Can I Hook a Setter by Pretending I Can't Play Volleyball?

Title pending ->

A transfer student named Umi Akari joins the Aoba Johsai High School volleyball team.

With black hair and eyes, and clean, sharp features, he stands quietly by himself, yet somehow gives the impression that he's not someone to mess with.

While everyone is wondering if the transfer student got into the club on looks alone, he slams the ball down with a spike, planting it on the far baseline. The ball bounces up and hits the ceiling, and the sound leaves the entire gym silent for several seconds.

Coach Irihata: "We've struck gold!"

A wing spiker with both power and control is exactly what the team needs to make up for the lack of a heavy hitter!

The other players are delighted, crowding around the transfer student and chattering excitedly, enthusiastically explaining the volleyball club's history, eagerly pointing out the locker room, and fawningly inviting him to practice.

But no matter how long they talk, Umi Akari remains unmoved, gazing from afar at Aoba Johsai's captain.

Oikawa Tooru walks up, gritting his teeth. "Umi-kun, didn't you say you couldn't play volleyball?"

Umi Akari finally smiles. "Didn't you teach me, Oikawa?"

Oikawa Tooru: "...Huh?"

You mean you learned a few underhand passes and then figured out how to fire off cannonballs? How does that make any sense!

When Umi Akari moved to Miyagi Prefecture, the first person he met was Oikawa Tooru.

At the time, the reddish-haired boy was wearing a blue-and-white athletic T-shirt, casually practicing passes against a red wall. The steady, confident rhythm of his moving wrists and the light, quick sound of each hit somehow calmed Umi Akari's irritated mood.

He thought, Miyagi isn't so bad after all.

Just then, a flock of birds skimmed low overhead and drew Oikawa's attention. The ball bounced off his arms and rolled to Umi Akari's feet.

Oikawa Tooru turned around. The evening breeze ruffled the hair on his forehead, revealing a strikingly handsome face.

He beckoned with a finger as if they were old friends. "Pick up that ball for me!"

Umi Akari, who normally couldn't be bothered with other people's business, bent down as if in a trance and picked it up. He even shared his drink.

And when Oikawa asked if he could play volleyball, Umi Akari told a little lie.

"I'm not very good at volleyball."

"It'd be great if a really good volleyball player could teach me."

Oikawa took the bait without missing a beat. "As it happens, I'm that really good volleyball player."

Question: What should you do when the neighbor near your home always acts like a harmless fool while hiding his real abilities?

After Umi Akari joins Aoba Johsai, he's good at both passing and spiking. The volleyball team gets a historic boost, breaks out of Miyagi Prefecture's deadly bracket, reaches nationals, and wins both the Interhigh and Spring High championships.

At the highly anticipated championship ceremony, the cool-eyed best wing spiker ushers their setter into the spotlight. He looks up as the miraculous boy raises the trophy, their medals clinking against each other.

Answer: Of course, you want to set the ball for him even more!

Tips:

#A cool-faced, scheming wolf-in-sheep's-clothing wing spiker x a certain Aoba Johsai setter

#I couldn't help lying to win you over x I didn't start talking to you just because I'm outgoing

#The older one, born 29 days earlier

#190.2 x 184.3

#The home-team-wins rule / Aoba Johsai takes both championships

#Matches, daily life, and the romance all get their due

#Attack-focused top! OOC!

Everything above is still undecided and may change at any time.

Blurb posted on 2026.7.24 [screenshot saved]

Theme: Dominate the court, from the wing spiker's perspective