Eleven Red Lotuses | Kageyama Tobio | S/H

Epilogue 2: They Are Better Gone Than Knowing One Day They Will Be

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     "A few people have been wondering, Kageyama-san,"  The reporter starts.  The sleek black microphone picked up every little sound of the volleyball game being played just behind the set-up.  They'd pulled him to the side as soon as he finished his last game of the day.  "Plenty of people are wondering if you're dating or when you'll get into the dating scene."  She says excitedly.
     Kageyama pauses to look over when Hinata crashes the interview, plopping down on the bench beside him.
     "Uh, I'm actually married."  He states, turning forward again.  The interviewer stares at him for a moment in shock, not-so-subtly glancing down at his bare hands.  Hinata drops a ring and a necklace into his hand, and the wedding band easily slides on.
     "O-Oh!  I had no idea."  She says quickly as he clips the necklace on.  "Will the public ever meet your spouse?"  She asks.  Hinata purses his lips and looks over at his old classmate.
     "They can right now, she's right here."  Kageyama answers in a soft voice.  The camera follows his hand that pulls on the necklace.  It was an old, tarnished silver necklace with an elegant silver ring and a tiny (E/C)-tinted glass jar with a corkscrew.  As he held up the small jar to be seen, the ashes inside shifted.
     "...Oh."  The interviewer breathes softly.  There wasn't much to say to that.
     Hinata looks over his shoulder, bobbing his head and patting his knees.  "Our coaches are calling for us.  Goodbye!"  He tells the interviewer as Kageyama begins to follow him out.
     "O-Of course!  Thank you for your time!"  She calls after them.  

     His fingers fiddled with the necklace.  The (E/C) jar clinks against his wedding ring.  Such a simple noise that always brought tears to his eyes.  
     "Hm...  Tobio, what's your favorite household noise?"  She asks.
     "What?"  He laughs.  She smiles, leaning across the table to grab a bite of his rice with a giggle as she ate it.
     "Like a noise that you hear in your house sometimes.  Not super often, but whenever you hear, it, you kinda relax and you're like, 'Ah, yes, this is home.'  What's that noise for you?"  He opens his mouth to answer, but she puts a finger to his lips quickly.  "And don't you dare say some cutesy shit like 'your voice' okay 'cause that's cheesy."  She giggles again.  
     "Damn, got me.  Hm, I don't know.  Maybe when you hear cabinets close softly so it's just the dull sound of wood against wood."  She grins from ear to ear as she leans back.  
     "Ah.  So you like cozy homes."  She states.  
     "Holy shit, how did you figure that out?"  He asks quickly.  That was some serious detective work.  But she just giggles.
     "You told me a week ago."  She laughs.  
     "Gods."  He hums with faux disappointment.  "So what's your favorite household noise?"  
      "To be honest, it's whenever I pick up a glass and my ring clicks against it."  She smiles softly down at her hand and he had to pause a moment to appreciate it.  "I've always liked that soft, unexpected 'clink' but... but now that's a wedding ring, it sounds like the bells of fate."  
     He falls through the front door of his apartment.  He'd been living there since he was 16.  The night he'd gone back into his family's apartment, everywhere he looked, he saw memories.  He saw her.  He saw them.  He saw what he could never have again.  
     He falls onto their old sleeping chair, switching on the TV.  The only channel that was ever on was the one that constantly streamed volleyball games.  He didn't even own a bed, because she could never sleep on them.
     He glances over at his phone as it rings.  Slowly, he answers it.  
     "Hello?"  He whines softly.  He shifts and flips onto his back, staring up at a blank ceiling.  
     "Hello, Kageyama-san."  A woman says over the phone.  His eyebrows twist together at the unfamiliar voice and the sound of shifting papers.  "I apologize for the short notice.  Principal Hamamoto wanted to invite you to speak to the current Karasuno students about Miss Kageyama during the spring festival."  She states.  "It's the 11-year anniversary tomorrow.  We would've like to host you for the 10th, but we still had COVID concerns then."  
     "O-Oh."  He mumbles.  11 years?  It's felt like one thousand.  "Yes, I'd be okay doing that."  
     "We'll pay the expense for a subway ride here and back if you're not nearby.  The festival starts at noon tomorrow, and he currently has your speech set for 15 o'clock if you do want to come.  If you'd like to, please go ahead and send him an email to let him know.  His email is..."  
     Kageyama makes a mental note of it, nodding to himself even though nobody knew.  "I'll send him a message.  Thank you for contacting me."  
     "Of course, sir."