"You'll be that annoying guy who chases volleyball forever… but keep going without a second thought."
Oikawa halted in his steps and turned to face the owner of the voice—
"Now approaching Sendai Station."
As the train slowed to a halt, Oikawa Tooru was jolted out of his stupor. He stifled a yawn with the back of one hand, while his other gripped the railing to steady himself.
I wonder why I remembered that now, after all these years. Oikawa mused as he shuffled towards the exit along with the other train passengers.
He yawned again and rubbed at still-sleepy eyes. Practice ended late last night and he had to wake up earlier than usual today to catch an early train back to Miyagi.
As he stepped out of the station, Oikawa looked around and smiled at how very little had changed in the years he'd been gone. As nostalgia hit him, seeing familiar places and even some familiar faces, he began to wonder why he had stayed away all these years.
"Oikawa."
He froze. He would recognize that voice anywhere.
.
"—that's why I really think she'll be surprised, don't you think so, Hajime?"
"I agree." Iwaizumi replied with a smile at Oikawa's mother. "It's very thoughtful of you to arrange all this."
They were having dinner at his parents' house where Oikawa's mother revealed that she was planning a surprise 50th birthday celebration for Iwaizumi's mother.
"It's nothing. You're practically family!" His mother replied with a small laugh. "I mean, especially since you recently got engaged—"
Oikawa nearly choked on the water he had just taken a sip of. "Did I hear that correctly?" He asked in between fits of coughs, as he hastily dabbed at his mouth with a tissue. "You're—You're engaged?"
From across the table, Iwaizumi looked at him oddly for a moment before nodding.
His mother gave him a meaningful yet vaguely threatening look, so anything Oikawa wanted to say died on his lips. Instead, he gave a short hum of acknowledgment and thoughtlessly congratulated Iwaizumi; he even managed a smile.
Iwaizumi looked at him carefully before saying, shortly, "Thank you."
"Yes, with you likely busy with that, I thought you might not have time to plan her birthday." His mother chimed in, which elicited a polite acknowledgment from Iwaizumi.
Oikawa tuned out the conversation.
When his mother called the previous evening, it was on the tip of his tongue to make an excuse not to come home. But she was insistent and something in her voice made him cave in.
He was starting to regret that decision. I shouldn't have come, Oikawa thought. The longer the conversation in front of him continued, the more alienated he felt.
The Iwaizumi who was currently chatting with his mother didn't seem to be the Iwaizumi he grew up with. From the moment Iwaizumi picked him up from the station and all throughout the afternoon, he had seemed to be an entirely different person.
Oikawa excused himself, making a hasty comment about wanting to rest from the long trip. As he got up from the table, he felt Iwaizumi's eyes following him but Oikawa refrained from looking back.
Back in his old room, with nothing to distract him, Oikawa wished he were in his apartment in Tokyo instead. The silence that bathed the space unnerved him. The once familiar things were now a jarring reminder of memories he'd rather forget.
He turned over, for the umpteenth time that night, until he lay flat on his back. He stared at the ceiling as he tried to settle his head deeper into his pillow. He hadn't thought that he'd be staying the night; he hadn't planned on it, anyway.
His eyes strayed over to the broken photo frame by the side table. He had forgotten about that. He pushed off the blankets and sat up; he wasn't going to get any sleep anytime soon.
After carefully picking off bits of shattered glass, he reached out to take the photo. In the dim lighting of the room, cast by a lone street lamp from outside his bedroom window, Oikawa stared at a picture of himself and Iwaizumi from when they were kids—their smiling faces bright with careless joy.
Free from worries and hidden feelings, he thought, a little bitterly.
He groaned as he let his head fall back down on the pillow, remembering Iwaizumi revealing his engagement. Oikawa held the photo up again, and his thumb brushed gently over Iwaizumi's face.
Had it really been that long since that night many years ago? When Iwaizumi made that proud declaration and their fists bumped?
I should say no, he thought as he continued to stare at the photo in his hand.
His mom had wanted him to help plan the secret 50th birthday celebration for Iwaizumi's mother. He didn't have any issues agreeing to it. That was, until he found out Iwaizumi was engaged.
I should say no. Oikawa repeated in his head. I can't do this. Especially not now. Not like this.
While he and Iwaizumi grew up together and played volleyball from middle school until high school, they grew apart shortly after—Oikawa continued to pursue volleyball, while Iwaizumi chose to do something else with his life.
He probably should not be surprised that Iwaizumi felt like an entirely different person now. They'd grown too far apart and he wasn't sure the distance could still be bridged. Especially now.
For a moment Oikawa wondered if he had made the right choice all those years ago. He shook his head; he made the choice to pursue volleyball, and it got him to where he was: a V-league player and regular member of the national team.
That had always been his dream, his goal.
It was just unfortunate that Iwaizumi hadn't felt the same way.
Oikawa turned and curled up on his side. He pulled the blankets all the way up to his chin, the photo still clutched in his hand.
He had made up his mind. Tomorrow, he would tell his mom that he wouldn't be able to help with the preparations—he'd lie if needed—and then he'd book an early train back to Tokyo.
Yes. That's what I'll do.
Oikawa closed his eyes, and when sleep came, he dreamed of a ball sailing through the air and a sturdy arm coming up over the net to spike it.
.
The following morning, things didn't go as he planned.
"Must you leave so early?" His mother asked while he was bent over the genkan tying his shoelaces. "I mean, could you not have stayed a few more days? You haven't even gone to see Takeru, and goodness knows how that boy misses you!"
The guilt that ate at Oikawa almost undid him. He nearly capitulated, but then his mother spoke up once more.
"It's fine, though. I'll tell Takeru you'll see him next week when you visit again!"
Oikawa huffed under his breath. Despite his best intention and resolve the previous night to turn down his mother's invitation to help out, he ended up agreeing instead. He stood and turned around to say goodbye, and was surprised to find a warm hand on his cheek.
"I know you didn't really want to help out," Oikawa looked up, eyes wide, and nearly flinched when he met his mother's gaze. "I'm not sure what your reasons are, but I'm grateful that you accepted."
It was a while before he found his voice. "The Iwaizumis are almost like family; it's only right that I help out."
There was such a gentle and understanding look on his mother's face that he shifted his eyes away.
"It'll be alright, Tooru. You'll see."
Oikawa nodded, unsure if his mother was talking about anything other than the upcoming birthday plans. He kissed her on the cheek and then left.
The walk to the station was quiet, which he appreciated; he had a lot on his mind and he needed the peace to sort out his thoughts. After a couple of blocks, he saw a familiar figure standing by the river's edge.
It was Iwaizumi; he must've sensed Oikawa because he turned just as Oikawa stopped.
"Yo, Oikawa!" The greeting sounded foreign to his ears. "I figured you were headed to the station and I thought I'd come with you."
There was a pause and then Oikawa stiffly replied, "You don't have to take me to the station. I might not have visited in a while but I still know my way around."
Iwaizumi's brows furrowed slightly at his response, and for a split-second, Oikawa thought the other would have an angry retort. Yet Iwaizumi's voice was calm when he said, "I have stuff to do in Tokyo as well."
He wasn't sure why both Iwaizumi's reason for going with him and Iwaizumi's calm demeanor disappointed him. Oikawa could only respond with, "Fine."
They started walking in silence, though Oikawa thought that it was anything but peaceful.
"This seems nostalgic," Iwaizumi said after a while, then he turned towards Oikawa. "Do you remember? That night after the Karasuno game."
Oh, I remember. Oikawa wanted to say. Instead, he merely nodded.
Iwaizumi scratched his head, an amused smile on his face and Oikawa forced himself to look away. "Remembering it now seems embarrassing. All that stuff I said—"
Oikawa nearly missed a step, but he quickly recovered. He turned to look at Iwaizumi, who was still smiling, lost in a distant memory. Oikawa opened his mouth to say something but then the moment passed, so he kept quiet instead.
They continued walking in silence after that—until Iwaizumi stopped, a thoughtful look on his face that forced Oikawa to stop and turn back to look at him.
"You were a mess that night." Iwaizumi said with a huge grin on his face.
Oikawa's eyes widened and then he blushed beet-red as he remembered. "You promised never to speak about that again! Iwa-chan, you brute!"
The nickname spilled out from his lips before he could stop, and both he and Iwaizumi froze.
"Just for that, I'll spend the entire train ride reminding you of what happened!"
The grin on Iwaizumi's face was infectious, and try as hard as he could, Oikawa couldn't help but grin back in response.
"I don't know—" Oikawa trailed off intentionally, putting one finger under his chin as if in deep thought. "I seem to remember that night going differently. Wasn't someone being overly poetic?"
"Hey! It was an emotional evening! We just lost an important game!"
Oikawa chuckled as Iwaizumi averted his gaze, cheeks red from embarrassment. Maybe the train ride back to Tokyo wouldn't be so bad after all.
.
"I couldn't be prouder to have you as a partner, and you're the absolute best setter." Iwaizumi's voice rang out clearly in the nearly silent night.
Oikawa stood transfixed at how their oft-silent Ace was now waxing poetic. At him, no less.
"Even if we end up on different teams, those facts will never change." Perhaps realizing how overtly emotional his previous statements were, Iwaizumi's face turned sheepish. "But I'll still give my all to defeat you."
A beat passed and Oikawa could only stare at his childhood best friend, the reality of their situation just fully dawning on him. Realizing what it must have taken for the normally stoic Iwaizumi to say all of that, Oikawa managed a smile before saying, "Bring it on."
A lifetime of memories flashed through his mind as his right hand moved on its own until it met Iwaizumi's halfway and their fists bumped.