The life of an emotionally unstable gay who's married to milk a

Reminiscence Of The Past - Part 3

Tobio still remembers the day vividly, as if it were a constant film which played on repeat in his mind.

Maybe it had started then, when the whistle blew and the coach's head turned towards him, his gaze meeting Tobio's straight before he gave a stern nod and Tobio was encouraged to move off of the bench.

Nerves had jittered through Tobio's being, he must've looked doe-eyed as his blood pulsed, heart thumping deep in his chest with every step Tobio had taken.

At that point, Tobio was sure his teammates could hear the beat of his heart with how loudly it was hammering in Tobio's ears.

His own nervousness and awe struck him unable to process anything as he walked towards and onto the court.

That was his first mistake.

If only, even through his star-struck emotions, he had taken a glance up when calloused fingers touched his as Tobio handed over the wooden board.

If only he had noticed the look on the others face, maybe it would've saved him from the pure dismay which would fill his being later that very evening.

If only he had... But he hadn't.

Hadn't looked past his own emotions to look up at the other.

Hadn't looked past the thrumming of his heart as he'd nervously smiled at his teammates on the court.

Hadn't bothered glancing towards where he had sat, bangs falling over his face, much too caught up in relishing the feeling of the pat on his back from the other upperclassmen whose touch Tobio hadn't realised he'd missed.

And any regrets Tobio held wouldn't change that.

When the whistle blew, just as he'd practiced for those endless hours, Tobio immediately switched the switch that flickered in his mind.

Immediately began watching the ball and how it bounced, from receives to sets and then to spikes, Tobio kept his eyes on the tattered ball as if he were a hawk watching its prey.

Matching sure to glance around at his settings, the same way he'd had Kazuyo rein into him until Tobio felt as if he were going to spew yet even then ignoring his grandpa's concerned glances to continue, Tobio made sure to assess his teammates; figuring out the best routes to take towards the final whistle which would, undoubtedly, announce their win.

Tobio was confident of it.

And Iwazumi-san's final spike only assured that his thoughts were correct.

He'd watched that final slam echo throughout the room, cheers from the bleachers immediately filling the silence. Tobio couldn't help the smile that fitted place onto his face, just as Iwazumi-son turned around while looking down at his hand before glancing up at Tobio to throw him a smile.

Yet, just as he thought the other was going to take a step towards Tobio, the thoughts of whether or not Iwaizumi-san would praise him again filling his mind, Tobio found his vision blocked as his teammates swarmed his sight. His brain, registering Kindaichi's excited chatter, couldn't help but let his eyes drift away from the older, only to find where the spot the other once stood once the crowd cleared up to be empty.

Taking a glance towards the barren bench, Tobio also couldn't help but notice how it was barren of the familiar figure he'd wanted to see, his hopes that the other may also come to praise him immediately obstructed by his missing figure.

Even then, Tobio didn't think much of it.

Maybe they'd gone somewhere else?

And he'd found himself unable to think of it long either as Kindaichi's chatter filled his ears, still he found himself reassuring his beating heart that he'd be able to talk to them later.