikuchi looked confused. “But you’re not even his girlfriend. He’s not yours to give-”

“He’s not anyone’s to give,” Chiyo cut her off, her free hand clutching onto the hem of her jacket sleeve. “But even so… To me, Yuu is… special. Which is why I won’t give him to you!”

Her words were simple, but it felt as if it took all her energy to speak them.

After what felt like forever, Kikuchi finally broke the silence with a hum. “So you do like him,” she mused and by the time Chiyo looked up she was met with a smug grin.

“I figured.”

Chiyo’s face flushed a bright red. “T-That’s not what I was trying to say!”

“You know, Amari-san, you shouldn’t patronize your romantic rival like this.”

“But-!”

Kikuchi held up a hand.  “A maiden with a broken heart doesn’t need your pity,” she said with a wink.

“Hey!” By that point, Nishinoya had finally made it past the crowd and stepped onto the platform. “You wouldn’t believe what I found,” as he approached, he shifted his backpack around and began rummaging through it. “There’s this little store just a few blocks outside the station, and they were selling Calpico! I know you love this stuff so I bought two. A regular one and a peach one-” As he plucked one of the two bottles out, his brown eyes darted between the two girls, finally picking up on the awkward tension that loomed between them.

“Did something happen?” He asked.

“Nah,” Kikuchi waved nonchalantly before gently patting Chiyo on the shoulder. “Nice to meet you, by the way. My name is Kikuchi Sora. I’m part of Amari-san’s activity group.”

“Nishinoya Yuu, Class 2-2,” Nishinoya returned her greeting with a cheerful one of his own as he secured his backpack over his shoulders once more. “Thanks for taking care of Chiyo.”

“Why are you the one saying that?” The redhead raised an eyebrow and Nishinoya gave her a thumbs-up.

“Because I can!”

A loud chime echoed underground, followed by a cool female voice telling passengers that the subway doors will soon close.

“Oh,” Nishinoya glanced up at the fluorescent lights. “Let’s get on. Don’t wanna be late,” he said as he readjusted his backpack and stepped into the subway cart.

“Wait, Yuu,” Chiyo reached out after him, subconsciously taking a few steps forward. “We’re supposed to meet the teachers on the platforms, not at-”

“Doors will now be closing.”

“Amari-san!”

“Huh?” Chiyo’s eyes widened at Kikuchi’s voice. She spun around just in time to see the subway doors shut behind her. She could see her classmate staring through the glass with panicked eyes. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and mouthed ‘text me’ as the vehicle began to move.

“I can’t believe you,” Chiyo grumbled as she and Nishinoya stood by a telephone pole on the bustling streets of Tokyo. “Were you even listening to the teachers before they let us out? We were supposed to meet on the platform! Not the skytree!”

“Honestly, no,” Nishinoya admitted bluntly as he took another sip of his energy drink. “I was so hungry I could barely think about anything besides food.”

“You-!” Chiyo tried to find the words to scold him but ultimately settled for a sigh of resignation. There was no use scolding someone for a genuine mistake or someone who’s already apologized a million times. “We’re just told to meet them at the Skytree for real this time,” she scrolled through Kikuchi’s messages with an awkward laugh. “Apparently, we’re in a lot of trouble.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Nishinoya hummed. “I’ll just tell them that you only came after me 'cause I was being stupid.”

���Won’t your punishment be worse if you do that?” Chiyo pointed out and he shrugged.

“It’s the truth anyways and we have Kikuchi to back you up,” he then glanced back with a reassuring smile. “Besides, you’ve never been to Tokyo before, right? I want you to enjoy your time while you’re here.”

“But-”

“I was literally just here,” Nishinoya cut her off with a cheeky grin. “And I’ll be back this fall and the spring after that,” he paused for a second to examine Chiyo’s troubled expression. “My point is, I’ll have plenty of time to explore this city. But you only have this trip until you’re swamped with exam prep. So let me try and take the blame for this, yeah?”

Chiyo’s brows furrowed, she was about to open her mouth to protest but held her tongue. “Alright, alright,” she relented, figuring that even if she were to resist, Nishinoya would still somehow find a way to direct the teachers’ indisputably harsh punishment towards himself. “Let’s try to find a way to get to Tokyo Skytree first.”

“Yeah,” remembering their current predicament, Nishinoya rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. “Uhh, I honestly have no idea where we are right now.”

“Really? I thought you were the expert on Tokyo, considering you’ve been here once already,” Chiyo teased with a small smile tugging at her lips.

“I’ve never been in this area before, that’s all,” he retorted with a laugh. He briefly skimmed the crowd. “Want me to ask around?”

Chiyo nodded. “You do that. I’ll try to look up some directions.”

“Alright, go team!” He gave a small cheer before hurrying off, quickly finding someone to ask for directions.

“Hey, excuse me! Do you know how we can get to the Tokyo Skytree?”

Chiyo narrowed her eyes at the options her phone presented. She was about to pick the route with the fastest travel time when a familiar voice stopped her short.

“Take the Ginza line towards Asakusa and get off at Ueno station. It’s a five minute walk from there.”

“I see. Thanks!”

Chiyo looked up, easily spotting Nishinoya’s bleached tuft of hair in the crowd. And sure enough, before him stood a very familiar woman. 

Chiyo felt her entire world stutter to a halt. She couldn’t move, nor could she think. All she could do was stare blankly as the woman pointed to various spots on Nishinoya’s phone.

Sure enough, the woman soon noticed her gaze and glanced up. Her bright blue eyes widened with recognition. 

“...Chiyo?”

The world began to move again and Chiyo suddenly became acutely aware of the sea of people that crossed the little distance that separated them. She soon found her voice again and the words came out in a choked squeak.

“Mom…”

“Here’s your Sprite,” a waitress set down a tall glass on the table before him.

Nishinoya didn’t know what to do. One minute he was asking some random stranger on the street for directions, and the next he was sitting in a cafe with said stranger and Chiyo, neither of whom said a single word since they’ve sat down.

He had no clue the woman who sat before them was Harada Yuuka, the mother of the Amari siblings. But upon closer inspection, the similarities became more apparent. She had the same brown hair as her children, and her brilliant blue eyes hidden behind her metal-rimmed glasses shone with intelligence. In terms of the way they carried themselves and their overall presence, Chiyo probably resembled her the most.

“You dyed your hair red,” her voice was even, perhaps a bit robotic.

“Yes,” Chiyo replied quietly as she poured some milk into her tea. “I did it last year.”

“You should get rid of it. Universities and businesses won’t accept a delinquent with colorful hair.”

Chiyo didn’t say anything. Instead, she picked up the small, provided spoon and began to stir.

“How have you been?” Yuuka glanced at her. “Everything alright?”

Chiyo nodded as she set the spoon down and took a sip. “Yeah.”

“And your siblings? How are they doing?”

Chiyo nodded again.

“That’s good then,” Yuuka took a sip of her coffee. “As long as you’re all doing well, that’s good.”

Nishinoya shuffled in his seat. He took a sip of his drink, trying to find something to do amongst the awkward tension.

“Chiyo,” Yuuka set her cup back down onto her saucer, effectively shattering the momentary silence with the light clink of porcelain meeting porcelain. “I’ve been meaning to contact you soon, but this is perfect timing,” she set her hands down on her black pencil skirt and looked her daughter dead in the eyes. “I’ll be leaving for Iceland soon. I want you to come with me.”

Nishinoya’s eyes widened.

“Huh?”

“I’ve built some pretty strong connections there through my company. A position opened up at the main branch and I accepted it,” her eyes were clear. “Iceland is ranked second in the world in terms of education. With your exceptional academic performance, I can secure you a better future than you’ll ever get rotting away here.”

“You ran back to your father once, but I trust you see now how that was a mistake. Taking the easy path and staying in Miyagi will do nothing to help your future-”

“Hold on now-!”

Nishinoya was about to interject but Chiyo held him back with an arm over his chest.

“I still don’t think you understand,” her voice was almost as sharp as her mother’s. “I didn’t go back to dad because I was scared of going to school in Tokyo.”

Yuuka remained silent, as if asking her daughter to elaborate.

“Mom, why didn’t you ever come back to visit Hotaru and Kaito?”

Yuuka blinked a few times. Her eyes then trailed out to the large cafe window, watching as a group of rowdy schoolchildren ran past.

“I figured if I came back to visit, I’d just disrupt their adjustment to living with a single parent.”

“Then why didn’t you at least take Hotaru or Kaito?” Chiyo’s voice cracked. “I would’ve been fine. Why out of the three of us, you chose to take me?”

“When your father and I separated, I realized I couldn’t advance my career while taking care of three children. I took you with me because I didn’t want to uproot Hotaru and Kaito’s lives while they were still so young. And besides,” Yuuka turned her attention back to her daughter. “I saw the most potential in you .”

Nishinoya felt a chill run down his spine. He briefly glanced at Chiyo, whose eyes only widened.

“Hotaru is too naive and Kaito is too blunt. Neither of them would survive well in a business setting,” she interlaced her fingers. “I wanted to be sure I was making an investment that would pay off. Besides, I figured you would use your success to support your siblings anyways. So I didn’t need to worry.”

Nishinoya took it back. Chiyo was nothing like her mother after all. Throughout the years he’s gotten to know Chiyo, no matter how much she’d scold either him or her siblings there was always an underlying sense of love that accompanied her harsh words. But when Yuuka spoke, there was no tone in her voice. There was no scolding, no love. Only a cold calculating chill. It was as if she were staring at pieces on a chessboard rather than her own flesh and blood.

He figured Chiyo must’ve come to the same conclusion because he saw her lips quiver as they pressed together. Under the table, he instinctively reached out, placing a hand over her trembling one. To his surprise, she immediately latched on like he was her lifeline.

“So take your future into account and-”

“No,” Chiyo said after taking a deep breath and Yuuka’s expression soured. “I’m not going with you, mom.”

The shock was only momentary however, as a tinge of annoyance soon reflected within Yuuka’s deep blue eyes.

“Be rational, Chiyo,” she tilted her head a little. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. An exceptional secondary education will get you into a good university. And graduating from a good university will secure you a good job that pays lots of money.”

Those words rang familiar in Nishinoya’s ears. Those were almost the exact same words Chiyo repeated to him every single time the topic of the future came up. Sometimes she said it with so little enthusiasm that Nishinoya even wondered if she truly meant what she said.

As if to confirm his longtime suspicions, Chiyo gently shook her head.

“But… What if that’s not a life I want to live?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Yuuka’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“What if that kind of life scares me, mom?” Chiyo replied, a little louder this time. “What if I don’t want to be trapped in an office for eight hours a day, working a job I don’t even care about?”

“What do you want to do then?”

“I-I don’t know,” Chiyo shrank a little under her mother’s sharp gaze. “Maybe I’ll travel or do something creative,” for the first time while talking about the future, Nishinoya saw a small smile playing on her lips. “Maybe I’ll open a small restaurant or bakery-”

“You do realize none of those options will make you happy, right?” Yuuka cut her off. “I’ve told you this before. Money makes the world go round. In order to be happy, you need to be successful and make money.”

“Who says?” At that point, Nishinoya had enough. He felt a light squeeze on his hand and soon he found the words tumbling out of his mouth without a second thought. “Who says you need to make money to be happy? My gramps and I aren’t loaded, but I’d say we’re doing pretty well.”

“Doing well is very different from succeeding ,” though she looked a little annoyed at his interruption, Yuuka turned towards him with a pointed look. “Doing well is being able to put food on the table, meeting the bare minimum of a person’s needs. Happiness and success is to be able to live in the lap of luxury. Do you and your grandfather have the luxury to eat out at expensive restaurants? Can you buy name-brand clothes or bags? Can you buy whatever you want, whenever you want?”

“But that’s just your idea of happiness, isn’t it?” Nishinoya retorted. He could see Chiyo watching him from the side, but he didn’t want to break eye contact with the older woman. Now that he was looking straight into them, they came off as a little empty. In comparison to Chiyo’s which were filled with warmth.

“Each person has their own idea of what happiness looks like. Even if you’re Chiyo’s mom, hers can be completely different from yours,” he said, absent-mindedly tracing his thumb over Chiyo’s knuckles as if to soothe her. “I don’t think it’s right for you to force your ideals onto your daughter like they’re facts.”

Yuuka opened her mouth to say something, but Chiyo beat her to it.

“Mom,” she took a moment to study her mother’s neutral expression. “Our family… what we want in our lives isn’t success… or a perfectly planned out future,” her voice choked a little and Nishinoya held onto her hand even tighter as if to encourage her. “What we really needed… was a normal mother who would love and accept us for who we are.”

Yuuka’s eyes widened. They wandered to the side, as if she were in deep thought.

“I do love you though. All three of you,” she said in an even tone. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t care if you three were sweeping the bathroom or the streets.”

Nishinoya frowned, he glanced over at Chiyo who took a long stare at her mother before pressing her lips together.

“Let’s talk about this when I’m older,” she sounded defeated. “Thank you for the drinks, mom.”

Nishinoya watched the back of Chiyo’s head as she focused on her phone, trying to follow the directions they received from her mother towards the Tokyo Skytree. They had since parted ways with her, apparently she had a meeting to attend soon.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, not sparing him a glance.

Nishinoya didn’t sense a lie in her voice, nor did he hear it quivering. But for some reason, he was met with an intense desire to see her face. So he grabbed her wrist to stop her in her tracks. Chiyo spun around, her face reflecting a sense of exhaustion that squeezed at his heart.

“Are you okay?” He asked again.

“I’m fine, really,” Chiyo said. “That’s just how she operates.”

“For the record,” Nishinoya took a step forward and looked straight in her eyes. “I think your plans for the future are great.”

“Thanks,” she gave a half-hearted laugh.

“No, I’m serious,” his grip tightened on her wrist, as if to convey his sincerity. “You should do what you wanna do. Not what your parents or siblings, or whatever anyone else wants. Not even me.”

Chiyo’s eyes widened.

“Be it a restaurant or bakery, or hell, even a lemonade stand on the side of the street. Whatever makes you happy,” he gave her a warmest smile he could muster on that chilly, early spring afternoon. “And you know what? If you ever get lost and don’t know what to do, I’ll be there to support you.”

He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her knuckles. “Because that’s the least I can do for the kind and capable girl I fell in love with.”

Chiyo’s cheeks were dusted bright pink as he made that final statement. She averted her eyes downwards, but the corners of her lips soon curled upwards. “Thanks, Yuu,” she murmured before meeting his gaze with a weary smile. “That means a lot to me.”

Nishinoya hummed. She didn’t look happier, per se. But it seemed like some of the worries she’s been carrying for years had finally been relieved from her shoulders.

“Now let’s go,” releasing his grip on her arm, he nudged his head as if telling her to keep up. “We’re already late.”

Chuckling a little, Chiyo nodded.

“Okay.”

story masterlist | previous chapter | next chapter

[desperate-daydream]

🏐 Haikyuu

❀ Aone Takanobu x (trans) male reader ⚣︎

A/N: gods, I just love side characters. tbh, I’m mostly just projecting myself and my imaginations on that (but which writer didn't do that at least once) XD

tags/warnings: reader is tanaka’s brother (could also be adopted) & a dancer, set in season 2 episode 19, Miyagi Spring Qualifier Quarterfinals (at least that's what fandom wiki says, I hope that it's right)

Hey, lovebirds

It was a match from the Miyagi Spring Qualifier Quarterfinals - Aoba Johsai and Date Tech were playing - and the second set with a two-point-lead by Seijou. The third-grades of Date Tech just came running on the bleachers. 

“What’s the score?” They arrived at the rail and looked down at the still ongoing game. “Oh damn. Who won the first set?” 

“Ehm”, a voice came from behind them. It was the captain of Karasuno with his whole team. “Seijo won the first one.” 

“What, Karasuno?!”, Moniwa said, “Oh, hello. Good to see you.” They greeted each other and of course, Sasaya immediately had to restrain the former vice Kamasaki. That’s when they were noticed by other members of their school that they joined. 

The game went on with the third-grades as well as Karasuno tensely watching. After a few other points another person came running on the bleachers and immediately towards the rails to look at the score. 

Tanaka saw who it was and looked behind him to see his sister calmly stroll towards them. 

“Hey!” When you heard his voice you immediately turned around and faced him. 

“Oh, hey Ryu”, you grinned when you saw your brother sitting there with his usual attitude and rebellious grin. He informed you about the winner of the first set and then noticed the questioning looks of his teammates except for a few of them - especially Noya who had met you several times before already because of their friendship.

“Ugh, guys, this is my brother, (Y/N).” 

You chuckled, “Hi, nice to meet you. Is it so bothersome to introduce me?” The question was directed at your brother. 

“Huh, yeah, yeah, actually it is”, he answered grinning. It was usual for you two to bug each other like that. That’s also when your older sister Saeko arrived. “Oh, come on boys!” She tried to throw her arm around you to get you in her side-clasps but you were already trained and easily ducked away. 

Fortunately for you, the third-graders of Date saw and waved at you so you could scurry to them.

“Why have we never seen him at games before?”, Yamaguchi asked curiously. 

“Because he also has training most of the time.” 

“Oh, does he play volleyball too?”, Hinata spoke excitedly. You weren’t really tall, just like him, so he was really interested if you were a player as well. But Ryu and Saeko laughed a little. 

“Nah, look at his bag”, Ryu pointed at you standing next to Moniwa at the rails. It was a sports bag and shoes were hanging on the side of it. Which was noticeable is that it wasn’t only one pair but three different ones - two of which most of the boys haven’t seen anything about before. “He’s a dancer.” 

“Ahhhh”

“Ok, but why is he standing here now and talking to Date’s former captain?”

Now Tanaka began to scowl and Sakeo chuckled as she sat down. “Because Aone is his boyfriend”, the young woman answered. 

Many of their glances quickly went from you to the mentioned player and back again. “Reallyyyy?!”, Hinata was wide eyed looking down at the middle blocker before grinning, “Cooool!”

Daichi and Suga chuckled when they saw Ryu’s expression. “Why are you scowling?”, Daichi asked while still grinning. “Do you not like Aone?”, Suga continued. 

“He’s super protective of (Y/N)!” Noya saw his chance and took it. 

“Aone is.. alright, I guess”, Tanaka mumbled. The others kept on bugging him a bit but quickly turned back to the game that will decide who would be their next opponent. 

Meanwhile you were standing on the rail and watching closely while occasionally cheering your boyfriend on. He had noticed you already and you could’ve sworn that he had smiled a little bit. 

The game was really exciting and in the end Seijou won. You saw the third years’ shoulders slump down and them letting their heads hang. You sighed and let your head hang too. 

When Date’s team quickly came to stand in front of the bleachers you made eye contact with Taka giving him a comforting smile. Then you signaled him to meet you outside in the halls. You turned around to go meet him. But before you went down you shortly hugged your sister and gave your brother a light slap on the head - which he tried to return but you could duck away - to say goodbye for the day. You’d be driving back in Date Tech’s team bus and staying at Aone’s for the night. 

You went towards each other and let the others go past you both before you hugged him tightly. “You okay?”, you looked up at him with your arms still around each other and let your chin rest on his chest. The height difference between you two was kinda funny.

He gave you a little nod but he was still wearing that sad frown. 

“You were great.” This made a soft look appear in his eyes that possibly only you came to see and know what it meant. 

“Hey, lovebirds”, you heard Futakuchi shouting, “Come on, you can make out later. We’re gonna go to the bus now.” Aone’s team mates laughed. You stuck out your tongue towards them but let go of your boyfriend. 

While you went to follow the team Takanobou linked your pinkies like he often did when you walked together. 

On the bus you sat next to each other and Aone let his head rest on yours that you had placed on his shoulder. You took his hand intertwining your fingers and rested on your lap. The bus was rather quiet - exhaustion and sadness because of the lost game were the primary feelings. Your boyfriend let out another sigh. 

“Hey, Taka?”, you whispered with your eyes closed. You felt the rumble from his body as he let out a low “Mh?”.

“You’re free from training tomorrow, right?”

“Mhm.” 

“You wanna go somewhere then? I also got nothing tomorrow.”

“Mhm. Decide tomorrow?”, his voice was so low it send a wave of goosebumps over your skin. 

“Mhm.” You felt yourself doze off - your training and the excitement to make it to the game had taken a lot of energy from you too. Soon everyone except for the adults was sleeping. 

When you arrived your boyfriend shook you awake gently. 

“Hey, (Y/N)”, his voice was still hushed and even a little deeper than earlier. 

On the way to his mom’s car, who was so nice to pick you both up from school, your arm found his place around his middle while he placed his on your shoulders. 

After eating you both went upstairs to his room to get ready for bed. Aone laid down on top of his blankets and got out his phone while you still searched through his closet for one of his hoodies. You quickly changed into it after finally finding what you searched for and flopped down on top of your boyfriend. 

“Oof”, he played as if you were heavy enough to crush his brick of a body in any way. 

You chuckled and kissed his cheek. A smile that only you got to see appeared on his lips. 

His hand went to cup your cheek to pull you closer and kiss you properly. You sighed happily and let yourself fall into the kiss. 

After you parted, you snuggled close to him and placed your head in the crook of his neck. That way you fell asleep like many times before already.

[flyingwargle]

happy battle at the trash heap movie release day!

--

it starts with kuroo laying on the bed, home from university for the holidays, realizing that next week will be a year since the battle at the trash heap, where the crows took to the sky, and the cats watched them soar.

half-formed thoughts brew in his mind. both teams made it to the spring tournament again this year, but they’re placed on opposite sides of the bracket. unless they make it to the finals, there likely won’t be a reprise, although kuroo shouldn’t doubt his underclassmen. nekoma should be more than capable, but karasuno? he isn’t too sure.

with a dry chuckle, he reaches for his phone and searches his contacts for sawamura, thumbs moving across the screen as he composes a new message. then, he brings up his group chat with yaku and kai to post his idea. it isn’t long until his phone goes off with replies.

a week later, the three alumni are at tokyo station, where a shinkansen from sendai pulls into one of the many platforms, and sawamura and sugawara emerge from the crowd. “hey!”

they exchange pleasantries. kuroo leads the way, cutting through talk about university to say, “i asked kenma and yamamoto to join us. the others are too busy to play.”

“we asked some of our underclassmen too, but they refused,” suga jokes. “i don’t blame them.”

it takes forty minutes to reach nekoma. when they arrive, the gym door is unlocked, and the net is already set up, kenma and yamamoto warming up with another person. “hey, guys!” azumane grins at his former teammates. “long time no see!”

“asahi! how has tokyo been?” sawamura asks, clapping him on the back.

“it was overwhelming at the start,” azumane admits, glancing at the nekoma grads. “i got a lot of help, luckily. i don’t get lost as much anymore.”

“kuroo-san! yaku-san! kai-san!” yamamoto shouts. “you’ll cheer for us at the spring tournament, yeah?”

“of course! these guys are cheering for their underclassmen, too. we can’t be beat.” kuroo unzips his jacket, revealing his old gym strip that mercifully still fits. “let’s get our revenge, boys!”

while the alumni take unofficial revenge on the crows, their underclassmen do not. nekoma is eliminated in the second round, karasuno losing in the third round to inarizaki. both teams leave the stadium with their heads held high, fire burning in their eyes.

the year after, it’s sawamura who reaches out to kuroo first. the reunion takes place in miyagi, azumane joining kuroo, kenma, and kai on the shinkansen, greeted by sawamura, suga, ennoshita, and tanaka. when they arrive at karasuno’s gym, they find the net up, hinata and kageyama already warming up. “kenma!” hinata bounces over to his friend. “we get to play each other one last time!”

“and here i was thinking that tsukki might join us,” kuroo remarks.

“ah, he’ll come later! he has something to do first.” hinata looks around, frowning. “where’s yaku-san? i have so many questions for him!”

“oh, yakkun was scouted by a team in russia. he’s been there for three months now.”

“russia!” tanaka cries. “that’s far!”

kai nods. “he always wanted to play for a foreign league, so he took their offer. he’s doing quite well, the last we heard.”

this time, it’s no surprise that karasuno takes the win, with the oddball duo sharper and faster than kuroo remembers. nekoma didn’t qualify for the spring tournament this year, so he doesn’t watch any matches until sawamura asks him to cheer for his underclassmen on his behalf, karasuno playing on center court for the first time. defeated by itachiyama, the crows stand tall on the podium, bronze medals around their necks.

the year after, kuroo is too busy to initiate the reunion, kai and kenma no longer interested in playing. yaku, back home for a visit, wrangles some alumni together, like yamamoto and inuoka, while suga comes with tsukishima, yamaguchi, and tanaka. yachi joins in too, now studying in tokyo.

“i tried asking kageyama, but he’s busy,” suga tells him apologetically over the phone.

“no, that’s a good thing! we don’t need a professional setter in the mix!”

“hey, you guys have a professional libero! we deserve to have a pro, too!” nekoma takes the win, and kuroo lets yaku believe that it’s thanks to him.

over the years, adulthood threatens to sever the threads that hold everyone together, coupled with waning interest and other commitments. even if they don’t play, they try to get together for a day or two in their respective cities, a night to commiserate or celebrate, a day to reminisce and joke about their aging bodies.

this year, though, is different. kuroo asks sawamura, who also asks suga and azumane, as their workplaces are closed for the holidays. kai decides to indulge. yaku, home every other year, is eager to accept. yamamoto, a professional player as well, joins in. kenma grumbles but doesn’t decline, managing to call for fukunaga. inuoka gets word and tags along, shibayama as well. lev can't make it because he's away for the holidays.

they use the community gym in miyagi, site of their first practice match. sawamura managed to gather most of his former teammates, too: hinata, kageyama, and tsukishima, all professionals; tanaka, married to shimizu; and though nishinoya is absent, he sends his regards, and suga takes his place as libero. ennoshita stands at the referee’s spot, yachi to keep score, alumni from both schools in the stands.

“should i do the speech?” kuroo teases when they huddle.

“you might as well,” yaku chirps before kenma can protest. “just to see if you remember it.”

“who do you take me for, yakkun?” kuroo glares at him before raising his fist, his teammates doing the same. with a breath, he slides into his old captain persona, and for a moment, it’s like he’s transported back to high school that spring day, when they faced karasuno for the first time.

“we are blood that flows in our veins. keep the oxygen moving so that the brain can function normally.” he sweeps his gaze around him, their faces matured with age but still shining with the same gleam from years past. “let’s do this!”

“yeah!”

they take to the court, all varying degrees of athleticism and professionalism, but one thing remains the same: volleyball keeps them connected, and it’ll continue to keep them together for as long as they can fly.

[konjaku]

黄実千両|黄実仙蓼[Kiminosenryō] Sarcandra glabra f. flava

黄[Ki] : Yellow

実[Mi] : Fruit

(の[No]) : Of

千[Sen] : One thousand

両[Ryō] : A unit of currency used in the past

仙[Sen] : Immortal mountain wizard in Taoism; hermit

蓼[Ryō] : Knotweed(Polygonaceae)

The normal Senryō produces red fruits.

昔は盲人に特別の位を与えたものである。よく何市、何市とあるが、あれも市名といって、盲人の位の一つで、一番下である。しかし何といっても一番よいのは撿挍であって、昔は撿挍になるには千両の金を納めなければならなかった。��の代り十万石の大名に相当する資格が与えられていた。その次は勾当で、これは撿挍の半分位の資格であった。

[Mukashi wa mōjin ni tokubetsu no kurai wo ataeta mono de aru. Yoku nani-ichi, nani-ichi to aru ga, are mo ichina to itte, mōjin no kurai no hitotsu de, ichiban shita de aru. Shikashi nan to ittemo ichiban yoi no wa kengyō de atte, mukashi wa kengyō ni naru niwa senryō no kane wo osame nakereba naranakatta. Sono kawari jūman-goku no daimyō ni sōtō suru shikaku ga atae rarete ita. Sono tsugi wa kōtō de, kore wa kengyō no hanbun kurai no shikaku de atta.] In the past, (statesmen) gave special statuses to blind people. It is often said "So-and-so-ichi" "So-and-so-ichi," and this is called Ichina, which is one of the statuses of blind people, the lowest. After all, the best is Kengyō, and in the old days, to become Kengyō, they had to pay one thousand ryō. Instead, they were qualified to the equivalent of a ten thousand koku feudal lord. The next position is Kōtō, which was about half as qualified as Kengyō. From Mukashi no mōjin to gaikoku no mōjin(The blind of old and the blind of foreign lands) by Miyagi Michio Source: https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/001288/files/47117_29089.html (ja) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zatoichi_(disambiguation) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koku https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Miyagi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gND5pFB9nmU (About a certain Kengyō) https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200611/p2a/00m/0na/009000c

[kats-fic-recs]

Lucky Again

"Ya know, it still isn't too late for you."

Tobio sighs. “It isn't like that."

Atsumu raises his eyebrows, and replies, "I've seen Shouyou reject way too many people these past eight months to believe that. It is exactly like that."

*

Hinata and Kageyama haven't seen each other since the end of their relationship, but when Hinata gets qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, their paths inevitably cross again.

Kageyama’s carefully suppressed feelings for Hinata begin to quickly spiral out of control, and make him question everything.

A much-needed break from training, and a visit back home to Miyagi might just be what they need to reignite the lost spark

[newlacesleeves]

when miyagi-fang also qualifies for the sekai takai i swear it looks like they're gonna hug before they go in for the fist bump and that's insane

[frozenmikan]

Interview with Liella!'s Third Generation Members - Yuina x Sakakura Sakura

Check out the original interview in the LoveLive! Days (September 2023), available for purchase on Amazon JP here.

The cast members of Liella!’s third-generation members have finally been revealed. This is an interview with the two of them, who took separate paths, being cast as a rival character and being selected through open auditions, before becoming members of Liella!.

I’ve been looking forward to having someone who’s both a friend and a partner, and I’m really glad that Saku ended up being the one to fill that spot.

I hope to someday grow into someone capable of supporting Yuina as well.

Their love for Love Live! is greater than any other fan! First encounter through friends and family

To start, please tell us how you got to know about the Love Live! series.

Sakakura: My older brother got into it first. I saw him playing SIF all day at home and asked him what he was doing. That got me into it too.

Yuina: When I was in my first year of middle school, there was a girl in my club who kept doing the “Nico Nico Nii”. Because I heard that phrase almost every day, I got more and more curious about what it was, and when I looked it up, the first thing that popped up was the video of Snow Halation. After that, I got into the songs and started watching the anime as well. I also watched preview videos of the live concerts, and that was the first time I learned about voice acting as a profession. They left a deep impact on me, and since they were just so cute, I kept watching those videos over and over again.

Sakakura: I watched those too! Even before I signed up for the audition, I constantly went back and rewatched the preview videos for µ’s and Aqours’ live concerts.

Sakakura-san, I heard that you’re a huge fan of the Love Live! series.

Sakakura: I believe that my love for the series is second to none.

Yuina: She showed me a photo of the cake she baked for Keke-chan’s birthday the other day.

Sakakura: Yeah! I love Keke-chan! I bought a sponge cake, decorated it with cream, and wrote “Happy birthday Keke!” on it. I even put an acrylic stand of her next to it. I’m a huge weeb (laughs). I have tons of merch too!

Did they really qualify through the open auditions?! Liella! through the eyes of a fan-turned-cast member

Apparently, you were following the Love Live! Superstar!! project as a fan since the very start, Sakakura-san. What were your thoughts about Date-san and Aoyama-san, who joined Liella! through the open auditions?

Sakakura: They’ve been so wonderful right from the start. They’re really cute and beautiful, not to mention their amazing acting, singing, and dancing skills. The conversations they have while on air are also really interesting! The way they stood on stage with their heads held high made them look really cool, and to be honest, I sometimes wondered whether they really qualified through the open auditions (laughs). I’ve been following the project since the very start when the open auditions were announced. After a while, the project’s title and main characters were also revealed, and at that time, the thought of signing up for the auditions didn’t even cross my mind. I’ve actually been saying things like “I’m going to become a cast member of Love Live!” since I was in elementary school. At that time, I was sure that I’d be able to do it, but as I grew older, I learned more about myself and the world around me, and it’s precisely because I’ve been a fan of the series for so long that I know just how amazing the Love Live! cast members are. I’d never learned how to dance or act, and I thought I should just give up on my dream and commit myself fully to supporting them. I wish I could’ve attended a Liella! concert back when they only had five members, but I couldn’t get any tickets, so the first concert I attended was their 3rd Live Tour. I went for the second day in Miyagi, and that was also the first Love Live! concert I ever attended.

How was the concert in Miyagi?

Sakakura: It was amazing! I kept thinking about it even after I got home. I’ll never forget how emotional I got when everyone first appeared on stage with a bang, performing WE WILL!!. It left such a deep impression on me that tears started flowing down my face. Margarete-chan’s performance was also amazing. She changed the atmosphere completely after Liella! infused the entire venue with their energy, and I thought that was really impressive. Her singing and dancing were also on a completely different level, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off each and every one of the facial expressions she made. I really liked the part when she said “Shibuya Kanon!’ too.

Yuina: I’m so glad to hear that! Everyone was waving their blades so hard that I was actually worried whether they’d drop them, and I could acutely feel how much we, the cast members, were loved.

Sakakura: Everyone was trying their best to keep up with the color changes. I waved mine at Yuina too (laughs).

Yuina-san, you’ve been performing on stage since the 3rd Live Tour. What were your thoughts when you first heard about the audition for Wien Margarete?

Yuina: It was love at first sight, literally. I prepared for the audition with a strong conviction that I really wanted to become her voice, that I really wanted to land this role. It was my first time participating in an audition for a voice acting role, but I danced when I was in elementary school, and I’ve always loved singing. I’d even pretend to be an idol sometimes when I was a kid. When I decided to participate in the audition, I started thinking that maybe this role is quite close to what I wanted to do in life. That perhaps this was what I’ve always wanted to do.

How did you react after hearing the news that you were accepted for the role?

Yuina: I jumped into the air… (embarrassed). I got the call when I was all alone at home, so I was in total disbelief at the start. But I had a bad feeling that something would go wrong if I got too excited, so up until the point where I was formally announced as being part of the project, I decided to take everything in life seriously. So I had a lot of time to digest the news. You never know what might happen in life, after all! (laughs) Now that I managed to land the role, I wanted to show off her position as the rival to the best of my ability. So I did my best to incorporate Margarete-chan’s sense of justice into my acting, no matter what others might have thought. But, during the 3rd Live Tour, which closely followed the anime’s storyline, I was performing on stage as Margarete-chan, who went on to win the first prize at the Yoyogi School Idol Festival. That was a little nerve-wracking, and I constantly wondered whether I managed to put on a performance worthy of that.

Since you were watching from the perspective of a fan, Sakakura-san, what did you think about Yuina-san?

Sakakura: The first time I saw Margarete-chan in the anime, I went “Who’s this beautiful girl?!”, and after the episode, I saw the cast announcement on social media and went “Who’s this beautiful girl?!” again (laughs). They were a perfect match, and I was surprised at how high-specced they both seemed.

Yuina: You flatter me~...! (embarrassed)

Yuina-san, you joined the Love Live! Superstar!! project at the same time as Liella!’s second-generation members. What are your thoughts about them?

Yuina: I didn’t manage to talk to them a lot back then, but we did meet before the announcement was made, so I was really nervous when I watched the first live stream featuring all nine members. I genuinely felt that I really liked everyone after seeing all nine members of Liella! together, and even though I knew that I’d be joining them later as a third-generation member, I couldn’t really imagine what that’d be like. What about you, Saku?

Sakakura: They’re all amazing, but the one that caught my attention the most was Nonchan, who also joined Liella! after being selected from the open auditions. How she caught my eye was different from how Sayurin and Nagichan did, in a good way, of course. She seemed reserved at first, so I wondered what kind of person she was, but as I watched more live streams, it became easier and easier to see her charms, which made me happy as well. That made me want to support her all the more.

Just give it a try! Taking the first step forward thanks to Liella!

The open auditions for the third-generation cast member were announced after the second season of the anime finished airing. What made you decide to apply for it, Sakakura-san?

Sakakura: It’s not like I regretted not signing up for the first round of open auditions. As a fan, I genuinely thought that Sayurin was the only one for Kanon-chan, and Nagichan was the only one for Ren-chan. Seeing how amazing the cast members who qualified through the open auditions were as they engaged in their activities as Liella! really gave me a push on the back, and that gave me the courage to apply. What Keke-chan said in the anime’s first season, “Is there such a thing as the end of the road for something you love so much?”, really struck me, since I was about to give up on my dreams. After hearing that line, I started wondering why I had decided to give up in the first place, and that I’d definitely give it a shot if I had the chance to do so in the future. Because of that, I applied for the audition without hesitation once it was announced.

How did you approach the audition?

Sakakura: I’m not very confident in my singing, but I really love singing Love Live! songs, so I’d have fun practicing. I’m really bad at dancing, so I practiced the set piece every single day while recording myself, and re-watched those recordings afterward. Practicing the acting part in front of my family members was embarrassing, so I practiced that when I was alone. I thought that I did alright in the second round, which was conducted online, and at that time, I still thought that it’d be nice if I made it. The third round was the first to be conducted on-site, and I was excited at the very prospect of being able to meet the people who worked on the Love Live! series (laughs). Everyone was really kind to me, and that holds true even to this day. But, I thought the third round didn’t go too well, and I remember texting my family about how I’d flunked it after it was over. Once I learned that I made it to the final round, I decided to just enjoy myself, since I thought it was already quite a miracle that I had managed to make it that far. Although I lacked confidence in my singing, dancing, and acting, I was sure that my love for the Love Live! series was greater than anybody else’s, and that was how I approached the final round. I couldn’t believe it when I got the news that I had been selected. Although I’m completely lacking in both ability and experience, I was really grateful that I was given an opportunity like this. Oh, I also wondered what my future would be like now that I was selected.

After that, it was finally time for your first meeting. What were your first impressions of each other?

Sakakura: Surprisingly, we got along pretty well right from the start.

Yuina: Yup, that’s right! I had heard that she was younger than me, but she seemed so mature the first time we met. When she started talking, she looked so cute and had this huge grin on her face… And she said she was so glad to meet me!

Sakakura: Of course I’d be glad (laughs)!

Yuina: Your happiness was contagious (laughs)! Since we were already like that the first time we met, we were quite close from the very start. But, even though she referred to the other Liella! members as, for example, “Sayurin” and “Nagichan” from the very start, for some reason, I was “Yuina-san”. I’ll never forget that! You felt so distant!

Sakakura: You don’t really have a nickname, so I didn’t know what to call you… (laughs wryly) Also, my manager kept the fact that I’d be meeting her that day a secret, so I went over thinking it was just a normal meeting. I was then told that Yuina would be there too when I arrived, which sent me into a panic. I wish I had put on nicer clothes and done my makeup properly!

Yuina: Even though I was so excited to meet you (laughs).

Sakakura: Oh, that was also the first time I saw an illustration of Tomari-chan. I honestly thought that she was really, really cute. That illustration struck right at my heart! Most of my favorite characters up until now have been the laid-back type, but Tomari-chan was so cute that it shattered all of that. At the same time, I wondered whether it really was okay for someone like me to be voicing such a cute girl. But I was really happy to see her!

Did you think about what your character would be like before you met Tomari-chan?

Sakakura: Of course I did! I thought she’d be someone more reserved like Hanayo-chan or Ruby-chan, since she was also a first-year. Also, I had already predicted that Margarete-chan would join as a third-generation member, so I really thought the other member would be more reserved, to serve as a foil to her.

Yuina: I totally get you! I thought we’d get someone who’s the complete opposite of Margarete-chan. So I was quite surprised that we got a cool-looking girl instead. But she’s really cute, and I really like the visual impact that the two third-generation characters give off when together.

Sakakura: Yeah, totally!

Yuina: Another thing that surprised me was that she’s Natsumi-chan’s younger sister.

Are there any traits that you think you share with Tomari-chan?

Sakakura: Practically none at all (laughs). But, well, Tomari-chan loves her older sister, and that has greatly influenced her personality. I too have an older brother, and he has also influenced me in various ways. For example, I decided to join the Kendo Club because he also did Kendo. Oh, and, as I mentioned earlier, the fact that he got hooked on SIF influenced me too. So I would say that he influenced me quite a bit. We get along really well, and I love him as a brother, so I guess that’s something I would say I share with Tomari-chan. As for our personalities, Tomari-chan has the tendency to put on a strong act, which makes her sound fiercer than she intends to be. There are times when I act like that towards my family members as well, so I guess we might be similar in that aspect.

Yuina: There’s a part during her self-introduction where she goes “Please don’t stare at me like that…”, and I think that’s just like Saku. Saku gets embarrassed easily too, and that’s one of the things that makes her so cute. We might be able to uncover more similarities after we get to know Tomari-chan a little better!

Sakakura: That’d be nice. What about Margarete-chan?

Yuina: Like… It felt like I was looking at myself in the past. I absolutely couldn’t stand losing, and I’d never quit until I won. Like, I wanted everything to end with me winning (laughs). I’d much rather participate in sports myself compared to just watching. Oh, and both of us have older sisters, so that’s another thing we share. I love my older sister, but I couldn’t stand losing to her. I didn’t want people to look down on me just because I was the younger sister, and I wanted to show my mother that I could win against her as an equal. So in that sense, I think we’re pretty similar.

After that meeting, you met the other members of Liella!.

Sakakura: I was really, really emotional, the most I’ve ever been in my life, even. I’ve always just been a fan, so seeing all of them right there in front of me made me almost burst into tears. Before meeting them, my manager warned me not to fangirl too much since I was going to become a cast member alongside everyone else, but there was no way I could hold back… (laughs)

Yuina: It was quite a strange feeling for me. We entered the room with a staff member announcing “And here are the third-generation cast members!”, and I started getting nervous too because Saku was trembling beside me. Though that all dissipated the moment we entered the room and everyone said something like “Oh, that’s a familiar face!” (laughs). I thought I had to bridge the conversation between Saku and everyone else, but once we started talking, it became clear that I had nothing to worry about. She quickly got along with everyone else, which just goes to show how friendly she is.

Sakakura: Everyone came over and talked to me the moment we were done for the day. I had a lingering worry that the Liella! I’d been watching as a fan all this while would be different from the Liella! I’d meet in person. I was also worried whether I’d be accepted into the group, given that the nine first- and second-generation members had already gotten to know Yuina and I’d be dropped in the midst of all that, all by myself. But our first meeting made all those worries vanish into thin air. Experiencing how kind and friendly Yuina and everyone else in Liella! were made me really glad that I’d supported this group all this while.

Waiting for a partner The bonds between the third-generation cast members

Did you see the fans’ reactions to the self-introduction videos or your first live stream?

Sakakura: I was so scared that I decided not to look at the comments on the self-introduction video.

Yuina: I told her that I was gonna look at Tomari’s comments before her, so that’s precisely what I did (laughs).

Sakakura: And she told me there were a lot of welcoming comments (laughs). Of course, there were some negative ones, but most of them were welcoming. That made me realize the fact that the kindness of Love Live! fans was one of the things that make the series so amazing, and it reaffirmed the love I have for it.

Yuina: Yeah, the comments were really kind! I thought I was panicking before the live stream, but Saku was completely white and looked like she was about to pass out (laughs).

Sakakura: Self-confidence has never been my strong suit, so what the fans would think of me joining Liella!, which was already such an amazing group, constantly weighed on my mind. I even imagined scenarios where I’d receive a flood of mean comments…… I was really, really nervous, but everyone in Liella! came over to ask if I was okay, or to give me a pat on the back. Up until that moment, being in the presence of the members of Liella! had only served to make me even more nervous, but during the live stream, I actually became less nervous thanks to them. Even though I’d just met them, I realized that what Liella! meant to me was starting to change, bit by bit.

Yuina: I’m sure everyone watching could tell how sincere your words were precisely because you’re such a big fan of Love Live!!

Sakakura: Thank you……! I didn’t manage to read many comments during the live stream itself, so I took the time to go through them slowly after I got home. The warmth in each and every one of the comments was the thing that finally melted away all my nerves and worries, and that was when the tears started flowing down my cheeks. The desire to become a cast member was indeed the dominant emotion within me, but there was also a part of me that was worried about the future and everything I’d be doing. After all, now that I’m involved in this world as a cast member, I’m sure what I’ll be able to see will be completely different from the glimpse I caught as a fan. But, now, I’m really glad that I decided to sign up for the audition. I experience something new and enjoy myself every single day, and even though I definitely still have a long way to go, I think I’ve definitely grown as a person. But that’s mostly thanks to how kind and amazing everyone in Liella! is, and the fact that they’re such good role models. Of course, I want to catch up to them in terms of my acting and singing, but I’d also like to become more like them, as a person. It’d be nice if I could continue changing for the better in the future.

The pace of the eleven-member Liella!’s activities will surely only continue to increase. Tell us about something you hope to achieve in the future.

Sakakura: The top priority for me is to do my best to catch up to Yuina. There’s not a single thing that she can’t do but I can. Even so, she always says things like “Let’s do our best together!”. Hearing those words really does make me happy, and because she has supported me countless times, I hope to someday grow into someone capable of supporting Yuina as well.

Yuina: … (stares at Sakakura)

Sakakura: (laughs)

Yuina: Really, though, I feel like I’ve already come to rely on her. The other day, I attended a recording session where Saku wasn’t there beside me, and that made me rather fidgety (laughs). Because we’ve spent practically every single day together attending lessons, being alone suddenly made me feel uneasy. That made me realize that without me noticing, I’ve been unconsciously leaning on Saku. Somehow, having her beside me puts me at ease. So I need her by my side! Because the character I voice has up until now been a rival and a lone wolf, there was a part of me that couldn’t wait for another third-generation member to show up. I’ve been looking forward to having someone who’s both a friend and a partner, and I’m really glad that Saku ended up being the one to fill that spot. She claims to be bad at dancing, but seeing how much she improves after every single lesson makes me want to push myself even harder too. So rather than keeping your worries to yourself, I hope that we can tackle this together as one since we’re in a three-legged race together. So… Thank you. (looks Sakakura in the eye)

Sakakura: No, thank you!

Last but not least, a message for the fans!

Yuina: Your kind words have supported me countless times ever since the 3rd Live Tour. I’ll be part of Liella! from now on, and I’m really glad that I’ll get more chances to interact with everyone. Of course, there are still many things I need to get used to, but I hope to dance high up in the sky together with Margarete-chan!

Sakakura: Thank you so much for all your support. Your kind words really are the thing that keeps me wanting to do my best every single day. Just like how you’ve supported me, I hope to become someone that can support you in return, together with Tomari-chan. I’ll do my very best, so I’d be glad if you watched over me as I do just that!

Yuina, the voice of Wien Margarete, is from Kanagawa. She attended the audition for her role in between rehearsals for a stage play she was starring in and showed up in full vampire makeup, which apparently caused quite a stir. She mentions being enthralled by the cool solo performance of Kobayashi Aika-san, the voice of Tsushima Yoshiko from Love Live! Sunshine!!

Sakakura Sakura, the voice of Onitsuka Tomari, is from Saitama. Before becoming a cast member of Love Live! Superstar!!, she aimed to become a kindergarten teacher. A true Liella! fan, she visited the rolled ice cream cafe that Liella! collaborated with and stayed there until she managed to draw her favorite character, Tang Keke.

Translation: xIceArcher

Translation Check/Quality Check: Dyrea (@dyreatic)

[hoperenae]

Turning Heads (a Haikyuu fanfic by hoperenae)

PREVIOUS — SERIES MASTERLIST — NEXT

PART 24- The Other Side

The cool October morning breeze brushed my hair away from my face as I stepped out my front door and into the street, my brother right behind me. We walked to school in silence, both nervous and reflecting on how far we’d come in the last couple of months.

It had been two months since the Miyagi Preliminaries. Two months since we beat Ohgi Minami and Kakugawa, the two meter guy. We had honed our skills and grown closer as a team, but nothing could be done about the inevitable nerves we all likely felt going into the Miyagi Qualifiers for Nationals.

The bus ride to Sendai City Gymnasium was quiet, too, even though everyone was wide awake. I sat next to Yacchi who, despite being a manager, looked more pale and anxious than any of the players.

Our first match of the day was against Johzenji High, the party school. Their carefree and fun nature made them unpredictable, but we managed to pool our new strengths together and win.

Wakutani was next, and we didn’t know what to expect. We quickly learned that their captain was very much the pillar of strength for their team, keeping everyone’s spirits up, but we had our own strong captain.

About halfway through the first set, we were neck-and-neck with them. During one rally, our spike got blocked, but Daichi scrambled to pick it up. Nishinoya managed to keep it in the air, and I turned away to prepare for the next attack. And then…the room fell silent.

I turned back to find Daichi and Tanaka on the ground. Tanaka was leaning over Daichi who wasn’t moving. My breath caught in my throat as I raced to my big brother’s side. I fell to my knees and choked back a sob.

“Daichi!” I screamed. Nothing. “Daichi!” Finally, he groaned softly and slowly lifted his head. I felt someone’s hand on my back but shrugged it off.

“Arya, give him some space.” It was Asahi’s voice that shook me from my shock. I raised myself onto one knee as I helped my brother stand up.

“Sawamura-kun!” Takeda said as he made his way to us. “Do you know where you are right now?”

“Uhh, Sendai City Gymnasium,” Daichi replied, putting a hand to his cheek and wincing. There was a trickle of blood coming from his mouth. “I’m ok, really. I can still play.” With that, he spat a tooth out of his mouth.

“You need to go to the infirmary,” Takeda insisted. “Have them check you out to make sure you don’t have a concussion.” Daichi nodded sadly and Shimizu began to walk with him.

“Little sis,” Daichi called over his shoulder. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone.” He smiled sadly, and I fought back tears as I nodded.

I finally understood what it felt like. When I got knocked unconscious back in middle school, I had no awareness of what everyone else was doing or feeling at the time. When I came to, I felt guilty for causing everyone so much pain. But now I knew what it felt like to be on the other side. The worry, the unknown, the waiting; it was unbearable. I was drowning in it. How was I supposed to play without my brother? How was Karasuno supposed to play without our captain?

“Arya-san.” Nishinoya put a hand on my shoulder. “He’s gonna be ok. He doesn’t seem dizzy or disoriented, so he’ll be back before we know it. All we can do now is win for him.”

I nodded shyly and wiped the tears that had escaped my eyes. Tanaka marched over to me and bowed before me.

“Arya,” he choked out. “I’m so sorry. I should have seen that Daichi was going for the ball.”

I put my hands on his face and pulled his gaze up to me. “Hey, it’s ok. It’s all gonna be ok.” I gave him a half-smile. Tanaka freaking out weirdly made me feel calmer. “Let’s win this, ok?” He nodded firmly.

I’ll be the first to admit, it was hard without Daichi. Ennoshita was subbed in, and after the initial nerves wore off, we started to gain our rhythm back. We took the first set, but they took the second from us. I was feeling anxious and distracted, constantly eyeing the gym doors for Daichi’s return. Half my spikes were blocked out, and I wasn’t using my head to strategize. I knew I was going to cost us the game if I kept that up, but I didn’t know how to get my head on straight.

The score was 24-23, match point for us. Kageyama tossed to me, but it was a little too high, so I panicked and flailed. The ball still went over, but now it was Wakutani’s turn for a counterattack.

“Arya!” Ennoshita called from behind me. “Don’t forget how far you’ve come!”

It was like being woken from a daydream. The fog in my brain disappeared, and I took a deep breath. Ennoshita was right, I’d come too far and worked too hard to let it end here. I steeled myself for the next attack. Hinata went up to block their attack, but it still made it through. Ennoshita dove forward to receive it and sent it back to Kageyama.

“Kageyama!” I screamed as loud as I could. He turned his head to me, saw the look of pure determination on my face, and grinned. I ran, jumped against two blockers, and spiked a perfect cross-shot, just like Bokuto taught me.

The gymnasium erupted in cheers, and my teammates swarmed around me with praise. For a brief moment, I forgot to worry about my brother. All I felt was pure bliss and pride.

After gathering up our things, we began to leave the gym. Leaning in the doorway with a sheepish grin on his face was my older brother.

“I guess you guys didn’t need me after all,” he said, running a hand through his hair. I raced forward and threw my arms around his neck.

“I’m so glad you’re ok,” I cried into his shoulder. I felt him tense up and dialed it back a bit. When I pulled away, it was not pain etched on his face, but pride.

“I saw that last point,” he said with a grin. “I don’t think anyone will underestimate you anymore, kid.”

TAGLIST: @bokuroibi @lemurzsquad

[landslided]

mr miyagi during the tournament in tkk is very reasonable, very... daniel-san... must not fight if not want to fight..... but you can SEE how happy he is that daniel kicked dutch's ass in the qualifying matches because the GLARE he gives dutch when dutch does his peacock parading thing after landing a hit on daniel is DEADLY!! he does NOT fuck with that guy!!! icon.

[afurioushawk]

If I can interest you in a Migueli headcanon…

On the first day of school after Devon joins Eagle Fang, she’s about to sit in Hawk’s chair at the Eagle table at lunch, Miguel would be about to tell her that seat was saved until he remembered that Hawk joined Miyagi-Do.

By this point shouldn't they have a united Miyagi-Fang table at lunch by the time they go back to school? As of the Sekai Taikai qualifier, there really is no separate Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang anymore.

[talentbloomed]

@aerth​​​ said: — ☆ He had expected his parents to be home, but apparently he had arrived to early. Campus had closed off due to some fire hazard threat and Noa took the opportunity to go home and see his parents. He missed them dearly, and so when he arrived to an empty apartment Noa did what he did best, curled up on the couch and sulked the whole afternoon - cuddling Mochi while he fought the urge to cry. He just wanted his parents home. It wasn't past 6 when he heard the familiar sound of the door being unlocked, and immediately his eyes teared up. Like he did as a toddler, Noa ran to the door. "Dad!" he exclaimed, arms stretched out begging to be hugged. "I missed you!" (from noa)

After having such a long and stellar volleyball career with an Olympic medal to his name, Tooru has finally retired from the pro stage. Nowadays, he works as a coach for his old high school. The Miyagi qualifiers are quickly approaching, and Tooru has been staying behind many hours to help Seijoh’s current generation prepare. Normally he wouldn’t let the team play after practice hours are over. He’s learned from his own mistakes that overworking has more consequences than progress, but if his players are still adamant on continuing their practice then it’s his job to keep watch over them. He’s learned a lot from Hajime to know the signs of overwork and stress.

“Tadaima !” Tooru’s voice chimes through the door as he steps inside, shoulders relaxing upon finally being home. Before he can toe off his shoes, the sound of rapid footsteps (and a faint meow) makes him look up. He finds his sweet son there with his arms already outstretched. “Oh, my love...I missed you too ! Come here~” He steps gracefully out of his shoes and reaches to pull his boy into his arms. He smoothes brown curls away from Noa’s forehead with a gentle sweep of his hand. “You’re all worked up...I wasn’t gone for too long, was I ?” Back during Tooru’s time with Argentina and Wakatoshi with Poland, he remembered the countless long nights of having to console Noa through a screen. He knew it wasn’t easy for their son to have two parents away and playing for different parts of the world. The separation was heartbreaking for them all, but thankfully they don’t have to be apart for more than a few hours now. Though, even a few hours can be hard for Noa. Tooru’s face softens as he gazes into those teary green eyes. He leans down to kiss him on the forehead.

“Were you at home by yourself ? Your father’s not back yet ?”

[philcoulsonismyhero]

Continuing with the Karate Kid/Cobra Kai PacRim AU nonsense (part 1 here, part 2 here), time for the show events! I’ve only got as far as the end of s1 so far, but I will eventually continue through the rest of the show.

(Note: in order for the timeline to match up, in this ‘verse the Kaiju War lasted a lot longer, and is still ongoing nearly 40 years after the first kaiju attack.)

Here’s the bullet point version from my notes, because I’m not typing all this out again:

The kaiju war is still ongoing, Daniel has made a name for himself as an engineer (possibly even owns a company with Amanda selling jaeger parts to the PPDC) and has a happy family, but Mr Miyagi died some years ago and he's still very much grieving him

Sam is old enough to start pilot training, but unsure if that's what she wants to do with her life

Johnny is working as a handyman, and Miguel and his mother move in across the courtyard

There's a kaiju attack, and the kaiju gets into the city proper for the first time in the kids' lifetimes when it smashes through the coastal wall and jaegers are only deployed at that point as a last resort

Miguel is out running errands when it happens, and Johnny ends up protecting him and getting him to safety and then back to his mother, revealing along the way that once upon a time he was a pilot

Miguel convinces Carmen to let him enlist as a pilot, and Johnny gets his shit together and applies as an instructor, promising extra training to Miguel 

Daniel, still working in the same shatterdome and with his name all over the recent generation of jaegers, is delighted to see Johnny again and shows him the restoration project at work on Kreese's old Jaeger, Cobra Kai, which is turning it into a training rig. He's like 'listen, I know you have bad memories about the whole thing, but look, the machine that was part of that is finally being used for good again' 

Johnny is still pissed about the wall thing, and seeing the old Jaeger makes him think about the strike first approach and decide screw it, someone needs to shake things up around here and get people proactive again, they've all become too comfortable just reacting to the kaiju

So he starts a secret after hours training program for the pilot candidates, based around the Cobra Kai approach (either named after the jaeger, or the jaeger was named after the style, I’m undecided)

Miguel is his first student, but it slowly gains popularity with the other kids

Daniel finds out what he's doing and flips, trying to get him shut down or even fired, but the shatterdome commander listens to Johnny's reasoning and agrees with him, allowing him to make Cobra Kai a legitimate combat training track at the academy 

Meanwhile, Robby is also in the picture. He's been stealing from the shatterdome with his shady friends, and that's how he finds out his dad is working there and is close with Miguel

So, as revenge, he gets a job with Daniel, who realises this is an angry teen in need of a mentor and starts looking out for him

Daniel has been finding his way back to Miyagi-do karate in an attempt to find his balance again, and he ends up training Robby in it too, eventually encouraging him to apply for pilot candidacy

Miguel is only in the first stage of applicancy, which means he's being trained but might not be taken on as a pilot because there are limited slots in the program proper. There's a series of exams and a combat tournament that'll whittle down the candidates. Not everyone who takes part in those exams has to have gone through official intro training, as long as they can prove they're qualified, which is how Robby gets his slot after unofficially training with Daniel

So Johnny is training Miguel and a bunch of other kids (including Eli and Aisha) as an official instructor and Daniel is unofficially training Robby, and various back and forth sniping at each other ensues

Cousin Louie eventually ends up wrecking Johnny's car in revenge for something Johnny did, and Johnny tries to provoke a fight with Daniel, which is deescalated by Amanda and leads to Daniel agreeing to fix the car

Johnny refuses to just leave his car with him, so they end up crankily hanging out while Daniel works on it, and then inevitably working on it together and getting along better than they'd like to admit as they actually learn things about each other (Drift compatibility indicators happen while they're working together, but neither of them is paying attention to that, probably deliberately) 

Eventually, a few drinks in to toasting a job well done, they end up drunkenly agreeing to a sparring match, but of course this is interrupted by the Robby reveal

Things get tense again until the week of the exams and the tournament. Robby has put himself up for candidacy, but neither of the dads know until he steps out onto the mat for the tournament 

Daniel is still pissed at him, but he can't help stepping up to coach and they patch things up

It comes down to Robby vs Miguel, although it's a points thing rather than a contest with a winner so really they're just trying to prove themselves vs win the match. At least, Robby is - Miguel has been taught by Johnny that winning is the thing so he fights dirty and injures Robby

Johnny has his Oh Shit moment about realising what he's turning these kids into

Both boys make it into pilot school proper 

Daniel applies as a combat instructor to act as a counterbalance to Johnny

Kreese then shows up again, somehow, trying to finagle his way in to teaching with Johnny on the downlow despite being dismissed from the programme all those years ago

And cue s2, which I still need to figure out

I really love this AU, it’s far too much fun

[victoryfeathers]

Timeline of Fanfic Events (Manga/Anime)

Overview

Karasuno Formation - Miyagi Interhigh - Tokyo Expedition - Seattle Voyage - Saitama Training - Prefecture Qualifier - December Camps - Spring Nationals

⏣ Karasuno Formation Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 1-35  (Volume 1-5) Anime Episodes: 1-14  (Season 1)

⏣ Miyagi Interhigh Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 36-71  (Volume 5-8) Anime Episodes: 15-25  (Season 1)

⏣ Tokyo Expedition Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 72-84  (Volume 8-10) Anime Episodes: 1-6  (Season 2)

⏣ Seattle Voyage Arc ⏣

Fanfic Begins!!

⏣ Saitama Training Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 73-96  (Volume 10-11) Anime Episodes: 7-11  (Season 2)

⏣ Prefecture Qualifier Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 97-206 (Volume 11-23) Anime Episodes: 12-25 & 1-10  (Season 2-3)

⏣ December Camps Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 207-219  (Volume 23-25) Anime Episodes: 1-5  (Season 4)

⏣ Spring Nationals Arc ⏣

Manga Chapters: 220-xxx  (Volume 25-??) Anime Episodes: 6-25  (Season 4)

[by-lavendragon]

Karasuno’s final round in Miyagi Qualifiers for Spring High is wild

And you can’t convince me otherwise.

Reason? If you pay attention to the timeline, they got three players subbed out because of an injury, in three days in a row.

Kageyama accidentally blocked a ball with his face during Johzenji game, causing a nosebleed. Daichi collided with Tanaka and had to sit out the rest of Wakunan match. In finals against Shiratorizawa, Tsukki nearly had his pinkie tore apart.

Yes, from us viewers they seem like a long time (no less than 10 episodes in anime and around 90 chapters in manga!!) unless you’re binge reading/watching and had it all in one go but that besides the point. In-universe wise, all these accidents happened in the span of only three days. THREE DAYS.

Yikes, be careful guys.