"I'm dating someone," Natsumi opened the conversation with such a casual tone that made Yukimi choke on her kimchi. The dark-haired woman let out a gasp when she realized that her daughter was teary-eyed at the spiciness from the kimchi. "Are you alright?!"
Suddenly, the dinner tasted bitter on Yukimi's tongue as her gaze never lifted from her plate while her mother took out a box of banana milk and poured a glass for her daughter. She already had hints that her mother was currently seeing someone. The lingering perfume that was so musky and staying strong on her mother's unscented blazer once a week. The flashing smiles every time the older woman checks her phone or answers a call. The constant gifts being given to Yukimi, mostly clothes and books, that the caramel-eyed girl was sure her mother didn't buy. There was also the case of her hospital bills being paid in days rather than weeks and the fact that her mother booked a lot of sessions which cost a lot even for her weekly ones back in the days.
It was all there.
And now Yukimi was feeling guilty that she thought of her dad while lifting her gaze to stare at Natsumi's concerned face. She was supposed to be happy for her mother but she couldn't help but look at the family portrait Haruto painted for months. Months of perfecting their expressions and planning out the sketch and color palette. Months of intense excitement in every corner of the house because Haruto was making a piece that was worthy of being placed on a pedestal for how much care he gave each brushstroke. Those months were now minuscule and was gradually being forgotten in their new home. But it would be so hard for them if Yukimi showed the slightest bit of discomfort at the thought of her mother loving someone other than her father. Who was she to talk to even? She dated someone and didn't even have the plans to tell Natsumi about it and all the times the older woman met Kuroo was through coincidences.
At least her mother met him, Yukimi has never caught a glimpse of this person her mother is so infatuated with.
"When?"
"Huh?" Natsumi asked out of shock. She was expecting her daughter to be less docile about the news but all she could see was Yukimi trying so hard to flash a smile at her. It was making her eyes well up with tears. "Oh, for a couple of months now."
Yukimi furrowed her brows, leaning forward a little bit in her seat. "A couple of months?"
The older woman sighed before smiling sadly. "Since the start of the year, Yuki-chan." She then rose a hand in front of the girl's face, making Yukimi coil back in her chair. "I know that you're having a fit inside your mind right now but," Natsumi looked down on her dinner plate, "have you ever felt lonely in all those years where Haru wasn't around?"
"Why would you be lonely when you have me, Mom?" Yukimi scoffed. She knew she was acting like a little kid at the moment but of course, she had every right to be mad because her mother chose to keep this a secret from her. "You can't just throw this information at me when more than half of the year has passed!"
Silence covered the room with a thick air of discomfort as Yukimi waited for her mother to talk. Upon seeing the tears escaping Natsumi's eyes, the younger girl immediately felt a surge of guilt. She didn't mean to snap at her mother when all the older woman did was to make her feel at home in an uncharted, bustling city. Her mother deserved all the happiness in the world after the death of Haruto but why was she so adamant in making Natsumi believe that the only person the older woman could love was Yukimi's dad. Was Yukimi's parents' love not enough for her mom to find comfort in someone else rather than the only one holding Haruto's memories, which would be their daughter? Yukimi thought that she would never see the day where her mother would remarry and make a family of her own yet here she was.
Now, everything was so blurry and Yukimi never knew she was crying until she heard herself sniff.
"Mom, Am I not enough to make you happy?" The caramel-eyed girl murmured. "To make you feel less lonely? I thought everything was working out for us?"
"Sweetie," Natsumi called out, reaching a hand to cover Yukimi's clenched one on the table. The mantel was getting crinkly and her heart was pinching at how the younger girl seemed to not have a care if her hand bled from how tight she dug her nails through her palm. "You're always a reason for me to be happy. This person, the person I'm seeing, made me feel loved in a way that was so nostalgic to me. They gave my world a lot more color than it originally had. Yuki-chan, they were sparkling in my eyes and I am shining through theirs. I know you're thinking that I'm so selfish for neglecting you and for forgetting Haru but you can think of it that way. I will never forget how Haru made me feel special and cared for through the years and his love for me will always be engraved in my soul that no one could erase. I'm not dating this person to replace Haru or to fix a hole in my heart, I'm dating them because I felt like I was supposed to ー like I'm meant to.
"I love them, Yuki-chan, and I hope you really understand. I'll do everything for you to understand."
Yukimi felt herself breathe ー everything cleared and all she could hear were her mother's words inside her head, going on a loop. "Okay," she finally said, which brightened up the atmosphere in their dining area. Looking softly at Natsumi's eyes, Yukimi forced a smile to her face. "But give me time to process all of this, Mom. And as you said, I understand and I'm willing to understand if ever you want to introduce them to me."
"About that," Natsumi nervously chuckled. "They were planning on coming here for the weekend."
"What?!"
"Oh, and along with their son."
"Mom!"
Wait, son?
If love can be described as meeting someone who can bring color to your monochromatic world or seeing them blanketed in the blinding light of sparkling stars, then, Yukimi might be witnessing the cosmos and a thousand suns every time her eyes found Kuroo. In their loud classroom, he shone like a flame, vital and heartwarming, with his skin tanner than the rest of the boys and setting him off from them. It completely drew Yukimi's eyes as if it was aligned for her to do so. The messy-haired boy's appearance was so ruggedly handsome that it wasn't only her who seem to notice how Kuroo brightly made his groupmates at ease. It fluttered the caramel-eyed girl's chest no matter how contagious his laugh was or how people described it as funny, it was one of the things she genuinely loves about him. Everything about the golden-eyed boy across the room was so out of the league for her and she only realized it when it seems like he was so far away from her even though the space between them was so close.
Kuroo then turned his head slightly to her direction as if he could hear her calling for him inside her mind. For half a minute their gazes held at each other, Yukimi saw how Kuroo perked up, the former feeling an intense longing for the latter. She never jerked her gaze away from him even though her cheeks were becoming warmer by the passing seconds. These moments that almost seem like only the two of them share, no matter how fleeting it is, were the only moments in their days where they felt anything akin to spring and all the seasons combined. Their stomachs fluttered with butterfly wings, swooping in tendrils of the urge to just hold each other's hand or better, experience the softness of a kiss.
"Kazahana, are you okay?" Romio asked from in front of her, their group's sheet of paper unattended for a couple of minutes. "You've been spacing out lately. The others have already pitched in their ideas by now, I was wondering if you have any suggestions for the creative project?"
"Oh," Yukimi exclaimed, her face painted a pretty shade of rose as she looked down on the piece of paper. "Uhm, how about we try making a song about the two characters, sort of like an epic, and fashion it out so that the others will engage themselves in deciphering it."
"That's a nice idea!" One of their groupmates exclaimed. "And we have choir and Music club members in our group. That would be so convenient."
"Yeah, I agree."
"We'll vote first, though, since Kagami's idea of doing a poster sounds appealing to me, too."
The moment Yukimi suggested that they will be making a song for the creative project, Romio's chest was fluttering immensely as he looked at the dark-haired girl with a slacked jaw. He recommended doing a poster for their output since he knew it would be alongside Yukimi's forte and it would mean that she would enjoy doing it with their group, which was rare on the girl's part. And having her say something that involves something he loves doing, gives him the very feeling he was hoping would be gone. There he realized that no matter how many months they were apart from each other or how he briefly dated someone other than her, the only sparkling person in Romio's surroundings was still Yukimi. But it couldn't be him that got her so mesmerized at the moment. It was the volleyball club's captain that got her in such a daze.
It was supposed to hurt like an explosion but why was he finding her beautiful while looking at another person that wasn't him.
Then, the class representative went in front of the board to write down the assigned students for cleaning duty and it was once again the pair sitting in front of each other. Romio wanted to tell the oblivious dark-haired girl, who was now scribbling something on her notebook and not paying attention to her surroundings, but he was beaten by aー
"Hana."
Quickly, the said girl jumped in her seat and looked up at Kuroo with wide eyes, a hand placed on top of her pounding chest. "You scared me, Tetsurou," she told him with a lingering smile.
A grin lifted Kuroo's lips, his hand tentatively brushing against hers, which was placed on top of the desk. "It's dismissal, thought I should let our precious manager know."
"What?" Yukimi asked, roaming her head around the classroom, and true enough to the tall boy's statement, everybody was packing their bags and filling the room with questions in which convenience stores they should go for some afternoon snacks. All except for one, who was leaning against his desk not too far from them, his gaze set on the board, which made Yukimi turn to the written names on it as well. Her eyes widened before she immediately cringed. "Tetsurou, I don't think I'm going to the club with you this afternoon. I might be a little late."
"Hmm?" Kuroo rose an eyebrow and followed her gaze. He nearly groaned but he caught himself when Romio was still inside their classroom. Slightly furrowing his brows, Kuroo ducked down in reflex as if he was about to kiss Yukimi on the cheek. However, he stopped a few inches away from her face, eyes wide and lips parted as the ethereal girl turned her head towards him. Their gaze connected once more, though everything was standing on the edge and singing for them to make the next move. Right when he was about to lose all of his restraint, Kuroo looked away and straightened himself. "Hana, give me your bag," he murmured, hand scratching the back of his head. "I'll wait for you by the shoe lockers."
We've broken up. There's no reason to keep doing those things, Kuroo thought bitterly.
Yukimi stayed still in her seat, her mouth opening and closing, trying to find her voice just to call out his name. All she could do was sullenly stare at the sliding doors where Kuroo exited, eyebrows lowering and vision becoming misty. All of the physical contacts that flowed between the two of them abruptly closed off yesterday when she came back from the hospital. The most they could do now was brush their fingers together or the casual hands on the arm or the small of one's back. She knew that this would be inevitable but she was already hurting only a day through their break-up, which was foolish.
Hastily wiping her tears, Yukimi stood up, wordlessly retrieved the rags at the back of the room, and immediately started wiping one of the windows. She was immersed in cleaning while her mind ran miles regarding the volleyball club and their messy-haired captain. She was thinking of ways to suggest some more plays or give Nekomata their budget report for another training camp with Karasuno. She was coming up with welcoming statements to their visitors and possible new members of the family (if her mother ever had a fleeting thought of remarrying the person she was dating). Yukimi was perfectly inside her personal bubble until she heard someone speak not too far from her, which she didn't catch at first. And she regretted turning around the next second.
"Kazahana, I like you."
It was supposed to be a fluttering moment. Everything should be sparkling. The room needed the explosion of colors. Instead, a powerful gust of wind blew through the windows and curtains, obscuring Yukimi's view as she tried tidying her hair from the wind. When the curtains went back to their places, it gave the caramel-eyed girl a clear view of the person confessing to her, his face set in a determined expression that might have won her over months ago. Why wasn't everything sparkling like a rain of shooting stars? Why didn't it give her butterflies? All of this; the setting, the atmosphere, and the scenario of just the two of them, and the words she badly wanted to hear from the brown-haired boy's mouth for two years, they were supposed to be picturesque.
Disbelief.
Incredulity.
Unawareness.
ーWere the words she could come up with now that she was faced with a red-faced Romio. The last word mostly about him. There were a lot of signs that Kuroo and Yukimi were starting to be involved in a high-school romance, almost everyone knew it, even the faculty members. Who wouldn't think that when their positions in their clubs were screaming to be made into panels telling the story of friends turned to lovers?
"What?" Yukimi asked, not meaning to sound rude. In reality, she was only shocked that Romio would go out of his way to express his feelings to her.
The brown-haired boy stepped forward with his fists clenched on his sides. "You heard me the first time, Kazahana."
Running a hand through her hair, Yukimi asked, "I thought you were dating Chika-san?" Chika Miyuki, his best friend who the three of them (Kuroo, Kenma, and her) saw being affectionate with the boy in front of her in the café they frequently visited.
"ThーThat's," Romio stuttered, looking down on the floor. "We broke up a long time ago. She broke it off with me because she said I wasn't the same anymore. All along, I thought I was falling in love with her and it was only now that I realized that it has always been you. All the times our friendship circle passed by the gymnasium to get a glimpse of the volleyball club, I would always search for you and think that you're so cool in your uniform. It always hurts whenever I saw you interact with Kuroo-san and I don't even know why. Now, itー"
"Kagami-san, I'm sorry," Yukimi interrupted with her face depicting a sad smile before bowing in front of the boy. Once she straightened herself, with her hair tumbling down in waves over her shoulders, Yukimi chuckled. "I already have someone I love and I have no plans in giving up when it comes to this person. It's because of them I get to live my life out to the fullest in my last year of high school. They basically saved my life." She paused, fiddling with the strap of her wristwatch with a soft smile on her face. "You know, I imagined this moment a year ago, thinking that it could be filled with butterflies and overwhelming emotions that I wouldn't be able to contain, with the sunset as our witness. Now, the only things I could think of regarding confessions are the abundance of twinkling stars in the night sky, empty cans of watermelon sodas on a grassy hill, and the Moon being luminary with its light. It's funny how this was also the spot where I confessed to you a few months ago. So, Kagami-san, I'm going to be clear with you.
"Tetsurou shines brighter than anyone else for me and I know it will always be that way. I don't have eyes for anybody else."
The wind once again blew the remnants of Yukimi's words and pushed it to the very person in her declaration, who was listening by the door, his heartbeat racing and grip tightening on the cans of watermelon sodas in both of his hands. God, I love her so much, was what Kuroo thought as his lips broke into a giddy smile.
Romio smiled, bowing slightly after a few bouts of silence. "Thank you for listening to my confession, Kazahana."
Yukimi grinned, satisfied that she finally let out what was inside her chest and mind throughout the day. She lifted the rags and turned around to wipe the windows again. "Let's finish this quick." Then, she turned around to meet Romio's eyes. "We have club activities, right?"
With that, the classroom was basked with comfortable silence that the two of them were never in during their nearly three years of being schoolmates (they weren't classmates in their second-year in Nekoma). All the dark-haired girl could think about at the moment were the dishes that she will be cooking early in the morning tomorrow alongside her mother before going to school for the weekend practices. She vaguely remembered Natsumi telling her to prepare desserts because apparently, the son of her mother's lover claimed to like sweet things and had an obsession with some kind of bread. She would have to bake a regular cake since she doesn't know the specific preference of the kid. With her mind preoccupied, their cleaning duty passed by like a blur, and the next thing Yukimi knew, she was already standing in front of Kuroo by the shoe lockers.
"Let's go?" Kuroo asked with a soft smile, Yukimi's bag still on his other shoulder. "Oh, I forgot that I bought this for you." Then, he handed the can of watermelon soda to the dark-haired girl, his hand hovering awkwardly once Yukimi took the beverage from him with bright eyes. He wanted to tell her he overheard her conversation with Romio earlier but all he could say was, "You know I still love you, right?" Yukimi sputtered the watermelon soda upon hearing the words, urging Kuroo to be instantly by her side, patting her back gently as she calmed down. "I'm sorry I surprised you with that," he ducked down a little to meet the girl's eyes, "but I'm speaking the truth. I still love you and I'll always wait for you, Hana."
Yukimi was silent, warmth overflowing and heartbeat accelerating at the boy's statement. This time, the caramel-eyed girl was sure that she saw the whole scenery, way past the shoe lockers, bathing in color and Kuroo Tetsurou was the subject ー her subject. She was always swinging between hope and melancholy at his slightest gestures, be it seeking her eyes across the gymnasium or getting the tangles out of her hair from rushing towards school, all of it was making her heart yearn for him even more. He was like a rain shower of comets, shooting stars, and luminaries. She ducked down, avoiding his eyes to hide the fact that she was pouring out her feelings for him with only a stare. "Tetsurou," she murmured, "can I do something real quick?"
Kuroo hummed in question. "Sure, if it's going to the toilets on this floor, I'm going to wait for you so don't worry."
"It's not that." Yukimi stood on her tip-toes, placing both of her hands on the boy's chest. Kissing him on the cheek again without caring for their relationship status was euphoric for the both of them. She could feel the mild lavender undertone of his scent as she firmly planted her lips on the corners of his lips again, lingering for a moment before quickly turning around. "The others might be waiting for us," she stuttered, both her mind and heart a flustered mess.
Kuroo looked at her back for a couple of minutes ー the bounce of her hair that was getting longer, her tense shoulders that he really wanted to ease with an embrace, the way she hurriedly put on her outdoor shoes, and the occasional glances she gave him ー they weren't helping in tranquilizing the celebratory beat his chest conjured.
She still smelled of watermelon and it was enough for the golden-eyed boy to love her even more.
Saturday came and so will their visitors. Yukimi was up five o'clock in the morning to prepare some of the dishes for lunch, creating her own bento box since she would be eating with the club members. It was a rare sight for Natsumi to have her daughter bustling in the kitchen with a messy ponytail and a flour-covered apron over her matching pajamas. For an early hour of the day, the Kazahana household was filled with aromatic smells that made Yukimi hungry at the last minute, leading to her being forced by her mother to take a rest and get some breakfast. Right when the clock struck seven, Yukimi excused herself from her mother and quickly prepared herself for the day's practice, her backpack bouncing and her manager tracksuit flashing through the quiet house. Today was the day Hikari will be officially taking on the responsibilities of being the club's second manager and the dark-haired girl couldn't contain her excitement.
Before Yukimi could step foot outside their door, Natsumi went to the genkan to catch up with her daughter, handing the girl's daily bottle of banana milk.
"They'll be arriving here at ten in the morning and they'll be staying until Monday afternoon," Natsumi informed the younger girl.
"Won't the kid have classes?" Yukimi curiously asked, poking the straw through the lid, and taking a refreshing sip of her preferred drink.
"Kid?" Natsumi muttered, confused by the girl's casual question. Then, she remembered that her lover will be bringing a kid in the visit and figured that her daughter was hinting at that one. "Oh, the companions said that they will be skipping class and have a break from sports and academics. They really do deserve the break though. Saki was always telling me that her son was coming home from volleyball practice late at night and I figured that this would be the perfect timing to get some rest as well."
"That's weird."
"What is?" Now Natsumi was really confused.
"Most of the people in my life right now somehow have connections with volleyball. All of my friends, that is." Yukimi opened the door and waved enthusiastically to her mother. "Bye, Mom, see you this afternoon!"
"Stay safe, Yuki-chan!"
"Always, Mom."
The hours spent in Nekoma's volleyball club was all about honing each member's strength when it comes to attacking and holding their guard. The boys requested that they do their practice separately and sometimes pulling someone to help them by just tossing the ball while they do quick attacks. Kuroo was figured that it would be great to have their ace face him (Teshiro, the first-year setter being the one giving him tosses), with the two-toned boy's strong attacks and vibrant nature, all for improving his blocks. The captain wanted to get the perfect timing and asked Yukimi to record his successful attempts in her notebook. Yaku was off receiving Kai's enhanced serves and Kenma was setting for the first-years and Fukunaga again, appointing Shibayama to receive the quick attacks alternatively. All of them were setting their gears for the upcoming Spring Interhigh preliminaries. October was right around the corner and not one of them will be giving up the time and opportunity to improve themselves.
After a break, the team was given tablets to watch some plays in Olympic matches, letting them analyze each move of the professionals on their screens as they fashion them to their liking. It was more than the usual events happening inside the huge gymnasium and Yukimi was starting to feel the loom of the tournament over her shoulder.
The match-ups weren't released yet and were anticipated to be released on Monday. She hoped that the boys will be facing teams that will have them place the right amount of effort on the court as well as let them breathe every once in a while. Yukimi would have to prepare a more equipped first-aid kit if ever Kenma displays signs of hyperventilation in a game or if any player from their team sprains a limb. As the manager, Yukimi would do anything to support the members and be there whenever they need help. It was a good thing that Hikari will be there to help her.
This was more than a club for Yukimi and nothing can change her mind. It was all written on her face as she stared at each of the boys with a sure smile on her face, trusting them in their journey to the top even though she already knew that they will be facing Karasuno in the nationals.
The practice for the day ended in satisfaction, with some of them going straight home while the others were planning on spending the few hours of daylight hanging out with each other. Yukimi was one of the former while Kuroo became the ringleader for the latter group. The messy-haired boy gave her a playful air-kiss when they walked her to the station, which she smilingly rolled her eyes at while waving goodbye to the rest of the club (mainly Hikari, Kenma, Yaku, Lev, and Fukunaga).
When she arrived in front of their house, Yukimi saw an unfamiliar car parked on the side of the road right next to her mother's car. That could be their visitors'. With a hummed tune under her breath, Yukimi walked on the pathway with measured footsteps until she heard the thumps of someone running towards the door, and faintly hearing along the lines of Takeru. Everything was so sudden as the door slammed open and a small body barreled on her torso, sending her on the harsh gravel of their pathway. She tried sitting up but she felt a slight sting coming from her bottom, making her flinch in pain. There was also something hot on the palm of her right hand. As Yukimi rose it in front of her face, she saw that she might have used it as something to balance her weight and cushion her fall. The skin of her wrist was burning red with her pulse.
"Ah, TAKERU! Look at what you've done! Oh, my God, are you okayー?!"
It was the boy she bumped into in Miyagi's Spring Interhigh preliminaries. The pretty boy who wanted her name but never got it when Hinata interrupted Yukimi. He looked different with casual clothes on because for some reason, Yukimi always associated him with the teal of his team's shirt. What a huge coincidence. One of her visitors was the person named Kusoikawa, who stopped in fussing over her sitting form and was now blatantly gaping at her with disbelief splattered on his face.
"YーYou."
"Me?" Yukimi warily asked, leaning back a little.
"The pretty girl inー"
"Tooru, what happened?" A beautiful brown-haired woman clad in a fitting shirt tucked in a pair of high-waisted slacks stepped out of the house and upon seeing that Yukimi was still sitting on the pathway, she frantically went to her side. "Are you okay?" Her tone was enough for Yukimi to breathe again from the pain coming from her bottom and wrist. She then turned to where the kid and Tooru were standing with a glare, the two boys jumping back from the intensity of the stare. "Who did this to her?"
"Yuki-chan?!" Natsumi shouted from the doorway, watching as the other woman helped her up gently. "Where does it hurt?"
"Just my wrist," Yukimi murmured, patting her sweatpants free from dirt with her uninjured hand.
"Come inside so that we'll ice it," Natsumi told her. "I might have to call Nekomata-san again to have you take the day off tomorrow."
"But, Mom," the dark-haired girl retaliated, catching the attention of everyone in the front yard. She felt her face heat up from having all eyes on her before looking on the ground. "The team is immersing in improving themselves and I want to be there to witness it. I don't care if I can't write down their progress but I still want to be a part of their growth. So please, let me be in the club tomorrow."
The older woman stared at her daughter fondly, slowly realizing that Yukimi didn't need the extra session with the pushy therapist. The club might be the right thing for her and Natsumi had no plans in keeping her away from those people so she smiled, "Okay, Yuki-chan, I won't inform Nekomata-san tonight. Only if you get inside right now and apply first-aid on your wrist." Natsumi shared a glance with the brown-haired woman, the latter going by her side and affectionately wrapping an arm around the former's shoulders. "Oh, and I'm happy that you're now acquainted with Takeru-chan and Tooru-kun. You'll be seeing more of them often these days."
Yukimi slowly turned her head to the tall brown-haired boy, who was sheepishly scratching the back of his head and avoiding her gaze. She then shifted her stare at the little boy hiding behind Tooru's legs, who was also doing what the older boy displayed.
"I'm sorry, nee-san," Takeru voiced out, peeking from his uncle's leg to shyly look at the pretty girl.
"It's alright, Takeru-chan," Yukimi replied, giving the kid a smile that made him flush. Then, she transferred her eyes back to the older boy. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Tooru, my name is Kazahana Yukimi. I hope we'll get along this weekend.
Oikawa was left staring at her, his mind racing that he finally knew her name.
THIS IS UNEDITED HHHHHH I'LL EDIT THIS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING 🥺
I HOPE YOU HAVE AN AMAZING DAY AHEAD !! 🧡
P.S. YOU KNOW I CAN SEE THE NAMES OF THE READING LISTS YOU'RE ADDING MY FIC TO, RIGHT? 👀