HT

The stadium was absolutely enormous, packed from the highest rows of the stands all the way down to the courtside seats, because this was no ordinary volleyball tournament. Every major team had gathered for one unprecedented event: Karasuno, Nekoma, Aoba Johsai, Fukurodani, Shiratorizawa, Inarizaki, Date Tech, Kamomedai, Itachiyama, Mujinazaka, Tsubakihara, Nohebi, Wakutani Minami, Johzenji, Sarukawa Tech, Tokonami, Kakugawa, Ubugawa, and Shinzen, alongside several other elite teams invited from across Japan. All of the players were now eighteen or older, having moved beyond their high-school years, and many of them had already become recognized names in the volleyball world. The opening ceremony was being treated like a national spectacle, complete with giant screens, professional lighting, performers, and a full choreography crew preparing the court before the first match. Then, without warning, every light in the stadium went out. The crowd fell into an excited silence before a single spotlight illuminated the center of the volleyball court. Amane Kanzaki stepped into view. She was already a hugely famous singer despite being the same age as the players, and tonight she had been chosen to perform the opening number. She wore a striking leopard-print corset-style top with intricate black detailing, paired with glossy black shorts, an oversized black leather jacket hanging loosely around her arms, a dramatic black feathered choker around her neck, and matching black pointed pumps that clicked sharply against the polished floor. A wired microphone rested in her hand as the first notes of Doja Cat’s “Been Like This” began to play. The song immediately gave the stadium a completely different atmosphere: smooth, rhythmic, slightly dark, and confident, with a restrained beat underneath Doja Cat’s expressive vocals. Amane didn’t rush into the performance; she let the opening breathe, walking slowly across the court as the enormous screens followed her every movement. Her voice carried effortlessly through the stadium, while the lighting shifted between deep shadows and focused beams around her. As the song progressed, the rhythm became more pronounced, and Amane moved with it, using controlled choreography and sharp changes in posture rather than a complicated dance routine. Then came the bridge—the moment she had been waiting for. The instrumentation pulled back slightly, creating a much more intimate pocket in the song before the rhythm gradually returned. Amane stopped in the very center of the court, lowered herself smoothly onto the floor, and extended one leg upward, her black pump catching the light. Because the microphone was wired, she carefully looped part of the cable around the heel of her shoe, allowing the microphone to remain suspended close enough to her face as she continued singing. She remained completely steady, using her free arm to create slow, elegant movements that followed the phrasing of the music, occasionally tracing shapes through the air while the microphone tilted toward her. For a few seconds, the entire volleyball stadium seemed to forget that this was supposed to be the opening ceremony of a tournament. Bokuto was staring in complete disbelief, Hinata looked completely captivated by the spectacle, Kageyama watched with his usual serious expression, Kuroo wore an amused grin, Kenma quietly observed the giant screen, and Atsumu had even stopped making comments for once. Across the court, Ushijima, Oikawa, Sakusa, Hoshiumi, Aran, and the other stars of the gathered teams were equally focused on the performance. When the instrumental finally began building again, Amane released the microphone cable from her heel, rose smoothly back to her feet, and continued through the final section with renewed energy. The lights exploded across the stadium, thousands of phone screens appeared among the spectators, and the giant screens displayed her name as she delivered the final moments of the song. When the last note faded, Amane stood alone at the center of the volleyball court, microphone still in hand, surrounded by the glow of the stage lights. There was a brief moment of stunned silence before the entire stadium erupted into deafening applause. The tournament had not even officially begun yet, and somehow the opening ceremony had already become an unforgettable event.