Your head was swirling with questions, thoughts, and memories as you tried to find clarity amidst the uncertainty.
Should you try to fix things with King? It was up to her, and she chose her best friend. Maybe you should talk to someone, like Iwaizumi? No, you didn't trust him on a personal level, and that was part of why your head was spinning. Calling your brother crossed your mind, but did you really want to involve him and risk ruining a childhood friendship? Perhaps Akaashi? No, he was partly responsible for your current situation.
Pulling out your phone, you noticed two new contacts: "TSUKISHIMA" and "KUROO". Excitedly, you created a group chat with their names and immediately sent a message.
ME:
Heyy! How are you guys doing! I have a crazy story to tell you both
(now)
You stared at your phone, hoping for a quick response. After a couple of minutes, someone finally replied.
TSUKISHIMA:
Did you get a job?
(Now)
ME:
Kinda??
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
???
(Now)
KUROO:
Hi Y/n!! I hope you're all good, what's your crazy news?
(Now)
KURRI REPLIED TO TAUKISHIMA:
Tsukki, you need to be nice :(
(Now)
ME:
Thanks, but I don't need pity for my situation. But guess what happened
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
You got a job?
(Now)
KUROO:
You're doing a big commission?
(Now)
ME:
Well, sort of. Akaashi asked me to do some references for him for a popular manga, and now I'm being flown out by Alissa Haiba to help her with modeling poses
(Now)
KUROO:
Alissa Haiba????? Like the model?? Lev's sister?
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
When I said "job," I wasn't really talking about getting famous, but congrats
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA REPLIED TO KUROO:
They just said it was the model
(Now)
KUROO:
How come Lev has never pulled some strings like that for me
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
Don't blame him
(Now)
ME:
First of all, it was Akaashi's doing that I'm here, and against my will. Do you think I should just leave?
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
Are you on a plane rn?
(Now)
ME:
Yeah?
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
Then don't leave
(Now)
You rolled your eyes at the conversation before continuing.
ME:
Kuroo, what's your advice for me??
(Now)
KUROO:
Why are you thinking of leaving?
(Now)
ME:
You can't tell me I look like the type of person eager for fame, ready to just fly with celebrities and get paid
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
So why are you on the plane??
(Now)
ME:
True, but that's because life isn't letting me make my own choices atm
(Now)
KUROO:
I say yolo and have fun. It'd be great for the portfolio
(Now)
ME:
Yeah, I would have said the same, other than the fact that she wants Iwaizumi to model and be her personal trainer. So I just help get into the best poses for the two to fondle each other
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
LMAOOOOOO?
(Now)
KUROO:
That right there almost made me have a locked jaw. Please get Alissa to book you a hotel so you can fly back home asap.
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
😂😂😂😂😂
(Now)
ME:
Thanks, Tsukishima, you're such a help
(Now)
TSUKISHIMA:
Sorry, it was a typo. I meant 😭😭😭😭😭
(Now)
TAUKISHIMA REPLIED TO YOU:
As funny as this whole situation is, you shouldn't let any opportunity pass you by because of someone, no matter who it is. It sounds like you probably knew the situation before you boarded the flight, so you're curious about how beneficial this can be for you. Focus on what you came here for. Alissa chose you because you are her inspiration, and she's a professional who has probably worked in cases like this many times, maybe a few scandals. Regardless, she is a model who chose both of you to help with modeling, not to fondle up Iwa or to torture you relentlessly. You're overthinking it when you should be learning from the experience.
(Now)
KUROO:
I've taught him well.
(Now)
ME:
You both are such cuties <3 thank you for the support!! (Now)
You locked your screen, and Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow at you. "Didn't know you three were all buddies," he remarked, and you relaxed in your chair. "They were the ones who helped me figure out this whole situation and checked in on me after the party," you explained, and silence fell between you again.
Finally, you arrived in Kyoto, where another escort was waiting to take you to the shoot. "So how are we feeling? I'm sorry if I upset you with this whole thing," Alissa asked as you all walked to the jeep. "Honestly, it was a little much, but I really think many good things will come out of it, so let's enjoy every aspect of it," you replied, feeling a bit of optimism in your steps.
After a short drive, you arrived at a large compound, similar to Akaashi's warehouse. Inside, a bright white room greeted you, filled with different color backdrops, cameras, tripods, wires, and a camera crew putting on their final touches before the shoot.
"You ready, Alissa? Ms. L/n will escort you and run through everything," the director said, and Alissa took your hand, leading you to the dressing rooms.
"This will be so fun! I haven't been able to do this with a girl in so long," Alissa exclaimed, and you laughed. "I haven't even done this with a model at all, so please let me know if I don't seem as professional as you thought," you replied, and she shook her head. "Nonsense, being professional is for the runway. Please loosen up. It'll help me give off the energy you're posing with," she encouraged, and you nodded.
You spent about an hour teaching her poses from Akaashi's sketches, walking her through each step. "I know I'm doing the pose, but there's not as much energy. I think modeling has stripped me of my personality," Alissa joked, and you handed her your sketchbook. "You just need a scenario to connect with. For me, it's my passion—all of it in here. And a bit of trauma to bring it to the surface," you said, and she hugged you.
"Okay, I'll try that! Thank you! You can go get a drink or anything if you're thirsty, maybe take a little 15-minute break?" she suggested, and you followed her advice. Heading to the coffee machine across the hall, you noticed Iwaizumi in a quiet room, presumably set up for calls or for models to get into character. Intrigued, you approached quietly, wondering who he was talking to on his laptop. It was a Zoom call, likely another client, but when you caught the name "DR." on the screen, your stomach twisted.
He closed the laptop abruptly, noticing you, and brushed past you. Grabbing his shirt, you called him back, and he turned reluctantly. "You're in therapy?" you blurted out, and he shrugged. "Not really a conversation I want to have here," he replied, and you fixed him with a stern look. "You should have told me," you said firmly.
"I should have told you after you shut me out?" he countered.
"Don't act like I didn't have good reason," you retorted.
"Right, because I'm just a big cheat who loves playing mind games with your head and heart," he shot back.
"Oh, my condolences. You deserve all the pity in the world. Honestly, I should have just let you have an orgy right in front of me to help you out."
His demeanor shifted noticeably, and he calmed himself. "I'm in therapy because of Kai, not you. Before you came back from Atsumu's, Kai left me over 50 voicemails tearing me to pieces for coming to you instead of staying with her. She admitted a lot in those messages," he began, and realization washed over you.
"She admitted to what she did with Atsumu, but also that she spiked my drinks because I wasn't as 'easy' to manipulate. Each time I 'cheated,' it was against my will, and it's why I couldn't remember much of those nights. I knew I didn't get drunk easily, let alone to that point where I'd physically hurt my friends. I just never considered that a possibility," he explained, and guilt surged through you.
"Because of me, I lost the person I cared for since childhood. Once Oikawa finds out, I'll probably lose my best friend, too, so I'm trying to deal with it as healthily as possible, attending all my sessions," he finished.
"Wait, so you want to get back together to cover this all up, so my brother won't find out, and we can seem like a happy couple again?" you asked incredulously, and he rolled his eyes. "Not everything is about getting back to 'us.' It's nice you have people checking in on you, but on my side, I'm seen as a stuck-up cheater who deserves the worst. My therapist is my only support to get me through this. Try seeing things from another perspective, not just your own," he said, walking away and leaving you feeling foolish.
"Y/n! Can you grab me some water on your way back?" Alissa called, and you gave her a thumbs-up before heading to the water fountain next to the coffee machine. On your return, you continued assisting Alissa until she felt confident enough to pose with Iwaizumi. Watching them align their bodies in various positions as cameras clicked and flashed, you noticed Iwaizumi briefly glance at you before focusing on Alissa, and your heart raced.
Had you been too harsh on him? He hadn't had a chance to fully explain his side of the story before you exploded at him. No, anyone would have reacted similarly; the situation was too intense for a calm response. Yet, you couldn't shake your concern for his well-being. It started with love, then rejection, and now guilt flooded your mind.
The shoot continued, and it wasn't as bad as you feared. Alissa didn't flirt with Iwaizumi, and he remained thoroughly professional. Gathering your things, you spotted Iwaizumi getting water and hurried over to him. He jumped slightly but relaxed when he saw it was you.
"Can we talk?" you asked hesitantly, and he shrugged. "Sure." Finding a quieter spot outside, you spoke first. "I want us to have closure," you began. "After what you just told me, I think it's important since we both ended up victims to someone else's plan. I'm not here to apologize for my feelings, though," you clarified, finally drawing a genuine laugh from him that warmed your heart a bit.
"I knew about the drugging before you came home. I just felt that after everything, you didn't need another burden, so I waited until things calmed down to tell you," he admitted, and you bit your lip. "I wouldn't have broken up with you if you had told me earlier," you admitted quietly, and silence hung between you.
"I wish you had talked to me, but it's not that simple when we were both fed lies that tore us apart," he finally said.
"So what happened to Kai?"
"She's in jail now, I think. Either way, she was the biggest pain since day one," he replied bitterly.
"So she's always been like this, since Atsumu?" you asked, and he nodded.
"Even with your brother," he added bitterly, and your eyes widened. "Tooru too????!!! Wait, what, when, how did that happen?" you demanded, but Iwaizumi shook his head. "That's a story for family members, not for me. You'll have to ask him," he deflected, and you scoffed.
"Right, which will be in like ten years if I'm lucky, because he's not coming home anytime soon," you muttered sarcastically, and Iwaizumi's eyes flickered.
"What's with that look?" you pressed, and he hesitated. "I... Y/n, relax," he started, but you weren't having it.
"No more lies. Confess. What did you do?" you demanded, and he took a deep breath.
"My therapist said I'll never find closure or feel at peace until I talk to the person who's been on my mind the most," he admitted, and you nodded slowly, trying to process his words.
"Oh, so do you have closure now after talking?" you asked softly.
"No, sorry. You did help, but Oikawa is the one I needed closure from the most," he confessed, and tears sprang to your eyes.
You could feel your brain chemistry altering as those words slipped out of his mouth and you stared at him stunned. "Wa, wait WHAT?, you told him?!" you exclaim and Iwaizumi went to hold you close to calm you down and it works. "I told him everything from kai, the drinks, the break up, all that I know anyways," he says and tears leaked from your eyes.
"How was that?," you ask and he clears his throat. "He was pissed, but from the circumstances he was happy we were all okay and kai is locked up". You finally relaxed in his arms and you looked up towards him. Your heart skips a beat again as he makes contact with you. You look into his eyes deeper until you remembered the look from before. "Wait, why did you give me that look?" you asked, and he released you, stepping back.
"That's because Oikawa is on his way here right now."