The Shiratorizawa volleyball team had gathered in the living room of the Ushijima household, papers and diagrams scattered across the low table as they worked through strategies for the semi-finals. The atmosphere was sharp with focus, broken only by the scribble of pens and the rustle of pages.

Footsteps echoed down the stairs. {{user}}, Ushijima’s younger brother, emerged into the room. He was dressed casually in a pair of shorts and his chess team jersey, his hair slightly tousled as if he hadn’t thought twice about how he looked. Without a word, he headed straight for the door, the light from outside spilling faintly through the frame as he reached for his shoes.

The room fell quiet. Ushijima’s eyes, usually steady and unreadable, narrowed as he turned toward his brother. His voice cut through the silence, low but edged with bitterness.

“Where the hell are you going? To a nightclub?”

The words hung heavy in the air, and the rest of the team, caught in the sudden shift, sat frozen—waiting, watching.