April 2010
It was spring. The road was covered with raining sakura petals. Sawako glanced around the school ground full of giddiness with her new school uniform. She has been living in the neighborhood for fifteen years of existence yet this will be the first time that she'll enter the famous Karasuno High as a student. She used to be just a visitor whenever there's a practice match at the gym against other schools but when she reached middle school, she stopped. Even then, it's still a new environment, new teachers to aspire, new classrooms to make her home, and new people to make friends in their new coming-of-age era.
It was because of her tall height that she immediately saw the names of the class list despite standing at the back of onlookers. Her father was a pure-blooded Russian yet her height and eyes are two of the things prominent in her features as his relative. She didn't look like Russian compared to her younger siblings. She took after their mother a lot more. Her black hair and face say so, as well as her upbringing.
Class 1-4
Her eyes scanned the rest of the class list. Most of the names are unfamiliar to her. But it took her two names. It caught her attention and her eyes widened in surprise. Yet upon realizing it, her lips curved into a smile. Her long legs immediately drag her to the first-year hallway. She didn't run but walked at a brisk pace that she made it to the room in just a few minutes. She slid the door opened, careful and gentle despite her excitement and profound joy, her bluish-green eyes immediately scanning the class that was partially filled with new students. She found a short mop of black and tanned skin. She ran to the lad that has his back turned to her. She jumped to hug due to her uncontrolled glee.
"Daichi!"
The lad yelped and immediately turned to face her. His eyes widened in surprise. "S-Sawako?!"
She grinned while her arms still wrapped on his waist. "It's been a while."
"It really is you. It's been three years, huh."
She nodded. Her arms unwrapped themselves and she took a step back to take a good look at her friend. Three years had passed since they parted on their own path for middle school. Sawako can still remember the face filled with fats and a missing tooth that waved her farewell on their graduation. But Daichi looked manly now. He grew taller, shoulders are more broad lost the baby-faced, while his hair is still cropped short, and certainly looked like he aged for more than three years. His matured thinking appears to have improved and gone to such a leap.
"You looked like a lady now."
She touched her face. "Eh? Really?" She blushed and jabbed his side. "It's early to make me blush, you fool."
She heard him yelp in pain. "I see, you're still physical as ever."
Suddenly, the door was slid open in a loud slam, which surprised them. All of their attention turned to the grey-haired boy whose eyes widened when it landed on her face. Her eyes sparkled in delight upon seeing him.
"Koushi!"
"Sawako!"
She walked up to him and gave him a hug. He, too, squeezed back before they let each other go.
"We're classmates again, huh." He hummed. "I'm kind of getting tired to see your face."
Her smile fell. "How rude can you get?" She attempted to jab him like how she did it with Daichi, however, Koushi evaded. "Stay still!"
"That'll hurt, so, no way."
She just laughed and stopped. Sawako grinned. "I'm looking forward to another year with you, Koushi-san. Please take good care of me." She bowed.
He returned her gesture. "Likewise, Sawako-san."
They exchanged smiles that soon turned into fits of small laughter. But it was cut short when Koushi looked at something past her shoulder. She turned to see what her friend was looking for and found that it was just Daichi. Her childhood friend was looking at them. She smiled and grabbed Koushi's wrist.
"Daichi." She called. The aforementioned turned and fixed his posture as he nodded at Sugawara. "Daichi, meet Koushi. A classmate and friend in middle school. Koushi, meet Daichi. A classmate and friend in grade school."
The gentle-looking boy nodded at the matured-looking lad. "Sugawara Koushi." Introduced himself. "Looking forward to a year with ya."
"Sawamura Daichi. Same here, Sugawara-san."
They both shook hands, smirking and sharing glances towards their female friend.
"Basically, what Sawamura-san and I have in common is you." Koushi turned to her, humming.
She blinked, a smile plastered on her face.
"We have to prepare for a series of attacks for a year, huh."
"We better learn defensive measures, Sawamura-san."
"You said it, Sugawara-san. I have tips that might be effective."
"Oh. Please do enlighten me with your experience."
Her eyebrows narrowed, puzzled at their conversation but Sawako ignored them as she chose her seat with the hopes that she'll be stuck on the same set of a table and chair for the rest of the academic year.
It was lunch-break in their classroom when they decided to share her table for lunch. The three of them had their own bento. It just so happened that her table was the ideal spot that the two lads chose and agreed. Sawako was left with happiness at their sudden closeness. She's going to spend an entire academic year with the two, perhaps they could spend another two more until they graduated and finish high school, that this friendship of theirs is not bad but great. She can already see them exchanging late-night phone calls gushing and ranting about their teachers or life in general.
"Have you applied in any clubs?"
Sawako opened her bento. "Literature."
The boys hummed, blankly. "Usual, huh." Then they shared looks, grinning at each other.
She rolled her eyes. That was odd but nice. She couldn't stop herself from smiling. "How about you, two?" She ignored the sneaky chopsticks of Koushi that stole a tamagoyaki from her lunch.
"Volleyball." They shared looks once again, both eyes widening in surprise.
She hummed, satisfied at the flow of events in her life. "The usual, huh."
"So, we'll be teammates, Sawamura-kun."
"I'm really looking forward to working with you."
Once again, Sawako ignored the sneaky chopsticks of Daichi that stole a tamagoyaki.
The two lads began to converse about volleyball. It didn't take her that long to realize that this will be a part of her new normality. She smiled at the sight of her two boys sitting in front of her who would steal her eggs and rice as if they did not have any of their own. She didn't mind, it became an uncanny habit of the two lads through the years that she spent with each other. She just realized that they both did the same thing from each of her time with them back then.
A week later, on the chair, at the same time, Sawako found herself staring at the big lad with long brown hair and brown eyes. He was sitting with them at their lunch break today, stiff, and was actually not looking at her eyes. Daichi told her that they're going to have a quick volleyball meeting over lunch and she didn't mind. She just didn't expect that there would be a new person.
"Hello." She greeted the big boy, who stiffened at her attention.
"H-Hello."
Sawako opened her bento when Koushi and Daichi settled down beside her and the new guy. The new guy has brought his own bento. She offered the box to him with a smile. "Want some tamagoyaki?"
He instantly waved his hand to say no. "Ah… I'm good. Thanks."
She blinked. "I insist. If you're part of the volleyball team then you should eat some."
"Where's the connection?" She heard Koushi as he opened his.
The new lad just blinked, glancing at her friends, in which they respond with a nod. "Okay." It made her smile. "Thank you for the food."
Sawako waited.
"It tastes good."
"Coz, Sawa cooks."
She grinned. "I'm Harukaze Sawako."
"Azumane Asahi."
"Well then, Azumane-kun, have some more tamagoyaki."
"A-Ah… okay, thanks."
"I seriously cannot find the connection of an egg roll and volleyball."
"Just eat, Koushi."
And that's how she met Azumane Asahi, the big man with a soft heart. Since then, Sawako started making more of her shares of tamagoyaki for the three. Although it was just Koushi and Daichi who would dare steal egg rolls, she would still offer them to Asahi. It was very thoughtful of him to think that she might not eat her own tamagoyaki because of the two sneaky volleyball players.
It wasn't until days later that she was in for another surprise.
"Eh? Manager?"
Koushi nodded with a smile on his face. "Daichi's recruited one."
"Who?" She didn't remember the team having one ever and this is new to her.
"Kiyoko Shimizu."
"Who's that?"
"Apparently, she's Asahi's classmate."
"Oh. Nice."
The three have made efforts, she knew. Most of the time, they would close the door of the gymnasium past the training hours and attends classes the next day with new bruises on their elbows. It's mostly arms and Sawako deduced that they're practicing receives. Still, such situations bugged her that she brought a box of plastic strips for them to cover it up. It was disturbing, Daichi's arms particularly.
April 2011
Karasuno, the powerhouse school in the small town of Torono, since her grandfather's retirement, became a thing of the past. What was once powerful became ordinary. What used to fly higher had dropped low on the ground. And she's not surprised when she heard of their defeat. For the boys, their first defeat. She knew it wasn't enough. She knew that they lack something. There was a drive, a motivation, but they lack the skill to make it up. That's why she thought, that it's not their time yet to shine. Their year ended that quick and before she knew it, she upgraded a year level. She found out who her classmates are for their second year.
"Sawako!"
She turned at the call of her name and found Koushi and Daichi by the shoe lockers. She approached them after wearing her uwabaki of the year.
"We're in the same class."
Daichi shook his head. "Again."
She narrowed her eyes to Daichi. "You made it sound like you've had enough of me."
The lad chuckled. "Not really."
"Indeed."
She turned to Koushi. "Both of you know how to push buttons." She crossed her arms.
The two lads shared a look. They both sighed and laughed. Sawako just smiled as they began to walk. "Com'n, let's get moving. We'll see Asahi later." She draped an arm over their shoulders and dragged them closer to the stairs that will lead them to the second floor now that they're second years now.
"Yes, yes…"
"Sawako-okaa-san."
She pinched Koushi's shoulder. "You piss me off sometimes."
Daichi laughed beside her.
"It's love."
She laughed.
Later on, Sawako found out that Asahi and Shimizu shared the same class next door again. Convenience may be akin to it, as their lunch breaks are spent one of each class. They would form a huge table, just rearranging their table, and eat their lunches together. Second-year for her was her happiest. There was no pressure, just a foreboding feeling that lingers. Sawako had a curse to come as her fortune on that year.
It didn't take that long for her to meet the first years. It was one summer night and she had to buy something at her cousin's shop for emergency pads when a flock of noisy boys gathered outside the store. It was past seven yet the neighborhood was quiet as ever if it weren't for its natural noises. She immediately recognized them as the volleyball team because of Asahi's hair, and Koushi's laugh.
"Tone up your voice and the shop's owner gonna get mad at you, y'know." She told them. Her hand was on the pocket of her white pajamas, while the other held her signature koala coin purse.
The three third years instantly turned to her, eyes widening in surprise. "Sawa!"
She glared, tilting her head to check who was tonight's store clerk behind the counter. "I just told you not to make any more noise as it is." She couldn't figure out who was it. The poster of the sale at Shimada Mart covered that portion of the glass window.
Daichi chuckled. "Sorry, you surprised us. That's all."
"Well, I ain't a ghost."
"You're wearing white."
"Not an excuse to shriek like a girl."
"Want some?" Sugawara offered her a pork bun. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Asahi patting Daichi's back at his silence.
"Thanks, but I already ate." She said that but she took the offered part from his hand, quickly eating it. She ignored the look Koushi gave her as she turned to the people quietly watching her behind Asahi. She tilted her head at Koushi. "Are they the first-years you're telling me about?"
He glanced at the five boys. "Yep. In flesh."
She hummed and lowered her head to greet. "Hello, I'm Harukaze Sawako of Class 2-4. Nice to finally meet you." She smiled.
Later on, she was able to confirm her guess. The one with bright, wild hair is Kinoshita-kun, and the one with dark hair that stood beside him, shorter in height, is Nishinoya-kun. The almost-bald lad with scary eyes that went shy on her as soon as her eyes landed on him is Tanaka-kun and the other one with a soft look is Narita-san. The last one with sleepy-eyes but good-looking is Ennoshita-kun. As she looked at their faces, she had her eyes on Ennoshita-kun longer than she thought.
He's cute.
"Well then, gonna go buy. I'm on an errand." She bid, waving at the flock of crows that shared pork buns as a post-training meal of the night.
"Take care, Sawa." Koushi and Asahi told her. She grinned and gave them a thumbs-up.
Her hand reached for the handle and slid the door. Her smile went wide at the sight of the smoking clerk. "Evening, Keishin!"
The first-years warmed up to her in no time, particularly the three – Kinoshita-kun, Narita-kun, and Ennoshita-kun. The two hyperactive were apparently shy. For some reason unknown to her, they immediately shut their lips sealed and behaved timidly. Their cheeks were unusually red, and couldn't even look at her in the eye whenever they crossed paths. Sawako swore that the two were just reverting to a persona that is a complete 180 degree different from who they really are. But what was their reason? Tanaka-kun isn't like Tanaka-kun based on what the trio told her. He was supposed to be a straightforward person, based on the first-meeting proposal that took place not even a month ago. As well as Nishinoya-kun, who was dubbed as a wild child who has preferred to call the team on their first name.
Aside from Koushi. She snickered.
Things changed in their dynamics one night. As usual, she found the group of boys loitering outside the shop. All have pork buns on their hand and she had a guess that Daichi's wallet is dead because of the treat. Well, from the looks on their faces, it doesn't matter. They were able to buy the rest before the baseball team hogged over the buns the store sells. And as usual, she's out for the shop for an errand.
"You are really noisy. I'm surprised that the owner hasn't yelled at you yet." She told them in the middle of their chewing.
Koushi eyed her. "We're toning it down as you said, mother."
She lifted her chin, proud, and ignorant of his nickname for her. "Good children."
"Evening Harukaze-senpai."
"Evening boys." She smiled at three first-years. "I take it that you're senpais are treating you well?"
"You're making it sound like we've been bad people and bad influences." She heard Koushi but chose to ignore his remark,
The three nodded. "Yes, they are."
Of course, she knew that the first-years are in good hands. She meant it as a joke, and so does Koushi. She had known the three third-years for a long time – Daichi, in terms of length of friendship and similar filial roles, Koushi in stronger bonds and unbarred criticisms, and Asahi in emotional understanding and view of life. She found it odd to spend so much time and befriending boys. But with them, rowdy and chaotic they may be, she found true friendship that she didn't expect. It was because of her height that she had a hard time fitting in the class, particularly the girls. But Sawako didn't have complaints. She knew that she has never done anything wrong and that they misunderstood her aura. So she let them warmed up to her and let them show who she really is. Eventually, because of her nature and height that they made her their class representative for two years now.
But she wants to note, boyfriends are the best. It's like babysitting people that are not related to her.
With affection, she reached on the top of their heads and patted their heads. "I see, that's good. If someone bullies you, tell me." She kidded. She's never been the violent type.
"No way, something like that's going to happen."
She chose to ignore Koushi's side comment once again.
"We will."
She grinned. "Good children."
A sigh. "You're taking the mother role seriously."
She blinked. "Is that a bad thing?"
Asahi shook his head. "Nah. You'll make a great mother, Sawako."
She blushed. "Thanks, Asahi."
"Don't make it soon, okay? I'm not ready to be a godfather." Daichi piped in, making her blush deepened.
"I don't have plans yet."
"Good. I've had enough babysitting kids."
And she just laughed. She knew firsthand about Daichi's situation. That's why they click so well. Both of them are the eldest sibling in the family and they have a number of younger ones to take care of. It was such a wonder before and a good pastime to hang-out after classes in the children's park near the nursery. It feels like yesterday when she watched three tall Harukazes running with two Sawamuras coated with sand and mud.
She blinked, remembering her agenda of the night. "Oh yeah, I have to buy something." She smiled and gestured to them of excusing herself. She entered the shop without a word. "Good evening, Kaede-san."
"Evening, Sawako-chan."
After greeting the clerk of the night, her aunt, she headed to the aisle. Hitori started her first day of menstruation tonight and the gal didn't bother to hide a stack of pads for an emergency. Sawako immediately took a bundle of pads of Hitori's preference and went to the freezer to buy the family a tub of ice cream. They're supposed to have a movie night, but before they can start, they have to accommodate the urgency in the first-born triplet first. By the freezer, she met Nishinoya-kun and Tanaka-kun who seemed to be deep in thought. Both of them have pork buns from the shop.
"What're you doing?" She asked behind them. The two were startled at her imposing height. "Chill, it's just me."
"H-Harukaze-senpai!"
She blinked. The two were really loud and uncontrollable whenever she's not around but when she's on the same radar, they became just… shy. The small blushes on their cheeks gave it away but she knew that they weren't like this with their Kiyoko-senpai that they adore. She wondered why and what's wrong with her this time. She's sure it was her height again. She can't grow shorter no matter what she does.
"Are you going to buy ice cream?"
They nodded, still silent.
"Have you two picked yet?"
They shook their heads.
Wow. They're making this harder than I thought.
She supposed she should let time do it wonders. She didn't want to push them to be friends with her when they can't just yet. "Can I?" she asked the two as she points to the freezer for ice creams. When they nodded, she gave them a smile. "Thank you." And without wasting any minute, she took a tub of cookies and cream, the family's favorite, before sliding it close. She turned to the two. "See ya, Tanaka-kun, Nishinoya-kun."
Sawako proceeded to the counter and let her aunt punch the things she bought. When paid, she bid the woman goodnight and left the shop. The team was still there, talking, and were waiting for their single-minded duo. She bid them goodnight as well, with a farewell of See you tomorrow.
Surprisingly enough, just as time let them, Tanaka-kun and Nishinoya-kun showed her their true colors. Sawako was surprised the next time they met. Instead of reverting into two shy individuals, they became affectionate underclassmen who seemed excited whenever they got the chance to see her.
"Haru-senpai!"
Sawako turned at the call of her name. Her eyes immediately landed on the two energetic boys that ran to the direction of where she stood – in front of her cousin's shop. Behind them are the rest of the men's volleyball team.
When asked why did the two acted as they did before, she was given two reasons that she should have expected from the lads based on their nature. One, she's a girl. Two, she's taller than their beloved Kiyoko-san and Tanaka-kun was shorter at her then and was taller than Nishinoya-kun. Weird, it sounded but she knew that the only reason behind that attitude was simply because she's a girl. Nevertheless, she found herself connected to the team despite being not a member nor a manager.
That's why, months later, she also found herself affected at their drift.
"Where's Asahi?" She asked Daichi and Koushi as soon as they sat down on their respective lunch seats. "Kiyoko?'
The two shared a look first, a gloomy one at that. It was hard not to miss. From the times they spent together, Daichi and Koushi learned how to communicate telepathically. She mentally joked to herself that they're soulmates or secret twins. There's Michimiya-san for Daichi that she couldn't disregard.
It was Koushi who answered. "Shimizu's out with a cold. And there's actually one thing that I didn't tell you last night." He confessed.
She blinked. "What is it?"
Another shared look. "Asahi and Nishinoya kinda fought."
"Eh?" What?
"Asahi and Nishinoya fought." Daichi repeated, erasing the "kinda".
At first, Sawako couldn't believe it. Those two? Asahi was too soft and Nishinoya respected his upperclassman that much for them to actually have a fight. There was a stable relationship between their ace and libero that's similar to the trust between the setter and the ace. But then again, they are boys. They're both different kinds of alpha that fight for dominance, who fights for responsibility.
Later on, she learned the reason why. And it was because of their match against Date Tech that triggered Asahi to curled up himself back in his safe zone alone after being unable to make a call for a toss and unable to score themselves one measly point. It was regret that was eating him and disappointment to himself for being unable to break through past the wall. And Nishinoya was egging him to continue despite Asahi's anxiety of what-ifs – What if he still couldn't break it? What if he messed up on his rhythm? What if really did call the shot and scored but he didn't do it?
It didn't surprise her to know that Koushi was feeling guilty and has been affected the most as well. His face and his voice as he filled her what happened gave it away. His role is a setter, dubbed as the control tower in the team. It is his responsibility to make tosses that will help the spiker score them a point. And she knew that Koushi has been feeling bad for relying too much on Asahi without considering what Asahi has been feeling in the match. It clenched her heart to see the boy so down. It was different from their defeats in the past. This was affecting their friendship, especially with Asahi's absence during lunchbreak and Koushi feeling guilty the whole time.
Daichi was torn of course. He was the captain as Kurokawa-senpai passed his title to him. And the fact as their new captain, he couldn't do anything but just wait and hope for the returns of their friends.
She was okay with it, too. They're teenagers, they're growing up. Circumstances like what happened will make their bond stronger and it will be just a memory that they will laugh at once they reach adulthood and just reminiscing of their past together.
But…
"Asahi." She called the big man.
The aforementioned halted on his tracks, his back still facing her. And Sawako waited until he faced her. It felt longer when she waited and for him to look at her in the eye. But he didn't. His eyes didn't reach her level, they're not looking at her own. Asahi had an apologetic look on his face and it hurt her.
"Sorry, Sawa. I'm kind of in a hurry."
He immediately left right after that. His words contradicting his downcast figure and troubled slow pace. He didn't get to see the hurt that emerged in her eyes when he turned her back on her with no explanation at all, cutting her from saying anything.
That went on for long until they reached their third year. Lunchbreaks never felt that sad before and incomplete. Kiyoko would join them once in a while if it weren't for her duties in the class. And as usual, she shared the same class with Koushi and Daichi again. Kiyoko was placed in a different class and is not with Asahi, which made the lad more unreachable. She still felt bad that time. She does not want to force Asahi to talk to her but she couldn't just leave him be. She's just waiting for him to open up to them once more. Fortunately, there was no problem with Nishinoya-kun.
April 2012
"Come again?" She asked Koushi during lunch break. The lad just laughed. "Did you just say…" She paused, looking around, and leaned to whisper at her companions. "… the vice-principal's wig fell?"
Koushi hollered, and soon, he threw into a coughing fit after giving a nod in response.
Daichi crossed her arms and sighed. "I never felt so embarrassed in my whole life." He looked at Sawako with a blank look. "I think I'm gonna have nightmares."
She snorted. "New bunch of kids to take care of, huh?" She patted Daichi's back with force. "You can do it, otou-san."
"That sounds really assuring coming from you." She took note of the sarcasm.
"Just accept my support, Daichi."
"I'm not gonna marry you even if you call me father."
"Me neither," Koushi added.
She smiled. "Don't worry. The feeling's mutual."
A tear rolled down.
The team won.
Her ears ached at the sound of cheers of victory from their side of bleachers and disbelief on the other. She wiped the tears that rolled down, her tear ducts breaking, as she watched the three men hugged. Her hands formed in some sort of prayer as she cried with joy with them.
August 2012
There was Tanabata festival ongoing and shows in Sendai for the event. She went there with Koushi, Daichi, Asahi, and Kiyoko. All of them were wearing yukata to celebrate the festival in the city. That night, they had a lot of fun. They played games, ate street foods from the vendors near the park that was all over the place, even strolled around before settling down to position themselves in a mat on the park. They watched the fireworks with gusto. The colored lights that emitted from a powder illuminated their whole being. And watching it together as third-years felt nice. It was their first time actually.
And it made her feel sentimental.
"Hey, where do you plan to go in college?" Asahi spoke.
"Huh? I thought you're not going?" Koushi stared at him.
"Yeah, but what about you four?"
They all shared a look.
Koushi grinned. "Miyakyo."
She and Daichi whistled. "Hotshot."
"Oh, hush. It hasn't started yet."
Kiyoko turned to the captain. "How about you, Sawamura?"
And he answered, "Civil Servant Vocational School."
They all blinked.
"Eh?"
Daichi softly looked at her confusion. "I'm going to be a police."
"Woah. You can do it."
"Thanks."
"Just don't arrest me whenever you see me."
"You're giving me ideas. Thanks."
"Hey!"
Kiyoko looked up and told them her plan. "I'm going to work in our store."
Asahi swiftly turned to her despite Koushi's palm plastered on his cheek. "Your older brother's?"
She nodded.
"Any plans on marrying, Shimizu?" Koushi added, letting go of their big guy.
And the girl blinked. "Maybe." There was a blank look on her face that it was hard to tell if she's really doing it or not.
Despite that, the three men looked at her with surprise. Sawako rolled her eyes at their reaction, noting the light blush on Koushi's cheeks, and turned to her female friend. "You're free to marry who you wanna marry, Kiyoko."
The manager smiled at her. "You too, Sawako. I could say the same to you, too."
And she blushed. "Thank you." She lowered her head to hide her blush.
"You did say that you're not going to marry one of us," Daichi told her, confused.
"Eh? When was that?"
"Ah. You were hiding from us that time."
"I wasn't really hiding."
A subtle smile made its way on her face as she watched Kiyoko turned to Asahi. "Don't tell me you want to marry Sawako, beardy."
There was a couple of snorts. It was rare to hear Kiyoko calling Asahi one of his facial points.
"What?! No!" The lad blushed, probably embarrassed. "No offense, but I don't want to be a battered husband."
And she laughed. "None taken?." She paused, realizing. "Hey!" and almost attacked Asahi when he backed up his statement.
"Besides, Sawako has someone else already."
Her blush returned.
"Now that you mentioned it." Daichi looked back at her, grinning as he mouthed a name. Ka-ge-ya-ma. She tried to fight her blush. "What're your plans, Sawa?"
Sawako coughed. "I originally plan to study in Kyoto."
Koushi's eyes felt like bulging out in surprise. "Kyoto?! That's really south What the hell, Sawa."
She nodded, expecting already their reaction. Tokyo alone sounds far for those who live in the countryside of Miyagi, what more of Kyoto who was almost in the southern part of Japan. It was an almost different country. "I thought that I need to think more about the choice so, I decided not to pursue." Though, she would like to be live in a place where her father grew up and studied college.
Daichi's eyebrow raised. "Oh? Deciding to stay in Sendai?"
She grinned, shaking her head. "Might be Tokyo."
Asahi sighed. "Why even Kyoto in the first place?"
"It's Kyoto. Tokyo. Kyoto-Tokyo. Kyotokyo. Tokyoto."
She laughed.
"I'm amazed at your conclusion, Shimizu."
"She got it right, though." She kidded.
"You're kidding." Of course, Koushi would catch on to that joke of hers. "Who thinks of such?"
"Who do you think?" The captain glanced at his vice-captain, riding the drift.
"Sawako." Asahi sighed.
"You sound like an old man there, Asahi."
"Wha–! I'm not the older one here. It's Sawa!"
"Yeah, but you sound like an old man."
"And looked one, too."
"Shut up! You've been roasting me for a while now, y'know!"
Sawako laughed at their exchange. Her mind thinking of their future – each of them has their own paths to take. Some chose to study at the tertiary level, some chose to work immediately. Their paths were already curved and the fact that they're closer to that future gave her a feeling of being terrified of what will come but at the same time, she was assured that no matter how much time and kilometers that will set them apart, this friendship of theirs will remain the same.
For now, moments like this that they were able to bond that is not volleyball-related, will be treasured deep in her heart.
The ceremony ended and the spectators started to leave the area. A short interview for both coaches of the two teams took place that even their team captain was dragged into a conversation. Sawako was with her whole family and grandfather when they met the victors of the match outside the building. Even when leaving, it was still packed and crowded. She has to excuse herself and asks to go on ahead because she cannot wait. Her emotions were at their peak and the tears that already spilled began to form a new batch upon resting her eyes on the team of black outside.
The future…
Daichi and the rest were at the parking lot. When they were able to get closer, she jumped to give them a tight hug. Her eyes failed to conceal and hold on to the tears of happiness that she has for them. It was like a dam that's just been waiting for so long. Her mind replays the scenarios from their first year and their first defeat as a Karasuno Volleyball Team.
… of Karasuno…
She broke free and turned to the line of five second-years. She gave them a well-deserved and hard high-five.
… is bright.
When she turned to the first-years, she patted all of their heads. Surprisingly able to reach the crown of Tsukishima-kun's, who was too tired to make a comment of her invasion of privacy. Hinata-kun was too happy that he let her ruffled his hair. Even their cute manager, Yachi-san, received a head pat from her. The lass's support and genuine care for the team were unwavering and even if the girl wasn't on the court to sit beside their coach, she still deserved the praise for being there. Lastly, the awfully familiar face of Kageyama-kun who looked surprised when she turned to him.
A future…
Before she could pat his head like how she did it on before, he already leaned his head a little bit downwards for her to comfortably lay her hand against it. She was stunned for a moment, disbelief at the immediate conditioned reaction that he showed her. But she placed her hand on his silky, black hair despite her surprise. Sawako released a soft breath, and couldn't stop herself from smiling at him. She stared at it at his eyes, directly, when he tilted his head upwards and his eyes meet her own.
… with Kageyama-kun.
OMAKE
He couldn't take it. "I'm going home." He told them and turned.
"Coward."
"Scaredy-cat."
"And you call yourself a man?"
"Go run with your tail between your legs."
He has not yet taken any step far from them and they already managed to get on his nerves. He balled his fist and turned to them, annoyed. "Shut it!"
Good thing that Ukai-san wasn't the clerk of their store tonight.
He caught the two bright-haired specimens of Class 1-1 shared a look at each other, seeing that loudmouth girl that happens to be Harukaze-san's younger sister, bent down to whisper on Hinata's ear once again. He caught sight of a devious grin that formed on his partner's lips, eyes on him. And it didn't take long before the girl looked back at him with a mirror of Hinata's facial expression.
He had a bad feeling.
And he was right when she shouted. "GO, HICCHAN!"
Perhaps, he was too slow to react, but perhaps, he just didn't know. It took him a while to process why Hinata jumped on him.
"WHAT THE HELL?! GET OFF OF ME, YOU DUMBASS!"
"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, KAGEYAMA!"
"WHAT THE FUCK?"
"WE ARE ARRESTING YOU ON THE CRIME OF THIEF! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT! ANYTHING YOU DO ARE REPORTED TO SAWA-NEE! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK TO OUR MOTHER FOR ADVICE BEFORE WE ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BRING YOUR FAMILY IN OUR HOUSE! IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THAT, ONE OF THE TRIPLETS WILL CONTACT THEM! YOU SHALL BE TAKEN TO OUR HUMBLE ABODE!"
He's surprised that the clerk of the store didn't yell at them.
The girl latched on his arm like a freaking koala – with a tight grip at that. He watched her catch her breath, looking serious, scary, and ridiculous. His ears ringing at her voice as she practically yelled at his ear. He glared at her. His poor ear. "What didja say?"
Hinata chuckled darkly, getting off on his back, and decided to hold his other arm like how the blonde Harukaze did. "You are not going anywhere, Kageyama-kun."
"You are going with me instead, Kageyama-kun~" She purred.
And he found himself being dragged by this two noisy combo in front of the familiar wooden gate and placard that screams Harukaze-san. Perhaps, he was too slow to react, but perhaps, he just didn't know. It took him a while to process why he was being sold by Hinata to this Harukaze they're with.
"See ya, Kageyama!"
That was the last time he saw Hinata, disappearing on the corner, as the ginger-haired fetched his bike that was left in front of the Sakanoshita Shop, and him being pushed by the Harukaze he, later on, learned of her name as Hitori.
n o t e:
Did ya' see that? AN OMAKE. Yeah, I decided to make one from now on. I thought of the possibility of posting short stories that revolve around this story once we reached the epilogue, but nah. The omake will do.
Oh, oh! Do you see that progress? Told ya' it'll be longer and we're getting near! I can't wait to update the latest chapter (15) I'm writing right now. which reminds me of the days I was picking of their names, particularly the triplets. It went on like this:
.Hitori - "hi" means "fire" pertaining to the ancient greek folklore that is a phoenix. It is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again.
.Kirin - or Qilin, is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.
.Suzaku - or Vermillion bird (a peafowl), is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. It represents the fire-element, the direction of south, and the season summer correspondingly.
Another thing to point out is that the triplets are actually based on guess what?
So, yeah. By the way, I only noticed it but I posted the same doc for Chapters ethereal and promise.
Special thanks to –
bbymojo: I know, right? As much as I love Sawako, I have a thing for Suzaku. I don't know why. And thank you very much! It means a lot 3
Tora3: HAHAHA gosh, it is, isn't it? But that won't be for long!
