The gap in between

First Chapter – Departure

As the sun was shining into my face, I slowly woke up from my slumber. Apparently, I had fallen asleep on the couch again after a night shift of studying. But I had to keep going; I knew the third year of university would be tough. I stopped thinking about that and stood up from the couch, my back was already hurting, and signalizing that it would have preferred to spend the night on a bed rather than a couch.

I strolled to the bathroom and looked into the mirror. My bed hair, or more like couch hair, was as fascinating as always and given the situation that it was my birthday, I decided to take a refreshing shower.

I may be 19 years old already but not that many believe me when I tell them. I can't blame them though, with my short height of 165 centimetres. I learned to live with it, but I wish I could be a bit taller; that would make a lot of things easier. But that won't happen, so no need getting frustrated.

I put on some clothes and decided to go out and buy something to eat for tonight. I didn't really invite my friends to come and celebrate with me, but they kind of invited themselves. And if Kuroo said something, the other former Nekoma guys just went along with it, nothing else expected from our captain.

As I was leaving my apartment my thoughts went back in time.

"Already 2 years have passed since I graduated from Nekoma, huh?" I thought to myself. And then my thoughts switched over to the latest graduation ceremony that was held last spring. Why exactly that graduation? A person that is very dear to me had finished High School by then, but that already was five months ago as well.

I wanted to check my phone to see if I had any new messages, but I noticed I had left it at home. Well done Morisuke, you're a genius. Now, I wouldn't be distracted by it at least. And I did take along my purse, so everything would be okay.

I headed to the nearest shopping mall; it wasn't a big one, but I had no motivation of going into the centre of Tokyo. On a Saturday. On my birthday. Definitely no. I intended to take it easy today, as little stress as possible.

When I arrived at the mall, it was already midday. Up until now, I didn't notice that I woke up pretty late, so I spontaneously ate lunch there; I would have enough time to go shopping afterwards, so there was no need to hurry. I felt slightly lost without my phone; it was true what they said, we couldn't live without one nowadays. Also, I was missing the daily "Good Morning" message I always got from that idiot.

After shopping, I headed home directly, it was almost 6pm, and they said they'd be coming at six, so I was hoping they weren't already there, waiting in front of my door.

As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, wanting to rush towards my apartment, I already heard some familiar voices.

"Kuroo-saaaaaan, why isn't Yaku-san opening the door?" I heard Lev asking.

"How should I know?" Kuroo replied.

"Maybe we're too early?" Taketora asked.

"But he said six." I heard Kenma saying quietly.

"What should we do?" Lev seemed desperate.

"I will kick the door and then it'll break, I can do it!" That was Bokuto's voice.

"Really?! Thank you Bokuto-saaaaan!" Lev answered happily.

"Bokuto no." was Akaashi's response.

"But."

"No."

"Maybe he's unconscious and lying on the floor?" Taketora suspected.

"Whaaaaat? Yaku-san, Yaku-saaan, are you there, Yaku-san!" Lev knocked at the door like his life was depending on it.

"Calm down Lev. And anyways, you're his boyfriend, shouldn't you know best what he's doing?" Kuroo stated the obvious.

"Yes, but he didn't reply to any of the 20 messages I sent him." I could hear the fear in Lev's voice. And as much fun as it was to hide behind the corner, I thought it was about time to free Lev from that torture. I stepped around the corner and greeted them.

"Yaku-saaaaaaaaan! There you are!" Lev yelled as he was running towards me and then hugged me.

Idiot.

I quickly hugged him back and then I went to open the door.

"I'm sorry, got caught up and ended up being late." I apologised for my late arrival. But they didn't seem to be bothered by it, they were all smiling at me. As soon as the door was opened Taketora ran into my apartment, screaming:

"Perfect timing! I need to use your bathroom!" he said desperately.

"Second door on the right!" I yelled back at him.

"Kaaaaaay." he said as he vanished into the bathroom.

"Well then, come on in guys."

"Sorry for the intrusion." They all said simultaneously. I headed into the kitchen and put away the stuff I bought. Meanwhile, my guests sat down in the living room; Lev showed them around. Before I could even ask them if they wanted to drink something, Lev had already asked them and joined me in the kitchen.

"Uhm… Lev? Sorry that I didn't answer your texts, I forgot my phone at home. I didn't want to make you worry." I blushed because I suddenly felt embarrassed for having forgotten my phone at home. I hoped he didn't see it. But as he was answering with just a simple "Don't mind." I figured he hadn't seen me blush. Good.

"Oi, Yakuuu, come on here for a minute." that was Kuroo's voice coming from the living room.

"What is it Ku-" I couldn't finish my sentence. Kuroo was holding a big birthday cake, the others standing around him with a big smile, awaiting my reaction to the cake, all full of anticipation, and Bokuto clearly wanting to eat the cake already.

"Happy Birthday Yaku-saaaaaan!" I heard them all saying.

"Happy Birthday Yaku-san!" Lev said after hugging me from behind and putting his head onto mine. I wanted to hold back the tears, but it didn't work.

"Thank you guys, thank you." I said while tears were flowing down my cheeks. I was happy.

"Cake tiiiiime!" Bokuto was the first one to say something.

"Bokuto no." Akaashi was the second one.

"What about the food?" Kenma asked.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too!" Taketora added.

"Okay I'll start cook-" I wanted to say, but Lev was faster.

"No no no no no Yaku-san, today you'll sit down and let me handle the rest, as your boyfriend!" he said it full of pride, putting his fist on his chest.

"Lev, do you intend on poisoning your boyfriend and us?" Akaashi had a point. Lev wasn't exactly the best cook.

"Let me handle it." Akaashi said, stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"Then let me at least help you, please Akaashi-san."

"Okay, if you insist Lev."

"Thank you!" and they both disappeared into the kitchen.

Bokuto was still looking at the cake. And with Akaashi gone, his chances of actually eating a piece increased immensely. Kenma sat back on the couch and started playing a game on his phone. Kuroo asked if he could turn on the TV while we were waiting and I agreed to watch something.

"Bokuto, I know you want to eat a piece of the cake, take one." I said giggling.

"But Akaashi will be mad if I eat it now."

"It's okay, I'll cover you and say I ate it."

"That… is the reason, why you are a very good friend, Mori-san." he said with a single tear in his eye. He really wanted to eat that cake.

And as Bokuto was eating a piece of the cake, and Kenma was playing on his phone, and Kuroo and Taketora were watching TV, I sat down on the couch as well and started reminiscing about my time with the Nekoma High Volleyball Club. I always loved playing volleyball, so I was quite happy when I joined the Nekoma High team. Because of my short height, Kuroo wanted me as a Libero and I tried and ended up loving it. I had met all my friends through volleyball and then in my third year of High School, I had met the person that would become a very important part of my life: Lev. I would have never thought that we'd become a couple, but it somehow just happened. It was on the day of our graduation ceremony and Lev suddenly confessed to me and I accepted it; I felt happy.

And now I'm in my third year of university and joined the Shishio Volleyball Club. Luckily enough, I could keep on playing as the Libero. I was looking forward to play volleyball with and against my former teammates as they all had entered a university, but there was someone I wouldn't be able to play with. One of my former teammates decided to enter a university in Europe, for several reasons.

That one was Lev. His flight would leave tomorrow morning.

After less than half an hour, we heard Lev's voice.

"Foooooooood's dooooone!" he yelled through the entire apartment.

"Comiiiiing!" Kuroo yelled back. He still was our captain and we all liked it the way it was. We joined Lev and Akaashi and started eating.

After finishing, everyone helped with washing the dishes and after that was done, we headed back to the living room.

"Oh oh, let's light up the candles on the cake and Yaku-san has to blow them out!" was Lev's suggestion.

"Sounds like a good ide-" Akaashi stopped his sentence in the middle as he saw the cake and that one missing piece. He instantly turned to Bokuto but I had promised to cover him.

"Sorry Akaashi, it was me, it looked so tasty, I couldn't help but take a piece." I hoped he wouldn't notice I was lying. Meanwhile, Bokuto tried to look as innocent as possible. It looked like Akaashi tried his hardest to remain calm in consideration of my birthday, so I guessed everything was okay and we started eating the cake, without candles.

We spent some hours chatting, talking to each other, playing games, watching TV and what else we could think of. And soon it was close to midnight. And time for them to head home again.

"Thanks for coming!" I said and closed the door. And when I turned back there was Lev standing in front of me, grinning with his wide smile he always had on his face.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing, we're finally alone, Yaku-san."

"And what of it?" I said as I walked passed him, heading to the couch to sit down and relax.

"Now I can finally give you your gift."

"My what?"

"Your gift Yaku-san. It's your birthday, I'm your boyfriend, and therefore I have a gift for you. Simple, right?"

"Lev you really didn't need to-" I couldn't end my sentence and he was already sitting next to me with a little wrapped box in his hands.

"For you, happy birthday Yaku-san." he looked at me with twinkling eyes.

"Well then, thank you very much Lev." I kissed him on his cheek. His eyes were still twinkling, his smile getting wider and wider, he was like a little child waiting for something great to happen. I continued unwrapping the little box and now I had a black little box in my hands.

"Open it!" he said.

I opened it.

Just a split second later, tears were flowing down my face and I had to hold back a sob. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in that box. But then Lev slowly took the ring out of the box, took my right hand and put the ring onto my ring finger. Now I was sobbing.

"With this ring, everyone will see that you already belong to someone, so that no one can do anything to you while I'm gone. Of course I have another one, would you mind putting it on my hand too, Yaku-san?" he looked into my eyes and I looked back, his green eyes were still twinkling; he looked very happy. Without being able to say anything and still crying, I put the ring on his hand.

"S… s-same back at… you… Lev." and then I couldn't help but hug him as tightly as I could.

"I love you, Yaku-san." He whispered silently. I started crying even more now.

"I love you too, Lev." And as I said it, I stopped hugging him and kissed him.

After some seconds of kissing he started talking again.

"We should go to bed, it's past midnight already and-"

"No. I don't wanna. I want to keep cuddling on the couch, I don't need sleep." I hugged him again.

"But…"

"No. I don't wanna go to bed, when I'll go to bed now and fall asleep and then wake up you'll be away soon. I don't want that." I said while clinging to him.

"As you wish, Yaku-san." he said as he kissed me again.

After some minutes of cuddling without exchanging any further words, we both fell asleep, his arms around of mine.

When I woke up Lev wasn't there. Was I dreaming? A feeling of anxiety suddenly overcame me.

"Lev?! Lev, where are you?!" I asked around.

"I'm heeeeere, good morning Yaku-san." I heard his voice from the kitchen. And I smelled eggs. Scrambled eggs. Breakfast was one of the few things he could cook. I felt reassured again. When I was looking at my hand, I remembered what happened last night. I was wearing a ring and Lev was wearing the same ring; I felt so incredibly happy.

After some minutes, he had finished cooking breakfast and we started eating. We talked about various things, trying not to remind ourselves that he had to leave in less than three hours. After finishing eating, I washed the dishes while Lev was sorting out some stuff; he had already brought his entire luggage to my apartment the day before. The airport wasn't that far away from where I lived, so it was more convenient. And I wanted to accompany him as long as I could.

After another hour, we finally left to go to the airport. I was already nervous; I didn't want him to go. When we had arrived at the airport and he had checked in, there was only an hour left until I had to part ways with him. We sat down at a café; we had to kill some time after all and we didn't know what else to do. And after half an hour it was time, he had to head to the gate.

And there we were, standing in front of the last passport control, in front of the point where I couldn't accompany him any longer.

"It is time, I… must go, Yaku-san." he said to me while holding my hands.

"Yes, seems like it." I was about to cry, but I held it back, I didn't want to make it harder than it already was. I smiled at him.

"I guess I should get going, if not I'll miss my flight, that wouldn't be very good, right? Yaku-san would scold me if I missed it, hehe." He was clearly trying to cheer me up with his always twinkling eyes.

"I would, you're right. So go! Don't dare miss it!"

"I won't." he said as he started hugging me out of nowhere.

"I… I wish you a safe trip Lev. And I h-hope you enjoy it." tears started forming in my eyes.

"I'll call you as soon as I'm there, okay?"

"O-okay…"

"Oh! Before I forget it…" he stopped hugging me and pulled something out of his bag. It was a scarf.

"For you, so that you have something to keep you warm in my absence, hehe." he said as he was wrapping it around my neck.

"But that's your scarf."

"I'll lend it to you, so give it back to me when I'm here again, okay?"

"I will, Lev." I smiled and sniffed at the scarf, it smelled like Lev.

"Take care of you. I'll be back soon, time flies by faster than you think."

"Mhm." I was busy with holding back my tears, I wasn't able to form any words.

"Bye-bye, Yaku-san." and after saying that he kissed me one last time. And then he started walking without turning back.

"Bye Lev!" I almost yelled at him when he was already far away. I could still see him, but he probably didn't hear me anymore. I guessed I was the only one of us that started crying now.

And there I was, standing alone, drying up my tears and noticing, that the gap in between of us kept growing and growing the further he walked away from me, until I couldn't see him anymore.