It was finally the weekend, and my parents were back home. Kazue has been a bit sad ever since Bokuto left. I, on the other hand, felt extremely nervous to meet Oikawa. We were meeting up at a cafe in 30 minutes. I dressed really casual: blue jeans, floral shirt, and flats. My heart was racing intensely as I paced around my room. "I should go now…" I couldn't wait in my house any longer; I needed to go immediately.

I announced my departure from the house and quickly headed to the train station. Pulling up my phone, I decided to call Bokuto to ease my anxiety.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bokuto, I'm scared that's why I called you out of nowhere. You aren't busy right?" I dried off my clammy hands on my jeans.

"No, I'm not. What's up?"

"I'm having anxieties right now, like I'm scared to face him… Of course, it's all in my head because of our past. I guess it's a bit of pressure when he expects us to go back to the 'good old days'." I tried watering down my brain from frying up. I can't show up mindless.

"Hayashi, you're a smart girl… But don't you think it's toxic for him to say he wants to go back to how things were before? I'm not trying to say you should completely stop talking to him, but I want you to keep that in mind. Don't let him fool you with sweet words, have your defense up. I'm just looking out for you." Although Bokuto had never been in a relationship, he's a sweetheart for listening and helping me through this.

A relaxed smile formed on my lips, and my heart finally slowed down. "I know, Bokuto. I don't think I have any plans to get back together with him though. If it happens then it happens, and if it doesn't then you already know why. I just go with the flow, you know? I'm strictly trying to be friends with him." That's how things should go no matter what, and Oikawa has to respect that or else I'm cutting him off.

We stayed in call until I reached my destination.

"Thanks for staying on call with me! I'll let you know how things go. Bye!"

The call ended, and I walked inside the cafe. I quickly bought a cold drink, so it didn't look like I wasn't going to buy anything but sit in here. Checking my phone, it looked like I'm still really early by 20 minutes. My mind was running wild again and the jitters came back. I don't know how to calm down until he arrives.

The oh-so familiar voice I knew took me out of my thoughts. "Hayashi-chan, you're here early just like me!" Oikawa pulled the chair across from me, and he sat down with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"When did you start doubling the caffeine?" It's a bit excessive to drink more than one cup a day. I hope he's okay.

He pushed one cup to me and shyly responded, "Well, I didn't know you were going to be here early until I spotted you after I bought your favorite drink: cold matcha with a shot of vanilla." That was the same drink I had in my hands right now. How did he still remember my favorite drink after two years of being apart? "But it seems like you already got your drink." Oikawa chuckled in embarrassment for going out of his way for me.

Feeling a bit bad that he spent money on me, I gladly accepted it anyways. "Thanks for your consideration. You didn't have to be a gentleman and buy me a drink—"

"I had to because I asked you to hangout! How can I not? It's not right if I don't pay at least half of the things we do."

It's like I went back to the past. He still had the same traits that made me love him for his generous nature. Oikawa hasn't changed that part of him which was good. Everyone should get a person who's generous and loving. No matter how good it felt to have that old comfort, it's not right to go back without being friends first. I don't want to be a fool and get myself hurt again.

"How did you know it was me?" The cafe wasn't empty, but it did have a lot of people standing in line and sitting around.

Oikawa's next answer made my heart race for a few seconds. "Because how can I forget the person I used to love! You're beautiful as always," a serene smile formed on his lips as he gazed at me with those brown eyes of his.

The person he used to love… Bokuto said for me to be level headed, so I wouldn't be a fool to fall back to him. I don't know how to take that in. Was I supposed to feel happy about that? Was he trying to flirt with me too? My heart and mind were fighting with each other. One was telling me to think clearer, and the other one was showing me old memories when he used to love me. I can't let Oikawa get the best of me.

"You're the same old flirt, huh? I bet you said that to every girl you went on dates with. I know the single life caused your love life to be bombarded by your fangirls." I played it off cool, sipping my drink.

"Oh come on! You know me better than one. I'm still the—"

"Do I really know you? Two years can change people." I said in a playful yet striking tone. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable if I were to say it in a serious tone. Nonetheless, I can't let him think about the past. We can appreciate what we had, but we shouldn't repeat our actions which caused us to break up.

"Haha! I think I changed but I kept some of my qualities from before like…" Just when he was going to list his traits out, I beat him to the punch.

"Like being annoying to Iwaizumi? Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure he's still hitting you." I chuckled, recalling the time where Oikawa would get hit for breathing the air. He always ran behind me because Iwaizumi wouldn't dare to raise a hand to a girl, but he was dead wrong. I let Iwaizumi do his thing and stepped away from Oikawa.

"Hey! It's not my fault." He retorted, feeling butthurt about my response.

We caught up on school and friend life until Oikawa brought up a topic that I prepared myself for a long time. "So… Is it a boy or girl?"

My breath hitched as I mentally told myself to calm down. Everything was hitting me from when I found out I was pregnant to now. I wasn't supposed to cry today. I was supposed to feel pleased with today's hangout. "...It's a girl." My voice cracked, lips quivering from telling him this. I knew this day was going to come, so why couldn't I say it normally?

"Let's take this conversation somewhere private." Oikawa got the hint that I was going to cry any second, thus taking us to a nearby park.

We sat beside each other on a picnic table. No matter how much I forced myself to make eye contact with Oikawa, I failed to do so at the end. Regardless, I'm going to cry. This topic wasn't easy when I have the person who left me right here.

"Her name is Kazue, and she's turning two in a few days." Slowly, I turned away, letting a few hot tears drop from my eyes.

"Hayashi… please don't turn away from me." Oikawa tried to turn me around, but I stubbornly refused to let him see me in distress. "I know I hurt you. You can still hate me, and I'll be okay with that! But don't turn away from me… I want to fix this broken relationship that I caused!"

More tears came pouring out like an endless rainfall. I sobbed quietly to myself, covering my eyes and letting my hair block my broken expression from the world.

Suddenly, he tightly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. Oikawa cradled my body close to his. "I know I'm the worst ex-boyfriend you ever had! And if I could reverse time then I would've!" His voice weakened as he recalled his actions which hurt me the most. "I would've stayed by your side. I wouldn't have been selfish because that child is a part of me! I let you get miserable, whereas I felt free like a bird because I dropped all responsibilities on you. However, it slowly ate me alive to know that I pushed you away when you needed me the most."

I had nothing to say as I listened to him talk. This was what I wanted to hear and know about. If he regretted his actions, or if he even cared about the child we created. I finally have some resolved questions.

"I want to be a part of your life again that's all I ask for… I'll wait for you." He sounded so sincere and full of guilt, but I can't let him in yet. He has no idea what I've been through.

"Oikawa," I spoke, pushing him away from me. "I want to be friends for now. My scars are still there, so please just be patient and see me as a friend. If it happens that we do get back together then great… But right now, I can't do it. I'm still hurt by seeing you. It's going to be a long time before I can completely heal. For now, let's just focus on the future rather than the past, and let's just text or call because face to face is a bit hard for me too."

Oikawa nodded, agreeing with my statements. "Alright. If that will help you, then I will comply. I'm sorry for everything that I've done."

Our hangout ended and we departed back home.

Ring ring

I looked at my phone to see it was Bokuto calling me, and I quickly picked up in a heartbeat. "Hey Bokuto," my voice was still nasally from crying earlier.

"WHY ARE YOU CRYING?! DID HE HURT YOU?! HAYASHI—" His loud yet concerning voice blasted my ear drum as I pulled back from my phone. I totally forgot about my voice hinting my crying state, and I didn't expect him to yell either.

"Bokuto, chill out. I am fine. I had a little crying session because I told him a little about Kazue…" I told Bokuto what happened and he listened.

"Hayashi, I'm proud that you stood your ground… Um… Can you do me a favor?" He changed the topic of our conversation.

"Um, it depends…."

"Okay, I know this is a bit extreme but…" Bokuto paused and collected himself. "Can you pretend to be my girlfriend?"

I choked on my spit over the phone. Was I hearing this right? Bokuto's full of surprises. My head was swirling in circles.

"It's because I have two older sister—"

"Wait what?! I thought you were the only child?!" Was he telling me lies a few days ago? Or he partially told me the truth about his home life.

"I don't talk about my older sisters because they lived with my mom back then and they're adults now. I know I didn't tell you about them because they weren't in my life often, but we do communicate when we can. Long story short, they're trying to play matchmaker with me, and I don't want to be a part of it." Bokuto only wanted me to be his fake girlfriend since we're close, and he's more comfortable with me than a random girl. It's only for that day when we go out and buy Kazue's birthday supplies.

"Okay, but why not your crush? Won't that be a better opportunity than me?" I suggested.

Bokuto quickly declined that. "No, it's better if it's you. Wouldn't it be awkward if she didn't know anything about me? Then they'll know that it's fake!" He sounded so stressed, but I was also stressed too by hearing this.

"Bokuto, I barely know anything about you either! I know that you love volleyball and that's it. Why don't you ask Akaashi to crossdress? He knows you better than I do."

At the end of our bickering, I ended up playing as his pretend girlfriend for that day.