Chapter Text
It had been 6 years since Luz had set foot in Japan. Japan became Luz’s home away from home. She had spent her high school years here. She was ecstatic to be back.
She remembers leaving as if it were yesterday. It was right after her graduation ceremony that she announced she would be going back to California in a few weeks. She was surrounded by her closest friends: her fellow third years, the second years, and the first years. Over the past few years of knowing the second and third years she had become really close to them and when the first years came around they gained a very special place in her heart. They were all like siblings to her. She didn’t want to leave Japan but her family had made it very clear that she had to study at an American university. Which she had begrudgingly agreed to.
“Guys” she spoke up and everyone looked in her direction.
“What is it Luz-chan?” Hinata asked with a bright smile.
How she loved that Shouyo called her “Luz-chan” even though she was his senpai and taller than him. Everyone on the team called her Luz-chan or Hikari which means light in Japanese as Luz means light in spanish.
Oh how she would miss their faces and their infectious energy. She would miss them so much. Tears pricked at her eyes and threatened to fall.
Luz had always been a very emotional person and the team knew that. She wore her heart on her sleeve and sometimes she felt as if it were her fatal flaw but with the team she couldn’t not be
The tears started falling from Luz’s eyes and her mascara started running. Daichi put his hand gently on her back and Koushi gripped her shoulder to let her know that it was alright and that they were all there for her.
She smiled one of her big smiles and let out a heavy sigh.
“Guys I’ll be heading back to California in a few months” she announced.
Luz had spent the last three years of high school at Karasuno. That's where she had me the team. She knew she would have to part from them eventually but she never thought it would have to be this soon.
Everyone looked at her with surprise. Sure the topic of Luz going back to California had come up multiple times over the last few years but they never expected her to actually leave.
The third years went up and gave her a big hug and the first second years soon followed. Even though Luz was incredibly sad about having to leave her friends who had become like an extension of her family, she knew that she would never forget them and they would never forget her.
“When do you head back?” Kiyoko spoke up being the person to break the group hug and the silence.
Luz wiped her tears and smiled. She had about 3 months before she would have to head to her university in California to get settled in.
“I leave in about 3 months as I don’t have to be on campus till the first week of August” she answered as calmly as she could while she tried to hush her cries.
Koushi smiled at her. Asahi, Kiyoko, Koushi, and Daichi all looked over at the first and second years with smirks on their faces. The first and second years even Hitoka had the same sly smile on their faces.
“Oh no” Luz thought to herself. She had been around the team enough time to know what those looks meant they had something planned.
“Okay what do you crazy crows have under your sleeves” she said smiling but on the inside she was getting increasingly nervous.
Nishinoya spoke while jumping with joy. He had always been so energetic and Tanaka really pumped him up. She was really going to miss them. They brought out the best of her and were always there for her.
“Well so you don’t miss us much and so you don’t forget about us we are going to spend everyday with you until you have to leave” he exclaimed with an enormous smile plastered on his face.
Her face grew in shock. They would really spend everyday with her until she left. She was so overjoyed. She started sobbing again.
They all went in for a hug again. Finally all breaking into laughter.
The team held out on their promise and even though they became busy with their own responsibilities they always made time everyday to see Luz till the day she finally left Japan. They sent her off after they shared their final dinner together. Tears were shed as the team gave their final farewell to their beloved manager.
Luz boarded the plane and sat down. The two other rows were still empty and she looked out of the window thinking about how much she would miss Japan when a deep and gruff voice called out to her.
“Estrada? From Karasano?” the voice exclaimed.
She looked to the person who was calling her name and she saw a familiar face. She knows she’d seen that face somewhere. She just needed some time to remember.
He gives her a bright smile while settling into the aisle seat.
“I’m Iwaizumi Hajime from Aoba Johsai, your team played against mine a few months back” he mentioned softly.
That’s where she knew the spiky haired boy from. He was Aoba Johsai’s ace. She stuck out her hand extending it out to him.
“Well Iwaizumi-kun I’m Luz Estrada but just call me Luz or Hikari everyone calls me that” she tells him with a smile.
He shakes her hand and smiles back at her.
“Please call me Hajime we are friends now” he announces.
“Well Haji, is it okay if I call you Haji” she laughs at the nickname she came up with
Hajime lets out a chuckle and gives the girl a grumpy face before he erupts into more chuckles.
“Of course you can Luzma” he says.
“Ooh Luzma I like that, well then that settles it!” she giggles.
At the time it was unbeknowst to the freshly graduated high schoolers that this was the start of a brand new friendship and that the two would be inseparable for years to come.
The two get acquainted over their half a day flight each taking turns sitting in the middle seat as it was empty.
They learned a lot about each other that day. Like Haji’s first kiss had been shared with his team mate and team captain Oikawa Tooru and that the two had been dating for 2 years. Luz then revealed that Sugawara Koushi had been her first kiss and that she had dated Kuroo Tetsurou from Nekoma for a few months but eventually they broke up after she agreed to move back to California.
They also learned that they would be going to school within 45 minutes of each other since Hajime would be attending UCI and Luz would be attending UCLA.
The two stuck to each other from that day forward. They became best friends and each other's confidants. They were there for each other through everything. Especially when Luz missed her friends and family and when Haji missed Oikawa.
She had just gotten off the plane and had just stepped into Tokyo airport. She hadn’t been to Japan in 6 years. Oh how she missed it. As she was taking everything in she received a phone call. It read “Akaashi Keiji”. She smiled.
“Helloooooo Jiji” she giggled into the phone while addressing her brother in law.
“For you having been on a plane for more than half a day without sleep you seem pretty chipper” he said with a smirk evident on his face even over the phone.
Luz chuckles dryly as she walks to the luggage carousel to collect her suitcases while still being on the phone with Keiji who is her younger sister’s long term boyfriend. She walks towards the exit where she notices the tall thin man with dark hair and blue eyes. His face is still as gentle as ever. She runs to him enveloping him into a hug and Keiji returns it to her.
“Jiji you’ve grown so much” she says while tears fill her eyes.
“I see you’re still as sentimental as ever huh, Hika?” he says while wiping her tears away.
“You know it Jiji I would never change” she gives a big smile as they start walking.
“Let me help you with that.” he says while grabbing her suitcases and duffel bag while they head to his car.
Once she stepped out of the airport the smell of Japan hit her. She was finally home. A smile adorned her face and her and Akaashi loaded up into his car and headed for Miyagi. It felt good to be home.