Hello, everyone! This is the sixth chapter of For My Dream! This story is a REVERSE HAREM, MULTI-PAIRS, MULTI-COUPLE (however you want to say it) story. That means the main character is going to have multiple people who like her. Also, this is going to be mostly action/sports related in the beginning but gradually go into romance. If you DON'T LIKE these types of stories, I suggest you click away now.
Summary: Kou Tatsumi is a 1st year at Tsuneo High school. Her twin brother Kou Hatsumi died, so now she makes it her dream, her duty, to fulfill his dream of becoming the best volleyball player in the world. Tatsumi is a girl but can't possibly beat the strongest players like her brother could because he's a boy. So, she dresses as a boy. Guess life couldn't get any more hard for her, could it? Wrong. Teams from all over Japan center around her and for some reason, some of them are attracted to her! What to do?! "Why is he so cute?!" "Small... wonder if you're small down there, too?" "I didn't notice you before... why is a girl here?" "I'm not gay, so why is my heart beating so fast... for... for that chibi!"
Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyu and I never will.
And without further ado, let's commence with the chapter!
For My Dream!
6
Try
"Depression is like a war. You either win, or you die trying."
Author's POV
*..._September 5th/Friday_...*
Tatsumi finished putting on her boy clothing, which consisted of her bindings, long-sleeved gray shirt and blue basketball shorts that went past her knees. She stuffed the female interviewer's clothing inside of her duffel bag.
She was about to exit the room when she passed a hanging mirror on the wall, causing her to pause and frown. She still had her brown wig, makeup, and brown circle lenses on.
She grabbed the makeup remover wipes from her bag and wiped her face clean of, in her opinion, the devil's disguise. After inspecting her face, she saw it was indeed clean. She washed her hands using a nearby bathroom and removed her circle lenses. She tore the wig off and huffed in dismay at what greeted her. Her hair was ten times spikier than it was earlier. Instead of her usual four pieces of hair slightly standing up, much more were standing up, reaching towards the ceiling.
She sighed and shook her head annoyed. I'm not even going to try and smooth those down, all I have to do is make sure that I'm not spotted by any maids or butlers. Tatsumi thought to herself.
She exited the room with her duffel bag slung over her shoulder and her ears alert for any sounds that might indicate any person's footsteps in her direction. She crept along the hallway and made her way past the first set of steps leading to the second floor.
The first floor consisted of the kitchens, and yes, there is more than one kitchen due to the vastness of the Madoka Mansion, living rooms, dining rooms, indoor pool, patio, exercise room, massage room, games' room and bank room. In the Madoka Mansion, bank rooms existed. They were rooms where the residents of Madoka Mansion could access their banks' accounts anytime and withdraw money from them.
The second floor consisted of the laundry mats, rooms for resident staff, including maids, butlers, and the cooks; it also included storage rooms and a kitchen and dining room for the staff to eat at. The third floor consisted of the Madoka children and chairman's rooms. Other things on that floor included game rooms, another indoor pool, another bank room, and other rooms used as they liked by the Madoka children.
The fourth and final floor consisted of Katsumi's room, and storage rooms as well as the basement. Nothing of importance was on that floor except for Katsumi's room, otherwise known as, Tatsumi's destination.
As Tatsumi cleared the first set of stairs, she wondered whether to go right or left. Although Mrs. Helen, the head maid, had given her a tour, she hadn't actually taken Tatsumi up the three sets of stairs, or elevator, in order to see the entire house. Tatsumi wasn't taking the elevator because that is the most common form of transport for the employees and the residents of the house: the Madoka family.
Tatsumi decided to go right and found a dead end. She walked back to where she started and heard the patter of footsteps against the linoleum flooring on the second floor. She looked around and hid behind two plants that were in two large golden pots to decorate the hallways. She crouched down, and in this moment of time, was thankful that she had such short height.
Seiji passed by her, not even thinking to look in her direction as he was on the phone talking. She caught some of the information being exchanged along the phone line as he bypassed her.
"Yeah... yes, transfer the money to my bank account... NOW, because if you DON'T I'll multiply your debt by twenty thousand dollars with an added rate of FIFTY PERCENT INTEREST." Seiji sneered at his phone. Tatsumi rolled her eyes at the predicted subject of a phone call.
It's unlikely that Seiji has friends, and if he does, they are all just business partners he's forced to hang out with. Tatsumi concluded scanning the halls and listening for any more footsteps. She rose from her hiding spot and swiftly traversed through the halls, taking a left and finding the second set of stairs.
After ambling up the second set of stairs, she easily located the third set of stairs with no interruption. After scaling the last set of stairs, she opened each door quietly, trying to locate Katsumi's room. After entering thirty or so rooms, she finally happened upon the last door in the hallway, hearing sounds coming from it.
The sounds were of girls giggling. Tatsumi's lips curled over her teeth in disgust. I really hope they aren't... playing dress up in there. She schooled her expression and knocked on the door.
The giggling stopped and an annoyed grunt answered, "Yes?"
"It's me," Tatsumi spoke back.
There was a long silent pause that answered her in return. When the door opened, the two giggling girls from earlier stumbled out adjusting their clothing and waving behind themselves at Katsumi who appeared right after they exited the hallway.
Katsumi was surprised to see Tatsumi there and couldn't help but to ask, "How in the living hell did you get in here?"
"I have my ways," Tatsumi shrugged nonchalantly, her emotionless face in place as she surveyed him. "You really should stop having girls over, you might-,"
"Jealous?" he raised an eyebrow in mock amusement.
"-get STDS," Tatsumi finished giving him a deadpan look. Katsumi's amusement faded away as his brow lowered.
"Not one for joking, are you, girly-boy?" Katsumi commented, tilting his head and observing Tatsumi. He leaned against the opening of the door.
Tatsumi shrugged, "Not when the jokes are so ridiculous, I'm wondering where the brain of the speaker has gone."
"Huh... on your period today, girly-boy?" Katsumi belittled and was about to close the door in Tatsumi's face, but, before he could, caught the door. She pushed it back open. Katsumi took a step back in slight surprise.
"What happened a year ago," Tatsumi started. Katsumi visibly tensed as he averted his gaze from Tatsumi's piercing ones. "has something to do with you quitting volleyball... right?"
Katsumi shook his head while she tilted her head slightly at his obviously lying form. "Look me in the eyes and tell me no. Then I'll believe you."
Katsumi, instead of answering, or doing as she said, attempted to slam the door shut in her face. He didn't succeed. Before it could slam shut completely, Tatsumi intercepted the door using her left hand; her non-dominant hand. It hurt when it slammed into her, making red blotches appear on her hand. She hid her pain behind her usual expression of calm and cool; merely raising an eyebrow.
"Why are you running away?"
Katsumi snorted, "Who said anything about running away? This is my house, there's no such thing as running away in your own house, girly-boy," he sneered contemptibly.
"Answer my question, then," Tatsumi prodded pulling the door open using all of her strength.
She stepped into his room and looked in his eyes unabashedly. "You can tell me..."
Katsumi rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Like hell. Who gave you the right to barge into my room anyway? Leave," he pointed out the door.
"Why won't you tell me?" Tatsumi tilted her head in question.
"Are you actually asking that?! I barely know you, that's why." Katsumi uttered.
"But you didn't tell Masaki. Nor Yori, Ken, or Shiro about it, and you knew them longer than me. And plus, you tell therapists about problems like these and they are basically random strangers at first. So, consider me a therapist," Tatsumi said nonchalantly.
"What don't you get, Tatsumi? It's a private matter. None of your business."
"You finally said my name."
"Really, is that all you got from what I just said?" Katsumi glared at Tatsumi.
Tatsumi shrugged and grabbed his wrist forcefully, pulling him out in the process. "Woah!" He yelped, alarmed at the sudden touch on his wrist and the yank that caused him to be catapulted out of the doorway.
Tatsumi started to force him to follow her in the hallway down the stairs to the third floor. He's surprisingly strong for such a little guy, Katsumi thought. Wait, what am I doing? I'm supposed to be struggling here! He reprimanded himself.
"Hey-wait! What are you-! Where-!" Katsumi started to shout, only to be interrupted by Tatsumi's voice.
"We're going somewhere. Somewhere that'll get you to open up."
"What the hell does that mean?" Katsumi asked confused. What place would get me to open up?
Recognition flashed across his face, "Are you taking me to a club?" He genuinely wondered.
Tatsumi paused, faltering slightly.
"Wh-why would I... do you... n-never mind," Tatsumi shook her head and continued to pull Katsumi down the stairs, ignoring his protests and shouts. When they reached the third floor, Tatsumi knew Katsumi's struggles would be problematic, so, she let go of his wrist and swirled around taking him by surprise when she slapped her palm over his mouth and stood on her tiptoes, making eye contact with him.
The air surrounding the two turned colder as Tatsumi continued to make eye contact with Katsumi, her eyes turning colder yet smoldering as each second passed by.
Wow... they really resemble dragon eyes... they're terrifying... but also beautiful. Katsumi thought to himself as he seemed to become hypnotized by the dark, deep blue pulling him into their depths.
Tatsumi tilted her head so she could whisper into his ears, "Hush, because I guarantee you if you don't, I'll make you regret it, the hard way."
That comment, or rather demand, caused Katsumi to snap out of his trance, only to raise an eyebrow, "Are... are you coming on to me?"
She pulled away from his ear and sighed, "No, I am not," She noticed a tinge of pink forming on his cheeks. She started to run, dragging him along like a stubborn puppy.
Feeling his body heat up, and steam coming from his ears, he shook his head to snap himself out of the trance. Why the hell did I say that... I don't like boys like that, and neither... does she/he/it? What exactly is it, anyway? I know a girl when I see one and am near one but this... this thing is giving me... such a weird feeling inside.
So immersed in his own thoughts, he didn't register himself being dragged away from his room only until he heard the screech of a car and shouts from behind him. He looked behind himself and found his maids and butlers yelling after him.
"Young master Katsumi, where are you going, sir?!"
"Young master!"
"Hold on just a mome-!"
"Hey, pretty boy, get in the car before I perform my neck chop!" a high pitched feminine voice exclaimed. He turned his head towards the voice only to see a dark but sparkly dressed girl. Her very light, blonde almost green hair, glinted from the lights shining inside of the limo and her brown eyes shined mischievously.
Being the lecher he is, Katsumi's eyes scanned Hime's body up and down and let's just say he's seen way bigger... well, everything. Tatsumi rudely shoved him inside the car. He turned to glare at Tatsumi but jumped at the abrupt slam of the limo door instead. Tatsumi already seated in the car, Hime tapped the glass window to alert the chauffeur to go.
The limo lurched as it backed up causing some screams as the maids and butlers were behind the vehicle ready to bang on the car doors. When Katsumi looked behind him, he saw there were no casualties. He sighed in relief. Despite not liking his family, save his mother, he liked his servants. Or rather acquaintances as he liked to call them. He didn't want them to die. They were possibly the only real thing in his life that wasn't ruined...
Although, he wasn't sure how long that would last, what with his brothers and all.
Tatsumi turned her head to glance outside at the mansion one last time. She was aware she had left her disguise in the mansion, but couldn't find it in herself to care as much as she should. The most they could do was recognize her outfit and wig and tell the chairman. The chairman could call the news company she used for her own purposes, but get nothing out of them concerning her. She was safe as far as she was concerned.
As she surveyed the mammoth of a mansion, she realized that there was a dark figure standing on the fourth floor, on the balcony, watching the limo leave. She had been struck by such an instinctive protective and offensive feeling that she knew the person standing in that window was, without a doubt, Madoka Saburo.
She turned away from the window and ignored the cold feeling creeping up her back.
She resisted a shiver and instead locked eyes with Katsumi who was now intently staring at the side of her face. She raised an eyebrow and he jerked his head towards Hime, who was talking non-stop about her life and schooling and how she met Tatsumi and what not.
"Can you... I don't know, shut her up? She talks too much," Katsumi muttered.
"That's Hime, get used to it. Also, just take it as punishment for not playing volleyball."
Katsumi snorted. "Princess? Really?"
Tatsumi shrugged her shoulders, "That's her surname, but she likes to be called that rather than Miki."
"So, it's Hime Mi-," Katsumi started to speak but was interrupted by Hime.
"Himegawa Miki at your service. No, I'm not conceited or arrogant. I just think the name Hime is even cuter than Miki is," Hime coyly smiled at Katsumi, winking at the end of her introduction.
"How do you know girly-boy? And where'd you get the limo from?"
"Well-," Hime started but got interrupted from Tatsumi.
"Actually, I'd like to know where, why, and how you got the limo in the first place," Tatsumi narrowed her eyes at Hime.
Hime shrugged innocently, "I hotwired a limo I found in the parking lot behind the mansion and called an Uber to drive it for me," she stuck her tongue out faultlessly at the end of her explanation as if she did nothing wrong.
Katsumi's eyes widened in circumference and Tatsumi gave an annoyed stare whilst facepalming and sighing, "Well, you're-," Katsumi had started to say in response when, once again, Hime interrupted him.
"Wild, charming, beautiful, absolutely amazing?" She wiggled her eyebrows weirdly.
Katsumi sneered and insulted, "Flat chested."
There was a cold, deep silence, then, suddenly screeching like a banshee (or monkey) could be heard as Hime pounced onto Katsumi, grabbing his hair and pulling harshly while her feet were planted on his chest; pulling with her hands and pushing against his chest to strengthen her hair pulling.
"Not this again..," Tatsumi muttered to herself.
Hime would often go into these fits whenever someone pointed out her... less than endowed body parts. She was sensitive about it and if anything could set her off, it'd be this subject of insult about her body. Normally, she's very level headed and looks calmer when angry.
Katsumi yelled at Tatsumi while trying to pry the monkey off of his chest and precious hair follicles, "Help me! Hey! Help me, Tatsumi, my hair's going to get ruined!"
That's all you care about? Tatsumi thought in her head. An idea pummeled her mind as she realized something, "I will only help, if you promise not to complain anymore and hear me out," she said.
"Okay, okay! Just, just get this thing off of me!"
He yelped as Hime bit one of his fingers that managed to land in her mouth in the process of him defending himself. Tatsumi grabbed the collar of Hime's shirt and pulled her away from Katsumi saving him from the monkey's grasp.
"God, I thought my precious hair worth more than her life was going to have an early grave!" Katsumi exclaimed grievously, petting and smoothing his hair back into place. It was if his hair had never been touched as it gleamed in the limo's fluorescent lights.
"...Are you fuc-!" Tatsumi slapped her hands on Hime's pale face cutting her off. Muffled talking could be heard as Tatsumi held Hime back from going bat-shit crazy. Katsumi scooted away from Hime, keeping his eyes on her at all times. Can never be too careful with a psycho monkey, Katsumi thought.
Wait, what the hell am I doing? I should be complaining, asking what the hell is going on and where Tatsumi is taking me. Yeah, that's what I- "You must be wondering where we're going right about now..." Tatsumi started.
She removed her hand from Hime's mouth, that is, once Hime licked it. Hime giggled and punched Tatsumi's arm playfully, receiving a dry look from her.
"Pffft, no..." Katsumi said looking away from the two girls, staring nonchalantly out the window. Tatsumi raised an eyebrow, while Katsumi peeked at her. He quickly looked away once he caught her stare.
"Maybeeee... okay, fine. Where in the living hell are we going?" Katsumi asked, glowering whilst crossing his arms.
"How about you ask nicely you STD laden di-!" Once again, Tatsumi slapped her hand over Hime's mouth.
Tatsumi sighed. This is going to be a looong ride.
*..._Thirty minutes later_...*
"Then guess what he did!" Hime exclaimed happily.
"What did he do?" Tatsumi asked, for the sixteenth time, lethargically.
"He tried to kis-!"
"The limo stopped; let's go." Tatsumi cut her off mid-sentence. Tatsumi stood while Hime pouted. Tatsumi glanced at Katsumi, curious to his reaction. He's certainly visited this places many times if he cherished his mom. He should be... Katsumi's face had gone white as snow and his breathing continued to quicken and heighten, so, now, he was panting heavily. Happy... he's not happy. He's panicking.
Why is that? Bad memories? Grief, perhaps? The thought of her brother struck her mind causing her breath to hitch. Now is not the time. Katsumi is having a panic attack.
Tatsumi grabbed his shoulders and tried to stare into his eyes, but to no avail as he didn't look at her or anywhere. His gaze was somewhere else, not on another object in the limo, but in his mind's eye. He was reliving a memory and it was causing a panic attack.
Katsumi's Flashback
"You will not continue to be like you are," his mother spat, incredulously. "Your father would not allow it. You're not even good enough to be a son of this household."
She panted, pale and sick as she shook her head like a wet dog would to dry itself.
Katsumi was horrified, shocked at her outburst and hurt at the same time. What did he do? Did he deserve this? Was he getting punished for losing the volleyball match? He held his stomach as it churned helplessly, in turmoil. He didn't feel so good; tears filling his eyes, stomach-turning, heart palpitating swiftly.
He analyzed his mom in her bed breathing swiftly and wiping sweat away from her forehead, glancing everywhere as if terrified or immensely confused. She glanced at him, at first with confusion, then warmth, and finally it evolved into disgust.
"You, a weakling, couldn't even succeed at a volleyball high school match? Haha, you're laughable," she coughed, looking pained from the horrible mucus-filled cough.
Katsumi bit his lip as the tears started to spill over like a fountain spouting out water.
Yes, she was right. But he couldn't defeat another team in volleyball. Doing something he loved... if he wasn't superb at doing something he loved, how could he succeed at anything? How could he?
Flashback End
"Why..."
Tatsumi tilted her head slightly in curiosity.
"...the hell did you bring me here?" Katsumi whispered darkly, panting and glaring at Tatsumi, for her 'insolence' and butting in.
"I won't let you..."
"...convince me..."
"Of anything... like the others." Katsumi spat out, wiping at his mouth once saliva started wanting to escape its confines as his body lost control of itself.
Hime was about to voice her opinion when Tatsumi held her hand up in a stopping motion. "I'm not here to coddle you,"
"Or even make you feel better about yourself. I just want one thing,"
"And that's what?!" Katsumi said bitterly, thinking; every fucking human being wants something from me whether its money, fame, status, sex, or a relationship, there's always something! Can't I just... be free
Katsumi's chest constricted, tightening his lungs to his body. The air felt like liquid cement rushing down his throat and trying to helplessly gurgle upwards into the atmosphere. His eyes started to get watery as his breathing and heart rate became faster.
"I want to be your teammate. Your comrade," Tatsumi said quietly staring at the oncoming sunset.
It was 5:14 PM. The time to get him to the gym and in his uniform was running out... Tatsumi thought fleetingly then dismissed the thought. If I can't get him to go of his own free will... I'll find another te-
"What...?" Katsumi whispered, hand clutching at his chest. There was a pain there, a long-festering pain that multiplied as every spike he hit, he thought of his mother's words. To make things worse, volleyball wasn't even enjoyable anymore, not to him.
Anytime he hit a spike, it landed, not in a court, but in a black void. Nothing was there... only his suffering enclosing him tighter and tighter into a dark box with no light in it, with no sound, with no air... with no support. No love. No mother. His mother was gone, is dead. And Katsumi can't fully accept that. He knows in his mind that his mother is gone. He KNOWS.
"But... it's so hard. Hard to be a teammate. Hard... so, so hard. I... I can't even," Katsumi sighs in dejection, in complete grief and utter defeat. His mind and body are so stressed, so attacked. So full of things unimaginable that he doesn't want to think anymore, doesn't want to be anymore.
"What is there to do with nothing?" He asks, looking into Tatsumi's mesmerizing eyes. They are piercing in their stare but Katsumi realizes she isn't looking at him. She looking behind him. He turns to glimpse and sees a hill and a path. The path leads uphill to a gravestone overlooking the edge, kind of like the edge of the abyss he is fighting to stay upright on.
She points to his mother's gravestone and says, "I wouldn't call that nothing." Katsumi's mouth dries up as he sucks in a desperate breath. He catches her gaze.
"It is nothing... IT IS. My mother doesn't move, doesn't talk, doesn't encourage me, doesn't watch my volleyball matches... she's nothing... and she became that way long even before she died." Katsumi's facial expression turned bitter as if he bit into a lemon or lime. He thumped his chest a few times and looked around with a condescending, fake smile.
"This... I am nothing."
"Last time I checked I'm pretty sure your heart is beating, plus, you're alive soooo..." Tatsumi pointed out while Hime choked back a laugh and Katsumi glared.
"Now's not the-,"
"What did your mother say?" Tatsumi whispered, her voice softer and much more sincere than earlier. Suprised by the tenderness and maybe a tiny bit glad, he looked away and started to walk towards his mother's grave.
Once arrived, his hand reached out to caress the smooth stone pausing at the engraved letters of his mother's name: Mikayla Madoka.
"Might as well tell you since I have nothing better to do... or rather since I shouldn't care about this nothing right here..." Katsumi's grip tightened on the stone as he told his earlier flashback to Tatsumi waiting for an 'I'm sorry that happened' or 'why did she say that?'
Tatsumi, instead, grasped his fingers and pulled them away from the gravestone. "Stop. You might hurt your fingers. They are important to a wing spiker. To any volleyball player."
"What do you care?" He sneered yanking his hand away from her warm, tiny ones. Although they were minuscule, he could feel the rough callouses on her palms and fingers showing her hard work at volleyball. He wondered how many times Tatsumi spiked, tossed, or received the ball.
"I care because I'm your... your..." Tatsumi sighed and looked away, looking slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed to be saying this, "Friend. I'm your friend, your teammate, your comrade. I want to be here for you so... so we can... play volleyball together, on the same team. Isn't that right, MVP?"
Katsumi's eye widened, his face twisting in confusion, "How...?" he murmured.
"Masaki is how."
"I thought Shiro had his phone?" Katsumi asked.
"Masaki is his own person and is, surprisingly, pretty crafty too. He found his way out of Shiro's clasp, and found me, giving me critical info. Speaking of, you must know about the deal, too, then." Tatsumi said, crossing her arms over her chest in a slight interrogating manner.
Katsumi's face became sour in an instant. "Of course, I know. That's the only reason you're doing this; saying that," he spat.
"You only want to be able to play volleyball, again, don't you?" Katsumi glared in her direction. His heart aching with pain, abandonment, loneliness. No one is ever there for him, genuinely. They all want something from him. All of them.
"Yeah, you're right," Tatsumi admitted. Katsumi flinched back, surprised by her honesty and a little hurt at her bluntness.
"I want to play volleyball... I want to play volleyball with you, Masaki, Ken, Yori, and Shiro. They are all I need. They are all I want. They're people and players special to me. I'm not here to force you to play... but... believe me when I say... I won't play with anyone other than you. When spiking the ball over the net... you're beautiful. I've never seen anything more magnificent than that spike... and I've seen a lot of spikes. Yours... your volleyball captures the innocence... the love... and..." Tatsumi's face scrunched up and her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the sunset.
"It reminds me of someone I know... and he would never quit volleyball... and I know you... won't either," Tatsumi said as she looked over at Katsumi clutching his chest, gazing upon Tatsumi with tears glistening in his eyes.
"I love volleyball... I love it so much..." Katsumi gasped out, tears falling as he struggled to wipe them, sniffling in the process.
"But it's so hard,"
"That's why we try, and try, and try... until we finally reach our goal. Come on," she urged, holding out her hand, "let's go, we have a team waiting for us."
I think so far this is my shortest chapter and sorry for the huge delay but writer's block and stuff happening in my life but as you know by now my excuses are bullshit. So, anyway, thanks to all my followers, favoriters, and reviewers and anyone who's even still reading this. I've lost probably everyone but yeah.
Shiori Miyaku: Thank you for enjoying the fanfiction! Enjoy some more! And to you're longer review: Thank you! I try to make it as interesting as possible instead of kicking out one of the beautiful characters of Haikyu! I could never do that to them. I was really nervous about this plot of mine thinking no one would be interested in original stuff and kind of off topic storyline with a new team, but I'm glad you like it! Honestly, I have so much anxiety about my characters that I can't even comprehend posting another chapter because I'm afraid things don't add up or questions like "How the frick does Tatsumi console all of the characters if she herself is scarred from her brother's death?" Like I don't freaking know, it's called I'm the author and what I type goes, lol. I also think I'm a pretty average writer that can't put what's in my head properly or how I want to when writing like I hate it but I try so thanks that means a lot. Well, here it is, and I'm so sorry for taking so long! Please forgive me!
InsanityPushedMeOffTheEdge: And you're signed the fuck up, thank you very much! XD
I welcome constructive criticism! Like plot holes or mistakes!
Masaki's favorite food is
Spaghetti
His least favorite food is
Asparagus
Review, follow, and favorite!
