𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖

lxxxviii - playtime

Crow gave the ball to Kinoshita, and he scored with it. "Nice job!" Nishi shook the guy.

"That's it! Just like that!" Daichi smirked at him as Kinoshita beamed. "But don't let their excitement overwhelm you. We're going to take the first set!"

"Hai!"

"TWO MORE!" Suga yelled from the player waiting area. The next point also went to Karasuno as Crow had Kinoshita go for a slide hit. 

"Nice!" The two slapped hands as the score flipped to display 24-16. The set ended with Crow giving it to Asahi and letting the ace take care of it. 

"Yeah!" The team cheered as the game was called and the teams switched sides. 

"This has been bothering me," Takeda suddenly brought up as everyone was taking a moment to drink some water. "Jozenji's banner doesn't really seem to mesh with how the team acts, right?" He said, looking at said banner which displayed the kanji for 'simplicity and fortitude'. "If anything, something like 'Free and Wild' may be a better match."

"Actually," Keishin contradicted, "A long time ago, or rather, up until recently, simplicity and fortitude described  Jozenji's team accurately."

"We're gonna fool around even more!" Terushima cheered, the volume making it carry over to the Karasuno bench as his teammates all join him in cheering and bouncing around excitedly. Crow could feel himself aging just watching them, so he averted his eyes. 

The second set soon started, the lineup moved forward one from the first set with Tsukishima starting in the serving position, Kageyama in position two, Tanaka in position three, Hinata in four, Crow in five and Asahi in six. Jozenji's lineup had their number 4 serving first, with their number 2 in the second position, their number three in the third position, Terushima in position four, number 9 in position five, and their number seven taking up middle back. 

"Hinata, Kageyama, stay calm!" Suga called out to them, but the two just war-cried as Crow deadpanned at them. 

"Would you two shut the hell up already?" He and Tanaka glared at them, causing both to shudder at the looks and stop screaming at what looked to be either the net or the ceiling, neither of which warranted that screaming.

The first serve went to Karasuno's libero, so Nishinoya passed it to Crow. The ravenette jumped and back-set to Kageyama, hoping that letting one loose would help the guy calm down so when he got to the back row, he wouldn't explode when trying to set. 

However, the ball got dug up, and Jozenji's libero got it to Terushima, who hit it over. Crow got under that hit with ease. "Setter out," He called as the ball went to Kageyama, who steeled himself and swooshed a set to Hinata, which got them the point. 

After that, Karasuno started being able to predict Jozenji's attacks enough to dig them out without much hassle, and it got to the point that Jozenji's coach had to call a timeout because of how much his boys were messing up with their rambunctiousness.

Halfway through the time out, Hinata was looking at the other team when Kiyoko passed him. "What's wrong?" She asked. 

"Kiyoko-san," Tanaka spoke up, causing her to glance at him and Nishinoya. 

"Huh?"

"I'm not sure why I'm asking, but would you scold us too?" Nishinoya petitioned. 

"Also, please do it in the most condesc--"

"No," The manager denied. 

"Then will you--" The two perverts turned around and bent over, and she deadpanned at them. 

"I won't spank you either." As she was walking away from whatever the hell that situation was, somehow the two goofballs looked rejuvenated. 

"We're halfway through the second set," Keishin said as the time out ended. "This is where round two begins, huh?"

"Hey, Crow," Terushima glanced at the guy, who barely raised an eyebrow at him in return. "Our manager really does like us."

"Enough to spank you, it seems," Crow agreed, which made the other team's captain look at him in confusion. "You guys were too loud so we had a few guys on our team ask for a spanking from our manager."

"Oh damn!" Terushima cracked up for a second before getting serious again. "Whatever, play time is over."

"Okay."

"That was way too lame of a response, Crow!"

"Crow has something annoying attached to him again," Suga chuckled with a shake of his head. From then on, things weren't as clearcut, and victory was no longer assured as Jozenji came at them hard and unrelentingly, pulling out all the stops and catching up so that Karasuno only had a three point lead. 

And then, when Hinata came back in and went for a fast attack, instead of trying to block him, Jozenji's entire team pulled back. With that strategy, they were able to get the ball up, make a play, and win the point, making it only a two-point difference. Hinata got a point by aiming at a hole, but the next time he tried to do that, it backfired when Terushima got it up, and their team scored. 

And then the ball of carrot tipped on them while faking a fast attack. "Alright guys," Terushima smirked as the score was flipped so that it was 24-21. "Let's play for real."

The next time they got a steady recieve, the whole team went for an attack like they had seen Karasuno do earlier in the game, causing their coach to deadpan as their manager pursed her lips. But they had no need to fear, because Terushima hit it right on the endline. 

"YEEEAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The Jozenji team screamed as they piled on their captain, all laughing like they had won even though the game was still going on. After the team got a warning, Terushima jogged up to the net and grinned at Crow. 

"You saw that, didn't you?! Didn't you?!"

"Yeah," The ravenette replied. "You need to apologize to your manager for giving her a heart attack."

"Haha, sure sure, whatever you say!" The dyejob was too elated to really hear what Crow had to say, which quickly changed when Crow whipped the ball right by him and won the game for Karasuno. "Maaaaan, you didn't have to ruin our vibe like that, you ass!" Teru complained halfheartedly. 

"You had your fun, but I was given the ball so I put it away," Crow shrugged, turning and raising a hand in parting. "Try again next time, Teru."

"You jsut wait and see, Crow!" The Jozenji captain yelled back as he also headed to the endline. With that, the referee blew the whistle, and both teams bowed. 

"Thank you for the match!"