TWO YEARS LATER
HINATA
I smile walking over to Yachi. She has been growing out her hair and recently just got it cut into layers. I must admit she looks pretty cute. She waves at me as I get closer. She is wearing some short jean shorts with a fitted tee shirt. It has a ramen bowl on it reminding me of how hungry I am.
"Shoyo!" she exclaims before hugging me tightly. I laugh as I hug her back.
"Hey, how are you?" I ask. Yachi pulls back out of the hug.
"Good and hungry," she replies. "Let's grab a table!" Yachi and I walk into the restaurant. She orders stir fry while I order a beef bowl with some rice and veggies. We grab a table outside since the weather is not too cold nor too hot. "I'm so glad I got to see you today. We barely get to meet up anymore. I miss our lunch meetings."
"I know," I reply. "It is so weird to actually be working now." I got my 2 year degree in business management 6 months ago. It was hard but not as hard as it could have been. I got to focus on my classes and not have to worry about working. Working and going to school would have been a serious struggle for me.
"Looks like it is going well for you," says Yachi before sipping some of her water. "You have been super busy."
"It most certainly is," I reply. "Most of the employees at the center seem very happy with the changes that are being made."
"I'm surprised," says Yachi. "Boy did Kageyama really turn things around. I swear his agent is an evil genius." I nod in agreement. Tsukishima provided blood work pulled on Kageyama for each game day proving he didn't play while on steroids. They do have to be tested before the Olympic games every time. It's always the weak before. He had only used the doses a few times months prior to the last Olympic games. They wouldn't let him keep the gold metal from that year but his previous ones they allowed him to have. Tsukishima had Kageyama during interviews speak on pressures of being an Olympic player and taking the steroid. It was received well by the public as a lot of people began to understand why Kageyama did what he did. Of course there are those who weren't as forgiving but enough did. "I'm surprised you aren't having lunch with him today."
"He had a staff meeting," I reply. "We are adding on to the building to have a side for children."
"Children!" exclaims Yachi. "Oh my god that is huge!"
"It is," I reply before smiling. "I kind of wish I had someone to talk…..you know when I was homeless. We are looking into offering counseling for free two Fridays out of the month. It took much convincing for the staff. Some them were worried they weren't going to get paid."
"Seriously," drones Yachi. "This is for the for the greater good. Why does everything always have to be about money." She rolls her eyes in agitation.
"Exactly!" I reply. "Let's just those counselors are no longer with us."
"Well then…." says Yachi. Kageyama and I were going to pay the counselors for the days they are doing the free sessions. We didn't tell the staff we were going to pay them before there was some outrage. They never let Kageyama finish talking. The ones speaking up saying they wouldn't do this without a pay increase….it showed us that money was more important to them over the bigger picture. It's not going to work out in the long run with them working for us. We have so many more plans for the center. We don't have time for negative energy.
"How are you doing though?" I ask. "I didn't come all this way to talk about work."
"Things are great," explains Yachi. "Still enjoying the single life." Yachi dated Noya for a couple of months. Their personalities clashed a bit so they decided to be friends. At least they gave it a shot.
"Gah, I can't remember what it is like to be single anymore," I reply.
"You're not missing anything," says Yachi waving her hand. Yachi begins to eat some of her food. Her facial expression darkens. "Um did you want to head back to the office?"
"What?" I question. "We just got here." What is going on? Why the shift.
"Ushijima," she says standing up. I feel my heart stop beating. I haven't seen Ushijima since that night. He has tried reaching out to me, but I always refused to speak to him. I have nothing to say to him. He tried to destroy Kageyama's career. He could have killed me. I want nothing to do with him. Ever.
"Hello blondie," he states. "I want to speak to Shoyo."
"Don't you dare say my first name," I hiss turning around to face him. I stand sliding my hand into my pocket with my keys. I have a mace spray on there. Akaashi said it was good idea to have. I have to admit it does make me feel better. If I carried a purse, I would have stun gun and taser as well. You can never be too prepared. Kageyama wanted me to get a restraining but Ushijima never tried to attack me after that day in the parking lot. I'm no fool though.
"You shouldn't even be talking to him," snaps Yachi. Ushijima rolls his eyes.
"I have nothing to say to you," I say coldly. He destroyed my boyfriend's career and he left me for dead. What is there to say.
"I just want to apologize," he says. I don't believe him.
"Yachi," I say slowly grabbing my food. "You ready to go?"
"Very," she says glaring at Ushijima.
"Are you really going to be that petty," says Ushijima. "I'm trying to be a man and apologize."
"I have moved on," I reply. "No need for you to apologize now." Yachi walks around the table towards me. My heart is pounding in my chest as I'm waiting for him to attack. Yachi and I walk past Ushijima. I'm not breathing until I get to my car. I'm relived to see he let me walk away. He didn't attack or follow me. "Oh my god…"
"Hinata you did great," says Yachi putting a comforting hand on my shoulder as I bend over.
"I was going to mace his ass," I huff trying to get air into my lungs. I close my eyes taking some deep breaths. I click the alarm off my car. I stand up hugging Yachi. "Thanks for meeting me but I'm so sorry to cut things short. I just need to see Tobio."
"I get it," she replies. "Maybe we can catch up this weekend. I can come by the condo."
"That works for me," I reply. "I'm thinking movie night, lots of junk food." Yachi giggles giving me a thumbs up.
"Go see your booboo," she encourages. I hug Yachi one last time before getting in my car. As I drive back towards the facility, I can't stop thinking about why would Ushijima want to approach me now? Has he really changed? I shake my head not believing it. I pull into the employee parking lot eager to see my boyfriend. I am hoping his meeting didn't run over. I grab my unfinished lunch heading into the building. I badge myself through the employee entrance. I head up to the second floor where Kageyama office is. As I walk down the hall, I am glad he added some color to the space when he took over. All that white always made me depressed somehow. I get to his office knocking on the door. Kageyama swings the door open. I smile immediately.
"Hey," I say before hugging him tightly.
"Hi," says Kageyama returning the hug. "You okay babe?" He pushes the door closed. "You got that look on your face."
"Ushijima tried to talk to me," I blurt out. Kageyama sighs running his hands through his hair. That was not the reaction I was expecting. "Tobio…"
"I do know he has been trying to reach out to you, but I told him not to," says Kageyama. Say what? He has been trying to reach me. I am not sure if I am more shocked by that or the fact he went to Kageyama first. "Apparently he has gotten help for his abusive ways. I'm not buying that shit." He leans against his desk folding his arms. "I'm not happy that he disobeyed my request. It shows me that he really hasn't changed that much." I feel like he is hiding something.
"How do you know all of this?" I ask slowly walking over to him.
"He was dating Oikawa," he replies.
"Are you kidding me?" I shriek.
"I wish I was," says Kageyama. "I have only known about their relationship for a year." I can't believe it. When? How? He is such a monster and Oikawa is well….not. "I don't agree with it either, but he is a grown ass man and can do what he wants." I am still just staring at Kageyama.
"Does Ushijima hit him?" I ask.
"Yes and no," says Kageyama. "Oikawa said there was incident and they actually fought."
"Fist fight?" I ask walking closer to him. Kageyama nods.
"Oikawa is a fighter and doesn't take shit from no one," he explains. "I think Ushijima went to get professional help because of Oikawa but I still hate him. Oikawa ended his relationship with Ushijima after that fight. He filed a restraining order but didn't have him brought up on charges. This is mostly because he laid hands on Ushijima not wanting to risk getting charged himself. I told him it would be self defense, but he still didn't want to go through with it." I sit my food on the counter hugging him. "Are you mad at me for not telling you?"
"No," I reply laying my head on his chest. "I just keep thinking about how he was always around his teammates. Especially Oikawa and Kuroo. I didn't think anything of it. Now it's like how long did he have feelings for him then?" Kageyama kisses the top of my head.
"Let's not focus on that," he replies. "Besides him, how was your lunch with Yachi?"
"Good," I reply. "It was quick because he showed up. I wanted to leave because it was clear he was not going to let me eat in peace. I also didn't want to chance him attacking me." I sigh. "How did the meeting go?"
"Later about the meeting," he replies cupping my face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Tobio," I reply. "I was prepared taking Akaashi advice. I remained calm, left the situation. Seriously babe, I want to know how did the meeting go."
"Always business with you," he chuckles rubbing his cheek into my hair. I hug him as he tells me about the meeting. I can't help but think back to my life before I met him. I was drugged out of my mind, in an abusive relationship, and on the verge of suicide. I will never tell Kageyama or anyone that I considered taking my life. I begin to feel like I had nothing to live for. Kageyama got through to me out of the little bit of people in my life. He loves me for me. I bury my face in his chest causing him to chuckle. "You didn't hear anything I said."
"I'm sorry," I apologize looking up at him. "Tell me, I'm ready."