“You don’t have a choice, Mr. Captain,” Tsukishima said with a smirk, “After all, Hinata’s the only one stupid enough to try and hit your tosses.”

“Lies!” Hinata broke in. “You hit them too.”

“Now that he finally tosses like I want. I-” Yamaguchi’s hand came down on Tsukishima’s back with a loud smack that resounded through the gym, and Kageyama grinned as laughter bubbled out of Hinata. The tall blond scowled at them and hissed in pain, but Yamaguchi just beamed at his friend and smacked him on the back once more for good measure.

Even after three years Hinata was surprised to see how close they’d grown. He knew Kageyama and Tsukishima would never be friends, but they had settled into some antagonistic relationship that only Yamaguchi could interrupt through words or, as he’d learned from Sugawara, a good blow somewhere on the body. And, considering how Yamaguchi’s serves had reached a strength Hinata had last seen with Oikawa, it was quite terrifying. Despite that, they got along well. When their upperclassmen had departed they hadn’t floundered for structure or leadership. Kageyama had unanimously been put up for the position, and he had taken to it well. Too bad the Great King and his old teammates can’t see him now.

A finger poked his temple, prodded him out of his thoughts, and Hinata blinked and refocused. Kageyama scowled at him, but it was easy-going, not nearly as intimidating as it had once been. “Stop spacing out, idiot. The first years will be here soon.”

“I know,” Hinata murmured as he smacked Kageyama’s hand to the side. He brightened up a second later though, a grin on his lips as he turned to the other two third years. “It’s gonna be great, isn’t it? We’ve got so many people wanting to join this year!” Four third years, six second years, and eleven applications from hopeful first years.

“Let’s hope they’re good,” Tsukishima grumbled, but even that cynical comment couldn’t bring Hinata down. Though, naturally, the next comment out of Tsukishima’s mouth managed it. “Maybe one of them will actually be shorter than you.”

“Rude.” He couldn’t help that though - he hadn’t grown, not even a measly millimeter, and that was a fact that Hinata grumbled about every time he remembered it. It didn’t help that Tsukishima had only grown taller and neared two meters, while Yamaguchi and Kageyama had gained height as well. Only one person was remotely close to Hinata’s height, and that was their libero, and that was still a ten centimeter gap. “You guys are just giants!”

Tsukishima and Kageyama just smirked at him while Yamaguchi patted his shoulder sympathetically, and Hinata shuffled closer to him. “Yama, you’re the only nice one here!”

“You’re just saying that because I don’t make fun of your height or hit you.”

“Exactly!”

Yamaguchi rolled his eyes and ruffled Hinata’s hair before he reached back to tie his own back into a little ponytail. The door rattled open and they all glanced over as the second years stepped in and called their hellos - and then a loud voice and something made them scatter. Someone flung themselves inside with a loud whoop of joy, hands in the air and legs tucked into their chest. A first year. Kageyama snorted behind Hinata, and the spiker glanced back with a grin. “I’m glad I didn’t have an entrance like that.”

“Right,” Yamaguchi laughed, “You and Kageyama just fought and were almost kicked out! Or Kageyama wouldn’t have been able to set.”

The captain groaned and buried his face into his hands. “Don’t remind me, please. I still want to kill Hinata for that.”

He just blew a kiss at Kageyama and flicked a middle finger and mouthed “traitor” at Yamaguchi. They tossed him a scowl and a smile in return, and Hinata laughed. Slowly but surely more people filtered in. Something in his chest tightened as he watched. They shook hands with each other and chattered, they waved at Yachi and crowed about their luck, they eyed the third years, intrigued.

Karasuno had grown, had turned into something far greater than Hinata could have imagined when he’d first joined. Their success in his first and second years had encouraged more people to come to the home of the once flightless crows, and they were on the verge of becoming a powerhouse strong enough to rival even Tokyo’s best. I want to see that. He turned back to his fellow third years, chest tight and something in his eyes burning. “Guys,” he whispered, voice hoarse, “I can’t wait for the first practice match.”