The Deer & The Owl [Haikyuu x OC]

July - II

"I think that's a rather rhetorical question." Akaashi said, pointing at the excited faces of Bokuto and Yukie.

*

I had never been so full in my entire life.

Going out with not one, but two people with bottomless stomachs really meant stopping at every single street food stand.

Just the sight of more caramel apples and chocolate-covered bananas, or the smell of oil sizzling in the grills overflowing with skewers and meatballs, made me feel nauseous.

I pushed the newly purchased kitsune mask away from my face and only then did I realize that I was alone. How could I have lost sight of the others?

I looked around, maybe they were still there, but the only thing I noticed was Bokuto's hair sticking out of a group of kids squatting near a game stall.

Luckily, I wasn't the only one who had fallen behind, I thought relieved and reached for him. Kotaro was kneeling over an aquarium filled with many goldfish that were darting around like colorful thunderbolts, fleeing from his sudden movements and reckless attempts to catch them.

"You're just going to scare them away." I said, leaning over him.

"Oya? Nori-chin!" he exclaimed, lifting his face to look at me happily "I'm not lost after all!"

I smiled, immediately feeling better about finding him.

"Give it to me." I said, slipping the rice-paper net that was on the verge of breaking from his hand "My grandmother was a karuta champion in high school, and when I was little she taught me a little about the game, especially how to pick up the cards with a steady but soft motion..." I added, beckoning him over to move the small bowl he was holding closer, into which I slipped a bright orange fish.

"Wooow! Nori-chan, you're amazing!!" he exclaimed, looking at the small prize with an enthusiastic look.

I stood up and fixed my yukata, feeling an unusual gratitude for the endless summer afternoons spent trying in vain to beat my grandmother.

"It's thanks to you, isn't it?" said Bokuto, handing me the plastic bag filled with water where the vendor had put the goldfish we had just won.

"Are you sure? I'm not very good with pets!" I replied, looking at him worried about the responsibility he was entrusting me with.

"Well, if you can take care of me and the rest of the team, maybe you're not so bad!" he exclaimed, smiling at me.

I smiled back, then picked up the small prize and put it in the small silk bag around my wrist, bumping into my cell phone as I did so.

"That's strange, I don't have any missed calls... could it be that the others didn't notice our absence?" I said, looking at the screen with no new notifications "I'll try calling them..."

Nothing, neither Yukie nor Kaori seemed to hear my call, maybe there was too much confusion.

"Akaashi won't answer me!" exclaimed Bokuto, frowning.

I really didn't know how we were going to find them in this crowd, and it was also less than half an hour before the fireworks started, which I definitely didn't want to miss!

"Ehi, aren't the fireworks going to start soon, Nori-chin?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then we better find a place where we can see them, as soon as they start it will be practically impossible to move and we won't be able to see anything from here!"

He had a point, but since I was not familiar with the area, I had no idea where we could go.

"Leave it to me, come on!" he shouted, taking my hand and leading me confidently through the crowd.