izumin!

by Lucathia

Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu! and make no profit from writing this.

Summary: Izumi receives texts from Sho-chan.

Notes: A response to Episode 1! Congrats on getting an anime, Haikyuu! :D

In high school, Izumi joins the basketball club.

He actually considers not joining, but playing volleyball with Sho-chan changes his mind. Instead of heading home after school that first day and ending up going home that early from then on (how boring would that be?), he leaps with giant steps. Okay, they're not as giant as Sho-chan's leaps, but for him, they are still giant steps. He imagines that Sho-chan must be doing the same over at his new school. Izumi lands in front of startled seniors to hand in his registration form, sealing his fate of devoting three more years to basketball.

There goes his free time, but when he looks up at his seniors, he has a wide grin on his face.

He can't wait!

And yes, it was volleyball that made him want to continue basketball, strange as that might sound to many. The last and only volleyball match Izumi ever played is a match he will never forget.

It was a match that made him think, Ah, so this is youth. How can anyone not think that way after watching Sho-chan play?

At the time, he blinked his eyes hard to get rid of the prickling feeling from them, and he looked away from Sho-chan who thanked him and Kouji wholeheartedly. It wasn't like they did much. Izumi shouldn't feel so pained, especially not when Sho-chan must hurt a lot more, but Izumi hurt too.

So this is youth, he thought. This is youth. This is what real defeat is. This is what effort looks like.

The other team thought them to be fools and weaklings. They thought Sho-chan wasted three years. None of them knew how hard Sho-chan practiced during all those years. Anyone else would have given up or slacked off, but not Sho-chan. Never Sho-chan.

Even without support, Sho-chan never gave up. Izumi nearly stopped breathing when he saw Sho-chan soar into the air, passing all the towering walls before him. Even the boy with the thunderous expression on the other side of the net couldn't react in time to Sho-chan.

It was like Sho-chan had wings.

He can do it, Izumi realized then.

He also realized one more thing. What will Sho-chan evolve into if he actually has support?

Afterwards, on their way home, wanting to try it out for himself, Izumi leaped into the air, trying to grasp the sun in his hands. It was much harder than Sho-chan made it look.

Immediately, Sho-chan exclaimed, "That's an amazing jump! You should try out for volleyball!"

It wasn't the first time Sho-chan tried to rope him into volleyball, but Izumi can't say he wasn't tempted by Sho-chan's words this time, that he wasn't enamored by the thrill of playing on the same court as Sho-chan, but like always, Izumi grinned and apologized. Maybe, maybe if Izumi stood on the same court as Sho-chan during their first year, Izumi might have been swayed then and transferred from the basketball club to join Sho-chan. Even a year earlier, he might still have considered it. But he already devoted three years to basketball, just like Sho-chan devoted three years to volleyball.

He doesn't ever want anyone to tell him, "What have you been doing for the past three years?"

He's been training his damn hardest, that's what! Just like Sho-chan!

So, despite that it's Sho-chan who inspires him to continue, Izumi can only apologize. "I'm sorry, Sho-chan, but you know that my jumps are reserved for basketball!"

Sorry, and thanks, Sho-chan. If not for you, I might have quit basketball.

They go their separate ways after middle school graduation with tears in their eyes but grins on their faces. Sho-chan, for one, will finally have his dream realized. He has dreamed and dreamed of joining Karasuno, and now he will finally be able to be part of a true volleyball team. Not one with borrowed members and newbies, but one where Sho-chan will grow in leaps and bounds with the support he deserves.

Izumi knows that Sho-chan will be going places.

Keep in touch, okay?

Of course!

Sho-chan's texts are much like Sho-chan himself. Loud. Exuberant. Nearly jumping out of the phone itself. Izumi can't help but chuckle whenever he sees them.

izumin! im here!

Not a moment later, another text comes.

soooooo cooooool!

He imagines Sho-chan staring up and up at his new school, worshiping the grounds that his hero, the Small Giant, used to walk on. Izumi grins and goes about his day with cheerful steps.

In the midst of putting away the basketball equipment with the other newcomers, Izumi receives several new texts.

i cant believe it, izumin!

hes here too! the king!

why is he heeeeeeeeeere

Izumi blinks and tries to recall who Sho-chan might be talking about.

Ah. Izumi remembers. It must be the guy with the thunderous expression on the other side of the net, the guy who looked like he could kill you with just his glare. There aren't a lot of volleyball players that they know. He was definitely the one who left the biggest impression on them.

Izumi worries for a split second - things aren't boding well for Sho-chan already - but then he thinks maybe this won't be so bad. It's true that the guy's personality was terrible, but even Izumi could tell that he was very skilled. Having someone like that on the same side of the net could be a very good thing for Sho-chan.

Besides, Izumi doesn't doubt that Sho-chan will be able to win even the coldest people to his side.

Good luck! Izumi texts back. Show him what you've got! You haven't wasted your three years at all! This is your chance to show him up!

The cell phone stays silent for a moment. Then comes Sho-chan's text.

guuuuuuuh my stomach hurts...

Izumi returns to worrying.

But things turn out okay.

Sho-chan's later texts are full of good cheer about his other teammates and how amazing they are. Even though he doesn't like Kageyama (Izumi finally has a name to go along with the thunderous guy's face), he can't deny that Kageyama is super skilled.

like saiyan level! puwaaah! if only he would send it my way!

Izumi muffles his laughter. Puwaaah? What does that even mean?

Izumi also receives texts like the following.

hah! i won this time!

Sho-chan, winning against Kageyama? But then, Sho-chan explains without Izumi even asking.

beat him to the gym! hah, take that!

Izumi shakes his head. So it wasn't in volleyball that he won. Kageyama doesn't sound half bad if he's willing to put up with Sho-chan like this. Izumi kind of misses Sho-chan's tactics. He leans against the wall, but no excited volleyball player comes to bug him to toss the ball into the air for him. Izumi thinks that Sho-chan is probably bothering Kageyama at that very moment.

Izumi smiles softly and instead throws himself into practice.

Sho-chan's texts continue in a similar fashion, mostly complaints about Kageyama and praises about his senpai.

Then, one evening, when Izumi is about to call it a day, he receives the following text.

he sent it my way! i hit it with a guuuuuuwaaaaah! it felt amaaazing!

Izumi grins and taps out a message.

I knew you could win him over, Sho-chan.

He slips his cell phone into his pocket. Instead of heading to the locker room like he orginally planned, he calls out, "Senpai, will you practice shooting some hoops with me? Seriously, you will? Thank you so much!"

Sho-chan is giving his all.

Izumi will do no less.

the end

Thanks for reading! I'm so happy Haikyuu! is getting animated!