Warning some sensitive subject matter is discussed here of past abuse, but nothing goes into too deep detail. Keishin is a gentleman. Also warning for alcohol.

He takes her out to Ramen. She accepts his invitation, but she's not too keen on dating someone from Karasuno. Especially if they're a big family name. Ukai, Ukai; where has she when she's been sober, heard that name before? He orders her three bowls – then smirks at her when she slurps the broth.

"Thanks I – oh shit you're doin' that again." He's on his fourth and how the fuck this guy has the money for this shit?

"Dunno what you mean ma'am." They haven't even introduced themselves yet. She just marches up and says 'order me a beer'.

But. "A name would be nice. The name's Keishin."

Keishin Ukai? Sounds familiar, but the buzz of beer in her mind, and she's not drunk-yet.

But she doesn't think this guy is planning on getting her any more intoxicated than she is tonight. "Saeko." She mutters, not too happy with her family name. As the Tanaka's weren't proud to really be in Karasuno. Town Pride, the municipal contributing factor of the thing.

The only thing that people recognize in this town is Saeko's grandmother. She was a big contributor as a nurse, to the local hospital there. She sort of help founded the hospital at Karasuno, built it from the ground up. But nobody remembers

Fujioka Sakae. Nobody bothers to. Maybe it was about time she visited the old woman, pay her respects. She was always gentle and kind, and everyone said that Saeko was the opposite of her grandmother.

Rowdy and loud and bombastic, like Saeko's Aunt. Who's her father's sister, who owns the Karasuno Café. It's not a big deal working for family, but that's kind of how it goes in this little town. With a bunch of familiar faces that you see every day looking back at you like mirrors.

"I guess so."

Shit did she say that out loud. "Lady do you want some water?" The guy at the bar says. She realizes she's not in Tokyo. But she's done a lot of talking and not a lot of listening.

Her cheeks are flushed and her forehead is hot, she drinks the water. Ukai holds her up – "Creep." He hears him scoff. "Can f'wa' myself home."

"Ma'am you can hardly stand." She glares at him, though she falls and he catches her, she throws up on his shoes and the bar-guy sighs. "Let it out Tanaka-san." Did she say her fucking name too? Because she did, and so much for a first date. "I've had worse." She laughs as he wipes her puke off his shoes – and he loads her in his car. "Where to?"

"You gonna chauffer me around?"

He leans into his seat, and she looks blushed as hell, she can see it in his rearview mirror. "I said where to, your place or mine?" He leans against the staring wheel.

She doesn't want Ryuu seeing her like this. "Gotcha. Little brothers shouldn't see their pretty big sisters," she tenses, tightens her fists. Then smiles. "When they're not feeling they're best. Gotta be a role model for the kids yanno?" She snorts.

"The fuck you know about kids Ukai?"

He frowns and he turns on the engine, starts it up and pulls out the car from the parking lot. The feeling of the car in motion soothes her. "You gonna hurl again?" She nods her head and falls asleep. She remembers being carried by her dad once on his back when she was four, she was at the playground and she falls asleep thinking.

"Don't wait up Ryuu. Don't be like him."

. . .

There have been worse dates. Really worse dates. When he moved to Tokyo for two years, trying to find himself. Tanaka Saeko wasn't the worst of them. In case if he's been asked, which he wasn't, but the ramen stall guy who Tanaka's sister mistook for a bartender. The woman has spent too many trips in Tokyo bars, and he was like that once. He thought he needed it, but dejected the idea, as he throws a blanket and places a pillow behind her head.

"Night Tanaka-san." He shifts into his bedroom and then changes into sweats, stretches his muscles. He's too old to be dating a woman as feisty as her. But, ah who is he kidding – he doesn't think she's out of his league. Is that what he really thinks? Maybe she needs someone to talk to. He just met the woman less than two weeks ago, and she's got eyes and a heart for the city. In the meantime, he hears her whimpering in her sleep.

He tries not to listen as he puts on some tea, moments later. Putting the lamp on. "The fuck?!"

"This isn't Tokyo Tanaka-san." Whoever might have violated this woman deserves to be sacked in the jaw and their balls sliced off. He offers her Sencha Tea. "You're in Karasuno, I'll take you to see Ryuu in the morning." She cries into her tea out of embarrassment and he notices the little tattoo of the olive tree-branch. "Is that supposed to symbolize anything?"

He has a sort of teasing voice, but nothing spiteful. She's drunk it's not nice to tease women when they're plastered. He knows this from his grandfather warning him. "It's usually in most cultures you know, Tanaka-san when you extend an olive branch to someone, to – "

Saeko interrupts. She knows what it means. "Give a peace offering. I got that when I was younger and I was having a really hard time when my parents were – well. Dad was having an affair. Ryuu still doesn't know, maybe he does. But I got it as a way to make a little peace with myself. My grandma told me about flowers and how delicate they were, and when she died. I told her that I didn't want to be like that, so I – fuck."

He sits across from her. "We're the only ones here, Tanaka-san. You can vent." Ukai shrugs again and Saeko curls around herself. He feels a little guilty making her feel that small, but she doesn't seem like a fragile little flower to him.

"You said you were close with your grandma. I did know mine, for a little." Ukai mentions that his grandma's death upset his grandfather so gravely; he had confound himself to his room… For two whole weeks. Not showing his face to anyone out of shame and guilt. Feeling guilty out of an argument a year prior to when his grandmother had gotten sicker, and needing to go to hospice care.

Though he showed humility that day on her funeral when he cried, at the time – "I didn't know if it was the crying part that showed the humility in him, swallowing his pride. Or when I was twenty-two and I had told him Tokyo didn't suit me and I didn't mind visiting but I hadn't any plans for marriage, and I wanted to live in Karasuno for as long as I can.

That had made him happy, and he told me back that I showed more humility than him, and I knew how to swallow my pride. Because when my dad died when I was young I didn't have a lot of people to go to, it was just my mom who wasn't even Ikkei's daughter.

But he respected her as much as he could like one. So I hadn't even thought of how much my dad had influenced me despite how little I had known him." He had been mumbling into his teacup the whole time, hadn't he? "I have been slapped by women though." He laughs, and smiles it off. "When my mom says the slap didn't hurt as much as the girl, did it? When I just didn't reply, as I was too fucking proud to answer. But yeah, the girl hurt worse."

She blinks at him like he's crazy. "They always hurt worse than the slap."

"Anyone who tries to physically harm a woman should be knocked down a peg." Saeko snorts. He looks at her. "What?"

"So men it's fair game? That they can abuse and hit each other whenever they feel like it?" That wasn't what he had meant. But, yeah he had made it sound like that, hadn't he. "Cause newsflash blondie, my brother got smacked around by my dad to toughen him up." Ryuu… Tanaka. His eyes bug out widely. "What?"

"Tanaka Ryuunosuke?"

He understands now.

"Yeah?"

"Ikkei Ukai. Ukai of the Karasuno Boy's Volleyball Team?"

"Formerly. I'm the coach now. Oh my god. You're – your parents still aren't – "

He is a person of authority over Saeko's little brother. She breathes. "Fuck, no. They're hardly around. Well, mom stops by but she barely does. I don't know if this is the most awkward boner I've ever felt or the most reliving news that I've ever heard." Or a mix of both? He can't help but hardly agree. "Don't ever tell Ryuu-chan that."

He ignores her use of profanity, and notices how little Ryuunosuke uses it. But lets it pass. "Hell no, his friends would murder me and then make sure people won't find my body, one of the third years wants to be a police officer when he graduates."

Saeko actually laughs, genuinely. "Holy shit you afraid of students? I mean, you're like the richest family in town aren't you?"

He grins at her. He doesn't think the Ukais – okay maybe they are. They're a pretty wealthy family. But not Tokyo wealth. "I was taught naught to brag about money. It's impolite and causes wrinkles to form early. Vanity isn't pretty on aging, I've already got crows feet from my nicotine addiction, yanno. I don't need any more lines on my face as is."

She blushes while he's smiling. "There's moisturizer for that."

"Vanity or wrinkles?"

She laughs and falls onto the sofa. "You're somethin' else Ukai."

"Karasuno born and raised." He smirks. "You can stay as long as you'd like. Or at least until you feel sober."

She wants to turn down his offer, he notices she's hesitant to accept it. "Fine. I'll try to resist bar hopping and maybe I can treat Ryuu out to something nice." She looks up at the ceiling, blushing a little, Ryuunosuke doesn't talk much about his sister. But when he does – "Does Ryuu ever talk about me?"

"A little. Good things, I promise. He brags about you to his teammates."

She groans. "What a pain."

"He says you bind your chest. I hope you do it safely."

She blushes. "You really are something else, Ukai."

He shrugs, then brushes her hair away from her forehead. "I have painkillers in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom if you'd like. Help yourself. Though, you should stay hydrated."

"Sir yes sir." She sighs. Then the lights go off and she's asleep again.

No more crying or murmuring, and he still has those brats to teach in the morning, as he forgot it was Sunday. Tomorrow is Monday.

Crap.