Author's Note: Hello, hello! I didn't plan on updating again, but I figured why not :) especially since I received a couple of comments. Many thanks to jungkookies and enchanted-nova for your kind comments, I hope to hear from you both again. Reviews/comments/favorites inspire me to post sooner than planned. Anyways, this chapter is heavily focused on Shiori. The upcoming chapters will include more Nekoma Volleyball Team members. Until next time everyone, thanks for reading!


T W O


"I believe that all of our lives we're looking for home and if we're really lucky, we find it in someone's loving arms. I think that's what life is—coming home."

-Anita Krizzan


-Hiraoka Shiori-

When Shiori thought about it or said it out loud, two years didn't seem like a long time. In reality, though it was a lifetime. Coming back to Japan was supposed to be easy. Well, for the most part, it had been—until she saw Kuro Tetsuro again. Deep down, she was so excited to see him. He'd grown so tall, but his bed-head rooster hair-do was still the same as it had been when they were young. Shiori stifled a laugh. They were still young; who was she kidding? Just because she was gone for two years didn't mean they'd magically become older and wiser.

Boxes containing her belongings from New York were piled up at the foot of her bed and on her small desk tucked into the corner below the window. She'd arrived back in Tokyo three days ago, her father met her at the airport. He had looked nervous when she came down the stairs with her suitcase and backpack. The last time they had seen each other was the day she walked out of the house without a word. Back then, her father was in an ugly downward spiral and Shiori couldn't watch him destroy his life. Her leaving him seemed to wake him up, though. Of course, things still felt a bit weird, but not as weird as when she'd run into Tetsuro earlier. At least Kenma was the same. That was relieving.

The home she'd grown up in was different too, or well, her dad moved out of it. When they'd arrived, she'd asked what made him decide to move. He explained he wanted a new fresh start. The new house was nice. She didn't mind it in the least. The walls were an off-white color almost a soft wispy blue in the natural light of the late afternoon sun. Her dad would be home soon, which meant she needed to get working on dinner. At first, she planned on finishing unpacking the last three boxes, but when she'd gotten home after seeing Tetsuro all she did was lay on her bed and stare up at the ceiling.

Shiori tapped her cheeks and got up from the bed. Kenma and Tetsuro both attended Nekoma High School, which was where she would be going. It was bad enough the new school year had started two weeks ago, so she'd really stick out amongst the crowd for being a late starter. Then again, Tetsuro was older than her, so they wouldn't share any classes. If she were lucky she'd be in Kenma's class. She had intended on asking him at the Gamer House, but Tetsuro showed up before she had the opportunity.

The house was rather empty. Her father had claimed he wanted to pick some furniture out with her as it would be their home and not just his. It was just his way of trying to spend time with Shiori, after all during her absence from Japan she hadn't spoken to him until a few months ago. Deciding to come back wasn't an easy decision, but her mom was always away on so many business trips that Shiori was always alone. Reluctantly, she agreed to come back, knowing her dad had really tried to change and had been doing well for the past year.

Shiori dug through the cupboards looking for some bowls and a cutting board. She laid the materials out on the counter and took out some vegetables from the refrigerator. As she started cutting up the onions and bell peppers for the stir fry, her mind wandered back to the day her dad fell apart.


-Interlude-

"Dad," a fourteen-year-old Shiori said as she walked into the house. She kicked off her shoes and pushed them aside. Glass shattered. Shiori raced down the narrow hallway to the back of the house where the kitchen and dining area were. Her eyes widened, seeing her dad on his knees, blood staining the sleeve of his shirt and several picture frames scattered on the floor.

"She just left us." Her father's hair hung in his eyes.

"Dad?" Shiori trembled.

Three empty bottles of liquor lay in the mix of broken frames and the sea of glass. Before she left for school, her dad had seemed perfectly fine. It was the first anniversary of her mom leaving them. Every day, her dad hadn't looked broken—he would smile and promised her he was okay. Not once did she witness him cry over her mom. Sure he had been a bit distance sometimes and a little cold, but nothing like this.

"I hate her," he seethed and then looked up at Shiori.

"Don't say that, Dad." She shook her head, remaining in the threshold. She wanted to go hug him and clean his wound, but if she wasn't careful she could hurt herself or get him hurt even further. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay."

His eyes were bloodshot and his skin ghostly pale. He clenched his fist and glared at Shiori, who stared back at him in worry and fear. Not once had she seen him look so furious and hateful. He scoffed and shook his head. "You look just like the bitch."

Shiori gasped, placing a hand on her chest. At that moment, she realized he was grieving and drunk at the same time. But that didn't make it any easier to hear. What was she supposed to do? Her hand drifted toward the side pouch of her bag. She would call Tetsuro, he would be able to help her.

"The fuck are you doing?" her dad snapped, staggering to his feet.

Shiori froze, not wanting to trigger him.

"You gonna leave too? Huh! Is that it? Why do you have your bag?" He pointed, his words slurred and jumbled.

Tears pricked at her eyes. "Daddy."

He stepped forward and fell into the glass, cursing with undeniable fury and rage. "This is what you wanted! Just admit it!"

"Dad. Please, stop!" The tears spilled down her face as her dad climbed to his feet.

Blood dripped on the ground. He walked barefoot over the glass and photographs. The cracking and crunching sounded like thunder to her. In his hand, he held several shards and threw them at her.

Shiori screamed as the glass struck her body but thankfully there was no damage. Streaks of blood stained her school uniform. "Don't, Dad!"

"You wanna leave! Then leave! I don't need you." He stumbled forward.

Shiori scrambled back, bumping into the wall behind her. She darted for the front door, her dad yelling and screaming as she left. When she got outside, she pulled the door close and fell against it, sliding down to the floor. Tears burned her cheeks as they rolled down, dripping from her chin and onto her skirt. Staying with him was out of the question, he was too volatile. Taking a deep breath, Shiori reached for her phone to call the police. Her dad would bleed to death if she didn't get help soon.

#

Shiori sat in the waiting room of the hospital. The doctors had told her that her dad would be okay, they were going to stitch him up and get him sober before releasing him. Police had taken her statement, and for some reason, she lied to them. Instead of telling them he threw glass at her and yelled at her, she claimed to have found him drunk and bleeding. Why? She wasn't sure, but either way, she hoped someone would be able to get him help.

Her eyes gazed at the linoleum white floor. The waiting area smelled like stale coffee and antiseptic. A nurse walked over to her, holding a paper cup of water. She took a seat beside Shiori, gently shaking the cup for Shiori to take. When she did, she muttered a 'thanks' and took a small sip.

"Do you have someone to call and keep you company?" the nurse asked in a gentle and soothing voice. A voice a mother would use to comfort a distraught child.

"Um, yes." Shiori croaked.

"Do you need a phone?"

"No." Shiori shook her head and placed the cup on the small coffee table in front of her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. The nurse smiled, placing a hand on Shiori's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze before walking away. There was no point in calling her mom. In fact, Shiori only had two people to call—Tetsuro and Kenma. Her grandparents had passed away a few years ago, she didn't know her uncle or aunt…

Her fingers blanched as she gripped her phone tightly. How would she even explain the situation to her friends? Maybe that didn't really matter. Their presence alone would be enough to calm her down. She decided to call Tetsuro first, knowing he was probably hanging out at Kenma's house anyway.

The phone rang twice, but on the third ring, Tetsuro answered, "What's up, Shio-chan?"

Hearing his voice made her smile, but the sting of the tears came back. "Tetsu-kun…"

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" He must have heard the waver in her voice. Anytime she called him, she was always so bubbly.

"C-can…you come get me?" Shiori tried her best to not let her voice crack, but it was futile.

"Where are you?"

She could hear him yelling for Kenma and running down the stairs. He must have been in Kenma's room—playing video games or flipping through a sports magazine. Shiori sniffled. "Tokyo Medical."

"What?" Tetsuro asked, worry evident in his voice. "Why are you there?"

"I'll explain later. Please, just come."

"Okay, we're coming. Hang on."

"Thank you."


-Hiraoka Shiori-

Shiori finished setting the table when the front door opened and her dad announced he was home. She turned around when she heard his approaching footsteps and the clatter of his keys dropping into the glass bowl in the hallway beside the stairwell. Her dad had been in recovery for a year an a half, and had done well for himself since getting his life together. And she reminded herself everyone handled grief differently.

"Smells delicious, Shiori-chan," her dad said as he walked into the kitchen. "How was your day?"

"It was okay. I reacquainted myself with the area." She remained near the small four-seater table, the food and drinks already laid out. "How was yours?"

"Good, but I must admit, it's really nice to come home to a home-cooked meal." He smiled at her, rubbing the back of his neck. Things were still awkward between them, but they were trying. "Shall we?"

"Yes, please." Shiori gestured to the table, taking a seat on the right while he took the one on the left. "Let's eat."

They ate quietly and avoided eye contact. When Shiori agreed to come back, she knew it would be difficult, but not like this. Even though they were in a new house, and they agreed to a fresh start and apologies and forgiveness had been given…Shiori still felt the shadows looming over her. What she went through after her dad broke down was the hardest two months of her life. Regardless of turning over a new leaf, her wounds still hadn't healed.

Her dad put his chopsticks down. "So are you excited to go back to school? Those two boys you were friends with before both attend Nekoma High School. I see them from time to time in their sports gear."

"A little, but I'm more nervous than anything." Shiori took a small bite of food.

"Don't be nervous. I'm sure everything will be fine, and I bet those boys will be happy that you're back. I certainly am."

Shiori lifted her gaze to meet her dad's. They had the same eyes. Everything about her looked like her mom, but she had inherited her dad's big green eyes. And while looking into them, she couldn't bring herself to mention running into Tetsuro and Kenma. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."