(Fifty chapters, holy fuck. Welp, thanks for coming on this journey with me, it's been a lot of fun. This is actually the first book I've completed on this profile, pretty wild huh? Once again, thanks for sticking with me!)
The finals had ended, and both teams returned to their schools. Shiratorizawa's bus was full of tears, which just depressed the rest of the team that wasn't crying. Kazane and Ushiwaka sat together, him fingercombing her hair as she hummed.
"You doing okay?" she asked quietly, glancing behind her.
"Yes. I don't think it's quite set in yet, though, so I don't know."
"That makes sense." Kazan sighed, giving up on talking because there really wasn't anything to talk about. They arrived back at the school shortly. The team headed into the gym, where Washijo held a meeting. After the meeting was finished, he left the third years to wrap it up for next year.
The third years were done, they were going to be graduating soon. Kazane watched from the side, her lips pursed. "That settles things for next year's team. If you guys have any more questions-"
"Give me a minute." Ushiwaka held out a hand, so the person talking allowed him to take the floor. Kazane raised an eyebrow. "Kawanishi." He said as he walked forward. The second year looked surprised.
"H-hai!"
"After Tendou leaves this world-"
"Don't make it sound like I died, Wakkun~"
"You'll be the cornerstone for blocking." Ushiwaka finished, not even minding Tendou as he pouted. "Have more confidence in yourself. Also, strengthen your serve." He advised. Realizing what he was doing, Kazane smiled.
"Y-yes sir!" Taichi said.
"Shirabu."
"Hai!" The setter responded, also surprised.
"The structure of this team from now on will depend on you." Ushiwaka told him. "We don't have any weak spikers. Make sure you draw out everyone's potential."
"Hai." Shirabu said curtly, his determination showing on his face.
"Umeda."
"Hai!"
"You need to refine your form. Start taking practices more seriously." The former ace told him.
"Hai!"
"Yunohama."
"Hai!"
"You need to react to blocks faster." He said.
"Hai!"
"Sagae." Ushiwaka spoke, the other third years beside him chatting quietly as to not interrupt his little thing he had going on.
"Hai!"
"You need to strengthen your lower body. Don't hold back on running."
"Hai!"
"Ida."
"Hai!"
"Don't forget to practice your receives." Ushiwaka told him, and as he did this, Kazane noticed something off about Goshiki. Realizing that he was probably being a bit hard on himself, she made her way over to them as her boyfriend continued. A second later, he got to Goshiki.
"Hai!" The male straightened from his slouched form, ready to take whatever criticism his idol had for him.
"I'm counting on you."
Literally all of the third years smiled as they watched Goshiki's reaction, knowing how it must feel for him to hear those words. All eyes were on him as tears streamed down his face and onto the floor. "Hai!" He managed to croak out.
"Thank you!" The new Shiratoizawa team said to their third years, all bowing.
"Oh come on now, stop that crying~ How are you gonna lead the team like that?" Tendou smiled, beating gently on Goshiki's back. Kazane came over then, wrapping the now current ace into a hug, allowing him to cry on her shoulder as he hugged her back and cried to his heart's content.
~*~
"Take care of Goshiki when I graduate." Ushiwaka told his girlfriend as they laid in his bed. She yawned, nodding.
"Of course. I never wanna see him cry like that again, my heart literally broke." She complained, glancing over at her boyfriend. "You sure do know how to get to people."
"I suppose so." The former ace shrugged. "I just wanted him to know that he was already enough just the way he is. I could see that he was beating himself up."
"Wow, pretty sharp."
"I'm not as dense as people assume I am." He said, a smirk sliding onto his lips as he moved so Kazane was now under him. She let out a squeak, but it was quickly swallowed up as Ushiwaka connected their lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she eagerly kissed back.
"Can you not do this here? I'm literally right above you and I am dying."
"Umph!" Kazane went to push her boyfriend off of her, but he barely budged.
"I don't think so." Ushiwaka breathed, his voice low. "If you don't like it, you know where the door is." He said, loud enough that the other presence in the room could hear him.
"Looks like I'm rooming with Tendou tonight, wonderful." Eita grumbled, sliding down from his bed and making his way out of the room. Kazane and Ushiwaka chuckled before he sighed, a hand going up to her face and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Thank you for supporting us."
"Of course, I'd do anything for you." She returned, smiling at him. He returned the look before claiming her lips once again.
Click click click-
"...What are you doing?"
"Don't mind me~" Tendou sang, phone in hand as he grinned around it. "Just capturing the moment for the wedding~"
"Out."
"Don't bite my head off guys~ I thought we were friends-"
"Tendou I swear to God-"
"Okay okay I'm leaving~"
~*~
"DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO DELETE THOSE?!" Kazane snatched the photo book away from the redhead, who gave her a smirk.
"Like I'd listen to you."
"Satori. Tendou." She growled, several veins in her forehead pulsing as she formed a fist.
"MIRACLE BOI!!!"
"That's right~ Who's a good girl huh?" Tendou cooed at the young girl sitting beside him, around four years old who was known as Sen.
"ME!" She answered, giggling as he started to tickle her.
"Stop polluting my daughter's mind." Kazane grumbled, sighing and regretting her life choices.
"Nah, don't feel like it. Where's Wakkun, by the way?" Tendou asked, glancing away from little girl being tortured by his hands.
"I was wondering the same thing, he was suppose to be here fifteen minutes ago-AH!" Kazane yelped as someone picked her up from behind, twirling her around.
"DADA!" Sen squealed, running up to him happily.
"Hey princess." Ushiwaka smiled at his daughter who had latched to his leg. "Sorry I'm late Kazane." He kissed her cheek as she pouted at him.
"Doesn't matter! I'm just glad you're back." She said, a smile lighting up her face as she pecked his nose.
"Tendou-san! Come practice with me!" Kazuto yelled, peaking into the house from the back door. "Oh, hey dad! Mom, you and dad should come practice with me too!"
"Haha, on my way~" The redhead stood up, jogging to go join his godson in the backyard where the net was. "Get ready to lose pretty boy~"
"I'll beat you one day!"
"How'd you get Tendou to fly out here?" Ushiwaka asked, making Kazane giggle.
"Pretty easily, actually. Just told him his favorite people wanted to see him."
"Ah, of course." Ushiwaka chuckled, then hoisted his daughter up onto his shoulders. "Come on, let's go play with your brother."
"Mhm! Kick his butt!"
"Haha, that's right~"
"Mom! Guess what? Tendou-san taught me a song!"
"...He did, did he?"
"THEY'RE SO CUTE SINGING IT I COULDN'T HELP IT-"
"THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEAAANNNSSSSSS!"
"Yeah I do! Crushing opponents hearts and spirits!"
"...Kazuto. Ushijima. We do not sing that song, until you join a team, understood?"
"yessss moooommmm."
"Now come on, I'll set you some and see if you can get around Tendou."
"Yeah! Let's go!"
"Bring it on lil man~"
"Stop picking on your godson, Tendou-san."
"Oh shut it Shirabu! How's it going with you and Goshiki?"
"It's going fine, thank you for asking."
"...you were supposed to get flustered."
"Like I'd get flustered over that moron."
"So doubles?"
"I'm not playing."
"You sure?"
"Pleeeaaasse Shirabuuuu!"
"No."
"Need an extra player?"
"Oh, hey Tobi! Where'd you come from? Wait, never mind, just come set for me!"
"They look happy." Goshiki observed, walking out of the house and plopping down next to his boyfriend. Ushiwaka nodded as he joined them, sitting on the porch and overlooking the game. This was his home, where his wife and kids were, and where he knew he could always find his friends. Ushiwaka couldn't have asked for more.
{Aaaaaand that's it! As I said above, thank you so much for joining me on this journey and I appreciate you all so much! Hope you're staying safe, take care of yourselves, and maybe check out some of my other books if you haven't already~}