It Started with a Hello

xxxv

It was the Kirisaki Daiichi versus Seirin game. The second stringers played their second game a couple of weeks ago, and won, so it was now the regular's turn.

Hanamiya would've been confident-- [Last Name] certainly has helped boost that due to the training they've received from her-- but said girl was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe she's late. Or she's having some birthday celebration somewhere," Yamazaki suggested.

"She would've at least told someone," Furuhashi pointed out.

"She won't answer her damn phone," Hanamiya said, frustrated.

He wanted to go down to her house himself, but the game was starting and his teammates assured him that she was fine.

...

[Last Name]'s plan was working. Their fair play caught Seirin off guard, and they kept getting the upperhand. By the end of the second quarter, it was at 26-24, Kirisaki in the lead.

As Hanamiya walked to the bench, the lack of his girlfriend's presence worried him. She's an idiot, but she would have called, whether it be him or Hara or anyone on the team for that matter. So he decided to call her again, but realized she had called multiple times during the game. With the last call she left a voicemail, so he listened to it.

"Mako-chan... Please come help... My dad... he went overboard this time. Help me, please. Please, Makoto.

He froze. She had been sobbing into the phone. The hand on his phone tightened, and anyone near could see that Hanamiya was fuming.

"Captain?" Hara questioned, "What happened."

"I have to leave," he responded through gritted teeth.

"What? Did something happen with [Last Name]-chan?"

Hanamiya remained silent as he put his phone away.

"There's no one who can substitute for you, Captain," Furuhashi said, "If you leave now, we forfeit."

He scowled. "Then go fucking forfeit."

Hara and Yamazaki grabbed his arms as he tried to leave.

"Let me fucking go!"

"What's wrong? This isn't like you," Yamazaki demanded.

"We're winning the game. Forfeiting because you want to go look for [Last Name]-chan is not a good idea," Hara added.

"That's not why I'm leaving," Hanamiya seethed.

"Then why?" Seto asked.

"[First Name]. Her dad is beating her."

...

They ran down the road, still in their basketball uniforms. As soon as Hanamiya confessed what was going on, they dropped everything, forfeited, and ran.

After what felt like forever, they reached [Last Name]'s house. It was eerily quiet, but there was no car in the driveway. Cautiously, Hanamiya knocked on the door softly, but realized the door wasn't closed. They stepped in quietly, looking around the messy house. Things had be thrown; Glass scattered the floor. Furuhashi and Seto looked around the living room, while Hara and Yamazaki went to the kitchen and dining room. Hanamiya found his way over by the bathroom. Peeking in, he saw traces of blood on the sink and tiled floor.

Sniffling caught his attention. He turned around, pushing the door of the room behind him open. [Last Name] sat against a wall, arms wrapped around her knees. Hanamiya could see the multiple bandaids on her arms and fingers.

"[First Name]," he murmured, walking over to her trembling form, crouch in front of her, "[First Name], look at me."

Hesitantly, she looked up at him. His frown deepened at the sight of the cuts and bruises found on her face.

"Mako-chan," she whispered, "you're here."

"Of course I am, dumbass," he chided, "What happened?"

She flinched as she recalled the events of the morning. "My dad came home... He had been drinking, and smelled of weed, so I guess he had been smoking, too."

"Pack some bags," Hanamiya ordered lightly, "Bring anything important."

"Wh-Why?"

"You're leaving for good. You're eighteen now."

She wanted to protest, but Hanamiya sent her a glare as a warning.

[Last Name] started throwing her things in a couple of suitcases she owned. Hanamiya stood back up, watching her silently.

"Captain, is [Last Name]-chan..." Yamazaki's words trailed off as he saw her moving about the room. Soon after, the others appeared at the doorway.

Once [Last Name] finished gathering her stuff, the boys helped her with the suitcases, and left her house. They reached the end of the street before stopping.

"You've been abused," Furuhashi stated.

"Could you of have said that anymore bluntly?" Seto sneered disapprovingly.

"U-um," she stammered, "where are we going?"

Hanamiya sighed, giving his teammates a look. They all nodded, giving him her suitcases.

"We'll talk later, [Last Name]-chan," Hara promised as they walked off.

She nodded, then faced Hanamiya. "Will I stay with you while I find my own place?"

He ignored her question, digging in his pockets. Once he got what he was looking for, he held it up in [Last Name]'s face.

A key.

"Happy birthday," he mumbled, placing the key in her hand.

"What is it?"

"Follow me," he said, starting to walk.

...

They stood in front of an apartment building. [Last Name] wasn't sure what they were doing here, but assumed Hanamiya knew someone who lived here. He brought her up a flight of stairs, stopping at a door that was next to the staircase.

Glancing at her, he motioned to the doorknob. "Use your key."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she placed her key in the keyhole and turned it. Unlocking the door, she pushed it open.

The first thing [Last Name] saw was a beige loveseat that was across from a television set that looked like the one that was in Hanamiya's room. She also saw a small kitchen with basic appliances-- fridge, oven, and dishwasher-- as well as a microwave.

"Are you just going to stand there like an idiot?"

[Last Name] made a sound of confusion, watching as he stepped inside. She followed him, taking small steps to take everything in. In the hallway to the left was a bathroom. Further down on the right was a bedroom. It wasn't well furnished. There was a queen-sized bed and a desk, which had a laptop-- Hanamiya's laptop-- on it.

Hanamiya sat down on the bed, staring at [Last Name] expectantly.

"This is an apartment," she said.

He scowled. "Obviously, dumbass."

"Is this for us?"

He shrugged. "You needed out of that goddamn house."

She blinked, tears of joy forming in her [Eye Color] eyes. "You didn't have to do this, Mako-chan."

Rolling his eyes, he stood up and got in front of her. "You needed out of that house," he repeated softly, leaning down to meet your lips with his.

They broke apart, and Hanamiya wiped the tears off her face. "I fucking love you, [First Name]."

She smiled, burying her head into his chest. "I love you, too."

...

Honestly so happy for reader-chan.

-Caity