Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu! or any of its characters. I only own my OCs.
Chapter 5: The Start of all our Problems
Minako stared at her plate, dismayed. The crumbs of her cheesecake lay there, cold and dismal, a reminder that the momentary dopamine surges in her brain urged her to have more… But the plate remained so woefully empty.
"Alas," she whispered dramatically. "Our time is over. Temptation beckons me like a siren on a cool evening, but I must deny. Oh, how I must deny…"
"You know, you could always just get more cake," Matsui piped up, unimpressed.
Minako shook her head and sighed, "No, I have to eat dinner later. My dad will be home."
The light chatter enveloping the cafe that the two girls had settled in had died down as the sun slowly began to set. Now, quieter, only a few remaining students lingered, bent over their textbooks and sipping lattes. Only a month had passed by but the unyielding submission to the academic gods had already begun.
Minako looked out the window, watching as the final rays of the setting sun cast an ethereal glow over the nearby buildings. The end of the day had come sooner than she expected, having most of her attention taken away from the…interesting lunch period she shared with the famed Seijoh setter. He had found more than one way to surprise her—and annoy her, she added—and the girl found herself truly fascinated. The writer in her took it as a challenge—a character study, if you will; who was Oikawa Tooru? As fascinated and intrigued as she was, however, a big part of her couldn't help but realize she had fallen into a trap of Oikawa-dome and she groaned at the prospect of being lumped under the same umbrella as his obsessive fangirls. The way those crazed vultures looked at her nowadays, she wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't even let her share their umbrella.
"So," Matsui pressed. "Are you sure nothing happened between you and Oikawa-kun this afternoon?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Why are you so obsessed with him, Matsui?" Minako eyed the girl, tilting her head curiously.
"Well, to be honest, I'm not. Not really. But you can't deny that he's talented, hard-working, and good looking," Matsui shrugged calmly, leaning forward on the table and resting her face against her palm.
"No, I don't think anyone can deny that, but that's not all to him—you said so yourself."
"Oh," Matsui waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "So you're not denying that he's good-looking?"
Minako groaned, "That's not the point."
The copper-haired girl chuckled, "Okay, okay, yeah; there's a lot more to him than meets the eye, but obviously girls will only focus on what they see. I mean, it's not like any of them actually know him, because none of them are actually friends with him. I fall under that boat—and I happily and willingly admit that I am shameless and only obsess over him due to those base, surface qualities of his."
"I appreciate your forthrightness," Minako responded dryly, though she couldn't help the smirk that tugged at her lips. "But…all this attention and needless coddling just get to his head. Don't you think he needs more than that?"
Matsui stared at the writer thoughtfully. "Well, of course. But in the end, he still works hard for himself and his team. I suppose it also doesn't hurt if his ego is stroked by a group of fanatics once every while."
"But I don't think it really helps. Like I said, he needs so much more," Minako sighed.
Matsui narrowed her eyes, "What happened at lunch between you two? What did you talk about?"
Minako's mind trailed back to the lunch period only a handful of hours ago. It was the image of his normally flippant and obnoxious self cascaded over by a rigidity of a hardened war veteran. Minako knew he was a hard worker, it didn't take very long for her to come to that conclusion, but the way he acted in those moments as he stared at the face his bitter rival—at the face of those that pushed him down time and time again—made her wonder where his motivations truly lied. Did he want to beat Shiratorizawa? Ushijima? Yes, of course.
But there was so much more. And Minako did not know where that instinct came from, but something inside her pulled curiously when the thought came up. A person that dedicated to beating a single team? A single person? There had to be more at stake. The writer was left wondering how personally Oikawa really took it all.
"Nothing," Minako settled.
Matsui scoffed, "You're the worst liar."
"Seriously, nothing. I just…don't really get him."
"I thought you hated him," Matsui sat up straight, arms crossing over her chest and brow arching pointedly.
"I do," the writer replied defensively. "But…don't you think there's more to him?"
"Do you?"
"Perhaps…"
"But weren't you the one who started judging him outright?"
Minako's lips pursed into a thin line, "Okay, I get it. I don't know, okay? I'm just…curious, is all."
Matsui grinned knowingly, "Mhm, sure. I mean, ultimately it doesn't matter right? Because you're just going to go back to hating Oikawa-kun's guts tomorrow, and thinking he's arrogant, narcissistic, and all those other words you like to use so much."
"Because he is."
"But you're still curious…? Because you think there's more…?"
"I…don't know," she looked to her friend uneasily.
"Are you sure you don't have a crush on him?" Matsui giggled.
"Yes! I mean no! I mean—I don't have a crush on him!" Minako fumed.
The entire time during the lunch period after she and Oikawa had watched the Shiratorizawa match had set off an inquisitive alarm in Minako's head. As much as she agreed with her friend's statement—she knew she would find more and more reasons to find Oikawa's existence insufferable—today had proved that all her previous thoughts on how there was much more to him had some merit. She was curious, but she didn't know why. Was she being too harsh with her judgments? Did she care? What was she trying to prove to herself?
"You hate him but want to know more about him, how funny." Matsui chuckled. "You know, I don't know how to help you since I really don't know what the issue is—"
"—There is no issue," Minako grumbled.
Matsui sighed, "Just…do what you gotta do. Follow your instincts. Just don't be so unnecessarily pushy or let your hardheadedness cloud everything."
There was a comfortable silence that enveloped the air between the two girls as they began to pack-up. Minako looked to her friend, whose short, rusted-orange hair fluttered gently around her face as she moved, and whose wide grin could be spotted from a mile away. Matsui was wild, dramatic, uninhibited, bold—some would even say crazy, but it was delicate moments like these that truly made Minako realize how grateful she was to have such a steadfast friend. She smiled, wide and genuine.
"You know, Matsui, you should try this whole serious-and-thoughtful thing more often. It's very becoming of you," Minako reached over, playfully shoving her friend on the shoulder.
"Tch, what are you talking about; my craze is part of my charm," the other girl laughed.
"Thanks, Matsui."
"Of course, Sonozaki-chan."
As the two left the cafe and parted ways, Minako making her way back to her own house, she felt her phone buzz in the pocket of her uniform blazer. She flipped it open, unsurprised to see a message from her older brother, responding to the one she sent him the previous night of her first news article. Something told her it wasn't going to be pleasant.
[To: Baka-chan
From: Koichi]
OI! You didn't tell me you were writing for the BOYS volleyball team? D:
[To: Baka-niichan
From: Minako]
Why does that matter?
[To: Baka-chan
From: Koichi]
It matters because IT JUST DOES! Boys are the worst, especially Seijoh boys!
[To: Baka-niichan
From: Minako]
YOU were a Seijoh boy!
[To: Baka-chan
From: Koichi]
So I speak from experience! Okay…Okay. If anyone hits on you, you HIT THEM BACK. If anyone gives you trouble, YOU TROUBLE THEM BACK. If anyone tries to kiss you, you kiss them back WITH YOUR FISTS!
[To: Baka-niichan
From: Minako]
Go to sleep.
[To: Baka-chan
From: Koichi]
Seriously…no funny business, okay? But great work on the article :3
Minako shook her head, unsurprised at her brother's antics. He was an older brother, after all. If he were to find out about Oikawa, though…she didn't even want to ruminate on the possibility. Older brothers were obligated by some force in the universe to be an absolute ass about such things, and that was another headache that Minako was unwilling to deal with. Shaking off an eerie shudder that coursed through her, she picked up the pace and headed home swiftly.
"Tadaima!"
The house was quiet except for the soft footfalls of her father undoubtedly preparing dinner. It was a more rare occurrence, she thought. Due to Sonozaki Hideki's work as a professor at Tohoku University, he would often stay in his office at campus till well into the evening. Usually by then, Minako would have been home already, finished eating dinner, and doing her homework. Late nights at work weren't as frequent as they were before, though. And with her brother being overseas for university himself, Minako found herself enjoying the absence of the deafening silence that often overtook the spacious house. It was times like these that the girl would wistfully think of how vibrant the house used to be, and how she ached to feel that again.
"Okaeri!" her father's voice boomed gently in response. "Dinner is just about done."
"Sounds good!" Minako rushed up to her room, putting away her things and tugging off the outer layers of her uniform, and made her way back downstairs.
Her father had just finished placing the heaping pot of curry on the table, and Minako smiled as she let the scents of the hearty food fill her nose.
"Smells good, Tou-chan," Minako took a seat at the table.
"Ah, thank you." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, making it over to his own seat.
"Itadakimasu!"
"Itadakimasu."
A comfortable silence fell over the two figures as they began happily munching on their dinner. It was usually like this, her father being a naturally quiet man and Minako herself never really speaking much to him one-on-one. Though she noticed this time that his eyes would wander around the room occasionally, as if he were nervous about something.
"So, how was work?" Their silence broke as Minako spoke up, hoping to pull her father out of his strange reverie and say something.
"Mm, good, really good. I finished grading some tests today—the students aren't a hopeless cause as I first thought," he laughed gently.
Minako smiled, "That's always good."
"How about you? How has the first month been so far?"
The girl looked ahead thoughtfully, "Pretty good. Busy, as always. But I'm managing."
Hideki nodded, "That's good to hear. How's the school paper going?"
"Fine…well, as fine as it can be, I suppose," she shrugged.
"Volleyball's not too much of a hassle, is it?" he inquired softly.
"Not as much as I first thought. I'm starting to warm up to it—maybe even like it," she freely admitted to him, for it was nothing but the truth. Though she had her reservations and…deterrences, she kept those quietly to herself.
The older man smiled, "I'm glad you're taking to it so well."
"As well as I can," she chuckled nervously. "My first article was published earlier this week, by the way."
"I…I saw. Good work. It was very well written."
"Thanks, I—wait, you saw?" Minako's spoon hovered over her mouth mid-bite. She stared at the man, confusion etched on her face, as she tried to recollect when she would have given him a copy of the paper. As far as she remembered, she didn't.
"I, uh," her father started glancing around again, nervous and uncertain. "I came home much earlier today, so I did some cleaning. I saw a copy on your desk, so I read it."
"Oh, okay."
Minako suddenly froze.
She did remember the previous night when she placed a copy of the paper on her desk. There was nothing to that, really. But she also remembered that there was something else she had left on her desk that she had entirely forgotten to put away in her haste to leave the house in the morning. In fact, if she remembered precisely, she hadn't even closed it. Minako felt a fierce heat overtake her face as the realization struck her that the impassioned words of 'Oikawa Tooru is a glorified asshat', in all its bold, capitalized wonder, glared like a signal flare from the page of her left-open notebook for any poor fellow to lay their eyes on. Minako wanted to disappear into her chair.
"Ummmmmmm…." Words wouldn't leave her mouth coherently, as she noticed her father's expression, indicating that he clued in on her own realization.
Hideki looked around nervously, clearing his throat and speaking softly, "Um, I don't want to pry, Minako…but who is Oikawa Tooru?"
"Ummmmmmm…"
For as long as the girl had been writing, she found herself all of a sudden at a loss for words. They seemed stuck behind her lips as she uselessly stuttered, unable to even formulate where to begin, for Oikawa Tooru was not just a mere passing thought. Unfortunately for her she had placed herself between a rock and a hard place, unwilling to lie to her own father, but never—never, ever—wanting to confront the possibility of talking about boys with him either.
"I know it's not any of my business…but I'm just, uh, looking out for you," Hideki's words came out shakily, as he too struggled with a conversation he had always dreaded having with his daughter. "Is…is this Oikawa Tooru…your boyfriend? Did…he hurt you…?"
Minako almost choked on her own saliva, "No! No, no, no, absolutely not! To both of those!" Her hand was gripping onto her spoon so tightly she thought she might permanently bend it out of shape. She dropped it onto her plate and waved her hands in protest, aggressively trying to quell the nervous concern and horrid implication in her father's tone and words.
"Oh…Okay…" he still looked like a deer-in-headlights, as he desperately tried to make eye contact with his youngest child.
"No, um…" Minako stammered, swallowing nervously. "He's…he's definitely not my boyfriend. Don't worry. And he didn't hurt me. He's just…a guy on the volleyball team. He's…kind of a butthole, but also nice sometimes. I don't know, it's weird. We kind of got into a childish argument, and I guess I was…angry. But it really wasn't a big deal, just kids being immature and all that…"
See? Not that hard? Minako pondered dubiously. It was certainly the truth, but she knew now that her father was going to be forever stained by Oikawa and his unwitting arrival into his subconscious. She could only hope and pray that he wouldn't bring it up with her brother…
"Oh…Okay. As long as everything is okay," he responded lightly, the worry fading from his face as he visibly seemed to relax.
"Yes, of course. Everything's fine, no need to worry," the girl breathed a trembling breath. She could tell, by the sparing few curious glances that her father would throw her once in a while, that his temporary worry had only ceased for the moment. She had no doubt that this would be brought up again in the future.
'Fantastic…'
Dinner continued fairly uneventfully after that moment of panic. Light, pleasant conversation filled the normally quiet and awkward air between the two, but Minako couldn't help but think, sadly, how it would have been so much nicer if the whole family were here. She kept her thoughts to herself, and her face stoic, as she helped her father clear the table after eating. They both retreated to their own devices after, and Minako slowly slumped upstairs back into her room. Spotting the journal and newspaper lying on her table, untouched from how she left it the night before, she quickly snatched them and stuffed them into her bag. Plopping onto her bed, she stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully.
'My problems…will start and end with Oikawa Tooru…
…
How the hell did I get myself in the situation?
…
Is there even a situation? Why am I being so dramatic?!'
The next day was warm and sunny, a positive indication that spring was well under way, and summer would soon be making its appearance as well. And for the student body of virtually every school in the country, it meant that they were going to get busier. Much busier. Spring meant training for local and national sports competitions, namely Interhigh. Aoba Johsai was no exception, especially due to the multitude of sports teams it harbored. That simultaneously meant that Minako had to get her final introductory pieces for the paper all settled before the start of the preliminary tournament. If they were to make it past prelims—four to five tiresome rounds of it—then they would be off to the Interhigh National Playoffs in Tokyo for another four to five tiresome days. It was so short, but the mental and physical taxation felt more like years and years of grueling accumulation.
What a crazy life the athletic world was.
Minako settled into the club room after school for her regular routine of editing and video-watching, briefly pausing at the club room's events board. There was usually nothing of interest posted there. Usually only dates and locations for certain events that would be of interest to cover, but typically nothing for her attention. Regardless, her eyes scanned the board filled with various clippings and flyers, till one in particular caught her eye. She ripped it from its place.
Miyagi Prefectural Youth Writing Competition
SUMMER
Ages: 13-19
Categories:
- Essay
- Story
Minimum Word Count:
Essay : 5000 Words
Story: 35,000 Words
Runner ups: ¥10,000
First Place: Published work in CULTURE JAPAN, VIP Pass to the Autumn National Writer's Exhibition in TOKYO, Cash prizes
Submission Deadline: JULY 31st
Visit Culture Miyagi's official website for submission rules!
It didn't take long for her to scan the contents of the flyer, but for some reason Minako hesitated as she clutched onto the piece of paper. Competitions were never something she had an extensive repertoire with. Any publication of hers were done through the school, for school. She found herself nervous for even thinking of partaking in something like this. Yet another part of her knew that it was time to start testing her mettle…for better or worse. She stuffed the flyer in her bag haphazardly and settled into her chair.
As she propped her laptop open and pulled up her work, a familiar voice came from behind and settled down beside her.
"How are those player spotlights coming along?" Asana Tsuyo asked. She had been the one to start it all off, and had been the other begrudging voice of reason in Minako's life.
Minako didn't know whether to be thankful or spiteful.
She decided on the former when she came to realize how much she had actually taken a liking to volleyball.
"Pretty good," Minako said. "I'm just editing the captain's, and should be able to move on to the vice-captain soon."
"Good," Asana smiled. "I'm glad you've taken such an interest in your work now—it shows."
Minako chuckled abashedly, "Well, volleyball is actually quite interesting and fun to watch, so writing about it isn't all too bad." She looked to the editor with a shy look of admittance etched on her face, "I'm taking your advice and giving it a chance."
Asana laughed jovially, "How incredibly mature of you, Sonozaki-san. I'm glad things are working out so well. I'm assuming this sentiment extends to Oikawa Tooru?"
Minako's smile turned down slightly, "It's…a work in progress."
The editor pat the girl lightly on the shoulder, "Progress being the key word, though. Good. Need any help with anything?"
The writer hummed, "Just logistical stuff, really."
"What's up?"
"How are matches determined typically? They seemed more premeditated, especially for Spring Nationals," Minako opened up the Sendai City Gymnasium schedule for the upcoming summer, peering curiously at the dates and the list of teams set to compete. Prelims took place in the span of one weekend. One weekend of multiple games each day, a feat of stamina to be recognized amidst player skill. It was marvelous.
"Most of the first round match-ups are randomly drawn, and teams advance upon winning," Asana began. "However, teams that place within the top four of the prelims are exempt from the first round. Aside from that, it's standard advancement procedure."
"Oh," Minako tapped her fingers on the desk. "Easy enough. I suppose the top four teams have been fairly consistent over the past year?"
Asana nodded, "Essentially. Even before last year, Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa would usually make it. Date Tech are typical contenders, too, and Kesenike West has been steadily improving over the years."
Minako stared ahead, wishing not to make eye contact with her editor as a sudden thought took bloom. "What about Karasuno?"
"Karasuno?" Asana seemed taken back by the random mention. "Uh, from what I've heard they haven't been contenders for Nationals in some years. As far as I know, they hardly have even been top four."
"Really?" There was an hint of disappointment laced in the writer's tone. She was surprised by it herself, but ever since Matsui had brought it up the previous day, her brain was suddenly flooded with thoughts of the past, and all those involved. Would she even see Karasuno at matches if they didn't even make top four?
"Mhm. The fallen crows, they're called. They made Nationals quite a few times since the team's inception, but ever since their famed coach retired, they haven't been able to reach that spot again."
'Guess not,' Minako thought sadly. How brutal athletics could be.
Would Aoba Johsai ever reach that elusive spot in Nationals? Years and years of Shiratorizawa's reign prevented them from doing so, but hard work would always bear fruit, and that she believed firmly.
She could only hope that would be enough.
Oikawa was not a man of many focuses. In fact, there was only one that he truly cared about.
It was that which kept him so late at school most nights such as this one, methodically going over drills and honing his technique where he could. Time and time again proved that he would never be a genius, but he could still beat them. And he would settle for no less. No matter how harshly his body, or Iwaizumi, screamed at him, his will was iron. And he would continue tempering it till it dominated his enemies.
Shiratorizawa. Oh, what Oikawa Tooru would do to finally fell the beast known as Ushijima Wakatoshi. They were stronger, no doubt, and would only keep getting stronger.
And then next year would be filled with new blood, new talent waiting to take the spotlight and shine their bright light over the court. The thought brought Oikawa to a certain first year back in middle school and his teeth grit in frustration.
No, he was no genius. But even geniuses could be bested.
He had to believe that. There was no choice.
Oikawa jumped in the air to strike down at the volleyball, sending it ricocheting off the other side with a loud thud. He jogged after it as it rolled over to his belongings. Just as he picked it up, a flash of white coming from his open backpack caught his eye. He picked it up, scanning the contents of the flyer he had picked up early that morning.
Part of him didn't know why he even bothered. But it caught his eye, and he couldn't help but think of the boorish writer he had met only a month ago. Her presence in his life had been a minor nuisance at most, considering how she treated him like dirt. But he also determined that she wasn't all that bad all the time. She had the capacity for kindness, she just chose not to use it around him.
How cruel.
But if he could admire one thing, it was her talent and dedication to her craft. In that way, the two were more similar than not. An unpleasant thought, Oikawa decided, but not one he could deny. Though their pleasant interactions, few and far between, were decent enough to keep her in his good graces, they never lasted very long. She had the uncanny ability to be so flippant and grating towards him and it irked him. She was more annoying than he hoped for.
It seemed like his iron will had to be tempered in more ways than one.
The late evening rolled around slower than Minako had expected. She leaned back on her chair, watching the screen in front of her turn black as the video ended, and scanned the pages of her notebook filled with notes of the other teams that would take part in the Miyagi Interhigh preliminaries.
The prefecture was not short of athletic talent, that much was for certain. The boys were lumbering giants and Minako found herself wondering how these kids were only in high school.
Minako stretched her arms up, eyes shifting to the clock. 8:30PM—later than she normally stayed. She was happy that she'd received a message from her father informing her of his own late stay at the university to finish up some work, saving her the guilt from having to miss a dinner together with him. She stood up, turning off the computer in the club room, and packed up her things, deciding that she should make her exit before nighttime patrols showed up and reprimanded her for staying past the designated time. Again. She locked up the room and adjusted the strap of her bag before heading out of the building.
She fiddled with the blazer draped over her hands as she made her exit, and suddenly a bout of curiosity washed over her and she switched directions to take a different route. Specifically, the one that would require passing by the gymnasium used by the boys volleyball team.
It did not come as a surprise that she saw the lights still on and heard the thudding sounds of a ball repeatedly hitting polished floorboards. She walked towards the door and slowly opened it, peeking inside.
Oikawa, drenched in sweat, propelled himself into the air before bringing his hand down towards the ball and slamming it down on the other side of the net. Despite the hard lines etched onto his face, eyes narrow and steely as they focused on the task at hand, and the clear lines of exhaustion grappling onto his body, he was still as graceful and powerful as he was during their practice match against Oomisaki High School. The movements seemed unnervingly natural, and Minako could all but stare in awe as she watched him repeat them over and over, his form not once wavering. She smirked to herself.
"Go home!" the girl yelled, just as he landed from another serve.
Oikawa turned in her her direction, startled. "Oh, Sono-chan," he said, breathing heavily.
"It's the end of the week, why are you still here so late?" She walked inside.
"I can ask the same about you," he remarked, smirking.
"Well—okay, okay," she conceded. "But nighttime patrols are going to come by soon."
"Hm," he tossed the ball into the air a few times. "But until they do, I still have time."
Minako's eyes widened slightly, "I guess…"
There it was; that indomitable dedication, she noted remarkably. She couldn't help but feel a sliver of admiration for the boy, despite rationality saying that perhaps this was going a tad too far.
Oikawa chuckled and paused, "Oh! I have something for you, by the way." He walked over to where his gym bag lay and rummaged through it for a few seconds before pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper. He walked over to the girl, who was standing by awkwardly, and handed it to her.
Minako reached out to grab the paper from Oikawa's outstretched hands, scanning the sheet carefully.
'MIYAGI PREFECTURAL WRITING COMPETITION' it read—the exact same one that she had gotten that afternoon from the club room.
"Where did you get this?" she asked curiously.
"I saw it near a bus stop this morning on my way to school," he shrugged. "I thought you might be interested."
Minako laughed gently, reaching into her own bag and producing the same sheet. She turned it towards him, "I was, actually."
Oikawa's eyes lit up and he grinned, "So, are you going to do it?"
"I'm not sure yet…"
"You should," he said plainly.
"Most of the creative writing I did last year was for the paper…I don't know how well I'd fare in a competition…"
"So?" Oikawa looked at her pointedly, fiddling with the ball in his hands. "Doesn't mean you shouldn't try."
It was amusing to see the boy that irritated her so thoroughly being so encouraging, and doing so in such a forthright and simple manner. There was nothing inherently inspiring or excessive in the way he spoke his words—just plain truth, simply and clearly.
"Maybe I will…we'll see," Minako smiled shyly.
"Good! And if you ever need inspiration, you can always write about me, you know?" Oikawa winked at her.
"I'd rather not lose, though."
"So mean!"
Minako chuckled, "Okay, well…don't practice too hard. And get some rest, okay?"
Oikawa blinked, his face unreadable for a second, "Yeah, of course…"
The girl smiled, giving him a small wave before she made her exit, carrying both her own flyer as well as the one Oikawa handed to her in her hands. As the street lamps, glowing brightly in the night air, led Minako on her way home, her thoughts drifted back to the brunette setter.
Her relationship with him seemed to experience yet endure the bumpiest of roller coaster rides despite the relatively short time of their acquaintance. She couldn't quite understand the nature of it herself. Each time he found some way to surprise her. Everything felt strange, foreign…Minako wasn't sure where any of it would lead her. She felt as if she was led straight smack in the middle of a very personal journey and the only way she could deal with it is by approaching it through the eyes of an observer. That was her job; observe and write. But curiosity was poking at her like an obtrusive needle. 'Follow your instincts' were the words Matsui said to her the previous evening.
Minako's only hope her instincts were more reliable than the raging clash of her own thoughts and emotions.
The month of May hit everyone like a freight truck. Despite it being only the second month of school it seemed like everyone had hunkered down and submerged themselves in their club activities and school work. The first week was the calm before the storm, as Golden Week vacation allowed for some semblance of a break before the rest of the month got hectic. Minako spent most of this week hanging out with Matsui and working on her competition submission, as well as working on player spotlights for the volleyball team starters. Once school resumed, she continued on with her regular pattern of school and work, not leaving room for much else. The occasional visits to the gymnasium were lack luster, and usually involved pulling aside some of the players for a few words before leaving them to their grueling practices. Practice matches were frequent, and an interesting way to observe other teams in action as well as watching the progress of Seijoh themselves. The team had definitely improved, and the practice matches were an excellent way to try out new plays and hone techniques, and it was showing. Seijoh was a mighty army indeed, and Minako felt a tinge of pity for the teams that would have to face off against them during the first couple of rounds of preliminaries.
Oikawa himself seemed to be in an entirely different world. His focus and concentration were immovable, completely trained on his team and the game. Even his screaming fangirls would allow him his necessary space, though Oikawa still indulged them when he could. His personality seemed to switch at a moment's notice, catering to whatever environment he was in. His focus shifted so concisely, too. It was impressive, to say the least, and so unlike the writer herself.
One Monday after school Minako made her way to the gymnasium and, to her surprise, found it empty.
"Mondays are usually their rest days, if I'm not mistaken."
Minako turned to the voice behind her. A petite girl with long, blond hair stood a few feet away, glancing to the sides nervously.
"Oh…okay," Minako muttered dully.
"Were you looking for Oikawa-kun?"
"Uh no, actually—Vice captain Sakai-san, but it's not urgent."
"I see…" the girl glanced at her before looking away hurriedly.
"Uh…do you need something?" Minako eyed the blond suspiciously. She was pretty, very pretty, but her demeanor seemed far too abashed for someone with as stellar looks as her.
"Uh, no sorry," she laughed nervously. "It just looked like you were looking for someone."
"Oh…Okay," Minako stood by awkwardly. "Well, um, thanks. For letting me know, I mean. Are you…friends with someone from the team?"
The girl shook her head slowly, "Ah, not particularly. I'm in Hanamaki-kun and Matsukawa-kun's class, so I've spoken to them a few times."
The two stood facing each other for a few seconds like a pair of statues, the conversation lulling into a painful stagnation. Minako couldn't help her inward groan, wondering why it was that her own social skills had deteriorated to the point of nonexistence.
"Well," the blonde piped up, "I'll be going now. Bye."
"Uh, bye…" Minako replied, waving dumbly as the girl bounded off.
"Was that your friend?"
The writer twirled around at the sound of the voice, her face meeting Oikawa's as he stared at her curiously, a lopsided grin on his face.
"I didn't think you had the aptitude to make friends," he hummed, tapping his chin in mock thought.
Minako grimaced, "She isn't my friend, I don't even know who she is."
He grinned, "I figured she wasn't actually your friend; you have an awful personality."
Minako's mouth twitched, "Hm, you're right; no wonder we're friends."
"You're right; we are friends. I mean, charity work is one of my virtues, if I do say so myself," he smiled tightly at the writer, placing his hand over his chest dramatically.
"Oh how kind of you, Oikawa-san, you truly are the salt of the earth."
"Just one of many things people say about me."
"Oh, I'm sure—many, indeed."
Oikawa laughed jovially, staring at the girl challengingly with a menacing glint in his eyes. Minako reciprocated, mouth upturned in a sneer.
"By the way," she continued, "are you planning on practicing during your rest day?"
"Oh, Sono-chan, do you care? How uncharacteristic. But like your insults, it's nothing but empty space."
"I'll tell Iwaizumi-san."
"Geh?!"
"So, why are you here then?"
"Just grabbing some things, sheesh, no need to be my keeper," he waved his hand dismissively.
The girl glowered at him before turning away, "Anyway, if the vice-captain isn't here then I'll be off."
"You don't want to see me?" Oikawa called behind her in protest.
"Not worth my time."
"So rude!"
Ignoring the childish remarks from the setter, Minako headed off. On her way out the front gates, she noticed a figure leaning against the wall, his spiky dark hair casting shadows behind him, hands in his pockets and looking agitated.
As Minako got closer, Iwaizumi looked up, surprised, and offered her a small wave. "Hey, Sonozaki-san."
"Hey," she replied listlessly. "Waiting for Oikawa-san?"
"Yeah…did that dumbass sneak off to practice? I'll kill him."
"No, no. He said he was grabbing some things."
"'Grabbing things' my ass, I swear this guy has a death wish," Iwaizumi growled.
Minako chuckled, "He wasn't wearing his practice clothes, so I don't think there's anything to worry about."
Iwaizumi frowned, unconvinced, "If you say so…"
"Oh, Iwa-chan, you waited for me," Oikawa's voice called out.
Minako glanced to the side, seeing the boy walking up to the two, waving his hands pleasantly.
"Of course, you owe me a yakisoba bread that you stole from me at lunch," Iwaizumi muttered, glaring at the setter.
Oikawa chuckled coolly, "I was hoping you forgot." He glanced at Minako and smiled, "Wanna join?"
"Not particularl—"
Oikawa gently grabbed her by the sleeve of her uniform blouse before she could finish and pulled her into step with him and the ace.
Minako grumbled, miffed at the the boy's nerve, but did not protest, and continued to walk alongside them.
"So," Iwaizumi started, staring up at the setter with an arched brow, "what were you grabbing, hm?"
"Hm? Oh, nothing really," Oikawa shrugged, grinning obnoxiously. "Just the many hearts I stole from my adoring fans."
Minako and Iwaizumi both groaned as Oikawa chuckled blithely, spewing out more sugar-coated words and taunting the disgruntled ace.
Minako spared Oikawa her sneers as she snuck a few glances through her peripherals, eyeing him carefully.
He looked as nonchalant as ever, maintaining that regular cheery and bright disposition. He seemed like any other regular teenager through first glance. But as Minako observed him more, she could see clearly how much of a toll his rigorous lifestyle was taking on him. Through the lines of his normal upbeat self, she sensed a weariness incised onto his face and laced throughout his body. Even his laughter seemed heavier, as if he were winded and catching his breath. It was only the second month of school, and one month till Interhigh preliminaries, and yet he looked as tired as a grizzled soldier after the storm of war.
Oikawa turned his head to look at the girl ardently, "Sono-chan, you aren't jealous, are you?"
"Haah?!" Minako turned to him, aghast. "Why the hell would I be jealous?"
"Because you're attracted to me?"
He said it so lackadaisically, so soberly—Minako felt a sudden urge to eviscerate the jovial look that overtook his face.
"Okay, okay," Iwaizumi stepped around Oikawa to come in between him and Minako, as if sensing the girl's disdain. "Refrain from violence, please."
Oikawa shrugged, smirking candidly, as Minako snarled at him.
The three teenagers made their way to the closest conbini, shuffling inside and separating to handle their own business. As Oikawa and Iwaizumi made their way to the food and snack aisles, Minako found herself walking to the media section and began perusing the stands of magazines and other various published works. Her eyes caught one in particular, the image of a lean, well-built athlete suspended in the air, aiming his hand for a well-practiced and precise serve. Her interest was swiftly piqued.
The newest edition of Monthly Volleyball stood proudly among other athletic publishings. Its popularity spoke for itself, for there were only a couple left on the shelf. She picked it up and slowly leafed through the contents. Pages and pages of articles, eloquently and informatively written, graced the glossy papers. Colorful pictures of young volleyball players displaying their athletic prowess complimented the writings. It was certainly a well-made collection of works. The writer paused on one page in particular. A group picture of one particular team, donned in the typical purple/maroon and white of their uniform.
Shiratorizawa Academy was certainly the buzz of the high school volleyball world, especially in Miyagi—they were the best in the prefecture, after all. Alongside their picture were the pictures of other teams that were a shoo-in for Nationals; Itachiyama, Inarizaki, Fukurōdani, and many other teams that boasted strong and talented players. Her eyes trailed back up to Shiratorizawa's section, reading the small blurb written up about them.
Being a school with a low acceptance rate—only accepting those on sports scholarships or those with above-average test scores—it was no surprise that Shiratorizawa was one of the nation's top high schools, and why it attracted top-tier athletes. Ushijima Wakatoshi, Minako read, was well on his way to being considered one of the top three aces in the entire country, and was one of the top contenders in consideration to join the Under-19 national volleyball team.
'This…this is Oikawa-san's rival…' The relentless firing cannon atop the immovable, unreachable wall. She gathered a sense of his abilities by watching those old tournament matches, and talented he certainly was. But to read that there was so much more in store only gave her the idea of the kind of potential this boy had, and how far he would be going with it. Minako bit her lip apprehensively.
"Disgusting. Doesn't it piss you off?" Oikawa peered over her shoulder suddenly, startling the girl, eyes scanning the page she was reading. He sneered, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly, "It makes me want to impale myself, ugh."
"Please—do everyone a favor," Iwaizumi chimed in, disinterested.
"So mean!"
"Ushiwaka may be a beast among critters, but it doesn't mean he's unbeatable," Iwaizumi avouched.
Oikawa arched his brow, aggravated, "And how do a group of critters beat the beast?"
"Mobbing," Minako stated.
"What?" Oikawa's brows furrowed.
"Nevermind."
"He's just a stupid idiot, a stupid idiot face, blehhh," Oikawa leaned forward toward the magazine, making crude faces at the picture of Ushijima.
"Okay, well," Minako shut the magazine and returned it to the shelf, throwing Oikawa an admonishing glance. "Iwaizumi-san is right. No one is unbeatable, and Ushijima-san is no exception. And Seijoh's strength is nothing to laugh at. You're all more than enough to beat Shiratorizawa."
"Oh, Sono-chan," the childish contortions of his face softened as he turned his gaze to Minako and smiled at her fondly, a hint of amusement weaved into the gesture. "You haven't even seen an official match in-person, but you have so much faith in me. I'm flattered."
"I was talking about the whole team, not just you, idiot," she muttered.
"But I'm am the setter."
"Oh, how nice it must be to have such a limited brain space just to talk all the rubbish you want."
Oikawa eye twitched as he scowled, opening his mouth to retort, but Iwaizumi's impassive voice cut in.
"Okay, children, that's enough. Make your purchases, let's go home, sheesh."
Minako shook her head and headed to the door, ignoring the churlish faces Oikawa made in her direction.
"Stop it, Loserkawa," said Iwaizumi.
"Why are you insulting me?!"
"Because you're a completely shitty guy."
"Don't make it worse!"
One month—it had been a little over a month since she took on the position for the sports column as the volleyball writer, Minako thought as she smiled to herself at Iwaizumi and Oikawa's antics. It was irritating…he was irritating…but she really did start feeling like she found a place in her precarious situation. It was more than a sense of mere acquiescence, but rather that of assiduous eagerness. The game itself was enticing, and writing about it, as difficult as it had been—and still was to some degree—was satisfying when done right. She didn't mind, she thought firmly, for she welcomed such feelings. She did not mind at all.
"Oi, Sono-chan!" Oikawa called out before she made her exit. "Your bruise is all gone now, but somehow you don't look any prettier?"
…
Maybe she minded a little.
A/N: You know what sucks? When all your best writing/editing happens at 3AM/4AM...You know what sucks even more? When you seem to only be able to write at 3AM/4AM...
Lots of reworking had to be at this point and continuing forward, hence the snail-pace of updates. But let's be real, motivation in the real culprit. Or, rather, lack thereof. Life is still crazy, weird, busy-ish, but we all do what we can. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!
By the way, who keeps up with the Haikyuu Stage Play stuff? I'm sad because this is the last time to see Seijoh before the current cast graduates. If you haven't checked any of them out, be sure you do! The casting is impeccable-I dare you not to fall in love with Asuma Kousuke, Oikawa's actor. Or anyone, for that matter...
Thanks to Tora3, jungkookies, and thePotatoandtheEagle for your kind reviews! And thank you to all those that favorited and followed! Much love and appreciation.
-Anzu