Author's notes:
Chapter warning: COVID exists in this world. But it has no tragic consequences for the characters, just the usual, annoying ones. What? They are real people living in the real world. Didn't you know that? ^_^
Also, I was procrastinating with writing this, because it's the last one. But, I somehow feel inspired today, so I'm posting.
8i8
Tobio took the phone away from his ear to confirm that he and Reina were still connected. She went silent after he told her the news, and with him being now in Brazil for the World Club Championship, he wouldn't be surprised that something messed up the call. She still seemed to be on the line, though. "Reina, are you there?"
"Let me confirm, because I'm not sure I understand correctly," she said finally, "You're inviting me to Vienna for Christmas Holidays!?"
Tobio rolled his eyes, a bit discontent about hearing such disbelief in her voice. "Yeah... I just said those exact words."
"But... Why?"
"Well... we get a few days off during holidays, and I thought, you know... we're never got around to doing that... a proper Christmas date. We failed that first Christmas—"
"Failed?... You, like, kissed me for the first time..."
"And afterward, with the Haruko always around the corner and everything going on, we stopped even trying. But it seems I have actual holidays this year, and I thought I could... um... make up for it..."
"And you thought you should take me to Vienna?"
"Well, I asked our team manager—"
"Who? Veronica?"
"Yes. I asked her, and she said they go all out, you know, in Vienna, with all that Christmas stuff... and it's not a long flight."
"But aren't you playing like seven... no, now that you're in the Final 4, it's nine matches in the next three weeks? In three different countries? On two continents? I'd understand if you wanted to go to a spa... or a rehabilitation center. But Vienna? Just so you know... I will not sit in the hotel room if we go there. It's one of my most favorite cities in the world."
"Yeah, I know." She told him, like, ten times in the last few months when she was boasting about all the places she's seen since moving to Europe. And he wasn't dozing off through all of it, as she assumed. That's why he chose it. "But I was smart about it. I booked us a hotel that's smack in the middle of all those... Christmas thingies. So it wouldn't be such an effort to go to see it. And it's a five-star, with a five-star spa, of course. So I... WE can regenerate all we want."
"You did? Or did Veronica book it for you?"
"She was happy to help! She adores you..." He could hear Reina's joyful laughter over the line. Damn, I should've told her in person... or at least video-called. He'd give anything to see her expression right now. "Are you... happy?"
"I'm shocked. I will not believe it till we're on the plane. Hell, I still might not believe it when we get there."
8i8
Tobio was staring at his computer screen, waiting for Reina to answer the video call they planned. His eyes wandered to the downright corner, and he registered the date, 6th March 2020. Is it only the sixth? Damn. Days were going so slow recently. Reina finally showed up on the screen. He smiled. Talking with her was the only thing he was looking forward to these days.
"Hi, Tobio."
She was sitting on her bed, leaning on an assortment of weirdly shaped, colorful pillows. Above her headboard, he could see a collage of photographs she took: of her travels, of some parties, of rock concerts she went to. Half of these were probably with her friends from around here, others with Yoshida Eri. He wasn't sure. He never had a chance to see it up close, because he hadn't been in her room yet. That one time he went to Pisa, he was staying at a hotel. Usually, she was the one coming to his place in Rome, or they were staying at a hotel elsewhere. He remembered how much he liked her apartment back in Japan. It wasn't big, but she made the place completely her own. With a smile he recalled how she threw half of her furniture away to put a huge double bed in it, that took most of its floor space, so the two of them would be comfortable when he came over. That tiny studio was full of random things, from her science books, through music records, plants, photographs, camera gear, to way too many handbags and shoes. A bit cluttered, but still tidy, and so cozy. Felt like home. Her room now seemed similar. The places he was living at were functional, and he always tried to keep them pleasant and neat, but, aside from a few medals and awards lying around, which he didn't know how to display, they never had as much character. How he wished he could snuggle to her on that bed, just to sleep. Lately, he had trouble sleeping. He wondered if she had any of his pictures at her place like she used to, back at the old one.
"How are you doing?" she asked with some concern.
"Good," he reassured her. "I bought a set of dumbbells, really fancy ones. Look." He showed her one in a shiny silver hue. "They're keeping me occupied. And what about you?"
"You know, just like everyone... Sitting put in place, wishing to run wild outside."
"Reina, don't even think about it! You must be careful. I mean, with your health history... Just don't go out, unless you have to. And wear a mask. And don't meet with people." He got a bit worked up. It was unusual for him to order his girlfriend around, but this was serious. Although she would always reassure him she was healthy now and there was no reason she shouldn't stay that way, her "healthy" meant under medical supervision and taking meds for life. He couldn't help worrying about it. Reina was the only person more concerned about it than him—doing everything she could to stay ok.
"Who are you? My doctor? Although he said the same thing... But don't worry. They've switched to remote work at the Institute. Giana is the only person I see recently—"
"Why would you see her?! Oh, right... you live together. I forgot."
"Oh, and also Dino."
"Why meet with him? Can't you talk online? Like normal people?"
"But he doesn't see any other people except me and Giana, and he lives nearby... he would even bring us groceries. It's like his main excuse to come here."
"But why would he want to come... Wait, him and Giana? Still...?"
Reina just nodded her head.
"Didn't you say that she said it was a one-time thing?" Tobio was so bored recently that he would even listen to gossip about people that he met only once. Well, they were Reina's friends, so she was invested enough to talk about it.
"As far as I know, it was a many-times thing by now. Although it's not official. If anything, it's weird. And the three of us still work together for school stuff... I would say I'm third-wheeling a lot, but instead it's like they come in turns for my advice. And I don't know what to say to them. Dino suddenly turned out to be so in love with her, desperate even, but he tries to keep it casual, not to scare her away. And I know that Giana really likes him, but she doesn't know if she wants a serious relationship. Especially with someone that works in the same field as her, like her ex. I don't know... It's all so..." Lacking words, she just waved her hands around her head helplessly. "I mean—"
"Reina... You don't have to explain to me that relationships can get complicated." He pointed from her to himself and back. "I know."
His remark made her chuckle softly. "But it might turn pretty serious soon. It's said that a full-on lockdown is coming, and they are both contemplating whether they should just get locked down together. Though they haven't talked about it with each other yet. But it got me thinking..." She lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked up at him hesitantly. "Maybe we should get locked down together as well. What do you think? I'm studying remotely for the time being, so I can just stay at your place, no problem," she said casually, clearly trying not to make it sound too serious.
"Oh, but I..." His heart sank. Damn, why didn't I think about this option earlier? Just the thought of how blissful it could be made what he had to say almost unbearable. "Reina... actually... the national team staff contacted me. They are planning to organize early this year... so we wouldn't get completely out of shape."
"Right..." She got downcast a bit.
"With the season cut short here, I have literally nothing to do," he kept explaining himself, "so I thought about going... You know, back to Japan. So I could at least train. Although, if you want to come here, maybe I should reconsider—"
"You should go," she said, no doubt in her voice, but there was no joy in it either, "we both know that nothing good will come from locking you indoors with no access to the gym. Besides... we both know that's how it's going to be... that things like that are bound to happen if we stay together. It's nothing new."
That's probably why I love her so much. Not the only reason... but a big one for sure... Those words were exactly what he needed to hear. A proof that Reina knew who he was and loved the whole of it. She never tried to change him into someone he was not. But hearing her say that made leaving Italy even harder now. He did it with a heavy heart.
8i8
Tobio took a DVD from the stack and put it in the player. Hmm, nostalgic. Or how did Reina call it when she was wearing old clothes she dug up at some weird places, like her favorite leather jacket? What was it? Ah, right. "It's not old, it's vintage!" Ever since his dad sent him from Miyagi the DVD collection left by his grandpa, that was his afternoon routine. He would take a vintage DVD, put it into his vintage DVD player, and watch some spectacular vintage volleyball match from years ago. Because there weren't any new ones to watch.
It was over three weeks since he came to Japan. At least he was getting some training in. Well, mostly solo training. But coaches were saying they should figure out a safe way to hold group practices soon. Although, who knew if it would actually happen now when the Olympics got canceled.... Fuck, they canceled the Olympics... FUCK!!! But it was fine. There were still things he could do. He actually improved the accuracy of his serve a lot, and he gained more power thanks to the strengthening program Iwaizumi-san had planned for him. Working hard in the morning, resting and watching some great volleyball in the evening—he established a routine that was getting him through day after day. Yes, everything was fine. It was just that...
I miss her. I miss Reina. I miss my pet...
...
...
...
What the fuck am I even doing here?!
Instinctively, he grabbed his phone to call Reina and ask what the fuck he was doing here, but stopped himself at the last second to calculate the time difference. Last time he didn't, and he woke her up in the middle of the night. They still ended up talking for over an hour. What were they talking about? Hard to tell. Feelings? Well... his grand attempts at love confessions seemed sometimes forced and out-of-place even from him. But Reina had this weird joy at hearing about their relationship from his perspective. Like he dubbed her "that pretty girl" in his head for weeks when the school first started, even after they were on talking terms, mainly because he didn't remember her name and it was identifying enough for him. Or that since the time she came to his house to study, he developed a weird urge to touch her. Every time he did so unwittingly, he was after the fact mortified that he did something improper and wondered if he should apologize. He remembered all of that pretty well. He had a good memory, so if something was important to him, he remembered. And if he was uncomfortable talking about such stuff before, Reina effectively cured him of it. She could be quite demanding when she wanted to be.
7:30 am. Knowing Reina, she hasn't woken up yet.
He decided to let her sleep some more. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and focused on the match he was watching. But as soon as he started to relax on the couch, immersed in the game on the screen, his doorbell rang. The hell? A delivery? He couldn't remember ordering anything. Grudgingly, he rose himself up and went to the door, putting a mask on... but he ripped it off when he opened them and saw who was standing on the other side.
"Reina..." He caught her dashing into his embrace. "You're here... How?!"
"Well... I'm studying remotely now. I figured out that there is no reason why I wouldn't be able to do it from here..." She backed away a bit to look up at him. "I just wanted to see you... be with you... so badly..."
"You're here," he repeated, his voice quavering. Damn, why do I feel like crying? He pulled her as close as he could, his body trembling, overtaken by sudden emotion, still not believing this was happening. He focused on taking in her presence. Her smell, the softness of her hair, her warmth, her slender arms wrapped around his waist. He leaned over to reach her lips... and then they did everything they could to be even closer.
Only afterward, when they were lying in bed, their naked bodies still intertwined in a hug under the covers, he asked questions. "Why didn't you tell me you were planning to come here?"
"I wasn't really planning... As soon as my professor said it was ok for me to do it, I booked a ticket for the next flight. Then I was in a frenzy to pack up and put my room in order... with the time difference, there was no sense in contacting you. Then 19 hours on the plane and two COVID tests later, I was in Japan. I didn't even know if my brother got my message that I was coming, because my phone is not yet activated... And as I was sitting in that ridiculously overpriced cab from the airport... You know, I didn't want to mix with people on the train... I thought I might as well just come here directly. I mean, your habits are like clockwork. I knew you'll be here." She grinned at him. "Maybe dropping by unannounced is becoming our thing."
"You're here", he pulled her to his chest and sank his face into her hair. "I can't believe you're here."
"Me neither. Frankly, I'm not even sure what to do next... well, I'll have Giana send me the stuff I forgot. I took just one suitcase. I guess I can stay at my brother's place till I figure things out—"
"Well, that's stupid. Just move in with me. Or rather... maybe I should rent a bigger place. I mean, you're tiny, but those computers of yours and all your stuff—that require a room of its own, right?"
She didn't answer immediately, but he could feel her body tense up in his arms.
"Tobio, about this ring you gave me..." she said hesitantly, "... or rather I took it from you... did you... did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" he said, although he understood her question. He couldn't help himself.
"Oh, forget it..." she said, annoyed, and tried to punch him in the arm.
"Hey, don't hit me! You'll hurt yourself," he said, unable not to grin. This was serious, he knew, but flustered Reina was just too cute. He cupped her pouting face with one hand and turned it to face him. "So... do you want to do that forever thing with me?"
For a moment, she stared deep into his eyes, then lowered her gaze and nodded sheepishly. "Tobio," she looked up at him with more resolve, "I love you."
He smiled and rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."
"Oh, my gosh!!! You're incorrigible." She tried to pull away to show her indignation, but he didn't let her. He knew how to set her mood right.
8i8
Two days later, Tobio was sitting at the table, busy on his laptop, while Reina was standing and staring at her suitcase doubtfully. Finally, she sighed, waved her hand at it, and turned to Tobio. Right, there is no reason for her to unpack, he thought. They've already found a bigger apartment and were going to move in a few days.
"So..." she said, and he looked up at her, "I was talking with Eri, and we agreed that it's better to go with a traditional Shinto wedding after all. I mean, what's the point of having a church one if we can't invite people over? And I never wore a kimono before. It might be fun, like cosplay, you know?"
He gaped at her for a moment, wondering what to say to that. If he was supposed to say anything at all. "Um... Whatever you want."
"But it would be a shame not to do something for friends. Eri thinks everyone would want to congratulate us. So she proposed we could make a video stream afterward, like an invite-only. She said she can help with that." She stopped talking as if she was expecting his answer.
"Reina, seriously, whatever you want," he said as he moved his gaze back to the laptop.
"Hey! Don't you care at all? Do you even want to get married?!"
He looked up at her with a sigh. "I dig the idea of you being my wife, but how does it happen? Reina, really... Whatever. You. Want." He kept his intense gaze on her till she blushed. Then he added. "But I have to ask. How come we haven't even told our families yet, but you already talked it throughout with Yoshida?"
"WOW, are you trying to tell me you're figuring out how marriage registration works without asking your sister for help?" She made big eyes at him. Yeah, that's definitely mocking.
"Jeez, Reina. I'm an adult. I can fill out a form on my own." He said, offended, and turned the laptop to her. "Look! It's all done. We did have all the needed documents. You just need to fill out that authentication thingy, see if it works..."
Reina leaned over and typed in her info. "That's all? We just need to take it to the ward office?"
"Actually, you can submit it online now, because you know... pandemic."
"Oh?"
"So... we're submitting it, right?"
"Like... now?!"
"Why wait?"
"But we didn't even tell our families!"
"So? Would it change anything?"
"No... but... Are you seriously want to just submit it?"
"Why not?"
"Because... Hey, are you messing with me?" she looked at him suspiciously, "Ok, I dare you. Submit it. Now!"
He just shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I'm certainly not filling out this thing a second time," and clicked send. Notification of submitting appeared on the screen.
"You actually did it." Reina looked at it in disbelief.
"Well, why wouldn't I?"
"This is ridiculous... I mean, how reckless can you be?"
"What's so reckless about it? It's not like I just decided to marry you. I wanted it for a long time."
"So... are we like... married now? Wow, so low-key..." she laughed joyfully.
Tobio looked at her beaming face, sparkles in her bright eyes. "You're smiling..."
"Hm?"
He pulled her onto his lap. "I guess you're mine now. Or should I rather say that I'm yours?"
8i8
Tobio and Reina enjoyed living together very much. Even if it was weird, because although they lived in the same apartment, they adhered to different time zones as Reina had to follow her Italian university schedule. But they made it work. As different as they were, they were always strangely compatible with each other.
They held their wedding ceremony a month later, on the next auspicious day. It was easy for them to grab that date because most people were postponing weddings in the pandemic, not rushing it. But COVID or no COVID, Shinto wedding allows only the closest family, so it was a small event. However, they've got a lot of stunning pictures in traditional clothing out of it, because Reina made sure to ask the photographer to make candid pictures instead of posed ones. And she still got to wear a whimsical couture dress that Eri conjured from somewhere for the video stream afterward. Reina's fashion-obsessed friend also used the occasion to make Tobio wear an equally fabulous outfit, pulling out her, apparently everlasting, you-owe-me card.
What the newlyweds thought would be a few high-school friends' video chat turned out to be an elaborated video stream where they were asked to react to pre-recorded and bilingually subtitled "toasts" from the Karasuno gang, Reina's university friends and Tobio's new and former teammates, while trying to keep up with the multilingual mayhem in the live chat. At some point, there were almost two hundred people logged in. Apparently, with everyone stuck at home, people were eager to participate in such a joyful event. Tobio was touched and honored that even some of the biggest names of Ali Roma took part and recorded wishes for him and Reina. Although he was a bit embarrassed as well: encouraged by all the ceremonial sake and champagne they'd drunk that day, he didn't oppose when he and Reina were presented with King and Queen crowns that their mischievous high-school friends send to them to wear at the stream.
Tobio and Reina spend a few more months in Japan and went back to Italy when the new club season started. After getting her MSc, Reina, along with her two friends, got a job in a company associated with her alma mater but based in Rome. Not that it did really matter, because she worked remotely, and would continue to do so 80% of the time. So she would not mind relocating with Tobio for new teams as long as they were in Europe with a decent flight connection to Italy.
And they stayed happily together ever after!
Well, sort of...
Pro volleyball players that play both club and the national team at the highest level would easily spend over 200 days a year away from home. But Reina and Tobio were ok with that. It kept their love fresh and they could never get enough of each other.
The End
8i8
Author's notes:
For real this time. Well, I have their life figured out for at least five years into the future, but it involves them interacting with real volleyball players. I don't mind fantasizing about it in my head, but I would be uncomfortable writing about real people in a fic. So this is it.
Although, I'm considering putting some more misplaced chapters out there. I read some amazing, plot-driven smut in the meantime and felt inspired to improve at writing this type of stuff. And I have it all in my head (those naughty thoughts ^_^), so maybe I'll pull it out. But if I do, it will go backwards into the story, like missing pieces of a puzzle that I censored.
If you have questions about the story or the characters, ask. I have definitely more of it in my head than I managed to put into this, hopefully cohesive, plot.
What else can I tell you? Go listen to "Moriro da re" by Maneskin. It fits so perfectly with this story that it's scary. You can find it on Tobio's Girl playlist on Spotify, or here on YouTube with the English translation (good one, I hope, I don't speak Italian).
Thank you so much for reading this story. And thank you for all the comments and appreciation I received. It means a lot to me. If you have anything more to say, good or bad, please do.
Disclaimer:
I fumbled a bit with how legal marriage works in Japan. I don't think you can do it online, yet. Although, they considered that option back in 2020. And it takes just a marriage registration form to be legally married, very low-key. I think you don't even have to submit it in person. You can mail it. Close enough. I just needed that feeling of urgency. And this is a work of fiction, after all. (Although, as I said, they're real people...^_^)