She stood outside the Sendai City gymnasium with excitement obvious on her face. Her hand clutched hard on the tote bag as she entered the building. It was quite packed, unlike the previous matches. Yet despite a large number of bodies, she immediately found the team she's going to root for upon entering.
"Keishin. Takeda-sensei." She greeted the two adults with a bow.
"Oh, Harukaze-kun." Her teacher turned, surprised. "I'm slowly getting accustomed to seeing a student outside from the club watching our matches." Her classroom advisor told her, adjusting his glasses. It made her smile. "It felt nice to have some support from the school."
Ever since Karasuno fell down from its reign as a powerhouse school, students and supporters dropped suddenly that it was just the team participating in this event with no cheers or supporters at all. People who used to looked up at their volleyball team dropped and began to look down on them, disappointment and disbelief flashing on their faces to witness the struggles of flightless crows. But right now, Sawako would like to break that chain slowly.
She nodded in agreement. "I'll cheer the team with all my heart."
The teacher smiled. "That sounds nice."
"I'll try to raise my voice."
The teacher laughed and just nodded at her. Sawako turned to her cousin. But instead of exchanging pleasantries, the both of them stared at each other. Keishin's eyebrow raised as she threw him a bored look. But it faded when she settled for a smirk. In return, she received a sigh. Sawako didn't wait for the man to say something and left with a short bow right after excusing herself.
Her reason for attending the matches was quietly standing stiff behind the second years. He was conversing with Ennoshita-kun and he was standing taller than the second year, it made her heart flutter at his height. She watched how his lips move for short responses, and how he pouted his lips as he listened to what his upperclassman was telling him. He was actually an example of a good listener. Just seeing him with his graceless beauty made her cheeks warm.
Suddenly, her bluish-green eyes made contact with Ennoshita-kun's browns that the lad smiled at her. She watched the don excusing himself to the younger person who was listening to him. This made Kageyama-kun turn to her with a confused look. It immediately turned to an odd expression that she couldn't pinpoint if he was surprised or baffled at her appearance. But Sawako discarded the thought and approached the setter,
"Hi."
"Hello."
She smiled, unable to form another word. And he looked away, sporting that signature pout or scowl of his. They didn't talk. It was surprisingly unsurprising awkward.
She looked down at her shoes. "I'll be watching."
"… yeah."
Oh geez.
Despite the courage that he pulled off last night of asking her if she'd like to watch their match, he's actually pretty shy. That would be a fact that she won't ever shake from her mind when she thought of Kageyama-kun. Aside from being shy, he doesn't talk much. What did she expect anyway? She's basically unrelated to volleyball yet he managed to keep her interested. She began to wonder what made him go to the length of asking her to come. It's not like she has done great things in the volleyball world in her past life for him to reach out.
"What a boring conversation."
"Ssh! Suga!"
The blush on her cheeks felt warmer than ever. Shut up, Koushi! And she composed herself right away. Getting shaken by this premature feeling that tied her to this young lad won't do her any good. She's supposed to be the older person. She should act properly. But it's hard when as a matter of fact, the person behind these feelings of hers was standing in front of her, looking conflicted like a child who has never known the simplest things in which he's about to learn.
"Well then." She cleared her throat. "I'll head upstairs now."
He blinked then he nodded. "Okay."
"Have fun."
Another nod. "Yes, ma'am."
She smiled. There was always something about that response of his that made her feel giddy. It actually sounds nice to hear it from him. It's like, she's his teacher. The kind of teacher that does her best to accommodate the learning of her student and he's this one learner that is having a hard time catching up at the lesson. She shook her head lightly, amused at her own thoughts as she bid the four third years with a wave and non-verbally told them that she's watching. In return, she received a series of thumbs up.
There was a smile on her face when she walked upstairs. There are quite a number of people already, leaning on the railings and talking to each other about the matches that were about to start and are already starting. She met Oonoya-san, one of the town's elders, there.
"Oh, Sawako-chan. It's nice to see you here." Greeted the older man as soon as he saw her approaching beside his spot.
She greeted him back with the respect that he deserved and smiled. "Oonoya-san, I was also at their match during the Golden Week."
"Oh, I remember. I remember." He chuckled. "You're so quiet I thought Kirin-chan's just with us."
She just let out a small laugh to hide her embarrassment. She was born in the town and grew up well alongside the town folks. Because her grandfather was well known and her father was well-loved, the elders also learned of her family. That, they basically have been in the same town for so long it was not hard to miss such family with foreign blood. Besides, the triplets were rowdy as children that they perfectly memorized every inch of the town. They even managed to befriend all of the elders because of their carefree personality.
Despite that connection with the town, they would probably cause a ruckus the moment they would learn that the elder Harukaze began to think of some boy.
The appearance of a timid blonde-haired girl caught her attention. The girl looked up at her, as she towered her for 35 centimeters, only reaching her chest. There was an odd look on her blushing face. Sawako felt like she intimidated another person because of her height, so she backed down and reverted to her meek demeanor. She gave the girl a nod. Is this Yachi Hitoka-san? She's cute. Like her height.
"Are you… Harukaze-senpai?"
She blinked. "Yes, I am." She was surprised. Did she know her just as how she knew her? "It's nice to finally meet you, Yachi-san."
Yachi blushed and gave her a bow. There was a pleased look on the younger's face. "Likewise, Harukaze-senpai."
Silence joined them after that. Both the girls supporting the team of crows decided to face the court that is surrounded by small cheering teams. The squeaking of shoes, the sound of Molten and Mikasa balls bouncing on the vulcanized rubber, and the cheers of teammates that support one another. There was that usual sound that Sawako came to grow on the days she was watching the previous Karasuno teams, "Nice serve", "Nice receive", "One more", and "One touch". No matter the era, volleyball is always the same.
"Oh, you came to watch, Ukai-sensei."
Shock after hearing the name, she turned to the newcomer in a flash. There, her stubbornness of grandfather made his appearance while babysitting.
"Nee-chan!"
She smiled at the two children and patted their heads. "Grandfather, you didn't tell me you're coming."
"You didn't tell me yours, either. You're surprisingly not with your textbooks."
She fought herself to be irritated. "I've been invited to watch."
Ikkei raised an eyebrow and made a quick glance at her clothing. He smirked. "So, you really did get yourself a boyfriend."
"Good job, young lady." Oonoya-san perked up and flashed her a grin with a thumbs-up.
She blushed upon hearing the word of the one they used to label the first-year setter. That again. "I did not."
"Oh ho?"
"Yes." She answered, still blushing.
One thing that Sawako learned from her grandfather is that she never won anything from him. It's not in her to be unbending unlike her grandfather, mother, and Hitori. So, she did not make any excuses or additional comments after hearing him say, "Suit yourself. You like someone."
She decided to look on the court to divert her attention. But she immediately saw the man on their topic.
"Setter, huh." Her grandfather hummed. "Not bad."
"Ugh, grandpa." She buried her face in her hands.
Ukai Ikkei just smirked.
Sawako glanced at Yachi, feeling her light brown eyes on her face for a moment. She did. And she smiled. She was about to say something when she heard a deafening sound. Looking back at the court, she realized that it was Asahi's doing.
"Nice serve!"
She blinked. "Asahi and jump serve?" she whispered, disbelief and astonishment in her eyes.
The next thing she knew, she's seeing more of an evolved and stronger Karasuno. It was the same team but they are different. She couldn't believe that it was the same group of people that people called flightless crows. Daichi received the balls like a professional and the tall brat blocked fine. It wasn't just Asahi who changed. It's the whole team.
Her hand gripped on the railing, looking down with a smile etching to stretch wide.
"Nice serve, Kageyama!"
Sawako covered her mouth. Oh, my kami.
It's their set point in the first set. And it didn't take that long for the crows to get their last point. She stood there, unblinking and eyes wide. No matter how many times she has watched and seen that quick, and Hinata-kun's reflexes, it still never failed to amaze her.
Sawako hugged herself, hands rubbing her arms. "I'm still getting goosebumps every time they did that."
The boys with her grandfather, Shuu and Hiro, joined her side with Yachi. Oonoya-san was with the retired coach a fee away.
"Woah, Shou-chan's amazing. He jumped sideways!"
"But they haven't done that quick yet."
Sawako blinked. "What do you mean?"
The boys shared a look with Yachi. Surprisingly, and the three smiled at her. But they answered her question. Instead, they looked back at the court. It's already the second set. Sawako set her eyes on the court and decided to watch the match.
She would grip on the railing too hard, anticipation and excitement every toss, every receive, every spike, and every block that the team of crows made.
Ah. They've gotten stronger.
The Away Games and Summer Training Camp in Tokyo have done a good job shaping them. Sawako touched her arm, remembering the night she thought Kageyama-kun was a serial killer. Then to her cheek, of where she placed a band-aid on his. She remembered seeing the bruise and Koushi's worried tone. Her mind even remembered Koushi asking her a favor to save their first-year duo.
She smiled. Ears hearing the whistle that signals the end of the match.
"We've made it through the first match…!"
They deserve it.
After their first match, the team immediately took their things off the court and went to the lobby. Yachi-san excused herself shortly after the team decides to pack. Sawako opted to stay by the kids' side.
"You're not going to congratulate them?"
She shook her head. "It's too early for that, Oonoya-san. They still have one more match today."
"She said that but she's itching to go downstairs."
"Grandfather…" She blushed.
She looked down to calm herself. Ever since she came to the Ukai household on the Ikkei's hospital release, she had been subjected to her elder Ukai's teasing when he learned that she likes (eyeing) someone. He was really a handful despite his age.
Sawako blinked. That guy's too tall for his age!
On the court was a match between Nishida and Kakugawa where that tall guy stood out.
He's taller than Succhan.
"Isn't he like two meters?"
She looked down at Shuu and Hiro.
"What is it, nee-chan?"
She shook her head, smiling at a thought that has just occurred. "Nothing." She giggled. A two-meter class titan, huh.
The match between Karasuno and Kakugawa was really, hearing her grandfather, is interesting. It's a decisive match that will grant them a ticket to the preliminaries in October, based on what she heard.
It even looked impossible. It's a wall that's so high and seems hard to overcome. Even Hinata-kun's feint didn't work. Their blocks can't even reach the tall guy's point of impact. But because it's an interesting match, it caught the attention of some and gathered viewers.
"Wow. He's big."
Sawako turned at the voice. A woman in her mid-twenties with black, short hair and square-rimmed glasses. It was Oonoya-san who recognized her.
"Oh, Mikako-sensei."
"Oh? Hello, Oonoya-san."
"This is my neighbor." Oonoya-san turned to them. "Mikako-sensei is the adviser for a junior high volleyball club."
Her grandfather nodded at the woman and the woman bowed to him. Sawako, trying to stop her habit of eavesdropping, turned to look down at the court and decided to just watch the match.
The match wasn't looking good for Karasuno. Their opponent was that bad that they barely score points. In the end, the team of crows immediately called for a time-out. Planning and discussing already what to do with the height. In the end, they finally able to score a point.
Sawako blinked.
"Huh? He's really sparkly."
"He looks just like my dog when it's really hungry."
She was about to ask but kept the words in her tongue. Seeing for herself is better than asking. They're basically watching the same match anyway. But those questions were answered.
Her grip on the railing tightened. "Is that…" She turned to Yachi but the lass was looking too happy. It looks different from what I've seen at the Golden Week.
The quick that was released caused an uproar. Everyone was stunned when it happened, too fast and in a blink of an eye. Again, Karasuno #10, Hinata Shouyo-kun, made himself known in the court. He practically dominated the gymnasium because of what he did there. And it never fails to make her heart stop. Her bluish-green eyes landed behind Kageyama's head. She made a fist, blinking, and placed it on her chest, where she can feel her heart beating abnormally.
She remained in that position even when the second set started and ended. She heard the last long whistle, the chorus of "Thank you for the match" but it all passed from an ear to another ear. There's only one sound that stood out at the cheers of victory.
Sawako looked down. Unblinking, her eyes met blue. Her breath hitched. He looked at her from above and nodded before he disappeared with the rest of the team.
"Oh no." My heart.
After the match, Sawako went home with Oonoya-san, her grandfather, and the kiddos. She had to accompany her grandfather first to the Ukai household before she went home. She chose to walk rather than take a bus. It wasn't even that far. Okay, it was far for her mother and Keishin to use their car whenever they decide to go to the Ukai household but at least, during her time as she walked in the very much country looking area, she had the time to think and be with her thoughts.
She reached home, still thinking as to why her heart was beating for Kageyama-kun.
"Welcome home."
Surprised, she gasped, finding her mother seating on their sofa. "You're home early, mama."
Miki smiled. "I heard from Kicchan that you went to a volleyball match."
Sawako hummed in answer. She dragged her sore feet and entered the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed herself a glass of water.
"How was it?"
She grinned, feeling refreshed at the cool water that went through her throat. "They won their two matches."
"Oh ho?"
"They have another in October, though."
"That's nice."
She nodded, seating beside her mother. "Yeah." She looked around. "Where's the troublesome trio?"
Miki glanced at the picture frame. She traced her mother's gaze and smiled. The three won't be back until later at night. They're probably at the cemetery, cleaning the whole place as if it's just a normal thing to do. The triplets have been doing it for years at this time of the month. It was just supposed their father's grave but Suzaku had this clean freak habit of his that he began to clean the neighboring stones. At first, it was creepy. On the second, it was weird. In the times that followed, it was slowly becoming to turn into normal. The town folks used to complain about the triplets not minding their own business, but one thought that it was not a bad thing to clean the place.
"What do you want for dinner, mama?"
Miki looked delighted at the question.
That night, she was studying. Her back ached that she stretched her upper body. Her fingers cramped from all the typing that she did. Her eyes even hurt from too much exposure on their computer that she had to massage them gently. Her back leaned on the swivel chair. The object moved lightly from her abrupt movement as she settled for a rather comfortable and lazy seating position. Then, her eyes glanced at the picture on her bulletin board.
There was a picture of her, Koushi, Daichi, and Asahi as first years.
Another one was followed by the one with Kiyoko in their second year.
The triplets' middle school graduation ceremony dinner.
The triplet's high school entrance ceremony with their mother.
A family picture of the Harukaze with their father thirteen years ago. She was five then and the triplets had just turned three.
A family picture of Ukai and Harukaze minus, Keishin, when the elder was released.
And a picture of Kageyama-kun, stolen and looking unaware that his picture was being taken, on a gym.
Her ears buzzed. She can still hear the cries of support and amazement at the match. The howls of surprise and the cheers of victory. Her heart beats faster. She can still feel the beating, irregular and it seems like she had just run a marathon.
She didn't understand. She couldn't. No matter how much thought and time she could give to find out the answers, it always leads her to zero results. But Sawako swore her heart beats fast. There was a time that it stopped beating whenever someone's face popped to her consciousness. And she couldn't stop herself but to hide her face, and let the grin creeping on her lips whenever she remembered his face – his angelic, beautiful face.
She stood up from her seat and walked to her shelf. Her eyes skimmed over numerous titles, fingers brushing lightly on the book as she searched for a certain text. When she found it, she grabbed the books and brought them to her desk.
She began to write the findings in her notebook. She even used her computer to search for more information. It was then, from her irregular heartbeat, that she felt like she has to change something in her plans.
It's taking her long. She's quite aware of that. The whole month of September has passed. She hasn't seen Kageyama-kun that much. She heard that the team has been away a number of times because of their summer training camp. Even their grandfather has to return to that hellhole of a hospital for overdoing things again. She holed herself into the room and studied as much as she could digest. Sawako felt like dying. But only a look at that picture on their board, she would continue and persevere.
August passed and September came. Now that September passed, October came. The breeze was slowly getting colder. Another season will arrive. Even the atmosphere changed.
One fall. One winter. Last spring.
She was outside, just by their engawa, taking a breath of fresh air. Her hair that was long enough to reach her waist was free and swaying every time a breeze passed by. Her fingers caught a few strands and she wondered if it's alright to cut it. But the color of her hair reminded her immediately of one person. Her grip on her mug tightened.
I wonder how he's doing right now.
She shook her head, smiling to herself. She tightly hugged her jacket. She stirred her mug of hot chocolate as she swayed her legs that dangled on the engawa. She sighed. She looked at their wooden gate, getting used to his figure standing over there.
Her breath hitched.
What. A small laugh escaped her lips. She couldn't believe it. Just when she was just thinking of him, he was actually there, standing outside the wooden gate looking stiff as ever. Amused, she placed the mug on the engawa and wore her outdoor slippers that were on the ground. Sawako marched towards their gate and opened it.
She smiled. "Good evening, Kageyama-kun."
The aforementioned nodded. "Good evening."
"What brings you here?"
He looked conflicted. She blinked. He was beginning to look scary. She kind of knew what's his purpose at the sudden night visit. It has been months since the last time he approached her and ask her. But instead of interrupting him, she waited for him to say it.
"Well… I was wondering…" his eyes were looking everywhere but her again. "Doyouwanttowatchtomorrow?"
She stared. Her ears almost didn't get his words right. And she let out a breath. Glee plastered on her face. But she recomposed and smiled at him, apologetically. "I'd love to." His eyes lit up. "But we have classes."
He blinked. She watched his cheeks reddened. He stepped forward. "Then, you could come after class."
It was her turn to blink. "But the matches would be over."
"Then, go at lunch."
Another blink. "I wouldn't be able to attend the afternoon classes."
"Tell your sensei to watch the match, too."
She wondered how many times did she blink at that moment. His face contorted into a pleading look and his voice was utterly demanding. If she didn't know him, she would feel offended to be told that way. Despite that, he's pretty and interesting. Sawako looked away and covered the lower part of her face with her hand. She could feel her lips curving upwards and tried to hide it.
Ah. How could someone be this cute?
She took a deep breath and looked at him. "You're funny, Kageyama-kun." He looked perplexed. Then his scary face almost appeared. He was scowling. And she smiled. The fact that he couldn't hide his own to her was interesting. "Sorry, I don't think that'll work."
He looked down.
Ah. He must've really wished for her there.
"Well… I can have Yusuke-kun record the matches for me." She trailed. "So… I can watch 'em and see… you… on the court."
"Yusuke-kun?" He repeated.
"Takinou Yusuke-kun. You know him already. He's with the Neighborhood Association."
"Ah." He nodded. "Okay."
Okay? "Have fun, tomorrow."
He looked thrilled. "Yes, ma'am." He grinned.
Sawako could feel her heart getting wild at the sight. The curve of his lips, the shine that dawned on his face, and the way his eyes looked down at her with an obvious joy – Ah. She grinned at him, too. Her mind began to trace all the finest details on his majestically beautiful face to memory. And they both stood there, grinning one another, not minding the red tint on their own cheeks.
He blinked. "Harukaze-san." He called. "How…How are y-you?"
Her eyes widened. Her lips stretching, trying to remain on a thin line but fails. "E-eh?"
"How's Harukaze-san? I-I-I… I haven't seen y-you lately…" He blushed.
She looked down and unconsciously played with the tips of her hair. "Well… I've been studying a lot. Nothing new."
"College?"
She nodded. "How're your… studies?"
He looked away. "Fine."
He's probably lying. She mentally snickered. "I heard from Koushi, I mean, Sugawara, that you went to Tokyo for the training camp." She looked up at him. "How was it?"
He lightened up. He smirked. "Amazing. It's full of stronger opponents from powerhouse schools. We've got to play with them in a day. There was Ubugawa, Shinzen…"
Sawako nodded, as he continued. She absorbed his perspective gushing. There was a red tint on his cheeks as he told her his experiences in the Tokyo Training Camp. It was a surprise, though. He stuttered and would hesitate whenever he spoke to her. It's as if he was weighing his words properly but surprisingly enough, with just a question, he seemed to have forgotten about being shy. And she let him.
He's really cute.
He gasped, eyes widening. Then, his blush intensified. He seemed to have realized what he's doing.
She maintained her smile and reached for his head. She's tall to reach his nose. Her hand reached the top of his head but she hesitated. Surprising her, he leaned down not looking at her eyes with pink on his cheeks. She touched it as it became somehow her permission and her hand touched the black strands. She patted his head.
Soft…
They haven't seen each other for a while but they seemed closer.
Ah. My heart's beating that rhythm again.
