Serendipity: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 43: What If

So... they got together. This is the cue where flowers bloom, and the clouds in the skies fade away. As the famous words for the ultimate close: they lived happily ever after.

Right?

Well, not quite.

"The rain still hasn't stopped huh..." Yuuma sighs. "So much for jumping out of the car."

Because of the traffic, Jun hastily left the car with several blocks from the destination.

Mr. Amemori looks wistfully at the sky, remembering the nostalgia in his teenager days. Wasting his time with mixers with some good friends, hanging out at batting cages and arcades. He was a scrawny teenager with very little self determination. That is, until he met his future wife at a fast food joint.

"You know the things love can do."  He says, "it changes you."

Yuuma lets out a humming noise, sounding unconvinced, tinged with amusement. He twiddles with his cartilage piercing before digging in his jacket pockets for a small cigarette box. He rolls down the windows of the car, "'must be nice..."

"I thought you said you'd quit?" Mr. Amemori questions. Yuuma replies with a grimace.

"I did. Just do for special occasions."

"... Alright. I can't stop you." Mr. Amemori sighs and stares at the exit of the gymnasium. Just at that moment, two figures emerged from the doors. He squinted, recognizing his daughter and... another guy.

Well, that's to be expected, right? But still, his outwardly appearance doesn't look quite trustworthy. Neverthess, Mr. Amemori looks at him inquisitively, watching his every move.

"Yuuma, What do you think of him?"

Yuuma, a a cigarette between his teeth, attempts to use the lighter on the tip of it. He flicks it once, twice — not even a drop of flame appears.

"Kuroo? Never had him as a student, but he wasn't ever in trouble."

"I don't mean of him as a student. You know what I mean."

Silence follows, just the sound of rain. Kuroo gestures at Jun and says something inaudible— Mr. Amemori doesn't recognize that oversized jacket on her before. Jun takes off the jersey jacket and hastily drapes it on top of her head as a makeshift umbrella.

Kuroo adjusts it by flattening the jacket down on her head. his mouth moving again — this time he cracks a sly grin. He places his hands together as if he was about to pray, mocking a saintly expression. Jun punches his chest lightly. This time, Mr. Amemori can hear Kuroo's boisterous laugh, followed by Jun's irritated voice:

"LIKE I LOOK LIKE A NUN TO YOU?"

The unlit cigarette falls from Yuuma's mouth, startled at her outburst. He chuckles quietly. "It looks like they're good together."

The day ended with Jun's mom giving her a lengthy lecture about taking risks within a reasonable amount of safety.

-*-

When the next day arrives, Jun arrives to the gym. Her eyes ... it is apparent that she lacked sleep the night before, the dull skin under her eyes almost sunken into the hollow of her skull.

Kenma, although glad to see her again, looks at her pitifully. He pokes at her forehead, as if she's some kind of alien specimen.