“ 𝑲𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒊'𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒌𝒆 ! 𝑽𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎, 𝒗𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 !”
.
𝟏
“ Look at that, Konoha-san.”
They hadn't noticed it before but now that they got to take a closer look, they figured out that the entire parking space was taken up by rows and rows of motorcycles. The models looked pretty old and antique but they had the same touch and texture to it.
Two big flags rested in the centre. Both were black in colour with different things portrayed on each. The first one had a black background with a white circle in the middle that encased a symbol of a snake in an S- pattern.
The second flag seemed more of a banner, tied vertically up the pole. With silver lining, it was written ‘The Black Mamba Gang’. The kanjis literally shined bright like neon lights in the dark and the trio couldn't help but gawk at it.
Kotei was especially hooked.“ Ooooh, what's that written ?”
“ Black Mamba.....the hell is that ? An elementary school kids group ?” Konoha asked, baffled.
“ I think it's a motorcycle gang or something.”Komi perked up at his thought,“ maybe it's a group of high school delinquents. Like the Tokyo Manji Gang !” He gasped dramatically.
“ You're reading way too many mangas.”
“ I love that one. I wanna grow up to be a respectful delinquent.”
“ I am ashamed of you as your teammate.”
“ But hey ! I'm a volleyball player now—KOTEI ! GET DOWN FROM THERE, OH MY GOD !”
Somehow, the girl had climbed up the vertical pole with the gang name on it and looked down at a whole new world. The third years somehow managed to pull her down before she could cause trouble.
“ But these models look so old. Must be some lame delinquent-wannabes,” Komi snickered.
“ Seriously ? And what's with the name ? I can come up with better !” Konoha stated.
“ Ooooh, maybe we can form our own group together.”
“ Not happening. Bokuto will hog all our glory there too.”
“ Ahem.”
They froze in their places when an intimidating voice cleared their throat loudly behind them and a dark aura emitted behind the trio.
Komi was almost sure that it was the Tokyo Manji Gang. He was happy with the fact that atleast he could see his favourite characters in real life before he could die. But his dreams crumbled to dust when they turned around to face them.
A big shock !
Instead of the Tokyo Manji Gang, they were met with the faces of high school girls still dressed in their black uniforms. Each and every one of them looked beyond pissed at their presence. At a glance, he would say there were about fifty of them, maybe more and they had basically surrounded the trio, taking up the entire parking space.
“ Ah ! Look at the time !” Komi squeaked as he tried to slip off the scene dragging Konoha and picking up Kotei in one arm who looked very interested in whatever was transpiring.
He flinched when he found five or six of them blocking his way and he was practically surrounded by them.
A tiny girl, who looked more like a middle schooler, stepped to the front. She seemed to possess a cocky attitude which reflected well on her face by the disgusted look she was sparing them.“ How dare you badmouth us, punks ? You looking for a fight ? Hah ?!”
Komi and Konoha stepped back.
Honestly, they couldn't take her words seriously considering her tiny form and tried their best to hold back their laughter. This irked the girl even more as she took out something from her back pocket and pointed it at them.“ You looking down on us or something, you bastards ?”
Her voice dropped dangerously as she stressed on the ‘bastard’ part more than required.
OH MY GOD, IS THAT A PISTOL ?!
The third years internally panicked as Kotei found something interesting. But she found the girl's bleached cherry blossom hair the most intriguing out of all.
“ Why's yer hair pink ? It's cool though !” Kotei piped in.
“ Hm ?” The girl stared down at the little girl with a glare. Realisation struck her as a dangerous glint reflected in her gaze.“ Oi, you're the brat who dared to make fun of our sacred sign. You have a death wish ?” She asked, getting in her face, a tick mark appearing on her head. She was referring to her act of climbing up their banner.
Kotei tilted her head in confusion.
“ Stand back, Ayumi.” A white haired girl who looked rather pissed off pulled her back by her shoulder. She sighed.“ Someone put a leash on her already, geez.”
“...”
The girl named Ayumi stared at the hand on her shoulder and looked back at the taller girl with a scowl on her face.“ Oi, how dare you touch me, bitch ! You want me to chop off your hands that bad ?”
“ You are proof that evolution can go in reverse.”
“ I dare you to repeat that.” She tilted her head with an intimidating look, bringing the pistol near the other's face and the tip touched her chin.
“ If you don't wanna end up in hospital, then it'll be my pleasure to encourage you further,” the white head stated.
“...dipshit.” Ayumi pulled back and taking out a cigarette she pushed it between her lips. Bringing the pistol near her face she lit it with the lighter. Of course, it's not a pistol.
Konoha, needles to say, swore for the first time in his life that he'd never look at a girl in the same way he had done till now after witnessing this shit. He knew girls were scary. What he didn't know was their definition of scary far exceeded his own.
𝟐
“ Shiki, can you please not start right now? I don't wanna pay for hospital bills on your behalf anymore.” The leader stepped out. With her hands shoved in her pockets, she had a mysterious aura about her. Her bleached locks fell messily by her bangs. She was wearing a hoodie over her uniform and the hood was pulled over.
“ Why don't you say that to Ayumi, Yeji ?” Shiki stood beside the leader in a protective manner while Ayumi was already on her other side.“ She was the one picking a fight with a five year old.”
“ Kotei's six !” Kotei squeaked.
Shiki glared at Kotei who remained unaffected.
Yeji, their leader, was inside the store buying a lollipop for herself. Thus she missed most of what had happened and stepped out just at the moment when Shiki was threatening Ayumi.
Although she calls herself the leader of a motorcycle gang, in reality she's a softie and likes cute stuff like most of the other girls. But the rest didn't have to know about that.
Ayumi was a normal person with a bad temper. She's always pissed off and didn't like it when people took the recycle bins for granted. Currently, she's part of a ‘green world’ campaign. Apparently, she thinks earth is full of shit that needed to be burnt (killed). She believes in cleanliness and was beyond angry when she saw Konoha keep his can on the sidewalk instead of disposing it in a proper manner.
Shiki was more of a laidback type who usually didn’t step in, unless the situation became worse. She's experienced in both taekwondo and karate and a topper in her class. She thought their (Black Mamba) motto of world peace was really hilarious and shitty. But she never said anything because apparently she knew their leader was secretly a crackhead and a pretty weird person.
“ So many colours,” Kotei stared up at their hair in amazement.
“ What's even happening here ?” Yeji asked, taking off the wrapper and putting the pink candy in her mouth. Running her tongue around it, she stared at Shiki for explanation.
“ Apparently, they insulted us.”
“ P-please spare us ! We're innocent !” Konoha and Komi chorused.
Yeji stared at them for a moment before looking back at Shiki.“ They're saying they're innocent.”
“ Why are you so innocent, damn it !” Ayumi yelled.
“ But they said—”
“ They're lying, obviously !”
“ We're not lying ! Right, Kotei ?”
Kotei went with the flow and nodded.
“ They're saying they're not lying...?” Yeji dragged on with a blank look.
This girl is dumb. Everyone except Kotei thought (including Konoha and Komi).
“ I say we slit their throats and hang them !” Ayumi grinned maniacally, taking out the cigarette to let out a puff but Yeji clutched her hand with a forceful grip.
“ I told you not to smoke. It's bad.”
“ Yes, I know it's bad,” Ayumi looked down.
Then why do it, girl ? (Konoha and Komi)
“ But I want to appear cool !” Ayumi yelled (coughing lightly) and the duo sweatdropped.
What is this ? A skit ? (Konoha and Komi)
“ Kotei wants a pistol too !” Kotei cheered.
This girl is surely going to be a delinquent when she grows up !
“ What's going on ? Kotei ?”Eventually Miwa showed up with two hands full of bags.
“ Kageyama's nee-san !”
“ Kageyama’s sis !”
Konoha and Komi hid behind her as soon as they saw her. Miwa looked around, clueless on what's going on. Is something wrong ?
“ Miwa-nee, Kotei wanna be a delinquent !”
Something is definitely wrong.
“ Another fool shows up,” Ayumi muttered cracking her knuckles.“What should we do with them ?”
“ I really have to buy a leash for you, don't I ?”
“ Shut up, Skiki !”
“ My friends say they insulted us,” Yeji said in a calm tone, pointing at the boys.“ But they say they didn't. Who do you think is at fault?”
“ Did you really now ?” Miwa looked at the boys and although they've just met, she looked like a scary mother ready to tell them off.
“ We swear we never insulted them. We just made...a little fun.... nothing big !”
“ Kotei's on a bike ! Vroom, vroom !” Kotei had once again got onto the bike (which belonged to Ayumi) and pushed the handle.“ Vroom ! Vroom ! Vroom !”
“ Hey ! Get off my baby !”
As Ayumi got busy pulling Kotei down, on the other side, the gang engaged in a heated conversation.
“ We heard them calling us names !”
“ They said something very offensive which cannot be said in public !”
“ These bastards think they can do just whatever the hell they want !”
“ Let's beat them up, leader !”
The entire time Konoha and Komi had dumbfounded looks stuck to their faces as they cowered behind the tall girl, afraid for their safety. Miwa, on the other hand, didn't look so happy at the moment. Yeji, noticing this, put up her hand, motioning for the others to stop talking. She took two steps forward and with a stoic face, her calm voice resounded in the parking lot,“ look, an apology is all we want.”
Miwa thought every bit of it was nonsense. She just wanted to buy some things and this fiasco happens. Honestly, she was a little pissed at all of them, including herself. She should've bought everything beforehand. Besides, seldom knew how her personality got so worse at times that you'd regret even standing before her. Yet, she tried to take care of everything rationally and to handle it as swiftly and quickly as possible.
She spared the two boys a meaningful look who shared looks. Konoha said,“okay, we're sorry for everything we said (we didn't say anything extreme though).”
“ Sorry about earlier. We shouldn't have said anything,” Komi added.
Yeji nodded, accepting their apology but of course it wasn't enough for Ayumi who yelled,“ boss ! Let's hang them already ! That jerk didn't even discard the can properly ! For the sake of mother earth, two or three sacrifices are minimal at the least !”
“ What can ?” Konoha looked around, lost, until his gaze landed on the can that he had put down on the raised platform outside the store, just beside the vending machine.
“ They did ?” Yeji asked, a little surprised. But it soon got wiped off her face as she sent nonchalant looks at the boys. Needless to say her calm face scared them more than their school principal.
“ And this brat here dared climb up our sacred banner ! Let's dispose of this lil' shit too !” Ayumi continued, done with Kotei manhandling her bike and dragged her forcefully off it. The latter lost her balance in the process and tripped on her feet, grazing her elbow on the handle.
It struck a nerve when Miwa saw her do it.
Her bangs covered her eyes and the boys felt literal chills run down their spine.
Before Ayumi could drag her by the hand, Shiki clutched the former’s wrist, tightly. With a deadly voice she spoke slowly,“ let. her. go.”
Ayumi glared back at her white haired friend. With a challenging look she tightened her grip on Kotei's hand too.
“ Owie,” Kotei whined in pain.
“ If your hands are precious to you, let her go,” Shiki said yet again, this time not showing any restraint as a small crack resonated in the air around them.
Konoha and Komi were sweating profusely.
Ayumi gritted her teeth and forced herself out of her grip with a jerk. She let Kotei go who held her wrist in pain.“ I really am gonna kill you some day, Shiki.”
“ Good luck doing that.”
Yeji observed everything from a distance. She glanced at Miwa who had a deadly look in her eyes. Letting out a low whistle the former went near her face,“ are you mad ? Please don't be. It's that girl's fault anyway. And she got her lesson. Isn't that good enough ?”
“...”
“ We're not that violent sort of chaps, miss. We handle everything very peacefully. So we would be very grateful if you can treat us to another apology and maybe something more.”
“...”
“ Miss...?”
Shiki, without a word, crouched down before Kotei to inspect her wrist. She rubbed her hand lightly to ease the pain. Fidgeting in her pocket, she took out a candy and extended it towards the girl who looked up at her in awe. It looked something like a compensation.
“ Thank you, onee-san.” Kotei shyly accepted. A small smile streched on Shiki’s lips but it was negligible. She got up and spared Ayumi another glare.
“ Take anger management classes, Ayu. I am concerned about your health.”
“ Shut up !”
Kotei looked a bit angry when Ayumi yelled at Shiki and she eyed her with a disappointed gaze.
“ The hell you looking at, brat ! I'll gouge your eyes out—”
“ Ayumi !” Yeji raised her voice as the latter shut up.“ Can you pipe it down ? We're talking here, right ?”
“...”
“ Right ?”
“ O-okay.”
Yeji turned back to face Miwa.“ So where were we ? Oh, yes, apology. Please continue.”
She eyed the latter who didn't move. Tilting her head she waited for an angry and pissed off look to come her way. Of course she's instigating her. And nothing will make her happier to see her instigated. No doubt she turned out to be this way.
Yeji had been alone all her life and there was no one to tell her the difference between right or wrong. She picked up a few things watching the high school girls like going karoake or buying cute stuff to decorate both her room and her belongings. Ayumi and Shiki were her first friends. A turn of events led them to form a group and be a little carefree in front of each other. What they didn't expect was the large number of willing participants.
World peace ? That's a lie. She just wants peace for herself.
And she is at peace with the members of the Black Mamba.
Miwa finally looked up. Yeji’s eyes widened getting an unexpected reaction. The former didn't look angry nor beyond pissed. She just looked a little annoyed at the whole ordeal. With a calm and collected voice she started,“ peacefully ? Seriously ? You're blocking people's way to the store, took up the entire parking space, even the store clerk looks afraid.” She pointed at the person, through the looking glass, who was sweating profusely behind the desk.“And if you're so concerned about a clean environment, stop using motorbikes and start using cycles.”
The last line was meant for Ayumi who pursed her lips and huffed like a kid. Shiki sighed, rubbing her temples.
“ If you still don't want to co-operate, I will not hesitate to call the authorities,” Miwa said pointing to her phone. Her gaze softened at the end when she looked at Yeji next.“And sorry to say this but your eyes are red and puffy as hell. Go get some sleep before fully turning into a zombie.”
Yeji felt something stir within her as she stared at Miwa in shock. Same could be said for Konoha and Komi. The only difference was they were looking up at Miwa like she was some form of a goddess.
“ Show's over, people. Pack up.” Shiki declared loudly as the rest of the members dragged their feet to their bikes.“ Yeji, let's go.”
Yeji was quick to gather herself. Her heart swelled within as she looked up at Miwa. Now that she noticed properly, the latter was much taller than her. She put back the lollipop in her mouth and turned around to walk towards her own bike.
“ Hey ! What about the sacrifices ?” Ayumi spoke up.
“ I swear to god, Ayu, if you don't stop speaking now I will give you one tight slap across your damn face !”
“...”
“...”
Nobody believed that the quiet Yeji could lose her temper so easily, all of a sudden. The said girl ran a hand through her locks, revealing the many piercings that adorned her ears and she got on her bike with the helmet on.
Ayumi was still dumbfounded so Shiki had to help her get on hers and off they went, leaving the rest in the dust.
“ Bye bye ! Buy Kotei a bike next time !” Kotei waved at them as Ayumi visibly pointed her middle finger up at her.
“ How offensive !” Miwa yelled in frustration as she went towards Kotei and picked her up. The child instinctively wrapped her arms around her neck and buried her face in her shoulder.
“ Kageyama's nee-san !”
“ Thank you for saving us !”
“ Hail, goddess !”
“ Please let us call you nee-san !”
You already call me so, Miwa thought as she smiled nervously. They became her literal worshippers from that day on. Their respect for her only grew further when she treated them as promised.
The cold wind hit their faces as the many bikes passed through the highway. The night was still young but they decided to return home on their leader's orders.
Yeji stared ahead getting a clear view of the path. Miwa's words had greatly struck her. She showed genuine care instead of doing something agressive. Needless to say, without her knowledge, Miwa had gained a third worshipper that night.
She was so cool, Yeji thought, speeding up, a shy smile playing on the tip of her lips.
𝟑
Kageyama fidgeted in the couch as he slurped on the noodles. Apparently, cup noodles was the only option left for him.
The TV was turned on to some sports channel and the room was dark. With a thin blanket resting atop his head, it looked like a veil as he held the chopsticks in one hand and the container, in the other. His gaze was fixed on the game and each and every movement got recorded in his eyes. They acted like a video recorder, of a much better quality.
Finally done with everything, he got up to walk towards the kitchen where he put down the empty container on the table. He stopped in his tracks when he remembered Miwa liked to collect stickers on it. His hands glided across the surface till he found the small square piece and taking it off, stuck it on the refrigerator.
“ Collecting hundreds of these will score us a free trip to Australia !”
Tobio scoffed lightly remembering Miwa's words.
He looked around the kitchen, once, before switching off the lights.
Something looked amiss. Every night Miwa would be there behind the counter, cooking something delicious for them but today there was no one.
Kageyama walked out of the kitchen. He went straight up to his room.
Finishing up with his nightly routine he got under the covers after switching off the light.
1 : 00 AM
Kageyama tossed and turned about in his bed before laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. Is it him or the house is just too quiet ? The neighborhood maintained pin drop silence and he didn't even hear the street dogs bark today. Everything felt so weird and out of place.
An owl hooted from somewhere nearby.
He was wide awake, laying like a dead log on his bed. The entire house was engulfed in a wave of grave tranquility. The silence was deafening since he's used to being in the company of others from a very young age.
That's right. Till Kageyama’s grandfather's time, Tobio was always in Kazuyo’s reassuring company. He was successful in imparting both his parents love to his grandson and granddaughters. With loving care, he nurtured them and coincidentally both of them took an interest in his profession of being a volleyball Coach.
But the happiness was short lived as their grandfather fell ill. Miwa was already in university by the time so she spent most of it outside home. Yet, Kotei was there with him the entire period. It's not like she could walk away with her tiny feet but Tobio tried his best to look after her, all by himself. He had found it very difficult to cope up with everything. At the end of the day, Kotei's smiling face strived him to go on.
Yes, it's a fact that Tobio and Kotei had always been together no matter what.
It was at this moment that he realised he missed dearly the absence of his brat of a sister.
After their grandfather passed away, Miwa took it upon herself to look after her two younger siblings. Since that day, he would say they're doing pretty well considering their situation.
These fleeting thoughts entered his mind at a stretch before his eyes felt heavy and he fell asleep, listening to the rustling of the leaves outside.
Eleven year old Tobio returned from school and immediately went up to take a look at Kotei.“ I'm home !”
“ Welcome back !” Kazuyo yelled from the backyard. He chuckled when he heard his grandson's rushed footsteps echoing throughout the floor before the boy came down, frantically finding his steps.“ She's sleeping.”
Kazuyo had a volleyball in his hand and Kotei rested in her bedding just in the room in front of it so that their grandfather could keep an eye on her. Miwa was still in school so the house felt rather quiet.
He tossed the ball at Kageyama who reflectively caught it. He was a little annoyed at the fact that his grandfather was with a volleyball, out in the cold, instead of resting inside, considering his gradually-deteriorating condition. But he had to dismiss his thoughts seeing his happy face knowing he'd have done the same thing in his shoes.
“ All she does is sleep. She's lazier than a sloth,” Kageyama commented before putting down his bag and slipping his feet into the slippers to step outside. He tossed back the ball to Kazuyo who received it.
“ You were the same.”
“ You're kidding, right ?”
“ Does it look like I'm kidding ?”
“...”
“ How was school ?”
“ Fine.” Kageyama stared at his hands and back at the ball as it blocked the sun, shielding him from the warm rays.“ They made me toss today. The teacher said I could be a good setter.”
Although these words were stated with no emotion whatsoever, Kazuyo noticed how his eyes diluted a bit and he flushed up in pride.
“ Of course you can,” he said back, cheerily.
A rustling of sheets caught their attention and the soul left his body when Kageyama's gaze landed on Kotei who had somehow crawled up to the very edge of the wooden porch. Tobio let go of the ball at an instant as Kazuyo stared at the scene dumbfounded. The boy perfectly jumped in the form of receiving a ball and caught the little kid who had found the whole ordeal really funny for some reason. She laughed out in glee enjoying her position in her big brother’s arms as he let out a sigh.
“ Grandpa, you should be a bit more careful!” Kageyama stated, concerned, as he picked up Kotei who instinctively clutched his shirt in her fist and apparently found the symbol on his shirt intriguing enough to trace its outline with a finger.
“ I had already taken care of that,” Kazuyo pointed below the porch. A mattress was placed along the stretch, running parallel to the wooden platform, and then pillows and blankets were lined up so that even if Kotei had fallen, she wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Apparently, he had just washed up the blanket and everything. He put it out in a manner so that they could dry up as well as act as a protective boundary for the infant.
“ That's no way to do it ! What if she had jumped over it ?”
“ I doubt that.”
Kotei had taken a fistful of his shirt in her mouth by now and began chewing it, as typical of the nature.
Kazuyo smiled at Kageyama before keeping a hand on his head, and slowly ruffled his hair. The latter stared at his sister a bit disgusted but looking immensely cute while doing so. He pulled his shirt out of her mouth slowly and while doing so Kotei caught hold of his index finger and stared at it in awe. She put up her own finger and seemed to be in a predicament on why there was such a big difference in the length of their fingers.
“ You're such a nice brother, Tobio. It's reassuring to know Kotei will be in good hands after I go away,” Kazuyo started in a hollow voice.
Kageyama looked up at him, highly offended. It might seem hilarious for Kazuyo to joke about his death but it's not so in the case of an eleven year old. It's scarier than anything.
“ I'm back !” Miwa's voice echoed around the house with the slamming of the front door.
Kageyama sat up in his bed. Feeling dehydrated, he walked down the stairs. Still in a half asleep state, he poured water into the glass and vividly heard the static noise of their television.
He grunted, putting down the glass with a slam.
Stomping his way towards the living room, he slid open the door,“ Kotei ! How many times do I have to tell you not to watch tv in the midd—”
He stopped mid sentence when he was finally thrown back to reality. His gaze swept through the room before stopping on the tv which was still switched on to the sports channel. He must have forgotten to turn it off. Messing up his hair, he walked towards it before sitting down in front of it. He stared at the screen in a daze.
Miwa had to often stay out late, at times, so he was deprived of her company. Kageyama was used to it by now. But that wasn't the case for Kotei.
It's different when he spent nights with friends at training camps or sleepovers (if any) which more or less were related to game discussion. Might be that the others’ company kept him from remembering his little sister, but this is the first time he's actually feeling her absence. Although they usually argue and fight with each other (mostly Tobio), the bond was very strong to shake him strongly.
Today, sitting here, in his cold and empty house, he felt a familiar feeling creep into his heart and although you can call it his house, he couldn't call it his home.
The feeling of being lonely and all alone in this entire world scared him. It's not foreign because he had experienced it beforehand. His own teammates had abandoned him. He didn't want it to happen with his family, too.
Sighing, he shook his head before taking out a random tape from below the cabinet and playing it on the screen.
It lit up with the face of a one-year-old-Kotei, staring at the camera with glee.
“ Nii-chan !”
That was the second time she had called him that. The moment was precious and might I add, very sneakily recorded by their grandfather.
“ Jiji !” Alas, Kageyama wasn't the first one to bask in the glory of having his sister call him first. It was grandfather Kazuyo who stole the glory. And he took pride in it and acted all smug for one entire day.
Miwa was the most pissed off because she was the last in line.
Kageyama wrapped the blanket around him as only his head peeked out from under the cloth and he spent the rest of the night watching the video recordings that revived pleasant childhood memories.
3 : 00 AM
He finally returned to dreamland after that, the tv still on, playing Kotei giggling as grandfather Kazuyo raised her up in his arms, smiling up at his granddaughter, gently. Apparently, Miwa was the one who was forced to record it.
🅱🅾🅽🆄🆂
“ It feels weirdly quiet today,” Suga commented, tossing the ball to Tanaka who spiked it perfectly.
“ Yes, there's peace.”
“ I didn't get a headache in these past few days,” Daichi smiled, liking the peaceful environment.
“ Can you guess why ?”
The third years shared looks and stole a glance from Kageyama who was rather invested in perfecting his throw to Hinata.
“ Yes.”
______________________________________
“ 𝑇𝒉𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 !”