Haruka POV
(9 years ago - End of the summer volleyball camp)
Before I knew it, the volleyball summer training camp was coming to a close. That meant I would soon have to return to my hometown and go back to school.
I would rather stay here longer so I could go out and play volleyball instead of sitting in a classroom learning. I also didn't want to leave Akaashi.
Ever since that day, he's been more open to me. I realized that his personality is a little sadistic and he teases me whenever he gets the chance. It makes me angry at times, but at the same time I enjoy seeing him open up to me and freely smile.
"You have to go back?" Akaashi asks me after I tell him that I have to go back home after the summer volleyball camp session ends.
"I—" I stop myself when I notice his head droops down slightly and his eyes start to tear up.
After getting to know Akaashi more, I realized how emotional he is at times. He may seem like someone who doesn't express much, but that's because he closes himself off to others. He doesn't have many friends around him, so seeing me leave... It's like losing his only friend.
I clear my throat. "Don't worry. Even though the volleyball training camp ended, we will play together again." I pat him on the head. "I'll make sure of that!" I declare.
Akaashi stares at me with admiring eyes and a small smile forms on my face.
That's right. I can come back here next summer and see him again. It's not the end at all. We are under the same sky, so as long as we play volleyball together, we will see each other again.
"But you don't have to miss me yet though. I'm not leaving right away," I wink. "I begged my mom to stay until after the summer festival and she said it was okay, so Kei-kun, would you like to join me?" I offer.
"Yes," he sweetly smiles.
(Few days later ~ The night of the summer festival)
"Haruka, are you ready to go? Akaashi is here," My mom calls out to me.
"Coming!" I quickly grab my jacket and race down the door to see Akaashi there waiting for me. "Kei-kun, are you ready to go?"
"Yes," Akaashi responds.
"How long will you two be out?" My mom asks.
"Don't worry. You know where we're gonna be and we'll be home before nine," I nonchalantly answer. "Besides, I'm a big kid now."
My mom sighs. "I know Haruka, but I always worry when it comes to you."
"Hahaha, don't stress dear. Your daughter is all grown up," Grandma laughs as she comes over from the kitchen. "Besides, Akaashi is with her. He can take care of her if anything."
Akaashi nods his head. "Don't worry Ms. Akiyama, I'll watch over Haruka," he reassures her and I frown.
Isn't he younger than me? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
I push Akaashi's back. "We're leaving. Bye mom! Bye grandma!"
The two of them wave goodbye to us with a smile. "Be safe you two!"
Akaashi and I head to the summer festival. There were tons of people of all ages that came over and there were a lot of games that were open but weren't easy to win.
"Three balls please," I ask the man in charge as I hand him the money.
The man gladly takes my money and hands me three balls. I stare at the stacked bottles and then at the ball.
This looks harder than I imagined. I saw an older man easily throw the ball at the bottles, but was the distance always this far?
I notice Akaashi staring at me worryingly and I shake my head. "Don't worry Kei-kun, I got this," I reassure him.
I take in a deep breath and throw the ball, but it barely reaches the other end.
"Hahaha, that was just a warm up," I stretch my arm and get the next ball. I swing the next ball as hard as I can and some of the bottles knock over.
I pump my fist. I'm super lucky!
I take the last ball and hand it over to Akaashi. "Try it Kei-kun."
Akaashi stares at the ball perplexed. "I'm not sure..."
"You can do it!" I cheer. "I believe in you."
Akaashi takes the ball and tries to throw it. The ball falls straight to the ground.
Akaashi stares at the fallen ball stupefied. I sweatdrop and the man at the booth looks at him with pity.
The man clears his throat. "Well, you kids at least got some of the bottles knocked over, so here's your consolation prize."
The two of us head out of the booth and I can see the dejected look on Akaashi's face for not being able to hit a single bottle.
"Kei-kun, look at the fish we got," I tell him as I hold the bag with water and fish in it in front of his face.
The consolation prize was two small fishes in a bag. Not a plushie, but it's still a pretty good prize.
Keiji nods his head. "Good job," he says with a sad look on his face.
I purse my lips. "Don't worry if you didn't do good. I didn't do good on my first one. Next year we'll come back and when we do, you can knock all of them down for me," I tell him and grin. "Besides, it's okay to mess up the first time. You can learn from it and try again with everything you've got."
A small smile forms on Akaashi's face. "Thanks Haruka."
"No problem!" I grin and almost trip from the crowd of people walking around the festival.
Akaashi takes my hand. "Let's hold hands so you don't get lost."
"S-sure!" I take Akaashi's hand. "You know, you're the first boy to hold my hand."
"Really?" Akaashi asks, completely surprised.
"Yep. I haven't held hands with anyone really. Most of my classmates get scared to be near me because I might explode in anger. People say I'm like a volcano because they never know when I'll erupt," I explain.
"Pfft, I can imagine that," Akaashi laughs.
"Hahaha. Very funny Kei-kun," I sarcastically comment.
"But that's what I like about you," Akaashi turns to me with a gentle, loving smile. "Besides, I'm glad that I can be the one to hold hands with you like this."
My eyes widen and I slightly blush. "Of course, we're best friends after all."
The rest of the night was exciting. The two of us went out to find more games to play, put on silly masks, ate tons of food together, and did just about everything you could do in a festival.
"Fireworks in five minutes!" The announcer calls out.
"Come on Kei-kun, we should watch the fireworks from over here," I lead Akaashi over to the forest.
"Haruka... We shouldn't be here. It's not safe..." Akaashi warns me as he pulls my shirt.
I pull away from him and walk ahead. "Don't worry! It's safe! We've been practicing volleyball here all the time!" I grin.
"I don't know," Akaashi says worryingly. "Besides, we should get back before your mom scolds us."
"She won't, because you're with me," I grin and move the bush to the side. "See? Best view right here."
The two of us move through the bushes and see the beautiful night sky with the stars shining down at us.
"So pretty! This is way better than in the morning when we practice volleyball together," I exclaim.
"You're right," Akaashi nods his head.
The two of us look up at the sky and a small smile forms on his face.
"I'm glad we were able to meet each other," Akaashi confesses. "When I'm around you, I can be myself. I'm jealous how you're able to express yourself freely without thinking about what others think. You're like the stars up in the sky."
"Really?" I giggle. "But that's not true, I'm not that good expressing myself all the time. There are times when I struggle too," I smile. "If I'm a star then you're the night sky, because I can shine bright because you're by my side," I happily grin.
Akaashi's eyes widen. "... Haruka, I—"
The night sky lights up as the fireworks shoot up in the sky. My attention turns to the fireworks.
I lean over the fence. "Wow! Kei-kun, look! The fireworks are so pretty!" I point to them in awe. "Come over—"
Crack!
Akaashi's eyes widen. "Haruka! Get—!"
Before I can react, I feel my body fall. My eyes widen as someone wraps their arms around me. I look over and see Akaashi's face next time mine. "Kei—"
Before I know it, we both hit the ground.
My head's aching from the hit of the fall. I look over to Akaashi who's barely conscious. My eyes start to dilate seeing the blood on Akaashi's back.
"K-Kei-kun.... W-why did you...?" I say, dumbstruck by what just happened.
Did Akaashi injure himself protecting me? Why...? Why did he...?
"Because... I want... Want to protect you," Akaashi mumbles and loses consciousness.
Tears stream down my face. "DON'T DIE ON ME KEI-KUN! I PROMISE I'LL SAVE YOU!"
I immediately take off my jacket and wrap it around Akaashi hoping it would stop the bleeding. Even though my head and body is aching, I muster all the energy I had left to carry Akaashi on my back to my house.
Heavily breathing and my legs wanting to give in, I force myself to continue walking. Time felt like forever and I almost felt like there was no chance for me to make it back, but I kept on going.
I eventually make it back home and knock on my house door. "Mom!" I shout in a raspy voice. Please open the door!
"Haruka, why are you so l—? Oh my goodness!" My mom's face immediately pales when she sees me and she calls an ambulance.
Everything became a blur. I don't even remember what happened. All I could hear were the sirens as they came over to get Akaashi to the hospital. Before I knew it, I was in the hospital with my mom as I see Akaashi in the emergency room.
My lips quiver as I stared at Akaashi who was once playing with me is now in critical condition. What have I done?
"... It's my fault, I—" My face begins to contort with fear of what was going to happen to him. "I did this to him! It should've been me! W-why?!"
"DON'T SAY THAT!" My mom shouts. "It's not your—" She stops and immediately wraps her arms around me when she sees me bursting out crying.
"Gghh... Wahhhhh! Why did he have to protect me?!" I cry as I clutch onto my mom. "WHY?! I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN! WHY?!"
The police comes over and questioned what happened. I told them everything that had happened. Every word I told them they took in. They told me that it wasn't my fault, but I couldn't accept the fact that I'm the one who caused this.
I go back to Akaashi's room and stare at all the commotion.
What have I done...?
A woman comes and when she sees me she walks faster. "Are you the friend that my son was with today?"
"Yes..." I answer and the woman slaps me.
My eyes dilate in shock. What just—?
"Mrs. Akaashi, what are you doing?!" My grandma shouts.
"Your grandchild sent my child to the emergency room, how can I not be angry?!" she shouts and I flinch.
"I'm sorry..." I whimper.
"Huh?! What does it matter now?! You apologize now but then what?! What if he goes into a coma?! What if he's paralyzed?! Did you ever think of what could happen to him or are you apologizing just to make yourself feel better?! Can't you accept the fact that you were with my son and just let him risk his life?!" she shouts.
Tears start to stream down my face. She's completely right. "I'm sorry," I apologize not knowing what else I can say. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sor—" I profusely apologize and before I know it, I lose consciousness.
(Back to the present)
So after seeing Keiji in critical condition... That's what happened. I remember being in the hospital once as a child, but I didn't know why. Apparently, my mom said it was due to high stress and trauma being hit hard on the head by a volleyball... But that was a lie to keep this all hidden.
I probably had high stress and trauma from that accident... Just like those dramas, my memories were repressed and I forgot everything that happened between us.
...
I went back to my hometown like nothing ever happened, but what about him?
What happened to Akaashi in between that time then and now? He's completely fine now and I'm truly thankful for that.
Yet...
It's ironic how we happened to meet each other again as step-siblings. I wonder if that's why they were against it when I told mom and dad that we were dating...
Wait a minute... Did mom know...? Did everyone know but me?
I grit my teeth. Has everyone been hiding the truth from me?