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“Argentina is leading 24-23. Brazil takes a time out just as the powerhouse setter, Oikawa Tooru is up to serve.”
Iwaizumi stands up from the couch, stretches and walks over to the kitchen. He really should have gotten new cushions for his couch (like everyone told him), but he’s in his final term at UCI so the next tenant will have to deal with that.
He doesn’t know if he is hungry or if he just needs to do something with his hands. It has been a nerve-wracking gold medal game.
His eyes flick up to the clock. It reads 5:30 am. 5:30 am in California, 9:30 am in Rio de Janeiro.
Iwaizumi wonders if he can Postmates some Japanese food at this hour. Oikawa would love Postmates, he thinks as he takes out his phone and scrolls through the app. He needs some comfort food, maybe even some hanami dango.
🏐
Laying in the grass, hanami dango in hand, Tooru sighs, “So, UCI, huh?”
“Yeah, I mean you’re leaving too. Isn’t Argentina a little far?” Hajime deflects as he bites the pink dumpling off the skewer.
“Foreign leagues are everything, Iwa-chan,” Tooru sits up and faces Hajime, “I need the experience if I ever want to defeat Japan and win gold one day.”
Hajime turns towards Tooru and laughs, “I know, and you will.” He sees the intensity and passion flash in his best friend’s hazel eyes. This has always been Hajime’s favourite Tooru look. He can’t help but warm up with pride.
I can’t tell him yet; Hajime thinks to himself. We both have dreams we want to chase...
Tooru interrupts his thoughts, “Look at you though, following your dreams too! And at an ~American university~. I guess that spiky head of yours does have something going for it?”
“Shittykawa, I swear to God,” Hajime threatens, lifting his clean skewer. And the moment is lost.
Tooru laughs as he falls back to lay down on the grass. Hajime smiles at the melodic sound. He’s going to miss him. So, so much.
🏐
Giving up on the delivery app, Iwaizumi opens the fridge and takes out an apple. He grabs a cutting board and a knife just as a commercial break is ending. Cutting the apple in half, he looks up to see Oikawa’s face centered on the television.
It’s a pre-game interview. “How are you feeling today?” the interviewer asks while pointing the microphone towards Oikawa.
“We are feeling great! We have been preparing for this for a while so we are ready to take on Team Brazil!” Oikawa’s hands move to his head as he takes off a thin elastic headband and fixes his hair.
“Oh,” the interviewer interjects, “we have noticed that you have been wearing this headband quite a bit throughout the tournament.” Oikawa’s face contorts in confusion, until he looks down at the headband in his hands. “Your fans notice everything,” the interviewer chuckles.
Iwaizumi slices the apple in half again. “Oh yes, this!” He hears television Oikawa say. “A… special person gave this to me,”
Iwaizumi’s breath hitches as his knife is mid-way through the apple. Instead, his eyes flicker back up to see Oikawa's genuine smile. “Mind you, as a joke," he continues, "because they thought my hair was getting too long, but that just means they're watching me!” He winks at the camera, “And it’s my good luck charm now.”
“I’m sure everyone is watching you, Oikawa-san. Everyone expects you to take over as captain soon too!”
🏐
"What are these?” Tooru’s fuzzy voice asks, holding up a set of headbands to the web camera.
Hajime shrugs, “Your hair was getting too long, I thought it could help.”
“Aw, are you keeping track of me these days, Iwa-chan?” he says with a smug smile.
“I was just online shopping and saw them okay, Messykawa,” Hajime lies. He spent hours the week before, specifically looking for Seijoh teal coloured headbands.
“Iwa-chan, you really need to curb your online shopping addiction. Don’t let American consumerism consume you!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
🏐
As the replayed pre-game interview ends, the camera pans from the Brazil team huddle to the Argentina team’s side of the net. Oikawa is sitting at the end of the bench, head high, eyes closed.
The whistle blows and his eyes snap open. Though the Oikawa on the television is small, Iwaizumi knows the same look of determination from all those years before, flash in his eyes. He can’t help but feel his chest warm up.
Oikawa brings his hands to his mouth, and kisses Seijoh teal. He unwinds the headband from his fingers and fixes his hair as the teams are called back onto the court.
“Team Argentina can end it all here and now!” The commentator’s voice echoes through Iwaizumi’s apartment. His eyes are glued to the screen as the ball is tossed up into the air for a serve. A hand comes down to hit the ball with incredible power.
The Brazilian outside hitter dives to the corner of the court as the ball makes contact with his arms. It flies to the left and the libero runs after it, setting up a front row attack.
The ball crosses the net. Everything happens in slow motion.
A perfect receive.
A breath.
A switch in play.
Setter hands in position morph into a single hand coming down.
A block.
A miss; the ball hits the ground.
"Oikawa Tooru wins gold with a stunning setter dump!" A cacophony of cheers and applause explodes from the television. Iwaizumi jumps out of his seat and lets out a yell.
“You okay over there, man?” asks a voice from outside. Iwaizumi inwardly cringes and walks out to his balcony. He should have closed the door, but he loves the cool air of the city in the morning.
“Yeah… sorry to wake you up Andrew,” he rubs the back of his neck, “my friend just uh… won a big game.” Iwaizumi looks over to the balcony on his right.
Andrew is standing in a bathrobe, a coffee in his hand, and a smile on his face, “Oh nice! Also, might this be the friend Angela mentions you’re always talking about?”
Iwaizumi met Angela, Andrew’s girlfriend, at their apartment gym and became fast friends. Maybe too fast of friends, considering he didn’t think he talked about Oikawa that much.
“That’s him,” he admits.
Andrew doesn’t miss the slow pink pigmenting Iwaizumi's cheeks, “Well, tell him congrats from Angela and I!”
“Yeah, I’ll call him later and give him your congratulations,” Hajime laughs at his neighbour’s kindness.
“Oh, I was assuming you would go do it in person. Don’t you still have a few days of break? In any case, I guess I’ll go for a morning run since I’m up this early. See you around!” The man in a bathrobe steps back into his apartment, as Iwaizumi does the same.
Tossing the idea around in his head, he turns his attention back to the television. A news anchor is talking to the camera as confetti fills the gym behind her.
“Do you have a minute,” she calls out to someone off screen. Oikawa walks into frame, “Anything for you Aki-chan,” he says.
“How are you feeling?” she asks.
“I am ecstatic! But I knew this was always in the cards for us,” Oikawa says as he winks, “My team has been incredible this season. They are truly some of the hardest working people I know.”
She nods, “'The team with the better six is stronger’, isn’t that what you always say?”
Oikawa laughs easily, “Ah yes, a wise young teenager said this to me once back in middle school, while I was struggling." His hands move to take off the headband and wraps it around his fingers, "I wouldn’t be where I am without them."
“Is there anything else you want to say, Oikawa-san?” Akira points to the camera.
“As always, I want to thank those who came out today to support us and to all those cheering us on at home. A special thanks goes out to my supporters,” Oikawa flashes his signature peace sign, “and you know who you are, but I’m taking your champion sash now. That’s my brand now, because I’m your champion now!”
His eyes go wide realizing what he said, “A champion now, the champion now!” Oikawa tries to correct as he turns to an equally surprised Akira.
“Who is this—" Akira starts at the same time Oikawa puts a hand on her shoulder, “Sorry Aki-chan, that’s all the time I have, I have to get back to my team! Thanks so much, it’s been a pleasure!” He blows a kiss to the camera and quickly skips off screen.
Did Oikawa just call him "his" on national television?
“I’m your champion now,” echoes in his ears. The now browning quarter-cut apple is discarded as he reaches for his laptop.
-----
Ping. Ping.
Two emails pop up in Hajime's inbox.
Expedia Travel Confirmation – Itinerary #14610720
Your reservation for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is booked and confirmed…
Adidas Online Shop Order Confirmation: Thank you for your order!
Order summary:
1 pc gold headbands
Customer message included: You’ll always be my champion.