Haikyuu: Reborn at Karasuno

Waking up early, Hayato slipped into his sportswear and headed out for a morning run. The air was crisp, the streets quiet. For an hour, he jogged along the road, clearing his mind and loosening his limbs. By the time he returned home, the sun had risen higher in the sky.

He made himself a quick breakfast—toast with jam, crispy bacon, and a fried egg. Just as he popped the last bite into his mouth, the doorbell rang.

That must be Kiyoko.

He tossed the plate into the sink, grabbed his school bag and transfer documents, and rushed to the front door.

Kiyoko stood outside in her Karasuno summer uniform—a beige sleeveless sweater, a red bow, and sleek black tights. The ensemble perfectly highlighted her calm, intellectual beauty. Her dark hair gleamed in the sunlight, and her school bag rested lightly in her hands.

"Sorry, Kiyoko-nee. Did I keep you waiting?"

"Not at all. Did you bring your documents?"

"All ready. Let's go."

As they walked side by side to school, Hayato couldn't help but glance at her.

"Kiyoko-nee, your uniform really suits you. You look great."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Of course."

She smiled, clearly used to Hayato's straightforward attitude. Giving his arm a gentle pat, she teased, "Smooth talker. You must've flirted with a lot of girls in Tokyo, huh?"

"How could I?" Hayato chuckled. "I never had a girlfriend. Most of my time in Tokyo was spent in the basketball club. Especially with this height."

He gestured upward.

"Speaking of which, how tall are you now?"

"Exactly 191 centimeters. Measured just a few days ago."

Kiyoko looked genuinely impressed. "That's tall. Tsukishima-kun, the tallest in our club, is only 188 cm. Though… Date Tech has a player named Aone Takanobu who's also 191—maybe even 191.8."

"Whoa, he's got me beat," Hayato whistled. "How does our club stack up against Date Tech?"

He already knew the answer but played along for the sake of their conversation.

Through their casual chat, Hayato confirmed the current timeline: the Summer Tournament loss to Aoba Johsai was already in the past. Everyone was now working hard for the Spring High qualifiers. Hitoka, the new manager, had just joined the club a few days ago.

So this is right before final exams, he calculated mentally. Soon they'll head to Tokyo for training camp—and Hinata and Kageyama will nearly miss it because of failed exams.

As they walked through the streets together, their striking contrast—Hayato's towering figure beside Kiyoko's refined elegance—caught the eyes of many passing students. Girls glanced shyly at Hayato, whispering to each other in admiration.

Upon arriving at Karasuno, Kiyoko helped him submit his documents to the school office. After bidding her farewell, Hayato followed a teacher to retrieve a desk and chair from storage. With both arms full, he made his way to Class 2-1.

He placed the desk and chair by the classroom entrance and walked in.

Immediately, whispers filled the air.

"Whoa, he's huge."

"Over 190 cm?"

"He has gauze on his forehead... Did he get into a fight?"

"He looks like a delinquent… but kinda hot."

Ignoring the murmurs, Hayato maintained a calm expression and stood beside the teacher.

After a brief introduction, the teacher turned to him. "Kuroha-san, would you like to say a few words?"

Hayato stepped forward with a relaxed smile.

"I'm Hayato Kuroha. I used to live in this town but moved away a few years ago due to my dad's job. Now I'm back, and I'll be attending Karasuno starting today. The injury on my head isn't from a fight—I was in a car accident before coming back and was hospitalized for about half a month. I'm doing much better now. Please take care of me."

He pointed to the small gauze on his temple, keeping his tone warm and composed.

The classroom relaxed instantly. No fights, no trouble—just a transfer student who looked scary but seemed decent.

Once seated, Hayato had barely caught his breath when the classmate next to him leaned over.

"Yo! Nice to meet you. I'm Tanaka Ryunosuke."

Hayato turned to face the friendly voice—an all-too-familiar one.

"Nice to meet you, Tanaka-kun. I'm Hayato Kuroha."

"Just call me Tanaka! Man, you're tall! How tall are you, anyway? Hey, are you interested in volleyball?"

Tanaka's eyes sparkled. Clearly, he saw Hayato as prime recruitment material.

"Exactly 191 cm," Hayato replied. "And… yeah, I played volleyball for a year in middle school. I've always been interested. So, are you part of the Karasuno team that Kiyoko-nee told me about?"

"Wait, wait, wait… Kiyoko-nee!?"

Tanaka nearly choked on his own saliva.

Hayato smirked. "We've known each other since kindergarten. Childhood friends."

Tanaka visibly trembled. The shock of hearing those words hit him like a spike to the gut.

"C-Childhood friends…?! Calling her Kiyoko-nee like that…"

He sank into his seat, muttering in disbelief for the rest of the morning.

Meanwhile, Hayato endured wave after wave of questions from curious classmates during break, leaving him mentally drained.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and nap on his desk, a familiar voice called out from the door.

"Hayato, are you in there?"

Kiyoko peeked into the classroom. Her sharp gaze quickly found Hayato—his height made him stand out even when sitting. She stepped inside, holding two cloth-wrapped bento boxes.

"You just transferred, so I figured you didn't make lunch. I brought you one."

She handed him the larger box with a small smile, then noticed Tanaka, whose expression had gone completely pale.

"Oh, Tanaka. I didn't see you earlier. Hayato's my childhood friend—kind of like a little brother to me. Since you're in the same class, please look after him, okay?"

She placed a hand on Hayato's head, ruffling his hair affectionately—just like she used to when they were little.

Tanaka nearly crumbled into dust.

But then, he suddenly stood up with fiery eyes and pounded his chest.

"Leave it to me! I, Tanaka Ryunosuke, will look after him with my life!"

As Kiyoko walked away, Hayato stared at the bento box on his desk.

He was about to open it when Tanaka lunged forward.

"Wait! That's a bento made by Kiyoko-senpai herself! You have to show some proper appreciation before eating something so sacred!"

Hayato chuckled. "Then… how about I share some of the side dishes with you?"

Tanaka's eyes sparkled. "R-Really?! Ohhh! My friend! From today on, you and I are best bros!"

As they opened their bentos and shared their lunches, Hayato smiled softly.

This world was starting to feel just a little more like home.

---------------

POWER STONE!!!??