I Stumble, Then Fall

"daichi"

It's been awhile since his last trip to Tokyo.

They arrived at their traditional inn. Girls separated with boys, of course. The girls still outnumber the boys.

"Let's meet at the lounge in a two hours after you've set yourselves in and ate your lunch the parents gave for you."

"Yes, sensei" The sweat-covered students replied.

Suga and sensei have a smaller room for the both of them, but it's not particularly fancier than the rest. They tried to be cheap as possible, and the trip only lasts for two days and an overnight. It's better to bear with it.

Suga relaxed into his already laid out futon, not even bothering to change into his clothes. He slept throughout the entire trip, and he wasn't even the one who drove.

He looked to his side and saw sensei doing the same thing.

Suga stopped himself for saying "same".

--

Sugawara thanked the gods that it wasn't crowded inside the art museum. Tokyo can be really crowded most of the time, and the museum was spacious enough to make it look like there wasn't a lot of people.

The group had to stick together while a tour guide helped us for a few minutes. The students including Suga prepared their cameras in hand, already taking pictures of the museum itself.

He decided to do a project along with them just for the sake of it.

Koushi has been to several art galleries himself, however, this one takes the cake. The whole building was art itself – carefully constructed.

The students were in awe, too. Sensei just smiles at them.

They took their time to observe each masterpiece. Suga wasn't ready for the amount of art in this building, as a result, he ended up using his phone instead of his camera for the rest of the evening. His batteries were dead.

Overall, everyone was exhausted. They walked for hours, took a small break in the middle, and then walked again.

The students' faces were glowing. They were so happy that they were already brainstorming inside their bus back home.

Suga was impressed at their energy. He can't seem to be as energetic as them anymore.

Then the bus they were in suddenly stopped, along with heavy smoke coming from the hood. Sensei looked at him with worry.

Suga prepared himself for this. He's a role model for these students, even though they were only a few years younger than him.

"Sensei, what—"

"Sugawara, please contact any towing services. I'll go outside and look for someone who could help us."

"No, sensei, I can handle looking for anyone outside." Suga smiled. "It's pouring, too. I brought a raincoat in case,"

Luckily, they didn't get stranded on a highway. Shops and apartments are displayed outside. He jogged some more and found some convenience stores and a small college, but the streets are deserted. He jogged a little bit more, but there was no one to help him.

He was starting to stress about the whole thing when he finally found someone, an old lady, sitting outside her house drinking her beverage.

Suga bowed, "Pardon me, but can you help us with...some car troubles? Our school bus broke, and we're not from this area,"

The grandma took a sip from this drink. "I believe I can't help you with cars," she giggled. Suga's stomach twisted. "But I know a place you can go to. Go right until you see a convenient store, and then turn left. You'll see a mechanical place."

Suga begins to have goosebumps, calming down. Suga bowed once more, deeply this time. "Thank you so much! Sorry for disturbing you."

"Sweet dear, be careful."

The grey-haired runs for the shop, not even bothering to be careful. He doesn't want his students to worry, and he just wants to go to soak up in the communal bath.

The name of the shop is the same as Kuroo's company he works at.

With just his luck, the shop is closed.

But, the door is open.

Sugawara very well knows trespassing is bad, but he can't stop seeking help now. His feet was soaking wet, and his hood came off while he was running, so now his hair was wet.

"Hello? Is someone here?" Suga walked inside with his shoes squishing wet. "I really need someone's help. Our school bus broken – we're tourists here. We really need someone's help—"

"We're closed." A person spoke from the manager's office. He spoke matter-of-factly, but Suga can't back down now.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but we're stranded. I'd understand if I was travelling alone, but I have my students—"

The Manager groaned, dissatisfied.

"Look, just this once. I can pay you extra?"

"No need." The Manager sounds calmer now, he thinks. The student-teacher can hear the Manager drop his things, heavy metal things, on the ground, surrendering.

"Yes! Thank you!" Suga exclaimed. He quickly took his phone and dialed sensei's phone. One ring, two rings, three— "Sensei! Yes, I'm in a car shop. We'll be there right away. Ah, yes, I'm fine—"

"What—"

Suga turned around to see the Manager. The Manager that he surely knows.

"How— no way."

Suga gulped, his throat suddenly dry despite the rainstorm happening around them. The way he said his name felt so unfamiliar on his tongue, the name he always used to say all the time.

Yeah, that name. "Daichi."