Be My Halo

Contacts and Godzilla (Part 60)

"Tanaka Saeko!"

My jaw drops once again, and I stare at Miwa's blurry, but steady, figure. Her hands are on her hips and I can see a flash of white from her huge smile. Her dark hair is pulled up, and I can see random bright blobs of color on her white canvas overalls - probably paint.

"Ta...naka?"

When I think of Tanaka Ryuu's sister, I can't remember much, because I was asleep half the time in her car. But I remember nearly careening off a cliff at least seven times when I was awake (and hungry). I also, however, see her up in the bleachers with the rest of her 'cheerleaders', viciously pounding on the large drums. She almost looks like Tanaka-senpai in a short, choppy blonde wig.

"Hm? Yes, do you know that name?"

"That's..." I furrow my brow and, for some reason, almost start laughing. "I think your date is my teammate's sister. The teammate - the shaved-headed wing spiker that always hangs out with our libero. His sister drove us to Tokyo once, and cheered us at Nationals with traditional Japanese drums. I never knew she..."

Miwa's hands slide off her hips, and she seems to glide into the kitchen. "You really can't remember any names, can you?" she laughs, poking my arm as she passes me. "Well then! You two will be familiar with each other; that's good!"

I shove my hands into my pockets and blow a strand of hair out of my face. "I guess."

She turns to me, then pauses. "You've hardly seen a thing this whole time, have you? Your eyes are unfocused."

I blink.

"For the love of-- Did you already forget you got contacts!? Come on, go get them and I'll help you put them in! You've gotta get used to them before you play volleyball with them!"

I turn around, sheepishly, and head to my room where I set them.

~•°•°----------------------°•°•~

"So, I just..."

"Hold your eye open, I said! Now with the finger that the contact is balanced on, slowly place it on. And look up while you do it!" Miwa glances at her phone, double checking the steps she found on the website my contact lenses are from.

I gulp at Miwa's words, one freshly washed hand holding open my upper eyelid and the other holding open my lower eyelid. Balanced on the latter hand's fingertip is a contact lens. I let out a small breath and look upwards, heart beating fast. My eye starts to water. I place the lens on and slowly close my eyes, letting it settle.

After a moment, I open them again, and am struck with a wave of dizziness.

"Come on, put the other one in! Your vision is half n' half right now!"

I take a deep breath and carefully repeat the process for my left eye, slowly blinking them closed again. Once again, I carefully open them. Clear. I look around. Clear, like how it used to be. The corner of my mouth twitches. No frames in the way or digging into my nose. I blink again, then turn to Miwa, looking down slightly. No blurry peripherals.

"I can see like I used to."

Her face breaks into a grin, and she reaches up and clasps my shoulder. "Alright! Be careful with those; don't go poking your eyes, wearing them in your sleep, taking them out all the time, all that. Read the box, and online!"

I nod, glancing at my reflection. It's strange: my face looks oddly plain without my glasses. "Do I... still need glasses?"

"Your contacts might dry out or get uncomfortable, making you want to take them out, so it's good to have a backup. Or if you just don't want to go through the trouble of putting them in. Or if you have to go somewhere, and you can't bring lens solution and all that or something. Or if you'd prefer to wear your contacts while playing and glasses during other times. Or--"

"Alright, alright! I still won't have them for a couple weeks anyways, so I have to get used to these," I say, stretching and yawning.

She brushes past me and out the door, grinning. "Yeah, yeah, but take them out when you're going to bed!"

"I will."

~•°•°----------------------°•°•~

(Hinata's POV)

"Shouyou, watch a movie with me!"

I turn to Natsu, startled. Her orange pigtails bounce as she hops up and down, hands on the arm of my chair. Her massive grin bares up at me in anticipation. I set down my phone, eyebrows raised.

"Aww, I don't know, it's a school night..." I tease.

Her face immediately turns into a pout, and she stops jumping. "Brother!"

I break into a grin and pull on one of her pigtails. "Oh, alright. Which movie?"

"Yay!" she cheers, batting my hand away and leaping into the air. "Godzilla!"

"Again?" I laugh, rising to my feet and following her out of my room after shoving my phone in my jeans' pocket.

Natsu hums a bright, repetitive tune. "Yep!" She prances into the livingroom and shoves my leg until I sit on the couch, amused. Then she goes and digs through all the movies.

"It should be near the top, since--"

"Shush, Shouyou!"

"Just saying," I laugh, holding up my hands in defense.

She finally finds it, and holds it up triumphantly with a wide grin. "Alright! Open, please," she half-demands, bringing the case to me. I raise my eyebrows again and open it, almost not before she snatches it again.

Finally, a few minutes later, the lights are off, and the movie begins.

~•°•°--------------------°•°•~

(Tanaka's POV)

"Ryuuuuu!"

I tear my gaze from the poster, startled, before quickly turning back. "I'll come back for you," I whisper to the bikini clad girl, and frantically roll it up, shoving it under my bed.

"What!?" I yell, getting up from my bed and casually moving to my closed door, just before it slams open. "You ever hear of knocking!?"

"This is important, so listen up!" my older sister demands, breathing hard.