Chapter 6.5: Epilogue. Nose.

"Achoo!" It was the sixth sneeze from Hinata.

"You sure you don't have colds?" Kageyama said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Hinata spoke cheerfully. The shrimp looked rather excited about something.

"Well then, as promised, here you go! Pork buns bought and selected by the awesome me!" Hinata had brought out two brown packs from his bag. "Now then, off you eat!"

Kageyama reached out his hand and took one of the brown bags.

"Delicious…" The angel muttered, inhaling the meaty scent of the bread.

"Isn't it?" The shrimp was now looking proud.

Kageyama merely shrugged his shoulders and opened the bag. "Well then, itadakimasu."

Hinata's eyes remained fixed at Kageyama as the latter took a bite and munched at the food.

"How was it?"

Kageyama swallowed the first bite.

And smiled.

"It's delicious.

Hinata's face lit up.

"I told you! Their pork buns are the best! They're always hot and they give you this cozy feeling when you eat them! And you could smell the aroma even from a distance!"

The angel could not help but be amused. The shrimp was indeed proud for his feat.

"This makes me remember of a certain incident."

"Incident?"

"Yeah," Hinata had picked his own pork bun and took a bite. "It was winter then, and I think I was in fifth grade then. I was walking past this pretty dirty part of the street when I came across this wounded crow."

"Heh…" Kageyama took another bite.

"His leg was broken, and it just couldn't fly. So what I did was take it home. I remember Mom being really mad. She said crows are bad luck, and I was an idiot to take it home."

"Well then what did you do?"

"Hm…I kept him," Hinata said, flashing a grin at Kageyama. "I just made it appear like I took it outside, but the truth was I hid it in my closet. Time to time, I would give it some meat, and—"

"And?"

"I remember that of all the things that I gave to it, it was this pork bun that he loved the most."

"Really?"

"Yep! It ate the whole thing, can you even believe that?!"

"Hm…well, aren't you one good soul?" The angel spoke in a casual tone as he ate the last bite.

"But...one day…"

Hinata's eyes had changed. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes as he stare at the closet where he used to hide the creature.

"It just disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

Hinata nodded.

"Maybe its leg finally healed, so it took off by itself."

Hinata looked at Kageyama.

"You think so?"

"You can't keep a crow forever, Hinata. They're animals that are meant to leave places and never return."

Hinata leaned against the wall, sitting just beside Kageyama's spot.

"I hope it was able to have a safe flight. And live," The smaller lad's gaze seemed distant as he stared at the ceiling.

"Kageyama?"

"What…"

"When that day comes, will you also leave?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You're an angel, and you can't stay here for long right?"

There was silence.

"What gives you the idea…"

Hinata smiled.

"When I said all those things about you being my setter, you never replied."

There was no reply.

"You're going to leave, aren't you?"

There was a minute of silence.

"Angels can never stay here for too long…we don't belong in this world. Plus, my job here is to make sure you stay safe until that day."

"You mean, I can die again?"

"What I did was mess up with your fate, Hinata. By taking you back to the past, it means that I'm changing your fate. That day, you were meant to die. With my presence, it's my responsibility then to stay by your side until that exact hour passes, and when it does—"

"You're going to leave…" Hinata finished the sentence for Kageyama.

"Yes. I will."

"Just like that crow, you'll leave."

"It can't be helped."

Dark eyes met amber ones.

"I am just an angel fulfilling my obligation. That's all, no more, no less."

Kageyama felt himself stiffen as he felt that familiar warmth spread on his face.

Hinata had just brushed his hand against the edge of his eye.

"Your eyes…look just like his…"

The hand travelled down to his nose.

"And he had that habit of sniffing the pork bun."

"Haha…," Kageyama forced to take away his gaze at Hinata. "So are you saying that I'm like that crow?"

"Yep."

"I'm an angel, not a crow."

"Yeah, but you got black wings. You're a human crow th—ACHOO!"

Kageyama snorted.

"Ah dammit—"

It was Hinata's turn to stiffen.

Kageyama had just brushed his hand over Hinata's nose.

"You're a mess, don't you know that?"

"Look who's talking! You even got a piece of that pork bun beside your mouth!"

Kageyama went red.

"Am not!"

"You are!" The angel was about to wipe the edge of his mouth when the same warmth settled beside his lips.

"See?" The orange head grinned in triumph as he showed the piece of meat.

"Hinata. Can you do me a favor?"

"Eh?"

"Just close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"Eeeeh…but who knows if you'll attempt to throw me against the bed again."

"I won't."

There was another round of silence as Hinata stared into Kageyama's eyes, as if he was trying to read the angel's mind.

"Fine. But if you strangle me, I swear I'm taking my revenge on you!"

"Whatever. Just do it."

Hinata heaved a deep sigh.

And closed his eyes. The smaller lad's brows were knitted in such a way that made him look like he's bracing for something dreadful to come. Kageyama had the urge to laugh.

All possible scenarios that flooded in the smaller lad's mind were then silenced by the warmth of two arms. He felt his head being settled against the angel's neck.

"Kageyama?"

"Don't open your eyes," He said in a rather imperative tone.

"O-Okay…"

"You really smell like the sun…"

"Kageyama?"

"…"

"You were really lonely up there, were you?"

"And what if I am?"

"I'm not some pillow that you can hug as you please. And this is really weird. You may be an angel, but we're both guys."

Hinata felt Kageyama stiffen.

"Fine! Forget that this ever hap—"

Hinata chuckled.

"It's fine. I was kidding. I know I should have felt creeped out, but strangely, I'm not."

The smaller lad gently loosened Kageyama's hold, squirming so as to kneel in front of the angel.

"Take this!" Hinata yelled as he threw his arms around Kageyama's neck.

The angel yelped.

"My neck—can't br—I can't breathe you idiot!"

"You wanted this right? I'm hugging you!"

"No! You're killing me!"

"Don't be shy Kageyama-kun! Now, indulge in Hinata Shouyo's warmth!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"