Kuroo dragged Kenma over for a Saturday lunch with his boyfriends at his house the next. They spoke about the Karasuno team, especially focussing on Kenma's new found interest in the short middle blocker.

"He really surprised us though, that shorty, but it was more the setter's skills," Kuroo looked towards Kenma for confirmation. He nodded. "Like it was so fast. You guys have to see it one day, it's insane," he placed plates topped with food in front of them at the table, Kenma and Akaashi's plates containing less than the two big figures.

"Maybe we can do a quick like that, Keiji!"

"Like hell we can," the four quickly thanked for the meal before digging in, talking between eating.

"But Kenma and the guy are already on a first name bases. Do I smell love in the air?" Kuroo wiggled his eyebrows, Kenma giving him a disgusted look.

"Shōyō is... interesting. That's all,"

"Uh-huh," he sounded in disbelief. "Weren't you also the one to go ask him for his number?" Kenma looked away in embarrassment, Bokuto and Keiji sitting up in interest at this story.

"Well... yeah," Kuroo chuckled at this.

"Saw you were texting to him when we were heading back already. Very eager of you,"

"Says the guy who was watching Bokuto's game on the bus back literally not even two hours after you met," Kuroo coughed at this, Bokuto laughed happily while Akaashi looked at them both with warmth in his eyes. "And it's because Shōyō and I have been texting that I could ask him a few things. So, do you want to know his name? The one with the thighs you want your face crushed with?" Kuroo nearly spat out his food, both Bokuto and Akaashi stopping in their tracks to regard their boyfriend. Kuroo took one look at the two before turning to Kenma – who was seated next to him.

"Kenma!" he sounded in great disapproval.

"I even asked him to send me a picture of him. The only one he could find was a group picture of the first years but he's still quite highlighted in the picture so I think it's fine. Shōyō was really interested in why I wanted this picture so I just told him the truth," Kenma continued on as if nothing was wrong, pulling out his phone to start searching for the picture.

"Which is?!"

"That you found him cute,"

"I never said that!"

"You said other things that I won't repeat to him," and gave quick side glance to Kuroo before back at the screen. Kuroo placed his elbows on the table, hiding his face behind his palms as he groaned loudly. He separated his fingers to see his two lovers, peering at him with great question. He sighed and let his arms dropped.

"So. Karasuno may or may not have some really good looking players-,"

"One in particular?" Kuroo shot a nasty eye towards Kenma.

"Yes. But his personality is really different than us – or, maybe he's just more closed off – but I didn't want to bring it up because I truly don't think anything is going to happen,"

"So you don't want to know his name?" Kuroo looked towards his friend and just didn't know anymore. He brought up his arms and let them drop. He repeated this process two more times, his mind in a daze and he could barely function.

This was so embarrassing.

"No?" he eventually answered.

"I want to know his name," Akaashi piped in, Kuroo shooting his eyes to him in surprise. "And the picture, if you will. Thank you, Kozume,"

"Sure," he showed his phone to Akaashi, Bokuto leaning over to see as well. "So Shōyō is the short, ginger. Tsukishima Kei is the tall guy with glasses,"

Huh.

So that was his name.

"The one you're interest in is pretty cute, Kozume," Akaashi looked up to Kenma. The shy setter looked away in embarrassment.

"Hey, you can't see the guy's legs! I want to know what had gotten Tetsurō so flustered!" Kuroo pushed his face into the table at Bokuto's words.

"Guys, please don't do this to me," he mumbled with his face squished into the wood.

"We won't, don't worry," Kuroo looked up at Akaashi's words. "It's not like we're going to whip you for finding someone else good looking," Akaashi's chuckle was like music to his ears. "Although, I definitely agree with you,"

"Same!" Bokuto had Kenma's phone now, scrolling in on the pictures at various places. "Volleyball is a dangerous sport. It gives us so much eye candy,"

"Yeah, but even candy is an entire science. Amateur candy is never going to taste as good as whatever cosmic ingredients you two are made of," Bokuto made an obscure noise and quickly gave Kenma back his phone. He leaned over towards Akaashi and gave him a long kiss on the lips, hands cupping the back of his face. He separated to smother the pretty setter's face with kisses all over.

"That was one of the best things you've ever said," Bokuto spoke through kisses. Kenma had quickly taken his phone and went to actually eat his lunch, so used to the triple's affection already. Kuroo covered his blushing palms with his hands.

"You're killing me over here," Kuroo admitted.

"Good. Only we get to make you feel like that, got it?" Akaashi's eyes bore straight into the cat.

"Please don't put sexual tension in the air. Not in front of my salad," Kenma argued, not looking up. Bokuto pulled away from Akaashi at this, taking a moment to calm his heart.

"Yeah, please. I want you to enjoy this meal," Kuroo spoke, indicating to the lunch he made.

"I know what meal I want to enjoy," Akaashi spoke under his breath, Kuroo nearly choking at his words.

"I would offer to leave but honestly, Kuroo's cooking is just too good. Keep it in your pants," the three took a minute of silence to fall back into their meals.

"It is good. It is so good. Kuroo, you're definitely going to be the one who cooks in the house," Bokuto commented on the amazing food.

"If time allows me, I definitely want to cook more,"

"Speaking of," Kenma looked up. "Kuroo, Bokuto; what are your plans for when you graduate this year?" the two third years shared a look.

"Well,"

Interhigh came and went, Karasuno losing to Aobajohsai in the third round. Kenma and Kuroo had watched their match on TV, the two curiously examining the crows. Kei was a decent all-rounder blocker, but that was all he was. Decent. His spikes weren't very good until Kageyama began to adjust to him, giving him the sets he actually wanted. From that time on, Kei actually managed to have more choices in the air and was a good spiker too.

From Kei's point of view, he was content with knowing that the team finally started realising that he knew how to think. That he didn't need anything handed to him on a plate. Even if his spikes didn't get through, he could manipulate it in such a way that Karasuno would still score. Kuroo kept a tally of how many times he think a point was directly because of something Kei did, and he was quote happy at the number.

Kei knew how to connect with his team without any words and without them knowing.

It was especially entertaining to see how when he finally got a point directly in, how his team would rile up on him and he would get all flustered. He hated being the centre of attention.

At the end of the day, it still wasn't enough. Karasuno lost the third set.

"They seem more connected as a team now," Kenma commented on Karasuno's play style. "Not as good as us yet, though..." Kuroo sighed and sat back into the couch.

"I hope this defeat doesn't crush them. I want to see them bounce back,"

"I'm sure they will, but Kuroo?"

"Yeah?"

"You do know that they were invited to the training camps this year, right?" Kuroo sat up, eyes wide as he regarded his dear friend.

"What?!"

Why are they trying? Why do they even care? We lost to Aobajohsai, right? We're not the best. We're never going to be the best. There's no reason to even try. Why work harder? There's always going to be someone there, waiting to just step on us. There's always to be some god out there that wants to tear me up into pieces and disregard me. It's not important. It's not important. Why am I still here? Yamaguchi, why are you putting in the extra practice? Where is it going to get you?

Why is any of this important?

I am just a stepping stone for someone else's greatness. I am the pavement laid down for people like Hinata and Kageyama to walk all over to get to their higher destinies. I am something to be used and abused and be disregarded at the end. Do I even mean anything? Do I hold any value on my own?

I am supposed to protect our frontlines while Hinata is at the back – that's the role they gave me, and I'm probably not even that good at it. Kuroo... he was a middle blocker that can definitely beat me. Aobajohsai had strong blockers and if we went all the way to the top, then I will still be at the bottom. Effort has nothing to do with it when you're not prodigal.

In the hierarchy, I will forever be the average man. Is there any real in living a life like that? In living a life where you're not extraordinary? We eat, we sleep, we die and we are forgotten.

You were not extraordinary. You were average and you were eating away at yourself for the chance of being on the court – that goddamn court. You strung me along on your suicide mission for years. You may go on, you may be playing now, but do you truly understand what it was that you took from me? What you broke?

You broke my faith. You broke my hope in this world.

And I shouldn't be blaming you – you are just like everyone else. You are not special.

Maybe that's why it hurts so much. Because I looked up to you – an ordinary man - so much.

But nothing fucking matters.

Not anymore.

"Please help us study!" seeing Hinata bow to him was glorious. He wanted to take a picture and place it as his wallpaper.

"No," nevertheless, why would he help him?

"But the Tokyo training camp! We have to pass the exams!"

"You've passed the entrance tests, right? You should be able to handle this,"

"B-but!"

"Why is the King so silent over there? Don't you want help as well?" he itched Kageyama into coming forward, the setter eventually bowing as well and asking for help. Kei did help them at the end of the day, but it didn't last very long. He helped them before and after practice for just a few days before he gave up on the idiots and let their new manager – Yachi – deal with the two.

Kei found no problems with the exams and breezed through them with ease. The only real interesting thing that happened in this time period was that the freak duo ran into Ushijima Wakatoshi, but perhaps that wasn't such a good thing. They kept picking fights with everyone and drew unnecessary attention with false promises.

Kei knew that they wouldn't be able to beat Shiratorizawa yet, for whatever reason, that had become a goal in the duo's mind now. The winning streak they would have to get to end up on Shiratorizawa's level was insane and impossible.

Now, on this early Saturday morning, Kei found himself napping undisturbed on the bus to Tokyo. Kageyama and Hinata were taking supplementary lessons, and Kei couldn't have kept his amusement at that fact even if he tried. He couldn't fall into a deep sleep, but the rest his body took was much needed in preparation. He expected this training weekend would give him a good example of how the full week camp would be like. Nevertheless, he didn't know how to feel about the entire thing.

He didn't care about it much. The rest of the team was quite excited to see Nekoma again but all he remembered was the annoyance from playing them. He was at this camp for the same reason he was still playing volleyball.

Which, in itself, wasn't something he understood very well himself. He was playing, but for what? To understand why his brother felt the need to cause so much pain and hurt? To lie to him?

Pathetic. Kei was pathetic for letting such things take over him. He didn't want to get into his brother's head. He didn't want to understand him. He really didn't.

(Lies.)

He should just leave. He should just quit and get the inevitable over and done with.

What was happening with him? What was he feeling?

Nothing. He felt nothing.

Oh, I hope someday I'll make it out of here

Even if it takes all night or a hundred years

Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near

Wanna feel alive, outside I can't fight my fear

"Tsukki?" Yamaguchi whispered to his friend, slowly petting at his friend. They sat in the corner of the bus, away from anyone else. Kei pulled his headphones down to regard the boy next to him. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to cry," he said so silently that nobody else could hear. Instantly Kei was wiping at his eyes, making sure nothing spilled over.

"I'm fine, Yamaguchi. A sad song just came up on my shuffle," he lied, turning to hide his face from his friend. He could hear his friend sigh sadly and some guilt began to bubble up. He pushed it down and looked back. "Distract my mind?"

Yamaguchi smiled and nodded.

"So I finally watched that documentary you recommended -,"

"About brontosauruses?"

"Yeah! That dino are definitely your spirit animal!" Kei gave him a small smile and for the rest of the trip, they spoke of the prehistoric era.

They kept it in whispers though, as it would be quite embarrassing if the others knew of their topic.

They arrived, Nekoma already in the parking lot to greet them. Kei was feeling like his snarky, smartass self by that time, all signs of emotional vulnerability back in the steel bolted safe they belong in.

"That's!! Could it be... the Tokyo Skytree?!" Tanaka was way too excited as he peered up at the steel tower, the vice-captain of Nekoma - Kai Nobuyuki – politely correcting him. Next to him, Kuroo was losing his shit. He sounded like a dying hyena.

Everyone poured out of the bus, Kuroo's eyes fixed in on each person that exited. Kei was one of the last to exit, the cat's eyes completely on the tall firefly. Kei pulled off his headphones and looked around, the two locking eyes. It was only a brief second before Kuroo looked away, almost as if trying to force disinterest into his actions. He looked to Daichi.

"Aren't you missing a few people?"

"Well, the thing is, they are stuck doing supplementary lessons this morning. They each failed a subject," Kuroo chuckled along the Karasuno captain, the two walking along.

"They'll still be coming, yeah? Kenma seemed to push himself more with that shrimp around,"

"Yeah, they'll come by later today," Daichi smirked. "I've been noticing that Hinata and your setter are texting a lot,"

"Kenma doesn't usually like anyone, so this is quite new for me too. I've never seen him this way. Do you think there's something blooming, or is the shrimp taken by your setter?"

"Kageyama? Well..." Daichi stopped them, the two at the side of the gym now, no peering ears in range. "I don't know about those two. Kageyama is Hinata's sworn rival, so they've got that Sasuke–Naruto vibe going on, you know? They push each other to be able to beat each other, so I don't know if their feelings are purely from that or if they may actually grow to like each other. Either way, they're quite the monsters so I don't think they'll ever notice," Daichi shrugged. "And what about you then?"

"Me?" Kuroo asked, placing his hand over his heart for dramatic effect. "What are you talking about?"

"Kenma, right? You seem pretty close with him," at this, Kuroo sighed.

"Kenma and I have been neighbours since like way, way back. I could never like him like that,"

"Why not? Oh wait," Daichi frowned. "Are you..." he scratched at his head, nervously. "You know... straight?"

"What?" Kuroo sounded surprised. "No!" Daichi sighed in relief.

"Oh thank god," the two looked at each other for a few seconds before they burst out laughing.

"Dude, that was so weird,"

"Tell me about it,"

"Okay but seriously; Kenma?"

"Right well," Kuroo slid down the side of the wall, Daichi joining him. "I think... there was a time. A time were I had feelings for Kenma like that, when we were younger," he admitted. "But then I grew up and began to understand what I felt better. What I felt for him was different. Uhm... call me cheesy but I kinda got into that Greek thing? With the eight different types of love? It helped me a lot in understanding how love can be expressed in different ways. And love languages. Love languages are really important. But, yeah. The love I feel for Kenma is philia. It's really a love between equals," he answered, teeth gleaming in the smile he shot at the Karasuno captain.

"What are the others then? The other seven?"

"Oh, I can't remember them all but it's like the one is unconditional love, then there's sexual love and familiar love, playful love... The Greeks really had it figured out man. You should check it out some time,"

"Sounds definitely interesting," Daichi nodded. "Sounds also as if you've been thinking a lot about love," Daichi chuckled nervously, hand scratching at the back of his head.

"Well... yeah. I trust you man so I think I can tell you, but I'm actually in a relationship,"

"What seriously?" Daichi sat away from the wall in interest.

"Yeah. You don't know them yet, but they'll be here at the camp. I'll point them out some time,"

"They?"

"Yeah; that a problem?" Kuroo was examining his reaction with serious eyes.

"What? No, of course not!" Daichi quickly answered. "It's just... I've never seen a relationship like that before. It's working out for you though, yeah?" Kuroo nodded in confirmation. "So you're dating more than one person... do you feel different types of love to each of them then? Like with the Greek thing you said. And, they're guys, right?"

"Yeah, they're both guys and I... I do think I feel different things to each of them, but it's definitely love I feel and it's definitely just as strong. Like even though we're in one relationship, we still have individual relationships with each other. The relationship I have with Keiji individually is not the same as I have with Kōtarō – you'll meet them both later. Kōtarō and I, we tend to show our feelings for each other in way that is a lot more... physical. With Keiji, the small and unexpected things he does really gets me. Like he tends to be quite reserved and doesn't voice what he feels all that often so from him, a small 'I love you' or whatever actually means a lot because it's never just small talk with him.

But sometimes, Kōtarō will get real quiet and get soft hearted and then when he speaks, he's always so serious. He conveys his love in multiples ways. And Keiji... joh let me tell you. Sometimes he just loves taking control and -,"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Daichi was laughing, Kuroo clearly having gone off on a tangent in his own mind. "You sound like you really love them,"

"I do. I really do. I never want to lose them," he smiled to himself. "How did we even get on this topic in the first place?"

"Hinata and Kenma,"

"Oh yeah. We'll just have to see what happens between those freak first years of yours,"

"Speaking of first years, Tsukishima asked about you after the practice match,"

"What, seriously?" Kuroo was instantly listening, his wide eyes urging Daichi to continue.

"Uhm, yeah?" he didn't know what to make of the cat's reaction.

"What did he ask?"

"Just wanted to know your name. Said you were annoying though," at that, Kuroo sat back against the wall, looking up at the sky. "What's all this about?" Kuroo sighed and ran his hands over his face.

"Nothing, nothing really. Something about him has just been bugging me and I think Kenma kinda blew it up – which I didn't want him to do – so now it's just all discombobulated and I need my feelings to just like settle down. He's..." he looked at his fellow captain with great question in his eyes. "Why is he like that? I watched your match against Aobajohsai and I just don't get it. How can you let a first year like him be a regular? He brings down people's morale, and it's not like he's an extraordinary middle blocker or anything. I admit he probably has potential but it's no use if he's not putting in the effort," Daichi hummed in thought at the words.

"When we were just starting off for the year, we had all the first years pitted against each other. I saw that Tsukishima had a passion for volleyball, but it's a passion I don't think anyone knows about. Not even him. When the freak quick first became a thing, I saw Tsukishima try to find way around it and... how do I put it? Crush Hinata and Kageyama. Tsukishima also lives off rivalry, but just like with love, there's different types of rivalry. I think Tsukishima is looking for something in volleyball, something that will help him in his rivalry against himself,"

"Himself?"

"Maybe. Either way, I'm not ready to give up on him yet. He just needs to find what it is he needs and then it will be wondrous, don't do you think?"

"I mean..."

"And maybe you'll be a part of that solution," Kuroo was confused at his words.

"How do you mean?"

"Tsukishima doesn't care. About anything, really. But he asked for your name, so that has to count for something, right?" Kuroo was dumbstruck.

"Well... I hope he finds what he's looking for. Also, while we're on the topic, do you have someone special, little crow?" Daichi laughed nervously at the question and stood up.

"The other teams will start to arrive. We need to get ready,"

"Hey, don't avoid the question!" and he left.

Daichi did love someone – he loved someone so much that it hurt. It hurt to the point where he was looking at other people for some sort of emotional relief - Michimiya Yui and Kuroo Tetsurō being just two of the people he hoped would overwhelm his feelings.

But they didn't, nothing would be able to stop his feelings. After all, what was the volleyball dad going to do without his Suga Mama?

"Everyone, let's gather in the gym! We'll have a bit of an intro to the camp!"

"Right!" Karasuno was introduced to the rules – the rotation of the teams and the flying laps after each lost. The teams present were Karasuno, Nekoma, Shinzen, Ubugawa and Fukurōdani. After all admin was finished, numbers were given out to all the teams to wear. Kuroo stepped up to the Nekoma team, all of the clothing in his arms. He frowned curiously.

"Hey, has anyone seen Kenma?" he questioned.

"Present," a muddled noise sounded and Kuroo looked to see the setter lying face down on the court.

"Are you having an existential crisis?" Kenma turned his head to peer up at the captain with a frown etched into his brows.

"I wanted play Shōyō in the first practice match. Now I have to wait. I hate waiting,"

"You should encourage him to get his grades up then,"

"I don't know if he's able to care about anything other than volleyball ," and turned his head away. Kuroo hummed interestedly as he stared down at Kenma and threw the number '5' onto his head. Kenma just groaned.

"Come on guys, we're playing Karasuno first. Let's have some fun with his," on the opposite side of the court, coach Ukai was setting their starting order.

"So, we're going to take advantage of this situation and completely throw out our normal order. I want everyone to get comfortable on the court and in positions that are not normally their own. We need to diversify. We'll revaluate with each game but for this first one, it's Nekoma. I want us to focus on not defeating them, but in getting ways around them by throwing in unfamiliar territory. Of course, I don't expect us to win with an unknown system so you all better start looking forward to those flying laps. Remember, we came here to learn and adapt – winning comes later.

So, for this game, our setter will obviously be Sugawara. Nishinoya will stay in. The middle blockers will be Yamaguchi and Narita. Ennoshita will be opposite. Tsukishima and Kinoshita will be wing spikers,"

"Huh?" everyone looked towards Kei. "You want me to divert to offense?"

"Yes. Unless you feel like trying out the libero position?"

"No..."

"Good then. Sugawara, be sure to push him with his spikes,"

"Yes sir!"

"And if anyone has any opinions on the format, please feel free to put them in this suggestion box,"

"Coach, that's a trash can..."

"Exactly. So get on that court and show them what you've got," everyone piled onto the court, taking on their new positions. Instantly, Nekoma was curios. They regarded their opponents carefully. Some of them played in the last practice match when they went on for six sets for ultimately, five out of seven people on the court weren't regulars and unknown variables. Kei took up his new position at the side of the court, dark eyes watching him with question.

"Hey, I think you're in the wrong place," Kuroo whispered mockingly to him from the other side of the net, pointed finger indicating to the middle of the court.

"Apparently not," Kei sneered back.

"Did you switch since the last time or is just a once time thing?"

"I can only trust that this experimentation is once off," he sent a nasty glance off court for a quick second.

"Hopefully you'll still put up a good fight," Kuroo crossed his arms, sly smirk on his lips.

"Does it matter either way?"

"Of course it matters. If you're not here to make a mess out of your opponents, then why are you here?"

"Hn," Kei cast his eyes away from the cat captain. Kuroo frowned at the disinterest.

"Well, either way, that's what I intend to do. You better up your game unless you enjoy being the feathers left on the carpet after the cat's playtime," Kuroo showed his teeth. Kei huffed, as if he had heard something ridiculous and shot him a devious look.

"You ego is writing out cheques that I don't think your body can cash," Kuroo's jaw fell. "Bring it, kitty,"