Chapter Text
The roads are beyond worn and Atsumu curses as he avoids another hole that would damage his car. He knows it's worth it for his grandparents, it's been too long since he visited them, they've since retired to a farm, to enjoy a simple life. He doesn't blame them, but he wishes it had been somewhere a little more modern. Finally, the road evens out a little better and he pulls up just past the entrance gate. Atsumu hops out and grabs his bags then walks through the gate, up the path to the door. He lets himself in with a knock. "Sobo, Sofu, I'm here!"
"Atsumu," Noriko pokes her head out of the kitchen, smiling brightly. "It's so lovely to see you! I'm just making dinner, go get settled in."
"Thanks." Atsumu takes his bags up to the room. There are still two beds, one for him and one for Osamu, it's a little strange so he puts his bags down as quickly as possible then runs downstairs and into the kitchen. "Do ya need any help, Sobo?"
"I'm fine, thank you, dear."
"What about Shinsuke?" Takanori speaks up and Atsumu looks over, confusion washing over his features. "Shinsuke is the farmer, he usually joins us for dinner. Why don't you go fetch him? I think he's around your age, Atsumu, you should get along fine."
Atsumu nods, he kisses Noriko on the cheek then heads out the door, looking around for the farmer. He finds him in the next field over, tending to some flowers, he's covered in dirt and Atsumu frowns. "Excuse me," Shinsuke looks up. Even covered in dirt, Atsumu can tell he's beautiful, his face shows no expression though and Atsumu has to stop himself from scoffing. What an ugly sight. "Sobo said dinner's almost ready."
"Oh. Okay, I'll be right there."
Atsumu tuts softly when Shinsuke turns back to the flowers, he leaves him there and heads back to the house. He heads to the kitchen and is greeted by Takanori who hands him some plates to set the table. "Was he busy?"
"Yeah." Atsumu sets out the plates, then the cutlery and the glasses, tensing up a little when he hears the door open. "I'll go clean up."
"Make sure to be nice!" Atsumu nods to Noriko, he heads out of the kitchen, scoffing as he walks past Shinsuke who's taking his shoes off. Shinsuke's head snaps up, his face still blank despite Atsumu's obvious distaste towards him. "Shinsuke, you can clean up too."
"Thank you." He calls back, his eyes still on Atsumu. Atsumu glares then walks to the bathroom, with Shinsuke on his heel. They wash up and Shinsuke seems to stir when Atsumu shoves the towel at him. "You must be Atsumu. Noriko-san has told me a lot about you and your brother."
"Did she?"
"You're a model, aren't you?" Atsumu nods, pride swelling in his chest. People always act like becoming a model is easy, but he has to work hard and stay in shape. "I see," He folds the towel and returns it to the right spot. "I understand why you're superficial." He pushes past Atsumu, who rushes after him, a scowl settling on his face—if he was anywhere else right now, he knows he's be starting a fight, but it isn't fair on his grandparents, even if Shinsuke was unbearably uptight and annoying.
They sit for dinner, with Atsumu helping Noriko carry the dishes to the table. "Sobo, this looks wonderful."
"Thank you, dear. I wish Osamu could be here, how is he doing?"
"He's fine. Onigiri Miya just opened another store, he's been working and spending time with Rintarou."
"We'll have to invite them both sometime. Have a family get-together. Maybe Shinsuke could join us too."
Atsumu huffs. "He's not family."
"Atsumu!" Noriko hisses, reaching over to slap his hand. "Don't be rude. Shinsuke has helped out a lot around here, show some respect." Atsumu mutters an apology, his jaw setting when Noriko makes sure Shinsuke's plate gets filled first before Atsumu can start filling his own. It's a quiet dinner, with Takanori asking Shinsuke how things are going around the farm. Once they're finished eating, Shinsuke takes the dishes to get washed and Noriko sends Atsumu a stern glare. "Help Shinsuke out, dry up." He nods and gets up, walking to the sink. He grabs a towel and dries up.
Noriko and Takanori retire to the lounge together, leaving Shinsuke and Atsumu alone. When Atsumu finishes drying and finishes putting the dishes away, he glares at Shinsuke. "Don't take advantage of my grandparents."
"I'm not. I'm just doing my job. I look after the farm, I didn't ask for them to be kind to me, I didn't expect they would ask me in for dinner every night." Shinsuke grabs the towel and dries off his hands then shoves it back at Atsumu. "They probably wanted some company, since you and your brother are clearly too busy for them." He turns away and walks to the lounge. Atsumu fumes quietly behind him and follows him out to the lounge. Shinsuke thanks Noriko and Takanori then quietly leaves.
Atsumu drops onto the free chair, folding his arms over his chest—like he's five again. "I hope you apologised."
"No. He didn't apologise for calling me superficial."
"Atsumu...You're so stubborn. Maybe once you get to know each other, things will be better. He will realise you're a lovely man and you'll find out the same about him." Atsumu nods but doesn't say anything and Noriko sighs softly. It feels like a long night and Atsumu's grandparents head to bed before Atsumu, who stays up a little longer watching the TV until he's finally tired enough to head to bed. Still quietly annoyed at the way Shinsuke acts.
Atsumu quickly learns that one of the worst things about being out in the countryside, on a farm, is that there's nothing to do. There are only reruns on TV all the time, with what little service Noriko and Takanori get, which they praised Shinsuke for— absolutely perfect, angelic Shinsuke, who didn't seem to know how to smile, even when he was being directly praised by Noriko; anyone on the outside looking in would assume that Shinsuke is the one related to Noriko and Takanori, not Atsumu, and anyone would assume Atsumu is jealous, which he definitely isn't.
He wishes there was something to do other than worry over how apparently perfect Shinsuke is, his pretty face betrayed what little Atsumu knows about him. He groans and grumbles around the house, trying to find something to do and eventually, Noriko pushes him out the door. "Go and apologise to Shinsuke. Maybe he can find something for you to do."
Before Atsumu can argue, Noriko shuts the door. Atsumu huffs and heads off through the fields, muttering to himself and kicking at the grass as if it will help solve any of his problems like it's going to make his time here easier. He finds Shinsuke by the small river, cleaning up his hands, which are red. Atsumu panics and rushes over. "Are ya okay?"
Shinsuke looks up, he dries his hands on the trousers of his overalls then pulls his gloves on and stands up. "I'm fine. I just slipped. What are you doing here?"
"Sobo thought I could help ya out, as an apology for the way I acted yesterday. It was rude of me."
"If you want to help, just don't get in my way." Shinsuke walks along the small trail and Atsumu follows. He picks up a pair of garden scissors and tucks them into his pocket. "You are going to get dirty out here." Atsumu hums, feeling a little annoyed at the way Shinsuke says that, like he might be stupid. "Don't models like to keep clean?"
"I'm not out here to model. I'm here to spend time with my grandparents. Yer right that my brother and myself are busy, we have jobs, he has Rintarou too. We don't stay away because we want to. They understand we have our own lives now. That's what happens when yer an adult. Or do ya go to visit yer parents and grandparents between work and a relationship?"
"I'm single." Shinsuke hands over a pair of gloves to Atsumu, who takes them and pulls them on. "I don't get to see my family as much as I would like to."
"Then ya can understand how we feel."
Shinsuke hums, he kneels down in the grass and starts pulling out weeds. "If you're helping me, you need to make sure you get the roots, otherwise they will grow back quickly."
"Okay." Atsumu kneels down, pulling weeds on the opposite side. It's warm under the steady heat of the late-spring sun and Atsumu has to wipe his brow a few times to stop sweat from dripping into his eyes. He glances at Shinsuke, who has a hat on and looks unconcerned by the heat. "How do ya do this every day?"
"I like it. I find it relaxing."
Atsumu snorts softly. "It sounds boring. I wish I had the internet out here." Shinsuke chuckles and Atsumu finds himself smiling—if he can let go once, out here, then he can do it again and Atsumu swears to himself that he will make it happen. He's going to make Shinsuke laugh, and he swears it's just because he doesn't like people being miserable and stuck-up, everyone should let loose at some point. It's nothing to do with how light and airy Shinsuke's laugh is, how his eyes crinkle slightly at the corners. It's amazing how quickly his beautiful face lights up, how the sight seems to make Atsumu's heart jump.
It's stupid, he's not a teenager. He's just glad to know that Shinsuke can look normal—or Atsumu's idea of normal. He moves along with the weeds and when the row is finally finished, he collapses onto his ass with a heavy sigh. Shinsuke picks up the remnants of their clean up and dumps them into a bin, he pulls off his gloves then puts out a hand. Atsumu stares for a moment, then he takes off his own gloves and grips onto Shinsuke's hand, letting himself get pulled up to his feet. "We should go back."
"Thanks." Atsumu dusts himself off, glancing over at the house. "Sobo might not want me back."
"Of course she does. Come on, I will make sure to tell her that you said sorry." Atsumu snorts softly. They head back and Atsumu walks in with Shinsuke behind him. Noriko comes out of the lounge and smiles at them. "Noriko-san, I can't stay tonight. Thank you for sending Atsumu out, he was a big help and he apologised."
"Wonderful! We'll all be seeing you tomorrow then."
Shinsuke bows and dips back out of the house, Atsumu automatically follows. "Shinsuke!" He spins back around, brows raising. "Thanks. I er...I actually enjoyed today. And I am sorry."
"I know. I'm sorry too. Goodnight, Atsumu."
"Yeah. Night." Shinsuke bows then turns away again and walks down the path. Atsumu watches until Shinsuke vanishes through the gate; then he goes back inside, toes off his shoes and heads to the bathroom to clean up, a smile pulling the edges of his lips upwards. Maybe Shinsuke isn't as bad as Atsumu had thought. Maybe he could really have some fun, even out in the countryside.