Chapter Text
On a random weekend during their fourth year of elementary school the Miya Triplets: Atsumu, Osamu, and Atsuko found themselves inside a school gym attending a Junior Volleyball Workshop taught by Former All Japan Setter Inuhata Masahiko. Waiting for the workshop to start, all the children conversed amongst themselves. Looking around the crowd, the triplets noticed someone walking near them who towered over everybody else.
Atsuko: Woah! He’s so tall.
Osamu: He really is. I heard his name is Aran-kun and he’s only a year above us.
Miya Triplets: He has a foreign name!
Atsumu: Maybe I should change my name to sound cooler.
Osamu: Grandma would be so sad if you changed your name.
Atsuko: As if a new name would make you cool.
While Osamu and Atsuko continued to observe who they now knew as Aran-kun, Atsumu was too busy lost in thought to look around.
Atsumu: I got it. Samu from Osamu, Tsumu from Atsumu, and Atsu from Atsuko.
Osamu: Oh, those are cool names.
Atsuko: I take back what I said. A new name could make you cool.
All the children were asked to gather around and sit down for instructions to begin. While the Former All Japan Setter spoke about what he would be teaching them, the triplets continued to talk with each other sitting in the way back, not paying attention to what was being said. Between her brothers Atsuko questioned in her mind why their mom was making her take part in this volleyball lesson. She already had an interest in basketball, but being triplets their mom wanted them to do and share everything together.
Atsumu: I was hoping we’d have a spiker instead of a setter but it’s not like they would visit a place like Hyogo.
Atsuko: That’s rude Tsumu. They’re taking time to teach us.
Osamu: Tsumu you’re an idiot. The setter is the best and coolest player on the team…but I’d rather spike.
After instructions were finished the children were broken up into two groups. One group was sent to practice bumps and sets with some of the adult volunteers while the other would be at the volleyball net taking turns spiking sets given by Inuhata Masahiko. After a certain amount of time the two groups would switch. The triplets were part of the former; they found some space on their half of the gym away from other children forming a triangle.
With space in between them they practiced bumping and setting the ball back and forth. Occasionally Atsumu would fail at receiving getting hit in the face or Osamu and Atsuko would hit the wrong part of their forearms sending the ball flying, having to chase after it.
When it was time to switch to spiking the order went: Osamu, Atsuko, and Atsumu. Being the last of the triplets to spike, Atsumu expressed how easy the ball was to spike and the other two voiced agreement. Hearing Inuhata Masahiko call out to the next child to spike, Atsumu turned around watching in awe when he heard the words, “I’ll help you get the ball over, spiking it really good.”
In that moment, seeing that single set and hearing those words, Atsumu’s mindset changed, finding setters cooler than spikers. When the volleyball workshop was over the triplets walked home from the school arguing over what position is cooler setters or spikers and how much fun they had playing together.
Entering their genkan, the triplets took off their outside shoes, placing them side by side on a shoe shelf. While putting on their uwabaki, their mom could be heard yelling to them from the kitchen preparing dinner. After dinner was prepared the Miya family sat down eating together and talking about the day’s events.
Mama Miya: Atsumu, Osamu, Atsuko, how was the volleyball lesson?
Atsumu: It was so fun. We saw this tall kid a year above us with a foreign name, Aran-kun. So, we came up with our own nicknames: Tsumu, Samu, and Atsu. Then there was the setter who was super cool making everyone spike well. I want to play volleyball and be the best setter.
Osamu: I thought it was fun but unlike Tsumu I want to be a spiker.
Atsuko: Mama, you should have been there. Tsumu was so bad he kept getting hit in the face whenever we bumped the ball to him.
Atsumu: I did not. Quite lying.
Mama Miya: Atsuko, did you also think it was fun like your brothers?
Atsuko: I thought it was fun playing with Tsumu and Samu, but I like basketball over volleyball. I’ll still support and help them practice once we start middle school.
Mama Miya: Well, that’s good. If you have fun, work hard to accomplish your goals, and support each other that’s all I could ask for from you three.
Miya Triplets: Yes.
Once everyone was done eating dinner, Osamu cleared the table while Atsuko helped Mama Miya dry the washed dishes and Atsumu threw out the trash. All it took was one random weekend during their fourth year of elementary school for each of the triplets to set a new goal when they enter middle school. Lying in their beds staring at the bunk above or the ceiling each of the triplets spoke firmly out loud.
Atsumu: Samu. Atsu. I’m going to be the best setter in all of Japan.
Osamu: Tsumu. Atsu. I’m going to be the best spiking partner to the best setter in all of Japan.
Atsuko: Tsumu. Samu. I’m going to be the best basketball player you’ll be proud to call your sister.