fight or flight

2. When We Were Happier

"Aki! Dinner is ready!"

"Later."

Kei walked out, onto the backyard patio, and ran towards the volleyball Akiteru was playing with and grabbed it.

"KEI."

"Dinner is ready. Come in or Mom will be mad."

"She's already mad at me. Who cares."

"BUT, then she'll be even madder at you and then you'll suffer."

"I don't give a fu-"

Kei covered his ears as fast as light and screamed to drown out the unfinished curse word.

"NO! NO! NO!"

"Alright, alright," Akiteru said as he removed Kei's hands from his ears. "Let's go eat dinner now."

"But no volleyball at the dinner table."

"Fine, you little monster," Akiteru said jokingly.

"How many times do I need to say this. I'M A DINOSAUR." Kei pouted while pointing at his dinosaur shirt.

"Dinosaur."

*

After eating (and their mom lecturing them about proper manners is to immediately go to eat than nag), the two brothers went outside to play with the volleyball.

"Do you like playing volleyball, Aki?"

"Very much," Akiteru said while receiving the ball six times before he dropped it.

"What position do you play?"

"I'm a wing spiker, but I'm also the ace." He said, bragging.

"WOAH! But what about next year, in Karasuno? Will you still be the ace?"

"We won't know until it happens. Karasuno is a powerhouse school, and everyone wants to be the ace," Akiteru stopped playing. "But I'm going to try my best, and hopefully, that will be enough."

With hope in Kei's eyes, he wished for his brother to make his dream real.

*

Three months into Akiteru's first year in Karasuno's Men's Volleyball Club, every single night he would come back tired, sweaty, and hungry. Akiteru would ask for three high protein lunches tomorrow from his mother, eat his cold dinner from hours before, and would either fall asleep or practice outside. He didn't talk about volleyball as much to his brother anymore, and his cheery aura was depleting. Kei wanted to know is his wish came true every day for three months, but he couldn't ask Akiteru just yet.

"Your brother is tired, okay? Just let him rest."

"Okay, Mother."

*

After four months, Kei couldn't wait. He joined Akiteru in his night practice and confronted him.

"Are you the ace, yet?"

Akiteru turned to face his brother, with a tired face. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Yes."

Kei's eyes gleamed with delight. "Really! Yay!"

"I need to practice now, okay?"

"Okay!"

Kei walked away without a care in the world. He never knew how much it hurt Akiteru to say that. But the truth came out a week after, with Karasuno having a practice match with Nekoma.

*

"MOM! I'm going to need one more lunch box for today."

"I'm already fattening you up enough, why do you need more?"