Lemon Boy | Tsukkiyama

Part 1

"Don't forget to eat something nutritious when you get home!" Ukai warned the team as they were walking out the gym.

"Alright coach!" the ball of sunshine beamed.

Tsukishima groaned, "Ugh, how do you still have energy?"

Hinata stuck his tongue out to Tsukishima and Tsukishima rolled his eyes, annoyed.

Yamaguchi tugged the corner of Tsukishima's sleeve, making him turn his attention towards himself.

"Sorry Tsukki." 

"What for?" 

"I can't walk home with you today."

"Again? This is like the third time he's done this... Where the fuck does he go every Wednesday?" Tsukishima thought, a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be able to walk home with Yamaguchi. 

"Where do you go every week?" he wanted to ask. "Yeah... It's fine." was what came out instead.

"Thanks Tsukki!"

As Tsukishima was walking home, alone, he bitterly reminded himself, he saw a live singer, tuning his guitar in the café that opened a month ago.

He thought that the guy looked familiar, but he couldn't really tell from the lighting, so he entered the café. He was met with soft humming, which, without a doubt, was the sweet sound of Yamaguchi. He was shocked, but he was curious as well, so he sat and waited for him to start. 

After a few minutes, with a soft tap on the microphone, Yamaguchi began talking. 

"Hello, everyone. I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi, and I'll be singing today." he looked anxious and excited. 

"The first song is about my childhood bestfriend whom I've been friends with over a decade. Actually, he is the reason I'm here today. When I was a child, I was bullied, but then he appeared out of nowhere and saved me. Little by little, he made me feel more confident. To be honest, I don't even know when I fell for him. I just did..."

"I want to kiss him so fucking much." Tsukishima thought, but he wanted to hear the song, so he decided to wait.

"Why don't you confess?" A man spoke up form the audience.

"Oh... Um... He doesn't like me back, I don't even think he likes guys, so there's no need for confessing. I don't want to take up too much of Hotaru-san's time, so here's the song."

Even though the café's owner shook his hand dismissively to tell him that it wasn't a problem, Yamaguchi started singing.

"There once was a bittersweet man, and they called him lemon boy.

He was growing in my garden and I pulled him out by his hair, like a weed.

And like weeds do, he only came and grew back again.

So I figured this time I might as well let him be...

Lemon boy and me started to get along together...

I helped him plant his seeds and we'd mown the lawn in bad weather.

It's actually pretty easy, being nice to a bitter boy like him, so I got myself a citrus friend."

A slight blush tinted Tsukishima's cheeks as he thought about how pretty Yamaguchi's voice was. The boy had sang to him on a few occasions before, and he knew that Yamaguchi could play the guitar, but he was still amazed.

Yamaguchi continued, smiling.

"But soon his bittersweet started to rub off on me...

You'd think smelling like lemon zest would be pretty neat.

I found out that my friends were more of the savory type.

And they weren't too keen on compromising with a nice lemon pie.

So, lemon boy and me we just gotta get along together...

I'd help him plant his seeds and we'd mown the lawn in bad weather...

It's actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him.

So I got myself a citrus friend."

Yamaguchi's tone dropped an octave and he started sounding bitter.

"But what if I run out of fertilizer?

What if the clouds run out of rain?"

A tear fell on Yamaguchi's cheek which Tsukishima wished he could wipe it.

"What if lemon boy won't grow no longer?

What if beaches dry of sugarcane?"

A sniffle, followed by a sad smile.

"Oh~ well...

Whales start to beach themselves, tortoise shells tear away from their spines...

It happens all the time, it happens all the time..."