Author's Notes: Haikyuu's done a great job with Kageyama's past but I still think there is a void we're missing, there's more to read.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu, I'm just a fan of the anime/manga.

"With the nickname, 'King of the Court', I thought you'd be more of a badass, but you're just a goody two shoes."

I didn't really understand what Miya Atsumu meant back then during the All-Japan training camp. Did he only hear about me because of THAT nickname?

I don't like to think about it, but I almost quit volleyball because of what happened. "King of the court…" I mumbled to myself. "I don't like being called that…anymore."

~3 Years ago~

"My name is Kageyama Tobio, from Akiyama Elementary School! I started playing volleyball 2 years ago. I would like to play setter!"

I stood proudly as I introduced myself to the senpai at Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High. The captain glared at me intently and I tried my best to avoid eye contact. I began taking in the scenery of the gymnasium. It was much bigger than my elementary school's, I guess powerhouse schools really are different from the normal ones. This is…the gym I'm going to be playing in for the next 3 years.

"Ho…quite the energetic first year we got here. Setter huh? You want to be a setter? The starting setter?" The captain gave me a delinquent stare, his head tilted and only a foot away from my face. "You're 2, no 5, no no 10 years too early to surpass me!"

And you are close, waaaay too close to me.

"Oi, Oikawa." The vice-captain, Iwaizumi Hajime, put on an expression that made it look like he was going to beat up this Oikawa guy. "Get away from him." He then looked at me with a smile.

"Sorry about this idiot of a captain he's easily excitable. If you couldn't tell, our captain Oikawa, also plays setter just like you. He's the best setter in the prefecture, try to learn your best from him."

"I'm not gonna teach him shit!"

I raised my hand to interrupt, "Umm, if you aren't willing to teach me. Then I'll learn from watching you. Having the best setter in the prefecture is enough of an honour for me."

"Eh? Better setter~?" Oikawa nervously covered his face, his cheeks turned red. "Flattering me won't get you anywhere. If you think you can learn just by watching me then try your best. But don't expect me to do anything for you."

I pointed at the team's captain. "Captain-senpai, I hope to learn some amazing things from watching you," everyone on the team had their eyes on me, I realized I may have come off as disrespectful so I bowed my head, "Please."

Oikawa cockily smirked back at me, "Tch, you're not a cute little kouhai at all. And what's with that nickname?! Call me your Captain!"

Iwaizumi clapped his hands and proceeded to drag Oikawa away from me, "Alright, introductions are all done. For today, the first years can practice whatever they want."

As I leaned over to pick up a volleyball, I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I saw an energetic spiky haired guy and another dull-looking person with parted hair down the middle.

"Hooo man, the captain's got it out for ya. Kageyama was it? Nice to meetcha," He extended a hand to me, "I'm Yutaro, Kindaichi Yutaro. This guy over here is Kunimi Akira."

"Yo."

"You're in class 1-A right? We are too, so let's get along and help each other out."

I brought out my hand to shake Kindaichi's, "Sure thing." I picked up a volleyball and threw it to Kindaichi and he threw it back at me.

"Haha, what are you doing Kageyama? Aren't you going to set for us?"

I grinned widely and lightly scratched the back of my head, "Oh, uh, right! Please do. I mean, please spike my sets."

Kunimi cupped his hands to Kindaichi's ears, "Let's just hope he's not this nervous in a real match. He might be setting to us for the next 3 years after all."

"Phew, I'm pooped." Kindaichi plopped himself onto the floor with his palms flat on the surface.

Seriously? It's only been an hour. I guess he wasn't practicing volleyball during the break.

"Yeah, I'm done for the day. Want to head out now?" Kunimi pointed his finger towards the door as if he were charging.

"That sounds like a good idea, you down to hang out Kageyama?" Kindaichi wobbled his way up to his feet. Yup, he definitely wasn't practicing.

I scanned the gym for a bit and spotted the third years, specifically Oikawa still practicing hard.

I waved my hand to decline the offer, "I'm fine. I'm going to see what captain and the other senpai are up to."

"What? Man, I thought he told you that he wasn't gonna teach you anything."

"Oh, my bad I should have worded it better. I'll just sit here and observe Oikawa."

"That doesn't make it any better. That actually just sounds creepy." Kunimi told me with the same expression that never seemed to change.

"Well…have fun? I guess. Later Kageyama, it was nice meeting ya." Kindaichi and Kunimi waved at me and proceeded to leave the Kitagawa Daiichi gym.

I made my way towards the wall, sat down, hugging my knees. I was kinda tired from an hour of practice myself.

Oikawa took notice of me and then snapped his head in the direction of his fellow third years, "He's just looking AT me. What the hell, that's creepy!"

"Captain Oikawa might finally have a little kouhai successor!" A third year punched Oikawa as he teased him.

"Unless this dumbass scares off this kid. Just like he scared off the first year setters from last year." Iwaizumi threw a volleyball at Oikawa's back and then literally kicked his ass.

Scary, that vice-captain scares me. Aw crap, he's walking towards me. Is he gonna kick me too?

I stood up and instinctively bowed out of fear, "V-v-vice-captain! What is it? I'm observing like captain told me to."

"He's not doing anything worth observing right now. Besides, since we're doing 3 on 3 practice we need another a setter and that idiot is too stubborn to ask you. You in?"

My eyes lit up as he asked and I accepted his offer by nodding my head. I thought I was tired from before but with a simple suggestion I regained all my energy. I could practice and get stronger but the best thing of all is that I get to be on the court.

"I'm back!" I yelled down the hallway of my house then proceeded to take off my shoes and put it on the shoe rack. No response. That's to be expected, no one's home but it's become a habit.

As I entered the living room, I volleyed my bag over my couch and then epically slid over my couch and onto the soft cushions.

"Oof!"

Oof? I hopped off the couch and found my brother coughing as he sat up.

"Tsubasa! What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at work."

This is my older brother, Tsubasa has a face similar to mine. But his hair is a lot curlier and messier. He may be six years older than me but almost as tall as him. We may look similar but people don't make the connection that we're brothers because Tsubasa has my mother's last name, while I have my father's but we're still one happy family.

"Yo Tobio! Don't wanna see me? I got off work early! So how was your first week of junior high? I bet there's already a girl you've got your eye on! Look you're grinning!

"No, nothing like that. Just that I've officially joined Kitagawa Daiichi's volleyball club! So that one day, I'll be good enough to set to you!"

I noticed my brother's wide grin fade, he bit his lower lip a bit of blood came out but he sucked it back up and then lightly smiled again with his eyes closed.

"Forget setting. How about you try and receive my spike?!" Tsubasa grabbed a volleyball lying on the living room floor and whipped the ball at me.

I received the ball but the force sent me tumbling back and caused me to trip on my own feet. That could have hurt, we could have broken something!

"That's not even a spike."

"And in this state, I can barely play volleyball." Tsubasa pointed to a past injury in his left leg and then sat down with his legs crossed. "So how was your first day of volleyball club?"

"The captain's cool, he's supposed to be a great setter, but he says he doesn't want to personally teach me. He's probably so busy leading the team. But he thinks I'm good enough to learn from him just by observing."

"No, I'm pretty sure he just doesn't like you."

"And the vice-captain is a wing spiker, that for some reason likes to hurt the captain."

"And he doesn't like him."

"Then there's a guy my age, Kindaichi, who wants to be a wing spiker, but is a better middle blocker. He's has a turnip head but he seems easy to talk to."

"Why does having a turnip head sounds like a terrible quality trait?"

"Then there's Kunimi, he's a quiet guy, didn't even tell me his position. He keeps whispering to Kindaichi while looking at me. Maybe they're planning a way to make me a better setter."

"Tobio...I don't think he likes you either."

"They'll like me when I'm strong! People like to win and strong people win." I nodded my head, proud and confident of the years of volleyball to come.

"Haaaaaaaa." Tsubasa let out a sigh and muttered quietly enough so I couldn't hear. "It's not gonna be that easy. You're always so clueless when it comes to people."

"Hmm?" I tilted my head, wondering what was on my brother's mind.

Tsubasa snatched the volleyball off my hands and placed it on his lap. "I said, it sounds like fun, it's a good thing you're already making friends."

I stole the ball back, laid down on my back and started tossing the ball in the air repeatedly, "Yeah. I hope my friends are as good as volleyball as I am."

"You'll only be friends with the good teammates?" Tsubasa caught the ball in mid-toss and my hands motioned to beg for the ball back. "That's not how you select friends, you little idiot."

"Then as long as they enjoy volleyball as much as I do." Give me the ball back you jerk.

"Is volleyball the only thing in that head of yours?"

"Your fault for getting me into volleyball in the first place." After realizing Tsubasa wouldn't hand me the ball back I sat up on the floor beside the couch my brother was sitting on.

"Hah? My fault?! I invited you to watch my game once, ONCE. Next thing I know; you're begging me to teach you every thing about volleyball. It's not my fault I became your hero!" My brother covered his red cheeks.

I began heading upstairs to my room, I yelled from the top of the stairs, "It's definitely your fault!" I closed the door and laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Sure, I became interested in volleyball after watching you play. But after that injury of yours, after learning you couldn't play the sport you loved anymore, I felt like I had to take up volleyball, become strong enough that I could play for the both of us. So for now, take a backseat and watch as I become an amazing volleyball player right before your very eyes.

Next Chapter: Chapter 2 - Inter High