by your side - omori
(four years later)
"ushijima, you've been seen in public often with a woman. it was then discovered that the woman was tenma y/n, tenma udai's younger sister and once a boys' volleyball manager at shiritorizawa. is there any reason that you two are always together?"
"we're dating."
"for how long? i mean, it's safe to say that you've known each other at least six years now."
"four years. we started dating right before we graduated."
"well, congratulations! from the pictures that people have taken, you guys seem very happy with each other."
"we are."
"how has your relationship affected your career in volleyball? you're a very accomplished player, but surely your attention gets divided a lot, right?"
"not really. y/n loves volleyball just like i do. and i love her just as much as i love volleyball."
"when do you decide what your priorities are between her and volleyball?"
"i don't. she's always my priority."
"you two have spent a lot of time together. middle school, high school, and now you're pursuing your college careers in the same city. have you ever thought about having a life with her? starting a family, maybe?"
"i have. i think about it a lot. but she's busy. i'm busy. i don't know if we'd ever have time for a child or a house, but i want to have a future with her in my life."
"are you aware of the large fan base that you have amassed online? a lot of people have expressed their love for the schweiden alders, but a lot of young women have expressed their love for you. have you or tenma ever had issues with things relating to that?"
"never. if y/n had a problem with my social presence and how other girls see me, she'd say something. i think she feels secure in knowing that there's no amount of devotion or parasocial attraction that could take my attention away from her."
"and what about you? do you feel that type of security?"
"i do. even though i think that there are a lot of guys out there who could be better for her, she chose me. i had confessed to her, but there were a lot of guys who had their eyes on her anyway."
"similarly, there always seems to be suggestive and forward comments on her social media in a desperate attempt to win her love. do you ever wish that they'd stop, or fear that one of those pickup lines might work?"
"i don't. her followers can say whatever they want."
"why so confident?"
"at the end of the day, i'm the one fucking her. and she likes that more than the pickup lines."
"we'll edit that out later..."
-
as ushijima returned to practice a week after his interview, he noticed how his teammates and seemed to circle around a magazine, reading the articles and columns aloud. by the time he saw his face on the cover, he didn't even have to ask what they were gossiping about.
"you guys bought a magazine?"
"of course we did, wakatoshi!" nicollas replied cheerfully. "we wanted to know all the juicy details that you won't tell us."
