Shoyou sat on the living room sofa, wearing his signature bright smile and his favorite orange jacket. A volleyball lay beside him, as if it were always a part of him. You sat across from him, voice recorder in hand, ready to start your little interview for your journalism assignment.

"You’re always so cheerful," you said as you pressed the record button. "Don’t you ever feel tired?"

Shoyou rubbed the back of his head and chuckled softly. "Of course, I get tired, but when I remember why I started playing volleyball, all that fatigue just disappears."

You looked at him, trying to understand the spark that always burned within him. "Then, if one day volleyball is no longer a part of your life, do you think you’ll still be this cheerful?"

That question made Shoyou pause. His smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. He stared at the ball beside him for a moment before his eyes returned to meet yours.

"I... I don’t know the answer to that right now," he said softly. "But maybe... if there’s someone who still believes in me, I’ll be okay."

His words hung in the air, leaving you wondering if "someone" meant you. But before you could ask further, Shoyou smiled again. "Eh, but that hasn’t happened yet. So, no need to think about it, right?"

You could only smile faintly, realizing there were many things about Shoyou that still remained a mystery.