ocean eyes

xlvii

oikawa refused to stay inside.

he went out as much as he could. if he stayed inside, he'd get sad. he promised iwaizumi he'd live on, so he went on walks, went running, or just sat at the side of the nearby lake, staring at the water.

his team had won the game. as oikawa had promised iwaizumi they would. only he wasn't there to see it, so what was it really worth? a scholarship, sure. but once the universities saw his soon-to-be-failed exams, the chances of him getting in would be slimmer.

his parents called him in sick for school the week after iwaizumi's death. oikawa wouldn't have minded the distraction, but everyone at school would surely come up to him and tell him how sorry they were, and that he would not be able to handle.

the day before iwaizumis's funeral was the first day he went back to school. it was tiring. matsukawa and hanamaki took good care of him, and made sure everyone would leave him alone, but one glance at their heads would set his mind off again, and he'd want to cry.

he took the train home after school, and stared out of the window, listening to music. he didn't really care for the music. he just didn't want to talk to people, or seem open to human contact.

about ten minutes in to the train ride he realized that he was on the wrong one, the one that went to the hospital.

he sighed deeply. he might as well pick up those drawings for iwaizumi's parents.

he wasn't mentally prepared at all, that was for sure, but he didn't feel like crying or throwing a fit, so he supposed he should just go for it.

he trailed through the hospital. the place was all to familiar. he walked to iwaizumi's room without thinking about it, and opened the door reflexively.

"hi mister!"

he looked up, and saw a little, orange-haired girl sitting in iwaizumi's hospital bed.

"h-hi, i'm sorry to intrude, i'll just-"

"no, no, it's okay!" she smiled cheerfully. "you were friends with mister iwaizumi, right?"

"yes, i was," oikawa mumbled. "you knew him?"

"yep! i came in a few months ago, and we talked a few times when you were at school," she smiled. "i'm hinata natsu!"

"you're shrimpy-chan's sister..?"

"you know shouyou?"

"yeah. we played volleyball," oikawa smiled. "no wonder he was so out of it..."

"yeah, he's pretty worried," she shrugged. "but i'm fine. the doctors said my leu... leukemia isn't that bad yet."

"you have the same as iwa-chan?"

"mhm," she smiled. "he helped me a lot. and he told me about all the medi..." she frowned, trying to remember the word. "oh yeah! about all the 'medication'. i got moved to his bed, because he asked that, since i liked this room so much. the drawings make it really pretty!"

"i was here to pick them up, but it seems like you like them so much, so how about we leave them here?" oikawa smiled.

"oh, you can have them if you want them."

"no, i want you to keep them," he chuckled. "how about i bring you a new one?"

"ooh, can i have pretty flowers?" natsu smiled excitedly.

"i'll try to make you pretty flowers," oikawa chuckled.

"wait, make them like this!" natsu pointed at his galaxy painting. "i want that colour!"

"galaxy..?"

"yep! it's really pretty."

"sure thing," he chuckled. "hey, do you mind if i come by again sometime?"

"yes please!" she grinned. "oi... oiku, no..."

"oikawa tooru."

"oikawa-nii!"

the door opened behind them. oikawa turned to see saeko.

"hey there, kid," she smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "how're you holding up?"

oikawa glanced at natsu.

"pretty okay, honestly."