Chapter 36: Recognition

'He knew he wouldn't be able to stop the rotation and control the bounce, so he directed it high so it'd still be saveable...'

Irihata let out a long sigh, his gaze fixed on the court as the game came to an end. The scoreboard confirmed Karasuno's victory, but his mind lingered on that last rally

That receive Tsuna had done wasn't impressive by any means, but considering his wobbly foundation, Irihata was impressed nonetheless.

'His game sense is exceptional...'

It was the key factor in his continued improvement.

'Yet, his left, however strong it is, still lacks control...'

He could tell from that spike with the off trajectory that Tsuna's aim wasn't as good as his strength. Muscle memory for spiking with the right hand wouldn't transfer directly to the left, making his movement awkward and inefficient.

Although Irihata was sure Tsuna must've trained his left arm, as even his controlled spike was still pretty powerful, the last spike he attempted in this game clearly needed more practice.

'He must've only recently started playing again.'

That was quite scary to think about, but as different as time worked for geniuses, Irihata felt fortunate that time might just be on their side this time.

'It's not too long until the Interhigh.'

Despite this practice game's outcome, Irihata remained confident in Aoba Johsai's ability to overcome Karasuno.

He'd seen enough to gauge the threat level of their rivals.

Karasuno's first years, while undeniably talented, were still raw. Their basics needed refinement. On the other hand, Aoba Johsai's first years were already well-rounded, with solid fundamentals.

With a proper strategy and direction, they could defeat Karasuno.

'How much he'll improve before Interhigh should still be limited...'

Even so, Tsuna was a wild card—a variable that couldn't be fully accounted for. Irihata shook his head before turning to see Karasuno celebrating.

"Yoshaaa!!"

Karasuno players cheered loudly at the whistle, their faces beaming with joy. The rest of the team on the sideline smiled as they glanced at the scoreboard.

Across the court, Aoba Johsai watched in annoyance.

"Tch, look at these motherfuckers..."

"Why are they so happy about it? It's only a practice game anyway."

Even Iwaizumi felt a pang of annoyance at the sight of Karasuno's jubilation. But unlike his teammates, he knew when to let it go.

With a deep breath, he shook his head and turned toward Oikawa, who was still rooted in place.

Oikawa hadn't moved since the match ended. Iwaizumi frowned and strode toward him.

SMACK!

"...!"

The sound of palm meeting skull echoed sharply in the gym. Oikawa's head snapped to the side from the impact, and his eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell are you doing?" Iwaizumi barked, "Don't just stand there, staring like some creep. He's gonna think you're in love with him or something, you idiot."

"Ah, my bad..."

Oikawa blinked a few times, his cheek still stinging from the slap.

Slowly, he straightened up and rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a long sigh before saying, "I gave up, Iwa-chan."

The words made Iwaizumi freeze. His frown deepened as he stared at Oikawa, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Oikawa's lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. He glanced back toward the net, where Tsuna stood surrounded by his teammates.

"I wanted to spit back the words he said to me last year," Oikawa admitted, "I wanted to prove him wrong... to show him that I could win. But now... I understand."

"Huh?"

Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes. He stepped closer, "What's wrong with you? Did you hit your head or something?"

This guy wasn't the type to do drugs. So why did he talk this way?

Oikawa was speechless at the response as he annoyedly shot back, "Hey, I'm serious!"

"So...?"

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow, waiting for the explanation. Oikawa sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair.

"I can't win against a monster like that."

For a moment, silence fell between them.

This practice match had made one thing brutally clear: the gap between a genius and the average player wasn't something effort alone could bridge. No amount of sheer willpower would close that chasm.

But...

He raised his head, his eyes locking on Tsuna, who was still staring at the scoreboard.

"Not by myself... and with his current state..." Oikawa mumbled.

He tightened his fist, the tremble in his hand fading as his resolve solidified. Turning sharply to Iwaizumi, he continued, "I think... with everyone, we have a chance!"

"...!"

Iwaizumi's eyes widened slightly at the declaration.

"So, Iwa-chan," Oikawa said, his tone firm and resolute. "Please lend me your hand. Let's hunt that wounded beast in the Interhigh!"

As a team, Aoba Johsai didn't have the glaring weaknesses Karasuno did.

They were solid, balanced, and experienced. And Oikawa saw their unity as their greatest weapon.

"Such a cheesy word," Iwaizumi muttered.

He was genuinely touched. Not that he'd admit it outright.

And then...

Smack!

"Ouch! Why!?"

Oikawa yelped, clutching his head.

Iwaizumi grinned, his hand still raised mid-slap. "Shut up. Be more confident and say, 'Let's kill that motherfucker for sure,' you idiot!"

Iwaizumi smacked Oikawa on the head again.

"Hey! Stop!"

After all, his love language was "physical damage."

Meanwhile...

"Nice kill, Tsuna!"

Daichi patted Tsuna on the back. But he barely reacted. His eyes were locked on the scoreboard with a blank expression.

He muttered under his breath, "We're done already?" 

Tsuna was feeling a bit disappointed. He wanted to play more.

"Kageyama! How did you react so fast to that receive Tsuna-senpai made?"

Kageyama, who was stretching his arms, paused mid-motion. He glanced at Hinata with a raised eyebrow.

"React? I didn't..."

"Huh? Are you some kind of... uhh, idiot, Kageyama?"

"...!"

Kageyama's brow twitched, and without missing a beat, his hand shot out to grab Hinata's head.

"Ah! Let go!"

Hinata squealed, flailing as Kageyama tightened his grip.

Kageyama retorted, "Don't call me an idiot, you idiot!" 

"Ouch! Ouch! Get your hands off me! I might go bald, you jerk!"

Hinata squirmed furiously, throwing a tantrum like a trapped cat.

Ignoring the short guy, Kageyama secretly glanced at Tsuna. His senior was still surrounded by Daichi and Tanaka.

'He immediately looked at me before the ball even bounced off his hand... as if he knew he'd make it this time.'

It was an unpleasant feeling.

Kageyama frowned before turning his attention back to Hinata, who had given him a similar sensation during their previous test game. 

His grip on Hinata's head unconsciously tightened as the thought struck him.

"Ahhh! What's wrong with you, Kageyama? You're gonna crush my skull!"

Hinata's voice brought him back to the present. Kageyama smirked, the tension in his chest easing as he decided to take out his frustration on his annoying partner.

"You're too noisy," Kageyama said, his grin widening.

The rest of the team chuckled at the familiar scene.

After the match, both teams lined up at the center of the court, bowing respectfully to each other in post-game courtesy.

Takeda-sensei stepped in to handle the pleasantries with Aoba Johsai's coaches as Karasuno's players began filing out of the gym.

The sky had turned a deep shade of orange, painting the surroundings in warm hues as they walked in a group toward the bus parked near the entrance.

"Uwahh, that was pretty intense..."

"That was exhausting. I'm glad we won, though."

Hinata and Tanaka let out a relieved sigh together at the same time.

Meanwhile, Daichi was deep in thought as he spoke, "It's going to be even more intense when Oikawa and the other key players who didn't play today join the match."

"We better be prepared."

Daichi felt heavy pressure pressed on him as a captain of the team.

"Well, well... I heard that too, Captain. I'm quite honestly impressed!"

As they neared the exit gate, a voice cut through the air.

They froze in their tracks, heads snapping toward the source. Standing at the gate, leaning casually against a post, was a familiar face.

Tsuna muttered, "Oikawa, huh?" 

"The Great King!"

Hinata yelped, his voice rising in pitch.

Tanaka barked, "Yo! What the hell do you want from us now?!" 

"Y-yeah, what do you want!"

"Relax, relax."

Oikawa raised his hands with a playful smile as he said, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to ask your ace a question."

Both Hinata and Tanaka glared at him suspiciously, eyes narrowing as they watched him approach Tsuna.

Oikawa chuckled, clearly enjoying their reaction. He stepped forward slowly until he was standing in front of Tsuna, meeting his eyes directly.

"..."

"So," Oikawa began, tilting his head slightly. "How was it? Are you not bored anymore?"

Even though Oikawa's tone sounded playful, the rest of Karasuno could feel the tension.

"Grr...!!!"

Hinata and Tanaka growled in response.

"Alright, shut up you both!"

Thankfully, Daichi quickly grabbed their heads, forcing them to calm down.

However, Tsuna didn't seem bothered by Oikawa's tone.

He continued his slow walk, meeting Oikawa's gaze, and spoke, "You've improved a lot."

Tsuna patted him lightly on the shoulder, "Good job, Oikawa. I had a lot of fun thanks to you..."

"..."

Hearing that, Oikawa's playful expression faltered as he stood there frozen, unable to respond.

It wasn't the response he was expecting at all.

"...?"

The others in Karasuno exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of the moment. But seeing Tsuna continue walking, they shrugged and followed him, not wanting to linger.

Hinata and Tanaka, however, couldn't resist.

As they walked further away, they stuck out their tongues at the silent Oikawa, still trying to act tough.

"What a jerk..."

Oikawa was left standing there, alone.

His fist tightened until his knuckles turned white.

All the blood he had shed, the sweat that poured from him, the tears that had long since dried—everything had been for this.

To show those geniuses that even the average player could stand up to them, could challenge them.

But Tsuna's words echoed in his mind, over and over, twisting in his chest.

Those simple words, ones that probably didn't mean much to the monster, felt like an acknowledgment to Oikawa.

An unexpected recognition.

It made his heart twist in ways he didn't expect.

Biting his lip hard, Oikawa felt the tears surge, uncontrollably. They streamed down his face before he could stop them.

"He was actually quite approachable off the court, wasn't he?"

Oikawa muttered under his breath as he wiped his eyes quickly. Somehow, the weight that had been pressing on his chest all year seemed to lift.

It was... relieving.

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