Haikyu: Nah, I'd Adapt!

'...I'm still scared.'

Asahi stood on the court, his heart pounding. Standing once again on the court, especially in the gymnasium where he held amazing memories with his friends, was quite unnerving.

His hands trembled slightly as he watched the ball fly to the other side of the net.

It had been a while since the game started, and he had been playing passively so far, too afraid to make a mess.

He felt torn.

A part of him was relieved to be back here, among his friends, playing the game he once loved. But another part...

Another part screamed at him to leave, to run away before he embarrassed himself further.

'That motherfucker...'

Asahi rarely cursed, but the words slipped into his mind as he glanced at Tsuna, whose presence was still overwhelming.

They couldn't have been more different.

As much as Asahi didn't want to admit it, his unruly appearance might have made him look like a thug, while Tsuna's annoyingly handsome appearance made him look like that straight-A student who never got into trouble.

'Well, he is a straight-A student, but...'

Asahi almost groaned as he recalled Tsuna's almost consistent grades that always put him at the top of the school every year.

He clicked his tongue. '...but he totally behaves like a fucking thug.'

The pain from his bruised face, as he could almost taste blood, made his lips twitch in pain.

The game pressed on, pulling Asahi's wandering thoughts back to the court. Shimada received the ball with ease, sending it to Suga.

"Asahi!"

The sudden call snapped him out of his thoughts, and he saw the ball sailing high toward him. For a moment, time seemed to slow down as his chest tightened painfully.

The memories of last year came flooding back. They overwhelmed the physical pain he went through after being beaten up by Tsuna.

'But maybe...'

Maybe it would be different this time as Asahi moved his heavy legs, leaping up toward the ball. He swung his arm while stealing a quick glance at the other side of the net.

However...

"...!"

His vision was swallowed by a shadow. As towering hands loomed before him, blotting out the court beyond.

The ball met his hand, but instead of slicing through the air, it collided with that wall of defense—a solid block.

With a sharp plop, the ball ricocheted violently back toward his side.

'That first year... and Tsuna...'

Asahi's face twisted in disbelief at that block. He looked at Tsukishima and Tsuna, who had blocked his spike seemingly quite effortlessly.

His gaze then stopped at Tsuna, 'He followed the first-year's movement to block my spike?'

That Tsuna, who wouldn't even bother to receive any strong ball coming to him?

Tsuna using his left hand instead of his right hand because of his injury was already quite a surprise to Asahi. Yet now, not only was he actively trying to receive balls, but he had also joined in on a block.

"Stop looking at me like that, it's creepy."

Tsuna's voice snapped him out of his surprise.

Asahi saw Tsuna shaking his head in annoyance. He couldn't help but open his mouth and hesitantly say, "You've changed... Tsuna..."

"Changed?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow, "I haven't changed."

"...What?"

"I've never changed," Tsuna said flatly, walking back to his position before adding, "I've grown."

"...!"

Asahi widened his eyes in response. He couldn't help but feel swirling emotions bubbling within him as he clenched his fist quietly.

"Again..."

Nishinoya's frown deepened as the ball dropped to their court, untouched. It was like watching the same scene replay over and over. It was just the same thing as how it was a year ago.

'I failed my job...'

His role as Karasuno's libero was to keep the ball connected.

For over a year, that failure had haunted him. It wasn't just Asahi's spirit that had been crushed after their defeat.

Nishinoya felt it too.

His expression eased up as he saw Tsuna focused back on the game. Once again, the ball flew over across the net.

Back then, Tsuna's presence had been a constant source of reassurance for the team. Not a single player had doubted him.

The sun had shone so brightly that it cast everyone else into shadow.

'It was comfortable to be a shadow...'

But comfort brought weakness. Without their sun, the team had learned how fragile they truly were.

They had thought of themselves as stars—shining on their own when the sun wasn't around.

'But unfortunately...'

They had never been stars. They had only been the moon, unable to shine without reflecting the sun's light.

"Asahi! One more!"

Suga's voice echoed once again as Nishinoya saw Tsuna move toward Tsukishima to follow up with the block.

'Stars, moon, whatever...'

Nishinoya took a deep breath, steadying himself.

'Fuck that.'

His gaze sharpened, his focus snapping into place. Asahi leaped, sweat dripping from his forehead as he went for the spike once again.

Asahi's view was blocked again. The sight of the looming shadow over him felt suffocating, almost too much to bear.

He gritted his teeth, swinging his arm with all his strength.

'Please... just once...'

Desperation clung to his every movement as the ball crashed into the block with a sharp sound that rang throughout the gym.

The ball ricocheted back, yet again, and Asahi's heart sank as he bit his lip so hard he tasted his own blood.

"..."

Everyone could somewhat see Asahi's desperation as they felt their hearts tightened by his expression.

It was hard to watch.

Tsuna followed the ball, his eyes widening as he saw a shadow dart toward the ball. It sharply ricocheted toward the floor, and he mumbled, "Shit..."

"Huh?"

Asahi heard the word as the ball whizzed past him, mocking him.

Then...

Plop!

The sound it made when it hit the floor wasn't right—different from the usual clean bounce.

"...!"

Everyone who saw it was stunned as on the sideline, Takeda muttered in disbelief, "Whoaa..."

"What...?"

Asahi turned sharply, only to see Nishinoya's hand, flat against the floor, his arm outstretched as he kept the ball in play.

"One more! Suga-san!"

Nishinoya's shout rang clear, his voice filled with determination. The ball flew high into the air, and Suga immediately sprang into action, sprinting toward it to set up the next play.

"Nishinoya, you..."

"Focus up, Asahi-san."

Nishinoya spread his arms wide, positioning himself behind Asahi as if he already knew the ball would come to him.

"This time... I'm gonna keep everything connected!"

That was his job as Karasuno's libero after all.

"..."

Asahi gazed into Nishinoya's eyes. They were full of determination, and it stirred something deep inside him.

Tsuna's words from earlier echoed in his mind as he mumbled out under his breath, "...Everyone's grown, huh?"

He had always hated himself for running away from his problems. And now, seeing how much everyone had changed...

No, seeing how much everyone had grown, Asahi couldn't help but feel left behind. It was as if he had stopped moving while the world around him kept going forward.

Suddenly...

"Hahaha! Nishinoya, you're actually quite fucking fun!"

A loud laugh broke the silence. Asahi snapped his gaze to Tsuna, whose usual bored expression was gone.

In its place was something he hadn't seen in over a year—something full of life.

Asahi's eyes widened in surprise.

"Asa—"

"SUGAA!!"

Before Suga could even call for it, Asahi found himself shouting without thinking. He raised his hand, pointing towards his side, and shouted again, "TOSS IT OVER TO ME!"

"...!"

That shout seemed to bring a spark of joy to all the senior players. They looked at Asahi, stunned.

'Asahi?'

Daichi thought, his gaze filled with surprise as he was somewhat relieved at this.

'Asahi-san...'

Tanaka's lips twitched slightly. His eyes welled up, though he quickly wiped them away.

Everyone saw Asahi move forward with more determination than he had shown in ages. The desperation that had once clouded his features was now replaced by something else.

Frustration.

'What am I doing...?'

Asahi thought as he launched himself into the air. He swung his arm with all his might, feeling a sharp sting of pain as he did.

"I want to fucking grow too!"

BAM!

The sound of impact was like a gunshot, echoing through the gym.

The ball seemed to compress before it shot forward with such force that it cut through the air, heading straight for the wall that blocked the view of the summit.

Asahi's eyes locked onto that spot as the ball slammed into the wall.

"...!"

Tsukishima felt the heat from the impact, his hand jerking back as the ball slipped through his block.

The sound of it ricocheting toward the floor was sharp as Daichi rushed to the spot to save it...

But, unfortunately, he couldn't reach it in time.

A loud thud followed as the ball hit the ground with finality.

"..."

Everyone stood frozen, staring at the ball as it bounced once, then slowly rolled across the floor.

Asahi clenched his fist and raised it high into the air. After holding everything in for so long, he let go of the weight pressing down on his chest.

He shouted as loud as he could, "Yoshaaa!"

"Whoaa!"

"Asahi!"

Suga and Nishinoya rushed toward him, their excitement overflowing as they celebrated the point.

Even Daichi and Tanaka couldn't hide their smiles. They watched the moment with pride, knowing how much it meant for Asahi.

They felt a wave of relief. It seemed like Asahi was finally starting to return to his old self.