Where words fail, music speaks.
— Hans Christian Andersen
As Oikawa groaned for the nth time that day, Iwaizumi could barely suppress his own groan.
Taking a few moments to calm himself, he focused on the book in front of him rather than Oikawa's sighs.
Oikawa groaned again.
Iwaizumi slammed his book shut and glared at Oikawa. The pair were currently spending their lunch hour in the library, though Oikawa was only there because Iwaizumi was. The latter had come here to quietly read and analyse an English novel for his book report.
"What," Iwaizumi deadpanned at him, "do you want? Don't tell me you're bored already. You didn't even have to come here."
Oikawa shook his head and let out yet another groan. "S'not that," he said, burying his face into his uniform sleeves. "You'll never believe what Mako-chan wants me to do to repay her."
"Is this the part where I say 'what is it'?"
"She wants me to sing!" he exclaimed, earning a few dirty looks from some other students.
Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. Well, he certainly hadn't been expecting that. "So what? Just do it."
"Iwa-chan." Oikawa stared him right in the eye. "She implied that it would be in front of a crowd. A CROWD!"
"Shh!" hushed the librarian, peeping around the corner of a bookshelf.
"Idiot," Iwaizumi scolded, tossing Oikawa a glare. "Keep your voice down or we'll get kicked out."
"Iwa-chaaaan," Oikawa whined, albeit more quietly. "You've got to help me!"
"How? Look, I get that it's nerve wracking to be singing in front of a crowd but that's your problem. How am I supposed to help you get over your fear?"
"This is all your fault," Oikawa suddenly accused, narrowing his eyes at him. "If it wasn't for you, Mako-chan wouldn't have ever asked me to sing!"
"What?!" Iwaizumi struggled to maintain his indoor voice. "Just how is it my fault that you're an idiot and spiked a ball in her face?"
Huffing, Oikawa fished his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it before showing Iwaizumi the damning video.
In the recording, Oikawa could be heard singing his heart and lungs out in a nearby shower to some random song he had heard playing on the Japanese radio one day.
"Ah." Iwaizumi grinned. "I'd forgotten about that..."
"Nothing to say now, do you? Admit it, Iwa-chan, this is at least partly your fault."
"Yeah, yeah. Look, I didn't factor in her using it against you, so I'm sorry for that. But knowing Naoko-chan, she probably has a good reason for doing it." He thrummed his fingers on his book contemplatively. "Do you think you could refuse...? Obviously, you don't want to do it."
"Can't." Oikawa sighed miserably. "I already told her I would. And I'm not the only one involved. Apparently, Park Leiko is going to be working with me."
"Why did you tell her that you would?" Iwaizumi asked. "And Park Leiko?"
"I was sleep deprived!" Oikawa said defensively. "And, yeah, Park is going to be rapping while I sing apparently."
"Then what's Naoko doing?"
"Providing the music for us to sing along to. She returned her violin to the rental shop and she doesn't think that it would work for a violin to be in the background music anyway." Suddenly, Oikawa sat up in his seat, eyes wide. "Shit. Shitshitshitshit—"
"That's a lot of shits," Iwaizumi remarked. "What now...?"
Hastily, Oikawa got out of his seat and nearly tripped over his own feet. "I'm supposed to be meeting Mako-chan and Park on the roof!"
"Well, hurry up then! Lunch started not long ago so there's still time. Finally, I can read in peace..."
Even someone as thick-skinned as Naoko could feel the electricity in the air intensify as she and Leiko sat in deafening silence.
Neither of them saw any use in starting a conversation with the other so they contented themselves with the quietness.
Now would be a good time to discuss the song I have picked out for them, Naoko told herself. She had purposely picked a song that they would both definitely know the lyrics to. She knew that Oikawa knew, since it was the very same song that he had been singing in the shower. And she was willing to bet that Leiko knew the rap parts of the song as well.
"Got something to say?" Leiko drawled, breaking the silence. Her voice didn't exude the arrogance that it normally did. "You've got this far away look in your eyes..."
Naoko wasted no time beating around the bush. "You've heard of Beautiful Day, right? It's one of the biggest hits on radio this year."
Leiko nodded slowly, wondering what she was getting at. "Yeah. It was originally Korean but was translated into Japanese not long ago."
"Good. That's the song I chose for you to perform. You're going to be rapping while Oikawa does the main vocals."
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second. Did you say Oikawa? What the hell does—"
"Yoohoo, Mako-chan! Sorry I'm late, I lost track of time!"
"Speak of the devil," Leiko muttered.
Oikawa closed the door to the rooftop behind him, his roguish grin carrying a slightly sheepish quality to it.
He stopped in front of Naoko before squeezing comfortably between her and Leiko.
"Excuse me," Leiko said icily. "But I value personal space."
"Oikawa," Naoko said warningly. "If there's one thing I want to avoid, it's us fighting. So please move."
Oikawa stared at her disbelievingly. "You can't be serious."
"Deadly."
He gave a melodramatic sigh. "But it's so comfortable... I don't know if I want to move."
Her hand dug into his side and even Leiko couldn't reign in an amused snort.
"Mako-chan," he whined, rubbing the sore spot. "I swear, in some way you're even worse than Iwa-chan..." Finally moving away to a more appropriate place, he straightened. "So why did you call us up here?" He gave Leiko a short glance before turning back to Naoko.
"Lunchtime is perfect for you to practice together and... get in sync with each other a bit more. You're going to be performing around town this afternoon so you should prepare as much as you can."
"I never agreed to this," Leiko said flatly.
"Tough luck," Naoko said, crossing her arms. "We're only doing this so you can have enough money to fund for your sister's dog shelter. This is for you so drop the attitude."
The girls glared frostily at one another and Oikawa placed a hand on Naoko'a shoulder.
"Hypocrite," he said to her, no real malice in his voice. "What happened to avoiding fighting?"
"Sorry," Naoko said, a tick mark appearing on her cheek as she suppressed her anger.
Oikawa sighed and shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you, Mako-chan?"
"Can we start already?" Leiko said loudly.
Despite herself, Naoko felt a sense of appreciation toward the mousy-haired girl. This was Leiko's way of telling them that she was at least a little enthusiastic about this idea.
"Do you have the music with you?" Oikawa asked Naoko.
"No, but you can do it without the music, right?"
"No," Oikawa and Leiko said in unison, casting each other looks.
"... I'll borrow a guitar from the music room."
Mako-chan plays guitar too? Oikawa thought with surprise. Would this girl ever cease at being so good with instruments? Next, she'd be telling him that she played the harp, the oboe and the goddamn bassoon as well.
Naoko was back in five minutes with an acoustic guitar that the president of the music club had warned her not to break.
"How did you get them to give it to you?" Leiko queried, knowing that the music club were fiercely against people outside of their club using their instruments.
"They... have a certain respect for me now..." Naoko turned away and Oikawa immediately caught the meaning behind her words. Because I won the Standoff, garnered local fame, and the only thing you achieved was having a tantrum on the stage.
"Right." Judging from the bitterness in her voice, Leiko had clued in as well.
"I listened very carefully to the song last night," Naoko went on smoothly. "I'm sure I'll be able to replicate the music for now. Just don't expect it to be perfect."
Oikawa didn't realize how true her disclaimer rang until she started to play. It was obvious that she wasn't at all used to the instrument and she failed many times over before getting the tune somewhat right.
Even then, the playing couldn't even be called mediocre.
"You suck," Oikawa said matter-of-factly, seeing no reason to pull any punches. On the bright side, she wasn't a genius, which automatically made her more likeable in Oikawa's eyes. Or maybe it was just his prejudice against prodigies speaking.
"I concur," Leiko snickered.
"Just deal with it," Naoko said listlessly. "It's only temporary. I'll stop by at my house to grab the CD recording and the sound system."
"Sound system?!" Oikawa gaped. "Are you rich or something?" Strange. Mako-chan always gave me the impression that her family isn't exactly well off.
"No. My parents were with the music industry when they were still alive," Naoko explained easily. "They had some portable speakers sitting in the storeroom that were unused. There are microphones as well."
Leiko hummed quietly. "Parents suck."
Oikawa frowned. Now that was definitely out of line. Why would you even say that to someone whose parents had died?! He opened his mouth to object but Naoko answered first.
"Yeah," she said simply. She lowered her gaze. "They can suck." Clearing her throat, she said, "Let's not waste anymore time."
As they practiced, Oikawa's sharp eyes did not miss the way that the girls now interacted with one another. They were still rather aloof, yes, but... there seemed to be some sort of understanding reached between them
In the beginning, there were stumbled verses and missed cues. Leiko and Oikawa snapped at each other at least three times, leaving an equally temperamental Naoko to calm them down.
Eventually, their voices reached a point of rapport, perfectly harmonizing.
Naoko's fingers were inexperienced when it came to the guitar but she was learning quickly.
In the cold afternoon, their voices were a bold contrast.
"I'll be back. In your wide gaping mouth I'll be back."
"Erase the past pains, yeah..."
For three people who seemed like they couldn't stand each other (well, two of them couldn't stand one of them and that one person couldn't really stand the others), they performed relatively efficiently and cooperatively.
"Parents suck," Tadashi said to Naoko one day as they licked icy pops under the sun.
"H-huh?" Naoko blinked at him curiously, trying to ignore the ugly bruises on his arms. She knew that her big brother was quite frequently involved in playground fights, though she didn't know what for.
Her brother was a wild, unbroken spirit, despite being only eight years old. Naoko had turned five not too long ago and was most definitely in awe of her big brother, who was almost as tall as her mother.
"Why would you say that, Tadashi-nii?" Naoko squeaked, her icy pop dripping all over He front of her shirt.
"Because they're adults," Tadashi said huffily, throwing the stick of his finished icy pop on the ground. "Naachan, all an adult is good for is covering up their own ass."
Naoko's ears heated up. "Nii-san, you said a naughty word!"
He grinned at her, a spark of mischief in his eyes. "So? Nobody's around."
"I guess... So what did you do at school today?"
"Ehh... this kid tried to pick a fight with me... Iwaizumi or something..."
The name went through one ear and out the other for Naoko. "Oh. Why? He sounds mean."
"Umm... I don't know why." He scowled at the horizon. "It's none of your business, Naachan."
"Oh, okay. Mommy didn't hit you again, did she?"
"No, not today."
"That's good. I don't like it when she hurts you."
Tadashi gave her an uncomfortable stare before saying, "Can I hug you?"
"Sure!" Naoko beamed up at him. She always loved it when her older brother showered her with kisses and hugs. It was the best feeling in the whole wide world.
Tadashi's long, lanky arms wrapped around his sister's chubby child's body, clutching the sleeves of her shirt and bringing her close to him. It was summer and about thirty degrees but neither cared.
"Naachan, you won't hate me, will you?" Tadashi asked, his voice muffled by the fabric of her shirt. "Even though kaa-san does."
"H-huh? No. Why would I?" She drew back and looked up at him in confusion. "I'll never hate you! That's so stupid."
"Good." Tadashi gave a sigh of relief. "It just... makes me happy to hear that there's someone out there who won't leave me."
"What about your friends at school?"
He shifted, unable to meet her gaze. "I like you better."
"Oh! Yay!"
"Please don't leave me, Naachan," he pleaded suddenly.
Naoko stopped whooping in joy. "Okay. Sumire-chan won't leave you either."
"Silly," he scoffed. "She's only a little baby. What can she do?"
"Oh, oops. But she'll grow older, right? Everyone does."
"Uh huh. Oh, by the way, you'll be starting school soon. Avoid this kid called Oikawa, okay? And another kid called Iwaizumi."
"Why?"
"Because we're... not on good terms," Tadashi explained, his voice strained.
"I probably won't remember them..."
"Whatever. It's probably better if you don't. Just stick with the kids your own age. And don't talk to me at school either. I want you to make your own friends."
So Naoko nodded and let the names fade into the depths of her child's mind.
LINE: OIKAWA'S FANS
[Matsukawa]: god I hate the new group name
[Matsukawa]: makes me feel oddly feminine like wtf
[Iwaizumi]: Oikawa won't be coming to practice today, just thought I'd let you all know
[Hanamaki]: he sick or something?
[Iwaizumi]: he just has something to do
[Iwaizumi]: practice will go on like normal
[Matsukawa]: kk captain
[Hanamaki]: mkaayy
[Yahaba]: did anyone here the singing from the rooftop this afternoon? It sounded like Oikawa
[Iwaizumi]: yeah, it was Oikawa actually
[Iwaizumi]: it's a long story
[Kindaichi]: how is everyone pinging texts aren't you all in class right now
[Hanamaki]: Kindaichi said as he bothered to open up LINE and went through the trouble of texting under the table.
[Kindaichi]: ...
[Kindaichi]: makki
[Matsukawa]: no he is not a mind reader
[Matsukawa]: or outside your window
[Kindaichi] ... k
The sound system was not as impressive as Oikawa first anticipated. He watched as Naoko hauled a red wagon filled with the sound equipment, trailing behind him and Leiko a little. He had offered to help but she had refused.
Currently, he, Leiko and Naoko were making their way down to the docks, a place where tourists and locals alike occupied, with the former buying a shit ton of souvenirs from the dockside markets run by little old ladies and potbellied men.
"Alright, this is a good spot," Naoko declared, stopping. She wore her hair up in a pony tail, her bangs messily framing her face. She had chosen to forego a jacket and was instead dressed in a tee and shorts, which she had picked up at her house along with the sound system.
"You sure?" Leiko peered over the railing, where black waters sucked the sand from the shore.
"Positive," Naoko affirmed. "It's a place where we can appeal to a multitude of people."
As Naoko began the sound system, Oikawa and Leiko, begrudgingly, began to do some of their own practice, quietly singing and rapping Beautiful Day to themselves.
"Well, I'll be! You hear that, mate? They've got a pretty pair of pipes, I tell ya." An overweight man with sandy blonde hair was gesturing to Leiko and Oikawa, his moustache twitching as he spoke in English to his friend.
"Oya?" Oikawa docked an eyebrow at the foreign men. "Tourists? Say, Park-chan, why don't we sing a little louder?"
"No," the girl denied immediately, wringing her hands. "Let's wait for Naoko to set things up first."
Realization struck Oikawa and he smirked at her. "You're nervous."
Wordlessly, Leiko turned her back to him.
"You are!" Oikawa said, almost gleefully. "Cat got your tongue, Park-chan?"
"No," she said heatedly. "In fact, I just want to get this over and done with."
"Uh huh..." He gave her a sly grin. "Don't be scared, Park-chan. Just think of something even more terrifying than this and you'll get over it."
She shot him a sour look. "I don't want to think of something worse."
Oikawa shook his head. "So stubborn. You and Mako-chan are more alike than you think you are. Honestly, why do I even bother?"
"Yeah, sure... I'm curious though. How exactly did she rope you into this."
His face fell and Leiko knew that she had struck gold. She sneered at him and he glared back, visibly annoyed.
"I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart," he told her.
"No, seriously, how?"
"I just told you."
"You're a goddamn liar."
"And you're an annoying bitch, has anyone ever told you that?" Oikawa snapped irritably. It was never good to be rude to a girl but by god, she could be annoying as hell. And she hardly seemed to be trying.
"A few times," she said coolly, unruffled.
"Then it probably means something."
"Guys," Naoko interrupted, having finished setting up everything. "It's time. Look, we've already gathered a crowd."
Indeed they had. A sizeable amount of people were glancing curiously in their direction or milling about the area, surely waiting for a show to begin.
"Hey," one girl said, her large earrings jingling. "Isn't that Makoshima Naoko? The winner of the Sendai Standoff?"
"Oh my gosh, you're right," her friend gushed, clutching her shopping bag to her side. "She looked a lot taller in the monthly music magazines though... I wouldn't have recognized her if you hadn't said anything."
"Who are the other two?" a man was saying. "The other girl looks pretty plain... but the guy is good looking."
"Good looking or plain, what does it matter?" A mother shook her head. "I'm here for a performance."
Ignoring all the commentary (though Oikawa basked at the "good looking" remark), the trio positioned themselves appropriately, Oikawa and Leiko each having their own microphones.
Naoko gave them a nod before moving to the side to guard the open money box.
The music started.
And as Leiko begun her rap, Naoko smiled, her hair whipping about from the autumn breeze.
"This is so dumb," Kageyama said flatly as Sumire held the egg in a cloth, humming as she hustled around the kitchen at the Kageyama residence.
"Hey," she said as she put down the egg for a moment before picking it back up again. "Too bad but part of the assignment is to cook something nutritious for your child, which I am doing for you. All you're doing is recording yourself put the food on the plate and 'feed' the child."
"I don't care, this is still stupid."
She gave him a look of fond exasperation. "Tobio-kun..." She sighed. "Just think about your grade that's at stake here."
Honestly, Kageyama was more concerned about Honda's reaction to this than anything else. What if he screwed up with her perfect grades somehow?
"Just add a bit of egg..." She paused. "Wait, would that be cannabalism?"
As she pondered, Kageyama noticed a pan that was piled on top of some woks slip down from the top of the fridge, where his mother kept her cookware.
Wihout warning, it completely detached from the other pans and woks. Sumire, completely oblivious to what was happening, only hummed as she flipped the foodstuff in the pan she was currently using.
"MOVE, DUMBASS!" Kageyama shouted, reaching for her.
"Huh?!"
Before he even knew what he was doing, he had leaped across the distance between them and shoved her against the kitchen counter. The pan cluttered on to the floor harmlessly just as the egg flew out of Sumire's hand.
They could only watch helplessly as the egg soared through the air...
And splattered onto the cold, hard tiles.
All was silent—
"GWAAHHH!"
"DUMBASS! SUMIRE DUMBASS!"
A/N: Do my eyes deceive me or have we hit 100k?
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys seriously make my day. BTW, the story is now cross-posted on Wattpad under the pen name StrawberryTheCat (look at my profile).
And oops, the egg is broken. Come on, did you really expect them not to break the egg? The egg's been doomed since it came into the possession of Kageyama.
The song Oikawa and Leiko are doing is Beautiful Day by Hyung Seok and Deok Hwa from the webcomics Lookism (which I rate 11/10, you should read it). The song is in Korean but let's just pretend it's been translated into Japanese.
To answer guest starfish's question, yes, Kagoshima ramen is a thing.