Haikyuu: Words of Wisdom
Hinata pov:
I stretch my arms above my head as I walk beside Kageyama and Tanaka-senpai. Daichi-senpai decided to reward us all after a hard practice by treating us to meat buns at the Hill Bottom Store. I chatter happily with them about homework, teachers, and insane-but loveable sisters, until Ennoshita-senpai catches everyone's attention.
"Hey, this is a question mostly for the third years, but I'm curious about everyone's response if you don't mind," the second year begins, expression thoughtful. "I know several of us plan on going to university, but beyond that, what are you guys thinking of doing as a career?"
That stops us all short for a moment.
"Well, like you said, university first, maybe playing volleyball there if possible. Though I think I want to come back and be a teacher. Maybe Phys Ed, maybe Literature. I haven't quite decided yet." Daichi-senpai replied, giving the second year a thoughtful look. "What about you Suga?"
"Mhm. Same almost, except I'm leaning a bit more towards being a history teacher, or maybe working with younger years." the man smiled softly. I silently cheer them both on, teaching suited them perfectly. "Asahi?" Sugawara-senpai looked to the taller man beside him.
"I think I might take a gap year actually, though I'm not completely set on that yet. I will go to Uni eventually though. After that….after that I think I want to be a writer. I've always thought about publishing a set of children's books. If I don't do that though I think I'll go into some kind of work with animals." Asahi-senpai smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.
I smiled slightly, that seemed like something he would pick. Asahi-senpai loves kids and animals, though kids can be easily scared of him because of his appearance. Writing would be perfect for him.
"What about you guys? Any big plans yet?" Daichi-senpai asks, giving the second years an inquisitive look.
Ennoshita-senpai hums for a moment. "I'm thinking about going into accounting, I'm fairly good with numbers, and it's a fairly in-demand job right now."
Kinoshita-senpai followed his response with a shrug, "I'll probably follow the family business. Veterinarians get paid well, and I'm fairly used to animals."
Narita-senpai shrugged as well, "I don't really have a plan yet. I think i'll go to Uni, but that's about as far ahead as I've planned so far." He admitted with a laugh.
That wasn't unexpected from the three of them. Ennoshita-senpai is very good with numbers, Kinoshita-senpai is pretty laid back, and already had the family business-assuming he gets his degree-to fall back on, and Narita-senpai is always indecisive. He probably won't choose anything until he has a counselor (or Ennoshita-senpai) breathing down the back of his neck.
"I haven't really decided yet either, but I'm starting to look into some stuff. Right now being a firefighter is looking promising, but nothing concrete yet." Tanaka-senpai confides, looking a little uncomfortable.
That was probably understandable, from what I have learned, his parents aren't super supportive of his "wild" ambitions. For them, one child doing something strange is enough. I can tell he likes his idea, but already knows the response he'll get from home.
We all nod in acceptance and support of his choice, though I internally wince in sympathy for him. That conversation is not going to go over well.
Noya-senpai subtly shifts the attention from Tanaka-senpai over to himself, "I'm actually looking into being a physical therapist." He commented, his voice carrying a quiet undertone of confidence.
'Wow, I had no idea that's what he was looking into.' I muse to myself. Though, that does make perfect sense. Noya-senpai is pretty intense on the surface, but he's also crazy in-tune with other people's physical and emotional health. He's usually the first one to realize that someone is injured, and always seems to be mindful of someone's health. Physical therapy can be intense, and uncomfortable as hell, to have someone with his kind of infectious energy and optimism could really help someone push through their therapy sessions.
The other senpais smile at this, while my yearmates look at Noya with a new kind of respect and understanding as they click this information the way that I did.
"And what about our first years? You guys have plans yet?" Narita-senpai asked us.
Yamaguchi smiled and piped up quietly, "I want to be a maths teacher."
That was no surprise, he is crazy good with math. Crazy enough to like it too.
Tsukishima hesitates for a moment, but answers honestly, "I haven't really got anything particular in mind yet. I would love a career that involves music, but I don't think I'm cut out to teach. I'd get annoyed way too fast."
Sugawara-senpai hums in understanding.
Teaching definitely isn't for everybody. I know I couldn't do it either.
Kageyama thinks for a moment, then speaks quietly, "I want to go as far as I can in volleyball. Though afterwards I think I'd like to study psychology. I've always been interested in the human mind, though I don't have grades that reflect that."
This seems to surprise the senpais more than I think it should have. Kageyama is smart-not book-smart, though he definitely could be if he wanted to. He's just the kind of person who hyper-focuses on one thing in his life at a time. Right now that thing is volleyball, and there is no room in his mind to focus on anything else while he focuses on that.
Everyone's eyes turn to me. I breathe deeply and begin, "Well, I'm kinda like Kageyama. I want to go as far as I can in volleyball. But after that I want to go to med school." I say quietly.
The senpais are pretty surprised-if Noya-senpai's gasp of awe was anything to go by.
Kageyama gently nudges me with his shoulder- his version of comfort.
I smile at that, he knows that I'm bringing up sad memories with this. I nudge back; a silent "I'm Ok. Thank you."
"That's...pretty unexpected." Daichi-senpai murmurs, reading the somber mood between us. "Can I ask why?"
My eyes lift to the stars, and I feel a small, melancholy smile form on my lips. " When I was little, my dad and I were really close. He was a police officer, and worked pretty crazy hours," I say, my eyes beginning to glaze over with memories of bellowing laughs and quiet porch-step conversations. I smile again, a little brighter this time. "He gave me the best piece of advice that anyone ever could, or would." I hear the echo of a soft, rumbling voice as I recite the words by heart. "If you want to change the world, change it. If you want to break the world, break it. No matter who you are or where you come from, no one is going to live your life for you"
My voice is soft when I continue, "My dad died in a patrol accident when I was eight. I remember sitting in the waiting room with mom and Natsu, all of us crying. At some point I snuck away for a while, and ended up talking to an older physician in another ward. I asked him why people choose to become doctors, when they always have to deal with pain and suffering and broken families."
Their silence hangs heavy in the warm night air. I see Sugawara-senpai cover his mouth out of the corner of my eye, and hear a whispered "oh my god," from Daichi-senpai's direction.
"When I was little, I'd always laugh and joke around about "changing the world." a lot of people do. After dad died, I realized that it doesn't need to be the whole world. For some people, their family, sons and daughters and mothers and fathers-that is their world. I didn't want to change the world. I wanted to change someone's world.
"Even though its sad, and you can't save everyone-I know that. But, if you can save someone. To be able to give a family their loved one back after something horrible, that's what I want to do." I smile again, brighter now as I think of my ambition. " So I want to go to med school. Specifically, I want to be an ER doctor, or nurse maybe, I don't know exactly yet." I finish with a quiet laugh.
The senpais stare wide-eyed at me, while my yearmates offer their silent support-Kageyama's shoulder nudge, Yamaguchi's gentle smile, and Tsukishima's subtle nod in my direction.
After a few moments, Asahi-senpai turns to my yearmates "Why aren't you guys surprised by this?"
Tsukishima answers first, "We helped him write his life story essay earlier this year. He explained it while we helped him get the grammar right."
Yamaguchi nods along with Kageyama-who I had actually told a few weeks before that happened.
Sugawara-senpai and Tanaka-senpai have proud tears in their eyes. Tanaka-senpai begins to rant about how awesome and "manly" my career choice is, while Sugawara-senpai pulls me in for a hug.
Noya-senpai laughs in the background, "I think Sugamama is having a moment."
That breaks the tension-another thing Noya-senpai is good at-and sends everyone into chuckles as they join the group hug.
"Now," Daichi-senpai reminds us, "I think we still have some meat buns to get before the store closes."
I cheer loudly with Noya-senpai, Tanaka-senpai, and Kageyama. The four of us take off, leaving Daichi-senpai to yell at our dust trails while Yamaguchi laughs.