𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 | 𝐤.𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨

twenty-one

despite the disappointing outcome of her race, ayako went home feeling relieved.

after hearing kageyama's words after her mental breakdown in front of him, and then his words getting proven right when she returned to realize her teammates showed no sign of anger or disappointment in her, really warmed her heart.

it all made her come to the realization that,

it wasn't a repeat of what happened in junior high. this time, everything was different.

well, maybe except one thing.

the minute she opened the front door, and saw her mother sitting in the living room, waiting for her return, she knew exactly what was coming.

this was probably the one thing that wouldn't change.

"back so late? didn't the meet end at around six?"

"i-i went out to eat with my friends after..." the girl replied.

"went out after?" her mother repeated, in complete disbelief. "i saw your meet on tv. you know how bad you did, right?"

she sighed. "i know...gomen, oka-san."

all the effort made by the volleyball team, her track teammates and kageyama, went down the drain as soon as the girl's mother began talking.

the wound that had barely just been closed up, was ripped open once again.

"do you know how embarrassing it was? watching my daughter-who's supposed to be a nationally ranked runner-lose, at regional finals?!" the older woman exclaimed, standing up from her former sitting position.

"you see, ayako. this is what happens when you make stupid decisions, and don't listen to your mother," she continued.

"you dropped out of track for absolutely no reason, skipped your last junior high meet, then declined all the offers from all the prominent high schools, renowned for their track teams, and went to some nearby, neighborhood school like karasuno."

please, just stop. the girl was begging in her head.

but her mother wasn't stopping her lecture anytime soon, and her eyes widened when she saw that her camera-the one she treasured so much-was in her mother's hands.

"and what did you waste the first term of your high school life doing? taking pictures! doing something so stupid, which will never benefit you, instead of instantly joining the track team, like you should've."

in a fit of anger, her mother threw her most prized possession across the room.

and the sickening crack, as the camera hit the ground, resounded through the room.

a cry of shock and anger escaped her lips.

"what? don't come and cry to me now. none of this would've happened if you'd just listen to me, and accepted one of the offers to a renowned high school. or even if you wanted to go to karasuno so badly, you would've just joined the track team on the first day of school. maybe then, you wouldn't be so rusty. your current timing is horrible, in case you haven't realized."

despite her daughter's obvious hurt, the woman still rambled on.

but ayako couldn't stand it anymore.

"stop it," she snapped, voice coming out hard and cold. "i can't stand you, anymore."

she picked up her broken camera from the other side of the room, before storming up the stairs, slamming the door as she locked herself into her room.