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“I’m coming to Tokyo next week.”
“Yeah? For what occasion?”
“ICAMPG.”
“I—what? That’s a new Apple product or something?”
“God, you don’t have a single cell in that brain, do you?” A scoff. He wouldn’t hold even if he tried. “International Conference on Art Museums and Public Galleries, you dumbass. How many times do I have to tell you what it stands for?”
A low hum from the other side. A grumble. Sounds like a kid who doesn’t want to eat his broccoli. Then, it’s Tsukishima who must hold his chuckle.
“I’ve booked a hotel in Shibuya for three days.”
“Why don’t you stay at my place?”
“The event’s in Shibuya.”
“So what?”
“Your place is too far away.” Tsukishima rubs his temple. Long shifts maddens him and he hates to over explain. “Anyway, it ends on the 28th in the morning and I’m going home in the evening.”
“Can’t even stay one more day?”
“Can’t.”
“Well, okay … umm, I’m off that day.” This time, this kid sulks. Tsukishima bites his laugh. “Wanna grab lunch together? I’ve been wanting to try this place, it’s called … uh … hold on … Hoshiumi-san, what’s it called again? … Yes, the cafe that you showed me yesterday, the one with the outdoor terrace? … Shozo? … Shozo Cafe …? Coffee shop? Got it. It’s Shozo Coffee Shop.”
Tsukishima stares at his smirk on the bus window.
“If you insist.”
The cafe that Kageyama oh-so-wants to visit is located two minutes breezy walk from Tsukishima’s hotel. It's small, a little cramped, and almost residential in appearance. The entrance has a white door and is designed to look like a wooden hut. It also serves as an ordering space. A shaded alley next to the shop leads to rows of small tables and benches where customers can enjoy their freshly brewed coffees and pastries. It’s nice. Lovely.
Tsukishima quickly settles on iced americano and apple pie, while Kageyama opts for banana milk and vanilla muffin. They also buy a jar of strawberry and summer jam each. After receiving their requests, the two immediately find a seat near the bicycle parking area, across from which a couple of high schoolers sit. It's glaringly clear that they're on their first date.
Kageyama eyes the couple with an unreadable look.
“The closest thing I’ve got to action in high school was getting hit by a ball in the head,” he mumbles.
A joke. Kageyama Tobio has grown up to enjoy telling jokes. Who would’ve thought? And Tsukishima almost laughs, but instead he sneers mockingly. “Is there a difference now?”
Never one to hide his expression, Kageyama is obviously flabbergasted. “We’ve been dating for four months!”
“Sorry, I didn’t notice.”
His boyfriend throws him an unimpressed look. “Fuck you.”
“That, I’d love to.”
The weather is scalding. The wind is arid. The heat left a rosy shadow on Kageyama’s cheek, sticky with sweat, while the white cast from his sunscreen is vaguely visible. Cute.
“You’ve actually got so many actions back in high school. You were just too stupid to realize—still are, sometimes.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
“I know.”
Then, Tsukishima chokes on his coffee. Oh … that tone is trouble. That contortion on Kageyama’s face is the tip of an iceberg.
“Know what?”
Kageyama turns the table with a smug smirk plastered on his face. “How you’ve been making a move on me since the first day of high school? Yeah, Baby, I know.”
“You’re Kageyama from Kitagawa middle school, right? What’s an elite like you doing in Karasuno?”
Kageyama grits his jaw.
Who is this guy? He’s so cocky that Kageyama wants to punch all of his teeth out.
He appears out of nowhere, almost as if to flaunt his arrogant pretensions and irritating voice. His minion is standing on the side, extolling him. Then, he goes on a rant about taking it easy on Kageyama’s first match in this damn school, and when Kageyama fights back, he mocks;
“What confidence! You’re the king alright!”
It punches the guts out of Kageyama. How many people must have known? The reason he was rejected everywhere except here? He boils, hating the way humiliation slithers down his spine.
“Don’t call me that!”
But, of course, instead of apologizing, the blond pretended to be amazed. “Oh, the rumors turn out to be right.”
“What?”
"I heard you flip out when you’re called the King of the Court." He glances up his eyes provokingly. Kageyama trembled in anger. "But it’s not bad, King. I think it suits you."
“The heck is your problem?”
All of sudden, the blond pauses his insults. "I saw your performance at the prefecture," he says as he walks forward, volleyball in hand. Kageyama’s body must have been stunned by how quickly it went from steaming to chilling. "I'm surprised the others put up with your tosses. I'd never be able to do it. Or … ah! It must be why you’re here!”
That’s it. He’s done it. He’s pulled the trigger.
Kageyama loses temper for a split second and snaps back. He grips the blond's uniform collar, a blade in his gaze, wishing desperately hard he could smack the smug look off his face. And yet …. The blond is not even nervous. He does seem to be delighted, though. Happy. What a psychopath.
Shit.
Kageyama suddenly realizes that he can’t make another mistake. Not if he wants to go pro.
Regretfully, he must give up the blond and resist the temptation to choke him to death. He pulls away with a bitter air to pick up his bag. "We're leaving," he asserts to Hinata Shoyo, not wanting to prolong his agony.
“Who the hell are you anyway?” Hinata demands when they almost depart.
"There's no need to be hostile." Kageyama clenches his fist around his gym uniform. Who is the source of the hostility to begin with? “I’m Tsukishima Kei, Class 1-4.” He shrugs. His minion, Yamaguchi Tadashi, introduces himself and waves. “I’m looking forward to seeing the King’s tosses.”
They resume their practice elsewhere and Kageyama dedicates the evening secretly fantasizing about the ball growing curly blonde hair.
"In my defense, I didn't have a crush on you yet at the time."
Kageyama chuckles meaningfully, munching on his muffin. "Oh, yeah?"
"I'm serious. I swear." Hasn't the wind been blowing for a while? Tsukishima is getting hotter and hotter. "It was the first day of school, and I was … curious. I wanted to judge the king that everyone had been talking about."
"Curious, huh?"
"And they were right when they said curiosity killed the cat. Look at me now, I’m stuck with you."
Nevertheless, Kageyama still wears the simper on his face. Tsukishima discreetly checks him out while groaning, pretending to shift his glance to the cloudless sky and scratch his chin. He soaks in Kageyama’s happiness, aware that it seeps inside his body and makes his fingertips tingle; he basks.
He still fondly remembers the first time Kageyama began to feel like sunrise. The first moment he thought, oh no, I'm absolutely going insane, there's no way I'm crushing on a person whose brain capacity is fueled by three boxes of milk per day. He expected to either lose it quickly or kill himself.
However, as the amount of time they have together grows longer, he begins to have corny dreams about walking hand-in-hand with Kageyama on Saturdays and Sundays. But then holding hands transformed into kissing, and kissing turned into ... something completely different. That's when he realized he was in too deep.
He only admits it after he has meticulously purified himself of his teenage pride.
(He’s glad he’d done that.)
"When did you start having a crush on me?" Kageyama asks rashly because that’s just how he is. Tsukishima is torn. He likes that quality about Kageyama sometimes; it completes him, but not today.
His blush darkens as he pushes forward, despite his ineptitude. "At the end of the first year, I guess."
"Oh, so that's why you worked so hard in second year to tutor me alone."
"No, I wasn't."
"Don’t deny it. You were! Do you think I’m blind about the time you bought Yachi-san a ticket to a concert of her favorite band so she couldn't tutor me? Leaving me to you?"
"Wha—no …." Tsukishima winces and wipes his brow. "How did you know about that one?"
Without warning, Kageyama’s features stand out, and his eyes glimmer with tricks. "She might have accidentally told me when she was drunk."
"Fuck!"
Kageyama pouts.
He wonders if the whole universe has been conspiring to let him down lately.
Firstly, Hinata. Or … well, Hinata(s). Both Shoyo and Natsu. Seriously? How could they? Natsu took Kageyama’s tutor partner to watch some dolphins in the aquarium because she wanted to see them bounce some balls into rings of fire. How cool is that?! Kageyama wants to see that too! Why didn't they ask him if he could come? Of course, when Kageyama confronted Shoyo about it, he said he had only booked two non-refundable tickets for today. Swear Kageyama is going to destroy him in their next sparring match.
And then, there’s Yachi. "I’m sorry, Kageyama-kun, I can't tutor you tomorrow. Tsukishima-kun bought me a concert ticket, and I promised to watch it with Naoko-chan. But I heard Tsukishima-kun will be free all week, so maybe you can ask him to tutor you?"
Yeah, that means he's letting the big-headed bastard yell at him outside the court. That's fantastic. Then again, why would Tsukishima give Yachi a concert ticket? He doesn't appear to be the type of person who would do something like this without a reason. It’s fishy. It’s alarming. Kageyama doesn’t like the smell of it in the least.
But what other option does he have?
Thank God the library is deserted, leaving the discussion room to the two of them now that the exam season has passed. Kageyama stares at Tsukishima, who’s explaining the passive English structure with patience Kageyama is unaware he possesses. Afternoon sunlight streams through the windows, bathing Tsukishima’s figure in a soft light and creating a glow over his hair and peach fuzz. He almost looks like an angel.
Well, an angel of death, (but still …).
“You falling in love with me or something?”
“Gross.”
“Then quit staring.”
He shifts his gaze to Tsukishima’s laptop, which displays a set of problems for Kageyama to guess—no, solve. If only he can focus on their studies, though.
“Why did you do that?” He prefers to interrogate.
Tsukishima seems like he wants to blow out, but deflates at the last second. "Did what? Please spare my sanity and concentrate on this topic. Not everyone wants to be your royal slave, so don’t prolong my torture."
"Seriously, if you were so bothered by this, why didn't you just go to the concert and let Yachi-san tutor me instead? She’s a better mentor anyway.”
His peer teacher's eyelids flutter, eyebrows furrow against the ceiling. "Excuse me. When I last tutored you, your grade was higher than when she did." He sighs and continues, "I just don't like the band and don't want to waste my ticket. And instead of mistrusting my sincere efforts, you should grovel and thank me. I’m doing you something good right here, your highness."
Kageyama rolls his eyes. “But, why did you buy the ticket if you don’t like the band?”
“God, you couldn’t even solve this without me spelling it out to you?” In response to the question, Tsukishima gives a flat look. "I didn’t buy it. I got it from my brother.”
Four years later, Kageyama would travel home and meet Yachi and Yamaguchi at a nearby izakaya. They would speak of the past, and Yachi would become so drunk that she spilled the truth about how Tsukishima trampled on his pride and requested that she go to the concert so he could tutor Kageyama.
It would be the night Kageyama realized Tsukishima had been crushing on him since high school. The night he would text him and arrange their first date. And the first date would be painfully amazing that Kageyama would love every second of it.
However, right now, Kageyama tries so hard to abandon his assumptions, even with his gut telling him that it doesn't add up. Yachi clearly stated that Tsukishima bought the ticket. Don’t blame him if he trusts Yachi more than Tsukishima. But his tutor appears to be ready to leave if he continues. And Kageyama truly can’t get another 39 on his re-exam.
"This is all such a mistake." Tsukishima covers his face with his palms, his embarrassment muggier than the summertime.
His boyfriend presents him with two pats on the shoulder. "Haha, don’t worry. It got us here, so I’m not complaining."
"Not my masterminding!" Tsukishima lowers his hands and glares at Kageyama. It’s not every day that Kageyama can play with Tsukishima’s psychology like this. He clearly enjoys it a little too much. "I meant talking about high school."
"You started it." Kageyama sips on his drink, ever so satisfied. Fine, he’s winning today. But, tomorrow? Who knows! What is certain is that Tsukishima will not make it easy for him. "Although, I have to add that it’s not so masterful of you if I can see the tricks that you pull?"
“Shut up.”
Of course, Kageyama isn’t shutting up. He's cackling even brighter now, drawing the attention of everyone in the room, including the high school couple. While Tsukishima presses his lips together in a thin line to hide his embarrassment, the boy continues to stare at them. He speaks shortly to her girlfriend before approaching them with a pen and napkin.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but are you Kageyama Tobio?”
The thing about Kageyama: He’s never used to being recognized.
He fumbles and trips over his actions to straighten himself until Tsukishima cuts him off with a tug of pride in his chest, "Yes, Kid, he's him. Kageyama Tobio of Schweiden Adlers and the Japan National Volleyball Team."
“Awesome!” The boy beams. "May I get your autograph?"
The blond watches how Kageyama scribbles his autograph on the napkin, still the same one that Sugawara gave him many years ago. He doesn’t understand why the guy hasn’t made a new one. It has been five years since he first went pro. And why is he still acting awkward and shy around his fans? It’s almost too endearing.
“Ah …. It’s hard to date a celebrity,” comments Tsukishima after the boy bows and goes back to his seat.
“Not a celebrity.” Kageyama kicks his shin under the table. “He’s probably just a volleyball fan.”
“A fan …. I’m guessing he’s in a volleyball club, too, huh?” Tsukishima watches as the boy yells, trying not to flail the autograph at his girlfriend. He slightly tilts his head. "Tell me, what good would it bring if we had more Hinata Shoyo in this world?"
“Nothing.” Kageyama shoots blankly. “But, speaking of ‘celebrities’ …,” he advances with an air quote gesture, “... remember when you brought Sendai Frogs to Karasuno?”
Tsukishima rolls his eyes. “Sendai Frogs is just a side job.”
“And Karasuno VBC was just a club as volleyball is just a hobby for you.”
He chews on another smile, understanding well enough what Kageyama implies from his statement. “You got me, Baby.”
This is how Kageyama knows for certain that he loves Tsukishima.
He's been talking to Tsukishima as more than friends for a while now, maybe a month. Nothing official, just a couple dates here and there, glazed with goodbye and hello kisses whenever one visits another, sprinkled with feelings. Even so, no one has openly announced their love. Heck, they haven’t even said "I like you" yet.
But that’s okay, too. Kageyama can wait. Take this slow. Take this easy.
It’s just … suddenly, right when Kageyama returns to Sendai, Tsukishima disappears.
Worse: Tsukishima isn’t even leaving him in the ghosting sense. He’s just getting into his hole; said he needed a minute to figure out his plans. The last time they talked, Tsukishima had complained about his workload. How he wished he could go back to high school and channel his stress into volleyball. Okay. That's so not Tsukishima, but everyone has been there before. Kageyama, too, has had his share of bad days.
The problem is …. Kageyama just … really, really misses him.
It’s been two days. How big is the space that Tsukishima needs?
He’s frustrated. Enough that, when he came across an opening for Sendai Frogs on Instagram, he threw on his hoodies, grabbed his old bicycle, and pedaled his way to Tsukishima's house. Akiteru opens the door with a witty look on his face, and waddles in without any words, leaving Kageyama right outside the genkan.
“Tsukishima-san?”
“Yes?” Akiteru looks back, puzzled. “What are you doing there? Come on in!”
"No, I’m … I'll just …. That's all right. If Kei is still depressed, I don't want to bother him." Kageyama shifts his weight on his feet, much like a little girl in front of her crush’s father. "I just wanted to let him know that the Sendai Frogs are looking for a blocker, so he could give it a shot ... if he wants to get back into volleyball."
Akiteru shakes his head this time, then chortles. "Kageyama-san, what are you on about? I'm not sure what happened between you two, but my brother isn't depressed. Also, he's made it into the Sendai Frogs."
"Wait, what?" Kageyama needs a second. No, he needs a minute. To blink. To digest this information. “He’s what?”
"Would you please come in? He might as well be expecting you at this point."
Oh, God.
Kageyama swear he'll smack Tsukishima's shit-eating grin off his face when he catches him in his room, having caused him to fret and rush all the way here, but the Sendai Frogs uniform is laying triumphantly on the bed, and Kageyama tells Tsukishima that he loves him for the first time.
"That one is tricky, to be honest. On our last date, I needed to feed some keywords into your algorithm while you were in the bathroom so that the ads would only show relevant results." Tsukishima reaches out and wipes the muffin crumbs on the corner of Kageyama’s mouth. Yeah, yeah, say what you want. They are those couples that Tsukishima scorned back in his youth. But what the hell, he’s happy now. He couldn't care less what people said. "But you didn’t even realize that the registration date had passed."
“I was very worried!”
"I remember how you looked when you barged through my door. Your hair was a mess, your hoodie smelled funny, and your pants were backwards that you reminded me of the stupid—"
"Not another word."
"—neighbor kid, but then you said the L-word first … and I knew the dominoes had fallen in the correct order. My plan had worked perfectly.”
“What a stupid plan.” Kageyama grimaces. "And you kissed a person that reminded you of the neighborhood kid?"
"I’d do it again."
"Gross."
He’s happy now, Tsukishima appreciates the feeling with sparkling glee in his stomach. Kageyama grumbles on the other side of the table, brushing crumbles on his pants, hands big and warm and holding parts of Tsukishima that are precious and rare. He’s happy now. He leans back and sighs. He’s happy.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re scheming again, aren’t you?”
“Nope.”
“Yes, you do.”
Tsukishima only shrugs boyishly.
Oh, they both know he’d scheme the entire world to make Kageyama stay.