His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 44: Passion

"Alright, gorgeous, how about this for a plan, since we're awake before our alarm."  He looked at her fondly, letting her plan as she always loved to do.  "I recommend a couple of long, hot showers, followed by a breakfast of tamagoyaki and grilled fish.  Then we'll make sure everything is packed and tidied and wait for Kimura-san.  How does that sound?"

"I like it.  You make the tamagoyaki, I'll make the grilled fish.  And I think there's orange juice in the fridge that looks fresh.  Best kind."

"Perfect.  Let's go."

They executed their plan flawlessly, each lingering under the hot water in their own shower, laughing and talking together through the entire process of breakfast, and then doing their best to leave the cottage as clean as it had been when they came in.  They had just settled down and were considering looking at the day's schoolwork, when a polite knock came on the front door.

Nakano opened the door, greeting their host with a bright "Good morning, Kimura-san!"

"Ah, Nakano-chan, good morning.  You look eager to face the day.  You and Tsukishima-kun had a pleasant night, I trust?"  His soft smile once again graced his face.

"We did indeed, sir, thank you so much.  You've been so very kind to us, this has been entirely amazing," Kei replied, bowing.

"Nonsense, Tsukishima-kun, I have been only too happy to indulge in showing off my work to you both.  Tanjiro knew as much when he contacted me.  I'm positively shameless when it comes to talking about my dinosaurs."  He bowed to the couple in return.  "I've come a bit early this morning, as our director has indicated to me he's got a little time to greet you, perhaps show you around a bit.  I thought you might enjoy getting to meet him.  I also took the liberty of reserving you spaces for the 1pm Field Station tour.  I'll come collect you from there at 3pm and bring you back to the station in Fukui.  Will that do?"

Kei's eyes were alight, shining as if lit from within.  He looked just as excited as he'd been yesterday.  "Yes, Kimura-san, that sounds incredible.  Thank you so much."

"Ah, entirely my pleasure.  Let's be off then.  We don't want to keep the director waiting."

🏐🏐🏐

Don't let it show on your face.  She kept repeating those words to herself.  She was good at that.  She was the absolute queen of that.  She'd done it every day for years.  Surely she could manage it for just a few hours more.

She was finding it difficult.  She'd practiced hiding pain, hiding fear.  Those were easy now, or at least easy enough.

Hiding jealously was proving to be a great deal more difficult.

Especially when the object of that jealousy was something as nebulous as...what would you call it?  Museum design?  Yeah. That was probably it.

Ogawa Nakano was currently in the grip of a fit of jealousy over museum design.

She was still fulfilling her role of documenting the entire experience, not only because she wanted Kei to have memories of this trip, but also because they were expected to give a presentation to their class next week on their adventure here in Fukui.  But that was all she was doing.  Unlike yesterday, where she'd been a willing, eager, excited participant, today, well...

If I wandered away, she thought wryly, would any of them even notice I was gone?  How long would it be before Kei looked around for me?  

She chided herself for thinking that, knowing she was being ridiculous.  For crying out loud, Nakano, she grumbled internally, you're jealous of a fucking museum?  Get a grip.  She smothered a sigh, not wanting to disturb the animated conversation Kei, the museum director, and the other two curators were having.