I don't play tennis, volleyball, or soccer, and I don't swim. I run to exercise, but I like running alone. The important thing is running by myself, thank you.
Don't bring me any of that sports competition stuff about camaraderie, teamwork, or even selfishness. I'm not interested.
Until his second year of high school, Takanashi Hane was a committed member of the Go-Home Club.
Yet years later, at the World Championships, watched by countless fans, he stood on the podium looking utterly bewildered, alongside his teammates and the boyfriend making his first appearance before the world. They had won. They were champions.
During an interview, a reporter asked what had prompted Takanashi to suddenly start playing volleyball in high school.
Takanashi still looked completely lost, as if he had no idea where he was or who he was. "Ah... In high school? Well, how do I put it?"
"I just wanted to lend a hand at first, and then somehow I started training with them, fell in love, and suddenly realized we were only a few years away from getting married."
"And my boyfriend really loves volleyball... Anyway, it's a complicated story, so I've kept playing volleyball ever since."
The reporter laughed, then realized something was off. "I see. Wait, boyfriend?!"
"What's Takanashi's love life like? How long did it take before you got married?"
"How do you feel about winning this award? Is Takanashi's partner here today?"
The interview spotlights immediately turned on Takanashi. Their glare made it hard for him to keep his eyes open, and the microphones bobbing back and forth made him dizzy. "It's so loud. There are so many people, and it's so crowded. I can't understand what you're saying."
At the peak of his career, and having successfully come out, Takanashi once again dominated the pages of volleyball magazines.
His reddish-pink hair fell beside his face. He held his chin slightly raised, his exquisite, dazzling features turned sideways as he looked at people. His sharp gaze pierced the hearts of everyone who met it, like the flash of a sword. As always, this issue of the volleyball magazine sold extremely well.
Miya Atsumu, who played for a different club from Takanashi, quickly called him up and complained in a mournful voice, "Stop stealing the cover. Let me have it for once."
Takanashi: "...I really wasn't trying to steal it this time."
Pairing: Kageyama
Childhood-friends setup. The story focuses on the technical side of setting, but there aren't many match scenes. There are more scenes of them dating in their everyday lives.
Current draft: 30,000 words
Theme: A youthful romance between high school boys
