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

Chapter 64: Can't You Come Out to Play

She was, in fact, thinking precisely that.

Nakano made her way out of bed at last, heading into Kei's bathroom to get ready for the day.  She laughed as she spotted a long-stemmed pink rose in a water pick resting gently on the counter by the sink.  The note read 'Did you really think your birthday was going to be celebrated only on your birthday?  Silly girl.'

It took the silly girl several minutes to stop crying from laughing so hard.

Twenty minutes later, Nakano arrived in the Tsukishima kitchen, greeted by the moderately bad singing of Akiteru and okaa-san, and by a great deal of eye rolling (accompanied by the tiniest of smiles) from Kei.  This rolled immediately into a boisterous brunch filled with a mix of breakfast and lunch options and plenty of the strong tea that seemed to be a staple of the Tsukishima household.  Okaa-san demanded (and got) a full accounting of their outing to the Sendai Astronomical Observatory, while Akiteru wanted to know what the two had been up to so late in Kei's bedroom the night before, which earned him a glare from Kei, a playful smack from his mother, and a pretty blush from Nakano.

"Ignore him," okaa-san said, handing Nakano a wrapped package.  "Open this instead."

Nakano smiled at the woman.  "Okaa-san, you really didn't have to..."

"I know," she said, returning the girl's sunny smile, "I wanted to.  Now open it!"

Nakano unwrapped the package, jaw dropping open to find the beautiful blue dress she'd admired in the shop window in town months ago, before she'd even met Kei's family.  She held the dress up against herself, her smile broadening as okaa-san clapped her hands with joy.  "How on Earth did you..."

"Kei told me about this dress you'd seen in a shop window a while back and I simply had to get it.  It's so much fun to buy things for a pretty girl instead of two grubby boys!"  

Kei clicked his tongue.  "I object to the word 'grubby.'  I am not grubby."

Akiteru grinned.  "He's not wrong, Mom.  Me, sure, I got grubby a lot when I was little.  But Kei's always been the neat one."

The two ladies were completely ignoring the boys, gushing at each other over how pretty the dress was and when Nakano thought she might have the chance to wear it.  Kei looked at his brother and shook his head.  "Why is it that as soon as something frilly is involved, girls just completely fall into their own little world?" 

Nakano simply arched a brow and stared at her blonde boyfriend.  Words were entirely unnecessary.  The smirk on her face, and the devilish twinkle in her eyes were enough to get Kei's cheeks heating up.  He dropped his eyes from her first, standing and muttering something about clearing the table and getting dessert.  

"Wait a minute, little bro," Akiteru said, pushing his brother back down into his seat by his shoulder, "Exactly what did you get her for her birthday to earn that look?"

"Shut up, Akiteru," Kei said, his blush deepening, "Don't you have a present for her too?"

Akiteru decided to let himself be distracted, picking up a bag and handing it to Nakano.  "I do indeed.  Happy Birthday, Nakano-chan!"

Nakano chuckled as she definitely recognized the shape of the bag the older Tsukishima brother handed her.  Sure enough, she pulled out a bottle of kijoshu sake, laughing as she favored Akiteru with a sassy smile.  "Aki-nii, have you decided that we need to get drunk for my sixteenth birthday?"

"Good gracious, not again," okaa-san muttered, making her older son blush and rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.  

"Well, I thought it might be time that we broke in Kei's sake set," Akiteru said, smiling at the couple, "and I was hoping to tempt you to pour for us.  And give me the opportunity to pour for you.  I'd really like that."  He smiled at her brightly.  "And I think it would take more than one bottle to get the three of us drunk anyway."