Burning Ice (A Haikyuu AU)

30. Hana

(3rd Person Pov)

"Aya, wanna come?" Vio yelled, pulling on her converses. 

"I'm good." The reply was faint. Vio pictured her under a pile of newspapers and electrical devices, trying desperately to find what those files the Flames got were. Working themselves to death must run in the Sugawara family.

"Righty-o." She pulled down her cap a little further and stepped through the front door, careful not to touch the unstable doorframe in case the whole thing came crashing down. "Let's go."

Kenjiro nodded. 

Vio ruffled his hair, a slightly lighter shade than her own. "Do you have a gift?"

"You were in charge of the gift."

"Well now you are!"

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Nozomi Foster Home looked exactly the same as the last time they'd seen it; peeling gold letters with the 'T' in Foster missing, and the marble steps were as dusty and grimy as they had ever been. Nevertheless, the smiling faces of Maika and Ina were heart-warming.

This was home.

"Haven't seen you two in a while!" Maika said, her curly grey-blonde hair bouncing as she came down the stairs. "Haven't been getting into trouble, now have you?"

"No, Miss Maika." They chorused. Old habits.

"Maika-kun, now's not the time." Ina laughed. "It is very good to see you both again." Her sparkling blue eyes became even brighter. "Oh! Are those for me?"

Kenjiro quirked a small smile. "Almond cookies. And the green tea bags are for Maika." He passed the square tin can and the small plastic bag over carefully.

"Enough chitter-chatter, come help out in the kitchen! It's lunchtime and we've got kids to feed!" Maika called, and before they knew it, they were scuttling around in the kitchen with the familiar smell of cheddar cheese and newly-bought lettuce.

"Brings back the old times, doesn't it." Ina smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners, as she peeled carrots cleanly and quickly. 

"Sure does." Vio agreed, rinsing the lettuce. "Have you heard from anyone else?"

"Oh, just you." Ina sighed, slipping a small, sad, smile. "People don't like to think of this place as where they spent their childhood."

"Oi!" Maika called from across the kitchen. "Ina!"

Vio agreed. "What are we, then? Non-existent fictional characters?"

"You're an exception, dear." She laughed. "Watch the lettuce. We did hear from Loki a while back though. He's in the army now."

"Loki?" Vio scrunched up her face as she tried to remember.

"I don't think you'd remember him." Ina said. "He left when he was just 12 years old! We spent ages looking for him. Who knew he'd call us again?"

Vio faintly recalled a small, mischievous boy, who was always trying to scale the wall of the orphanage and failing because he was too short. "Oh. Yes, I remember."

Suddenly, a crowd of noise and elbows scrambled into the kitchen. "Miss Maika! Miss Maika!" They all called together. 

"Quiet down, won't you?" She scolded gently, putting down what she was doing. "What is it?"

"Siika fell over!"

"She's hurt!"

"Blood! Lots of blood!"

"And then she started screaming like this! WAAAA!"

"Woah woah." Ina patted the heads of those closer to her. "Let's calm down, alright? I'm sure Siika will be fine." She shooed the crowd of children out of the kitchen, who all turned their heads to give Vio and Kenjiro curious looks.

'Siika' was a girl of about 9, with wrists that were too thin and eyes that were too wide. She had a nasty scrape on the side of her shin, but there were no tear stains or tell-tale red eyes. 

"Here, have some food." Ina coaxed.

"No." She said, quietly, but as clear as the determination in her eyes. 

"It's your favourite." Ina said, "Crispy carrots with cheese to dip in."

"It's Hana's favourite too." She said, still quiet. But everyone in the room heard.

Ina went quiet. When she spoke again, her voice was wobbling, unstable like a newly-born child, trying to walk. "Hana will be back, Siika, and she'll be sad if you don't eat your food."

"Hana?" Kenjiro asked, suddenly. "The genius?"

Maika nods. "She's been gone since last month."

Kenjiro went pale. "How did she...?"

"She just disappeared, one day. We woke up and she was gone." Maika said, so quietly Kenjiro could barely catch what she was saying. "We've been looking all over, but her things are all gone. It's like she's never been."

Kenjiro blinked. Hana was kind and loving. There was no reason for her to leave the orphanage.

Like you and Vio did. A little voice in his head reminded. That choice wasn't too difficult. But then again, there was no reason for them to stay.

Hana was different --- she had a golden future. She could potentially have finished college, gone on to find a safe and stable job.

But was that really what she wanted? She had ambitions. At the young age of 15, she was already an overachiever, possibly the best in her school.

"Eat." Vio shoved him lightly on the shoulder. "You like carrots too."

Right. He scooped some crispy carrots, golden around the edges, into his mouth. He'll get Aya to look into Hana.