Haikyuu!!: Can a reclusive genius fall in love?

Time seemed to be frozen by an invisible gel, thick and heavy, enveloping every inch of air in the barbecue restaurant. The space, which was bustling and noisy just a moment ago, had now fallen into a near-vacuum of deathly silence. Only the unattended slices of meat on the grill were still emitting a faint, sizzling sound, and a wisp of smoke rose up, distorting the astonished gazes of the crowd.

Yukimura Tsukishiro stood there, like a pale statue suddenly struck by lightning, its ice layer shattering from within. He breathed heavily, each inhale short and sharp, as if his lungs were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, unable to obtain enough oxygen; each exhale was accompanied by an uncontrollable tremor, turning into white mist and dissipating into the warm air. His face was an almost transparent, deathly pale, yet fine, cold beads of sweat beaded on his forehead and the tip of his nose, sliding down his taut jawline.

Those emerald eyes were wide open, their pupils shrinking to two pinpoint black dots, fixed in a dazed and terrified focus on a non-existent threat in the void. Within them surged a monstrous wave that no one present could comprehend—the primal, desperate fear of a cornered beast, mixed with an intense, almost incinerating aggression, and a profound, bone-deep bewilderment and helplessness, as if the entire world were collapsing and shattering before their eyes. This was not the silent, aloof Yukimura Tsukihiro of usual; this was a fragmented soul forcibly dragged from the depths of hell.

His entire body was poised in a posture of extreme defense and offense. His shoulders were taut and hunched, his spine stiff as a fully drawn bowstring, and his slightly forward-leaning body trembled uncontrollably from the excessive release of adrenaline. His right hand, which had just launched the attack, was still half-suspended in the air, his fingers spasmodically curled, his knuckles white from the force of the blow, as if he were still feeling the sensation and reaction force of striking a strange body. His left hand was clenched into a tight fist, his nails digging deep into his palm, bringing a sharp pain, but it was far from suppressing the panic-driven buzzing that threatened to split his head apart.

Kindaichi, who had been pushed away, clutched his chest, his face contorted with pain and utter astonishment. The effects of the alcohol had vanished completely in the face of this sudden attack. He opened his mouth, as if wanting to apologize or say something, but he couldn't utter a single word. He could only helplessly feel the various gazes directed at him from all around—shock, confusion, and even a hint of barely perceptible fear.

The deathly silence lasted for about two or three seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

Then, as if a delayed switch had been pressed, a cacophony of soft, suppressed whispers surged up from all around, breaking the suffocating silence.

"What... what happened just now...?"

"Xuecun... he suddenly..."

"Kindaichi just wanted to give her a hug, right..."

"That reaction was way too much...it's terrifying..."

"He looks terrible, is he sick...?"

The voices were low, yet like countless fine needles, piercing Xuecun Yuebai's overly sensitive auditory nerves. He jerked violently, as if stung by the words, his unfocused gaze struggling to focus for a moment, sweeping over the faces around him—faces filled with concern, surprise, or fear. Those expressions distorted and swirled in his warped vision, as if transforming into blurry and grotesque ghosts from his memory.

No.

Not here.

I can't stay here any longer.

Breathing became even more difficult, as if a huge boulder was pressing down on his chest. Black spots began to appear on the scenery before his eyes, blurring and swaying at the edges. The greasy smell of barbecue, the body heat of the crowd, the noisy whispers... all of these mixed together into a nauseating, truly aggressive torrent, frantically assaulting his already overburdened sensory defenses.

He has to leave.

immediately.

immediately.

Almost driven by a survival instinct, Yukimura Tsukishiro suddenly took a step back, his shin slamming hard against the chair leg behind him with a screeching sound. He seemed oblivious to the pain, only staggering slightly before turning around abruptly like a cat with singed fur, scrambling on all fours towards the shop entrance in a disheveled state.

His movements had completely lost their usual calm and composure, replaced by utter panic and loss of control. His steps were unsteady and erratic, knocking over another empty chair without even bothering to pick it up. His back was taut like a steel plate about to shatter, every line etched with a frantic desire to escape.

"Yukimura!"

"Moonlight Prince!"

Several exclamations rang out simultaneously. Yakinibu, who was closest to him, subconsciously stood up, seemingly wanting to reach out and stop him to ask what was going on, but before his fingers could even touch the hem of Yukimura Tsukishiro's clothes, he was intimidated by the extreme panic and aura of rejection emanating from the other person and withdrew.

Oikawa Tetsu and Iwaizumi Ichi jumped up from their seats almost simultaneously.

The usual smile on Oikawa Tetsu's face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a rare solemnity, a mixture of shock, worry, and a sharp insight. His gaze, like a precise searchlight, was fixed on Yukimura Tsukishiro's frighteningly pale profile and those eyes utterly consumed by fear. His mind raced, instantly connecting this horrifying scene with all the details he had observed before—the wariness of someone approaching from behind, the aversion to the claustrophobic space, the old scar, the practiced bandaging, the unusual reaction to the bicycle bell—to piece together a blurry yet chilling outline. His heart felt as if it were being clenched by an icy hand, a sharp, piercing pain shooting through it.

Iwaizumi's reaction was even more direct. His brows furrowed tightly, and a hint of confusion and astonishment flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger sense of worry and responsibility as the vice-commander. He saw Yukimura Tsukishiro's completely genuine state of extreme pain, and he also saw Kindaichi clutching his chest, looking pained and bewildered. His instinct to protect his teammates and maintain order made him react immediately.

"Yukimura! Wait a minute!" Iwaizumi's voice was lower and sterner than usual, carrying an unquestionable command, trying to bring the other person back to their senses.

However, to Yukimura Tsukishiro at this moment, his voice was nothing short of another form of pursuit and threat.

Xuecun Yuebai's steps didn't falter at all; instead, they became even more hurried. He practically stumbled towards the shop door, his fingers trembling so badly that he couldn't even pull the doorknob the first time.

"Let him go."

Oikawa Tetsu's voice suddenly rang out, unusually deep, with an undeniable decisiveness. He grabbed Iwaizumi Hajime's arm, who was about to step forward to stop him, with such force that Iwaizumi Hajime was startled.

"Oikawa? But he..." Iwaizumi turned her head, looking at Oikawa Tetsu with confusion, but stopped the moment her eyes met his. Oikawa Tetsu's brown eyes no longer held the frivolous and playful spirit of the past, but only a deep, almost terrifying calmness and an indescribable pain.

"Don't stop him now," Oikawa Tetsu repeated, his voice low, his gaze still fixed on the white figure struggling at the door. "Let him leave."

In the brief few seconds of their argument, Yukimura Tsukihiro suddenly flung open the heavy shop door. The cool evening air rushed in, ruffling the sweat-dampened white hair on his forehead. Without turning back, without even the slightest hesitation, he dashed out as if escaping a furnace about to explode, his figure instantly disappearing into the deepening twilight outside the door.

With a loud bang, the shop door behind him sprang back shut, effectively shutting off the two worlds.

The store fell into an eerie silence once again.

Everyone froze, frozen in place, as if a pause button had been pressed. The meat slices on the grill were completely charred, emitting a foul, burnt smell. Kindaichi was still clutching his chest, his face pale, his eyes filled with lingering fear and resentment. The other team members exchanged glances, and whispers began again, this time tinged with more unease and speculation.

"What... happened?"

"Yukimura...is there something wrong with him...?"

"That was terrifying..."

"Kindaichi, are you alright?"

Iwaizumi abruptly flung Oikawa Toru's hand away, his face ashen, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on Kindaichi Yutaro: "Kindaichi! What happened? What did you do to him?" His voice was filled with suppressed anger, both at Kindaichi's recklessness and at the sudden, uncontrollable situation.

"I...I didn't!" Kindaichi hurriedly protested, his voice still trembling with sobs and gasps from pain. "I just...I just wanted to put my arm around Yukimura's shoulder from behind...I really didn't use any force! I don't know why he did it..."

Put your arm around his shoulder from behind.

Iwaizumi's pupils contracted slightly. He recalled the accident during the training match, Oikawa and the old scar he had glimpsed, and Yukimura's unusual wariness towards people approaching from behind.

Oikawa Tetsu didn't participate in the questioning. He simply walked silently to the shop entrance, gazing through the glass door at the empty, already fallen night. His profile was tense, his jaw clenched, and one hand unconsciously slipped into his pocket, clenched into a fist. An unprecedented sense of anxiety and protectiveness surged wildly within him. He was almost certain that Kindaichi's unintentional lunge had touched far more than just Yukimura Tsukishiro's body; it had touched a deep-seated, bloody, never-healed old wound.

"It's dangerous for him to run away alone in his current state." Iwaizumi walked up to Oikawa Toru, his voice low and serious, filled with undeniable worry. "We have to go find him."

Oikawa Toru took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He turned around to face the anxious team members, forcing a reassuring but somewhat stiff smile: "Alright, alright, it's nothing, just an accident. Everyone, continue eating, don't waste the rest of the meat. Iwa-chan, let's go check it out."

He winked at Iwaizumi, then looked at Kindaichi Yutaro, whose face still showed pain and fear. He walked over and patted him on the shoulder, his tone softening: "Kindaichi, sit down and rest for a bit. It's alright, it's not your fault." His reassurance had some effect, and Kindaichi relaxed a little, but his eyes remained blank.

After quickly giving their instructions, Oikawa Tetsu and Iwaizumi Ichi didn't waste any more time and immediately pushed open the shop door and rushed out.

As night fell and the streets were lit up, cars streamed by, and pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks. A cool evening breeze blew, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness and anxiety in their hearts. They stood at the shop entrance, anxiously looking left and right, trying to find that conspicuous white moonlight amidst the bustling crowd and the endless stream of car lights.

However, the streets were deserted, and dusk was falling.

Where is Xuecun Yuebai now?

He vanished without a trace, like a raindrop merging into the night sea.