Late Night Drinks

Chapter 28

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me, I-I-"

Takeda and Ukai watched Kei cry, both feeling a bit guilty.

"I can't with myself anymore, I just make things worst, I'm such a burden, I-I shouldn't even be on this team anymore, my life is already a mess-"

You could barely understand what Kei was trying to say, his voice just kept breaking, he chopped up his sentences, he couldn't talk properly.

"Tsu-Tsukishima, calm down-" Takeda said.
"I CAN'T CALM DOWN!" Kei snapped. "EVERYTHING'S SUCH A MESS RIGHT NOW, NOTHING'S GETTING BETTER, I-I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

"Tsu-"
Takeda and Ukai couldn't even say a single word. Kei was really hurt, so they just decided to listen to what he has to say.

"THINGS JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, FIRST MY PARENTS SPLIT UP, MY DAD COMES BACK TO THE COUNTRY, HE'S HAVING PEOPLE HUNT ME DOWN, MY MOM'S IN THE HOSPITAL, IT'S JUST NII-CHAN AND I, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE ANYMORE, WE-WE-"

Takeda crouched down, and wrapped his arms around Kei. "Shh, it's ok, just let it all out..."
Totally shocked, Kei didn't care anymore, he just cried in the arms of his sensei.
"SENSEI, I DON'T WANNA LIVE ANYMORE-"

"Tsukishima, please don't say that..." Takeda whispered. After a while, Kei finally calmed down.
"You ready to explain to us?" Ukai asked. Kei nodded, as he stood up.

"So, what's going on, Tsukishima?" Takeda asked.
"M-my parents d-divorced a few years ago..." Kei said.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Takeda said.
"My father c-came back to the country, and now he's having people search for m-e..." Kei trembled. "He might look for my brother or mom, too..."

Ukai and Takeda gave each other concerned looks. "That's terrible..." Takeda mumbled.
"What about your mom?" Ukai asked.
"She-she got sick about a year ago, and she's been ho-hospitalized ever since..." Kei wiped his eye.
"I'm sorry about that..." Takeda said.
"And your brother?" Ukai asked.
"Um, he's a college student, but he's also employed at a cafe." Kei answered. Ukai nodded.
"Ok, time for the real question...Tsukishima, why did you leave?" He asked. Kei hesitated.

There's no point in hiding it, anymore...

"I...my manager asked me to come over and help..." Kei said. Ukai and Takeda's eyes widen.
"Manager? Wait, why would your manager even call you to come over at night?" Ukai asked.
"Because...I work at a club..." Kei said. Takeda couldn't say anything. Ukai was most shocked, too.

"I'm sorry...I should've told you earlier..." Kei trembled.
"No, no, don't be sorry, we're just sorta surprised that you work at a...club." Takeda said.
"But you're 16, how did you even mange to get hired?" Ukai asked.
"They were hiring people who were 15 or older, and I wanted to help my brother with house bill, and our mother's hospital medication." Kei explained.

"That's very nice of you, Tsukishima." Takeda said. "But next time you need to work, please tell us first."
"I know..." Kei said.
"Ah, ok, we'll handle the rest, you may go back to sleep." Ukai yawned. Kei nodded, and bowed, on his way out.

Kei felt a sudden relief through his body. Although his coaches yelled at him, he was just glad that he got all of that weight taken off his shoulders. He walked to his cabin, it was almost three in the morning. He glanced at the Nekoma cabin, where he saw Tetsuro. His eyes locked with the other middle blocker. But Tetsuro looked away, and closed the curtains. That just made Kei's heart hurt.

Kuroo...He's mad... He thought, as a tear ran down his cheek. He wiped his eye, and quickly walked back to his cabin.

Kei made it back to the cabin, and noticed that the lights were still on. He slowly opened the door, which revealed his teammates looking straight at him, all sitting in the center of the room. "Um..." Kei mumbled.