Days of Shouko [Haikyuu!!] | ✔

One Summer's Day

The most important influence in my childhood was my father.

— DeForest Kelley

xXx

Kagami cycled through town, enjoying the beautiful summer afternoon. The sun warmed her back as she pedaled, dodging parked cars, plants, and small children running around.

"Hey." Kagami halted her bike to tune into a conversation two middle schoolers were having with each other. The boy was addressing the girl. "Summer vacation went by pretty quick... have you started studying for finals yet?"

"Haha, I'm afraid not," replied the girl, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly and sweatdropping. "There's still ten days left of summer vacation... that should be enough time to catch up, right? Also, it's better to think of the remaining days as another separate vacation."

The boy sighed, "Man, you're so irresponsible..."

The conversation ended there and Kagami cycled away, their words echoing in her mind. They're right, she thought. Summer went by pretty quick, huh? I sure did have lots of fun this summer... sometimes I wish it could last forever.

She slowed down in front of a florist, giving the elderly woman who ran the store an enthusiastic "good morning" before speeding up again. Let's see, the bakery should be just around the corner. Oh, there it is! She parked her bike outside in a place that wouldn't obstruct anyone and entered the bakery.

"Good morning, Jun!" Kagami greeted, her voice drowning out the bell on the top of the door.

"Kagami, nice to see you again!" Jun returned from behind the counter, smiling amiably. She was a high school student that worked at the bakery as a part timer. "How can I help you today?"

"I'll have a bag of melonpan loaves please." Kagami pulled out her wallet from the bag that she slung on her shoulders, giving Jun the appropriate amount of yen for it. Jun spent a few moments counting it up before passing her a bag of melonpan. "Thank you, Jun."

"You're welcome, Kagami. Come back soon and don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

They both laughed before Kagami left the store and placed the melonpan bread in her bike basket. Now it was time to head to the high rise apartment that Haruhi lived in, which would take about another fifteen minutes on bike.

Cicadas and other insects started to buzz when she took a detour in the park, a few green and yellow leaves falling on her hair and shoulders as she passed under some zelkova trees.

"Oh, that's right," she said to herself, "I just remembered that they're pushing forward the Sendai Standoff to the end of summer vacation this year. According to the news columns, there's going to be a fireworks show as well." Kagami grinned. "Man, that's really exciting... I wish I could play an instrument so I could compete."

She exited the park through a side entrance and continued to cycle leisurely. Ten minutes later, she was stopping her bike outside the lobby of Haruhi's home (a home to hundreds of other residents as well). Kagami pressed the buzzer for Haruhi's place and a familiar voice buzzed through the intercom.

"Who is it?" Bokuto Koutarou said chipperly.

"Iwaizumi Kagami speaking," Kagami replied just as cheerfully. "Can I come in, Bokuto-san? I'm here to see Haruhi."

"Haruhi mentioned something like that. Did you know she dyed her hair to match mine?!" Kagami could practically hear the love for his daughter in his voice. "I'll send her down to the lobby to get you so you can see for yourself!"