Double Take

Crossroads

 As the final echoes of "Pomp and Circumstance" fade into the bustling sounds of elated high school graduates and their proud families, I stand beside my friends, Akaashi and Mira, trying to focus on the speeches that mark the closure of this chapter in our lives. The joy and excitement in the air are palpable, yet within me, there's a tumult of uncertainty. Everyone around me seems to embrace their futures with open arms—everyone but me. With my high school diploma now in hand, the question of what comes next looms large and daunting. My friends discuss college plans and dream jobs, but I find myself adrift, unable to pinpoint a direction for my own career.

In the midst of these reflections, Mira's boyfriend, Osamu, approaches us, breaking my train of thought with his familiar, affectionate demeanor. He greets Mira with a kiss, a scene so routine to our group that neither Akaashi nor I bat an eye. As the ceremony concludes and families start to gather their graduates for celebratory pictures and dinners, I decide to weave through the crowd to find my own family. That's when it happens—I bump into someone unexpectedly.

Looking up, I'm met with the familiar yet distant face of Kuroo, a classmate who has been nothing more than a shadow in the periphery of my school life. We've known each other since kindergarten, yet our interactions have never strayed beyond academic necessities—homework questions, class projects, the occasional group assignment. Today, however, as he reaches out to steady me, our hands touch briefly, and something shifts. His usual aloof demeanor is replaced by a hint of concern.

"I'm sorry," he says, his voice a mixture of surprise and something else I can't quite place. Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he's moving away, his eyes scanning the crowd for his family.

That brief encounter, insignificant as it might seem, sparks a curiosity in me. Why, after all these years, does Kuroo suddenly seem like a mystery I want to unravel? Could there be depths to him I've never noticed, hidden behind his stoic facade?

As I finally located my family amidst the sea of jubilant graduates and proud relatives, they enveloped me in warm, hearty hugs. To my surprise, my older brother Jake was there too, which was unexpected. He had graduated a few years earlier and was already deep into his own career.

"Oh, are you here?" I teased, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Didn't want to miss my little sister's graduation," he retorted with a smirk, ruffling my hair a bit more roughly than necessary.

"Ugh, whatever," I grumbled, half annoyed but secretly pleased he made the effort. Jake and I had always had a competitive relationship; we could be the best of friends one moment and at each other's throats the next. It was just our way.

"Congratulations, Y/N," Mom said, her eyes twinkling with pride. Dad echoed her sentiment, his usual stoic demeanor softened by the day's celebrations.

As the initial excitement of reunion simmered down, I glanced over at my friends, who were also rounding up their family meet-and-greets. Eager to slip away from the formalities and back into comfort, I asked my parents if I could head out with my friends. They knew how important this day was to us, and with a nod from Mom, I was freed from familial duties. "Enjoy your day, sweetheart," she said, giving me another quick hug.

I hurried back to where I had left Akaashi and Mira, finding them laughing with their own families. After quick introductions and a few shared jokes about our imminent freedom, we decided to head over to Mira's house. The plan was simple: change out of our formal graduation attire and into something more comfortable. As we walked, the conversation bubbled around us, filled with plans for the evening and teasing jabs about who would miss high school the least.