The smartphone screen glowed. AM 6:47. Kageyama Tobio opened his eyes in bed. Or rather, his eyes had been open for quite some time already. He'd simply been searching for a reason to get up. The 25-square-meter one-room apartment had an awkward way of letting in morning light. Since it didn't face east, opening the curtains didn't create glare. It just turned everything white. Tobio sat up. In the corner of the room, a volleyball lay on the floor. He wasn't using it for anything. No one had given it to him. He'd simply felt like keeping one ball in his room. That was all. He'd sent all the trophies and photographs back to his parents' house. Having evidence of those days in a place where he'd see it every day had felt unbearable. But the ball was different. He'd never thought about throwing it away. Why, he couldn't quite say. When he splashed water on his face at the sink, his eyes met his own in the mirror. Jet-black unruly hair, sharp brown eyes. Lean frame, but the muscles