Yana hopped off the train. She was back in Tokyo.
"Yana!" Kuroo and Kenma waved her over to get her attention.
Yana grinned and pulled them both into a hug. "I'm back!" After the trio successfully hugged things out they released each other and started walking. Kuroo took one of Yana's suitcases and Kenma took the other.
"How'd the project go?"
Yana groaned and shifted her backpack to a better position.
"That bad?" Kenma looked up rather interested.
"Naturally, we didn't manage to convince anyone. I mean, yeah we still got full marks on it, but you know." Yana pouted. "I would have liked someone to at least humor the idea."
"Oh? Do you believe in aliens now?" Kenma teased with a smirk on his face. He had a feeling that she might have ended up coming back with a tinfoil hat. Considering it was a year-long project he wouldn't put it past her. Much to both his -and Kuroo's- relief she didn't go too far down the rabbit hole.
"Not at all!" Heat rose to Yana's face as she vehemently denied his question. There was absolutely no way on earth or out of earth for that matter, that she would ever believe in aliens.
"Whatever you say shortstop." Kuroo shrugged noncommittally. "You can deny it all you want but I know.
Yana pouted and deflected the comment. After a few minutes of pleasant chatter and walking she gasped. "Oh my goodness! I forgot to tell you. remember Aiko and Rini?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Well, during the graduation ceremony, Aiko asked Rini to be his girlfriend! I was actually surprised that he finally got the memo. Rini told me that since they were going to the same college, she would still try win his heart, so when it was Aiko who finally asked her to be his girlfriend my soul just. Oh, it was so cute."
Kuroo and Kenma glanced at each other. Prior to meeting up with Yana they had a game of rock-paper-scissors to see who would be the one to ask. Kuroo was the loser. "So, speaking of relationships. What about you and your boyfriend?"
Yana willed herself to keep walking as she looked down at her feet. "Well you see, I-I uh." Yana pursed her lips, the bright mood from before had dampened to a much sadder one.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Kenma bumped her shoulder with his gently. "You can tell us in time."
- ----FIVE YEARS LATER IN RIO-----
Oikawa's eyes widened as his gaze landed on a familiar head of orange hair. He was just out walking by the beach and he never expected to see someone he knew from Japan. "Is this for real?"
"The Grand King!?"
"Photos, now." Oikawa and Hinata immediately stuck themselves together and look a rather intense looking selfie. Once the pair had sent them out to their respective friends Hinata was the first to speak.
"What are you doing here Gr-Oikawa?!"
"That's my line."
Hinata's enthusiasm levels rose even higher. "I'm here to train using beach volleyball!"
Oikawa was taken aback for a moment before he began to laugh. "You really are a crazy kid sometimes, Shrimpy." Oikawa ruffled his hair back. "Beach though, huh? I think I can see what you're getting at."
"Now, what about you? What brings you here?"
"I'm playing in the Argentine League right now. Well, that and something else..."
Hinata's eyes glimmered with excitement. "You're practically next door! But, why Argentina? You seem like you'd go to Italy or something like that."
Oikawa made finger guns at Hinata "Right?! I totally get it" he slicked his brown hair back dramatically. His hair was a fair bit shorter now, so it reduced the dramatic flair of the action, but there was a little bit of flair left. "I definitely would fit in perfectly in Italy. I've never gone there before though."
Hinata was speechless. There were a lot of thoughts processing but that last one really threw him off.
"Can you quit making that face please?"
Hinata cleared his throat and recomposed himself. "Oikawa, let's play volleyball together!" His stomach growled loudly and caused the pair to go silent.
Oikawa stifled his laughter, "I was actually on my way to get something to eat. Why don't you take me someplace good?"
"There's this delicious, healthy place that's really cheap!"
Oikawa waved Hinata's statement away. "Don't worry about that. It'll be my treat. I can do that at least." Oikawa suddenly took out his phone and sent a quick text message. "I'm all good to go. Are you ready?"
- ----AFTER DINNER-----
"You said there was another reason for coming here. What is that reason?" Hinata sighed satisfied as he finished off the rest of his dessert. "It seemed kinda important."
"Ok, listen up..."
- ----THE NEXT AFTERNOON-----
"Wake up! Tooru we're late!" She sat up and tapped Oikawa gently to try and wake him up. "What happened to the alarm?!"
Oikawa pulled her back down into his arms and under the covers. "I turned it off." He gave her a sly smirk and kissed her nose.
She blushed from the kiss and snuggled into him unable to resist the warmth. "It's your last free day before the match." Her voice was muffled by the blankets, but it was just loud enough for him to hear in his half-asleep state.
"Babe, we can go out tonight instead?" Oikawa held her closer trying his best to convince her not to move. "I just wanna cuddle today, pleaaseee." He played with her hair and kissed her neck.
"But Tooru, I really like Rio and I want to sightsee with you before your match tomorrow." She gave him her best pleading face. "Pretty please?"
He sighed in defeat. "Fine, Konpeito-chan. You win." He would never admit but he always caved.
Yana squealed in delight, gave him a quick peck on the lips then wriggled out of bed.
Once Yana graduated high school, she followed through with her plan to go study in Tokyo. Oikawa and Yana had decided to try out long distance to see how it would all go. Of course, like any other couple it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. While studying, the pair would often visit each other back and forth so the distance didn't seem too far away.
It had taken four years for Yana to complete her degree. As soon as she finished and had a teary goodbye to Kuroo and Kenma, she flew right over to Argentina and landed a job as a Flight Dynamics Officer - FDO for short. It was a job she never thought she would have. Planning maneuvers and monitoring trajectory for space shuttles was never really something that crossed her mind, until the senior project that is. She groaned at the memory. That damn project.
Yana stretched and rummaged through her suitcase. "I think I left it at home."
"Left what at home?" Oikawa was shirtless as he appeared behind her. The five years of training did magic to his body. He was a very fine specimen.
"That one sundress I really liked."
Since living together Oikawa had found out that Yana could be surprisingly girly at times. That's not to say she wasn't feminine; she definitely was feminine. But he didn't expect her to own as many dresses and clothes as she did.
Yana pulled out a different outfit and decided to put that on instead. She wore washed out blue jean shorts which were high waisted with sailor buttons. A long tasseled necklace sat over her white V-neck tank top. On top of that, she wore a red and white oversized Hawaiian shirt that she left unbuttoned.
"You look like a tourist." Oikawa deadpanned from behind her.
"A cute tourist!" Yana protested as she slipped on her wedges. "Besides what about you? We match." She stuck her tongue out at him and finished tying her hair in a low messy bun.
"Eh, touché." Like Yana, Oikawa was wearing a similar style. A red and white Hawaiian shirt left unbuttoned over a white V-neck t-shirt, the only difference of course being his khaki shorts, and sandals. He left his sunglasses hanging on his shirt collar. "I guess we are tourists together then."
The pair were about to leave the hotel before Oikawa ran back in. "Give me a sec!" He quickly grabbed her hat from the room and slipped a small box in his pocket. He hastily came back out to join Yana. "You can't forget your hat." He carefully placed the straw hat on Yana's head trying not to mess up her hair. "Now you look like a very cute tourist."
- ----SOME HOURS LATER-----
Yana grinned as she took one last picture with Oikawa at Ipanema. "I think out of all the places that we have visited today; this is my favorite." It was already sunset, but the beach was as beautiful as ever. A long arching expanse of soft white sand and rolling waves reflected the different hues of red, orange and yellow. The beach was bordered by a well-organized grid of shops, cafes and restaurants which remained lively even though the day was waning.
They walked through the beach hand in hand, their fingers intertwined. Yana hummed quietly as she recalled all their memories together. Every time he held her close in his arms it was like he was untying all her knots and ridding her of all her worries - if just for a moment. The warmth between them was something she had grown so accustomed to and enjoyed.
------
Oikawa used his free hand to fiddle with the little box inside his pocket. You can do this! It's the perfect time and place! This is the moment! Oikawa cheered himself on. He was so nervous that he could feel his heart practically leap out of his chest. "Yana."
"Hm?"
Oikawa let go of her hand as he started his rant and over exaggerated gestures. "So, I was thinking. The phrase 'till death do us part' is pretty morbid to me. I want the fairytale. The 'and they lived happily ever after.' I mean, what's wrong with that? Why would I like to start a life of love thinking about death?"
Yana nodded along, Oikawa would occasionally go off on a rant about random things ranging from volleyball to aliens and apparently to wedding vows. "That is a fair point. But there isn't such thing as a perfect love. Nor a perfect love story."
"Well I think, I would like a love that will endure through this life and the beyond." Oikawa took a silent breath in and got down on one knee. "Yana"
Yana turned around to face him. Her eyes widened and her hands covered her mouth in shock.
"I don't want to say, 'till death do us part' because If I had a thousand lifetimes, I'd want them all to be with you." Oikawa gave her a slightly roguish smile as he held up the ring. "Yana. Will you marry me?" His face was equally as pink as hers as he looked up at her.
An uncontrollable smile blossomed on Yana's face as her eyes shone in a way that only deep happiness could bring. She nodded as tears started to form. Falling in love was a story she never wanted to end. She hoped to fall more and more in love with this man. "Yes! Yes, as many times over as you want." The man she had just agreed to marry.
Yana ran forward into a hug and caused them both to fall down on the soft sand. In each other's embrace the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. Her face warmed as she lightly placed a kiss on his lips. "I love you."
Oikawa held her closer to take another kiss from her, this time deeper than a simple peck. He felt like he was walking on air. This kiss seemed so much more magical, the way their lips interlocked, it was warmer and softer than all the times before. This time the kiss really did feel like it was one from the movies. It was heartfelt and slow and sent shivers down his back. He had dreamed of this moment for so long, but this kiss was so much better in reality than his daydreams.
They eventually parted and he saw her eyes sparkle and lips curve up into a smile that mirrored his own. Oikawa closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you more than anything in the universe and outside of it; including aliens."
~FIN