#make this happen furudate-san

[8bitsupervillain]

Higurashi When They Cry Hou Ch. 5 Meakashi pt. 15

For no reason in particular I want to link this: https://8bitsupervillain.tumblr.com/post/756419966857838592/higurashi-when-they-cry-hou-ch-5-meakashi-pt-5

I've tried to foretell when TIPS documents end so I can get a decent screenshot of the logs so there's not too much repetition with lines of dialogue. I've kind of given up. It'll just go from one to the next without any real warning.

The idea that each of the three Families has their own ritual storehouse is kind of funny to me. Especially the apparent attention to detail of how well kept each one is. "We can't use the Furude ritual storehouse, have you seen the shape it's in? Let's go to a nice one, like the Sonozaki one." "Why not the Kimiyoshi one?" "Come on man, you know that one's a dive." Although I do like the implication that each family in the past was obligated to host their own sacrifice, like they alternate each year. Although typing that I suddenly had the idea that each one having their own ritual storehouse implied that each family was obligated to actually make their own sacrifice each year at their own storehouse. What if the sacrifices/disappearances we're told about are only the ones that are actually known about, and there's actually six, minimum going on every year?

For clarity sake: Notebook Page 173 starts with "The sanctity of the ritual storehouse..." Notebook Page 179 starts with: "The reason Takano-san and Tomitake-san were cursed..." It does raise an interesting question, if Takano and Tomitake didn't break in to the storehouse would they still have been sacrificed? I assume that even though it wasn't mentioned that's why they died in chapter One: Onikakushi.

It's an interesting turn of phrase here, the use of alter ego. I think it's interesting that she's now starting to view her "demon possession" as simply letting another aspect of her personality take over. Especially considering that at no point prior to this did she ever give the impression that she harbored any sort of alternate self inside her.

When they mention making Oyashiro angry the faint sound of the bells happens. It is downright amazing the information network Oryou Sonozaki seems to have running all throughout Hinamizawa. She seems to found out very quickly when literally anything happens, which makes me curious about the apparent holes in the information network. I can only assume that they already know that the other two who broke into the storehouse are Shion and Keiichi. Is it merely sentimentality from Mion that's stopping them from getting them? Because I get the impression that Oryou wouldn't really have issues with just making Shion and Keiichi disappear.

I know that given recent events she's probably not thinking straight (the drinking probably didn't help either), but she should really piece together the phantom footsteps have been happening for at least multiple days before now. Of course, when you think about the curse as described so far it doesn't really explain away why the curse would target Shion. I don't have any theories as to why it would do it, but the description of the nature of the curse has been affecting Shion for longer than the break-in.

Soulless probably isn't a good descriptor for this look, but I love it when the game deploys it. That piercing gaze has just been amazingly effective every time they use it.

Wuh oh Shion.

[atticraccoon]

My WashiMimi’s origin

On the Inarizaki match stage play, my expectations were on Kita-san, but the one who caught my attention was Oomimi-san; maybe because his actor is really tall, and he was being quite expressive. But he was also so gentle to his teammates, I developed a soft spot for him.

So while writing Kita and Ushijima’s sweet sweet love story, I started to think, damn, maybe Oomimi-san really had something for Kita-san. Then I started feeling really bad for him, because no one ever stood a chance against the sudden Godzilla arrival in this story.

So I tried coming up with some scenarios for him. Based on the (few) existing fan works, Akagi seemed to be the best option. But the Akagi in my head is not really interested in pursuing a love life, so it didn't work. Then there's Suna too, but I couldn't think of anything.

Other than them, there's only Kita-san, but he is out of question here. So, for a time, it seemed like I was out of options Until the manga ended. And god (Furudate) gave us a sign. If this is the KitaJima-verse, then by the same principle of proximity, Washio might be the one. 

Then I ran some simulations. And it worked. Very well.

One day Oomimi complained about the hardships of renting an apartment by himself, and Akagi understood it as "I'm feeling lonely." So he got Suna to set up something with his tall, serious, and single teammate.

It starts a little slow, but soon Oomimi and Washio are talking about their high school days, their situation now, some middle blocker stuff, and other things. Until Washio complains about how people think he looks scary, and that he even made a child cry once.

Oomimi gets all, "Ah! Me too!" "Oh, really?" "Well, I mean, I didn't make a child cry, but people get so scared. They even refer to me as the scary-looking guy." he chuckles. "Hm. Strange..." Washio averts his gaze, and says, "It must be because they didn't see you smile."

It surprises Oomimi. "Eh?" Still looking away, Washio grows pink. Then Oomimi also goes pink. Then the two get completely red. And then things escalated really fast. Like, reeeeally fast. And that's how WashiMimi happened.

That said, I also think that during high school, Oomimi and Akagi got very close. Like, Akagi even had the habit of using Oomimi as a pillow. But it got so usual to them that, one day, when the libero came to stay the night, this happened.

"I'm really sorry, Tacchan." "Oh, no problem. It's just... a little unusual. And very impressive. That he's already sleeping." "Yeah. He says it's relaxing, because he feels safe. Like a flea on a dog." "Hm. Strange comparison." "His words."

And that's it. I intended to write about this on the future. But I decided to do it now, just because I had the sudden urge to draw Akagi sleeping comfortably.

[felixcloud6288]

Higurashi: Dice Killing Chapter 2

So much dice talk this chapter.

We're getting more information about this new world and everything keeps shocking Rika.

Rika is so used to the routine from her 100 years of looping that she genuinely doesn't know how to react to things being different. One tiny hint of that is she gets startled when Yamamoto demands she answer a yes or no question.

When she returns to class, Rika notices Tomita, Okamura, and Keiichi are not there. At first, she takes Keiichi's disappearance as a bad omen until she realizes there isn't even anything to imply a conflict will happen.

There's one moment after class where someone refers to Rika as Rika-chama. I'm not sure if it's intentional or a translation error though. There's something that comes up later in this arc that could make me believe either possibility so I'll (hopefully remember to) talk about it then.

If it is intentional though, I would guess Rika either imagined someone said it, or considering how the club doesn't exist and they're not really close with each other, Mion used -chama out of respect for Rika being daughter of the village priest. The next time Mion uses an honorific on her is after Rika asks about joining Mion's club. So if Mion did actually use -chama, then she's actually being more friendly with Rika.

Side note: This made me have to go back and check what honorifics everyone uses for Rika. Most of her friends use -chan (Special mention goes to Keiichi also using it because Rika is the only one of his friends he gives honorifics). However, Satoko doesn't use honorifics for Rika at all (Making her using -san last chapter stick out even more) and Shion uses -chama.

Another bombshell discovery for Rika.

Up to now, most of the difference between this world and the world she knows stemmed from Miyo Takano having no involvement in this world. It turns out EVERYTHING is different.

Reina's parents never got divorced so she didn't have her mental breakdown, Satoko accepted her step-father and the 1980 incident didn't happen, and also the Dam War never happened and Hinamizawa will be submerged in less than a year.

Rika initially tied the loss to how Miyo Takano is uninvolved with studying Hinamizawa Syndrome but I'd say there's far more reason than just that. At most, we know that she had the Wild Dogs kidnap the Construction manager's grandson as an intimidation tactic, and she may have pulled some strings to get the project cancelled, but Reina's talk implies the protests never went far in the first place.

In fact, the real reason the Dam War never happened seems to be that the government was willing to hear the villagers out and negotiate really generous terms for the villagers. Seriously, they offered to build a new village for them and are going to move the shrine, cemetery, and several sacred trees to that new location. If they had the technology, Oryou and Kimiyoshi could probably have made them build a lookout platform like the one behind the current Furude Shrine.

And that's on top of offering generous compensation packages and giving the villagers first pick for new houses in Shishibone. For people who have lived in Hinamizawa their whole lives, it still stings that the place they've called home is going to be destroyed, but the government showing respect and giving honest negotiations to address their greatest concerns went a long way.

The best part of Rika's chat with Reina is when she brings up Oyashiro-sama's curse. Rena was always the first to freak out when the curse was brought up and she's the one who most earnestly believes it. And all the buildup makes it seem like she's going to have another freakout when Rika mentions it.

Rena stops walking and slumps her shoulders. the panels gain a darker filter. Reina's voice bubble has the ominous black background, and then...

Up until that moment, Rika kept calling her Rena. But the next time she says her name, Rika corrects herself and starts calling her Reina. That reaction definitely proved that this girl is not the same person Rika knows.

Talking with Reina is starting to feel like that meme about the person having a bad dream "Oh good, you're awake. What? Feud? Dam War? Oyashiro-sama's curse? You must have hit your head harder than we thought."

I genuinely wonder if Hinamizawa Syndrome is even a thing in this world. Rika speculates Hifumi Takano got the research funding he wanted and came to Hinamizawa to study the disease, but I kind of feel like that's not the case and he may have moved to the village to service a remote area where it's difficult to get medical help.

Takano clinic used to be called Takano Shinryojo. I tried looking up the word's meaning but all I got was a manga series called Dr Koto Shinryojo. The series is about a surgeon from Tokyo who is transferred to a remote island clinic. It had a television drama that ran when the Higurashi VNs were first published.

I mentioned in the Festival Accompanying recap that Suzuragi has some issues drawing hands, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Rika has two thumbs.

Finding out she and Satoko are not friends is the final nail that drives Rika to want to abandon this world. She's so frustrated with this world that she doesn't pay the fact her parents are alive any concern (which is something that will be relevant later).

At the very least, she found Hanyu, though she can only communcate with her through a small crystal in the Saiguden. For some reason, Hanyu is rejected by the world Rika is in.

back

[avian-14]

How do you think the teams would react when they watch that video where two Japanese men playing volleyball on the opposite team kiss? Because I want an OVA of their reaction.

[zellacchan]

TANAKA APPRECIATION DAY STARTS NOW

-THIS WHOLE EPISODE ABOUT HIM IS PERFECTLY WRITTEN, THE IMPACT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND I HAVE GROWN TO LOVE HIS CHARACTER SO MUCH MORE.

-TANAKA DOESN'T GIVE UP. that thought alone seems boring when you read it just like that, right? but this episode, ugh, man. it surfaced a whole new concept, you'd think the character was a genuine human, a real person from this world.

-how, exactly? let's start with the things that happened to Tanaka-senpai. ‘‘embarrassment. failure. yet despite that-you refused to give in, and you constantly repeated that in your mind. yet you still ended up getting even more disappointed than you initially were. nothing was going smoothly, and you didn't know why. 'it's okay. i'll keep going, it'll be alright.' you result to self encouragement, because it really isn't the time to feel down, just stay positive. force yourself to be.’’ was the type of situation he was in. normally, a person would give in to the despair, the negativity their mind kept bringing to them. because, i mean, what else could they do? everything was going wrong right in front of their eyes. and when they tried bringing themselves up again, their own teammate refused to help. getting them to toss to you after you called for one could've been the chance to redeem yourself, but no, it didn't. in a normal situation, you'd think ‘okok they might have a plan/they prolly have a better chance at scoring’ or ‘psh maybe next time.’ or even go ‘asjdjfjfj that was embarrassing!’ pretty much any thought, usually it wouldn't give a huge impact to you, and you're able to brush it off after a couple minutes then focus on the game again. but if its like the situation Tanaka was in? completely different scenario. it's likely to give more than a stab to your morale. could even serve as the final blow. even Bokuta-san knew this, as seen from how he passed out afterwards watching them. (maybe it's due to the relief that karasuno scored, tho his attention mostly focused on Tanaka, as once again shown from his reaction after Tanaka earned a point. plus the fact that he was aware of how he, himself would act if he's in Tanaka's position.) but, did that 'deal the final blow'? did it finally make him give up? nope, it didn't. (part of the credit goes to our sunshine child Shoyo, thank hEAVENS for this angel.) and even if Shoyo wasn't there to encourage him, i doubt he would've acted differently. it takes such an impossible amount of mental strength to survive those kind of life difficulties, moreover in sports. s p o r t s, where one mistake could ruin everything. and Tanaka-san had that strength. it merely showed it's pique on the very end, but he had it from the very beginning. hence, again, i doubt a different outcome—and i find that so so beautiful, bc honestly, let's be realistic here. not a lot of people could do that. they may try, but they can only reach so far before giving in. Tanaka was one of those rare gems, and this episode was incredibly inspirational about it. i just can't say that enough. it's anime, fictional. yet the emotions, the struggles and how it was depicted were more than on point, and that's why it's capable of such impact. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

-i dare say more; let's move onto his quotes. “i'm nothing but average. but still, my average self.. do you really have time to look down like that?” ohmygod. this needs to be my life motto. Tanaka-senpai you outstandingly positive man, i crave for his attitude-his viewpoint, way of dealing with sitautions and everything. it's so cool and awesome and just aAAAAA, how?! how is one capable of such thoughts?? please teach me. i beg of you. “i'm pretty sure i'm a normal human being. especially when it comes to my build and abilities. when i was a kid, i was convinced i was a genius. i might've thought that until i was in middle school. actually, i'm still sorta convinced that i am. but i'm probably never going to be 180cm tall. i'm confident in my athletic skills. but on our volleyball team, i'm not number one in anything at this point in time. but that's not a reason to quit, nor is it an excuse.” i'm screaming. just slapped the perspective and words i've longed to hear. what an ace, Tanaka-senpai deserves that title so much. it fits so perfectly. “as long as i keep trying until i can do it... i can actually do it!” yes, thank you, Tanaka-senpai, Furudate-sensei, for proving that giving up is just an illusion of success. once you've tried enough and you can finally do it, you've finally done it. it's possible.

I REPEAT, TANAKA RYUUNOSUKE DESERVES SO MUCH APPRECIATION. HE'S SUCH A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN CHARACTER, AND WE ALL SHOULD SHOWER OUR LOVE TO HIM.

p.s i wrote this on the spur of the moment, (milliseconds after the episode ended) pardon if i dont make sense<3 just love tanaka ryuunosuke<3 thats all you need to know<33

[write-haikyuu]

Their s/o getting hit on during a game (ft. Miya Twins and Kita Shinsuke) | headcanon

ooh! what about miya twins + kita getting protective over fem s/o who came to watch them during nationals after she was flirted with by their opponent?

warnings: cussing, passive aggressiveness, shivers as you can imagine how scary an angry osamu may be 

Miya Atsumu

Among the three of them, Atsumu would probably have the biggest reaction if he notices someone trying to get at you. He can be short-tempered and snap with sharp words (especially if this happens in the middle of a game). He’s aggressive y’all. 

Remember Osamu said his mental age drops by half on the court? Well, when that happens, not only does Atsumu become annoyed by the opponent, but he’s going to want to make sure he gets both you and the opposing team’s attention to ensure that everyone knows who you are to him. 

“OI, Y/N! WATCH ME GET THIS SERVICE ACE OVER THAT RAT’S ASS” he shouts and waves over to you (he and Kita are definitely going to have a chat after this) 

He releases his anger through his plays. As if his serves aren’t deadly enough, Atsumu is going to somehow manage to specifically aim for said flirty opponent to make sure he gets smacked in front of you. 

After the game, when everything has mellowed out and Inarizaki takes the win, you will definitely be the first person he meets off the court. Forget his sports bag or his drenched sweat, He’s going to rush over to you and give you a big hug and smother you with kisses

If you’re the type to shrug off the flirter yourself, Atsumu would be so proud of you and just go on about his day

But, if the opponent somehow manages to have the guts to stick around you, Atsumu would get in between you two and confront him.

“Babe, what are you doing associating yourself with this loser?” (like literally, he is a loser because he lost lol) 

Yeah anyone would be scared to have to confront Atsumu in that state. At that point the team just kind of salutes to the lad and hopes he doesn’t walk home traumatized by Atsmu’s harsh words. :\ rip 

Miya Osamu

Osamu is cool-headed for the most part, but he can be quite territorial when he feels the need to be. He’s passive aggressive y’all. 

Of course in the middle of the game, he’s focused. But, if he noticed a scene where you’re being hit on by someone from the opposing team, his attention may avert to you (depending on the extremity of the flirting). 

He’s a little peeved, to say the least. If the opponent is flirting with you as he serves or literally in the middle of a play, you are damn sure that Osamu is going to make sure he spikes the ball into his face to the other side. 

He won’t explicitly show his emotions, but Osamu is a little jealous. His only way to control that is by winning and ensuring that the opposing team knows who he is. He might shoot a glare at the guy for a while, but that won’t ever distract him from his plays! 

When the game is over, win or lose, he’ll strut over to you and make it obvious that you’re with him! 

“Hey babe, did you see that spike I did near their #5?!” as he stares directly at their #5. 

or if the other player is still up in your face, he’s not afraid!!

“Fuck off” and proceeds to rest his arm over your shoulder and walk away 

He’ll hold you by the waist, show a little more PDA than he usually does, not because he’s afraid of other people catching your attention, but because he wants you to be reminded that he’s here with you and that no one can intervene that.  

Kita Shinsuke 

To be honest, I can’t imagine that Kita is the type to get jealous or feel insecure about something as trivial as this. 

Kita is a pretty mature person himself, so I’d imagine him being with someone who is either equally as mature, if not more mature than him. 

The amount of trust and transparency in the relationship is very well established.

If he notices someone is flirting with you, he’d trust that you’d know how to navigate the conversation to either show you’re disinterested or give the person a cold shoulder. 

He would honestly just mind his own business or check on you from afar (especially if it’s in the middle of the game).

However, being trusted and secure is completely different than being protective. If he notices that the other person is trying to actually touch you or get in any form aggressive with you (and your body language signals that you need help in any way) he’s right beside you, ready to defend you. 

“She already said she wasn’t interested. You should probably leave her alone if you know any better. Didn’t your mother teach you consent? No means No.”

For Kita, it’s honestly not a big deal so long as no one is harmed or hurt. He understands how to stay clam and gauge situations like these, and definitely won’t be afraid to take action if it comes to it. :) He loves you, respects you, and most importantly proud to be with you.

side note: can we just talk about how cute Kita looks in that picture????? He’s so??? fucking??? cute??? who the fuck let you exist this cute.... furudate-san SIR we NEED TO TALK!!!!

[tsuisou-no-despair]

Higurashi "Role Swap" AU - Part 1: The Games Club

So, I love me a good AU, and Higurashi's the right sort of interesting and complex work that makes for real good AUs. I'm not sure where the idea of a role swap AU came from (my guess is @angeban's recent "drunk Hanyuu" art?) but after talking about it on Discord, I think I have the foundation laid for a good "role swap" AU... well, "role swap" is in quotation marks for a reason. For Part 1, we'll get into the core six, the people who'd get the focus in the OPs from the start... y'know, the main cast.

The Twins

Switching around Mion and Shion is simple - just undo the mixup. This does mean that the Sonozaki heir is still Mion and the twin sent to St. Lucia is still Shion, so on the surface, one might miss that an actual change has occurred. The biggest change that occurs as a result of switching them is that "Shion" ends up thriving at St. Lucia's, fitting in similarly to how Rika does in Gou. Therefore, she doesn't flee the boarding school, and her presence in Hinamizawa ends up being rather more limited than in the original universe. As for "Mion", she doesn't end up all that different from the original Mion... except that she still has powerful feelings for Satoshi. (Though for reasons you'll see later, the changes to Satoshi means that those feelings are very different!)

The Transfer Students

The axis that Keiichi and Rena switch around is simple - you just swap which family moved to Hinamizawa this year and which one returned to Hinamizawa last year after leaving. Reina Ryuugu moves to Hinamizawa with her dad to help get her a better life and quickly becomes friends with Kei Maebara[1], who moved there from Ibaraki with his parents last year. Their personalities are noticeably different from the original universe since the scars of Hinamizawa Syndrome have been transferred from Reina to Kei; Reina has less emotional control and is quicker to get lost in her anger, while Kei is colder as he is ashamed of where his temper has led him in the past. There's more to get into but I feel like that'd require a really deep dive into two very complex, similar yet differing characters.

[1] Keiichi's dropped the "-ichi" from his name for two reasons - to better fit Mion's favorable image of him as "Kei-chan", and because he doesn't think he deserves to have the same character as ichiban ("the greatest") anywhere near his name after what happened in Ibaraki.

The Orphans

Alright, it's time to talk about the kids of the cast. Our delightful blonde gremlin and her much more dignified friend. Hojo-san and Furude-san. Let's talk about Miyoko and Hanyuu.

...what? Did you think I was talking about someone else?

Hanyuu Furude is still very recognizably the Hanyuu we know and love. The horns, the "au au au"-ing, the love of cream puffs and the hatred of spicy foods, the politeness and timidity, that's all still there. Like Rika, she's the one who dances for the Watanagashi festival and is the supposed "queen carrier" of Hinamizawa Syndrome. She's well-liked but is sensitive about her horns, mostly due to a complex deriving from being Oyashiro-sama's "reincarnation". She's ultimately very pessimistic and takes negative statements about Oyashiro-sama personally. In moments of despair or stress, Hanyuu goes into "goddess mode" - her voice drops, her eyes burn like fire, and she acts with an unexpected seriousness and authority.

Miyoko Hojo (born Miyoko Tanashi) has a story that's still quite similar to the original Satoko Hojo. She was the daughter of the family who opposed the Dam Project who was orphaned after her parents died in a bus crash[2], was adopted by her horribly abusive aunt and uncle (taking Teppei Hojo's last name in the process), and lives with Hanyuu after her aunt died gruesomely on the night of Watanagashi. The friendly face she puts on is quite similar to Satoko's - your "ohohoho~"s haven't gone anywhere! - but the trap-making is gone in favor of being extremely inquisitive and trivia-minded- she claims to know everything and knows enough to occasionally make it seem like it's not hyperbole. She knows that Oyashiro-sama isn't behind the Curse but privately despises him for letting it (and her abuse) happen, and she dreams of one day kicking him off of his heavenly throne and becoming Hinamizawa's god herself. (After realizing she takes it so personally, Miyoko has taken care to hide her real anger from Hanyuu.) Occasionally she shows a disregard for her own life - this is because when given the choice by a greater power between living and dying, she chose life. Miyoko knows that she will live with absolute certainty, whether she wants it or not - if not in this fragment, then in the next.

[2] Adaptations vary on whether OG!Miyoko's parents died in a bus or a train crash - I'm going with a bus since that puts the possibility of an HS-addled Miyoko indirectly causing it to happen back on the table.

Next time: We elaborate on what's happened with Hinamizawa Syndrome and talk about the man in charge of the clinic and the "nurse" pulling the strings of the whole operation - Satoshi and Satoko Takano.

[cestcirque]

🎉 12.12.21! 🎉

In honor of one year since starting Aperture (and this lil ol’ blog 🥺) I’ve compiled some of the countless behind-the-scenes stuff I never revealed about my SMAUs

This serves no other purpose but to be a nice walk down memory lane for me and the nostalgia is sO real—LET’S GOOOO!!!

Check out the previous post about the secrets of Aperture!

I was adamant about using my own art for visuals bc I constantly see fanart go uncredited on SMAUs (and other works of writing). 🙄 Any art in The Cardinal Set that isn’t mine, Furudate-sensei’s, or free-use imagery is properly credited

Much less thought in The Cardinal Set bc entirely too much needed to happen 😅

1. The 3 Y/Ns and their personalities came to me immediately after finishing Aperture, since requests for different routes were so strong. But I very quickly disregarded them bc creating these characters just to give people a happy ending felt too indulgent and I’m not about that

It wasn’t until I came up w the switch months later that I was sold. The lesson Aperture failed to teach—you can try as hard as you can to “build” love but sometimes you simply can’t hit all the right points and that’s okay. Suddenly the character dynamics I already created fit perfectly when paired with a different partner

2. These are the wallpapers on the Y/Ns’ lockscreens!

By Burnt Toast Creative, one of my favorite illustrators, who makes a ton of great wallpapers free to use (check him out!!!!)

Trompe l’œil:

3. Y/N’s paintings are actually meant to tie in the banners, but the concept is only half developed bc I decided it wasn’t important to the story. Polaroids from Aperture, one-line drawings from Screentone, typography from Extrema, and from Trompe-l’œil, color. Semi reveals he has a purple Rothko print in movement x, and Y/N’s first painting, Komorebi, is green (having fully grasped the concept of intimacy). Ikigai should have been blue (companionate, it wasn’t 😅) but we bring it back around when she asks Terushima for pink and red for koi no yokan (romance)

4. Akaashi’s favorite poem (#40, the one he was saving for a rainy day) and the poem Y/N posts the next day (#41) are companion pieces! It is said that they were put against each other in a poetry competition but could not be ranked one over the other. Formally, #40 is listed as the winner

…I can’t reveal what I was really trying to imply w poem #80, lest Akaashi stans get mad at me again… just know there’s a reason Konoha replies the way that he does 💩

Screentone:

5. Y/N’s sketches are my sketches from actual drawing classes (yes, even Semi’s figure study)

And yes, I did look up the names and stroke orders of all the muscles / bones in Japanese

6. This notebook page at the café where Y/N works w Akaashi is already eying Atsumu, very blatantly might I add

7. In any group chat w Saeko and Akiteru, Y/N calls Udai by “Udai-sensei” or “Udai-san.” When she speaks privately w him (and even when she mentions him to Semi), she calls him “Tenma”

This is something I don’t expect anyone to pick up on, but it’s very telling in Japanese when someone uses keigo (respectful language) vs. tameguchi (casual language). The fact that there’s a difference in address when she’s in front of certain people would immediately indicate a secret relationship. But by Layer 22, she’s addressing him as “Tenma” in front of everyone! No more hiding!

Extrema:

8. This is something I actually hand-lettered

The quote really is one of my accidental life mottos, said in passing by a guest lecturer for my college film class (I have searched and searched but I still have no idea who to attribute it to)

9. Atsumu’s journey and the V.League coup is based on Miyano Mamoru, who happens to be Atsumu’s voice actor and even shares the Kanji in his name (宮, “miya”)! Some years ago, fan outbursts forced Mamo to hold a press conference, which ended in him bowing and begging his fans to let him marry his then girlfriend. Out of fear for their safety, he has never revealed the names of his wife and son

Much like the Natsume Sōseki analogy, Atsumu’s decision to not reveal his partner’s name was something I decided a week or so before posting the chapter, bc I stumbled upon said press conference. 😅 And yet it made so much sense, I hated that it wasn’t my plan from the beginning—even the fact that the interview chapter happened to land in Extrema, where Screentone Y/N couldn’t be named anyway!

10. Traditionally, Heian period kossori dating started first w poems (in this case texts/tweets), then progressed to secret meetings, then after the third meeting, the couple was considered official and allowed to be seen in daylight. Secret meetings all depended on women unlocking their doors—if men sent their poems but the door was still locked, they’d be out of luck. So much of the story’s movement comes from whether or not the Y/Ns have “unlocked their doors”

I also tried to make each storyline have exactly 3 secret meetings, but Semi ended up w four by Page 20, so Y/N had to tweet about it to make it public 🤭

Originally, Extrema’s banner was going to change right after Y/N met Semi (i.e. unlocking her door). I thought people would start getting it by Page 13, but… ya didn’t. All the banners were set to change, but I decided literally that day that the “kossori” arc would include keeping it secret from readers as well. 🙃 How fitting that the true banners would not be seen in daylight until the couples were official

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT

[ladoleurs]

HAIKYU!! FINAL GUIDEBOOK

Furudate’s comments (Karasuno)

Hinata: “I’m so glad I didn’t make him the strongest protagonist.”

Kageyama: “Hard to deal with, because his vivid presence starts fading as he grows. It’s like in Dragonball, when it’s so fast you can’t see.

Daichi: “Please don’t die when you save other people.”

Sugawara: “Only strong people can always be kind to others.”

Asahi: “Once he manages to give some positive affirmation to himself, he’s strong.”

Nishinoya: “Invincible.”

Tanaka: “I wanted to become a senpai like him.”

Tsukishima: “At first, I just tried to imagine an unlikable person as I drew him, but you don’t usually warm up to people like that, no matter what happens, and it’s difficult to catch something beyond that, because it differs for everyone.”

Yamaguchi: “Surprisingly enough, he often acts before thinking.”

Ennoshita: “He’s strict to everyone, and to himself as well.”

Kinoshita: “Always keep thinking, If only I tried harder. Probably a perfectionist.”

Narita: “He can do some cool stuff on a regular basis (something that the others can’t), but he only notices that it’s actually cool, when someone tells him.”

Kiyoko: “She’s quite muscular. It’s not only her face that’s beautiful, so is her posture.”

Yachi: “She’s the type of person to readily sacrifice herself, so I hope she’s looking after her health.”

Keishin Ukai: “If I were to represent myself in the story, I’d go for him.”

Takeda: “I’m glad I didn’t make him a perfect coach.”

Q&A (Karasuno):

Q: Why did you change Hinata’s first person pronoun from オレ to 俺 in the Brazil training arc?

A: I thought it’d make him seem more mature.

Q: Kageyama’s playing in Italy now, so how did he learn Italian?

A: I don’t really think he did. He probably gets by with some gestures, English, and even Japanese, and so he’s learning stuff on the go as he talks.

Q: Whose job choice were you troubled with the most?

A: Sawamura. Because I can imagine him with pretty much any job.

Q: Why isn’t Kiyoko-san wearing glasses in the V.LEAGUE arc?

A: Just felt like switching to contacts.

[bluealmondpie]

haikyuu boyfriends~

omg i love this man. furudate sensei has wormed him into my heart with how infectiously hyper and excitable he is and that GAP omg. i want a bokuto. i really really want a bokuto. here is bf!bokuto as promised ♡

bf!bokuto

* is baby.

* skinship 120%.

* he likes to play with your hair, snuggle all the time, will become emo if u don't give him all your love and attention 120% of the time

* he loves cuddles. bear hugs. whatever physical touch there is, from casual to intimate he is down for it.

* when he is calm or sleeping, it's quite nice to watch him. it's such a stark difference from his normal that it's refreshing in its own way.

* he is NOT CALM like 90% of the time tho

* think overly excited puppy. if he happens to spot you along the road he will shout your name and wave frantically and come bounding to your side

* not a care in the world, this man. was he out with friends? bye friends! was he out with the team? bye team!

* he will zoom to u and be all heart eyes (♡-♡) did u come here just for me??? and you'll have to tell him gently that you were just passing by and return him to the tasks at hand, and the people with him.

* more often than not you'll be dragged along, so... welcome to the wild wild ride called dating bokuto-san. akaashi warned you, but you didn't listen.

* bokuto gets flustered when you're sick. he will fuss all over you. it will be very annoying, mostly because it's too high energy and you want to rest.

* eventually you'll send him out to get you something to warm to eat. you expect him to head out and buy soup or something but bokuto is the type to decide well! now i can COOK

* can he??????

* who knows but it's edible and doesn't taste bland or bad... i guess it's acceptable please eat it. he will be very happy. later on you learn that akaashi walked him through the steps of making porridge while you were asleep. you send akaashi rice balls from onigiri miya as thanks.

* fav place to kiss you? generally all over your face. he wants to kiss you all the time.

* fav place to be kissed? he doesn't really have a place he likes, but he likes it when you tiptoe to give him a peck on the cheek or lips. he just likes that you're so small and tiptoeing and just so cute and he will grab you and lift you up so that he can kiss you properly yanno with tongue and all that.

* he doesn't remember important dates. akaashi is his calendar. anniversary? he doesn't know. it'll take him a long time for it to stick in his head. his reasoning for not remembering is because "once we get married we'll have to remember another date so why do double work" smh this man will be the death of you

* he will want you to come to ALL his matches. all the time. expects you to cheer. the first time you watched him it gave you chills how good he was. he looked really cool and when you praised him and all he was so blushy and happy and GWAH. precious bby

* he will shout your name when he scores. prepare for embarrassment. no matter how thick skinned you are, bokuto can and will one up you.

* win or lose, please praise him after the match. it will lift him out of the emo mode, or make him even happier - and a happy bokuto is just so so cute. he is a star~ hinata may be the sun, but bokuto is your own sun in a solar system with just the two of you. so cheesy omg i cant believe i wrote that but that's what bokuto does to people

* basically he needs all the affirmation and attention so pls give it to him.

* he wants you with him 24/7.

* "let's just get married now so you'll never have to leave my side"

* bokuto likes amusement park dates. he finds them exciting. if you don't like it, he will tease you, but he will also try his best to make you like it.

* sometimes he does go overboard, and it will make you angry. he wouldn't know what to do. sometimes he will get angry back. sometimes he will just be stunned and stare at you. sometimes he will be flustered and start babbling. either way he's just not that good with it.

* he will ask kuroo for advice. kuroo is a True Blue Bro™️ and will give him good advice.

* bokuto will turn up at your place with apology flowers and a movie so you two can make up nicely. he also ordered your fav food in advance. akaashi was the one who did most of the ordering and suggested the flowers and stuff. is akaashi his secretary? yes he is. save akaashi

* anyway movie night is the only thing that bokuto came up with on his own

* he really likes movie nights cos it's an excuse to snuggle and cuddle and get all your attention what about the movie bokuto san? akaashi sighs. akaashi is long suffering.

* but bokuto being such a light of your life you will forgive him and you two will make out make up rlly quickly.

* well the movie is totally forgotten now. it's dark, cosy, and you're sucking face under the sheets... what's next? bokuto's favourite part of movie night ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

* well you're probably not averse to it ;p have fun!!

* bokuto: a wild wild ride but the best relationship you've ever been in. keep him.

*******

masterlist

i am taking requests for characters! and scenarios, etc basically whatever ♪( ´▽｀)

or just say hi (*´꒳`*)

[bruh-haikyuu]

A/N: Iwaizumi domestic AU!! I am here to quench your Iwaizumi Hajime father-of-three thirsts.

On another note: Haikyuu manga ends today :(( Guess who’s gonna fucking DIE. Anyways, this manga has left so much of an impact to me, I feel like it’s already imprinted in my heart. Thank you so much to Furudate for making such a wonderful story, and may their stories flourish! I’ll still make content though, I’m really waiting on that new light novel and the second cour of the anime pspsspsps 👁👁

ménage. | iwaizumi hajime episode 1 – haimish.

summary: in which your oldest son is about to begin elementary school, but your husband misplaces the documents while in a frenzy.

word count: 2215

warnings: manga spoilers!!

(adj.) homey; cozy and unpretentious

At seven and four, Kazuki and Isao were at the age where they couldn’t keep their messy doodles confined into the sketchbooks you’d bought for them.

The first victim to their mischief was the wall in the kitchen beside the door leading to your backyard. It was a small parade of animals, with streamers and party hats. Tiger-san with his jagged crown, the dainty family of rabbits, and the hefty Bear-san (“No, Mommy! That’s Cat-san!” your second oldest had huffed indignantly at the clutter of crayon circles) who was at the very front of the entire crew. Your boys were lucky enough that it had been you who’d walked into their little streak of artistry. An understanding glance had been enough, seeing that you probably weren’t so different back then. You’d clean it up with a secret trick your mother had taught you and everything in the Iwaizumi household was back in business. Easy-peasy.

But had it been Hajime who’d encountered their mess... let’s just say you wouldn’t hear the end of the boys’ shrill wails until the next week.

Unfortunately for you and your trusty washcloth, Kazuki and Isao’s artistic escapades didn’t stop at the kitchen wall. Next, it was the floors, the windows of the entrance and even on the door to your bedroom (with a side of elephant stickers that you’d admit were pretty cute). Thus, it didn’t take very long for your husband to finally be faced by their “little” temperament. And not very long for the boys to be faced by their father’s wrath.

But there was simply a stubborn rock settled somewhere in your sons’ heads—they get it from Hajime, you’d kept telling yourself—and for simply the reason of being boys in their early youths, they kept on drawing. Everywhere. Anywhere.

At least the both of you were thankful enough for Hina-chan. Still a tiny ball of warmth curled up cozily against in your arms, Hina was the youngest and the only daughter in your modest family of five. And the least likely source of your daily hurdles.

“By the time Hina learns to hold a pencil, should we just introduce our home as an art gallery or something?” Hajime had asked you rather comically after seeing the colorful family portrait Isao had drawn in one of his reference books.

Though Kazuki, your first child, was completely aware of his responsibilities as an older brother, it was concerning enough that he still hadn’t let go of his childishness. He was seven now, and in a few months, delving into April, he’d be in first grade. Maybe he was simply rowdy in nature... who knows? With a gruff husband like Iwaizumi Hajime, anything was possible.

Elementary school... you pondered, gazing softly at your family in the living room. Hajime cradling Hina in one arm while he and the boys cheered wildly at the service ace that was displayed on TV. How exciting.

══════ ⋆★⋆ ══════

“Remember to ask for ‘Ichimura-sensei’, alright? She was the teacher I talked to when Kazuki and I checked the school. She’ll know the details I asked her about in the last meeting so you just have to give her the application form.”

Hajime suppressed a chuckle at your adamant ramble. “You’ve only been telling me this all week. I won’t forget, you know.”

“Sorry,” you sighed, bouncing your sleeping daughter in your arms. “I just want to make sure nothing goes wrong. This is our firstborn we’re talking about.”

“Trust me, Y/N,” he smiled. “It’ll be fine.”

You could only nod quietly. Was it the maternal instinct within you that was acting up? It all felt too soon, too quick. If you blinked, Kazuki would’ve already gotten married already... You weren’t ready for that.

But the least you could do was get used to the changes that were going to happen around the house. Starting with this.

“You’ve brought the form with you, right? You didn’t forget it?”

You felt bad that your husband was being held up at the entrance to your little home, but it couldn’t hurt to be just slightly careful. Unclasping his bag, he scrabbled through it, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ve put it in a folder here last night, so there’s no way it would—Eh?”

More rummaging.

“Hajime, is everything alright?”

He was pulling things out of his bags now. 2000-yen bills, crumpled receipts, his packets of protein shakes, Hina’s diapers. But no application form. Nothing.

“I-It’s not there.”

“Huh?!”

“H-Hold on, I’ll check our bedroom,” his voice was in the least reassuring tone he could muster and you felt your heart drop a million feet into the ground.

Why would this happen now of all times? The document was already filled and sealed with your inkan*, payments documented, crucial information written on that single sheet of paper. Crucial information you couldn’t afford to fill in twice... and it was missing?

You really didn’t want to think about how today was the last day to submit applications—

“Kazuki!!” Hajime’s thunderous voice cut through the silence.

A tiny echo of pattering footsteps and Hina shifted against your chest but did not wake. You were thankful enough; anymore ruckus and your sanity would snap.

Yawning, your eldest scratched his dark bedhead and sauntered over to his father who fisted a sheet of paper in his hand. “Daddy, you’re too loud...”

Putting the paper onto full display, your eyes nearly bulged out of your head at what was on it.

Had the form always been so... colorful? You could barely see any writing on it, covered by the persistent doodles your son had scrawled over. Mixes of hiragana he’d been practicing, completed with small side drawings—Anpanman*, some horses and a purple paddy field. All in all: it was a mess. But it was clearly the form you’d filled in. And it was clearly Kazuki’s mess.

Hajime scowled, the space between his eyebrows wrinkling. “Did you do this?”

“...No.”

“Well it couldn’t be Isao or Hina, couldn’t it?” he seethed. “Don’t take me for an idiot. Isao’s been having playdates all week and Hina can’t draw yet. What did I tell you about drawing outside of the papers and books we gave you, huh?!”

“B-But I was just trying to help!” Kazuki exclaimed. “You and Mommy are always so busy taking care of papers. So I thought if I helped you write in it... you’d come and play with me again.”

Suddenly, a lump rose in your throat. You were always so busy taking care of Hina and Isao and their immeasurable demands, and your husband was either at work or out playing volleyball with the neighborhood team. You wondered how lonely it was for him the entire week you were taking care of the registrations.

How lonely it was, despite being surrounded by so much people.

Your husband, however, was completely unfazed. “Go to your room.”

“But Daddy, it’s not—!”

“Kazuki.” Each syllable he drew out sent a shiver down your spine. In a split second, the Iwaizumi household’s living room grew cold. “Go. To. Your. Room! Put your arms above your head and keep it that way until I come back!”

As if on cue, the waterworks emerged.

“I hate you, Daddy! I hate you! You never listen to me!” and that was the last thing you heard from the tear-streaked boy before he stumbled through the hallway, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

“...Mmn,” Hina roused, her tiny button nose flaring, and you instantly knew what was to come. Oh no...

Sighing in defeat, your husband crossed his arms and ambled back towards you and the bawling baby in your embrace. Pressing your lips together, you mumbled to him. “You could’ve been a bit nicer to Kazuki. Now look what happened.”

“He’ll never learn his lesson if I don’t get strict,” he said, the guilt crossing his eyes. Swimming. Settling. “I’m going to go ahead to the school before they close for the day. Ask if they’ve got anymore forms I can fill in there.”

You nodded, hands coming to rub gently against your daughter’s back as your husband kissed your forehead—a daunting ritual you did before whenever he left the house.

Then, he bent down to softly coo at the red-faced infant. “Hina-chan, how about a kiss for Daddy before I go?”

The result: Hina only cried louder. Repelled by the sudden change in volume, Hajime scratched the back of his neck remorsefully.

“I get it, I get it... I’m the bad guy today,” he rustled. “I guess I’ll be off now. I’ll leave the house in your care, Y/N.”

You smiled at him, your hard-working husband with a weak spot for your little family. “Be careful, Hajime-kun.”

As soon as the door clicked shut, you were left to your terror again. A crying seven-year old, a crying baby, and if all the noise were to wake up Isao from his afternoon nap... Geez, what a mess...

══════ ⋆★⋆ ══════

Hajime really felt like he knew this guy somewhere... High school? A volleyball match? That refreshing aura wasn’t really difficult to tell apart, either...

“You’re number 2 from Karasuno High, ain’tcha?”

“Uwaah... Seijoh’s Iwaizumi Hajime...” Sugawara twinkled, the grey cowlick on his head standing up straight. “The atmosphere of an powerful ace really is hard to miss.”

Hajime blushed. When was the last time someone called him a ‘powerful ace’? He had you to call him that whenever you were feeling nostalgic, but otherwise, that label was a shard of the past.

“Sugawara-san, right?” he recalled. “You work here at this school?”

The man chuckled. “Yep! I’m a teacher now. How about you, Iwaizumi-san? What are you up to here?”

“Oh, I’m looking for Ichimura-sensei. I want to talk to her about the registration for my son.”

Sugawara shook his head for a moment before replying.

“Unfortunately, Ichimura-sensei is out with the flu. That’s why I’m covering the weekend shift for her. You can just give the forms to me, and we can look over the terms and conditions.”

What luck, Hajime thought. But at least having this guy around wasn’t going to be as bad of an experience.

“Ah... about that...” he started. “My kid drew all over the application form and I don’t remember making any copies. So, would it be a problem if I did it again right now? Me and my wife are in a bit of a tough spot at the moment.”

By the grace of God, Sugawara said, “I don’t think it’d be a issue. Let’s go to the office and discuss it together. Before that, can I ask for your ID, Iwaizumi-san?”

“Ah, yeah, sure, let me just get my wallet...” filing through his bag, Hajime rifled through the stacks of paper, looking... searching... And when he got to his wallet: “Huh?”

There it was. The application-payment form he’d filled in last week, in its pristine glory. And with absolutely zero drawings on it. There was his family seal and everything. Down to both of your signatures, in the blue ink you’d insisted on using (Hajime never really bothered to make out the different uses of different inks).

“The form...” he muttered. “It must’ve slipped from the folder or something. Then that means the one at home was probably a copy...”

Freezing, Hajime realized. Crap. What have I done?

══════ ⋆★⋆ ══════

By the time Hajime got home, the house was already quiet again. Isao and Hina were asleep in your bedroom—Hina in her crib and Isao laid spread-eagle on the limited expanse of your queen-size bed. Taking the opportunity of a silent home, you decided to use the time you had to eat some sweets you’d secretly stashed in the fridge away from your children’s eyes.

“What a ravenous wife,” he’d teased, only for you to smear a dollop of whipped cream across his face in retaliation.

It didn’t take him long to realize the muffled sobbing from Kazuki’s room had subsided too. Curiosity getting the best of him, your husband stepped inside the danger zone.

Hajime always thought that Kazuki was a peaceful sleeper. He could sleep anywhere and still look like he was having the time of his life. During times like this, where Hajime was drained empty at the end of the day, he couldn’t help but feel jealous of his son.

Gingerly picking him up from the carpeted floors, Hajime rested Kazuki’s head on the crook of his broad shoulder, his gentle breathing blowing faint breezes next to his nape. Looking down at the smattering of papers on the ground, he reached down to read one that Kazuki had presumably written right before he was knocked out cold.

I’m really sorree Sorry Daddy :( I promise to never draw on your things ever again. Kazuuki

Below the large lopsided text he’d written in crayon was a smudged drawing of (what seemed) to be him. Well, if Hajime was a stickman with prominent eyebrows that stuck out of his face.

“I’m sorry too, kid. Guess I was being unfair, huh?” he murmured. “I’ll make it up to you once you wake up. We’ll all play together. Me, you, Isao, Hina and your mom. We’ll use as much time as we have left.”

And Hajime never backed down on a promise.

══════ ⋆★⋆ ══════

Glossary:

inkan - personalized seals used in lieu of signatures in paperwork

anpanman - a Japanese children’s superhero cartoon character, looks like this

[rainofashe]

Da Vinci April 2014 Issue - 10,200-word Interview with Haruichi Furudate

--To wrap up the special feature on Haikyuu!!, we’ll be delivering the words from the very author himself, Haruichi Furudate! How did Haikyuu!!, a series overflowing with the brilliance of youth and sports, come about? What sort of passion did Furudate weave into this series? Conducted in the pockets of time amidst their busy schedule, this is Furudate’s second-ever documented interview -- delivered full-length, sans cuts!

Part 1 -  The Miracle of Chapter 1: “Endings & Beginnings”

Early spring, 2012. I heard that a new story centred around volleyball had just started serialising in Weekly Shonen Jump. I was pleasantly surprised after reading the first chapter.  The attacker, Hinata and the setter, Kageyama, first met each other in their third year of middle school as opponents during the Inter-Middle School Preliminaries, which cemented their fate as rivals. “If you are the “King” that rules the Court...!!! I’ll defeat you and become the one that stands on the court the longest!!!” “...The one that gets to stay on the court, is the victor...The stronger one. If you want to continue standing here, become stronger.” Despite exchanging such words, the both of them went on to enrol in Miyagi Prefecture’s Karasuno High School for high school and became teammates in the volleyball club. Hinata couldn’t help but exclaim, “Why are you here?!” When foe becomes friend -- in a way, it’s a very Jump-esque development, but it has never happened so early on in the story before! The portrayal of the match was so realistic, it makes you want to continue following these two boys and their story. It was a perfect first chapter to hook readers in. So to begin the interview, we’ve asked a question about the first chapter. Let’s hear directly from the author of Haikyuu!! about the behind-the-scenes of how this story was conceived!

--Q1: Before this serialisation started, what sort of “spirit to challenge” or “ambition” did you have?

Furudate: Volleyball was a theme that I really wanted to work with, so I was only filled with thoughts on writing this story till the end without it being cut short. Personally, volleyball has a special place in my heart, so I might have felt that way much more strongly, but no matter what kind of manga I would’ve started, the feelings I have at the beginning wouldn’t have changed. I would’ve still been scared of having to cut my story short (laughs). Even when I heard that Haikyuu!! would be serialised, rather than feeling the joy of grabbing the opportunity of serialisation, I thought, “So it’s finally the beginning of the ‘ending’...” I’m always surprised by how pessimistic I can be. This would be my first and last chance to be able to write a story about volleyball in Jump, so if I ever lose focus, that would be the end. This positive pressure and negative urgency that I feel hasn’t changed since the serialisation began. However, when I receive letters from readers about how they joined the volleyball club in school after reading Haikyuu!!, or when I go down to watch matches for research and see elementary and middle school students who know of Haikyuu!!, I can see that this manga has become a springboard for many people to start playing volleyball or to continue playing volleyball, and that makes me happy and lifts me out of my pessimistic state. I feel that the genre of the manga, or whether the sport is major or minor, has nothing to do with how successful (or interesting) the story can be.  

--Q2: Why did you choose volleyball, out of all the numerous sports? What is the charm of volleyball as a competitive sport?

Furudate: I didn’t want to write a story about sports. I started this series because I wanted to write a story about volleyball. I was a member of the volleyball club when I was student, and especially during my high school days, I only went to school for the sole purpose of playing volleyball. I am still attached and unable to let go of that period of time in my life, so via the medium of manga, I wanted to play a volleyball that would “come to an end once I lose” just once more. Volleyball is a sport where you’re not allowed to hold or drop the ball, so to be honest, it’s a really tough sport. It’s really difficult to feel a sense of accomplishment or to feel that it’s fun. The foundations are especially difficult, and at the beginning, it’s difficult to even get the ball to go where you want it to. In fact, I myself didn’t like volleyball that much at the start. However, it is precisely because of that that got me thinking -- it’s the sense of ease that comes with the act of being able to control the ball freely that makes volleyball such an attractive sport. That’s why, even if it’s boring at the start, I want children to continue to play volleyball. 

--Q3: Every single scene depicting a match is portrayed so realistically. For example, how “hands” are expressed. Or how the “sounds” are expressed. Do you often go down to do research?

Furudate: When I went to watch some high school matches for research, I was hit by the familiarity of the atmosphere and the sounds. It refreshed my memory and I thought, “Ah, so this was what it was like!” So I pay particular attention to the atmosphere and sounds while drawing. When I go down to research on tournaments, especially those such as the prefectural qualifiers, I don’t just pay attention to the matches themselves. I also take special note of the atmosphere before a match starts, and what the corridors and lobby are like. In the first match of the Inter-High preliminaries in the manga, there is a scene of complete silence just before the match starts. That scene was directly taken from the qualifiers for Iwate Prefecture, which I went to watch just before drawing it. As for the scenes depicting the actual matches and techniques, I can only say that I still have a long way to go for my drawing skills. I’m still unable to truly convey the beauty of the players’ forms and how cool volleyball is. I’ll work hard.

--Q4: By reading Haikyuu!!, I’ve come to learn that volleyball as a sport and Jump manga are highly compatible (some also say it’s because volleyball is a sport where you have to jump continuously...laughs). And I think that’s because of the sense of comradeship (friendship) in volleyball. Were there any instances where you felt this way?

Furudate: Volleyball is a sport where you can’t drop the ball, but if you connect it to the next player, it’s a game that can continue on forever. I think this characteristic is what makes volleyball a sport that allows for a dramatic showcase of abilities, but now that I think about it, all sports allow for a dramatic showcase of abilities (laughs). If you think about “friendship, hard work and victory”, almost every sport would fit these three terms. However, I do think that for volleyball in particular, the fact that it becomes unplayable without the existence of your teammates is something that stands out. If we talk about the most extreme scenario, it would probably be a single player scoring all 25 points by himself just by serving. But in reality, such a thing happening is close to zero. As long as not all the points are scored with service aces, you definitely have to “entrust” the ball to someone else. If the ball isn’t received, it would be impossible to set it and of course, it would be impossible to spike it. The game wouldn’t even be a game. So if bonds are forged by playing volleyball with someone, at the other end of the spectrum, one would also come to realise the pressure of not being able to do anything by yourself on the court. This is where people would start to butt heads, and I think this aspect of volleyball is what allows us to see the interesting developments and growth in characters. Other than the part about “friendship”, the “rotation” system in volleyball is another factor that can greatly change how interesting the manga can be, depending on how it’s drawn. During a match, every time someone gets to serve, the position of the players shift in a clockwise manner. That is the volleyball rotation. And because of this rotation, all the players except the libero have to be able to receive, block, spike, serve and sometimes even do a set-up. And of course, each player would have different strengths and weaknesses. There is the protagonist, Hinata, who is an exceptional attacker; Tsukishima, who while lacking in attack, is a great blocker; the captain Sawamura, a player balanced in both offense and defense but lacks decisiveness; the ace, Azumane, who has high attack power but a nervous mentality; and Tanaka, who although not the best in either attack or defense, has a rock-hard mentality that allows him to be decisive in stressful situations, and so on. With each player being so different, there would be rotations that would be stronger in defense or offense, and there would be a variety of ways as to how a match can progress, which makes it interesting. The players in the manga have more obvious differences in their personalities because they’re “characters”, which I think would be able to further highlight this interesting aspect of volleyball. 

--Q5: Was the title decided smoothly?

Furudate: Because I didn’t really dwell on it, I ended up going with the most “straightforward” title.

--Q6: Round-eyed Hinata is short in stature, but is an attacker with exceptional jumping ability. The setter Kageyama Tobio who frowns and glares, has garnered the nickname, the King of the Court. Their appearances and personalities (as well as their names) are polar opposites. How did you come up with these two characters?

Furudate: I had the most trouble with finalising Hinata’s character within this series. On the other hand, Kageyama hasn’t changed much from when he was first conceptualised. In the first one-shot, Hinata was of an average build and had a timid personality (though he is still a scaredy-cat even now). As for his build, since Haikyuu!! is centred around the techniques (especially quicks), being “quicker” was more important than being “higher”. Hinata makes up for his lack of height with his jumping ability, but just that alone is not enough -- this was resolved when he realised that in the first chapter. They key to winning against bigger players lies in how much faster he is able to reach the “summit” as compared to them. There is a limit as to how much physical abilities can compensate for the difference in build. So what will he do? This is where the story really starts, so that’s why I decided to give Hinata this handicap that cannot be compensated for. As for his character, I just doodled a lot of his different expressions. And while reworking the storyline, he slowly started to take form. There are two one-shot versions of Haikyuu!!, and even though I drew him myself, I don’t really like the Hinata in the second one-shot version of Haikyuu!! (laughs). I was overly conscious of making him Shonen manga-like, so he ended up becoming a bit “false”. I couldn’t grasp his character even at the very end. I couldn’t draw the storyboard as I had wanted to and the deadline slowly approached while I was worrying over it. Even now, just thinking of the three days before that deadline brings back nightmares. After that, I continued to panic because I still didn’t know what sort of character the protagonist, Hinata, was. But after reworking the storyline countless times, I felt that he started to become more human-like. And because I’ve worked so hard to come up with him, Hinata is my favourite character. Although Kageyama hasn’t changed much since the initial stages, I think personality-wise he’s become a quite a bit softer? Kageyama is a character that takes on all of the angst that I, the author, had when I was in high school, so in the beginning that was especially prominent. In the serialisation, after the match against Aoba Johsai, the character Shimada Mart had a line that goes, “Strength is needed to truly enjoy a match”. However, this was originally Kageyama’s line in the second one-shot version. I made Kageyama take on my own shortcomings. In the initial stages of the story, Kageyama’s mentality of “I should just do everything on my own” was actually the same mentality I had for a period of time when I was in high school. Although unlike Kageyama, I’m far from being a prodigy (laughs). 

--Q7: What grasped my heart in chapter 1 was Hinata’s very first line, “The smell of Air Salonpas...!!” (laughs) It is a line that is reprised during the scene of the Inter-High Preliminaries. How did you come up with this line, and what were your thoughts and intentions in doing so?

Furudate: For both middle school and high school tournaments, the preliminaries are usually held in the gymnasium of a school, but sometimes they’ll be held at a bigger venue like the city gymnasium. When I was in high school, when we got to play in newer, bigger and cleaner venues like the city gymnasium, we would all get excited. And that gymnasium would always smell like Air Salonpas. So in my head, “a match -> the smell of Air Salonpas -> get even more excited” is the sort of correlation chart I have, so this line came really naturally to me. Even now, when I smell Air Salonpas, it sends chills down my spine. It’s a smell I really like. The newest version of Air Salonpas has a milder smell, so I’m a little disappointed. 

--Q8: The manga-esque roundness (cuteness) of the characters and the increased head to height ratio to depict the coolness of the characters -- these two distortion techniques synergise very well and makes your art stand out. How do you differentiate when to depict realness and when to use such distortion? Is there anything in particular you pay attention to while drawing?

Furudate: For scenes depicting the matches, my art tends more to “realness” in order to express the “weight” of the players’ bodies. To be honest, I don’t really take note of when I’m drawing “realness” or “distortion”, but I try to express actions and expressions with more exaggeration. Even in the match scenes, in order to express momentum, I would insert a lot of parses into the character’s body. Although it looks like I’m half-assing the characters’ caricatures in the comedic scenes, I actually am pretty much half-assing them. (t/n: i kid you not furudate actually says this) However, the half-assed expressions turn out the best when I draw them on the storyboard, but since I can’t paste them directly onto my manuscript, I’m a little disappointed. In my previous work as well as the initial stages of the serialisation of Haikyuu!!, I used a lot of elaborate angles and paneling so as to not bore the reader. But recently, I’ve been doing a lot of trial and error to see what is the most “readable”. My friends in other professions and my neighbours, just people of the general population, have told me many times that my art is difficult to follow and find my manga difficult to read, so I’m always looking to improve. Once, when I was on a Shinkansen, the person sitting next to me was holding on to the latest issue of Jump that went on sale that day. When I took a nervous peep at them, I saw them just completely skip over Haikyuu!! and it gave me such a huge shock (laughs). (t/n: oh no furudate ;-;) Once again, it really sunk in that nothing would start if I can’t even get readers to read my story. And in order to accomplish that, I needed to make my manga more readable. In recent months, in both the comedic scenes as well as the usual scenes, I’ve been making my lines thicker to simplify my art overall. I even have a paper stuck in front of my desk that reads “distortion” (laughs). While drawing, I pay particular attention to SFX. Although I always think about how powerful manga would be if it could incorporate sound in addition to art and words, but alas such a thing is unfortunately impossible, so I constantly try my best to express sound, momentum, atmosphere and depth via SFX. It’s something I’m trying to balance with “readability”, so it’s still in a stage of trial and error. However, the one thing that I’m always not satisfied with is the sound when a ball is hit. With SFX, the resulting sound is always subpar -- the ball sounds “rubbery” and not realistic. Nevertheless, I’m trying my best while having high hopes for the anime adaptation. 

--Q9: The first chapter of the serialisation of Haikyuu!!, is one of the most interesting and intense ones in manga history. What sort of thoughts went into creating and drawing this first chapter? And what were the reactions from your readers like?

Furudate: Both my editor and I were confident in the first chapter. When the plot was finalised, I thought, “This is it!!” But in the very crucial readers’ survey, I think the first chapter had a pretty average ranking (laughs). I conceptualised the first chapter for serialisation after drawing the second one-shot version of Haikyuu!!. I started by reflecting on the one-shot version. The core idea of “Why does Hinata want to play volleyball so badly?” was completely left out in the one-shot version, so it became a reason that was difficult for readers to empathise with. So in the first chapter, I wanted to delve into what sort of character the protagonist, Hinata, was. The story is as simple as it gets, and the key lies in how Hinata would make this story progress, and that’s what I focused on. Other than that, personally, I tried analysing how to make the series survive in Jump, and I think the most important key, or should I say the first stage, would be the fourth chapter. 

--Q10: When you were conceptualizing the first chapter, how much of the story had you already thought of at that point in time?

Furudate: Until around the eighth chapter. In fact, at first, I didn’t even have the first chapter we have now -- the first chapter I had was basically a summary of the events in chapters 2-8. I shouldn’t have done all 8 of those chapters (laughs). Other than that, I only had very brief memos about certain events that would happen in the story. 

--Q11: If you don’t mind, please tell us more about yourself. Where is your hometown and what was your family like? What was your childhood like?

Furudate: I was born in Iwate Prefecture and lived there until high school. I lived in the boonies and was surrounded by mountains. I would make traps out of cans to fish in the river and ride my bicycle to the mountains to search for crystals (laughs). Other than studying, I think I did everything else with passion. (t/n: relatable) After graduating from high school, I went to a vocational school in Sendai and got a job. I lived in Sendai for about 8-9 years. Miyagi is my second hometown. 

--Q12: Have you always been an avid reader of Jump? Was there any manga which you drew inspiration from?

Furudate: I’m sorry. The first time I bought Jump was when I decided to send in a submission in my mid-twenties. I didn’t buy any manga magazines regularly. I first watched the One Piece anime when I was in high school. I was so moved that I went to buy the manga. I definitely drew a lot of inspiration from One Piece. During my days as a student when I just wanted to rebel and act cool, I remember thinking, “So it’s okay to say things so straightforwardly,” “It’s so cool to say things so straightforwardly!” Also, I was really impacted by the feeling of cutting out “a still moment from something happening at great speed” in Matsumoto Taiyo’s works, so I really admire him. Recently, I’ve also been crying while reading Space Brothers sometimes (laughs). (To be honest, I’m not really a reader of manga, so I don’t really have much to talk about, I’m sorry...) 

--Q13: When was the first time you drew manga? Did you let your friends and family read the manga you drew? When did you start to aspire to become a mangaka?

Furudate: The first time I drew a proper piece of manga on manuscript paper was in high school. I’ve never shown my friends or family the manga I drew. After retiring from club activities, I started drawing a lot more. I don't know when I started wanting to become a mangaka, it just happened somehow before I realised. To be honest, I don’t remember much. 

--Q14: Please tell us more about the events leading up to your debut as a mangaka. What did it feel like to have your dream come true?

Furudate: My first published one-shot was a storyboard I had submitted to my very first competition which, with a stroke of luck, had won. At that time, I was like, “What?! Really?! Are you sure?! It’s really okay?!” Of course, I was overjoyed, but since my first submission was done when I was 25 years old, it felt as if that I’d barely scraped by and managed to make it to the start line. Also, since I was a regular office drone back then, I was always worried whether I could make the deadline. 

Part 2 - The Highest Point that Haikyuu!! is aiming towards

--Q15: This time, working on the Haikyuu!! special feature had motivated me to watch my very first Spring High Volleyball Tournament. Your art was everywhere at the station and at the venue! (I’m sure you were very happy when you received these requests!) I could feel the passion everyone had towards the impending match before them. And that got me thinking -- is “High School Volleyball” something that holds a special brilliance? What is so attractive about about Boys’ Volleyball?

Furudate: When I heard about the collaboration with Spring High Volleyball, I was really excited. I was really moved when a boy of elementary/middle school age pointed at the panel display of Haikyuu!! at the venue and exclaimed, “Ah! It’s Haikyuu!!” (laughs) As to why I feel “High School” is special, it’s because the full-stop to “club activities” happens then. I think this applies to everything, not just sports, and also because for many people, high school marks the end of whatever they were doing as “club activities”. And as for what “Spring High” means to High School volleyball, if the third-years choose to stay on, it would be the last major tournament of their high school career. And for some, this might end up being the very last tournament in their lives. As for what makes Boys’ Volleyball so attractive, I have to say that it’s the power and speed when two top teams face off. The difference between Girls’ and Boys’ volleyball in high school is that by the time they reach high school age, Girls’ volleyball would have already reached a stage close to “perfection”, but on the other hand, Boys’ volleyball would have only just started “developing”. The factors that should have been shaved away in the process of leveling up and polishing themselves are still present in high school, so I think each team’s “personality” is much more prominent in Boys’ High School volleyball. For example, in Haikyuu!!, the technique that Hinata frequently uses (a broad attack) is one that you’d see in high school matches, but in higher level matches (for boys), it is hardly used. And I think being able to see the incompleteness and unstable stage of the players before they reach a level of perfection is one of the reasons that make Boys’ Volleyball so attractive. 

--Q16: Thank you very much for answering our survey the other day! And...we’d love to go into detail about the “Issue with the fourth chapter” (laughs). The key idea in chapter 4 is, if “the strongest enemy” has joined the team, he becomes “the strongest ally”. And with such reverse thinking, the connection between Hinata and Kageyama did a 180. What’s important is the character that said this line -- it is Sugawara-senpai, who became a substitute player when the prodigy, Kageyama, joined the team. One of the charms (discoveries) of Haikyuu!! is done through Sugawara -- to express the feelings of a substitute player, the sadness and pride he had. What sort of feelings do you have towards Sugawara-senpai as a character?

Furudate: In short, Sugawara’s birth(?) came about when I was thinking, “If a first-year that just joined suddenly becomes the regular setter, then who was it before that? So let’s come up with a senpai setter!” I think the setter is a position that, compared to being a spiker, requires less aptitude. It wasn’t my intention to create drama here. It’s just that right now, Sugawara is the character whom I want the most to stand at the national stage. But I haven’t thought of whether he actually would actually do so, so I don’t know... (t/n: but now we know) Anyway, I don’t want to make Sugawara into a “sentimental” character (laughs). Although Sugawara may be seen as the “representative of common people”, I think he’s actually a pretty “straightforward” and “determined” guy. At least concerning the topic of talent, when someone with overwhelming talent such as Kageyama joined the team, he’s someone who’s able to think, “So what can I offer up to the table then?” However, I’m cautious as to not portray him as someone who is “unrealistically positive”. Though I do think that there are people who might sometimes think that all of the characters are too overly positive which makes it boring (laughs). 

--Q17: I had an enjoyable time reading about how the Hinata & Kageyama combo of Haikyuu!! was conceptualised. How did you come up with the rest of the teammates? There are many characters in this series, and how did you come up with the rival characters?

Furudate: I incorporated a lot of characteristics that I picked out from my teammates in high school, my friends and the people I’ve interacted with so far. The play-style of the members of the main team, Karasuno, was conceptualised around the same time as when their characters were designed. As for the rival teams, I usually first came up with the play-style of the team. For example, Nekoma that is strong in defense, and Datekou that is strong in blocking, and such. Then, I would come up with the characters that personify the team and work from there. For the teams with an animal motif, I designed the characters’ appearances such that they also incorporate some sort of characteristic of their animal motif (for some). 

--Q18: “There are things people have and don’t have the aptitude for.” “There is a role that only I am able to carry out.” Such lines come up repeatedly throughout Haikyuu!!. I think that the messages and beliefs conveyed via volleyball are ones that resonate with the realities of everyday life and the working world. What is the significance of having adult readers read a manga about high school volleyball? Please do tell us if you have any thoughts. 

Furudate: I received many letters about how readers who were troubled over interpersonal relationships at work had re-thought the concept of “comrades” after reading Haikyuu!!. I think the interpersonal relationships that come with playing team sports are very similar to those in the working world. A teammate is different from a “friend”, but there are times that this connection can become something greater than friends, and a bond may form. That is the same for the working world as well. Even if you can’t do everything and anything by yourself, there is definitely something that you yourself would be able to accomplish. But at the same time, there will be someone around you who has an ability you do not possess. I’d be really happy if Haikyuu!! could become something that reminds people of this fact. 

--Q19: How do you plan to draw the adult characters -- the advisors, coaches, and those who played volleyball?

Furudate: I hope to be able to draw them as characters who grow alongside the players. After reaching the age where I can call myself an adult, I realised that adults aren’t very “adult-like”, so I don’t want the adults in the story to take on too much of a philosophical point of view on things too. Although there is an old coach in the rival team that seems to be able to see through everything, the main adults that appear in the story are still young, so it is more natural to depict instances when they make the wrong judgement, or aren’t confident in their decisions. In fact, the author of this story themself hasn’t thought of the story and developments of the match next week, so along with the coach and advisor Ukai and Takeda-sensei, we will mull over it together. It might be interesting if you could feel this very real sense of urgency (laughs). (t/n: furudate is us @  procrastinators)

--Q20: How do you come up with the developments and outcome of a match? (Your comments in vol. 6 were great! I definitely want to hear more about being in an indescribable state of mind)

Furudate: Before a match starts, I would have sort of decided how things would pan out, but while drawing, I would feel that something is “off” and change it as and when. So in other words, the outcome is not decided (laughs). A match is something that’s only possible if there is an opponent, so as the author, I draw the rival team with the same attitude as how I’d draw the main team, so my feelings would always change sides. And since it’s pretty rare to face off with the same opponent twice, I’d always think, “When would be the next time I’d see you guys again?” when I look at the opposing team, which leaves me in an indescribable state of mind. 

--Q21: “To win” is to “grasp the chance to fight the next battle”. I was deeply touched by this logic. And at the end of this thought, there lies the desire to become number one. However, more than anything, it conveys the pure joy of being able to just play match after match of volleyball...How and when did you come up with such an idea?

Furudate: In the series, “loving volleyball and wanting to play many matches” and “wanting to become number one” are two inseparable ideas. So, the thought of being “number one” is of course, the very first feeling each of the players would have. And in order to become number one, it would mean that you would get to play the most number of matches, and at the same time, it would open up the path to the next stage. When the players love volleyball, and feel that matches are “fun”, what should they do next in order to play more and more matches? That would be “to continue winning and to become number one”. Although I believe that you don’t need a reason to justify your desire to win, if I had to raise one, I think it will be because “I can continue fighting the next battle”. And now, that has become one of the expressions in the series. 

--Q22: I’m really touched by how much effort you put in to make your series “readable”. Looking back at the earlier parts of the series, the panels depicting play scenes have been inserted very well. The synchronisation between the movement of the characters and the trajectory and speed of the ball is just remarkable. Although you said that “you still have a long way to go for your drawing skills”, please do tell us the points you take special note of, what you put effort into, and any points you’re proud of while drawing the different volleyball techniques. 

Furudate: I pay extra attention in depicting what the other characters who are not touching the ball are doing. Also, since volleyball is sport played with a net between the two teams, the angles at which I can draw a spike is limited (since the relative positions of the spiker, net and opponent blockers are almost always the same), so I try my best not to make it look repetitive. 

--Q23: From the reactions of your readers, have you ever thought, “I see, so this is the type of manga I’m drawing”? Do you see the “cheers” from your readers as a source of support?

Furudate: I’ve received a huge illustration made up of 9 postcards from a pair of brothers, where the younger brother is a volleyball player. Soon after he was made a regular player, he broke his leg in an accident. While he was depressed, he started reading Haikyuu!! and cheered up. After undergoing rehabilitation and being able to walk again, he said that he’s working hard to become a setter like Kenma (setter from rival team). I’ve arranged those 9 postcards in front of my desk and they always bring me motivation. Whenever there’s something that makes me sad, or when I lose confidence in my manga, I would be reminded that the “cheers” of support I’ve received are undoubtedly sincere and would pick myself up again

--Q24: Now, they’re boys engrossed in sports, but will there be a day when we’ll see some romance bloom with girls? (I’m super curious about the cute manager! Of course, the captain of the girls’ volleyball team, Michimiya, is really cute too!) How is it? (laughs)

Furudate: Right now there’s a teeny tiny little scene, but I don’t know about the upcoming chapters. Everything is undecided (laughs). I definitely want to do an episode centred around the manager sometime soon. 

--Q25: For example, in page 105 of vol. 6, there was close-up volleyball scene drawn at an angle that is impossible for any cameras to capture. How do you end up being able to draw such panels?

Furudate: I just keep thinking and thinking. What is the best angle to draw this scene so that it’s both cool and easy to understand? In my head, I’d keep changing the angles until I find the best one. Especially when I’m drawing big page spreads, even if I’m able to draw something that is satisfactory, as long as time permits, I’d keep switching the angles in my head until I find the best one. 

--Q26: The outcome of the match against Aoba Johsai was revealed in vol. 8. In the last set, both teams were continuously at match point. When I went to watch the Spring High Tournaments, the last set would always be a very close match. It was intriguing. Have you ever wondered why is this so?

Furudate: Yes!! I think about it all the time!! Though I don’t know the answer!! (laughs) Of course, the side that is desperately trying to even out the score would give their 120%, and the side with victory almost in their grasp would, precisely because it’s just right in front of them, just by a little, start feeling rushed. Maybe it’s because of this? Since in the end we’re only human. When a match reaches deuce, it’s a battle of 120% vs 120%, so it’s difficult for it to reach an outcome. I’m sorry for giving such an ordinary answer (laughs). 

--Q27: The TV anime adaptation will start airing in April. I think there will definitely be a lot of readers who will get into the manga after watching the anime. As the author of the original work, what are your thoughts and expectations for the anime adaptation? Please leave us an impactful message!

Furudate: Since I was also someone who started buying manga after watching the anime, I’m very happy to receive an anime adaptation. Even if you don’t buy manga regularly, the anime is a media that is accessible to anyone who has a TV, so I’d be really happy if that could become a springboard for people to learn more about volleyball as a competitive sport. I have really high hopes for the anime and look forward to seeing the characters move in colour, but what I’m looking forward to the most is the “sound”. The sound of volleyball shoes and the sound of the ball, all these sounds that I’m unable to express in the manga will be expressed in the anime, and since they said they would actually record these sounds, I’m really excited! The art in the manga has a more peculiar touch as compared to that in the anime, so I hope that everyone can get used to it! (laughs)

--Q28: Furudate-sensei, please tell us the “Highest Point” you’re aiming for with Haikyuu!!! 

Furudate: In the future, I hope the players that would go on to play at the international stage would say that they started playing volleyball after reading Haikyuu!! as a kid! I hope! A one in a million chance! That someone would say that! That is my one true wish. 

--Q29: Lastly, to all your fans and readers, please say a word about the future developments of the story! Please also leave a word for the new readers! Thank you so much!

Furudate: I’m hoping to make Haikyuu!! a series that can convey how cool and fun volleyball can be to those who don’t know and those who already know of volleyball. That is my number one goal for this series! Thank you very much!

_______________________________________________________________

I wanted the publication of this to coincide with the publication of the last chapter so a mild warning that it’s not proofread! Will try to fix any errors in the following days, do give me a heads up if you spot one! sorry that this is a translation of old content (yes, it is 6 years old), I wanted to do something for the closing of hq! pls check out my pal @pala_bora on twitter for threads on interviews with Japan’s volleyball players regarding hq in the latest issue of monthly volleyball!!

Sekita Masahiro, Yamauchi Akihiro, Yanagida Masahiro

also hpbd oikawa!!!

(translator’s note down below)

the japanese version said 10.2k characters and I put my translation into word and it says it’s 6.4k-ish english words wow I haven’t done such a large-scale fan-translation in a very long while!! I mentioned in my prev translation of a hq interview excerpt (which was like 6 years ago) that I wanted to do this translation but back then this was way too daunting for me (the number of pages I tell you) but I really wanted to do something since hq serialisation is coming to an end and this series means a lot to me personally. and since i’ve grown in skill (hopefully) over the past 6 years, this special feature was not as daunting as it first seemed and I managed to finish it in one sitting (albeit not proofread) as a means to procrastinating my actual work! so here it is, the long-overdue translation from a special feature in a magazine issue that’s 6 years old!! but srsly though i hope you guys enjoy reading it. I definitely did enjoy translation it since so much of the interview content deals with the beginnings of hq and it really brought back memories and seeing how things are coming full circle i am very emotional. I also actually have an exam in 2 days but am i a procrastinator that hates studying like furudate is? yes. so will I regret this decision? maybe. but does it change my decision? nope. 

I am writing this 4 hours before the last chapter drops in Japan and i just want to pen down my thoughts re: hq before i lose my train of thought and get emotional when the chapter actually drops. I was a teenie tween when I first started reading hq, which coincides with about just a few months after hq started serialisation and have been following the manga and eventually the anime as the series started to grow from a humble manga to the incredible franchise it is now. and as you know, tweens grow into grumpy teenagers and teenagers into jaded adults, which of course was what happened to me and I’ve never been so glad that I had hq all the way with me throughout my adolescence and it really felt like I was growing up together with all of the characters. it was also during my teenage years that I picked up a foreign language, Japanese (as if it was not already obvious), and hq definitely played a huge part helping me maintain motivation in my studies and sometimes even now I really think that I acquired a foreign language to an almost native proficiency just so I can read manga raws and cry in said foreign language. nevertheless, hq was definitely something that helped bridge friendships and connections i have with people, who are still very important to me and are the closest people to me to this day. hq definitely came to me at a very turbulent stage in my life filled with teenage angst and pre-adulthood and adulthood woes, but the characters and the lines they deliver, the beliefs they convey are so pure and sincere and they have motivated me tremendously throughout the years. just recently, I was looking back at some quotes from the series (credits to monthly volleyball, in the link above!) and looking back at these quotes really reminded me of the times when i was struggling and when these quotes really pushed me forward. the hq fandom is also one i’ve been very fortunate to be in, and i’ve seen so many good fan-made literary, musical and artistic works produced because of such a great series. although hq is coming to an end, I strangely don’t feel sad, but I do feel a sense of emptiness and a little bittersweet. No doubt that the ending will be one we will all be satisfied with, but a series that has been a huge part of my life for so many years coming to an end really does feel like I am closing a chapter of my life along with it. no doubt that that feeling will be all the more stronger for furudate. am i ready to take on a new chapter in life? maybe not. but hq will always have a special place in my heart, and i know that when i’m feeling depressed and unmotivated, I can always look back at it and the memories that come along with it. thank you so much furudate, for letting us meet characters that are so raw, human and comical, yet straightforward and unyielding. thank you for teaching so many of us the wonders of volleyball, and for becoming a light in many of our dim lives. cheers to Haikyuu!! and thank you!!!

[pabotofus]

gold rush + iwaoi

so several days ago i made a post (also copied below) about gold rush and iwaoi, specifically iwaizumi’s pov, and. since then i have had Many More Thoughts....

an expanded version of the tags on that original post:

'i don't like anticipatin' my face in a red flush' you're trying to tell me this ISN'T iwaizumi's mood when he spends time with oikawa?? he absolutely loves hanging out with him and it's something they've always done. they spend more time together than not. and YET. he hates that he knows he'll get flustered because of his feelings and oikawa doing dumb half flirty things. it’s EMBARRASSING getting all blushy especially when oikawa Absolutely Cannot Know about his feelings. but he's not going to NOT spend time with oikawa. firstly because oikawa would kick up the biggest fuss and secondly because again. he genuinely enjoys being with oikawa. so. he’s just gotta live like this now ://

also oikawa is CANONICALLY like. i dont want to say playboy. but he gets a lot of attention from girls. and iwaizumi is canonically both super aware and super tired of that. which........ 'everybody wants you/everybody wonders what it would be like to love you'...... THAT’S HIM... CANONICALLY..........

'i see me padding across your wooden floors/with my eagles t-shirt hanging from the door' the DOMESTICITY of this!!!! if the two of them ended up like. staying near each other for college. you KNOW this would happen. replace 'eagles' with university/v-league merch. im RIGHT. you KNOW IT. i would have liked to see it. *shakes fist at sky* furudate WHY

'At dinner parties I call you out on your contrarian shit' ok this is just their canon relationship iwaizumi also hard relates to this except it also happens outside of dinner

'My mind turns your life into folklore/I can't dare to dream about you anymore' THIS ISN'T TIMESKIP IWAOI???? YOU DARE TRY AND LOOK ME IN THE EYES AND TELL ME THAT ISN'T A TIMESKIP IWAIZUMI MOOD? SEEING HIS BEST FRIEND DO GREAT THINGS HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD. KNOWING OIKAWA'S IN A DIFFERENT ORBIT NOW. KNOWING WHATEVER HOPES HE HAD FOR THE TWO OF THEM ARE LIKE. CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE NOW. AND YES HES SO DAMN PROUD BUT GODS FORGIVE HIM IF HE'S JUST A LITTLE HEARTBROKEN, BECAUSE 'IT COULD/WILL NEVER BE'..! i have many a feelings about timeskip iwaoi, can you tell?

he FULLY resents all of this, by the way. he hates that it fits his situation so much. partly because he cant believe his life is a stereotypical crush song. partially because god d a m n did it have to call him out so strongly??? did it really????? unFAIR!!

and now for new thoughts.

“And the coastal town/We wandered round had never/Seen a love as pure as it/And then it fades into the gray of my day-old tea/'Cause it could never be”

miyagi is a coastal province.......... uc irvine is also pretty damn close to the coast...................................................... san juan not so much but shh. GOD. had never seen a love as pure as this!!!!!!!!! whether romantic or platonic their BOND.. it is just so Strong and like. literally everyone can see it. they were introdUCED as a pair by kageyama if i’m not mistaken. i need to rewatch hq hweklsdjfl for fun if not for anythign else

AND THEN IT FADES INTO THE GRAY OF MY DAY-OLD TEA ‘CAUSE IT COULD NEVER BE ALWAYS HITS SO HARD. i cried about this earlier in conjunction with ‘i can’t dare to dream about you anymore’ but.... iwaizumi hajime (26), athletic trainer, waking up in the morning to get ready for work, making breakfast. wondering.. maybe, if things had turned out differently, would he have set out a second plate? wondering if there would finally be a use for that stupid coffeemaker oikawa bought him as a housewarming present, when the asshole knows he doesn’t even DRINK coffee??? he doesn’t know why he even keeps it anymore. might be put to better use with someone else. but then he dumps the tea leaves into the sink and leaves for work and Does Not Think About It Anymore.

in the reprise when it changes to “the coastal town we NEVER found”...... as of canon, they never did find a place where they could both settle.. together..... HMM

“I don’t like slow motion double vision in rose blush” i have this hc that iwaizumi... very much likes to have things in control. whether like, being on top of all his assignments, or emotionally. he likes being settled. he likes knowing what’s up. but nOW. with this stupid crush? love? whatever? his heart is pounding and he can’t stop looking at oikawa and the worst part is that he’s BLUSHING all the damn time?? absolutely TERRIBLE!!! terrible, i tell you!

also like. oikawa has a monopoly on his free time, his personal space, his physical belongings, and now on his goddamn FEELINGS too?????? this should be illegal.

“Eyes like sinking ships on/waters so inviting/I almost jump in” god knows that if Oikawa had asked, Iwaizumi might have actually followed him. and that’s all I have to say

based on a brief listen-through of evermore i feel like willow, dorothea, and tis the damn season might also be iwaoi songs....... i might do a dissection of those songs as well if there’s interest/if i get the vibes

[daz4i]

if you're up to it later (i really do hope you get good sleep!) please do an analysis on akaashi? thank you in any situation cause the last one was fun to read !

(sorry this took so long to answer aaaa ;v; thank you for your patience!)

thank you for this ask omg���… i love akaashi so much so i am absolutely down :D it’ll be probably way shorter than atsumu’s tho bc his place in the story is a bit more minor, esp post timeskip

once again big manga spoilers warning (mostly chapters 327-337 that i highly recommend reading both to understand what i’m talking about and simply bc they’re just wonderful imo)!!!! 

so, if i mentioned his place in the story, i’ll start with that once again, just to establish necessary roles and what it means about what we know about him as a character!

akaashi is a p minor character, unfortunately. however! he and fukurodani as a whole do have this interesting role - they’re never an actual enemy for karasuno, so their arcs are way shorter, but they are characters that show up often enough to need to establish personality for some of them and story for their group as a whole, and i think furudate did this nicely by focusing mostly on bokuto and akaashi and giving a lot of insight to their dynamic specifically!

sooooo they’re not an enemy, but they do return, yeah got that. what role do they serve though? i’d say bokuto is obviously a mentor character (that changes at some point but yeah), but what does that make akaashi? 

honestly, when it comes to the protags, he’s more of a supporting character, there to fill some gaps and give breaks from the main story. maybe serving a minor mentor role by helping out in the third gym arc, but he doesn’t actually do any mentoring tbh? not that it’s a bad thing!

i guess you could. you could. you c. akaashi is. you can say that akaashi is. akaashi is- he’s the protagonist of his own world------- 

^fr tho, that’s p much his role imo? like, in fukurodani’s arcs, especially the mujinazaka match (which i think is their longest and imo deepest arc for them??), akaashi is the closest thing the story has for a protagonist. we see his thoughts, his feelings, his flashbacks. like damn even bokuto’s flashbacks are like 80% from akaashi’s eyes (he also has another temporary minor role i will elaborate on later).

while we don’t get to see a lot of his psych, this structure does allow us to dive a bit more deeply into the amount we do get. 

and what we see is, and i say this with all the love i can muster, a mess™.

like, there’s a reason he highkey breaks down in the mujinazaka match. his mind works,, so much?? we got glimpses into that before, but they were mostly humorous and just shed light on his dynamic with bokuto rather than a lot about akaashi’s personality (it did show that he’s the worried type, puts a lot of care into making sure his team is okay, and does so in an orderly manner like how he numbers bokuto’s weaknesses, for example. basically that he’s 1 very caring 2 willing to take responsibility over other people for their own well being). 

this match did show us some more: he’s insecure, he’s overthinking, he feels a heightened sense of responsibility - way more than we’ve seen before that - and guilt due to that. he’s more determined than we’ve seen him be before, probably because of that sense of responsibility (the whole “this is a match we definitely can’t lose” thing is honestly mostly him putting immense amounts of needless pressure on himself, and bokuto justifiably calls him out on that both during and after that match).

akaashi is very logical, but he tends to get lost in his own head and drown in that same logic. that’s why he’s thinking ahead, and planning so many different scenarios and how they’ll happen, but this is why he eventually falls - things don’t go as he plans. he even calls himself out on it when he’s eventually benched, with the whole “the unthinkable happened, i felt as though i controlled bokuto-san”, which tbh i think is so good for him and why i think this arc is also akaashi’s personal character arc that helps him eventually learn and change 

also, as i promised, i think his other minor role in the story is to serve - along with other setters in the story - as a mirror to kageyama

specifically because of his insecurities, his whole “i’m not as good as kageyama or atsumu” inner monologue, and because kageyama on the other hand thinks super highly of akaashi and sees him as this setter he needs to live up to, and one he gets jealous of hinata for practicing with (man this sentence was hard to phrase).

unfortunately, though the timeskip i dunno if we really get to see much of akaashi’s character develop or seeing other sides of him, but we do see he’s still as analytical as before, but that instead of trying to force bokuto into terms he can personally understand, he just goes with bokuto’s personal logic (tbh at this pace i’d need to write a whole separate analysis on their dynamic specifically lol), which i think shows he became at least a bit looser and a bit more okay with being,, less in control than before, in a fittingly subtle way! 

thanks for coming to my ted talk. stan akaashi

[sick-atsumu-side]

8. Before a Match reverse | Miya Osamu

Disclaimer: All of the characters belongs to Haruichi Furudate, they’re not mine.

Warnings: description of vomit, fever.

Okay, this is the other part of the request of @happy-hufflepuff44-blog so I hope you like this 💘 I tried my best aaaand that’s it, hope you enjoy! Sorry if it’s a bit long ):

‘‘Aaagh, I forgot my kneepads!’’ 

Osamu sighed with annoyance at his brother’s yelling, finally putting on his own kneepads in the dressing room. He really didn´t wan’t to play that day, because he wasn’t feeling good and he hadn’t had any sleep last night for being stuck in the bathroom trying to puke his guts out without any results, just bile and saliva. His mother told him not to go that day after taking care of him, but there he was, in the dressing room where they were just a few minutes for the warm up to start.

‘‘Samu, do ya’ have another pair of kneepads?’‘ Atsumu asks, peering at him with an innocent smile. 

‘‘No, I don’t.’‘ Osamu responds without even looking at him, this time grabbing his phone to see the message he had received.

‘‘Ahhhg, why am I so stupid?!’’ Atsumu yelled in frustration, grabbing his head with both hands.

Osamu grimaced.

‘‘Tsumu don’t yell. Why do you have to be so noisy? Damn.” Suna said, while he was applying deodorant in both armpits.

Osamu thanked him in silence.

“I’m in a crisis ya’know?! I have ta’ yell!”

‘‘I think Kita has another pair, maybe you should ask him.’‘ Aran enters the conversation, he looked ready to play.

‘‘Ugh, he’s gonna kill me.’‘

Osamu answered the text he got and told his mother that he was fine, clearly lying just to not make her worry. After that, he sighed slowly, putting down his phone on the bench and feeling a bit off as his stomach gurgled silently. Osamu placed a hand on it and rubbed the organ up and down. His teammates were helping his brother to find kneepads so they didn’t notice that.

That was until he stood up abruptly, capturing Suna’s attention a bit.

‘’Samu, you okay? Where are you going?’‘ Aran looked at him too, as Atsumu exits the dressing room abruptly to finally go and find Kita. He had no option.

Osamu removed his hand from his stomach.

‘‘Bathroom, I gotta pee.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

‘‘K’ay, don’t take too long.”

Osamu breathed shakily as he got out rapidly of the dressing room, entering almost immediately in the bathroom, which was next door. He felt cold and warm at the same time, the same way he felt last night, as a wave of dizziness crossed his head. His footstep were lazy when he walked in and doubled over in the nearest cubicle, gagging slightly in front of the toilet.

He placed a hand on his belly again and rubbed it, as he saw the tiny puddle of transparent saliva mixed with the water in front of him. He was feeling bad, too bad that he regretted not listening to his mother advice. Atsumu didn’t know about his condition, because he had always been a heavy sleeper so he couldn’t blame him for not being there with him. However, he wanted to go home.

Now.

Another uneasy gurgle sounded from his belly, and he gagged again. There was a lot of saliva, but nothing more than that. He was so nauseous.

“Samu, you in there?” Suna’s voice alarmed him and he coughed a bit, before getting out of the cubicle. “Dude, are you sure you’re okay?”

Osamu sighed and went to the sink, washing his hands immediately.

“Yes.” He said, when the wave of nausea went off a bit. “Why?”

“You seem off.” Suna wasn’t an idiot, but if Osamu didn’t wan’t to tell him what was wrong, he would respect that. “Like... tired.”

“I didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”

Osamu didn’t know why he lied to Suna, because he was feeling too bad and his stomach was almost killing him. Why didn’t he said something about it so he could go home? It wasn’t a strong opponent whose they were facing and it wasn’t an important match either. Maybe he couldn’t just drop a match because of Kita, he didn’t know.

“Let’s go then.” Suna patted on Samu’s back, making him lost his balance a bit. “Everybody’s on the court already.”

The dark haired boy turned and got out of the bathroom, as Samu grabbed the sink to not fall down. Geez, when was the last time he felt like that?

“Samu, i’m waiting!”

The gray haired twin took a deep breath and exhaled before he went to walk out the bathroom again. After that, he walked to the court next to Suna. His vision clearly a bit blurred because of the light.

He really didn’t feel like playing.

When the warm ups started, Osamu almost failed all of the practice spikes and practice receiving. The coach looked a bit worried, because he knew that when Osamu failed it was because something was wrong or because he wasn’t totally concentrated in the game. Maybe if he fails in the first set, he would be getting out of the game.

That was the thoughts of the coach, at least.

“Samu, you suck.” Atsumu said, almost mad at him for not giving his best. “I’m not fucking doing passes to you if ya’ keep failing my sets.”

“At least I have kneepads, asshole.”

“Excuuuse me? Without kneepads I am better than you, so screw ya’.”

Samu breathed heavily, hearing the ring that meant the end of the warm ups and the start of the game. Atsumu just growled at him and turned to go to the net.

“Samu, can ya’ walk more faster?” The blond snapped at him, noticing how his brother was walking so slow behind him. “The game’s gonna start if ya don’t know.”

Osamu blinked rapidly, trying to catch his breath after the warm up. He doubled over and holded his whole body with both hands on his knees. Geez, he felt really uneasy, dizzy and nauseous. His vision was more blurry than before and he felt a strong wave of nausea rock his entire body.

“Tsumu, wait.”

The blonde turned madly at him and raised an eyebrow when he saw him bending. The rest of the team didn’t noticed this because they kept walking towards the net. They were standing in a row.

“Samu, the fuck you’re doing? Let’s go.”

“I- I don’t feel good.” he breathed out, almost choking himself as he bringed a hand up to cover his mouth.

“What ya’ mean? Hey, Samu.”

Atsumu looked confused and annoyed as he got close to him, but when he saw him gag hard on his hand with both eyes closed, he freaked out.

“Shit.” Atsumu ran out to him. “Wait, fuck.”

Atsumu grabbed him by the shirt and walked faster than before with him, this time going to the other side of the court, where the bathroom was. He didn’t care if the game was going to start now, even if he heard the coach and Kita desperately calling for them.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?You okay?” Atsumu asks, almost immediately when the two were already inside a cubicle.

Osamu groaned, both eyes going a bit watery.

“I-” he swallowed hard, closing his eyes to ease the nausea and the churning on his belly. That time Atsumu noticed how flushed he was. “False alarm. Sorry, let’s go to the court.”

“You’re sick.”

“I’m not.” Osamu groaned. “I just got dizzy with the receiving warm up.”

Atsumu placed a palm abruptly onto Osamu’s forehead and grimaced with guilt. His brother was drowning in fever, there was no way he could deny that.

“Yea, and I’m Jesus.”

“Jesus is good, you’re not.”

Osamu inhaled deeply and felt his stomach turn again, so he groaned at the feeling and grabbed the angry organ with both arms. Whatever he had on his stomach (because he didn’t have breakfast that morning) was feeling so heavy in there that the only thing he wanted, was to throw up and get over with it.

He spitted saliva on the toilet, feeling a bit of bitter taste on his tongue.

“You’re not gonna play like this.” Atsumu stated, as he heard the bathroom door being open. “It’s like suicide.”

“Miya’s? You there?”

Osamu placed a hand on his face and Atsumu got out of the cubicle to face the angry shadow of Kita. That was the last thing they wanted.

“What happened?” He asked, walking towards the blonde. “Why did you run like that? The game already started and the coach is mad. I know we are facing a weak opponent but you two should be more responsable. Especially you, Atsumu. We already talked about it when you ask me for kneepads.”

Osamu felt something revolving inside of him, and he burped slightly on his fist. Feeling the taste of acid and putrid eggs. He groaned at it, clearly disgusted. He was feeling so sick.

“Kita-san, I already said sorry and Samu’s sick.” Atsumu said in defense, almost immediately when Kita finished his sentence. “And he was about to hurl, that’s the reason behind us running. Sorry.”

“Where’s he?”

“The last cubicle.”

Osamu cursed on his mind, as he burped again on his fist. After that, he coughed and bended to face the toilet.

“You ok there?” Kita was so soft when he wanted to. “You look terrible. I’m surprised at how I didn’t noticed this before, sorry about that.”

“Tsumu’s my brother and he didn’t knew too. Don’t worry, Kita-san.”

Osamu gagged slightly, bringing up a bit of yellow bile inside the toilet. Kita placed a hand on his already soaked back and started to make circles on it. Atsumu was outside the cubicle but he was staring at the scene with a worried expression.

Why didn’t Samu told him?

“Fu-fuck.” Osamu gagged hard again, bringing nothing more than bile as he coughed. Atsumu wrinkled his nose.

“Just let it happen, you’ll feel better after that.” Kita said, still rubbing circles on his back. “Tsumu, go to the court. The team needs you, I got him.”

“Bu-”

“Go.”

Atsumu watched in horror at how his brother jerked in pain, coughing and gagging loudly. He didn’t wan’t to let him alone there, he knew that Kita was a good caretaker, he was even better than him. However, this time he felt like it was his responsibility since he didn’t noticed how sick he was.

“Tsumu, I got him.” Kita said again, with a serious glare and Atsumu sighed.

Osamu belched loudly and he felt something stuck on the back of his throat, everything hurted inside of him and he was already crying because of it. He wasn’t sobbing, though. Just crying.

“Relax, Samu. I got’cha.”

His lips shivered when he heard Atsumu’s intent of soft voice and this time he let out a pained sob. The hand that was making circles on his back, now was from his brother. Maybe he was hallucinating in fever but, that felt kind of good in all of his misery.

Not that he didn’t like Kita’s, but it was different.

“Relax, Samu. You’re too tense damn it.”

“C-can’t.” Samu coughed out, gagging at the end. “La-ast night was the same. I just- just wanna puke already. It hurts.”

Atsumu grimaced, and then he made Samu kneel in front of the toilet as he kneeled by his side. Kita watched them with a serious look from outside, as he glared at the people who entered the bathroom to pee or wash his hands.

“K’ay.” Atsumu said, sighing at the end as he still rubbed Samu’s back and shoulders. “Do you remember that time when I puked on you accidentally after I ate cheese by mistake and you started to puke too because of it when we where like ten?”

Osamu gagged almost immediately.

“You said it smelled like rancy cheese and sour milk, and it tasted like-”

A strangled sound was heard from Osamu’s throat and before Atsumu could say more, Osamu retched a mouthful of sick in front of the toilet, splashing it in the water below his chin. Immediately at the end, Osamu coughed and belched sickly another mouthful without any break.

“There you go.” Atsumu said, wrinkling his nose at the smell of putrid eggs. “Just let that shit out of your body.”

Osamu tried to catch his breath between rounds, but another gurgle interrupted him and he threw up another mouthful of thick yellow vomit mixed with colours like pale brown and green. He felt disgusting, but relieved at the same time.

“The fuck you ate? Gee-g ez.” Atsumu gagged slightly on his shoulder because of the smell, as Osamu gagged another round of colorful sick. This time more liquid than before and it came out from his nose too, messing up a bit the edge of the toilet because of the splash.

“He is really sick.” Kita said, as Osamu heaved again and jerked more stinky liquid inside the toilet, the sound of it echoing in the entire bathroom. “Pass me your mom number when he’s done. He has to be home.”

“She’s working now, but I think this is an emergency.” The blonde said, as he heard Osamu’s groan when he threw up more from his nose.

“It is.”

Atsumu nodded and covered his nose as he still rubbed his brother back. He was panting now and just gagging tiny puddles of sick.

“You see? It wasn’t something hard to do.” Atsumu said, as Osamu blew his nose inside the sick toilet.

“Don’t you ever remember me that day again, you asshole and stupid lactose intolerant.”

Atsumu laughed a bit and when he saw him flushing the toilet he stood up, still covering his nose. The gray haired twin sighed with a pained and flushed cheeks expression as he sitted down in the floor next to the toilet, grabbing his stomach with one hand and rubbing it up and down.

He burped, swallowing the awful taste.

“How you feel now? Better?” Kita asks, and Osamu nods.

“Kind of, my belly’s still hurting and I’m cold.” Osamu closed his watery eyes, breathing slowly. “I wanna go home, I really don’t feel good.”

Atsumu passed the phone number of his mother to Kita and he immediately called her as he got out of the bathroom. Atsumu peered at his brother with an innocent smile when Kita was gone. Osamu opened his eyes at the feeling.

“What?” Osamu snapped at him, his face tired of everything and red because of the fever.

“Well.” Atsumu cleared his throat with a smirk. “Since you won’t be playing, I think you should pass me your kneepads.”

You gotta be kidding me.

That was what Osamu thought in annoyance, but in the other way he was greatful for having him in there. He was an asshole, but he was his brother.

His twin brother.

The only one who could take care of him properly since they were kids.

[seveliyukie]

Kenma x Reader A: What is this? B: A hug. A: Disgusting.... Do it again.

Words: 673

Warnings: None

Reader: a shy girl who has a huge crush on Kenma and is the manager for Nekoma

You stared at the pudding haired setter trudging his way back to the court after their break was over. Too lost in your thoughts about the aforementioned boy, you didn’t realize the captain glancing back and forth between the two of you with a growing smirk on his face. 

Oh, he was definitely going to use this new information after practice. 

You finally snapped out of it when the assistant coach blew the whistle to start the drills. Collecting the used bottles, you organized them into the bags and made your way to the fountain to refill them. (No you didn’t take extra care when handling Kenma’s bottle what are you talking about?)

By the time you returned, the boys were sweaty again as they jumped to spike the balls Kenma was setting for them. The poor boy looked exhausted already and it was only half way until they could go home. Being the shy girl you were, you didn’t call out to him choosing to silently cheer him on in your head.

End of practice

“Here you go, Kozume-san.” You smiled with your eyes closed hoping your blush wasn’t showing through. Not that it mattered. The boy took the bottle with his usual quiet thanks, eyes already glued to whatever game was on his phone. 

“____-chan~” A teasing voice called out. Immediately your mood sourced. That tone only meant pain for you. 

“What do you want Kuroo?”

“Is that any way to speak to your captain Manager-chan?” He poked your cheek as he usually did when he teased you. It was his favorite way of making fun of your height while simultaneously annoying you. 

Grabbing his bottle, you roughly shoved it into his hands. “Take it and your creepy smile and bother someone else. You haven’t fought with Yaku-san in a while.”

Normally, you wouldn’t prompt fighting, but you’ve learned from experience that you needed to avoid Kuroo’s schemes involving you at all costs. The last time it happened, you and a few of the boys nearly got suspended. You shuddered at the memory. 

“I can bother him later. I just wanted to let you know that the best way to give a teenage boy his energy back is by giving him a nice big hug.” His hazel eyes deliberately shifted towards his childhood friend and back again. If you weren’t as observant as you were, you probably would have missed it.

Not for the first time, you were at a loss for words. The idea of giving your crush a hug was very, very appealing to one side of you. The other side screamed not to listen to the beheaded devil and embarrass yourself in front of your crush. Deciding to listen to your more rational side, you simply shot Kuroo a dirty look before heading over with a towel. If you couldn’t offer skinship comfort, at least you could make him physically comfortable.

Unfortunately, you didn’t hear the cat-like boy walking silently behind you. As soon as you got near enough, you felt a light shove on your back causing you to stumble onto the unsuspecting boy. 

“Ahhhh!” You yelped. Once you regained your bearings, you realized your arms were around Kenma’s shoulders while his hands were on your waist as he tried to hold you up. Miraculously, his phone was still in his hand, though it was forgotten now. 

“What are you doing?” Kenma’s quiet voice sounded next to your ear.

Trying to play it off, you gave a nervous chuckle, “It’s called a hug Kozume-kun.” 

“Disgusting.” Came his immediate response. You could feel yourself dying inside. You tried to quickly release him, but his arms tightened around your body. Confused, you tried to pull away again only to be stopped by his voice, “Keep doing it.” 

Hoots and hollers rang throughout the gym (mainly from a certain black haired cat who took all the credit) while your face flushed bright red. Let’s just say, you suddenly find yourself being tripped up near Kenma a lot more after that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disclaimer: I don’t own any Haikyuu characters. All rights belong to Furudate Haruichi.

A/n: Requests are open!