This is the prequel to Of Ties and Volley.
This covers the earlier years of Keishin being at uni and his meetings with Harry, as well as Harry meeting some other characters too.
While Harry is a teacher in this story and Keishin is a student there will be NO romance, dates, kissing, sex or anything while they are in their respective roles.
No teacher/student dalliances here as I am not about that kind of power play romance. This is purely fluff and a prequel to show the lead up to their romance. It will likely span 3 chapters at this stage.
There is also my OC as well - Sei. I love him and I hope you guys do as well.
Chapter 1: The First Year of Pestering
Harry loosened his tie as he finished up for the final class for the day. His third years were always a lot easier to handle than the others, but it had been a long day and all he wanted to do was jump on his bike and drive to Sakuo-Jii's little izakaya bar to down a few drinks and eat some good homemade food.
He wiped down the blackboard, his back to the slowly emptying classroom as he heaved another sigh as he tried to erase a stubborn mark that wouldn't go away.
A throat clearing had him turning around again, startled as he had thought he was alone.
"Ano, Harri-sensei."
Harry turned with a smile on his face. "Hai?"
He could see the young Goto Mai, who was a third year, her hair done up in curls, a blush on her cheeks as she clutched the strap of her bag. Harry felt like smacking his head against the wall, repeatedly.
"Ano, would you be free now if possible? I mean, we have a few friends who are thinking of going out, and having dinner and drinks, and I was wondering if you would like to come?"
"Gomen-ne, Goto-san, but you know my policy that I can't go out and hang out with students, even after hours." He plastered on a polite smile, knowing that he would look more apathetic than downhearted.
He didn't want them getting ideas that he was available to be their friend. He was already having enough issues as it was in that department with his first year student, Ukai.
She bowed and quickly left and Harry let out another heavy sigh.
He didn't want to have to deal with the starry eyed students however, it came with the whole package of being the young and foreign teacher in the small Miyagi prefecture being rather interesting and enticing for many of the students.
He made his way to the teacher's room, dropping off the few books on his desk and grabbing his bag and his helmet from the drawer. He wasn't surprised at the arm thrown around his shoulders, feeling the heavy weight.
"Yo. Entertain me for the evening. We got the whole weekend ahead of us."
Harry rolled his eyes at the casual words, knowing the ladies nearby would gossip about their hanging out again.
Harry had a thing for attracting red heads, no matter the country. It wasn't even that Tendou and he were romantically involved, they were colleagues and over the year Harry had been working here, he'd even say they had become friends.
Tendou with his long limbs and his red hair styled in a fashionable sporty cut, all short at the sides and back with it longer on top to pull back into a small top-knot bun. He was always dressed in his adidas track pants and a t-shirt, the total opposite to Harry who still wore a button down and ties, even if the slippers they wore in the building took a little away from the overall formal look.
"You're so annoying." Harry shouldered his bag on his free side, knowing he was going to get sucked into whatever plans the man had.
"Come on. Don't be like that Harri." Tendou dragged out the long 'ee' at the end.
Tendou Sei was the Sports Science Professor of the university. He was tall and muscled with surprisingly natural red hair (Harry had the unfortunate memory of finding out that the carpets did indeed match the drapes. He had thought about obliviating himself but the ribbing he'd gotten from Sei had meant he couldn't just forget the whole incident, sadly).
Harry would have thought the man would have been popular when he'd first come to work at the University, with his sharp jaw and dark eyes. Harry soon learnt why the others kept away from the man.
He was a menace. A bloody monster.
Harry had opened Pandora's box when he'd been friendly with the man and now, he just couldn't get rid of him.
With the arm still around his shoulder he grabbed the spare helmet from the bag he kept under his desk, shoving it into the other man's chest. "Come along then, meiwaku no monsta."
Sei grinned, the smile pulling wide on his face. "But I'm your annoying monster."
The two left the building, Harry listening to the man's plans for their evening now that they were free. The teacher's parking was to the left of the entrance, the rows of bike racks and car parks already starting to empty.
"Your stalker's back." Sei said, cocking his head to the side.
Harry's eyes were drawn to the figure leaning against the pole near the entrance to the carpark.
"Just great…" Harry mumbled to himself in English, walking over with Sei.
He could see the glare from a mile away and the sharp features under that dark mop of hair, growing out from what was obviously a buzz cut. The soft locks stuck up in all directions like a halo and his pierced ears and sharp eyes made quite a few of the other students keep their distance in class.
Ukai Keishin was a pain in Harry's arse. Not that type of pain (Merlin knows the trouble that would be), but it seemed the young man had rather a (extremely large) unflappable crush on Harry.
It was hard to dissuade the young man, no matter what Harry did he didn't seem to be phased by his polite declines.
"Ukai-san, what are you doing here? Did you have classes this evening?" Harry asked politely.
Ukai shook his head and his glare intensified at the red haired male who stood next to Harry, almost shoulder to shoulder. Sei seeing this only gave a leery smirk and threw his arm around Harry's shoulders again.
Ukai clenched his fists visibly and tried to stand a little taller. The young man, still a teen was still a head shorter than the two men who were in their twenties. Ukai probably still had some growing up, having just finished school and being eighteen he would have some time to mature.
Harry tried to shrug off Sei to no avail. "Did you need something?"
"I had some questions about our class this morning. Can I call you about them over the weekend?"
"I can't give you my number, no matter how much you ask. Just, just send me an email with your questions." He rubbed between his eyes. "I need to leave now. Ukai-san I'll see you next week."
"But-!"
"Goodbye Ukai-san." Harry said a bit more forcefully again as he smiled, moving towards his bike as he tried to not look at the young man who was likely upset.
Ukai seemed to think that he could try the same things over and over until Harry would finally cave in.
Sei gave Ukai a mocking smirk and bow, following after Harry who was already reversing out on his sleek black Kawasaki motorbike. Sei straddled the back, leaning forward til his front rested against Harry's back and he slipped his arms around the thin waist to hold on.
Sei gave Ukai another salute as they rolled on by, Harry seeing the downturned frown on his students face and he could only sigh again.
Troublesome. He didn't want to hurt the poor kid, but he didn't want to be too kind and give him any false hope either.
Harry made their way through traffic, swerving between the cars and gunning it along the quiet streets until they came to their usual haunt.
Parking the bike down the side alley, casting a small charm on it to alert him to theft, he pulled off his helmet and dismounted, Sei already making his way into the Izakaya called Yoru.
It was a tiny place, a small semi half u-shape table bench wrapped around the open kitchen. There were random pictures lining one wall - all locals who were regulars and the few odd tourists photos pinned here and there too. Harry and Sei had a cute photo pinned near the top left of them both drunk as skunks with Sei shirtless with a face drawn in ink on his belly and Harry with his tie around his head, their arms slung over each other's shoulders.
The owner, Sakuo-jii as he was known, is a friendly mid-sixties bald man who had run the bar for the last 30 odd years. He knew every returning customers name and he knew their favourites by heart. He had a small menu of bbq skewers and quick meals like yakisoba and okonomiyaki (one of Harry's favourites).
They entered, the cloth entrance hanging parting as they stepped into the dim light.
"Irashai!"
"Sakuo-Jii!" Harry said with a smile, taking a seat at the counter. "How's business?"
"Just about to kick off now you two rascals are here," the owner said as he already turned to his small kitchen, the large glass door fridge off to the side. "The usual for you?"
"Yes please. And some edamame too today." Sei said as he lounged back, leaning in his bar stool with his legs spread wide.
A bottle of sake was placed between them with two cups and a warm bowl of salted edamame beans followed soon after. Sakuo then started cooking up some meals for them as well as they talked about their week.
The hours passed by and the bottles of sake kept going down. Harry and Sei were joined by some of the other locals, and the night whittled away until the early hours of the morning.
Harry ended up being half carried out by Sei, the slightly taller man holding his side and leaning to hold them both up.
Sei was able to walk the few kilometres home holding them both upright until they stumbled through the front door of his small townhouse.
He deposited the now sleeping Harry into his guest room, which was only ever occupied by the Englishman, before crashing himself into his bed.
The red head was awoken to someone ringing his doorbell repeatedly. He had to lift his head as he groaned, blinking away sleep.
He could hear Harry next door making the same pitiful sounds.
"Ooooiiiii," a familiar voice called from the street. "Sei-Nii!"
"Ugh. What is that brat doing here…" Sei said as he got up, still only in his sleeping pants and his shirt nowhere to be seen. He scratched his belly as he yawned, making his way downstairs to yank open his door.
"Urusai gaki," Sei grumbled as he saw the small kid at his door. "What are you doing here at…"
Sei turned to the clock in the hall. "At 8 in the morning. On a Saturday. On my day off."
"Kaa-chan dropped me off 'cause she needs to go to the city today for a shoot," the kid said as he stepped through the door, sliding by Sei. "You stink, gross. You got any chocolate? Or the new Jump?"
Sei sighed and closed the door, seeing that his nephew had already kicked off his shoes haphazardly and was making his way to his small living area.
Tendou Satori was only ten but he still could be a menace, especially at 8 in the morning when the adults were hungover as hell.
The tv clicking on and blaring some cheery anime opening song made Sei wince as he followed into the living room, snatching the remote and turning the volume down.
"Have you even had breakfast yet?" Sei asked as he sat on the couch next to his nephew, seeing the same red hair as his own sway with the shake of his head. "Right. So we have to feed you too. I did not sign up for babysitting duties…"
Sei made note to send his sister an expletive full text when he ever made it back up to his room to get his phone.
Satori's eyes were only drawn away from the tv about half an hour later when Harry came slinking down the stairs, wearing one of Sei's shirts and track pants and looking dishevelled. Satori's eyebrows went up, looking from the foreigner to his uncle. "Nice catch, Sei-Nii."
"Oi."
"I know Kaa-chan said you were wild but I didn't think you'd like pretty gaijin."
Sei gave Satori a noogie, putting the boy in a headlock so he couldn't escape. "You little… the sass! Talking to your elder like that!"
Sei released him, as he watched Harry make his way to the kitchen which overlooked the living room they were in and pull out a bottle of pocari sweat from the fridge, lobbing one to him as well which he easily caught. "Besides. It's not like that. Harri is just my platonic friendly colleague."
"Righhhht, like I haven't heard that one before." Satori grinned cheekily and let out a huff as he was noogied again.
"You're too cheeky for your own good, you know." Sei said as he released Satori and cracked open his bottle, chugging it down.
"Why do you never have food…" Harry muttered in English as he perused the mostly empty fridge.
"What?" Sei called as he dropped his head on the back of the couch, looking upside down.
"You don't have any food. We'll have to go to the grocery store or at least the conbini," Harry said in Japanese as he walked over, finally noticing the boy on the couch. "Hey. You didn't tell me you had a kid."
The boy had red hair that matched Sei's, with sharp eyes and were they red irises? The boy's hair was short, his skin pale and his smile was wide as he swung his legs back and forth, bouncing his calves off the base of the couch.
"He's not mine. Thank the gods."
"Oh, you sure? He looks exactly like you." Harry sat on the other couch, kicking his feet up to lay out on the two seater.
"Red hair runs strong in our blood. He's my sister's kid. Satori, this is Potter Harri and I work with him at the University." Sei explained as he gestured between the two.
"Huh. Well, nice to meet you Satori-kun." Harry said with a smile.
Satori cocked his head to the side, watching Harry who only stared back. Satori's smile widened before he turned back to his anime on the tv, not saying anything more.
Harry just shrugged to himself. Kid was weird but no weirder than Sei, in his opinion.
"Well? Are we going to the store or not?" Harry directed to Sei.
"Fine, fine, but we got to wash up first. Can't be going out like this."
Sei ran the bath for them, going in first and letting Harry sit with his nephew who was engrossed in his anime so there was no trouble. Harry just sipped his drink, watching the show as well (he quite liked the show about a blonde ninja).
Harry had a quick shower and bath as well, rinsing off the smell of booze from the night before and changed into the clothes Sei left out for him, which of course were joggers and a black Nike tee. Not that he was complaining - it was super comfy.
The three soon left, making their way a block away where the local store was. Harry set about buying food for breakfast, English style. He bought a loaf of freshly sliced bread, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and sausages. He also got some milk and juice as well, and some fresh strawberries which were in season.
Sei and Satori were off in the sweets aisle, and they came back with a basket full of treats which Harry could only raise a brow at.
"What? He likes chocolate." Sei said as he pulled out his wallet to pay for it all (Harry used to fight Sei over who would pay and that he would pay for the food but he always lost the fight. Sei just made him cook in repayment).
"Only after breakfast. Kids need proper food." Harry said as Satori just grinned happily at the stash he had corralled his uncle into buying for him.
They walked home with their few bags, Satori running ahead of them as they passed by the park.
The kids playing there started to call out, yelling names at Satori who they obviously knew. Satori kept his head down, moving quicker past the park.
"Who the fuck do they think they are!" Sei groused. "Satori is not a bakemono! How dare they!"
Harry watched as Sei ran off after Satori to make sure he was okay, before turning his attention to the kids at the park with the volleyball being passed between them all.
Harry followed soon after, making sure to use a quick charm which had the volleyball flying up and away when someone lobbed it, landing on the roof of the sports centre next door. He smirked at the angry cries of the children as they lost the ball for their game. It was petty, but Harry liked the young red haired boy he'd only just met.
As he got home he saw Sei and Satori on the couch again, the younger boy more subdued than before. Harry cocked a brow in question and Sei just shook his head silently.
Harry moved to the kitchen and set about making them some food and within half an hour, a full English sans baked beans was plated and placed at the kitchen counter where Sei preferred to eat.
The three sat down and the young boy was still quiet.
Harry felt his heart ache a little and felt a need to speak up.
"You know, when I was your age I went to a boarding school in Scotland. I lived there for pretty much nine months of the year, with a dorm full of boys too. There were four dorms for each year so you can imagine that being a lot of people," Harry began as he put down his cutlery. "Some of the boys in other dorms didn't like me so much. They used to call me names and play mean tricks on me."
Sei kept quiet. He knew a bit of Harry's background but he wondered why he was telling his nephew this.
"Why did they do that?" Satori asked as he pushed the last of the scrambled eggs around his plate.
"Because I was different. They didn't like that." Harry went on to explain. "But you know what I did? I stood up to them for bullying me. I made them stop when I proved them all wrong for picking on me. And my friends stood by me too and told them off as well."
"So you fought them?" Satori asked, his soft eyes looking at Harry.
Harry looked to Sei - he didn't want to condone fighting but he didn't want to lie to the kid either. Sei just gestured for him to continue.
"Not always physically. I won't lie and say we didn't get into some scuffles but that's what happens sometimes when you get really angry. But mostly with words and my attitudes to them. I'd tell them they were being silly and prove them wrong by being better than them in sport and classes. Then they couldn't call me stupid or clumsy or four-eyes again because I beat them all and made them look silly."
"Being better than them…" Satori echoed back. "So for volleyball it's okay to be better than them? They call me the Gesu Monsta. They don't like that I always block them."
Harry grinned wildly and ruffled Satori's hair. "Then you show them the scariest and strongest monsta and they will always be the losers."
Harry looked at Sei and saw him smirking. He turned back to Satori. "And one day, you're going to meet some other volleyball monstas as well and you'll fit right in."