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As usual, Hinata Shouyou rode his bike to school, over the long winding country lanes, hill and streets. His dedication to coming to Karasuno was admirable.
It was a normal day. The weather was fair, and Hinata arrived at morning practise, eager to get in a few quick spikes. What was abnormal about such a normal day...was the lack of a certain dark haired setter. It was unusual Kageyama ever missed practise, and Hinata immediately began to text him, typing in his number in a rush.
‘Oi Kageyama, wer ar u!?! U’re gonna miss practiz!!! How can I spike wivout u?!’
Hinata's text talking was horrific. It was worthy of shuddering at.
‘Erm. I think you have the wrong number. I don't know anyone called Kageyama.’
Hinata exclaimed loudly in shock, he'd accidentally typed a number wrong in his rushed text.
‘ Omg! Sorry! (.*~*)/’ I was in a hurry!’
Hinata was glad to admit his texting wasn't all bad. Occasionally he'd put the effort into his grammar, if he needed to, like the occasional text to Daichi or another of his Senpai’s.
‘No harm done. Did your setter turn up?’
Hinata had completely forgotten to resend the text to Kageyama, caught up in the conversation with the stranger. What also surprised him was the stranger's question.
‘No (;-;) but how did you know I was texting a setter? OMG Do you play Volleyball?! \(^-^)/’
Hinata forgot to even head back into practice, instead, he sat in the locker room, texting the stranger.
“Yeah, but not as much as I used to, I ended up getting injured in a match so I have to take it steady. I guess you play too?’
The stranger, Hinata decided, wasn't half bad. On the other hand, calling them a stranger felt stupid.
‘ Gwaah! That sounds bad! I'm Hinata! What's your name? I'm going to be the Ace! But for now I'm a decoy middle blocker!’
Hinata didn't get a reply for a while, and he was scared he'd been too forward, however that was just Hinata's nature, he could befriend anyone to be quite frank.
Hinata ended up going back to practise, and found out Kageyama was ill, the day continued as normal from there, the stranger almost forgotten from Hinata's mind, until lunch.
‘Ah! Sorry! We had a sudden rush of customers. I'm Seto, Seto Yamazaki. I used to be the Ace, back in high school.’
Hinata beamed, finally having a name to call the stranger.
‘ Back in high school? How old are you, Seto? ^~^*’
Hinata was rather pleased to have texted someone so cool unexpectedly. A veteran Ace would be amazing to get tips from!
‘ Yeah. It was pretty good, I didn't make it as a regular till my second year though. I'm 21 currently, how about you, Hinata?’
Hinata wasn't too bothered by the age gap, five or six years wasn't enough to faze him.
“ I'm 16 ~{*>*}/* That sounds cool! I'm a regular now, but only because I'm a decoy ;-; but I can jump! (‘-’)/*’
Hinata wasn't sure, but he felt at ease around the stranger.
“Oh wow, that's incredible, first years are rare as regulars. Jumping is always important, especially if you lack height, I was one of the smallest players on my team.’
Lunch ended after that, and Hinata didn't get another chance to text until after club activities that evening.
‘School is horrible. And yes, yes! I'm 164cm! But when I jump, the view from the other side of the net opens up! Volleyball is amazing “~”!’
Hinata walked home that night, pulling his bike alongside him so he could text Seto.
‘Woah! Even smaller than me when I was the ace! That's incredible, especially as a middle blocker!’
Hinata beamed one more. He was a stickler for compliments.
‘Yeah! The only person smaller than me is our Libero! He was in the 150s when I met him! He's so cool though!’
Hinata was rather glad he'd texted the wrong number, even if there was a possibility the person he was texting wasn't really 21, or a Volleyball player, or even called Seto, Hinata felt at ease, despite the dangers of strangers through technology.
‘Woah! So short! That's crazy! So Hinata, other than Volleyball, what else do you like?’
Hinata paused. What else did he like? Volleyball was his life…
Like?
‘Erm…’
Hinata couldn't think.
‘Lol. You just eat, sleep and breathe Volleyball then? I was like that too. I think I used to be a bit too intense sometimes.”
Hinata was thrilled. Sometimes he could be intense too, his look could scare a few, and others, spark confidence...mainly Kageyama.
‘Exactly! Volleyball is all I'm good at! I'm bad at studies, {,v_v,}’
Hinata arrived home that day in a rather good mood, he hoped Kageyama would get better soon, to throw him some tosses, and because he generally missed the taller teen.
‘Studies are important though. If you're struggling, I can help! I'm not bad at studying, and my old classmate is even better.’
Hinata grinned. Seto seemed like him, nice, approachable and generally easy to talk to. The two were already speaking as though they'd known one another eternally.
‘Woaaa! Really?! Thank you!!! Kageyama isn't good either, but Tsukishima is, he's really stingy though, he's so tall too! Even though we're the same age, he's about 30 cms taller! How unfair!’
There wasn't a reply for a while, Hinata had dinner, showered, and got into bed.
Then a reply came.
‘Tsukishima? I used to know someone by that name. And that is tall! I've barely grown since high school. I'm 173cm’s.’
Hinata grinned. Maybe he'd catch Seto up in height then.
‘Tsukishima is a jerk but he's a blocker too, and he's so pwahh <,^,> but Kageyama is our setter and his tosses are the best! He's all GWAAAH and Puuuhawh! It's great!’
Hinata was sure he was already on better terms with Seto than Tsukishima, and he'd never even met Seto.
‘Oh dear! And oh wow! My old setter wasn't very intense, but he was so accurate, he'd do everything very nonchalantly.’
The two exchanged words for only a little longer, before the two ultimately turned off their phones, and went to sleep.
Hinata woke up the next day earlier than usual, in a great mood. He couldn't wait to tell Kageyama about his new friend!
‘Good morning Hinata.’
Hinata didn't expect a text so early, but none the less, Seto had texted him at about 5am, with a greeting.
‘Hi Seto! (.*~*)/’
It was early but both of them were up and raring to go, both bundles of energy.
‘How are you today?’
Hinata eagerly got dressed, and moved downstairs to grab some toast.
‘Great! I have practise again today! We're trying to get to the Nationals!!! *^*/ So I need to get better!’
Hinata finished up his toast, washed his dishes and then exited the premises, locking up behind him.
‘Wow, trying for the nationals eh? Good Luck! It'll be tough!’
Hinata nodded to himself in agreement.
‘Yeah! Yeah! We're in the final! I'm excited! .(´ω｀)/ They’re a tough team but this time we'll win!’
Jumping onto his bike, Hinata once more began his ride to school, phone forgotten for the time being.
Once he arrived to school he spotted a familiar figure, whom had also arrived early for training.
“KAGEYAMAAAA~” Hinata yelled, causing the dark haired setter to jump at the sudden noise.
“Hinata, dumbass, no need to shout!” Kageyama snapped, as the red head approached him.
“Kageyama! Guess what, guess what?” Hinata grinned, digging his phone out of his bag.
“Wha-”
Hinata didn't even give Kageyama time to finish his sentence.
“I tried texting you and I texted the wrong number and then I made friends with them and they play Volleyball, and they were the ace and they're really cool!” Hinata exclaimed before stopping for breath.
“Slow down, idiot.” Kageyama grumbled, as Hinata checked for anymore texts.
‘Wow! You must be a pretty good team then! What prefecture are you in?’
Hinata showed Kageyama who instantly frowned.
“What are you talking to strangers for, dumbass? He could be like a serial killer or something!” Kageyama gritted out, as Hinata just laughed and began to compose a reply.
‘Miyagi! ヽ(>∀<☆)ノ We're small, so we can only have one representative team, but Tokyo can have three this year! I'm friends with a setter from a team in Tokyo and I'm really hoping we both make it to the nationals! (*≧ω≦*)’
Hinata didn't have to wait long for a reply.
‘Woah! My school was from the Miyagi prefecture!’
Hinata was positively beaming at that, while Kageyama was more and more certain the recipient to Hinata's texts was a crazy Stalker or something!
‘(ノﾟ∀ﾟ)ノ⌒･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*☆ Ah! That's so cool! You should come watch us play!’
Hinata didn't get a response after that, for the entire afternoon. He complained to Kageyama, and was generally grumpy for the rest of the day, a few people caught on.
“Kageyama, what's wrong with Hinata?” Sugawara asked, during after school practice.
“His stupid serial killer texting buddy hasn't replied since Hinata invited him to come see us in the final.” Kageyama ground out and Tsukishima, whom had overheard, scoffed.
“Serial killer texting buddy?”
“He accidentally text the wrong number, and now he's befriended some guy called Seto whose like old and now all he talks about is him. Hinata has no concept of being careful!” Kageyama huffed and Tsukishima let out another scoff, at the middle blockers stupidity.
“Ah. That doesn't sound safe, true.” Sugawara agreed, and flitted away to inform Daichi.
Hinata did perk up though, after practise he discovered a text.
‘Me and my old teammates go and watch the Miyagi final preliminary match each spring! So we'll be there automatically!’
Hinata grinned, now all they had to do was win.
‘We’ll win it!’
And in a small dorm a few miles away, a short figure gave a small smile.
“I'm sure you will, Hinata.”
-
-
-
‘Ne, Hinata, what's your favourite colour?’
It was an odd text, the night before the match, that reminded Hinata that he hadn't text Seto.
‘Orange! Like the sunshine! My hair is orange too! ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆ Ne, the final is tomorrow. will you be there?!’
Hinata didn't get a response from Seto after that, and Hinata couldn't help but feel a little disheartened.
The next day, it didn't really discourage Hinata much, and Karasuno played a great game against Shiratorizawa Academy, winning and becoming the Miyagi prefecture representative!
After the match, Hinata instinctively checked his phone and found a message from Seto.
‘Karasuno?! You’re the #10!?’
Seto was here somewhere? Amidst the crowds. Somewhere… Hinata didn't even know what he looked like except that he was short.
He didn't really have to look though.
“Hinata?”
The voice knocked him from thought.
He turned, and there, beside him, was Seto Yamazaki, 173cms tall, head a mess of black hair, and intense dark eyes.
And-
“You- You're-”
Seto stood there dumbly, beside two taller boys, his old teammates, both sporting proud grins.
Ukai noticed first, and then Tsukishima, Hinata continued to stand dumbstruck.
“I'm Seto Yamazaki! It's nice to meet you in person, Hinata!”
Hinata nodded fiercely.
“That’s-”
“YOU'RE THE SMALL GIANT!?!” Hinata shouted in excitement and Seto blushed deeply at his old nickname.
“He's the small giant…” Tsukishima murmured, having seen the ace play before, when he'd gone to watch his brother.
“I- That nickname was always embarrassing..but yes.” Seto nodded. Hinata just stood, stars in his eyes, in total awe.
“I think you broke him Seto…” One of the ex-ace’s friends murmured and Seto gave an embarrassed chuckle, looking to Ukai to help.
“You’re probably going to want to brace yourself…”
That was the only warning Seto got before-
“OMG. You’re like my idol, and I joined Volleyball because of you, and I went to Karasuno to be like you- and I want to be an ace just like you, you’re incredible, the way you jump- I think you’re amazing and- and-” Hinata stopped for breath, ready to start back up once more, before Seto interrupted.
“If anyone’s amazing, it’s you, Hinata. You were incredible.” Seto grinned and Hinata blushed, turning red having received a compliment from his idol, and somehow the two ended up gaining an even closer friendship than they’d established over the phone.
Seto ended up coming to watch every match Karasuno played, and in the end, the small Miyagi team reached the finals, against Nekoma, finally having the chance to play against their rivals in an official match.