The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

The next day…

"Hey, I heard the volleyball team win the game again!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah! They have already reached the top 8 team in the Tokyo tournament!"

"Holy shit, that is awesome!"

"This is probably the furthest stage any of our sports teams have ever reached in history, right?!"

"Probably. Honestly, I don't know that much about our school."

"Hey, is that Kobayashi-kun?"

"Yeah! Hey, Kobayashi-kun, good job for the game!"

Yuki had a stiff smile while he greeted back the student that he didn't even know who suddenly approached and congratulated him. This had been happening a few times in this morning, as the news about their win against Teiryo had already spread like wildfire. At first, Yuki thought it must be Koji's doing as his senpai always liked to brag to his friends.

However, the enthusiasm shouldn't be this intense if it was just a rumor spread from one mouth to another.

After another few minutes of greeting back the other students who congratulated him, Yuki finally entered his classroom. He sighed in relief as he saw the attention was drawn to the last row where Riku usually sat. He could see his friend talking to the classmates animatedly about how awesome the team was yesterday.

'Fortunately, he likes to talk and brag too, so I wouldn't have to deal with them.' Yuki muttered.

Yeah, unlike Riku who always liked to socialize and had the aura that attracted the crowd's attention, Yuki wasn't a fan of that kind of situation. Of course, he could talk to the others pretty well and wasn't far from being a loner, but just like any normal human being, he could feel tired from the crowds too and needed some time to recharge his energy. As for Riku…

'He isn't a normal human being. There is no way a normal person could be under the spotlight for too long and never feel tired.' He thought inwardly.

As he snuck onto his own seat, Yuki saw Kato was already there. Just like usual, the girl was a morning bird, always coming to the class first when the day was still early.

"Morning, Kato-san." Yuki greeted, still with the same smile.

"Morning, Yuki-kun." Kato greeted back. She turned her head onto him, then a stiffened giggle suddenly came out of her mouth. "You know you don't need to give me that default smile, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Yuki nodded, then tried to relax his facial muscles. "Man, my jaws hurt from smiling all the time to reach this class. What the hell is happening here?" He complained lowly. Of course, he didn't expect to get a good answer. Yuki just wanted to vent out a little at the sudden fame rising this morning.

Unexpectedly though, it seemed the girl who sat on the front row had the answer to his question.

"Here, read this." Kato suddenly took a piece of newspaper from her bag. "You will get your answer in the sports session."

Yuki was confused for a second as he received the newspaper from the girl. It was from Tokyo Shimbun, probably the biggest local newspaper company in Tokyo. Usually, if not reporting the big teams representing Tokyo in the national competition in any sports, it would tell the latest news about the prefecture tournament here. However, it was pretty rare for this newspaper to cover a volleyball game.

Usually, it was either a baseball or a football game.

But this time, it was different.

-0-

Tsunemori High Stuns Tournament: Underdogs Topple Giants to Reach Elite Eight

In a stunning turn of events at this year's High School Prefectural Volleyball Tournament, the underdog team, Tsunemori High School has captured the attention of sports fans everywhere by defeating three top-seeded teams in an audacious display of determination and skill.

They started their impressive journey by besting Shimoyawata High School in the first round, a team that had risen astronomically in the last couple of years. Tsunemori High followed up with a clutch performance against Kyoei Gakuen, an opponent known for aggressively recruiting potential players.

And finally, they claimed a convincing win over Teiryo High School, a traditional powerhouse team that, despite its storied history, had struggled in recent years. With their remarkable series of upsets, the once-overlooked team has secured their spot in the top eight, inspiring fans and proving that talent and tenacity can overshadow even the most formidable opponents.

Their next challenge looms large, as Tsunemori High prepares to face the best team in the country, the highly acclaimed Konan Hig School. Konan High, known for their near-invincible record and unparalleled teamwork, barreled through the tournament with an unmatched combination of strategic play and offensive firepower.

After breezing through the preliminary rounds, Konan High demonstrated their dominance in the quarterfinals with a stunning victory over another powerhouse school Seinan High. Their experience and skill set them apart, making them fierce competitors who are well aware of the stakes at hand.

As the underdogs brace themselves for what many are dubbing a David vs. Goliath matchup, the reality of their situation is stark. Tsunemori's impressive journey to the top eight may very well meet its end against Konan. Despite the magic they invoked in previous matches, Konan's strategic acumen and depth of experience may prove too formidable for the Tsunemori team.

Many believe that while miracles can happen, the consistency and precision of Konan High in clutch moments might be too much for the spunky underdog to overcome this time. As the clock ticks down to game day, all eyes will be on the court, witnessing whether sheer determination can withstand the might of champion caliber.

-0-

Yuki had his mouth gaped wide as he read the article for a few minutes. "Is this real?" He finally asked, his eyes were still locking on the newspaper.

"As real as Riku-kun being more infuriating today." Kato tried to crack a joke to ease the tension. However, it couldn't reach Yuki, as the glasses boy still read the article over and over again.

Although, in the end, the newspaper stated that they were not optimistic that Tsunemori could make another miracle, Tokyo Shimbun still highlighted their journey from the start to reach this point and put them in the spotlight. And while it might only be written as a short article in a small column in the sports section, Tokyo Shimbun was the most famous newspaper in Tokyo.

There was no way any sports lovers around wouldn't read this report.

'No wonder everyone looks so enthusiastic whenever they see us. This might be the first time Tsunemori is covered in the newspaper like this.' Yuki muttered. 'I wonder how everyone reacted about this.'