#06 | 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞
ᵉʸᵉˢ ᵇʳᵒʷⁿ, ʷᵃʳᵐ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁿᵒˢᵗᵃˡᵍⁱᶜ, ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉʸ'ʳᵉ ᵍᵒⁱⁿᵍ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗⁱᵗᵃⁿⁱᶜ.
❛ sei-chan ❜
Kageyama Tobio was utterly mesmerized by the girl in front of him.
After blurting out his feelings, or at least some of it, out in the open in front of the person he never expected to fall for (he's still a bit in denial.) Hinata Shoyo gave him the brightest smile he has seen her wear ever since she woke up.
"Thank you, Tobio." She said in a soft voice her eyes glistened from her happiness and maybe also because of her crying earlier.
She knows deep inside her that she still has some doubts but knowing that she would never be alone through the whole roller coaster journey ahead is enough to make her heart swell with happiness.
Kageyama's promise... She'll hold onto it for the rest of her life.
Hinata's smile after his promises that he plans to keep was deeply engraved in his mind and heart. Her smile that is directed to him, right now, in this very moment, her focus is solely on him, and the way his name sounded coming from her plump, red lips. It is, without doubt imprinted in his soul for the rest of his life. He'll make sure to treasure this memory.
"Really, really thank you!" Her sunshine smile never left her face even after she threw herself to Kageyama's arms out of gratitude and happiness.
Kageyama Tobio's brain turned blank. His face flushed, redder than a certain guess monster's hair. His wild beating heart doesn't seem to know how to calm down.
The moment Hinata hugged him, his whole body felt warm, a surging calmness overflowing his whole being. And in that very moment; Kageyama Tobio knows that there is some (tons of) truth in his nee-chan's words.
Kageyama doesn't know what he's doing anymore. He doesn't realize that he broke out of the hug Hinata caged him in. He doesn't know that he's slowly leaning into Hinata's face. He doesn't hear the knocks coming from the door, nor the voice of the person asking for permission to enter the ward. He doesn't care.
Before he could close the remaining two inches gap between him and the girl in front of him, the door opened.
"What are you doing to my cousin?" A red-maroon haired gentleman was there, standing in the door looking at the previous romantic atmosphere turned into an awkward situation in front of him.
His voice immediately made Kageyama snap out on whatever adrenaline rush he was in. He whipped his head to the direction of the voice and instantly froze.
Kageyama isn't the type to get scared easily, not to anyone in particular. The only time that he got scared can probably be counted in two hands; it's the time where his teammates from Kitagawa Daiichi abandoned him and the time Hinata collapsed. The others are from the past that should not be mentioned because it's not relevant to the story.
But this time, Kageyama deadass felt like a superior being was staring at him. Waiting for him to do something unacceptable to the ginger in his arms.
The moment his dark blue orbs collided with a pair of heterochromatic eyes, Kageyama felt a sense of uneasiness. He lowered his gaze as soon as he could because those eyes literally looked like a demon king looking at a peasant. Those eyes are promising him an agonizing death if he ever makes an unnecessary movement towards Hinata.
'It's the cousin right?' Kageyama thought while still looking at the floor. He knows the teen by the face because he had seen some of his photos in Hinata's house during one of his many visits. The intimidating teen just has the kind of face that will be unforgettable no matter how much you wanna try to erase it from your memory.
He thought he was intense in the picture but he never thought he would actually be the devil in real life. 'I don't want to leave Hinata yet but my gut tells me he's gonna throw a scissor at me if I don't leave right away.'
"SEI-CHAN!" Hinata's excited voice snapped Kageyama out of his temporary trance.
"Shoyo, how are you feeling?" The once heavy atmosphere between the blueberry setter and a heterochromatic emperor was immediately erased as soon as Hinata called the newcomer.
"I'm fine now. The doctor said I just need to undergo rehabilitation to get used to my new body. Kinda weird." Hinata guffaws at her situation but this time she doesn't have any more worries. Kageyama promised her. But now, Kageyama is the one who is in a dilemma.
"That's good. Father wasn't able to come with me today because of a business meeting abroad but he ordered me to send you his regards." Akashi Seijuro's previous threatening look was replaced by a soft look that can only be seen by a number of people, including his favorite cousin, Hinata Shoyo.
"It's been so long since we last saw each other, Sei-chan. How have you been? Mom said you're attending Rakuzan now? Is it fun?" Hinata bombarded the emperor with questions. You can't blame her. She missed her 'absolute' cousin.
"I visited you every weekend while you were still comatose. I've been well. And yes, I am indeed attending Rakuzan and I don't know what you can consider fun but I'm the captain of our basketball team." Seijuro gave his cousin a pat on her head after putting his get well soon gifts consisting of fruits and flowers on Hinata's bedside table.
Seijuro was never one for affection, but his cousin and a certain shadow is an exception.
"Captain?! That's so cool. And you're only in your first year!" Hinata literally sparkled. It's like an automatic CG effect is always available for Hinata Shoyo's use only.
The forgotten setter decided to make his presence known once again to avoid the uncomfortableness he's been feeling since Akashi Seijuro arrived at the scene.
"Um- E-excuse me!" With an awkward stutter coming from Kageyama, the two relatives turned their attention to him, making the setter almost yelp. But he's a man. He won't yelp.
"Hinata, I better get going. It's pretty late and my mom is probably looking for me now and I don't want to disturb you and your cousin." Taking a cautious glance at the owner of heterochromatic eyes, "See you tomorrow!" Kageyama Tobio offered Hinata his rare, gentle smile before leaving the two alone.
"Okay! See you tomorrow, Kageyama!" Sending him an enthusiastic wave and her signature sunshine smile.
Kageyama Tobio literally yeeted out of Hinata's room because he knew he's not hallucinating when he saw that the red headed captain was glaring at him!
As soon as Kageyama closed the door, the two cousins went back to talking, asking each other stuff and what they've been doing for the last few years.
"Shoyo." Akashi waited for his once-a-boy, now a girl cousin to look him in the eyes.
"What is it, Sei?" Hinata responded with a cute head tilt and an adorable confused face.
"Who is that boy? Are you and him close? Should I dispose of him?" The heir of one of the largest companies in Japan asked his cousin with a deadly look that is not obvious to Hinata.
Akashi Seijuro is protective of the people who are very close to his heart. He'll do anything to keep them from any harm. He knows how naive and trusting his cousin can be and no matter how much he hates that fact, he doesn't plan on changing it. He's worried that his cousin might get deceived by dangerous peasants especially now that he has become a she.
If that person knows Hinata well enough, they might use volleyball to their advantage and that's a big no no for this emperor.
"Kageyama?"
"Yes." That vermin. In Seijuro's mind, he had already killed Kageyama a thousand times.
If he hadn't come earlier, god knows what that blueberry might do to his precious cousin.
'If I didn't interrupt him at the right time, he might've taken Shoyo's first kiss.' Seijuro's face darkened at his thoughts. He doesn't know the guy well enough to trust him with his cousin's life. Yet!
Hinata was curious as to why he's interested in Kageyama but she answered him nonetheless. "Yes! We're pretty close. He always tosses it to me. His tosses are so amazing." Hinata kept on praising Kageyama's skills which led to her telling her cousin how they met, how he beat her at her first and last match in middle school to how they met in Karasuno and how much they argued from then to now.
"In terms of volleyball, Kageyama is one of the best. That's why I wanted to beat him. If I do, I'll be able to hold my ground against all the other strong players out there!" She said determination oozing out of her whole being which made her cousin smile a little.
Akashi Seijuro reminded himself to investigate Kageyama Tobio once he finished checking up on his cousin.
'Depending on what happened earlier, he might be a potential family member in the near future. Shoyo is charming and can attract people at first sight. I better investigate every single one of the guys around her.'
Kageyama fucked up.
Maybe not but he is sure he fucked up the moment he started blurting out all those promises to Hinata.
'Idiot idiot idiot idiot. I'M AN IDIOT. I hugged her and I almost k-kissed her! If her cousin didn't arrived I-'
Kageyama crouched down on the sidewalk, face flushed in fifty shades of red remembering what happened before Hinata's cousin arrived. Just thinking about it is making him flustered.
"I'm an idiot." Kageyama muttered to himself ignoring the weirded out look from some people.
'What am I doing? Is nee-chan actually right? Am I really i-i-in love with that idiot!?'
Kageyama has never felt this way before. His impulsive actions earlier made him even more confused. He doesn't understand why he did what he did. He doesn't know why he suddenly got that unexpected urge to kiss the tangerine.
He can't explain the wild beating of his heart. Or why he's blushing so much. Why he loves it when she smiles at him or why he said those promises.
"Damn it! Nee-chan might be right after all." Kageyama took a deep breath to try and calm his fluctuating heart.
"I might be potentially screwed!"
Kageyama put his right hand to where his erratic beating heart is located while his left hand is covering his face trying to hide his red cheeks.
"Probably really screwed. I'm in deep shit because of that boke!"
Although Kageyama was still unsure about his feelings, one thing is sure, Kageyama Miwa had recorded their whole conversation to remind him of the time he indirectly confessed his feelings for Hinata Shoyo.
Miwa will make sure to play her conversation with her brother during family gatherings.
One month has passed since Hinata Shoyo's hospitalization.
Two weeks in a vegetative state.
Two weeks for rehabilitation to get used to her new body and for her mother to engrave in her mind, body, and soul the do's and don'ts of being a girl.
For the whole two weeks since Hinata woke up, the team, her friends, and family never failed to visit her every day. Because of that she was assured that everything is going to be alright.
She remembered the day her parents finally got back from abroad, her mother was so happy and smothered her with lots of kisses and affection. Her father was so shocked and happy, he cried a river. He almost mobilized the swat to guard and protect his 'precious spessartine' which was immediately shut down by the tangerine.
And today is finally the day she's going back to school. She's nervous but she's assured that everything will be alright! Her family and friends really made sure that coping with the changer would be easy ever since she woke up from her two weeks long coma.
"MOM! I'll be off." She informed her mom, unlocking her bike and sending a little wave in her mom's direction.
Her mom rushes out from the living room to the front door to see her daughter getting on the bike. Worriedly, she asked, "Shoyo, are you sure you don't want our driver to send you off to school? Are you really really sure that you're feeling well now?"
Hinata giggled at her mother. She's been asking her nonstop about her physical and mental health for the past two weeks even though the doctor already said that she is perfectly fine a week after she woke up. "Calm down, Mom. I'll be fine. I'll call you immediately if I feel off, don't worry~"
"Sho-chan, how about bringing a bodyguard?"
"Bye bye Mom!" Hinata quickly pedaled away before her mom could convince her to bring a bodyguard.
Leto can't do anything but give up seeing her daughter pedal away as fast as she could. "Take care, Sho-chan~ Remember what I told you, and be careful of the bad guys!" She reminded her slowly disappearing so- daughter.
She heaved a deep sigh because she knows that Shoyo as a boy already attracted enough attention but now that she's a girl; She can only imagine the trouble that will come her daughter's way.
"I should stop worrying, everything will be alright! The crows will protect her." She exclaimed, not knowing that some of the crows are the said 'trouble' coming in her daughter's way.
Hinata finally arrived at the school. While she's locking her cycle to the bike rack, negative thoughts come flooding her mind.
'What if everyone hates me? What if I get bullied? Oh no! What if those scenes from the dramas where the main character gets beat up? Am I gonna get beaten up?'
Hinata Shoyo is panicking. She was fine on her way to school but her nerves started showing up as soon as she arrived at the gates of Karasuno High. The assurance from her teammates was long forgotten.
'I think I'm gonna puke.' Her pale face started to look a little green. She put her hands over her mouth ready to stop her urge until she heard a loud thumping of fast running feet coming her way.
'I'm dead. I'm gonna get beaten.' When Hinata turned around to look at her perpetrator's face, she was shocked to see Kageyama with his competitive face on, running at full speed towards the gym.
And that's when all of the negativity surrounding her left and was changed by her competitive nature. She immediately took off craving for a win against Kageyama.
One thing is certain, she doesn't feel like vomiting her breakfast anymore. Good job scary Tobio!
"HINATA BOKE!"
Hinata ignored him and focused everything on running and winning another point against her rival and friend.
Two loud voices can be heard all around the school grounds. Thankfully there's still not many students in the school or else they'll just embarrass themselves, not that they care.
"I WON! ANOTHER WIN FOR ME!" Hinata laughs in happiness for her success in beating Kageyama in their 'race you to the gym' competition.
"BOKE! YOU CHEATED! HINATA BOKE!" The blueberry setter angrily muttered knowing she'll ask for a free meat buns for the whole week as a reward.
"HOW DID I CHEAT? BAKAGEYAMA, JUST ADMIT THAT I'M FASTER THAN YOU!" She responded smugly knowing she actually got faster for some reason after her surgery. The doctor said it was normal because her body did get lighter and because her rare condition has been cured which means her growth wasn't being hindered like before.
Not that she listened to any of that information her doctor explained. But meh, she just knows that she got more agile than before.
"YOU GOT A HEAD START DUMBASS!"
"Shut up you stinkerbutt!"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
"JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT I WON!" She sighed before continuing, "I'll be expecting free meat buns for a whole week as my reward." She grinned and put her fingers into a peace sign.
Now you might be wondering why they aren't awkward with each other after that situation in the hospital. As I've always been a nice person, I'll explain.
It's quite simple really. Hinata brushed it off as Kageyama inspecting her new features... And Kageyama is still not accepting his feelings for the tangerine so he's still in the denial stage.
... This dumb bitch.
"I'll win next time!" Kageyama huffed angrily but there's a hint of blush plastered on his handsome face.
Kageyama can't tell anyone the fact that he saw her shorts while she was racing her way to the gym. He won't admit that he got a bit distracted because of that. He won't admit that he found the crow printed shorts cute. He won't. Sugawara will kill him. He'll let this win go.
"It's too early for this." A beanpole and a freckled baby boy arrived at the scene.
"Shut up!" Kageyama grumbled at the lamppost standing before him.
"Good morning, Tsukki and Yamaguchi!" Hinata beamed at them, waving enthusiastically.
Yamaguchi returned the greeting while Tsukishima just sent her an annoyed sigh. "Shut up, shrimp. Mornings aren't good when I see the both of you."
"Tsukki, be nice!"
"Yamaguchi, shut up!"
"Tsukki! Be nice!" Yamaguchi said again while emphasizing each word hoping that his friend would actually listen.
"I do what I want." Tsukishima said, looking at Yamaguchi while secretly and irritatingly glancing at the bickering duo.
"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi sighed like a disappointed mother.
While the four first years are bickering nonstop this early in the morning; The senpai, Sugawara, Daichi, Asahi, Tanaka, And Nishinoya arrived at the gym. Seeing the familiar scene that they've been missing for a whole month happening in front of them gave them a feeling of nostalgia and calmness despite the chaos.
"It's only six-thirty AM and they're already very lively." Sugawara said, looking at them with a very fond smile.
"Yeah! But I'm not complaining. It's been so long since we experienced a morning like this." Daichi exclaimed with his usual 'doting father' smile.
"They're bickering angrily at each other but there's a visible spark of happiness in their eyes. I guess they also missed this." Asahi said to his fellow third years and to his two second year kouhai.
When Tanaka and Nishinoya saw their favorite kouhai wearing the girls uniform, tears started falling in their eyes and they swore to Asahi that they'll protect her with their lives.
"I'm glad I came to Karasuno." Nishinoya said, kneeling in a praying pose after seeing the girl's uniform on Hinata.
"The volleyball god has blessed us another goddess." Tanaka started doing the same thing his partner in crime, Nishinoya, is doing.
"Karasuno is the best." They said in unison standing up from their position to run and hug their kouhai.
"HINATA/SHOYO! WELCOME BACK!" They shouted running at her in full speed to give her their welcome back hugs.
And yeah, they failed. Tsukishima Kei lives up to his position. He blocked their way to Hinata, secretly pulling Yamaguchi with him which shocked Yamaguchi a bit. But Yamaguchi understands why his best friend did that.
'That's right... Tsukki is finally letting his feelings known, though subtly but he's doing it.' Yamaguchi reminded himself about this fact while still trying to come to terms with his conflicting feelings. It's between friendship and first love after all...
"AHHH! TSUKISHIMA, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" The two second years simultaneously shouted at their tall kouhai.
"Arara gomen~, I didn't see you there." Tsukishima said to both of his senpai but Nishinoya took the most hit.
An invisible lightning struck down Nishinoya the moment he heard Tsukishima's words while his best friend was rolling on the ground, laughing at his best friend's dilemma.
"ACK- ARE YOU SAYING THAT I'M SHORT?!"
"Obviously."
"TSUKISHIMA! I'M GOING TO LECTURE YOU ON HOW TO RESPECT YOUR SENPAI! CROUCH DOWN. I mean- SIT DOWN! GET LOWER THAN MY LINE OF VISION!" Nishinoya commanded his tall af kouhai still wearing an annoyed and a bit insulted expression. "SIT DOWN YOU STICK!"
"Nishinoya! Stop picking fights with your kouhai! And, Tsukishima! Stop riling up your senpai!" Daichi said already feeling the incoming headache this early in the morning.
'I choose to stay but why am I having regrets?' He thought looking at the chaos in front of him.
"Nevermind about that. Hinata, are you allowed to play? Nothing hurts right?" Sugawara, being the mother hen that he is; is worrying about his favorite little crow. He doesn't want a repeat of what happened in the past that they want to forget.
"YUP!" Hinata energetically said while showing him a note from her doctor, Dr. Osamu Dazai, saying that she's allowed to play and there will be no complications that can happen in the future other than the woman problems.
"That's good. We missed our best decoy. Practice isn't the same without you."
"But," Hinata hesitated for a bit. "Will they let a girl play in the boys volleyball team? I mean, I'm still technically a boy in my birth certificate because my mom said they haven't gotten the time to change it yet but... I'm physically and internally a girl now.."
No matter how much her team and parents assured her that their Dean allowed her to play in the boys volleyball club, she can't help but still has some doubts. She doesn't want to get kicked out in the future.
"Of course you can, Hinata. Co-ed volleyball exists, you know. So you playing in the boys team won't be a problem! Let's do our best in the future too." The holy mother of Karasuno gifted his favorite child one of his infamous motherly smiles. Pinching his little crow's cheeks a little before blushing and fanboying about how soft and smooth it is.
A certain captain was blushing because of the display.
"Well, this is technically Hinata's first time joining Karasuno VBC after a whole month of rest." Asahi started patting the fluffy orange hair of the aspiring future ace of Karasuno.
"Well that's true. We should give her a welcome back greeting." Daichi continued already positioning himself in the middle of the third years, the second years following after their senpai.
"What's this? You're doing this without us?" The newcomers, Ennoshita, Narita and Kinoshita said. The two spewing words of agreements.
Soft footsteps were heard and they immediately turned around to see the newcomer, who turned out to be their coach, advisor, and queen- manager.
"KIYOKO-SAN! You're still beautiful today our goddess!" You already know who said that.
The two second years immediately started fawning over their goddess but they totally got ignored. Lmao simps.
"Hinata-kun, glad to have you back." Takeda-sensei gave his student a warm smile which sent a calming sensation to Hinata's heart.
"I hope your bones haven't become soft because of the surgery, Shrimpy. We need our decoy at her best in the court!" Coach Ukai said with his usual grin, looking at Hinata with respect and pride in his heart because she managed to get through all those hardships safely and soundly.
"I made sure to take my rehabilitation seriously, Coach." Hinata responded with a salute at the end of her sentence making everyone cooed, the others are a bit more subtle though *cough* Tsukishima *cough* Kageyama *cough*. Yamaguchi looked at the ground trying to hide his blushing face.
"We already ordered your new uniform, Hinata-chan. They'll arrive this week so I hope you can wait that long." Shimizu Kiyoko, the queen, said feeling a bit closer to the first year now that she has become a girl. The time Hinata turned into a girl, Kiyoko promised to herself that she'll help her kouhai to every womanly problem she will definitely encounter in the future. That's why she immediately ordered Hinata a new uniform to make her more comfortable while playing.
Kiyoko played sports herself, she knows that loose sports uniforms are a bit uncomfortable while playing and she doesn't want her kouhai to be uncomfortable on her watch!
"Really!? Thank you so much, Kiyoko-senpai!" Hinata enthusiastically said, excited about her new uniform.
"Do you still feel worried?" Kageyama spoke, surprising everyone.
Everyone's a bit confused but they remembered Hinata's 'twenty questions' back at the hospital. They looked at their baby crow waiting for her answer.
"No." Kageyama snorted, Hinata took a deep breath before continuing her words. "Okay, that was a lie. I guess there's still some doubt but I know you won't leave me alone." Hinata said, looking directly at her setter, raising her hands folded into a fist for a fistbump.
Kageyama flushed in fifty shades of red, uttering complete gibberish that no one can understand before connecting his own fist with his female counterpart.
The others were about to ask what was going on but Hinata continued her words. "Everyone from Karasuno honestly treats me as a special and important part of the team. Through ups and downs, everyone stayed beside me. You all helped me unlock my potential. Even though I'm not nearly as good as everyone here, you trusted me." She looks at everyone with her nose and eyes flushing a bit red because of the emotional flood that she's trying hard to stop.
"Before, my only reason for coming to Karasuno was because of the little giant. If it weren't for the little giant, I wouldn't cross the mountain just to get to this school but.. but now," Hinata flashes her usual sunshine smile but brighter because of the overflowing happiness that she's feeling.
"I'm glad I came to Karasuno."
As if helping her express her happiness, the sun started rising giving a wonderful glow to her face making her surroundings look absolutely holy.
The third years, Tanaka, and Nishinoya had tears flowing out of their eyes.
"Our kouhai is so adorable." The 'we simp for Kiyoko' duo both said in unison, holding the left side of their shirts where their heart is located.
Sugawara was already beside Hinata hugging her to death. Daichi and Asahi just watched the whole ordeal like the good father and heavenly father. I said senpai! Like a good senpai.
Everyone except for Hinata gathered in a line in front of the tangerine, they counted to three before yelling their greeting.
"Welcome Back, Hinata!"
The light atmosphere, the tears falling from their faces, the happiness filling their whole being, the flushed cheeks of their kouhai that screams moe. The feeling of completeness.
'Ah! Damn I really did miss this.' They all subconsciously thought.
The crows are complete at last.
A sudden poem went to Takeda's head that might suit this situation. "Crows call you to speak your truth, know your life mission and follow your dreams. Welcome back, Hinata."
Hinata stared at him confusedly, "I don't really know what you mean but it sounds nice. Thank you, Takeda-sensei! I'll work harder from here on out!"
"Idiot."
"Tsukki, be nice!"
"Yamaguchi, shut up!"
Yamaguchi quietly mumbled. "Uno reverse card."
"Huh?" Tsukishima looked confusedly at his best friend before getting interrupted by their senpais.
"Now, now, Tsukishima. Don't be stingy!"
"That's right! You should be happy, we have two goddesses on our team! Let's show those shitty boys the power of Karasuno!"
"Pfft- 'shitty' boys." Tsukishima and Yamaguchi laughed at their senpai's antics which started another chaos.
"ACK! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT RESPECTING YOUR SENPAIS!" Tanaka started lecturing, more like yelling, them about why they should respect and blah blah blah.
This is a normal day for Karasuno.
to be continued.