A/N: This chapter is heavily inspired by a fanart by @/novaasoph. Credits go to them!
Chapter 23:
Kei, Mizuki, and Hana were in the Miyagi Museum of Art on a rainy and chilly Saturday afternoon. Kei had a day off so Mizuki thought that he, as well as Hana, would enjoy a day out together as a family. The museum had various historical collections and its primary focus was works associated with the Miyagi Prefecture and Tohoku region from the Meiji period to the present day. It also included paintings by Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, two very gifted and well-known artists worldwide.
The three entered the entrance hall after purchasing their ticket and were pleasantly surprised at how sophisticated their surroundings were. The entrance hall was obviously located in the center of the entire museum complex. The exhibition rooms, studios, lecture hall, library, cafes, and gardens were located in positions that radiate from the entrance which acted as an origin point.
"Where should we go first?" Mizuki beamed excitedly.
"I want to check out Kandinsky's paintings eventually but we can start looking at the works of local artists..." Kei smiled subtly, "Also, I heard from Sugawara-san that his students' drawings look a lot like Kandinsky's art..."
"That's kind of mean... I think..." Mizuki giggled.
The three made their way through Exhibition room 1, where several paintings created by Miyagi artists were displayed proudly against the blank, white walls. Some people were strolling around, intently observing and analyzing paintings and the other works of art. Mizuki peeked at her husband as she pushed Hana's stroller - his eyes glimmered with curiosity and wonder, and it made her buzz with warmth inside. She knew that Kei had an interest in art, and she was glad that he was enjoying himself.
He stopped and turned around suddenly which startled her.
"What is it?" Mizuki asked.
"Do you like this one?" He pointed to a starry painting in front of them.
"I like it." She responded.
"What do you like about it?" He murmured, keeping his gaze on the painting.
Mizuki stared at the portrait thoughtfully - it had a naturalistic scenery with white splashes of paint representing the stars and the moon. Various violet swirls dashed across the canvas, symbolizing the calm and cool atmosphere of the empty environment. A single person in the middle of the field gazed up at the sky, emanating feelings of hopefulness.
"It makes me feel relaxed." Mizuki smiled softly.
"Really?" Kei raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Mhm."
Kei nodded as he processed her statement deeply.
"It's kind of scary." He chuckled.
"What- how?" She scoffed.
"The colors, the lone person in the middle, and the ambiance, combined with the dark sky..." He explained, "It feels overwhelming, in a way."
Mizuki pursed her lips together - the fact that they interpreted a painting in two very distinct ways surprised her. Then again, art was in the eye of the beholder, meaning that interpretations were subjective. Kei looked at Hana and she held her arms up as if wanting to see what her parents were observing. He gently picked her up and she clung to him.
"What do you think, Hana?" Kei smiled affectionately.
Hana babbled, causing their hearts to twinge from her adorableness.
"I think she agrees with me." Mizuki teased playfully.
"No way..." He smirked, "You agree with me, don't you?"
Hana blinked a few times in confusion. She unexpectedly reached out for Kei's glasses as a response, making Mizuki stifle her laughter. Kei jerked back due to the fact that his daughter nearly poked his eyes out.
"Woah!"
"Get him, Hana!" She laughed in amusement.
Mizuki's phone suddenly buzzed, and she took out her phone as Kei tried to put his glasses back on while making sure that Hana was safe. It was a text message from her long-time friend and volleyball teammate, Kojima Sara.
Kojima: We won another match today! We miss you so much! Can't wait to meet Hana. Come visit Tokyo soon :]
As Mizuki read the text, her heart filled with pangs of sorrow. Although she loved being with Kei and Hana, part of her missed her work. She missed attending practice, learning tactics, bonding with her teammates, and participating in matches. Although she would return to the Panthers team in 8 months, she couldn't help but feel a little dejected. She knew she shouldn't though because her life was exactly where she wanted it to be, and she loved every moment of it. That should be enough, right?
Kei gazed at his wife and noticed her eyes flicker with gloom after reading a text message. She quickly hid it with a smile and urged for them to keep strolling around the museum. He was about to bring up his concern when Hana began fussing in his arms. She seemed like she was becoming too warm so he proceeded to tenderly remove her jacket.
"I'll take her jacket." Mizuki murmured faintly.
After Hana was comfortable, she settled into Kei's arms. The museum was very quiet, so she would probably fall asleep soon.
"Who texted you?" Kei asked curiously.
"Oh... It was Kojima-san..." Mizuki answered, avoiding her husband's gaze, "She just wanted to update me on how the team was."
"I see..."
Kei observed her intently, knowing that even the slightest change in her facial expression meant that she was worried or upset about something. He had been so busy with work and Hana that he might've neglected to think of Mizuki herself. His face burned with shame - as much as he tried to be a thoughtful and supportive husband, he might've unknowingly ignored or overlooked Mizuki's inner feelings. Her life drastically changed when she got pregnant, and it wouldn't surprise him if she felt a longing for something else other than being a mother.
"You miss volleyball, don't you?" He brought up, causing her to look up at him.
"I... I guess..." Mizuki laughed softly and shook her head, "Only a little, though. I'm fine."
"I know you," Kei stated coolly, "You don't need to hide it..."
She paused for a few seconds and sighed.
"Wouldn't it make me a bad mother if I said that I miss my career?" Mizuki murmured nimbly.
"No, of course not." He frowned in disagreement.
"Even if you don't think it does, I can't help but feel that way..." She mumbled with guilt, "I want to be here with you two. I love our family... I just... I miss..."
Kei sympathized with her, although he knew he would never be able to fully understand what she was going through. He had his dream job, a loving wife, and a beautiful daughter. Even though he had quit the Sendai Frogs volleyball team a few months back, he still found the time to hang out with his old teammates, friends, and co-workers. Mizuki could too, except part of her life belonged in Tokyo. He knew that.
"Why don't we move to Tokyo?" Kei suggested, causing her to widen her eyes in disbelief.
"You're crazy..." Mizuki chuckled, "You just got a promotion with amazing pay and benefits in a job that you love and are passionate about. We also just bought your mom's old house... We're not moving to Tokyo."
"Well, why not?" He pursed his lips together thoughtfully, "I can easily get another job there, and we can always sell our house..."
"No, absolutely not, Kei..." She stated stubbornly, "You have so many opportunities here and I don't want to take that away from you. Besides, I want to raise Hana in Miyagi, surrounded with family and friends that we trust."
"But what about you?" Kei murmured worriedly, "I don't want you to be unhappy."
"I'm not unhappy..." Mizuki gazed up at him with a genuine smile on her face, "I love you and Hana. You two are what matters the most to me."
Kei believed her but he didn't want his wife to give up everything that made her happy - she had made so many sacrifices to make everything work whilst he was in Miyagi and she was in Tokyo. He wanted her to know that her goals in life mattered too, not just them. Mizuki worked so hard and dealt with many challenges to get to where she was - her tenacity and perseverance were what made him fall in love with her in the first place.
"Are you sure?" He mumbled.
"Yeah," She nodded as she grinned widely, "I do miss volleyball but I know I'll miss you two more if I was in Tokyo."
Kei chuckled lightly and noticed that Hana had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently placed her back in the stroller, careful not to wake her up. As they arrived near the doors of Exhibition 2, Kei stopped in his tracks to face her. He intertwined his hand with hers and took a deep breath.
"If you want to return to Tokyo, I'd understand..." Kei stated, lightly squeezing her hand to reassure her, "That wouldn't make you a bad parent... In fact, I guarantee that seeing you play volleyball would amaze Hana. You'd be teaching her to follow and work hard for her dreams which is admirable and inspiring."
Mizuki blinked a few times as she processed his heartwarming explanations. Her heart fluttered, and although she wanted to cry, the fact that they were in a very silent and public museum prevented her from doing so.
"I'm so lucky to have you." Mizuki smiled affectionately.
"I know..." Kei smirked playfully, causing her to laugh.
"I'll be okay, I promise." She reassured him.
He nodded and the two continued on with their museum date with Hana. After an hour, they decided to rest at the cafe near the rose gardens, and when Mizuki went to pick up their coffee and sandwiches, Kei took out his phone to call Jun, her brother.
"Hello?"
"Hey Jun." Kei greeted.
"Tsukishima-san! What's up?" He beamed.
"Do you know the coach of the women's volleyball team in your university?" He inquired.
Jun attended Tohoku University, Kei's alma mater. Although Jun had completed his undergraduate degree in biology, he was attending that university again - this time, for their medical program.
"No, but I know the captain of the women's team." He answered giddily.
"Oh... Who is it?" Kei asked curiously.
"My girlfriend, of course..." Jun answered nonchalantly, "Hinata Natsu."
Kei nearly forgot that she attended that university as well - according to Hinata, his sister was pursuing a degree in kinesiology.
"Good. Actually, this is perfect..." He smiled, briefly checking if Hana was still asleep in the stroller, "Now, listen to me very carefully. This is what I need you to do for next week..."
Kei couldn't wait to surprise Mizuki.
He adored seeing her so happy, and that was one of his purposes in life.
To make Mizuki as happy as possible.