Red String

The Case of Kageyama Tobio

The red string of fate is commonly thought of as an invisible red cord around the finger of those that are destined to meet one another in a certain situation as they are "their true love".

The story of the red string was Kageyama Kazuyo, Kageyama Tobio's grandfather favourite story to tell. Mostly to him and Miwa and sometimes with his cousin whenever he visited. Miwa would listen to it excitedly until she eventually started losing interest in it as she grows while his cousin doesn't really show any interest; opted more to ask them to run than listening to some fairy tale. Tobio on the other hand would share a secret look with his grandfather as he told the story. Because he knows that it is no fairy tale.

For as long as he could remember, he could see a red thread tied to a pinkie and drags somewhere. He could see his parent's string connected to each other and he could see Miwa's finger connected somewhere to someone Tobio doesn't know. Whenever he mentioned it to them, they would assume that Tobio was just referencing his beloved grandfather's story and so eventually, Tobio stopped mentioning the string as he could see that none of them is taking him seriously. Except for Kazuyo-san.

Because Kazuyo-san too is just like him.

But unlike him, Kazuyo-san's strings are not red. It's black and there's no thread connected to it. It looks like a simple black line on his pinkie. When he asks Kazuyo-san about it, instead of dismissing him, Kazuyo-san told him that it's because his fated partner; Tobio's grandmother is no longer in this world. That's when Tobio understands, only he and Kazuyo-san could see the world filled with red strings.

Kazuyo-san tells him that this vision is a gift. Even if he doesn't know how or why they were given this vision, Kazuyo-san would always tell him that just like his passion for volleyball, this world they see is also something to be treasured. And thus, volleyball and the red string; they are both Tobio's treasure, both given meaning by Kazuyo-san.

Tobio couldn't wait to meet the person at the end of his strings. He wonders what kind of person they are. Are they a boy or a girl? Will they be taller than him? He wonders if they like volleyball like him. Whoever they are, Tobio swore that he would fall in love with them no matter who it is because surely fate knows what they are doing.

And he finally met his fated partner during the first day of middle school volleyball.

Oikawa Tooru is older than him by two years and played the same position as him. Oikawa Tooru is indeed taller than him but he's sure that one day he'll surpass him. He's still growing and one day the milk he drinks will surely work its magic. And Oikawa Tooru is really good-looking if the numerous fangirls weren't enough indicator. Not only that, but Oikawa Tooru is also really good at volleyball. His form, his skills, they were all very beautiful to Tobio.

For Tobio, it was love at first sight.

When he tells Kazuyo-san excitedly about it, Kazuyo-san smiles and pat his head, happy that Tobio is happy with his fated partner. These days, it was difficult to converse with Kazuyo-san, what's with him at the hospital and Tobio aren't able to spend time with him much thanks to his busy school's schedule. But the few hours he got to spend with Kazuyo-san was something he deeply treasures. Now that Miwa had left for college, the house feels even lonelier than usual.

Since then, Tobio would find his gaze naturally landed on Oikawa Tooru. Tobio finds himself impressed by anything Oikawa Tooru did and tried to get closer to him. Asking for tips and trying to copy Oikawa's movement during practice. Eventually, however, Oikawa would begin to refuse to help him in a any way while insulting him. Not only that, it seems that Oikawa has taken a liking in terrorizing him; pinching his cheek, holding the volleyball up high so that Tobio couldn't touch it and continuously calling him 'Tobio-chan'. It was childish but Tobio still finds himself agitated by it. At times, Tobio would find himself glaring at his string, wondering if the string hadn't accidentally tied himself to the wrong person but upon remembering the first time he met Oikawa, Tobio still believed that at the end of the day, the string can never be wrong.