❝Those Blueberry Eyes❞ ➵ {♔Oikage♔}

Chapter 17

     He ran. Past the frosty windows of stores about to close, past the parked cars gently covered with thin blankets of snow, past the almost isolated streets with scattered people returning to the warmth of their homes, Kageyama ran. His head was heavy with thoughts and emotions and he tried to lose them all, hoping they will be swept away by the freezing gusts of wind that blew at him in quick intervals.

     His heart hurt. He refused to acknowledge it, knowing that if he did, he wouldn't make it. Though the tears had stopped, his face was still hot. Their dried course left a distinguishable stain against his pale face.

     Kageyama finally slowed down as he approached the two streetlights in front of the school gates. He climbed over the short wall and walked inside, his steps now slow and breaths deep, tired from the run. Clutching the keys in his hand, he stealthily navigated his way towards the clubroom, adjusting his eyes to the lack of light inside the premises.

     He entered the clubroom and shutting the door softly behind him, he sat down with his back against it. Then hugging his knees to his chest, he finally let it go. The water flowed freely from his eyes as he sobbed into his arms, trying his best to suffocate his voice. Even now, he couldn't cry his heart out. He wasn't supposed to be there. But he had nowhere else to go. The wind howled outside as he sat in the darkness.

     Tobio stayed like that for about an hour. Then pulling out his phone, he dialed a number and put it against his ear. It rang a couple of times before the person on the other end picked up.

     "Tobio?"

     "Miwa nee-san..."

     "Yeah, what's up?"

     "I... Need you to come back." He covered his mouth before a sob could make it out.

     "What?"

     "Come back."

     Miwa noticed the strain in her brother's voice. "What's wrong? It's almost 9 p.m. Aren't you at the camp?"

     "No".

     "What do you mean?"

     "Please, I need you to pick me up." He cried into the receiver, his emotions taking over again.

     "I don't understand, you are supposed to be at your training camp, right? Did something happen?"

     "I'm not there!" His voice was louder this time.

     "Tobio, what's wrong? Are you crying?" Miwa's concerned voice came from the other end.

     "Please, nee-san, I just need you to come pick me up."

     There was a slight pause. "Where are you?"

     "In the school club room."

     "I'm coming. Wait for me."

     Kageyama nodded, then realised she couldn't see him. He whispered a small "Hmm" and cut the call.

...

     It had been two days since that night. Miwa drove back to Miyagi for two hours to pick him up. He wanted to go to Tokyo the next day but the roads were blocked due to snow so they had to stay at home. His sister pressed him about what had happened that night but he couldn't tell her. He felt bad for her having to cut her vacation short so he told her that he twisted his ankle and didn't have anywhere to stay since she had the keys. She asked him where he was for a week but left it alone after she realised he wouldn't talk about it.

     Tobio walked out of the store, looking into the bag to make sure he got everything. He wanted to hurry back before it started raining. The sky suddenly roared as lightning flashed, making him flinch. He looked up at the dark grey clouds as he made his way back to his sister's car.