CHAPTER SIXTEEN
In the three weeks she has dated Tooru Oikawa, Himeko Arata learned quite a few things about him.
Number one (and this was fairly known in Seijoh), he liked milk bread a lot. Nearly half of their dates had involved going to the bakery. Number two (and this was a fact known by a privileged few), Tooru Oikawa was a damn good kisser. Compared to her ex-boyfriend from back in first year, Tooru was definitely an improvement. A major one, actually. She could understand why so many people crushed on him so hard.
And number three.
Number three was the one that was causing Himeko's big dilemma. It was Tooru's best friend, Misaki Katsuragi.
Now, Himeko knew Misaki. She had been in the same class as her for the past two years and finally, in their third year, Himeko had sat behind her. Through that, she had gotten to know Misaki and finally understood why so many people liked her. To be quite frank, Misaki Katsuragi was one of the nicest people Himeko knew. She was smart, always in the top three of their class; she's always willing to help anyone out. She was fairly popular too.
But the most important thing about Misaki (as per Himeko) was that she was Tooru Oikawa's best friend. Why this was important was this; the cause of her big dilemma was the friendship Tooru and Misaki shared.
Himeko had always thought those two had something going on between them, but according to everyone she knew, they were simply childhood best friends who happened to be very close. She wasn't a possessive girlfriend; frankly, she didn't mind that Tooru talked to her about Misaki, about her not letting him do something volleyball related or force him to stop practice (Himeko would have to thank her for that).
But yeah...Tooru talked about her too much and too often. That made Himeko wonder.
Did Tooru actually like her? Sure they went on dates, though sometimes he had cancelled them for extra practice. Sure they hung around with each other at lunch; sure he had walked her home twice in the last week and they had gone out on a date yesterday, but somehow, their conversations would involve Misaki in some way.
It hurt, and a lot more than Himeko would like to admit. That brought her to her big question. Was Tooru Oikawa in love with his best friend?
In Himeko's mind, the answer was a big, fat yes.
Tooru Oikawa was definitely in love with Misaki Katsuragi, though he himself may not have realised that. And that was why she had to do it. She did like Tooru and even though actually doing it was going to hurt, she knew it was the right decision to make. For her own sake and for his.
(Himeko didn't think she'd ever match up to Misaki anyway)
Today was Saturday and Himeko's day off from the art club. But Tooru would be here; the volleyball team practised rigorously almost all days of the week; as far as she knew, the only day they took an off was Mondays. Maybe it was a little petty of her to do this right before his practice started, but at that point, she was already a bit tired of constantly feeling the hurt whenever Tooru-no, Oikawa mentioned Misaki.
Himeko waited for Oikawa near the isolated lunch spot of their school. Though it was considered to be isolated and was hidden by a small grove, it was still pretty famous as an area where confessions seemed to happen a lot.
But today, it was also going to be the place where a relationship would end. It was strangely poetic.
"Hime-chan!"
Himeko perked up on hearing Oikawa's voice. She turned around to see him running up to her. He was dressed in his volleyball tracksuit and smiling towards her. And suddenly, her courage seemed to fizzle out; somehow, she steeled her nerves and smiled, hoping none of her turmoil showed up in her eyes.
"There you are," Oikawa said, smiling brightly. It was a pretty smile, but a part of Himeko's heart really hurt on seeing it. "Good morning! I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"No, you didn't," Himeko replied quietly. "I got here about five minutes ago."
"Oh, that's good," Oikawa said. He brushed a few strands of her hair out of her forehead. The touch almost made her flinch, but she managed to control herself just in time.
"So what did you want to talk to me about?"
Himeko grabbed at the front of her shirt and took in a deep breath. "Please don't hate me for this. I've been thinking about this for a while now and I don't blame you at all."
Oikawa looked incredibly confused. "What do you mean, Hime-chan? Why would I hate you?"
"We should break up," She said in a monotone, her voice not faltering at all as she uttered the few, but harsh words. "Let's end this relationship."
"What? Why? What are you even saying?" Oikawa quickly said, laughing in an attempt to pass this sudden, unbearable tension as something light. But he knew it was in vain. "You're joking, right?"
He tried to grab Himeko's hand, but she immediately pulled it back. He felt incredibly hurt.
"I don't think we should have done this," Himeko quietly said, looking away from him. "We shouldn't have gotten into this relationship. We were living in a fantasy, Oikawa. We pretended everything was great and the universe was making everything perfect, but it wasn't like that. Things couldn't go on this way. It was hurting me."
"What are you talking about? I thought we were fine? I like you, you like me; so what's wrong with our relationship?" Oikawa asked in an anguished tone. He did not want this to happen. He didn't want another relationship to completely fail. "There was nothing wrong till last week, was it? And yesterday, yesterday we went on a date -"
"It was fine for you, but not for me!" Himeko interrupted him, voice raised and hurt clearly evident in her tone. "You don't understand what it's like to be so in love with a boy and to have him not notice you, so you try your best, only to look stupid in the end because you realise that he'll never like you the way you like him."
"What- I do like you! I like you a lot; that's why we're dating."
"Please Tooru," Himeko cried out. "You don't like me. I don't think you ever did. You like Misaki. Hell, I think you love her."
Oikawa was practically frozen now, but still, Himeko continued. "Everyone thinks you're just friends, but I always thought there was something more between you two. I was stupid to think I could change things and make you see me for me. But all I've ever been is this weird replacement for her while you guys were in this weird loop and I thought I could handle it. I thought it'd be okay to just take Misaki's place for a while and hope that things could be better, but nothing happened! And now, here I am, feeling so stupid for thinking that you could ever look at me the same way you look at Misaki."
"That's not true - I don't," Oikawa started to say. "Misa-chan is just a friend. I promise. I don't like her like that."
"Is she really just a friend?" Himeko asked sadly. "I'm not one of those possessive girlfriends that would stop you from hanging around her. I didn't even mind you talking about her; but after a point, it got too much to hear her name constantly. Ask yourself, Tooru. Who is the first person you think of when you face a problem? Who is the first person you call to ask for help with anything? I think you yourself know that it's Misaki. There's no one in this world that you trust more than her. Maybe Iwaizumi-san, but that's it. I don't think you'll ever be able to trust me or like me as much as you like her."
"It's not like that, Hime-chan. I promise; Misa-chan is nothing more than a friend." The heartbroken look on Oikawa's face almost made Himeko take back her words. Key word being almost.
"This is for the best, Tooru," Himeko smiled sadly. "Trust me, I have no bad blood against you or Misaki. I think you'd be really happy with her. But I think it's the end of the road for us. I hope we can still be friends though."
"I g-guess so," Oikawa replied, a resigned look on his face. He looked a lot sadder than Himeko had ever seen him and a brief flash of regret once again crossed her heart. But her decision was final, unchangeable.
"I know all your friends and practically the whole school will be curious about why we broke up," Himeko said quietly. She walked right next to him and squeezed his arm gently. "If anyone asks, I won't say a word about the real reason. It'll be a secret between the two of us."
Himeko got up on her tiptoes (her 5 foot 6 inches was still shorter than Oikawa's six feet) and pressed one last, final kiss on his cheek. This was it. This was the end.
"Goodbye, Tooru," She smiled at him. She started to walk away but before she could do so, Oikawa grabbed onto her hand. She looked at him, a little worried but also curious.
"Can I at least get a goodbye hug?"
Himeko couldn't find it in her to deny him. She let him hug her. And the two stood there, hidden by the grove of trees, embracing each other for one last time. There would be heartbreak for both of them, but Himeko hoped it would eventually be okay.
(And somehow, deep down, she felt that it would be all work out in the end)
SEIJOH THIRD YEARS
Undeniably, Misaki was curious. Of all the things to hear today, this was not what she had been expecting. Oikawa liked Himeko and Misaki was sure Himeko liked him too (well...that was fairly obvious since they were dating). And Oikawa had been fine at practice, though he had been a little off, but then everyone had days like those. Even someone who was a practically perfect player, like he was.
'So what am I doing here?' Misaki asked herself as she stood in front of Oikawa's house, her fingers raised high above the doorbell. Sunset had been an hour ago and since her mom was going to be late today, she had planned on finishing the anime she had been watching. But then Oikawa spammed the group chat with messages and now here she was.
Dressed in a hoodie she had stolen from Oikawa last year (and still it was pretty long on her), Misaki pressed the doorbell and let it ring for a few seconds before she moved her fingers away. She didn't have to wait long before the door was opened by Oikawa's mom. Satomi Oikawa was a really pretty, middle-aged woman who did not look like a mother of two kids, and definitely not a grandmother.
"Good evening. Satomi-san," Misaki greeted her with a bright smile. "Sorry for coming by so late. But Oikawa..."
"Oh, Misaki, come in, come in," The older woman stepped aside, allowing Misaki to enter. She shut the door behind her. "Tooru is currently moping in his room."
"Well, that's to be expected," Misaki said with a grin. She took off her shoes near the entrance. "How are you doing, by the way?"
"I'm doing good," Satomi answered with a gentle smile. "Tooru really troubles you and Hajime, doesn't he?"
"Nah, not really," Misaki shrugged. "Besides, I'm making him buy me cake so..."
Satomi let out a laugh. After a short conversation with her about a few random things, Misaki climbed up the stairs and made her way to Oikawa's room, passing his older sister's old room.
'Ooh, I wonder how she and Takeru are doing,' She thought. 'Haven't seen them in a while.'
She came to a stop in front of Oikawa's room and knocked on the door. Barely a second later, Oikawa opened it. Seeing her, he immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her inside before shutting the door.
"Ow! Oikawa, stop grabbing my hand that tight!" Misaki pulled her arm out of his grasp before smacking his hand away. "That hurts."
"Sorry, sorry," Oikawa said, raising his hands in apology. As Misaki made herself comfortable sitting at the kotatsu in his room, he suddenly realised that the hoodie she was wearing looked strangely familiar.
"Misa-chan, is that my hoodie?" He asked, curious, but also realising that Misaki looked way more nice in it. It wasn't like this was the first time he was seeing her in one of his old hoodies or t-shirts, but this was the first time he had found her to look different, but in a good way. "When did you even take that?"
"Last year, I think. It's still long on me though," She raised her hands to show the rolled up sleeves, that in fact, looked like they were about to extend over her arms. "You're practically a giant."
"No, that's Mattsun," Oikawa answered with a cheeky grin.
Misaki snickered. "Well yeah. He's taller than you, so that already makes him cooler to me."
"Misa-chan!" Oikawa let out a whine. "That's not fair."
"So? When have I ever cared?" Misaki asked, propping her chin on her right hand. Oikawa walked past her, taking care to mess up her hair as he sat down on his bed. She turned towards him with an outraged glare, but he was used to them, so he wasn't affected at all. The glare disappeared, but she continued looking at him, rather intensely.
"So..." Misaki started to say.
"So..." Oikawa said.
"Wanna talk about what happened?"
"What's there to talk about?" ('If you found out the true reason...')
"Oikawa..."
"Misa-chan..."
"Do you not want to talk about the breakup? Should I go home then?"
"No!" Oikawa said, a little too quick. "Just stay. You don't have to go back. Not now."
"Okay. But you're gonna have to talk about it once, you know?" Misaki said, as she kept an arm on top of the kotatsu. Her stare was unnervingly analytical, worrying Oikawa that she would somehow understand the reason for the breakup. He had to choose his words carefully. Very carefully.
"It's the usual thing, Misa-chan," Oikawa said, frowning as he laid down on his bed. He didn't have to look at Misaki's face and that was going to help him keep his mouth shut. Otherwise, he'd end up spilling everything to her. How hurt would Misaki be when she found that the reason that Himeko broke up with him was her? He didn't even wanna find out. If she cried again, then...well, catch his heart breaking further. "I played too much volleyball and didn't give enough time to her."
"That's not true, is it?" Misaki questioned quietly. He heard her shift closer to the bed and his breath hitched. "Himeko is not the type of person to break up over something like that. She's rather accommodating too."
"I guess she was like that with me," Oikawa stared up at the ceiling, watching the rotating blades of the fan with a blank look. "Hime-chan deserved better than me."
"But who is better than you?" Misaki's face appeared in his field of vision and he almost jolted in surprise.
"W-what do you mean?" Oikawa asked, suddenly feeling nervous. The distance between her face and his was very less; he could very easily reach out and touch her cheek. But he resisted the urge to do that.
"You're an insanely good player, you're the captain of the volleyball team of a powerhouse school, you work really hard and anyone who doesn't see that is blind," Misaki declared, sounding a little proud. "You're also insanely smart and when it comes to your looks, you are fairly good looking. But your personality could use work though."
"Misa-chan! That's such a backhanded way of complimenting me!" Oikawa said, whining again. But, he was not going to forget how his heart practically skipped a beat when he heard what she said. 'She finds me good looking? Yes!' A second later, he shook that thought out of his head. There was no way he was going to allow himself to think like that of Misaki. It wouldn't be fair to her.
"If you want a proper compliment, then you're gonna have to work for it," Misaki smirked. "Once you do, I'll give you as many compliments as you want."
That made Oikawa's heart skip a beat.
"Aww, really?" Oikawa looked at her, almost pouting. She grinned right back at him, still standing next to his bed.
"Yeah, why not?" Misaki was still grinning, an amused look lighting up her eyes. This was how he wanted her to be. Always smiling. Her smile was really nice.
Oh.
Oh.
Is this what Himeko had meant to tell him? How the moment he saw Misaki, all he wanted to talk about was her? Or just try and impress her? (even though that never really worked.) He couldn't actually be -
"Gyaaahhh!!" Oikawa cried out, before hitting his hands and legs against his bed like he was a child throwing a tantrum. No. No. No, he wasn't. That was wrong. She was his best friend. He couldn't like her like that. He wasn't supposed to. Nope.
He didn't even have to look at Misaki to know that she was giving him a very weird look.
"Oikawa, what are you doing? Are you a two year old brat? What's with the sudden tantrum?"
"I realised that I did something really stupid and it only just sunk in."
"So, just the usual?"
"Misa-chan!"
"What? It's not like I'm lying."
"What happened to your niceness all of a sudden?!"
"It comes and goes; it comes and goes."
Oikawa sat up on his bed. Sitting cross-legged, he patted the space in front of him. Misaki sat down, hands in the pockets of her (his) hoodie, all the while giving him a weird look. "What now?"
"Nothing," Oikawa replied. He kept on staring at her though. She stared right back at him. 'It wouldn't be too bad if I hugged her, right? That hug will help me prove that I don't have feelings for her. Which I don't.'
"Do I have something on my face? Is that why you keep on looking at me?" Misaki asked, still looking at him with a weird look.
"No no," Oikawa shook his head. "I was just wondering. Can you hug me?" There. That was done.
"Oikawa, if you want a hug, be straightforward," Misaki shuffled closer to him, slowly holding out her arms. "Don't act like a creepy pervert and stare at me so weirdly."
"I am not a pervert!" Oikawa pouted, but nevertheless, he hugged her, practically draping himself over her. Suddenly, he realised how much shorter she was in comparison to him, not that he was ever going to say it out loud; she'd probably kill him. But small in a way that he could easily lift her into his arms and hold her even more close. If they ever cuddled, she'd be the perfect little spoon. Wait, no!
He was not supposed to think like that. 'Hime-chan, why did you even have to say anything? Why couldn't we have a normal breakup? Now I can't stop thinking about Misa-chan that way and it's not right. She's supposed to be my best friend. I don't want to turn into a cliche, no matter how much Iwa-chan already thinks I am.'
But Oikawa did not want to let go of her, ever. He liked this. He really liked this.
Oh, no. Oh, no.
Well then, he guessed he was completely screwed now.
THANK YOU TO JUSTSAV FOR HELPING ME OUT WITH THE BREAK-UP DIALOGUE. SHE WROTE IT SO WELL AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO WRITE IT IN. Poor Oikawa went through another breakup 😢. But that breakup might have made Oikawa realise something important 👀👀
This chapter was honestly really fun to write and I couldn't stop writing for it, so it's nearly 3.3K words, which is the longest chapter I've written for this. And I can tell you, we are moving onto the fluff now and the angst is over (there will still be some later on, but it will be mild). One more thing, I can tell you that we are kind of close to the moment we've all been waiting for hehe.
Till then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!