* FALLING *

>> Chapter 5 <<

Previously:

Not long after, Oikawa's surrounding became static and blurry.

**

"Oikawa-sama!!"

Hanamaki winced at the loudness of the cheers from Oikawa's fangirls. Despite them being there every practice, Hanamaki still can't get used to their boisterous cheers that could damage eardrums. Now that he touched on the topic of eardrums, he wondered how his eardrums managed to survive until now.

Matsukawa tapped his shoulder, gaining his attention and Matsukawa pointed to the bubbly Oikawa. He was smiling so widely, that Hanamaki winced internally, wondering how his cheeks aren't hurting after smiling so much.

"Don't be such a killjoy, Iwa-chan. Girls won't fall for you if you keep this up," Oikawa teased the fuming Iwaizumi, sneaking a wink to his fangirls who gushed and squealed. Hanamaki could see the smoke coming out of Iwaizumi's ears with his face bloody red in frustration. He shook his head at the bravery of this captain of theirs. Matsukawa had already whipped his phone out while Hanamaki motioned for Kunimi to move away from the bickering two.

Iwaizumi picked up the stray ball and spiked it to Oikawa's head that had his back to Iwaizumi. A thundering sound broke all cheers from the girls and the two other third years just muffled their laughter so as to not pour oil to the rampaging fire.

"That hurts! My mom won't doesn't even hit me as hard as you!" Oikawa groaned, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. It hurts so much! The corners of his eyes prickled with tears and he glared childishly at Iwaizumi's satisfied face. He was just so happy that he got to talk with Naoya in his dreams and that when he woke up, he couldn't get the sound of Naoya's laughter out of his head. Not even the message he received from his girlfriend could make him this giddy.

"Stop goofing and set for the first yeas already, Trashykawa." Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

Matsukawa ended the video recording and hid his phone when Iwaizumi neared them. Hanamaki and Matsukawa shared a look before they followed Iwaizumi to practice their serves while the first and second years practice their spiking o the other side of the gym with Oikawa setting for them.

"Was that too high, Kindaichi?" Oikawa inquired and Kindaichi shook his head, " Ah, no... I mean, yes!" The first year was flustered and he immediately went to the back of line as Kunimi stepped out.

-

Oikawa was humming a random merry tune as he and the other three third years were making their way to an empty table. Iwaizumi found it odd how Oikawa was not responding to the flirty tone of the cashier girl and was just humming all the way ever since they left the school.

They occupied an empty table near the isle and began eating what they ordered. Oikawa was just smiling all day long, making the other two wonder how he could keep on smiling without hurting his cheeks and Hanamaki, as if he could read Matsukawa and Iwaizumi's minds, smirked and thought that he was way over ahead of them.

"Tooru!" Oikawa jolted and turned to see if it was Naoya calling him but his expectations were turned down since it was his girlfriend, whom haven't acted like on ever since the term started. "Ruri-chan..." his genuine smile was gone and was replaced with a façade that oozed with gentleness.

His friends flinched at the sudden disgusting façade he had and were secretly bummed that Oikawa lost his good mood. They were friends and they could all understand just where this relationship is heading. That fake acting of their captain already told them the signs. It seems like they weren't gonna last long afterall.

"Hi, Tooru! I see you're with Hajime, Makki and Mattsun! Hi guys!" they all cringed at how she was acting so close to them, even calling them by their nicknames and first names. "I'm so sorry but can I pull Tooru out first? We haven't spent much time together recently since he was swamped by your practice. We'll be going first!" she pulled Oikawa away, not even listening to him and rudely left the store.

Iwaizumi clicked his teeth, annoyed that his friend was suddenly taken away when he was still in the middle of eating and talking with them. What kind of girlfriend is she to act so close to them when she hasn't even made attempts to befriend them and just act so rude to them? Not a good one.

"That wasn't good, Ruri-chan. We were still talking about – "

"Volleyball, right? You were gonna talk about volleyball again?" Ruriko scoffed and Oikawa found it wrong. He yanked his hand away from her hold, staring at her with an incredulous look. "You never even take me on dates or eat with me at lunch. You don't walk home with me anymore and even had the guts to look at other girls when you have me. I'm feeling lonely in this relationship, Tooru..." Ruriko's tone had a tinge of sadness in it and Oikawa winced in guilt, admitting his own fault in the relationship internally.

However, he still didn't feel like this was the same balance as before. This wasn't the kind of relationship they had. Right now, he felt like he was unable to breathe properly. It hurts to breathe. It hurts to look at this girl who Oikawa can't even recognize anymore. When had everything become so toxic and dangerous?

"I thought you said you love me, Tooru? Don't you love me anymore?" Oikawa hesitated. His façade faltered when faced with that question. Ruriko appeared like she would cry any second now and one wrong word she dislikes would set her off. Oikawa's heart plummeted and he closed his eyes in disappointment.

Ruriko smiled when Oikawa gave her his gentlest smile and pulled her close to him, embracing her and running his hand through her hair.

"Of course I love you, Ruri-chan."

**

{End of Chapter}

Up next:

"Do you still love her or do you love the past her?"