Chapter 9.5. Epilogue. Heart

Time does not stop. It does not wait for no one. If so, it is a much more ruthless entity than humans.

Even God himself could not control time. It just moves and moves.

Everybody. Everything. They may cease to exist. But time will remain.

At that moment, Kageyama wished that he could just stop it. Wasn't he able to give Hinata a second chance? Doesn't he deserve the same thing? He would, and would gladly do so—give up everything for every second to be with him for eternity.

But this was impossible.

The only choice that he had was to savor every second. As the two of them walked with their hands entwined, not giving a care at the stares of other people, Kageyama relished the warmth of that hand. In fact, it was more precise to say that he was afraid of letting it go.

Hinata kept on smiling. All the way. The first destination was a theme park.

"This is too cliché…" said Kageyama, eyeing the crowd with a disinterested look.

"Eh…but it's fun! We could try the roller coaster and ferris wheel!"

"If you're trying to make me scream then please give up. I've lived all my life flying and soaring to places."

Hinata pouted. "Meanie."

Nevertheless, he obliged. This was the day that he would not refuse anything the shrimp asked for.

And so there they went. Hinata screamed at the top of his lungs as the coaster made a huge 360 degree turn. This was another mystery to Kageyama—humans who choose to do something they're afraid of. Perhaps this was what they call "thrill".

Next came the horror house. What happened was basically—the mock ghosts cowering in fear themselves as soon as they saw Kageyama's deathly stare.

"Kageyama, you should've worked here if you were a human. This horror house will reek money."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Just kidding!" Hinata said, grinning at him.

Soon, they entered a coffee shop.

"Ugh…this cake is too sweet."

"Really? But I've always wanted to try it…" Hinata said, spooning a mouthful of icing. "Ittadakimasu!"

Kageyama could only sigh.

"By the way Kageyama…"

"Hm?"

"That book you've been reading…what is it about?"

"Eh?"

"That book. The one you've been always reading."

"Oh."

Hinata raised his brows. Kageyama seemed to have avoided his gaze. He was just staring outside the window.

"Just some fictional story."

"About what?"

"A human and an immortal creature."

The amber eyes gleamed. "Ohhhh! Just like us! So, what happened? Did the human fall in love with the creature?"

There was a short pause. Finally, Kageyama nodded.

"Woah, it's just like me. And? Did they live happily ever after?"

This time, all Kageyama did was gaze into the amber eyes. His fingers clenched the fork he was holding.

"They didn't, do they?" Hinata said, giving a slight smile.

Kageyama looked somewhat surprised.

"He's immortal after all. And then the other one is a human. So definitely, they can't be together forever."

"Hinata…"

"Did he have to leave the human?"

"…Yes."

Hinata settled his fork down.

"Kageyama, I'm not that weak."

"Eh…"

"You don't want to tell me about that story right? Because you were worried that it'd get me depressed…or something."

"Hinata…"

"I've accepted it. That the day after tomorrow, you're going to leave. And to think that it'd be on my birthday!" Hinata chuckled as he gazed at the window. "Ah…life sure is cruel. It gives me something but then it takes it away. It's like someone tossed me a ball and then it will just bounce back."

Kageyama clenched his fists.

"But even if you're gone, it's not like you died, right? You'll just be there, in another place, and I know you'll be watching over me." Hinata placed his hand over Kageyama's clenched fist. "And you'll stay. Here."

Hinata placed his other hand over the left of his chest.

At that moment, Kageyama just wanted to hug him. Hold him so bad that he was never going to let go no matter what.

"And here."

The hand moved to his head.

"In my memories."

The stinging pain hit like a jolt. Like ropes that clenched his heart.

"Hinata!"

The sudden raise in his voice made Hinata jump.

"W-What is it…"

"Let's go back."

"E-Eh? Where?"

"To your home."

"But…we haven't even went around every nook of this place. And we were supposed to play some—"

"No. Let's just talk."

He had never seen Kageyama gaze at him the way he was doing it right now. Somehow, the celestial eyes have turned glossy.

It was as if.

He was fighting something.

Something.

Painful.

"Let's just talk. I want to know more about you. The things that tick you off. And oh! I'd tell you what I've went through as an angel! I bet you'd laugh at those stories were certain humans got freaked out when they found out what I really am. Then you could probably tell me about your plans, your dreams! Ah, and then stuff like—"

"Kageyama."

Kageyama stopped talking. Hinata had now entwined his fingers gently around his.

"Okay. We'll go back."

"R-Really?"

Hinata nodded with a smile.

"We're gonna learn about each other more right? I haven't told you a couple of things. For example, I once stepped on a poop when I was in gradeschool—"

Kageyama snorted. "That's really gross…"

"Oh it doesn't end there. I even accidentally ate a piece of an earthworm when I bit an orange."

"W-What?! Goodness Hinata, just how gross was your childhood?!"

Soon, the two were walking home, their hands clasping each other's as they continued the chat from earlier. The exchange of words continued until they reached the door of Hinata's room.

It was when Kageyama kissed him without warning.

Hinata was caught off guard, but nevertheless, he closed his eyes and responded with a kiss of equal intensity. Soon enough, he was being carried off to the bed, with the angel expertly holding him with one arm as if he was that light, the other hand locking the room. His tongue made a wet trail from his lips to his neck, with Hinata arching his head back so as to give him more access.

"I—I thought we were going to talk."

"Mm…but I figured out I wanted some action as well…" Kageyama spoke as he settled the smaller boy on the bed, his lips not leaving Hinata's skin for a second.

"B-but...ah…" Hinata's words were cut by the sudden heat that spread across his chest as soon as huge hands wandered on the expanse of his chest. It was made worse by the teasing manner that Kageyama's fingers brushed against his nipples. He felt surprised that he felt like he wanted a stronger contact.

In which Kageyama answered by mercilessly sucking the pink nub. Not contented, his other hand busied itself on the other one, alternately pinching it and flicking upon it.

"W-What's with y—unf" Words were just transformed into whimpers of pleasure as Kageyama silence him with a passionate kiss, his tongue exploring the depths of his mouth. Hinata was sure that at fourteen, this was an experience to behold. All he could do was succumb into the pleasure and let Kageyama invade the chambers of his mouth.

When their lips broke off, Kageyama gave a grin. A teasing grin.

"You sure learn quick…"

Hinata was still trying to catch his breath, making him unable to form a coherent reply.

"So…where do we begin?" His breath hushed like a feather against his exposed chest. It made that part of his body ache and to his horror, twitch.

"Throw me that question…" He whispered, this time, with him giving a series of light kisses all over the upper half of Hinata's body. Before Hinata could even answer, the angel had tugged the former's shirt up, letting it glide past his head and throwing it to the side.

He was now half-exposed to Kageyama. The angel took this chance to continue the teasing ministrations, making the kisses lighter and lighter every moment. Hinata felt himself getting impatient.

Nevertheless, his mind tried to come up with some words.

"W-What do you…ngh…like—ah—about me…" Hinata managed to say as he watched the angel take off his own shirt and toss it aside.

"Let's see…" He said with a smile as he climbed back on top of Hinata. "Well…first we'll start with your eyes…" The angel brushed a finger just beside the edge of the lad's eyes, making him blink. "They remind me of the sun…"

"T-The sun?"

"Yes. They just gleam. Like balls of energy. Just like the hyper human that you are…" He said with a chuckle.

Hinata puffed his cheeks. "Again with the sun…"

"But it's true…you are like the sun…and your name speaks for itself—"

"And what about you?" Hinata snapped. "Your eyes…they're scary!"

"O-Oi! Is that how you—"

"But…"

The small lad's voice had turned gentle as his fingers traced the outline of Kageyama's eyes. "I like them. A lot," he spoke with a grin as Kageyama closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Hinata's fingers.

He then entwined his fingers around Hinata's smaller ones.

"It's not over yet…" He said, brushing his lips against Hinata's left ear. He then flicked his tongue over the lobes, licking in and out as he savoured the moans that escaped the orange head's mouth. "Your ears…they're cute."

"E-eh…unf—" Hinata's hands clung to Kageyama's shoulders blades as he continued to ravish the said ear. Soon, he was moving to the other one, leaving a trail of wet kisses as his lips and mouth made it way to the other ear.

"Ah…they've turned so red…" The angel chuckled as he continued to tease the ear, which, true enough, had turned into a reddish tinge.

"Kagey—mph!"

The angel's name was soon drowned into oblivion as Kageyama pulled Hinata's lips against his own. It was no longer a gentle one, far from the innocent kisses that he gave to ease the lad's heart. He was practically crashing his lips against Hinata's delicate ones. Not getting enough, Kageyama grabbed Hinata's shoulders, pushing his back against the wall so that his head was now forced against the said surface. He felt Hinata's nails dig into the skin of his back, sending an intoxicating mixture of pain and pleasure.

Just was when Hinata thought that Kageyama had no plans of letting the kiss break, the other boy pulled out, leaving their lips swollen and patterned with wet entrails of their own mouths.

"It goes to say that I love your lips as well…" The angel spoke breathlessly.

"That was the point of the kiss?!"

Kageyama nodded. He then gently pulled the smaller frame towards him, making him straddle his legs around his waist.

"And then we have to talk about your voice…"

"M-My voice?"

"Your voice. It's just full of warmth. You speak honest words. And when you laugh or smile, you really mean it…" He spoke, gazing at the blushing lad.

"You say that, and yet if you only knew how beautiful your voice is. I hate that it always makes me fall asleep though. I've never even heard the rest of it!"

"Your fault for being a sleepyhead."

"Then, sing it. Now."

Kageyama smirked. "No. Not today."

"But—"

"Tomorrow I will."

"But that's the day that that you'll—"

Kageyama silenced him with a gentle peck on the lips.

"It's not the day that I'll leave. It's the day that you were born," he whispered against his lips.

Hinata bit his lips. Without warning, he threw himself against Kageyama, almost knocking the angel flat on the bed.

"Woah…Hinata! Oi, what's the matter…"

The lad did not reply. Instead, he just wrapped his arms more tightly around the angel's neck.

"When you come back, I'll be a star volleyball player then…"

"Hinata…"

"I'll be the best ace the world will ever see. I may not have the height, but I'll show them that I can do it. Teams will be scouting for me. People will talk about my name. Words will spread about the 'Little Giant'. Plus, even though I can't be like you, but—"

Hinata loosened his hold to stare at the celestial eyes that captured him the very moment he set his eyes on him.

"I'll show you that I can fly! And then…and then when you return…"

The orange head settled his forehead against the angel's own.

"You'll toss to me. And we'll be the best duo ever in the world of volleyball. Even if it takes five years, ten years, twenty years, a hundred years—

"I'll wait forever."

Time does not stop. It does not wait for no one. If so, it is a much more ruthless entity than humans.

But at that moment, Kageyama was sure. It did stop.

And at that time, it wasn't the ruthless ticking of time that defined their fate.

Badump. Badump. Badump. Quicker and quicker it goes. Louder and louder it goes.

It was the beating of their hearts.

Two words.

Those two words were the only ones that mattered.

As soon as it escaped from Kageyama's lips, the orange head threw his arms around the angel once again, tears welling from his eyes. The angel smiled as he wrapped his arms around the small waist, feeling Hinata's heart beat against his own.

I promise.

A.N.: One last chapter. Please look forward to it. Q_Q