ice queen • haikyuu

032 | THERE'S A CHILD PRESENT, NISHINOYA

Tobio scowled, but Hinata jumped forward. "I'll make sure I'll be able to stand on the same level as you!"

Tobio pushed his soulmate out of the way. "I'll make you say that I'm better than Oikawa-san!"

Ushijima stared at them for a moment before turning his back on them. The lavenderette followed after her childhood friend, meeting him on his way out. "Wakatoshi," she called, standing by the net. A gentle smile spread across her lips, her lilac eyes softening at the pure devastation peeking in his. "It was a good match."

He nodded stoically, taking her in. He recognised it. "Are they here?"

Mizuki's smile broadened. She turned to the stands, seeing her soulmates converse with her aunt and Ukai's volleyball group members. Ushijima followed her line of sight, briefly looking over the four individuals.

"I'll introduce you properly another day," she said, turning back to face the teenager. "I assume this won't be your last match, right?"

He shook his head. "I've been offered a volleyball scholarship."

"That's good," she hummed.

"Sayeko-senpai!"

Hearing her boys calling, Ushijima took that as an incentive to move on. Mizuki let him, watching him leave. "Wakatoshi," she called once again. He paused in his steps but did not look back. "I'm glad you had fun today."

Ushijima didn't say anything. He continued walking forward, and Mizuki smiled, knowing that she was right.

"Sayeko-senpai! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming."

Mizuki trotted over to where the rest of the team had lined up, standing beside Kiyoko with Coach Ukai on her other side. Only a few moments later, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi came back into the gym and joined them. "And now," the man standing on the podium started, "I present this award to the victors. Miyagi Prefectural Karasuno High School. Concluding the Miyagi Prefecture Qualifiers of the National High School Volleyball Tournament, your team has emerged victorious. I present you this award in acknowledgement of your commendable performance. Congratulations."

Mizuki bit back a smile as Daichi and Sugawara stepped forward to take the award and trophy. A moment later, a woman proceeded to walk down the line and place a gold medal on each of the boys' neck. "To praise both teams for their good match and to wish the best to Karasuno High School for their performance at the Spring High School Volleyball National Tournament in January, I'd like the audience to give them another big round of applause."

They did. Mizuki could hear the distinct voices of Bokuto and Kuroo. Bokuto was yelling for Hinata and "Tsukki!", while Kuroo seemed to be yelling all of their names in a row.

The ceremony blurred by and Mizuki glanced back up at the stands. The seats began to empty, and she saw Akaashi point at the doors when their eyes met. Mizuki nodded, knowing that meant that her family —her soulmates— were waiting for her.

Mizuki's mind flashed to a woman with brown hair and lilac eyes. A woman that had smiled and laughed with her when she was younger. Before the illness, before the bond devoured her whole, before she could no longer hold on.

If only you were here, mother.

Her thoughts drifted to her soulmates and the cacoon of safety they enveloped her in. She craved their warmth, the feeling of their fingers brushing along her skin, their laughter ringing through her ears, their comforting intertwined scents. Her desire for her soulmate grew day and night. Mizuki dared never telling them just how piercingly and endlessly she thought of them.