This one is from Rin
~Chapter 1 - The First Boxes~
Oishi Shuichiro climbed the creaking wooden steps up to the attic, reaching blindly for the chain that would turn on the light. Finding it, he pulled, and with a click, the small, dark space became less dark, the dim light bulb in the corner doing its best to help him see.
The attic was warm, too warm; it didn't have any air conditioning. The dust-covered boxes made Oishi sigh. He regretted not labelling them, but he hadn't thought to when he packed them.
He brushed the dust off of the top of the nearest box, setting it on the floor in front of him and sitting down to open it. Tennis things; at least he'd had the sense to pack like items together.
He pulled out the objects one by one, hoping he'd find he was able to get rid of some of them. He doubted it, but he could try.
He discovered an old tennis racket, the strings sagging, frame scratched, grip worn. It had been Eiji's in junior high. He hadn't used it for years.
Eiji and Oishi had decided to get an apartment together when they went to college. But all their things had ended up in the attic, in identical cardboard cubes. Today was the first time Oishi had been up to the attic since the boxes had been put there.
Setting Eiji's old racket to the side, he picked up a tennis ball Eiji had drawn a little picture of Oishi on. It had been a birthday present. Next came their old Seigaku regulars' jackets. Oishi put his on-it still fit. He kept it on, despite the heat of the summer wrapping around him, filling the attic.
Oishi was surprised by the next thing he found: a Fila hat. Had it been Ryoma's? Eiji must've stolen it and forgotten to give it back. He laughed.
"Eiji, you really shouldn't have bothered him so much." He was smiling, so it wasn't a serious admonishment. Eiji didn't answer, but he didn't talk much these days.
Oishi couldn't make himself get rid of any of the stuff in that box, but at least he'd opened it and gone through it. That was progress. He pocketed the tennis ball and took it and the hat with him when he left the attic, folding up the stairs behind him.
He set the tennis ball on his desk, placing the hat next to it until he could return it to Ryoma. He'd call him and ask to meet later.
It was late, so he got ready for bed and turned out the lights. "Good night, Eiji." Again, as usual, no answer.