ice queen • haikyuu

003 | fuck, i just realised i have so many chapter titles to bs

"Mizuki?" The gentle, soothing voice of her aunt resonated throughout the silently chill room. The said female shuffled under her blankets, turning and twisting her body so she could face the very being that took her in and raised her for the majority of her life.

Akira Sayeko stepped into her niece's bedroom, her chestnut brown hair laying on her shoulders like a waterfall flowing mildly. From under her side bangs shone eyes the colour of dazzling ambers, golden flecks stippled around her pupil, seeming to shine in the sunlit room. "It's time to get up."

Mizuki nodded, a soft grunt slipping past her lips as she sat up, her blankets pooling in her lap as she rubbed her tired eyes, removing the remnants of sleep's haziness. Akira's lips pulled into a smile tender with maternal warmth. "Breakfast is ready downstairs," she informed her. Akira made sure to shut the door behind her, allowing the younger girl to get ready for her day at school.

The lavenderette slowly but gradually rose from her bed, fluttering around her room to complete her morning routine: brushing her teeth and hair, washing her face, and changing into her uniform. Once all of those were done and dusted, Mizuki grabbed the two bags and made her way downstairs, tired as fuck, to put it pleasantly. But it was nothing a good ol' cup of coffee couldn't fix.

"Morning," she muttered tiredly, dropping the bags on one of the chairs that stood beside their wooden table. Akira shook her head in amusement when she noticed the darkened bags (only apparent to those who were observant) under her niece's eyes.

"Good morning."

Mizuki slipped into one of the seats as her aunt placed a plate of food in front of her, one that would satisfy her hunger for the majority of the day. "I have an early meeting so I'll be heading to work now. Have a good day at school," Akira said, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Let me know how the whole volleyball club shebang goes."

Mizuki chuckled, nodding her head as she bit into the fluffy texture of her aunt's blueberry pancakes. Ever since Akira travelled to America, she had grown fascinated by their food choices and began to make them at home, whipping up different recipes each day. Mizuki wasn't overturned since they usually turned out delicious. Although, there were a few times where they had to order delivery because the dish Akira attempted to recreate turned out to be an absolute disaster.

Normally, when having breakfast, Mizuki would take her time eating, chewing slowly and savouring the taste of the food. This time, however, she shovelled the food into her mind once her eyes caught sight of the time. She only had twenty minutes until class began. The duration of the trip to school was around ten minutes if she walked at a fast pace, so she had to leave as soon as possible. The third-year quickly finished her food, placing the dishes in the sink and grabbing her bags, slinging them both over her shoulder before leaving her house. She made sure to lock the door on the way out and shoved the key into her pocket, already aware that her aunt had her own.

Her walk to school was calming, albeit one that was rushed, but calming nonetheless. She made it to campus before the bell rang, which she was thankful for. Mizuki was never one to be late, preferring not to be tardy. She liked to have a clean record, only taking days off when she truly needed it. No matter what, the lavenderette was at school every day, even when she knew she'd spend the whole day reading — which she was secretly elated for. The book she had brought with her today was one named 'A Christmas Carol', a novella written by an English writer named Charles Dickens. It was an interesting piece of literature, one that centres around the treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man redeeming himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character. It was a socialist piece of writing, and Mizuki found herself genuinely interested, adoring the supernatural themes installed within it.