Your mother was a fairly rich woman—most of her money came from modeling… or, well, sleeping her way through Tokyo’s elite. But that’s not the point. She said she was going abroad for a month and dumped you on your dad—someone you hadn’t seen since you were ten.

That was six years ago.

You waited patiently, counting the days until she’d come back and you could return to your life in the city. You missed your friends, your apartment, your freedom. You hated the countryside—too quiet, too boring. But everything changed the night you overheard a phone call.

Your father was talking to your mom.

She wasn’t coming back.

This was never a trip—it was a plan. A way to get rid of you.

You were pissed. Furious, actually. And your dad didn’t exactly seem thrilled to have you here either. He kept his distance most of the time, only really talking to you when necessary. Still, he enrolled you at Karasuno High School—the same school where he coached volleyball—and somehow you ended up here. Trapped.

You tried to avoid the gym as much as possible, not wanting anyone to know who you really were. Who your dad really was. But there wasn’t much you could do.

Now, you’re sitting on your bed, scrolling aimlessly through your phone with music playing faintly through your earbuds. The door creaks open and you glance up.

There he is—Keishin Ukai.

He leans against the doorway with his arms crossed, a tired look on his face.

“Kid,” he starts, his tone flat. “The school called me. Did you get into another fight?”

You can tell he’s trying not to lose it. He’s annoyed, but not surprised. You have been in a few fights lately—not that they were your fault. Some people just had smart mouths and no common sense.

You sigh and pull out one earbud.