“ 𝑲𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒊’𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘’𝒖𝒑~𝑲𝒆𝒊’𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒖’𝒚𝒚~”
.
𝟏
“ Runa-chan ! Hurry ! You can't fall behind !”
“ Ah...*pant*....sorry.....I'm not a...*pant*....fast runner !”
The light brown haired girl, dressed in her yellow Johzenji tracksuit, struggled to keep up with her team who jogged ahead. The boys gave her frequent glances of concern.
Seriously, there was no need for their manager to run with them. But she insisted, to get stronger along with her team, stay by their side till her death.... that's an exaggeration.
Terushima, the team Captain, almost weeped at her diligence.
The power of friendship and bonds....
Currently, they were running uphill which further depleted her stamina. Yet, she refused to give up.Their checkpoint would be the topmost point on the ascending ground. Hence, they'll turn back from there.
Only a few more steps....not a big deal.
The rest of the team has already reached their target and waited for their manager, throwing away momentary cheers at her.
“ Runa-chan, you can do it !”
“ Two more steps !”
“ Runa-chan, fight !”
“ You got it !”
In the meantime, Kotei was travelling around and exploring on Clara when her gaze caught the rather strange group of teens climbing their youth of encouragement. It perked up her interest and she couldn't help but follow them.
Second reason would be she liked the colour yellow, to an extent. It was tolerable.
That's when she saw the small girl manager named Runa lagging behind the rest. Wanting to live up to the name of a considerate cheerleader, she joined the boys’ chants of encouragement.
“ Fight, sis ! Fight ! Fight !”
“ Who's that ?” Bobata Kazuma, a droopy look in his eyes and a carefree nature, pointed out, curiously.
Kuribayashi Runa, a new addition to the Johzenji team, side glanced at the small figure. She had no idea who the kid was. But somehow her motivating cheering raised her spirits up and finally reached the checkpoint, bending over her knees to catch her breath. I did it...she smiled brightly at the child, internally thanking her.
“ You did it ! Great !” Futamata Takeharu cheered patting her on her back.
“ Woah ! Your bike is real cool, kid !”
Terushima yelled getting close to Clara-chan, kneeling and examining it. He grinned at Kotei.“ I'm Terushima Yūji. And I'm gonna be the next Wizard King !”
“ Eh ?” Kotei tilted her head in confusion. Wizard King ?
“ He meant an all rounder,” Runa translated for him.
“ All rounder ? That sounds so bland,” Yūji booed.“ How about a Hashira ? Or wait ! I just came up with a cool name last night....what was it again ? Hm....”
“ Kageyama Kotei ! Hello !” She introduced herself, not understanding the older at all.
“ Cool name ! How about bike-chan ?” Tsuchiyu Arata suggested and without Kotei's consent the team reached a consensus on calling her biker-chan from now onwards.
Kotei couldn't really pinpoint it but somehow this group of high school teens were really cool and chill. They had an outgoing personality and although they looked like grown ups, she felt she would be vibing with them pretty well.
“ Biker-chan, will you let me try your bike?” Terushima pointed at himself.
“ Wait. Kotei needs Clara-chan's permission first.” And with a serious look she leaned closer to her cycle and whispered something. Getting some sort of unspoken approval, she nodded before looking up with a smile.“ Clara-chan says yes ! And Kotei says yes too ! Go ahead !”
“ Thanks you !”
“ Um...you really should not.....,” Runa hesitated. But she was afraid to speak up to her seniors.
“ Hm ?” Terushima frowned when he couldn't sit properly on the seat.
“ Captain, your butt is too big to fit in that,” Futamata snickered.
“ No way !” After countless efforts he managed to somehow sit on the place between the seat and the pulling cart attached to it. Giving a triumphant smile, he got hold of the handles.“See ? Clara-chan likes me !”
“ You bet he does !”
“ Way to go, Captain !”
“ Good, Teru !” Kotei said showing him a thumbs up.
“ So, uh, can you do me a favour and push me a little ?” Yūji said nervously as he rested his feet in the seat before him. There's no way he can peddle it.
“ Kotei will push ! Hiyaa !” Letting out a victory yell, the child put more pressure than required as she pushed him hard. The tricycle moved a little but the distance was enough to reach the edge from where the path downhill begun.“ Oopsie.”
“...”
The downhill was steep and the vehicle rushed down at top speed, the wind hitting him square in the face. He almost shut his eyes due to the cool breeze and his vision blurred due to them becoming watery. Yet he was having the time of his life, as he laughed loudly hanging his limbs in the air so as not to touch the ground.
“AAAAAAHHHHWOOOHOOOOOOOO! LET'S GO!”
“ CAPTAIN !”
“ TERUSHIMA !”
“ TERUSHIMA-SAN !”
“ CLARA-CHAN !!!”
The group rushed behind him to stop him from crashing into the wall at the end of the slope. Except Kotei, who was more worried for Clara than the Johzenji Captain.
“ STOP, TERUSHIMA !”
“ YŪJI, YOU IDIOT !”
Terushima turned back and brightened up to see his friends waving at him. He waved back, cheerily before going back to enjoying his ride.
“ It's no use ! He can't hear us !”
“ CLARA-CHAN !” Kotei cried out running faster than the team and overtaking them in a second, to the latter's shock.
Terushima finally noticed the approaching wall. He shut his eyes before expertly pushing down his feet which brushed against the ground acting as breaks. With a whoosh noise the bike screeched to a halt just before touching the wall.“ Nice save,” he muttered before getting off and posing, coolly.
“...argh,” his teammates tripped and fell on top of one another due to the sudden stop.
“ Hmph...,” Runa’s muffled cry resonated as she suffocated under all their weights.
“ Runa-chan is dying ! Move, you buffoon !”
“ Clara-chan !” Kotei hugged her bike, weeping tears of joy as Terushima watched her, rubbing his nape, thinking she was overreacting.
Eventually, the situation calmed down and his teammates scolded Terushima for his dangerous stunt (but indirectly they also praised him). Kotei examined Clara, carefully, before telling the older off which sounded a little more than incoherent muttering.
“ Sorry, Biker-chan, please forgive big brother? Please ? Please ? Please ? Pretty please ?”
“ Hm.... nothing can be done. Fine, Kotei forgives Teru-chan. Ah, kids these says,” she shook her head, completely dodging the fact that she was the one to push him downhill.
“ Captain, you scared us !”
“ Kuribayashi won't stop crying,” the libero said trying to calm the girl down.
“ Welp, today was a great adventure ! Thanks for making our day better, Biker-chan and Clara-chan !” Terushima slapped Kotei on the shoulder who stumbled on her feet due to the force.“ We should get going. Hope to see you soon !”
“ Bye bye !” Kotei waved at them watching the team pull funny faces to stop the girl manager from crying further.“ Let's go, Clara-chan.”
𝟐
“ Talk about trouble....,” Tsukishima grumbled under his breath as a familiar black haired girl cycled around the drinking fountain in the park where he and Yamaguchi have been dragged off to by Akiteru.
“ Trouble ?” Yamaguchi peeked over the taller’s shoulder to get a glimpse of Kageyama’s sister. His face lit up but didn't call her over noticing Tsukishima’s irked face.
“ Ah ! Isn't that Kotei ? Kotei ! Here !”
Unfortunately, Akiteru caught a glimpse of his little friend too and contrary to his baby brother’s nature ushered her towards them.
Tsukishima clicked his tongue before slipping on his headphones to ignore them.
“ Aki ! ’dashi ! And Kei !” Kotei waved at them frantically before peddling towards them.
The three were sitting on a bench under the cool shade of a large tree. Yamaguchi was visiting the Tsukishima household when the older brother suggested the weather was nice enough for a walk in the park. He practically dragged them out commenting these golden days of youth ought not be wasted indoors.
“ I told her not to call me that,” Tsukishima muttered, disappointed.
“ What a coincidence ! Well it's a good thing considering I'm leaving tomorrow,” Akiteru smiled patting the child on her head.“ Have you been doing well, Kotei ?”
“ Aki will go away ?” She asked sadly.
“ I have a trip to enjoy. So I have to.” He looked up in thought before adding,“ wanna come with me?”
“ You can't do that,” Kei butted in indicating he was listening to their conversation.
“ I was joking—”
“ Really ? Please take Kotei !” The girl said with sparkly eyes.
“ I would if I could. Sorry, but I have work after that,” Akiteru quickly said not thinking she would take it, seriously. Yamaguchi sweatdropped as the latter dug his own grave. Kotei frowned not liking his denial.
“ No ! No ! No ! Let Kotei come too !” She glanced at her bike.“ And Clara-chan too !”
“ This is what I meant by trouble,” Tsukishima said glancing at his brother and smirked to find him panicking. Let's see how you get out of this one.
“ Next time, Kotei. Promise. It's not for children.”
“ Just what sort of shady trip are you guys going on ?” Tsukishima asked raising his brows.
“ It's my university group. And they are the rowdy lot.” Akiteru whispered near his ears before facing the whining kid who wanted to tag along too.“ Uh....”
“ Kotei, we'll have much more fun here, at our practices. You're welcome to join us anytime,” Yamaguchi spoke up. Well, they were on a break as of now. But all that's required is to assure Kotei.
“ No ! Kotei will go with Aki !” She pouted grabbing Akiteru’s leg and refusing to let go.
“....”
“ Hey, aren't you a grown up ? Who're you showing attitude to ?” Tsukishima glared at her stretching her cheek till it turned red.
“ Kowei’s a grow’up~Kei’s a bu’yy~” (Kotei's a grown up. Kei is a bully)
“ So you are.” He ignored her last line.“ Then act like one.”
Kotei cried as he let her precious cheek go and she rubbed them. But she can't deny Kei's words. Yet she wanted to go somewhere. Holidays are meant to be spent outside not sitting inside your room, staring at nothing, all day. She huffed.“ Aki, Kei's a bully. Scold Kei.” She instead changed the topic.
“ Good grief,” Yamaguchi sighed relieved that the topic was swept aside.
“ Right ? He really is.” Akiteru laughed before lightly smacking his brother's arm. In response he received a look that said ‘that was your 100% ? Couldn't kill a fly’. Yeah, no matter how much salty he might act, Akiteru adored his brother.“ Let's go somewhere together, the next time. Okay ?”
He ruffled Kotei's hair who still had a sad look in her eyes.
They parted ways on a good note. Well if you don't consider Tsukishima’s teasing, that is. Bullying Kotei is a favourite past time of his. But the latter didn't really mind. She has grown to like his saltiness.
“ Go straight to your home from here. It's late. Alright ?” Yamaguchi had instructed so Kotei, remembering his words, set out on the return trip to her house.
𝟑
All freshened up, Kotei went to pick up the TV remote but a harsh pull at her collar literally threw her on the other side of the table. Taking a seat in front of her, Kageyama kept a stack of elementary textbooks on top of it. Clearing his throat loudly, he declared,“ maths it is.”
Kotei stared at him dumfounded.“Nii-chan will tutor ?”
“ Of course. Basic maths is something you should be able to do at this age. But you can't even do simple addition and subtraction. I'm ashamed of you as your brother !” He pointed a folded textbook at her.
“ Eehh ? Nii-chan shouldn't speak. Nii-chan is an idiot in studies too,” she said leaning back in a leisure manner attempting to take a nap.
“ How dare you call me an idiot !”
“ Idiot should be called an idiot, stupid nii-chan.”
“ Do you have a death wish ?”
“ Noo~but nii-chan can't beat me. Miwa-nee is back,” Kotei grinned as the rattling of keys was heard at the front door and a loud ‘I'm home’ boomed through the hallway.
“ No more of your slipping tactics. I'm doing this for your own good !” He yelled slamming his hands down on the table.
Kotei flinched at the sudden sound.
“ What're you doing ?” Miwa peeked inside the room and burst out in laughter at the scene.“ Tobio, don't tell me you're tutoring Kotei ?”
“ A-ah, yes. What's the problem ?” He muttered avoiding eye contact.
“ Well, you're an idiot for heaven's sake ! Leave the tough work to me. It's better if you concentrate on your own studies,” she said trying to stop her laughter.
Kageyama's eartips grew hot as Kotei snickered.“ You didn't have to say that in front of Kotei !”
“ Aww~Tobio are you shy ? Come on, you know I know and everyone knows how you are in academics,” she said approaching him and ruffling his hair, roughly.“ But that's okay I'll not bring it up again. Okay ?”
“ Nii-chan is idiot,” Kotei snorted. Kageyama glared at her.
“ Bad, Kotei. Don't make fun of your brother,” Miwa scolded her.
“ I hate you guys.” He buried his face in the palm of his hands, trying hard to cover his red face.
“ Sowwy, nii-chan, Kotei will not make fun again.” Kotei crawled under the table to get on his lap and hug his torso.“ Kotei's sorry.”
“ Tobio ! Stop being melodramatic ! And come outside. I have something to show you.” Miwa giggled at the thought and skipped out of the room as Kageyama stared blankly at her receding back. That giggle was not good news.
“ Nii-chan, Kotei's sorry !” Kotei whined at her brother not paying attention to her.“ Okay ?”
He puffed out his cheeks, pushing her off his lap and walking out of the room.
“ Nii-chan !”
...
“ The hell is this ?” Kageyama asked in horror.
“ The hell do you mean by ‘the hell this is' ?” Miwa asked, baffled.
“ It's exactly what I said. What the hell is this, nee-san !”
“ It's exactly what it looks like, my foolish brother.”
“ Yeah, right. You're the fool here !”
“ I'm not ! Come on, I thought you'd be happy !” Miwa pouted tapping her feet, anxiously.“ It's a car for god's sake !”
“ Why'd you buy a car ! We don't even need it !”
“ Talk for yourself ! Do you even know what's it like to fight for your life and survive on those commuter trains during rush hour ?! I literally died that one time—”
“ You're over exaggerating !”
“—no, I'm not, jerk ! Put yourself in my shoes!”
“ You don't even have a driver's license!”
“ I'll get one !” She protested.“Besides, I wanna brag about it to my friends too,” she muttered twiddling her fingers.
“ Seriously ? And that's why you buy a car ? To show off ? Okay, think this through. Do you know how costly maintenance is ? Forget about maintenance ! You don't even have garage space ! You'll surely not park it on the street, right ? Did you think about that ? And I'm sorry to say this but consider your monthly salary ! You can call a cab when needed but this is too costly ! Considering there's just three of us and we're parentless, there's no one to fend for you !”
Kageyama huffed angrily running his hands through his hair. Miwa stood at the side, his words finally settling in. Maybe she did make haste in making decisions. And being scolded by Tobio, her little brother, was not pleasant at all.“ Are you getting me ?”
“ Y-yes........................................sorry,” she looked down at her feet, embarassed.
“ Woah ! Car ! Car goes whoosh, whoosh !” Kotei yelled in glee before climbing over the hood.“ So big !”
“ Right ? Miwa-nee will take you on late night drives...........,” she stopped mid sentence feeling Kageyama’s intense stare on her.“ Sorry.”
“ I really don't know what to do with you ! You're so careless !”
“ Y-you don't have to say it like that,” Miwa whined.
“ It's the most direct way to say it. Now figure out how you're gonna clean this mess up,” he picked up Kotei who protested wanting to explore the insides of the car, too. Carrying her in one arm he entered his house, leaving Miwa hanging in the middle of the street.
“ Way to go, Miwa,” she sighed. Walking towards the car she swept a hand on its hood. It felt good. She dipped down to look at herself in the mirror. She posed at herself before shooting finger guns at her reflection, grinning.“ Nice, Miwa !” She hyped herself up but stopped when noticed Kageyama peeking from behind the slightly parted front door, a blank look on his face. “ Hahaha...the quality of the mirror is so good, Tobio ! W-wanna try looking at yourself in it ?”
He kept staring with narrowed eyes.
“ No ?”
Not replying he shut the door with a bam.
Miwa slumped down against the vehicle. “ I'm the older one here....why am I getting scolded again ?” She sighed again.
🅱🅾🅽🆄🆂
“ Now what's this !” Kageyama yelled, the next evening, pointing at the thing parked outside their house.
“ I sold the car. And bought a super cub motorcycle instead,” Miwa chirped brightly before presenting its glory to him.“ It's easy to drive, even stupids and utter fools can handle it. And it's a second hand model so I got it cheap. Smart, aren't I ?”
“ Yes, smart as heck,” Kageyama deadpanned, fed up with his sister.
“ A bike !” Kotei grinned climbing up on it.“ Bike goes vroom, vroom !”
“ Yes, that's right, bike goes vroom, vroom, Kotei,” Miwa laughed sitting on it, behind Kotei and placing her hands on the handles.“ Yay !”
“ Yayyyy !” Kotei joined her as Kageyama underwent second hand embarassment at the foolish display.
Without anyone noticing, Rinko, their front door neighbour, slipped in somewhere in between and crouching before the bike sized it up.
“ Oh, gosh, Rin ! You scared us !” Miwa gasped keeping a hand on her chest.“ What're you doing ?”
“ Don't mind me. I'll just get a quick sketch of it.......,” she took out a mechanical pencil and drew long strokes on her sketchpad,“.....for reference.” Kotei walked around her to take a look at her drawing. Her hands worked expertly and the small child strived to be like her when she became her age.
“ Ooooh, I see ! While you're at it, can you draw me along with it too,” Miwa said and to Kageyama's shock, the latter complied.“ Cool ! Is this pose right ? Or this one ? Or maybe....”
“ Rinko’s so good at drawing ! Rinko, the artist!” Kotei praised the older girl who grinned creepily, flattered beyond hell. Smirking she decided to show off a bit.
“ That's right ! This is how you do it, kid ! Do remember to promote my manga to your friends (although it's neither finished nor published yet).”
“....or should I lay down like this ? I think this will be good !” Miwa said straining her voice as she endeavoured to balance herself flat on the seat.
Kageyama didn't say another word and silently walked inside the house, shutting the door behind him, with little noise.
______________________________________
“ 𝑇𝐻𝐴𝑁𝐾𝑆 𝐹𝑂𝑅 𝑅𝐸𝐴𝐷𝐼𝑁𝐺 !!!!!!”