Shimizu Kiyoko wondered when her life began to be chaotic. But then, she remembered. Ah, she thought as she fixed her white shoes in front of her locker. It was when Kyoya was born. She remembered that day with such clarity that it amused her.
.
.
.
.
It had been the first of July at 11:59 p.m. when she first heard him cry. Luckily for the Shimizu family, Shimizu Len took a break from work. His wife, Shimizu Kotone, had been pregnant and was due any time. It was due to luck that Len was at home to drive them to the nearest hospital.
Kiyoko, at the time, was two years old.
Nothing made sense for her. She had wondered why her mother was screaming and crying, yelling words she didn't understand at that age. Why her father was hysteric and panicking, moving around the house looking for the car keys and a bag.
The ride to the hospital had been filled with her mother's cries and her father's hysteric responses. By the time they got to the hospital, Kotone was immediately taken away, causing Kiyoko to grab hold of her father's hand. "Papa," she vaguely remembered her father looking down at her with a sweaty face
"Where are they taking Mama?"
"Ah, well, that is... um, they're going to help your Mama bring your little brother."
On her second birthday, she had watched a kid show that centered around a pair of sibling that tried to save the world from the evildoers.
Kiyoko remembered telling her parents that she wanted a sibling for Christmas but instead of that coloring book she wanted. So when she heard her father's words, Kiyoko's eyes glistened in excitement.
At the time, she could only think of how she and her new brother would help save the world.
It had been hours when they got to the hospital before a nurse came to get them. She didn't really listen in on their conversation because what was a two-year-old supposed to do with an adult conversation? Instead, her mind was preoccupied by the thought of her little brother.
What was his name?
Her parents never told her.
What did he look like?
Like their mother? Father? Or maybe even look like her!
What was he like?
She was so excited!
As they got nearer and nearer to the room where her mother was, and probably her brother, Kiyoko began to bounce with every step. Shimizu Len chuckled at the sight of his excited daughter, her excitement barely contained.
Kiyoko then heard crying behind the door they stood in front of and when her father pushed the door open, her first impression of her little brother was that; he was absolutely noisy. But when she saw him, she thought how cute he was.
And he looked nice!
.
.
.
.
That's why it never crossed her mind how much of a terror he would be when he grows up.
Afternoon practice went by without a hitch for the Karasuno Volleyball Club. Nishinoya and Asahi were back and Takeda-sensei found a coach for them! Well, even though it would be just for a week up until the practice march with Nekoma.
Then again, it was still a cause to be celebrated. It that short timeframe, at the very least, they would be guided by someone and help them improve on just about everything. The current Karasuno team, after all, was like new clogs put into place; not at all working smoothly yet because they need to find which works best for them.
But that wasn't their concern right now.
It was the fact someone knocked Tanaka out with a swift kick to the face. Everyone had gone silent. It was only when a moment passed when it was broken by a panicked shout from Asahi. "T-Tanaka!" The gentle giant had paled from horror while Noya screamed. "RYUUUUUUU!"
The libero rushed towards his best friend with tears streaming down his cheeks, shaking the unconscious form of Tanaka. "Ryu! You can't die yet!" Suga and Daichi sweat dropped at the chaos that ensued, watching as Hinata froze in place. The others simply expressed shock or remained indifferent at the situation.
(Suga mused, noting how that child look so familiar to him.)
The cause of all this chaos scoffed at the scene in front of him. "You're the two idiots who keep bothering Kiyoko, aren't you?" When the... child?.. said their precious manager's name without a suffix, Noya snapped. "Ha?!" He stared at the boy with a scary look on his face. "Don't call Kiyoko-san so informally, you little brat!"
Said brat rolled his eyes at the libero's antics.
(Somewhere in the background, Tsukishima silently praised the kid's attitude.)
"You're the one who shouldn't be calling Kiyoko by her name! In fact, you peasants shouldn't be graced with her presence at all! Peasants like you idiots don't deserve to look at—"
Everyone just watched the kid ramble on with pride and how peasants like them don't deserve Kiyoko serving them in this filthy little club. Before Noya could explode, the main subject of their topic had arrived with the newly-filled water bottles. Noya brightened up at the sight of her.
"Kiyoko-san! This kid just barged in here and—"
But the libero was cut off when said kid pushed pass him and ran towards their manager.
"Kiyoko!" And promptly tackled the goddess in a hug. Lightning crackled behind Noya at the sight due to the fact that their precious manager allowed a rude brat like him to hug her. "I thought I told you I don't like it when you hang out with ruffians?!"
An arrow with the word ruffian struck everyone in the heart aside from Tsukishima, who minded his own business at one corner. They waited for their manager to scold the child for being rude, for tackling her out of the blue. And yet, that didn't happen. Instead, she smiled down at him.
"Kyoya, what are you doing here?"
"I said it before, didn't I? I won't allow ruffians like them to get too close to my sister!"
.
.
.
.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!"