Kageyama didn't know how he'd let himself get involved in this.

Well... Actually he did, and it didn't improve his mood at all. It was, just like pretty much always, Hinata's fault... but, to tell the truth, he was to blame just as much: for having agreed. Unfortunately, for some reason, he suspected he would do the same if he could choose again.

Hinata hardly ever asked him for anything else than a toss or a training - that also amounted to tossing. Actually, he never happened to ask Kageyama for things that didn't relate to volleyball. But did the fact that this time his request concerned entirely different matter explain such a shameful capitulation on his part? Kageyama was still angry whenever he recollected the face of the Karasuno middle-blocker, who two days ago begged him for a trip to Sendai for Tanabata - but he was under the impression that he was mostly angry with himself. He was much too good of a person.

Hinata had expounded the problem in half a minute - he did everything quickly - and thus Kageyama had learned about the calamity that had befallen the Hinata family right in the middle of the summer. Little Natsu had been promised to be taken to the biggest festival in the prefecture for the first time, and she would be looking forward to it for weeks now, most of all anticipating the fireworks display. Alas, two days prior to the big day Mrs Hinata had caught a serious cold, and it was impossible for her to recover until Saturday enough to be able to accompany her younger child. Hinata's story had been enriched by vivid gesticulation and emotional outbursts, so Kageyama - not prone to hysteria himself - could imagine what had happened in the Hinata's house after that. Mrs Hinata must have had even greater headache, trying to remedy the situation.

It was absolutely out of question that Natsu went to Sendai only with her brother. Hinata wasn't someone to be entrusted with younger siblings; he was capable of losing her little sister even on the local festival, which had indeed happened just two weeks earlier. Then again, Sendai was a big city, and it was pretty possible that Hinata himself would be lost there in just five minutes. Someone else was needed here, someone much more responsible. On one hand, Kageyama felt flattered for being considered for this task - after all, there was hardly anyone more responsible than he - but on the other hand, there were more interesting things to do on a Saturday evening than visiting a festival. In just one week, the elimination for Spring Tournament started, and the team was in the middle of an intensive training, on Saturday as well. Kageyama had wished nothing less than miss one of them, especially at this crucial stage when he'd finally managed to work out that new toss and they needed to practice as much as possible to perfectly co-ordinate it with Hinata.

Then why, in the end, was he here?

Hinata would ask and beg, almost on his knees and in tears. He would entreat, flatter and even try a bribe. He'd even gone as far as to state that Kageyama wouldn't benefit from a training without him. Kageyama probably had consented only to be left alone. Over those few months, he'd learned that Hinata wasn't someone to ever give up. Upon receiving an affirmative, Hinata had displayed an explosion of joy - not that it'd differed much from his normal behaviour - and had left for home, all happy, leaving Kageyama the dirty job, which meant informing Sawamura-san about their plans. The Karasuno setter still grinded his teeth upon remembering that scene.

When he'd announced that he would be absent during the Saturday training, Sawamura-san had looked at him as if Kageyama had sprouted another head, and had asked him to repeat, while the other two third-years hadn't look much better themselves. Kageyama, trying to remain calm, had repeated, but they just had kept staring at him like some freak. Then Sawamura-san, after a while of a deep cogitation, had offered his condolences, and Kageyama still had no idea whether it had been a joke or a perfectly serious comment. He'd said truthfully that nothing had happened, and then the third-years had exchanged looks, and Azumane-san had said that they would need a doctor.

'No, no-one died. And no, I'm not sick,' Kageyama had declared annoyed, thinking it'd been all Hinata's fault. 'I promised to go to Sendai for Tanabata," he'd explained, trying not to wince. Sawamura-san and Azumane-san had regarded him like an alien, and only Sugawara-san had smiled and said that in that case Kageyama should definitely go and have fun, and had asked whether he would need any tips. 'I'm going to perform some baby-sitting,' Kageyama had dawdled, not even suspecting to have fun. With two Hinata?! What an absurd! Sugawara-san had given him a warm look, but the other two had been clearly concerned. Kageyama had had even the stronger impression that the third-years hadn't treated him with the respect that every human being deserved, but maybe it was just that age gap in question. For a moment, very short, he'd thought that even he, Kageyama Tobio, had a right to get some rest on a Saturday evening and it shouldn't surprise anyone, and he'd almost decided that he had wanted to go for that damn Tanabata to that damn Sendai - but he'd quickly driven such an improper thought away.

He'd apologized for his absence once more and had left. In the doorway, he'd remembered one detail - and had thought that sometimes his dutiful nature was a curse - so he'd turned back to the third-years to announce that Hinata would be absent as well. Then he'd bowed and left, without waiting for any reaction. He could hear that Sawamura-san had let go of the ball he'd been holding, Azumane-san had muttered, 'We really need a doctor,' and Sugawara-san had laughed and told that he could still give him some tips. Kageyama had been happy that the other members of the team had already left and he'd been spared any additional comments.

Well, he might see the fireworks, but he'd had no intention to spend the whole day in Sendai. First, strolling around the city in the August heat didn't fit his idea of comfort; secondly, even if he was going to miss the training with the team, he could still spend half a day doing something related to the volleyball. Regrettably, the next day, which was yesterday, it'd turned out that any negotiation with Hinata had no chance of success. Hinata had informed him that they would leave in the morning, for it was one of the biggest festival in the country, with many attractions that were a must to see. It was, also, Natsu's wish, and Kageyama had already known that stubbornness was a genetic trait of the Hinata family, and that Hinata was completely wrapped around his sister's little finger.

He'd been greatly mistaken to believe he would experience no more shame. After the Friday training, Hinata had reminded him that they would see each other at the station tomorrow at eleven a.m. and that Kageyama not forget his yukata. Kageyama had been first struck dumb, and then he'd decided his patience had just run out and he'd had no intention to participate in that circus anymore. Lamentably, before he'd managed to inform Hinata of it, the Karasuno middle-blocker had already vanished from his sight, while Kageyama had had no knowledge of his phone number and couldn't make a call. He hadn't know his address either, so he couldn't go and inform him personally. Mad at himself for such a negligence - but how could he ever suspect he'd need Hinata's phone number or address? - he'd left to vent his anger on the vending machine.

His bad luck would just continue, which he'd realised when suddenly and out of nowhere Nishinoya-san and Tanaka-san had appeared before him. 'Kageyama-kun is going to Sendai for Tanabata?' the libero had called in a sweet voice and patted him on the back. 'But with Hinata, of all people? It's the end of the world,' the wing spiker muttered. Kageyama had gnashed his teeth. 'I'm not going to wear any damn yukata,' he'd said although no-one had ever mentioned that. The second-years had exchanged looks, and then Tanaka-san had put one arm around his shoulder and leaned over him in a gesture too familiar for Kageyama's taste. 'Yukata is what makes a real Japanese man,' he'd stated, and Nishinoya-san had backed him with an enthusiastic nod. 'You don't want our Shōyō to think you're afraid?' he'd said, and Kageyama had suddenly started to see in red. He? Afraid? Of that miniature pest that without him couldn't do a thing on the court? Never! He'd let the second-years take him to the rental, and it hadn't been until he'd returned home with a yukata, that he'd realised his temper had gotten the better of him again and the older teammates had used it without scruples. Frustrated, he'd tousled his hair - but since the yukata had already been there, it would be a total loss not to use it.

His dignity had been somehow upped - although it was a grotesque on its own - by the approval look that Hinata had given him when they'd met at the station today, especially after he'd kept telling himself what Tanaka-san had said yesterday: that yukata made a real man. Although... When he looked at Hinata, he started to doubt it. In contrast to his own - navy and plain - Hinata's yukata resembled the mosaic that decorated the Sendai Station. It was colourful, flashy and patterned, almost like Natsu's clothing, and Kageyama wondered whether Hinata hadn't put on his mother's gear by mistake. However, the red shrimp seemed to feel comfortable wearing it, and so Kageyama decided he wouldn't bother himself with it, either.

Soon, it appeared there was a lot of things he wouldn't bother himself with, although there was even more those he needed to pay heed to. As he'd expected, minding two Hinata was a task requiring a complete involvement. If he'd thought he would spend a nice and relaxing day on the festival, he would be greatly disappointed. The two carrots as a pair was not addition; it was exponentiation. They worked up each other both in enthusiasm and anxiety, and Kageyama wished he could say he didn't know them at all. 'Oniichan, look! What a huge decoration! You could hide in it whole!' 'Natsu, have you ever seen such a big stone dog?' 'Oniichan, that samurai is waving at me with his horns!' "Natsu, Natsu! Look, they have three kinds of dango here!' 'It says, beef tongues! Yuck!' They would yell to each other, at least a few decibels too loud, whenever something notable caught their eyes, and - apart from the festival attractions - it could be anything: a perfectly regular department store, a public building, or a shopping arcade. Hinata was no less delighted with the city than his sister - as if they had come here from the deep province - and Kageyama no longer had any doubts that the Karasuno middle-blocker had wished to visit here as much as her. He clenched his teeth, mad at himself for having been so gullible. He vaguely started to think that, at some point, Hinata had managed to twist him around his little finger - fortunately, there was no time to dwell on that horrible thought, for the present required his full attention.

Kageyama was under the impression that the two Hinata were that kind of people that attracted troubles. In the first hour Natsu lost her clog in the crowd, and in the second hour Hinata dropped his wallet unaware. Both were quickly recovered, but with a fair share of screaming and crying. In the third hour some suspicious man by the yakitori stand tried to talk Natsu into going with him in a secluded place, and in the fourth hour some guy tried to hit on Hinata, apparently mistaken by his yukata. Both assailants would leave with their noses bleeding, for Hinata - despite his size - had pretty strong arms and good reflexes. In the fifth hour Natsu started to terribly complain her feets were sore, and in the sixth hour Hinata got sick, probably due to the heat or drinking too little fluids. Kageyama had his hands full as he switched between the roles of brother, father, mate, and nurse. He was perfectly sure that if Hinata and Natsu were just like him - a man calm and quiet - the troubles would keep away from them.

Despite that all, it was quite obvious that the two Hinata were having the hell of fun here - and kept trying to draw him into their fun, too. 'Tobio-oniisan, shoot me a teddy bear!', and an impatient tug at his sleeve. 'Kageyama-kun, scoop yourself a goldfish! You will be no longer home alone!', and a pat at his back to squat down by the basin. 'Tobio-oniisan, taste this octopus!', and the snack was shoved into his mouth. 'Kageyama-kun, great mask! Ah, it was your normal face...' It also appeared that both Hinata and his little sister had absolutely no sense of direction, for the three of them were passing exactly the same alley already for the fifth time in the row, and yet they still react to the attraction with the same enthusiasm. Kageyama didn't prove them wrong, deciding it was better to stick to the familiar area. It'd already been close that they were separated in the crowd, and thus Kageyama didn't want to risk that the two Hinata would get lost, although it was what he really wished for, deep inside. He was certain that it would take him at least one week to regain his mental balance after this ordeal.

In the seventh hour it became dark, and the lanterns were lit. Although it'd seemed impossible, there was even more people, and a squeeze was terrible. It required just one instant of inattention that the three of them were separated... and, of course, it happened.

"Oniichan, I want one more yakitori!" the smaller version of Hinata cried.

"I'm sure they sell them somewhere near," Hinata was looking around frantically.

"There! There it is!" Natsu started to run happily in that direction and disappeared in the crowd momentarily.

"Natsu, wait...! Natsu...!" Hinata followed her.

"Hinata! Where... Damn it! You dumbass!" Kageyama cursed.

He moved towards the red head he could still see - but then a group of foreigners blocked his way. The tall figures effectively separated him from the two Hinata and when they finally moved on at their sluggish pace, two carrots were nowhere to be seen. He swore once more and then took a deep breath. He needed to think calmly. Natsu had wanted some yakitori and had spotted a stall somewhere, so they couldn't be far. He looked around the food stands. Yakitori, yakitori... There! Using his elbows, he pushed through to the right spot, but he didn't find them here. Fear clenched his heart like a cold fist. He already regretted thinking he'd gladly lose them...

He shook his head. "Did you see a red boy a moment ago?" he asked the seller. "He looks like an elementary school kid. He's with his little sister, also red."

"I didn't..."

Kageyama held back another curse. Searching for two squirts in the crowd was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The most sensible solution was to contact the staff and have them broadcast the message. And hope that someone friendly would escort Hinata to the right place, preferably by the hand...

"A red one, you say? Is that who you're looking for...?" the voice of the yakitori seller he'd already managed to forget about interrupted his thought.

His eyes moved along the line the man's finger made, and the next moment he felt relieved. Hinata was standing some ten metres away and looking around in a total confusion. For once, the Karasuno middle-blocker wasn't wearing that stupid grin of his; instead, he seemed very lost and even anxious, so unlike him. Judging from the fact that he kept glancing down, Natsu was probably clinging to his sleeve. Good.

"Hinata...!" Kageyama called out, but his voice was drowned out by the tumult.

He darted toward the red shrimp, but he was blocked by another group of outlanders; he thought he was going to hate the foreigners for the rest of his life. Between their tall figures he could see Hinata start to move and make his way to the other direction, and would disappear any moment. He was so close, yet Kageyama couldn't reach him!

The next second he thought that the goddess of luck smiled at him for the first time this day when, next to the yakitori stand, he saw the toy stall with - unbelievable! - a ball. It wasn't a volleyball, but he had no other choice than to trust his supposed genius. Shouting to the owner that it was a life-and-death situation, he snatched the ball and tossed it up twice. It was a bit smaller and lighter, made of a different material that he was used to, but there was no time to hesitate. Praying that his instincts didn't let him down, he sent the ball to the spot in the crowd that Hinata's head surfaced again.

Holding his breath he would follow its flight, hoping - had he failed - it would fall inside the Hinata's sight. His apprehension was futile; the ball made a beautiful curve and hit the Karasuno middle-blocker in the head. Kageyama congratulated himself, observing how the red nuisance jumped up and screamed like crazy. However, the next moment Hinata turned around - even though he had a terrible sense of direction, he always knew where the ball came from - and finally spotted his setter. His face brightened in the smile so happy that Kageyama's chest ached. He told himself it was a relief.

In just two seconds Hinata and Natsu were beside him. "Kageyama-kun! It's a good thing you're so tall! You can't be missed in the crowd!" Hinata called, apparently having forgotten all his fear already. "Where have you been? You got lost, and we were worried about you!"

Kageyama clenched his teeth. What Hinata had just said didn't sound like a compliment, regardless of the good start. Besides... He got lost? He felt like giving Hinata an earful, but then Natsu clutched at his yukata and gave him a serious look. "I'm glad you found us, Tobio-oniisan."

Staring into the girl's brown eyes, Kageyama felt all his irritation vanish. Thus, he only sighed and said nothing. Hinata returned the ball to him, which the stand owner accepted without any problems. "It was a good toss," he said, refusing to take money.

Upon hearing it, Hinata beamed even more, as if it was him who had tossed it. "Wasn't it?" he called eagerly. "Kageyama is the best setter in the prefecture. Together we're going to take Karasuno to the nationals!"

"But you clearly go to different schools...?" the yakitori seller threw in, pointing at Kageyama. "He looks like a high schooler."

"We're in the same class!" Hinata yelled. "In Karasuno High School! Kageyama, you didn't say I go to the elementary school, do you?"

"I only described how you look," Kageyama replied, trying to remain calm and realising he should have already got used to that walking chaos named Hinata, who could speak on three different matters in one statement.

"I want an apple candy!" Natsu called, upset that no-one paid attention to her.

Kageyama and Hinata grabbed her by her yukata at the same time. "You're not going anywhere!" they called in unison, and Hinata added, "I'll buy you one."

Natsu stared at him and then at Kageyama. Then she took their hands and nodded.

"The fireworks show is going to start soon," the toy seller noticed. "You had better go to the river and find a good spot."

"Fireworks! Let's go!" Natsu cried out happily and pulled her guardians along. "But where is the river?"

Kageyama turned in the right direction. The map of Sendai was stored in his mind for ever.

"It really was a great toss," Hinata said as they were walking to the river that flowed sigmoidally south of the city centre. "But you didn't have to aim at my head," he complained.

"You dumbass," Kageyama replied.

Hinata averted his eyes and didn't retort. Natsu was swinging her arms contentedly as they led her between them, but Kageyama suddenly felt she was the only one to feel happy, and he didn't know why it bothered him. They walked in silence, except for Natsu singing something to herself.

It was extremely crowded by the river, too, but somehow they managed to find an empty spot. There was some nice breeze here, and the air was fresh. The darkness was soothing the eyes after that earlier blaze of colourful lanterns, yukata and various stands. They sat down on the grass, Natsu still between the two of them like a good girl. Hinata gave her the apple candy, and she accepted it happily.

"Kageyama... You're upset, aren't you?" the Karasuno middle-blocker asked all of the sudden over her head. Kageyama gave him a surprised look but, before he managed to reply, Hinata went on, "I mean... More than normally. You didn't want to come here, I bet you'd rather train. Though that toss was awesome, nothing less of you... But not everyone has to like festivals. Lots of people, noise, without single moment of peace... and you like peace, don't you? But that yukata really suits you. I wanted you to have fun with us, but I was just being selfish. I bet you hated to come here. And you even had to look for us. I didn't want to inconvenience you." He pressed his eyes shut and clasped his hands. "I'm so-"

"You dumbass," Kageyama interrupted him, making his best to fish out the significant things from that stream of words... and failing completely, for suddenly it seemed to him everything Hinata had said was important. Or nothing. He was, however, sure of one thing: he didn't want to hear any apology. "You're a total dumbass."

Hinata looked away again; he looked quite miserable. Apparently, he was now certain he'd been right. "I'll pay you back during the training," he said in a quiet voice. "As much as I can..."

Kageyama shook his head, suddenly under the impression that something strange had happened to the world. And he didn't know what to do about it. Annoyed, he thought it was surely Hinata's fault. Only... "It's not your fault," he said without thinking, finally grasping what the middle-blocker had tried to tell him, So it was what bothered Hinata? and what he thought of it himself, Nonsense.

Hinata's head snapped up as the red shrimp gave him a surprised look, or so it seemed to Kageyama in the darkness.

"I mean... uhm... I have your word. I'm going to give you a hard time. You'll wish you'd never been born!" he added.

It was much easier to talk about the volleyball, yet the this thought led to another: Kageyama Tobio was unable to have a conversation on any other topic. At least not with Hinata Shōyō. He didn't know why he suddenly felt so down about it.

Hinata, however, nodded - first somewhat hesitantly, then with more enthusiasm. Kageyama ceased thinking of his own imperfections and instead focused on the feeling of relief filling him. He didn't want Hinata to blame himself when there was no reason to; it made him feel guilty, too. Thus, something made him add, "I've been so busy with you two that I didn't have any time to think I didn't like it here," because it was exactly like that. He felt a blush creeping onto his face for some reason and hoped no-one could see it in the dark. "I'm not upset. And... And grilled octopus was really good."

Natsu gave a cry of joy and embraced him spontaneously; Hinata only stared at him in silence. Then, before any of them managed to say anything, the fireworks flared up over their head. Hinata started and looked up, and Natsu squealed with happiness. The fireworks kept illuminating the sky over the Aoba Castle hill, reflected in the river, that this time of year was flowing at a leisurely pace, filling just half of its bed. All around them, animated, merry voices were to be heard, with some people taking pictures and others just admiring the display. Kageyama didn't hate it here at all.

"The teacher told us why we celebrate Tanabata," Natsu suddenly spoke in a voice of a knowledgeable person.

"Why?" Hinata asked.

"I bet you don't know," Kageyama couldn't suppress a taunt.

"Then, do you know?" Hinata retorted.

"Tanabata is celebrated as... err... Midsummer?"

"Kageyama-kun, you're a total moron. Midsummer is in June."

"It's Oniichan's birthday!" Natsu threw in, although Kageyama would be happier without that piece of information, for it reminded him he was half a year younger than that red personification of childishness.

"Then, tell us why we celebrate Tanabata," he said reluctantly, becoming defensive.

"I think... it's about the foundation of Sendai," Hinata stated. "It says in the leaflet that Tanabata has been celebrated since... um... Date Masamune. The one with the horns!" he added triumphantly.

"It's a crescent moon," Kageyama corrected.

"You're totally wrong, both of you!" Natsu said, annoyed. "Do you learn anything in that high school? Tanabata is celebrated in the whole Japan!" she explained with emphasis. "It's also called the Star Festival because it's the day when two stars meet... Their names are... um... They are..."

"Hikoboshi," a bystander who must have heard their conversation prompted her. "And Orihime," he added in a softer voice.

Kageyama stirred, for that voice - melodious, polite and hinted with smile - seemed familiar, but its owner had already disappear in the darkness, and Natsu continued, "Right, Hikoboshi and Orihime! Orihime was daughter of the Sky King and used to weave beautiful clothes for her father at the bank of Milky Way. But one day she met Hikoboshi, who lived on the opposite bank. They fell in love with each other and stopped working. Orihime's stern father was angry and forbid them to see each other. Orihime was very sad and kept begging her father, and he finally permitted them to meet once a year. But there was no bridge on the river, and Orihime cried a lot. Then a flock of birds came, and the birds used their wings as a bridge, so that Orihime could meet with her beloved one."

"What birds? Crows?" Hinata asked curiously.

"I... don't remember," Natsu admitted.

"Was that river wide?" Kageyama asked.

"I bet it was!" Hinata replied. "It was Milky Way! What did you think?"

"I thought that if it wasn't that wide, they could at least toss a ball to each other."

Hinata burst out laughing, but Natsu was clearly offended. "I tell you a beautiful and tragic story, but you talk only about volleyball!" she said and turned her back on them. "But Tanabata is the day wishes come true."

Fireworks kept creating the unique patterns on the night sky. The display was scheduled to last one hour and a half. It didn't take long that Natsu fell asleep after such an eventful day, resting her head on her brother's lap; he put one hand around her shoulders. Kageyama, finally relieved from the duty to keep his eye on her, lay down on the grass and stared up at the colourful flowers that bloomed only this night.

"I wish our next performance in Sendai was more beautiful and less tragic," Hinata spoke in a soft voice, and for some reason it didn't sound that foolish as it could have.

"Me too," Kageyama replied after a while.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, but... Maybe you wouldn't say no to a training?" Hinata asked after another longer pause. "To make up for today."

"Fine with me."

"And... Kageyama...?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for finding us there. For tossing to me."

Kageyama turned his head and looked at the dark silhouette illuminated by the fireworks.

"I'll always toss to you," he muttered and then thought it might spoil Hinata too much. "I mean... As long as you're essential to winning."

"I will," Hinata replied in a complete belief. Then he turned to him and smiled, although it could be only heard in his voice. In his words, however, was a steel-hard confidence as he said, "You won't regret a single toss."

"That's what I expect."

Hinata looked up at the sky and said no more, but Kageyama knew that the Karasuno middle-blocker was himself again. He felt he was relaxing - the first time during this crazy day, or maybe even in the last three days. Everything was back to normal. Everything between the two of them was back to normal. He was glad to know that, although there was that single prick of the thought they couldn't talk about anything but volleyball, after all... But he realised it was fine that way, too.

He thought it would be enough for the next ten years.