Keishin Ukai

It has been a week since they went out to get ice cream, and the Hinata twins stood outside the Sakanoshita store.

Shoyo has a confused look on his face, while Sora has a nervous look.

Shoyo looked at Sora, confused. "Aniki, why are we here?"

Sora looked at him as he smiled to hide his nervousness, "I have someone in my mind who will probably help us with our volleyball."

Sora was nervous since this was very important and knew he couldn't afford to mess it up.

Shoyo raised one of his brows, "Someone that will probably help?"

Sora nodded, "Yeah! Now let's go in!"

They then went inside the store, and just as Sora thought, Keishin Ukai was sitting behind the counter.

Keishin Ukai looked the same as he'd seen in his vision. He had blonde dyed hair and brown eyes with a few piercings. At first glance, he looked like someone people could easily mistake as a delinquent. He sat at the counter with a bored expression on his face as he reads a sports magazine.

Keishin put the magazine down as he saw the twins, he looked closely at Sora and thought, 'That guy looks familiar.'

He then greeted the twins politely, and the twins greeted him back.

The twins then went around the store, taking whatever they needed.

While browsing through the store, Shoyo suddenly asked, "Aniki, where is this person you're talking about?"

Sora then ruffled Shoyo's hair, "Patience, my dear Shoyo, he's already here."

Shoyo then looked around the store and found that they were the only ones there, with the clerk being one of them.

Instead of questioning more, he decided to go with the flow, "Uhh...okay,"

Shoyo has no reason to doubt his brother. After all, Sora has supported him in whatever situation he puts himself in.

Sora ran out of ideas on how to improve his volleyball techniques. After all, he stopped playing volleyball in his high school years in his previous life. So, that's why he decided to ask for help from the one and only Ukai!

After getting the things they wanted, they went to the counter to pay for it and get it packed.

It didn't take long for Ukai to pack their things, and just as he was about to hand them to the twins and thank them for shopping at his store, Sora spoke.

"Uhm, I wanted to ask you something. Do you have time?"

Ukai was bored and thought it would be better to hear what the kid had to say, so he nodded.

"My name is Hinata Sora, and this is my brother, Hinata Shoyo. We wanted to talk to you about your Neighbourhood Association team. I was wondering if we could come to your practices," Sora said, and Shoyo played along as he nodded.

Ukai was shocked! How the heck did a middle schooler know about their Neighbourhood Association team!?

Especially one he hadn't even seen before. This was the last thing he'd expected to hear. He looked at the kid looking at him with expectation and sighed. Their training wasn't a place where middle school kids could hang out.

Sora was watching Ukai and knew he was about to be rejected. So, before Ukai could even say anything, he spoke once again. This time...he will lie and act like he is desperate.

"Please...we don't have any team to practice with, and we're still solidifying my basics, but we love volleyball with a passion and want to get better. So please, let us join your practice!" Sora said and bowed at his waist.

Sora lied about being a total noob in volleyball and having no teammates to play with. But everything else was true.

Shoyo followed what Sora did and looked at Sora, 'You liar!' He thought.

Ukai could sense the plea and desperation in Sora's voice. He took a deep breath to settle himself and decided to be honest with them.

"Look, you two... I don't know where you heard about our Neighbourhood Association, but we're an adult team. I can appreciate someone passionate about volleyball, but you two won't be of any help in the practices. We're too busy to take care of kids." he felt bad saying that, but honesty was the best policy in this situation.

Sora felt his hopes shattering. 'Darn it!' he thought.

Shoyo saw Sora's gloomy face and decided to help him. He knew about Sora's intentions and decided to help him.

Shoyo suddenly stood straight and looked Ukai in the eye. He didn't know it, but there was a different kind of intensity in his eyes.

Ukai suppressed a shiver, watching those intense hazel eyes. It had a different kind of sparkle in it. One he hadn't felt since his school days when he was on the court, and they were fighting tooth and nail for every single point.

"Please! We want to learn and use any opportunity we can get. I'm not asking to be taken care of... we just want a chance to attend your practices and watch. We can be ball boys. Just please let me join!" Shoyo said and bowed again.

Shoyo's sudden determination and intensity took aback Ukai. He couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he saw that fire in Shoyo's eyes, reminiscent of his younger days on the volleyball court.

He scratched his head, considering the twins' request. While it was unusual for middle schoolers to want to be part of their adult Neighbourhood Association team, he couldn't deny their enthusiasm. Plus, having them as ball boys wouldn't be a burden.

"Alright, alright," Ukai finally relented with a small smile. "You two can come to our practices and help as ball boys. But don't expect special treatment, and you need to promise me one thing."

Sora and Shoyo perked up, eager to agree to any condition that would allow them to be part of the team.

Ukai continued, "You must give it your all, even as ball boys. Pay attention, learn as much as you can, and don't stop our practice. Volleyball's a tough sport, and if you're serious about improving, you need to work hard."

Sora and Shoyo nodded enthusiastically, their determination shining through once again. "Thank you so much, Ukai-san! We promise we won't let you down," Sora said, his eyes filled with gratitude.

With that settled, Ukai handed them their purchases and waved them off. "Alright, then. See you at our next practice. Remember, it won't be easy, but if you're willing to put in the effort, you might become better players."

"We promise you won't regret it. We'll work really hard! Thank You!" Sora and Shoyo bowed again and left the store with the groceries and big smiles on their faces.

As Sora and Shoyo walked away from the store with their groceries and newfound opportunity, Ukai couldn't help but wonder what had led him to make this decision.

Something about the twins' earnestness and determination had touched him deeply. Perhaps it was a spark of potential he saw in them, or maybe it reminded him of his youthful passion for volleyball.

Whatever the reason, he had a feeling that this decision wouldn't be one he'd regret. As he watched them disappear down the street, he couldn't shake the thought that he might have just opened the door to discovering something special in these two young players. Only time would tell, but Ukai couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement about the journey ahead, both for himself and the Hinata twins.

If only he knew that the twins lied to him about some details...

Ukai then went back behind the counter and opened the sports magazine he had read earlier.

Turning to the next page, he saw Sora's picture with the caption 'Hinata Sora won the Inter-Junior High Tournament again in Miyagi prefecture!"

Ukai's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Sora's picture in the sports magazine. The caption mentioned Sora's victory in the Inter-Junior High Tournament in Miyagi Prefecture. He hadn't expected to see the young player he had just met featured in a magazine.

"No wonder the one with the undercut hairstyle looked familiar!" Ukai muttered to himself.

Ukai's curiosity deepened as he read further into the article about Sora's volleyball achievements. The question that nagged at him was, "Why would someone who is a tennis genius want to switch to playing volleyball?"

It was indeed a puzzling decision. Tennis and volleyball were different sports with distinct skill sets, and excelling in one didn't necessarily translate to success in the other. Ukai wondered what had motivated Sora to make such a drastic switch.

Ukai closed the magazine, his mind filled with thoughts about the upcoming practices and the potential he saw in the Hinata twins.

=======================

Sora and Hinata are currently walking home with the groceries and with smiles on their faces.

"Aniki, why did you lie about not knowing the basics of volleyball and having no team to practice with?" Shoyo asked.

Sora glanced at his brother, considering how to explain his actions. "Well, Shoyo, we already have our school's volleyball team in Yukigaoka, but I want us to get some extra practice with Ukai-san's Neighbourhood Association team. By making it sound like we were beginners, we hoped it would be easier to join their practices."

Shoyo nodded in understanding. "So, it was about making it seem like we were eager to learn from them?"

Sora smiled. "Exactly, Shoyo. We have a good foundation, but I want us to improve. This opportunity with Ukai-san's team will help us achieve that."

Shoyo grinned, feeling reassured by his brother's explanation. "I get it now, Aniki. We'll make the most of this chance to improve."

"I'm glad you understand, Shoyo," Sora said with a smile.

"But where did you learn about the Neighbourhood Association Team?" Shoyo asked. He finds it strange that Sora managed to know about a pretty unknown team.

"Well..." Sora began as he scratched his head, "I have a lot of connections in Miyagi, that's all."

Of course, Sora can't tell Shoyo about his knowledge from his previous life. Fortunately, he is prepared to answer Shoyo's question.

Shoyo raised one of his brows, "Connections?"

Sora nodded. "That's right! Being a famous player has a lot of benefits!"

"I see," Shoyo replied. "That's great, Aniki."

"By the way, Shoyo, how was my acting?"

Shoyo thought for a while. If he doesn't know who his brother was, he'll probably believe it too as Ukai did.

"You're pretty good, Aniki," Shoyo replied.

Sora smiled, "Thanks, Shoyo! You're also good at acting, he'll probably not accept us if you hadn't stepped in."

"Thanks, Aniki," Shoyo replied earnestly. "I can't just stand by and let you do all the work, you know? I want to help you succeed as well."

"Thanks, Shoyo. You always have my back, partner in crime!"

As the Hinata twins are walking through the street, a tall and lean figure with light blond hair and glasses sees them as he stands by the side of the road.

As he observed the Hinata twins walking by, his expression remained as composed as ever. Still, there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He had seen these two before from the 3-set match they had against Kitagawa Daiichi.

He then focused on the taller twin, who had an undercut hairstyle.

"So that's the Ice King of Tennis," he muttered, "To think he could also be good at volleyball."

Sora earned the title "Ice King" in tennis due to his exceptional composure and unwavering focus on the court. His opponents often described his demeanor as icy and calm, even in high-pressure situations.

Sora had a knack for maintaining a calm and collected attitude, allowing him to make precise and calculated shots, leaving his rivals frozen out of their element. This remarkable mental fortitude, coupled with his outstanding skills, led to the nickname "Ice King" in tennis.

"First, we have the King of the Court, and now we've got the Ice King; this is great," the blonde muttered sarcastically, a hint of irony in his voice.