Turning Him Down Without Batting an Eye

A quick update notice: I'm working on my thesis, so my update schedule will be extremely irregular for a while. You might as well wait until the story is nearly finished to read it. The plot is about halfway through now, and I expect the main story to wrap up in around 80 chapters.

------------ Synopsis ------------

Toru Oikawa, from Miyagi Prefecture, is the starting setter on the Aoba Johsai High School boys' volleyball team, a legendary heartthrob whose admirers could circle the school three times.

But he's been single for seventeen years.

He once expressed his frustration about this, and a certain childhood friend who wished to remain unnamed told him: "Someone like you is going to die alone. Just spend your whole life with volleyball."

At the time, he didn't think much of it. What would you ordinary people know about the joys of volleyball?

Until he realized that his beloved girlfriend cared more about her 19-by-19 Go board than he cared about volleyball.

Toru Oikawa felt threatened.

His precocious young nephew teased him for getting dumped by his girlfriend. He thought: I wish she'd actually dumped me. The problem is, she doesn't even know I like her!

-

Toru Oikawa isn't a genius, but he's convinced talent can be nurtured until it blooms, and that ball sense can be honed through practice.

His high school days were unremarkable, while someone else had already taken many steps ahead of him onto the world stage.

She said, "I'll be waiting for you to catch up and stand by my side."

-

OOC Skit 1:

About names:

The first time Toru Oikawa learned the name of that annoying four-eyes from Karasuno: "Huh?? What makes you think you can share a name with our Aki?"

Some arrogant guy: "? Are you crazy?"

OOC Skit 2:

The students in Class 5 of the first year were curious about the transfer student for about a week. After all, there was nothing particularly special about her.

Then one day in her second year of high school, a giant banner was hung at the school entrance:

"Congratulations to Class 5, Year 2 student Shiying on winning the 24th Fujitsu Cup World Go Championship."

Them: "...What?!"

*None of the above will appear in the main story (but maybe it will).

-The title and tagline were both suggested by friends. Kisses! (*╯3╰)

------------ Sneaking in an upcoming novel ------------

"Kenma Kozume Wants Me to Confess"

Kenma Kozume likes quiet, hates noise, and hates moving. He only plays volleyball because his childhood friend Kuroo plays, so he joins him. If he could, he'd spend his whole life playing video games.

If life were Earth Online, his main quest would be to survive to the end, one of his side quests would be playing volleyball, and everyone else would just be an NPC in the game.

Akito Kagado's existence is like that of an NPC with absolutely no logic. Her behavior is impossible to predict, and he has no idea what goes through her mind all day.

She's a strange character who can't be won over.

That's what he thought.

But why does it feel like

he's the one being won over?

Akito Kagado's Cat Observation Diary:

That calico cat is always forced outside by the black cat

That calico cat loves apple pie

That calico cat doesn't like drawing attention

That calico cat is adorable

She likes that calico cat ^_^

The first thing Kenma Kozume did after becoming an adult was go buy alcohol.

Akito is wary: What are you doing?

Kenma: I thought you liked drinking?

Akito: Well, I guess I do...

(After getting drunk)

Akito: Mm... I love you most, Kenma... (hugs him)

Kenma: Yeah. (smiles)

Cheerful, sunny puppy girl × scheming, brilliant cat Kenma

OOC is mine, all praise to Furudate-sensei

Theme: Chase your dreams so you won't have regrets