The Great King -「大王様」

Chapter 24

懐かしい
Nostalgic

-x-

The bullying stopped within a week. There were times when Tooru and I thought of giving up, but our parents talked to us sensibly, convincing us not to. Unlike the first time, I didn't let their advice go in from one ear, and escape from the other. I seriously put my thought into it, and reflected at my actions. Mom continued to teach me how to put elegance first, and I was able to make it my own in no time. My friends didn't find the new me a nuisance. After all, I am still the same Sekki whenever I'm with them.

In our third year in Aoba Johsai, Yui and I still visit the volleyball team. It became our ritual. Besides, some of the first years from when Tooru was still a third year, was still active. Yui and Kunimi's relationship stayed firm. I was happy for them. But the slightest hint of sweetness between the two irritated me. Tooru was in Tokyo, waiting for me to graduate. He lived alone in a unit that he bought himself, for us. But the workforce wasn't made for him, so he eventually got tired of it and pursued volleyball again.

Tooru visits Miyagi every weekend. He never fails to make it up to me for the distance between us. However, our set up was good, if not, perfect. I was able to dedicate my graduating year to my studies, and he was able to focus on his work. He's proud that he found a unit for us to live in after I graduate high school, but he couldn't devote the rest of his life to working in an office.

On our graduation day, Tooru surprised me with a flower crown he made by himself. They were flowers that he dyed light blue to match the volleyball team's uniform. The volleyball team from his generation all came for a reunion, and we took that chance to take a picture together. I preserved one of the flowers from the crown in my notebook, with our picture stuck on the page beside it.

Looking at the school gate now, my heart feels like floating from all the memories that's flowing in my head.

Tooru's arm stretched over my shoulder. "行こうか？(Let's go?)" He began walking in the school grounds. We pointed out the different facilities and told stories from our memories we had there. At times, we argued over whose memory was right, since it's gotten blurry after so much time passed by.

We ended our tour at the volleyball gym. Tooru got the keys from the teacher before hand, so we're not technically breaking in. We just sat by the wall, enjoying the view of the gym. Sunlight shone over the net, and the image of Tooru tossing to Iwaizumi during the Spring Interhigh match against Karasuno passed by in my head. It was an incredibly sad match, but it couldn't be helped.

My thighs felt ticklish when his hair started brushing it in an unusual way. He was laughing with his head resting on my lap. "何が面白い？(What's so funny?)" I tilted my head, curious at what's gotten into his head.

His laughter faded to his annoyed one, with a wry smile still evident on his lips. "ただ春高を思い出った (I just remembered the Spring Interhigh)" His eyebrow was twitching with annoyance. "ね (Hey.)" His eyes moved to the court. "リオでチビちゃんに会った (I met Chibi-chan in Rio)," he shared. Before I said anything he followed, "教える忘れて御免 (I'm sorry I forgot to tell you.)"

That line made me shake my head at him. It's hard to get mad at him, somehow. A feeling inside of me stops me from feeling intense anger towards him. Tooru's presence always makes me feel calm and at peace.

We started to talk about Karasuno's number ten. If I'm not wrong, his name was Hinata Shoyo. Kageyama used to complain about him all the time, but it almost sounded as if they were just bickering like a married couple. Tooru shared about how they were in different volleyball teams already, and that a match between Hinata and Kageyama would be interesting.