i forgot to mention this but i screwed up the timing when first years enter high school and third years graduate in japan ahshdkwks for the sake of story flow let's imagine it's correct ;^;
Inarizaki High
5pm
— a t s u m u —
"IS CHOYO COMING TO watch our practice today?" Osamu asked him.
"Yeah," came Atsumu's curt reply.
The twins quickly fell into a tense silence as they head towards the gym after lessons. Atsumu couldn't remember when was the last time he had a proper conversation with Osamu. He had nothing to say to him anyway. What was he supposed to say when they both almost clawed each other's face off over the same girl?
Atsumu had to resist the urge to hiss and snap at his brother even during practice. He was the captain. And Coach Kurosu was watching him like a hawk all the time, probably sensing that something was off between them.
Heck, the whole team knew. And they could tell that it wasn't one their typical spats at all. But Atsumu had no fucks left to give. He could care less about Osamu being all sulky and depressed. All he cared about now was Choyo, and the fact that she chose him over Osamu.
That thought sent tingles down his spine and left him with a giddy little smile everytime. Was this even real? Atsumu felt like he was in some paradise right now. Maybe the gods were kind afterall and finally pitied him.
Choyo agreed to give him another chance, but he could tell she hasn't completely gotten over everything. She behaved a little awkwardly around him, and her gestures were a little stiff. Periodically, she would go quiet for a long time, as if having some sort of internal conflict with herself. She definitely was troubled with something, but everytime Atsumu started a conversation with her, she immediately put back on her usual gentle smile.
If Atsumu had to compare her with her twin brother, Shoyo was the dazzling bright summer sunshine while Choyo was the sun peaking shyly through the clouds on a warm and gentle spring day, making you feel fuzzy all over.
That was the conclusion Atsumu came to after a few weeks of hanging around Choyo. He didn't expect her to magically recover from all the trauma in an instant, and he was determined not to give up. He really, desperately wanted to prove to her that he truly cared for her. She still hasn't given him an answer for his little confession, but he was determined to make her say yes.
He didn't pull any extravagant stunts to impress her. He knew Choyo hated those things and she would immediately think that he reverted back to his old flamboyant playboy ways. So he stuck to the simple things. It became a routine now, that when he didn't have any volleyball practice, he would wait outside Toragaoka's school gates for her walk home together. Sometimes he would be waiting with her favourite matcha latte in hand. He even crashed her team's training when she went to watch them.
"Oh, Atsumu-san. You're here to watch again?" Chitoka raised her eyebrows when she saw him casually walking in with his hands stuffed in his pockets beside Choyo.
He visited so frequently he was on friendly terms with her teammates.
He also brought her out everytime there was a fair going on in the central park. Choyo called had him and dragged him to them most of the time, but he gladly tagged along anyway.
"Atsumu, let's get those dangos." Choyo's eyes instantly lit up at the sight of the pink, green and white balls skewered on a stick at one of the stalls.
Like a gentleman, Atsumu had paid for it.
"Atsumu, let's buy those takoyaki!" For someone who was on crutches, she sure walked fast as she dragged him over to the stall.
As usual, he had offered to pay for it too.
"Atsumu! Can we get another stick of dango?"
I wonder when my name start to have such a special ring to it everytime you say it?
His eyes softened as he gaze at Choyo happily eating away, her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink from the cold.
If my actions could make you smile like that, I'll be willing to do it over and over again.
Choyo had offered him a takoyaki. Instead, Atsumu sighed as he fished out a tissue from his pocket and wipped away the sauce around her mouth.
Since when did I start thinking such idiotic stuff like that?
Sometimes, he would compare himself now with his old self all the way back in training camp. The moment Choyo was back in his life again, it seemed to flip a switch in him. He threw his playboy ways out of the window and his attention zoned in on her. He regretted his every action that day when he pushed her down out of a jealous fit. He still regretted how he refused to listen to her speech about her love for him. Guilt still clawed at his heart at the realisation that he was the reason why Choyo almost lost her volleyball career.
Gosh, how was he so stupid?
To think a memory from ten years ago would have such a huge impact on his life.
His thoughts came back to present day. Choyo took her usual seat beside Coach Kurosu the moment she arrived at the gym. These days she didn't really pin up her fringe anymore, and it was getting a little long, starting to cover her eyes just a little. As usual, she offered to hold his jacket for him.
Giving her one last smile and a pat on the head, Atsumu jogged over to the centre of the court to begin warm ups with his teammates, making sure to stand as far away from Osamu as possible.
It doesn't matter how long it takes for her to say yes, I'll be more than willing to wait. As long I get to stay by her side, I'm happy.
•••
They're still not talking.
I watch the Miya twins with a concerned frown on my face. Right at the front, Atsumu has his volleyball jacket thrown over his shoulders and hands in the the pockets of his shorts as he and Ginjima immerse in a conversation. Infront of me, not so far away, Osamu randomly chips in his thoughts to Riseki and Kosaku's intense debate about which ramen place served the superior ramen. Other than that, Osamu mostly remain quiet.
He has been doing that alot these days. He doesn't really talk much with his teammates anymore, keeping his interactions to the bare minimum. It's as if he built a shell around himself and blocked everyone out. Atsumu doesn't seem bothered by this. Heck, he doesn't even care. Everytime I try to bring this topic up, he immediately coldly brushes it aside and start a new topic altogether.
It already breaks my heart that Osamu is clearly avoiding me, but it breaks my heart even more that the usually close-knit twins are now torn apart all because of me.
"You alright?" Suna falls into pace beside me, casting me a concerned frown. "You've been looking like you're worried about something for the entire practice today. Did Atsumu do something stupid again?"
"It's not like that." I offer him a quick smile before glancing at the twins again.
I feel Suna watching me closely."It's those two crackheads, isn't it?"
I nod sadly.
He lets out a small sigh. "I've got to admit, I'm kinda worried myself. I think this is the most serious fight they had in a while. Even when they got into a huge brawl after Osamu told Atsumu that he would quit volleyball after high school, they made up after a day or two."
"It's all my fault," I whisper, my gaze shifting down onto the ground.
"You can't control how they feel towards you nor the actions they decide to take because of it." Suna's voice is more emotionally charged than usual as he tells me off firmly. Like Osamu, Suna usually has an aloof personality, but this is the first time I've seen him telling me off like that. "I'm not the best at dishing out words of wisdom, but I think if you want to help mend the crack between the two, the first step is to stop pinning all the blame onto yourself. Everybody here can tell you've got Miya Atsumu, Inarizaki's flower boy, wrapped around your finger. I'm sure you can work something out."
I gulp. "Is it that obvious?"
Suna shoots me a deadpan, are-you-really-shitting-me-right-now look. "Even Akagi called me the other day out of the blue asking for any new developments between the two of you."
"And what did you say?"
"It's complicated."
I curse under my breath.
"Atsumu looks like some lovesick puppy following you around. God, I can't believe I get to witness the day where Atsumu gets absolutely whipped." Suna runs a hand through his hair and barks out a short laughter. Afterwards, his tone softens by a little bit. "He genuinely likes you, Hinata. I know you're still hurt by his actions, but at least believe me when I say that Atsumu isn't manipulating you into liking him and trashing you afterwards like his past 17372902 girlfriends."
I'm for a loss of words. My gaze shifts down to the ground. It's true that I've been having an internal struggle with myself, afraid that I'll get taken advantage of, afraid that I'm either forgiving him too easily or I'm being too petty for not forgiving Atsumu despite his earnest actions. Every now and then, scenes from the day Atsumu pushed me away will appear in my dreams, and the sting from his words is still raw and painful, as if it's just yesterday. Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a conflicted person. Sometimes I wish I'm just a simpleton who sees the positivity in everything and anything all the time. I try to be that sort of person, but I'll just fail miserably afterwards.
"Do you still believe in the goodness in him, Hinata?" Suna asks.
"I do," I whisper in a heartbeat.
Suna smiles. "I think that faith is all you need." He then snorts.
"He mentions you non-stop during practice, mind you. If you weren't having some deep conversation with Coach Kurosu, maybe you would've heard. He be like oh, Suna, you should ask Choyo how she blocks! Oh, Gin, adjust your form like Choyo when she spikes! Oh, Riseki! Have you seen how amazin' Choyo's set ups are despite being a spiker?" Suna mocks Atsumu's voice in a high-pitched, nasally falsetto, his face scrunched up in annoyance. He looks so tilted.
"Shut yer' trap, Suna!" Atsumu shouts from the front.
Suna merely rolls his eyes. "Freaking loser," he mutters under his breath.
"I heard that!"
"How can you hear that, what the hell!" Suna exclaims.
I gaze up to see Atsumu turning his attention back to Ginjima, making a scrunched up ugly face at him and throwing some snarky remark.
Do you still believe in the goodness in him?
At that moment, I decide to learn from Osamu and take that leap of faith.
•••
"Choyo-chan, it's 11.30pm. I know tomorrow's a Saturday but how did Sakamaki-san allow you to come out at such an ungodly hour for supper?" Atsumu questions me suspiciously as we enter Itobe Ramen.
The savoury scent of ramen broth wafts into my nose. My stomach instantly grumbles despite Yukio cooking too much for dinner just a few hours ago. "Don't you know, Atsumu? I'm a ninja. I sneak out of the house with silence and grace."
"A crippled ninja on crutches oh wow," Atsumu says wryly. "How stealthy. Naruto is quaking in his boots right now."
"An elephant sneezes in Yukio's face and he still sleeps like the dead." I ignore Atsumu's snarky little comment at the end as we take a seat at the counter.
When I waited for him outside his house, Atsumu literally burst out of the door, hair all messy (probably from lazing around in bed) with a random coat haphazardly thrown on a t-shirt he was probably going to sleep in. He stumbled over to me, a huge smile plastered on his face and I swear his eyes with shining. Now that I think of it, he was probably exhilarated since I'm the one initiating something.
We finish supper and after buying some popsicles (in winter, I know. A rather ballsy move), we sit down at a bench in a nearby park. As Atsumu starts rambling off about volleyball practice, I can't help but to admire his face, how bright his eyes are as they reflect the moonlight. His warm breaths releases into puffs of little clouds as he chatters on lively about his day.
"I got offered a sports scholarship today, Choyo-chan!" Atsumu says excitedly.
"Really? So fast! What's it about?" Right, Atsumu's going to be a third year in April. He's going to be graduating in a year's time.
"The Japan Volleyball Organisation offered me a spot in Division 1 of the V. League upon graduation from high school. Basically I get to go to college as a side gig while my main focus will be playing volleyball professionally!" Atsumu explains happily, his whole face lights up and he's basically squirming in his seat now. "Choyo-chan, this is basically what I've always been dreaming of!"
"That's awesome, Atsumu. I'm so happy for you, truly," I say, giving him a warm smile. "You've such a bright future ahead of you."
Atsumu turns to face me, his happy smile replaced by a more serious one as he looks at me in the eye. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Right now, I can see the turmoil of emotions going through him — hesitation, guilt, regret, determination.
"Choyo, I...I know I've been nothing but a dick towards you. I took your kindness for granted, hurting you over and over again for everytime you forgave my dumb actions. I know I've been cruel, and I don't expect you to instantly forget everything and forgive me. B-But, I...I..." Atsumu babbles, a loss for words. I can see the faint signs of a blush blooming on his cheeks.
Atsumu, the confident, condescending, perfectionist number one high school setter that is feared by many, is currently a stumbling, blushing mess that is short of breath everytime his eyes flicker over to look at my face.
"I don't want to be stuck in the past. I want to see my future with you in it."
At this point, my heart is racing wildly and I can already feel the tears prickling and threatening to fall out.
"So, Choyo, let me ask you again: please be my girlfriend." Atsumu's voice tappers down to a timid whisper at the end.
In a heart beat, I dive into his arms and wrap my own around his neck, throwing him completely off guard. He freezes for a good few seconds, shocked, as he tries to process whatever just happened.
"Dummy. Of course I will," I murmur into his ear. I feel so light and giddy, as if I'm floating on clouds.
Atsumu hugs me tightly. It seems like he can't wrap his head around what had just happened. "Really? Am I imagining things now? Choyo — "
I pull back and silence him with a kiss on the lips. Once again, I feel Atsumu freezing at my abrupt action, but this time he quickly collects himself and leans in, tilting his head a little to deepen the kiss.
It's like an explosion of emotion all at once. Warm and tender. I could feel how gentle Atsumu is, and his lips on mine feels like fire, making me fuzzy and warm all over in the middle of a freezing winter night.
That five seconds feel like eternity as we finally part. Atsumu leans his forehead against mine as he takes my hands into his large ones, rough and calloused after years of volleyball.
My head is still spinning, and judging by how ditzy Atsumu looks, so must he. We're so close, his breath fans warmly on my nose.
"My little Cho-cho."
oh my, a happy chapter? really? 🥺 this is the first time i'm writing a legit kiss scene i'm sorry that it's so crappy lol
p.s. don't you just love the banner pic 😔👌🏼👌🏼
- faith