Since I have most of the next 4 chapters done, it will be going quickly this week (hopefully since I need to study as well :/
I apologise if I'm not answereing all reviews. When Guests review, it bugs around.
PandaHee: Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Enjoy the first flashback :)
kalmaegi: For me Oikawa isn't an asshole. He is just misunderstood like Ushiwaka. And yes, the infamous spike to the face is revealed.
Chapter 14 - It began… (Flashback)
-Two years and 6 months earlier-
"Tamiko-chan, hurry up." Izumi urged. "We will run out of time."
It was lunch break and Tamiko pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, frowning. Two weeks had passed since she started to attended Shiratorizawa Academy. It was a very big complex with many buildings and now her friend was pulling her through the still unfamiliar territory. They followed the signs to the 5th gym. Izumi had developed a crush on one of the volleyball players and had begged Tamiko to spy with her. Only for her friends would she abandon her studies for such feckless matter as she liked to call it.
"So, who are we spying on?" she asked with a hint of disinterest.
"His name is Semi Eita. He is really good looking." Izumi swooned. "You will see."
Tamiko rolled her eyes. It wasn't the first time she had to spy on a guy with her but that name somehow rang a bell, but she couldn't find a face to the name. When they reached the building they paused for a moment. The gym was big, very big building, much bigger than they were used to from junior high. The building loomed over them and it felt even more intimidating since this was one of six gyms. The sounds of squeaking trainers and volleyballs hitting flesh and floor echoed through the huge volume of space. The two first years carefully peeked their heads through the open door and watched. There were a lot of boys, tall boys practising jump serves. They were already covered in sweat while the old coach shouted criticism at them. It was a scene they were both familiar with.
"So, do you see him?" Tamiko asked after they had watched for a while.
"Yeah, he's back there. Isn't he gorgeous?" she asked her for an opinion.
"Not really." she grumbled without giving him a good look.
"Geez, Tamiko-chan." Izumi groaned and turned to her. "Oikawa-kun himself confessed to you and you rejected him. You really need to look around more and don't set your standards so high. I will not let you graduate high school without having gone on at least one date, kissed at least one guy and had at least one boyfriend." she declared.
"Don't put your hopes up." Tamiko sighed. "I just don't like the popular type."
"Whatever. I'll try to fish this lovely catch." she smirked and both watched the club practice.
There was one guy whom Tamiko seemed the remember from somewhere. She was sure she had seen him in a match last year. He was tall for a first year, sinister looking and had a very powerful swing. What also caught her attention was his hand with which he hit the ball. It was his left. A left-handed volleyball player was a rare sight. Then it clicked. He was a former player from Shiratorizawa junior high, a team that her old school had never managed to defeat. A lot of people talked about him since he was left handed but she couldn't remember his name. The coach announced the practice of spikes and Izumi shifted.
"So he's a setter." she mumbled to herself.
She followed her gaze and her eyes settled on a fellow first year with messy light blond hair and dark dyed tips. He tossed the ball to the others for them to spike over the net. One by one they spiked the balls while the libero's tried to receive them. Then it was that left-handers turn. His form was perfect as he jump and with one serious swing, he hit the ball. The libero had no problem crossing with the ball's path but when it impacted his arms, he lost control. The volleyball spun and flew with serious speed towards the door. Tamiko never had enough time to react. The ball shot straight into her face and knocked her back. The back of her head smashed against the hard concrete and her vision became blurred, the words muted. She didn't know how long she lay there, everything in slow motion, but when she slowly came to her senses, a teacher was talking to her. She didn't hear what he was saying but a female voice brought her back to reality.
"Tamiko-chan!" she heard Izumi cry.
The said girl groaned and sat upright. Her head was thudding and she hissed at the pain. Her blue, half open eyes watched as the boys surrounded her and some trying to calm her friend.
"Oi." she growled and they all looked at her but flinched back at the same time. "Which one of you idiots spiked the ball at me?"
"That would have been me." someone answered.
Tamiko glared up at the boy, staring down at her. Now that he was so close she could see his stern expression more clearly. He had interesting eyes though. Olive brown. To be a gentleman he offered her his hand to help her to her feet.
"I apologise. I didn't intend to get you hit." he said with a slight bow.
She took his hand and he pulled her up to her feet as if she weighed nothing. Now that she stood she felt really small next to him. And his hand was burning hot as well. His words and especially his accentuation then sank in.
"Like hell I'd accept a lame apology like that!" she shouted.
Her reaction surprised everyone even when they saw what followed. She pulled on his arm, twisted to move her shoulder under his arm and threw him over her shoulder onto the floor. The air forcefully escaped his lungs and everyone yelped when his body hit the ground with a low thud. Izumi wasn't fazed. This wasn't the first time. Tamiko was a karate student after all and this meant she wasn't hurt.
"Tamiko-chan!" her friend sighed with relief and hugged her. "I was so worried."
Tamiko hugged her back while she saw how the boys help the one on the floor back on his feet. They glared at each other, at least she did. Whatever face he was making, she couldn't read it. His expression was the same as before. Did he think he deserved that? When Izumi pulled back, she wore a horrified expression on her face as she looked at her hand that had rested at the back of her head. There were traces of red on her hand.
"You're bleeding." she stammered.
"It's nothing." Tamiko disclaimed.
She walked a few steps and then her vision became blurry again. She didn't remember hitting the floor and she wasn't sure if she ever did. It was just a theory but the adrenaline probably had pulled her consciousness back and after she had thrown the big guy over her shoulder, it was used up. When she woke up she didn't remember anything from before that moment. She woke up in the emergency room in a soft bed. The nurse told her that the boys from the volleyball club had brought her here.
"Finally you're awake." Izumi sighed with relief.
Tamiko sat upright and looked around. The emergency room was quiet and bright and the feeling of hospital was very strong. It even smelled of disinfectant. The nurse came around and checked Tamiko's vitals. When she went to look at the wound, she freed Tamiko's hair from the bandage and placed a plaster on it, rebandaging it, telling her that she was lucky it was just a cut. If she was still in pain tomorrow she would have to go to a doctor and there was one painkiller she was allowed to take. Then the woman left.
"What time is it?" Tamiko managed to ask after a while.
"It's past 5." Izumi told her.
That was the most shocking thing for Tamiko; missing lessons. She held her head again and groaned.
"You were bleeding pretty badly." Izumi explained.
"Who did that guy think he is?" she grumbled.
"That was Ushijima Wakatoshi. One of the star players amongst the first years." she informed her.
Tamiko grimaced. Izumi's lips twitched up to a half smile. It wasn't new for her that her friend hated to interact with the popular type. It was enemy territory for her.
"I'll keep my mouth shut." Izumi grinned and offered her little finger for a pinky promise.
"Thank you." Tamiko sighed and got out of bed. "Anyway let's get you home."
Tamiko stood and took her bag when she noticed how Izumi was trying to tell her something. That weird expression with the frown.
"Uhm, Ushijima wanted to talk to you as soon as you wake up." she told, rather carefully.
This time Tamiko narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Why?"
"I guess he wants to apologise to you properly. It did result in an injury." she shrugged.
Tamiko turned to her bag, swung it over her shoulder and headed out of the door. She didn't pause in her steps and just darted through the corridor.
"Tamiko-chan." Izumi called after her.
"I don't want to." she snapped back.
"Why? Are you afraid of him?" Izumi asked, with a big grin on her face.
"No, of course not." she scoffed.
"Then why aren't you going?" Izumi wondered.
"I just don't want to." Tamiko mumbled.
"It's just an apology. I'll wait for you, okay?" Izumi told her.
Tamiko sighed but then grumbled with a nod. Izumi accompanied her to the gym. For a rest she stayed on a bench by the gym and waited until Izumi came back with Ushijima. He had a towel around his neck and was drying his face. The bandage around her head seemed to spark a hint of concern in his eyes.
"I'll wait at the school gate." Izumi said as she left.
The silence she left them with was heavy. For Tamiko it was as uncomfortable as the first time at the dentist. Ushijima didn't sit down, he just stood there.
"Before you ask and worry, I'm fine. It's just a cut." she grumbled.
She didn't look up to him but could feel his gaze on her. I want to leave, she thought to herself.
"I'm sorry for injuring you." he said. "If we would have put up the net, it wouldn't have happened."
A legitimate apology.
"That still doesn't change the fact that you knocked me out. If anything, nothing could make up for it." she complained.
She glared at him and sternly looked down at her. He made her miss lessons and that was unforgivable in her eyes. After all, education is important her mother had always said.
"The best thing would be we never talk about this again." she said and stood but she did have manners. She made a slight bow. "Sorry for the inconvenience. Good bye."
She was about to walk away when someone came running. When she turned around she recognised him as the guy Izumi wanted to spy on.
"Hold on." the boy with the light blond hair jogged over to her. "I know you."
She blinked.
"What?"
The boy looked at her with his brown eyes and smiled.
"I'm Semi Eita. We used to be neighbours, remember?"
"Maybe you're confusing me with somebody else." she told him but he shook his head.
"No way. You haven't changed a bit from when we were little. Your name is Kageyama Tamiko, right?" he grinned.
"Yeah." she nodded, perplexed.
"You spend Christmas at my house once, I think we were 6 years old." he told her.
She thought for a moment. She did remember spending christmas somewhere other than home before. Was that what he meant?
"Fuzzy memories." she half smiled pointing at her bandaged head. "But I think I remember."
"I guess then I have some big news for my mum." he grinned.
"Well, I need to go home." she said.
"Yeah, go and have a rest. Wakatoshi here has a powerful spike. I was surprised that you opened your eyes so quickly after getting hit." Semi laughed.
"Don't take me lightly." she smirked and then walked away.
The two boys looked after her as she headed for the gate. Semi smiled to himself and looked over to Ushijima before giggling.
"You're terrible with girls." Semi told his classmate.
Without a word Ushijima walked away returning to training. When Tamiko reached Izumi, who was patiently waiting at the school gate, she sighed.
"Come on." Izumi laughed. "It couldn't have been that bad."
"I hate guys." she grimaced. "By the way, that Semi guy was there too."
"Seriously?" Izumi gasped. "You may hate popular guys but you sure are a magnet for them."
"Well, he claimed that he knows me from middle school. He even guessed my name right." she explained.
"And do you remember him?" she asked.
"A little. The name did ring a bell." Tamiko admitted.
"I know you see it as a curse but that is just lucky. You had Oikawa sticking to your heels and now two guys from the volleyball club." Izumi laughed.
"Those two are not sticking at my heels." she denied.
"I know, I was joking." Izumi grinned. "But you really need a boyfriend."
"No, I don't!" she snapped and groaned loudly. "This is the worst birthday ever!"
"I'll make it up to you. I wanted to go to a karaoke with you but with that let's do a girl's night at your house." Izumi offered.
Tamiko looked at her friend and finally smiled again. At least one person in this world understood her. From then on, she didn't bump into Ushijima's ever again. She did realise though that one of the volleyball boys was in her class. His name was Soekawa Jin, a little shy when it came to girls but a sweet and timid soul. They sat next to each other in most of the classes so she befriended him, since he mostly sat by himself anyway. And so the first year passed without many occurrences. Tamiko started her part-time job and Izumi came very close to Semi, although she gave up on the dating since he seemed to have a strange sense in fashion. The more Tamiko spend time with Semi, the more memoirs came flooding back. Their friendship blossomed once again and she was glad that her high school days were going so well. The second year proofed to be more of a challenge and a life changer all together.
