Chapter Text
"How does it feel to have a famous athlete as a brother?"
Out of the top questions people asked Osamu when they met him, that last one (and its variations) was his least favorite one. He felt like people automatically assumed that between the two of them, he was the unsuccessful one. Usually, what others thought didn't matter much to him, but that question was becoming more popular as his brother's career progressed.
"What I am today Samu, it's thanks to you."
Suddenly, his mind recalled that phrase Atsumu told him just before moving to Osaka to start his career as a professional volleyball player, and that was the only recognition that truly mattered to him. Despite occasionally getting on his nerves, never returning the things he borrowed, and lying to him, he was also willing to do anything for his brother, and he knew Atsumu felt the same way.
That was the reason why their bond was so special, along with the inexplicable connection between them, what others called "Twin Thing." But to everyone's disappointment, it wasn't as if he knew what his brother was thinking all the time (thank goodness, because that would be traumatic) or if he felt the physical pain of any fall or hit from the other, rather it was like an instinct, a premonition... very difficult to explain. But when others insisted on an answer, they simply said they knew each other too well to know what was going on with the other.
And precisely because of that and also the fact that his brother often ended up with a broken heart almost every month as a result of how easily he fell in love, they had a rough time during high school.
It all started when Atsumu saw the student council president, he was dumbfounded and even considered joining the council, but his hopes crashed when he found out she was dating the captain of the soccer team. "How cliché!" exclaimed Atsumu when he heard the news.
From there, Atsumu used to flirt and change romantic interests almost every week. Being on the volleyball team and having good grades made him very attractive to many girls and boys, both inside and outside of school. So much, that Osamu was starting to put together a routine with things he'd like in case he got his heart broken, which unfortunately was very common.
At the beginning he called it "Anti-depression kit" and learned to carry it with him or at least make sure he could buy what was needed when, during the intercollegiate volleyball tournament, his brother set his eyes on the ace of the Itachiyama Institute team. That moron rejected Atsumu immediately with a glance and topped it off with a "You're pathetic, Miya" when Atsumu tried to approach him after their defeat. That day, the whole team had to deal with a depressed Atsumu and a furious Osamu with the urge to rip off that smug moles from his forehead.
He knew it wasn't his brother's fault to wear his heart on his sleeve and fully commit himself to another person when he fell in love, no matter how fleeting the relationship was. Unlike him, Osamu found it hard to open up and trust others. Truth be told, the only other person he trusted besides Atsumu was his best friend Suna, who was always there to support him when he needed a break. If it wasn't with a movie marathon, it was an afternoon in the park eating ice cream or a sleepover at Suna's house where he could let out all his frustrations and feel heard while leaning on his friend's shoulder and Suna stroked his hair.
He was surprised that Suna was the one willing to listen to him, especially since he usually got annoyed when he started fighting with his twin. But when they were alone together, his attitude changed, he even took any opportunity to touch him and spend time together. The signals were quite clear to those around them, but apparently Osamu was too busy with his brother's life to notice. That's why when the middle blocker confessed to him in his second year of high school, it caught him off guard and took a few minutes to accept his confession.
"You're just as stupid as your brother," Suna said after hearing Osamu's "Yes" and letting out a long sigh.
The happiest one to find out that they were dating was their Mom. Osamu felt relieved seeing his mother's reaction. Among all the possible scenarios he had imagined, that one surprised him the most. From that moment on, Mama Miya claimed that she had gained another son, and she occasionally joked that Suna was her favorite because, in her words, "He's the one who knows how to behave." As for Atsumu, he was also very happy for them, but there was some sadness in his eyes.
Who would have thought that shortly after, his brother would formalize a relationship with his volleyball team captain, Kita Shisuke. At first, it was a shock to the entire team. It was true that there was a certain tension between them, but from the way Atsumu looked at the guy, Osamu could tell he was whipped.
So whipped that the separation of the couple three months later was the first major failure of the plan, forcing Osamu to rethink certain steps. This time, even Suna had been involved in an attempt to spend more time with his boyfriend. Apparently, they had broken up because Kita was about to graduate, and being with Atsumu no longer fit into his plans. His brother was devastated. He swore that Kita was the one for him and that the love they had for each other was infinite, that if they couldn't be together now, they could be in the future.
A year later, they graduated from high school. While Suna, Atsumu, and Aran decided to pursue sports careers, Osamu chose the culinary path. He was determined to start from the bottom if necessary. He wanted to do everything possible to spend the rest of his life doing what he loved the most. First, he took some cooking courses and then got a job as a kitchen assistant in a sushi restaurant. Some days he felt like he wouldn't make it, but he always had the support of his Mom, his brother, his friends, and his boyfriend. Even though they were in different prefectures, they supported each other in their own ways. They even established a monthly group call to catch up.
Being away from the guy he loved was quite difficult for Osamu, but undoubtedly being away from Atsumu was a bit harder. He felt anxious thinking that his brother was out there with a broken heart and no self-control.
"What's wrong?" Suna's voice on the other end of the video call brought him back.
"Nothing important," Osamu gave him a slight smile.
"Tell me," it was impossible to hide anything from Suna.
"It's just that I miss you and Tsumu... he hasn't called me at all in these 2 weeks."
"Osamu, just give him time. We're just starting, and I'm sure he's figuring out who he can intimidate on his new team."
"Yeah," Osamu fell silent for a moment, looking at the wall in front of him, trying to organize his thoughts. He didn't want to come across as overly protective of his family, not when his Mom played that part to perfection. "Do you think he'll be okay?"
"Yes, it's Atsumu. Of course he'll be fine." Osamu smiled upon hearing his boyfriend's words. Coming from Suna, it made him feel calm.
"Okay, now tell me how things are going for you." Osamu was aware of Suna's new teammates, most of whom were newcomers competing for a spot on the starting team. Osamu had confidence in Suna's talent and knew he would succeed soon. That's why he had started saving some money to go see him in his first game as a starter.
Just that happened a year and a half later. Osamu surprised Suna at his first game, and soon after, Suna surprised him by showing up at the opening of Onigiri Miya, Osamu's first restaurant. By that point, Miya Osamu was sure he wanted to spend his life with Suna Rintaro. Even if they could only be together occasionally on weekends or vacations, the wait was worth it if he could spend a few nights with his boyfriend, knowing he would always be his.
Another year later, during their monthly call, it came to light that Kita and Aran were dating. For a moment, Osamu saw his brother's petrified gaze just before he ended the call. It didn't take 15 minutes for Osamu to be on the phone again, trying to calm his brother while preparing everything to head to Osaka.
"He was the love of my life, Samu!!! How could he just forget about me and start dating someone else?" he said while stuffing another mochi into his mouth and sobbing.
"I'm sure that's the opposite of being the love of your life."
"And then Aran!!! I know he's handsome and tall, but he could've found someone else who wasn't our friend." Atsumu had no intention of listening, so Osamu just let him talk. "I can't hate Aran."
"In 20 minutes, I'll be at your apartment. You better come down to open the door."
Osamu arrived at his brother's apartment with a bag full of things, everything necessary to contain his brother's crisis. He couldn't say he didn’t hold a little resentment towards his ex-captain, not that Kita was a bad person to his brother, but Osamu witnessed firsthand all the suffering that breakup had caused him. He always sensed something missing between them. That night, Atsumu swore it would be the last time he would cry over Kita. He wanted to believe him, but it was simply difficult.
To his surprise, a few months after that, Atsumu seemed to have gotten over Kita and was dating again. The late-night crying calls decreased, and he no longer mentioned Kita when they talked. Everything coincided with the arrival of two new members to the Black Jackals.
Just seeing one game was enough for Osamu to notice the chemistry between his brother and a certain redhead player on the team. He immediately recognized the other guy too. Of course, he couldn't forget Atsumu's expression when he saw the Ace of Itachiyama at the first Inter-High tournament, let alone the journey back with his brother leaning against his shoulder, crying after trying to approach him. But according to Atsumu, the curly black hair was long forgotten.
When Osamu confronted his brother about his supposed feelings for Hinata Shoyo, he only replied that more than feelings, it was admiration combined with the fact that both were single and wanted to have fun. Besides, they both agreed it would be a no-strings-attached thing. "No-strings-attached?" To Osamu, the glances they exchanged during matches were more than enough to tell that something more was going on.
But as life seemed to conspire against his brother, the redhead began a public relationship with his former high school teammate, Kageyama Tobio, one of Atsumu's strongest rivals.
Osamu was ready to travel to Osaka again to put the plan into action. But he was taken aback when he called to let him know he was on his way.
"No!" He said too fast and loudly, "I mean... you don't need to come, Samu."
"What?... Are you sure?"
"Yes! Seriously, I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about." In his voice, one could hear nervousness or rather anxiety.
"Okay... if you say so, but remember you have to call Mom tomorrow. She gets worried when you don't answer." As he finished that sentence, the doorbell of Atsumu's apartment rang. "Do you have visitors at 9 pm?"
"Something like that. I'll hang up now because I need to go. Goodbye, Samu! Love you, goodbye!" Before he could say anything else, Atsumu hung up the phone, leaving his brother with a ton of questions.
"Did he really say 'Goodbye' twice?" Suspicious...
Inexplicably, things seemed to be calm. Atsumu was behaving, to some extent, normally. But every time Osamu tried to bring up the topic of what had happened that night on the call, Atsumu remembered something he had to do, or pretended someone else was calling him. Several ideas crossed Osamu's mind that could explain his brother's behavior, but none of that would ruin the little vacation he had planned with Suna.
It was the first time he would be in Shizuoka for more than 2 days. Whenever he had the chance, he traveled to watch Suna's matches, spending the night with him on weekends and returning in the morning. But this time, they will be together for a whole week. They had planned to visit some places, and Suna had promised him a tour of the best restaurants in the prefecture. But above all, what excited him the most was getting to see more of his boyfriend's daily life.
Deep down, he hoped that someday he could share an apartment with Suna, have pets, prepare lunch for him every day, come home to him and give him a kiss on the cheek, wake up by his side, just like at that very moment. But they loved each other enough not to make the other give up their dreams.
However, it's incredible how a single message can alter everything. In his case, it wasn't a message, but a photo in the high school volleyball group chat. The photo showed Kita's left hand with a ring, with Aran hugging him in the background. The news seemed to surprise everyone, and it would have been very pleasant for Osamu if it weren't for the fact that he was in the middle of his vacation and wasn't close enough to Atsumu to check on him.
"At last! Aran took his time," someone commented.
"Did you know he was going to propose?" Osamu asked, setting aside the vegetables he was cutting for dinner to glare at Suna, who was pretending to pay full attention to his phone to avoid meeting his gaze.
"Not really, but he mentioned something a while ago after a game," Suna replied. Luckily, Osamu got distracted by the pile of congratulatory messages coming into the group, everyone had written something, even Atsumu.
"Oh no..."
"Why?..." Suna looked at him strangely and proceeded to read the messages too. "Oh, that... but I don't think... or is it?"
Several years had passed since what happened between Kita and Atsumu, but Osamu was still concerned about his brother's reaction.
"I don't know... He's been acting very strange lately."
"Sam... don't take this the wrong way, but don't you think you're being a little too overprotective with your brother?" Suna had never been able to explain why the twins could go from each other's neck to sharing an ice cream tub in the kitchen while laughing. He always tried not to interfere in their relationship dynamics, and Osamu knew that when he commented on it, it was because he was concerned about him. But now, all he could think of was making sure his brother was okay.
"No, why do you say that?" Seeing Osamu's reaction, Suna decided not to elaborate on the topic. Combined with the fact that Osamu was already picking up his phone to talk to his brother.
"Forget it," Suna said before returning his attention to his phone.
The vacation ended, and the weeks passed by. Osamu tried to compile any kind of information from his brother, but the bastard knew how to avoid his questions. Just when he thought he was making progress, the new League season came in the way. Once that was over, the much-awaited wedding week arrived.
Everyone from their high school volleyball team was invited, and the closest ones were in the group of groomsmen. Atsumu and Osamu were on Aran's side. Having everyone gathered in their hometown brought back many good memories, which is why they were all gathered at Aran's house for dinner.
"If anyone's not going to use their plus-one pass, they can donate it to me," due to the limited number of people invited to the wedding, a few of them didn't have a plus-one pass. One of them was Gao, who was also a groomsman and Aran's teammate.
"I'm sorry I can't help you, but I'm sure Atsumu won't use his," Ginjima teased Atsumu just like they did in high school. Laughter filled the room, and Osamu could only watch as his brother frowned.
"Im sorry me, Gao-kun, but my extra pass has already been taken," Atsumu said with one of his smug looks.
"What?! Are you bringing someone?" Ginjima replied, as surprised as everyone else.
"Hinata?" Akagi asked.
"No, Hinata's with Kageyama." With every comment they made, Atsumu seemed to get more annoyed.
"I was going to tell you all about my 4-MONTH RELATIONSHIP with my super hot and sexy boyfriend, but I'd rather see your surprised faces when you see him," if Suna hadn't tightened the grip of his hand on his knee, Osamu would have lunged across the table at his brother.
"You didn't know, did you?" he whispered, and Osamu could only shake his head, trying to bore holes into his brother's head with his gaze.
After dinner, everyone headed back home, including the twins. Throughout the trip back, Osamu didn't say a word. He radiated a heavy vibe, the kind that if you got close enough, you could feel chills. Taking advantage of being at their parents' house, he went into the kitchen to distract himself, making some cookies and onigiris for Suna's sisters.
"Samu... can we talk?" He heard a trembling voice entering the kitchen as he mixed the ingredients.
"That's what I've been trying to do for the past few months, but you always evaded me, remember?"
"Forgive me, Samu." Atsumu sat at the kitchen bar, right in front of him. "I know you're angry, but I promise it's not what you're thinking."
"More than angry, I'm... disappointed. I thought you trusted me enough to tell me these things." Osamu's tone was gentle, a sign that he was focused. He wasn't even looking at his brother's face.
"I'm so sorry, Samu. And believe me, I do trust you a lot. But..." Atsumu sighed before continuing. "I know how much you and Mom worry about me. You're always looking for ways to protect me. And after my last failed romance, I promised myself that the next person I introduced to you would be the right one, so you wouldn't have to go through so much trouble because of me."
"You're not a bother to us, Tsumu. We just don't like seeing you suffer," Osamu interrupted his brother. He wanted to make sure Atsumu got rid of that idea before continuing with his explanation. Atsumu smiled slightly at that response and then continued.
"And about my 'boyfriend,' the truth is, we're not even officially dating yet. We've only been friends for a short while. At first, we couldn't stand each other, but we got to know each other better over time, and now we spend every evening together after practice. And I'm starting to really like him." Atsumu spilled the whole truth in one go, covering his eyes to avoid seeing Osamu's reaction and hiding his embarrassment.
"Huh?" was the only thing Osamu managed to say after hearing that. He shifted his focus from fully concentrating on the dough he was mixing to looking confused at his brother for the second time that day.
"I know, I know. I panicked when everyone started talking about their partners and he's the closest thing I have to a partner right now... I screwed up."
"That's an understatement, I would say."
"Stop looking at me like that!"
"You haven't even looked at me, coward."
"But I know the expression you have right now." Osamu shrugged. Atsumu had a point. "I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Why don't you start by asking this 'Guy' out on a normal date before introducing him to everyone?" Osamu suggested.
"Because I don't know if he feels the same way about me... I'm afraid of ruining things between us, especially for the team."
"Mmmmmm... So he's someone from the Jackals?" Atsumu nodded, revealing his face. "Uh-oh..."
"What does that mean?!"
"Nothing. Or how about you explain EVERYTHING to him, the WHOLE context, and ask for his help as friends?" Something lit up in Atsumu's eyes, and Osamu began mentally listing the things he would need for the plan in case things went wrong.
"You're a genius, Samu." Atsumu got up from the table and started walking around the kitchen, most likely thinking about what he was going to do. "I'll call him tomorrow morning."
"I want to meet him, or at least tell me who he is."
"You've met him before, and I think you would get along well. Sometimes Omi reminds me a lot of you." Atsumu's smile was unmistakable; he was close to falling at the feet of this ‘Omi’ guy.
"Omi?" But wait. He had heard that nickname before, he didn't need to think much to know who he was talking about. He pinched the bridge of his nose to channel his frustration. "Oh no, Atsumu..."
"Do you realize that you've just proposed the most stupid idea to the least suitable person?"
"Don't blame me, I said that before I knew who it was about" Osamu had spent the last hour doing what he liked best when he was angry with his brother, complaining while Suna nestled against his chest.
"Wow, I thought Atsumu was the grudge-holder, but you still hold a grudge against someone who rejected your brother in high school is a record."
"Well, the guy is a jerk, they're always getting on each other's nerves, and have you seen how they look at each other during matches?"
"Oh yeah, like they're about to fight each other at any moment" Suna paused as Osamu nodded "with their mouths."
"Eww Rin, shut up" Suna started laughing at his disgusted and annoyed expression.
"Sam, you don't know the guy, your only memory of him is from high school, and besides, we still don't know if he'll agree to come. I want to believe that Sakusa is smart enough to not agree to something so stupid.”
To Suna's disappointment, Atsumu told them the next morning that Sakusa was officially confirmed as his fake partner and boyfriend for the wedding. Osamu was mentally preparing for the disaster that was about to unfold. He had no plans to be friendly with his fake "brother-in-law" or even exchange a word with him unless it was absolutely necessary.
And it turned out he didn't even have to try that hard to avoid Sakusa. He was too busy to be concerned about the arrival of ‘The Intruder’, as he had started to call him. It wasn't until the ceremony that he had to cross paths with him, hand in hand with a very nervous Atsumu. Both dressed in matching suits and ties, they looked like the perfect couple.
"Omi" Atsumu addressed ‘The Intruder’ as they approached Osamu and Suna "I want to formally introduce you to my brother Samu, well, his name is Osamu, and you already know Suna from our matches against EJP"
"Nice to meet you" Sakusa greeted, slightly bowing towards each of them. Osamu simply nodded without saying anything, looking directly into the eyes of his brother's companion.
"Good to see you again, Sakusa" Suna responded, trying to prevent things from getting more awkward.
"Have you seen the others? I can't wait to see their faces."
"They're waiting for us in the groom's room" after saying that, Osamu just turned and headed to where the groomsmen should wait to enter the ceremony. Over his shoulder, he could hear Suna apologizing and getting ready to follow.
"What was that? For a moment, I started getting jealous of how much you were staring at him" Suna said when he managed to catch up with him.
"I have to keep an eye on him, Rin, I don't have a good feeling about him at all."
As the night went on, he only heard comments about how elegant and handsome Atsumu's boyfriend was. With each approving or positive comment he heard, Osamu felt more and more tempted to tell everyone that it was all a lie. But a small hope began to emerge when his brother went to congratulate the newlyweds along with ‘The Intruder.’ If anyone knew how to make Atsumu realize his mistakes with just a few words, it was Kita.
"What are you looking at?" Suna followed Osamu's gaze and understood what was about to happen. "Oh, interesting."
Atsumu introduced Sakusa and he greeted Aran first and then Kita, just as he had done with them a while ago. The interaction looked so natural that it was too awkward to watch. Sakusa and Kita... seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.
"Is Kita-San not scaring him off?" Akagi broke the silence. By that time, the entire table had become an audience to what was happening at the groom’s table.
"No, it even seems like they're getting along," Ginjima added. After a few minutes, Atsumu was making faces while blushing, a sign that they were probably already sharing embarrassing stories about him to his fake boyfriend, who was laughing and giving him shoulder, cheek, or neck caresses.
"You're watching that, aren't you?" Suna whispered, equally bewildered as Osamu. It was true that his brother was in love, but from those touches and the way Sakusa was looking at him, it could be said that the feelings were mutual.
"Yes, it's a disaster" Osamu got up from the table and headed towards the garden of the venue. He needed to take a breath and process what had just happened.
Conveniently, the garden was almost empty. He found the nearest bench and sat down.
"Idiot" he muttered to himself as he remembered what he had just witnessed. He was upset, mainly with himself for giving Atsumu the idea and especially because they really did seem happy together. Which was a big problem, because when the night ended and they stopped pretending, it would be a huge blow to his brother.
If only he could have a moment alone to talk to Atsumu, but they were inseparable, unless Suna helped distract him. Osamu got up from where he was to ask his boyfriend for help when he ran into the person he least wanted to see at that moment.
"Oh, Miya-San" Sakusa stopped abruptly when he saw him "I was looking for Atsumu, is he here?"
"No, actually, I was looking for him too."
"Oh, okay, then I guess..." Sakusa seemed anxious, as if he wanted to say something more, but instead he turned around to go back inside "I'll let him know when I find him."
"Sakusa-san" Osamu called him to stop, he had to seize this opportunity to interrogate Sakusa alone "Can I ask you something?"
"Uhh... Yes" the curly-haired guy approached the bench where Osamu was sitting again and stood.
"I know I've been a little rude all night, and I apologize for that, but I have my reasons."
"I can imagine."
"And I also know I don't have the right to ask you this because we barely know each other, but I would appreciate it if you were honest with me for Atsumu's sake" Osamu paused to take a breath and continued "Do you have feelings for him?"
"Uh... I..." from Sakusa's expression, it was clear that he was caught off guard. He sighed as if letting go of a burden and said "Am I that obvious?"
"Yes, you both are very obvious."
"So..." Sakusa immediately sat down beside Osamu, looking at him with wide-open eyes as if he was putting all his attention and hope into whatever Osamu was about to say.
"Okay, I can't say more because it's not my place, but I'm not blind, and I can see that what you two are doing in there goes beyond trying to hide Atsumu's single status." Sakusa turned his gaze towards the garden, he stayed silent for a moment, and just when Osamu thought he wouldn't say anything else, he spoke.
"The truth is, Atsumu caught my attention since we played that match in that inter-high tournament in high school. And then when he tried to approach me, I panicked and didn't know what to say, so I just said the first thing that came to mind." Osamu looked at him in disbelief; it was a misunderstanding, he would have never thought that Sakusa Kiyoomi had been in love with his brother since high school. "After that, when we kept running into each other in games or camps, I just kept ignoring him because I was ashamed, I thought that would help me get over what I felt for him. But now, we ended up on the same team."
"Who's the pathetic one now?" Sakusa laughed at Osamu's comment.
"Ouch, but you're right. I agreed to this stupid thing, which by the way, I have to thank you for, just to be close to him." Osamu looked at Sakusa; he still had his gaze lost in the garden. "Please don't tell him I said that, I think neither of us needs to feed his ego more."
"Are you kidding? Like his ego could get any bigger" both snorted. Atsumu might be right to some extent; in different circumstances, Osamu might actually get along with Sakusa. "If it helps, I think I've never seen him so happy with anyone, not even when he was with Kita-san. So, if you're going to make a move, this is your chance. If not, stay away from my brother as far as possible."
"Okay, thanks... I guess" Sakusa, sensing the threat, began to get up from the bench to continue his search when Suna suddenly emerged from the door leading to the garden.
"Well, well, Sakusa, do I need to remind you that MY Miya, and YOUR Miya look exactly the same, so you don't try to steal mine?”
"No, thank you, Suna, I prefer the cocky blonde who talks too much" Suna smiled as Sakusa headed back into the hall "and Osamu-san, don't worry, the last thing I want is to hurt him."
"So, he's already calling you by your first name so soon?" Suna leaned against the wall with crossed arms, just after Sakusa went back through the door.
"Rin, I have a lot to tell you, and I have no idea where that came from, but if it means what I think it does, we need to be inside if we don't want to miss the show" Osamu got up as quickly as he could and took his boyfriend's hand to follow the guy who had just re-entered the party.
Once inside, it didn't take them long to spot Sakusa, who had joined Atsumu on the dance floor.
"What are you doing?" Osamu asked as he saw Suna getting his phone ready to record.
"You told me there was going to be a show, and I'm just collecting evidence. '' Both were trying to guess what was happening; Sakusa was whispering something in Atsumu's ear, and Atsumu seemed petrified, with a poker face. Then Sakusa looked into his eyes, and Atsumu grabbed Sakusa's nape with both hands to pull him closer and kiss him, leaving Osamu and Suna stunned.
"You little..."
"Oh, yes, Komori owes me a lot of money" Suna said as he laughed and zoomed in on the couple who still hadn't parted.
"Rin, you better stop recording before they start groping each other" Suna stopped the video and put his phone in his pocket.
"Well, it seems like Atsumu is going to have a very long night tonight," Osamu could feel his boyfriend hugging him from behind, placing his chin on his shoulder to continue watching Atsumu and Sakusa, who were now dancing closely while smiling.
"Only Atsumu?" Osamu whispered, sensing Suna’s grin.
"I say the party's about to end, don't you think?" Suna said as he left a kiss below Osamu's earlobe.
"Let's go say our goodbyes to the newlyweds” Osamu suggested, then made a beeline for the bridal table, planning to leave for their apartment as soon as possible.
A few weeks after the wedding, Atsumu and Kiyoomi announced their relationship only to their closest circle. Some had expected it, while others never believed it was possible, but everyone agreed that those two were equally lost in each other. Even Osamu, although he still suspected his new and real brother-in-law's intentions.
Just when Osamu was getting used to seeing his brother in a relationship, which was, to date, the most stable one he had had in his life, suddenly, just four months into being together, Atsumu decided to move into Kiyoomi's apartment. Osamu had a lot of opinions about it.
In the past few months, he had started working on not being so overprotective of his brother. But Atsumu was making it difficult with decisions like that; they were rushing things too fast. "You haven't even introduced him to Mom!" he had told Atsumu over the phone, after asking whether it was voluntary or if Sakusa was forcing him.
That's how they ended up spending a weekend at the Miya's house to celebrate their mother's birthday. At that point, Osamu didn't know what was worse: bear the lovebirds, Suna not being able to come and provide support, or watching his mother gradually fall under Sakusa's charm within just a few hours of meeting him.
"Do you really not see anything suspicious about him?" Osamu took advantage of the time alone with his mother while they finished preparing dinner to question her.
"No, he's a quite nice and polite young man. The strangest thing to me is that someone like him can put up with your brother," Osamu couldn't agree more with that last part.
"Exactly! That's why, if they move in together, they'll be a ticking bomb. You have to talk to Tsumu and tell him the craziness he's about to do." Osamu was about to start listing the suspicions he had about his now brother-in-law, but his mother interrupted.
"Osamu, listen to me. Of course, I worry about your brother's decisions, but he's an adult now and doesn't always need us to tell him what to do," his mother moved closer and placed a hand on his cheek as she looked into his eyes. "And if he's wrong about this, we have to let him figure it out for himself, and we'll be there to support him if that happens, of course."
"Well, you're right, it's just that I don't like seeing him sad or hurt."
"Neither do I, Osamu. I'm also hurt if anything happens to either of you. But just by seeing the way that young man looks at your brother is enough for me. I have a good feeling about him, just like I did with Rintaro-kun."
"Okay... if Rin hears that, he'll think you've replaced him." His mother smiled and continued preparing the meat they would eat in a few minutes.
"Oh! Tell him that's what he gets for not coming to my birthday, and now we have to finish dinner before the other guests arrive." Osamu continued preparing the sauce on the stove, seriously considering what his mother had just told him. There was no one who knew them better than she did, and if she said it was best for Atsumu, Osamu would support it as well.
After that dinner, Sakusa Kiyoomi had the approval of the entire Miya family. Their opinions meant a lot in the twins' lives since, after their parents' divorce, they had taken great care of them, and according to their mother, that family was the best thing their father had left them. With that final verdict, Osamu gave up; he would have to get used to the idea that Sakusa was here to stay.
However, things didn't go as Atsumu had planned. It turned out that living with Sakusa was more difficult than he had thought.
Soon, arguments started to arise, and Atsumu began to see Osamu's restaurant as a safe place. Most of their problems were due to the different lifestyles they were used to. There were issues ranging from Sakusa's rigorous cleaning methods, his obsession with order, the new dietary plan he had adopted, and the fact that he had somehow become intolerant to loud noises.
But the most critical fight they had was triggered after their relationship was leaked to the press. Osamu thought the harshest opinions would come from their fans and he was ready to defend his brother from any online bullies.
But he didn't count on most of their fans accepting and supporting the couple, even going so far as to report any homophobic or hateful comments towards Atsumu or Kiyoomi. Osamu had received spam or threats for teasing his brother on Twitter before, but the phenomenon of ‘Sakuatsu’ (as the couple had been named) was impressive.
The real problem was Kiyoomi's family. Apparently, the Sakusa family was unaware of their youngest son's relationship, and when Sakusa introduced Atsumu to his family during a dinner in Tokyo, it turned out to be a total disaster. Mr. and Mrs. Sakusa began making negative comments about their relationship, and as always, Atsumu didn't stay quiet. But when he asked for Kiyoomi's support, he said nothing about it.
Atsumu was so furious that he hadn't slept at his and Sakusa's apartment for four nights and was avoiding his calls. That's why Atsumu now had a designated spot at his brother's restaurant's bar.
"Stop calling me, Sakusa!" Atsumu hung up after saying that. Osamu tried to stifle his laughter, but his brother noticed immediately. "What are you laughing at Scrub?!"
"God, abstinence is already affecting you."
"Shut up! I'm still really mad at him." Not even the onigiri that Osamu had prepared could make Atsumu stop cursing.
"What if he's calling to apologize?" By now, Osamu knew it was best to have an objective opinion about his brother's problems to try to calm him down.
"I don't want to talk to him."
"How do you plan to fix things if you don't talk to him?"
"I don't know, Samu, but instead of coming after me, he stayed in Tokyo for two more nights. It's pretty clear to me which side he's on. When I see him, I'll tell him I want nothing to do with him anymore."
"Really? Because he's just coming in." Atsumu turned pale, and immediately dropped to the floor, crawling to the other side of the bar next to Osamu. "Coward."
"Shhhh, Samu! Don't tell him I'm here."
A tired and disheveled Sakusa quickly approached where Osamu was.
"Hello, Osamu-San."
"Sakusa, what brings you here?" Osamu greeted him.
"I need your help, and it's okay if you don't want to help me. I don't deserve it. But I'm getting desperate; I can't find Atsumu anywhere. He's not answering my calls, and I'm worried that something might have happened to him."
"Okay, okay, calm down." Sakusa was almost hyperventilating with every word he said. "Sit down; you look really tired."
"I've been looking for him nonstop, and I need to find him. I have to talk to him. Do you know where he is?" Osamu looked down to the floor where Atsumu was hugging his knees. Atsumu looked up and shook his head in denial, a sign for Osamu to cover up for him.
"I haven't seen him today, but I can tell you he's okay." Sakusa let out a sigh while holding his head in his hands.
“I don't know where else to look for him” Osamu gestured to Atsumu to crawl through the kitchen and exit through the back door of the restaurant “I messed up everything, Osamu, you probably know that already, I don't want to lose him.”
“Don't worry, it's going to be really hard for you to get him away from you” Osamu was starting to feel sorry for the guy, he poured him a glass of water to help him relax.
“This is the first time we've fought so hard, is this how things go when you and Suna-san fight?” Osamu let out a slight laugh.
“No, it's completely different. Usually, Rin and I try to resolve our issues right away. But you know how Tsumu can be, sometimes he can be a bit dramatic. But I think when you truly love someone, you shouldn't focus on the problem, but on how to solve it.”
“You're absolutely right, I need to talk to him if you could…”
"Go through the kitchen and at the back, you'll see a door leading to the back alley."
"How?" Sakusa asked, confused.
"Just go; if you don't want to keep searching." Sakusa got up and followed Osamu's advice.
An hour later, he received a message from Atsumu that said "F I L T H Y T R A I T O R" and another from Sakusa that said "Thank you very much, Osamu-San. Atsumu and I are on our way back to our apartment."
Little did Osamu know that with that small favor, Sakusa would become his best ally in keeping an eye on his brother. Occasionally, Sakusa would visit the restaurant to buy dinner or call Osamu when Atsumu was feeling down and wanted to hear Osamu's voice. Slowly, they formed a friendship to the point where Osamu found it easier and quicker to call "Kiyo" (as he had started calling him) than his own brother.
The only one who seemed to dislike this friendship was Atsumu, as when he, his boyfriend, Suna, and Osamu hung out together, it meant he would be the target of all their jokes. But deep down, Osamu knew his brother was happy that they were finally getting along.
One of the things that Osamu liked most about his brother's relationship was that he could complain as much as he wanted about them with Kiyoomi's cousin, Komori Motoya.
Meeting someone who understood the painof being a direct family member of either of them was a relief for Osamu, especially with the senseless fights the couple frequently had. Even Suna said that Atsumu was to Osamu what Kiyoomi was to Komori and that both pairs were equally "overprotectively stupid."
There was only one thing all three agreed on: The ‘Sakuatsu’ was a pair of fools, and no one would have thought they'd last a full two years together. But somehow, they always managed to overcome their problems and move forward, with the help of Osamu and Komori, of course.
Seeing Kiyoomi pulling a blue velvet box out of his coat and getting down on one knee in front of his brother stirred many emotions. Of course, Osamu had been an accomplice in planning this behind Atsumu's back, but being present at that moment was entirely different.
They had gone to the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium under the excuse of checking where they would be playing in the upcoming year's Olympic games. The same place where Atsumu had first seen Kiyoomi in that intercollegiate tournament.
"Oh noooo!" Komori, who was also witnessing the scene, seemed terrified.
"What's wrong?" Osamu asked, confused.
"So, it was you!" Komori pointed at him accusingly.
When he looked at his brother again, he had been in shock for a minute. It seemed like he was going to reject Kiyoomi, when Atsumu began searching his coat pockets as well and pulled out another red box.
"What?!" Osamu's shout almost ruined the moment.
"Yes! I have it all on video," Suna said thrilled.
"We had planned everything for tonight," Komori said disappointedly.
"That's why Tsumu was acting so weird around me."
"Shh! Stop talking; you're ruining the audio of the video," Suna tried to get closer to capture the moment when Kiyoomi put the ring on Atsumu's finger and vice versa.
Almost instantly after getting engaged, Atsumu chose Osamu as his best man, which meant he would have to give a speech at the party apart from being involved in the preparations.
Osamu wasn't a man of many words; he generally only strained his throat when it came to lecturing Atsumu about his questionable decisions. For this reason, he decided to wait until the day before the ceremony to write the speech.
The worst part was that half of that day was taken up by the breakfast the grooms had organized for all the wedding attendees. Atsumu used every chance he got to ask him if everything was ready for tomorrow, to which Osamu responded with anything to change the subject.
"You haven't finished it, right?" Suna was the only one who could uncover his lies.
"No, I'm halfway through. But I could finish it faster if you help me," Osamu hugged his boyfriend by the neck and gave him a cheek kiss trying to coax him to help.
"Hmmm, I don't think so." Osamu immediately moved away from him with a grimace on his face.
"Fine, I don't need your help, Suna." Osamu shrugged and was about to turn to another table when Suna stopped him.
"Hey, don't be mad, Baby." Suna hugged him around the waist, preventing him from moving away. "I can't help you because it needs to be your words. You're the most suitable for this, and believe me, whatever you come up with, Atsumu will be very happy."
"I love you." Osamu wrapped his arms around Suna's neck again. "I didn't know I needed to hear that."
"I love you too." Suna gave Osamu a small kiss.
"Hey! You two!" Atsumu approached them annoyed, with Kiyoomi chasing after him, trying to stop him. "Stop looking like the happy couple of the moment! It's MY wedding!"
"Relax, Bridezilla," Osamu retorted, hugging Suna tighter.
"You're still in time to run," Suna addressed Kiyoomi. Atsumu was about to respond when Kiyoomi stepped in, took his fiancé's face in both hands, and looked him in the eyes.
"Atsu, I know you're stressed, but you have to stop picking fights with everyone." It was clear that Kiyoomi was modulating his voice to help calm Atsumu down. He simply stood still for a moment and then looked down at the floor.
"I'm sorry; I just want everything to be perfect" Atsumu placed a hand on Kiyoomi's wrist.
"I know, honey, but everyone is here now, and everything is going well so far. Let the planner take care of the rest."
"Okay, Omi." Kiyoomi gave his fiancé a kiss on the forehead, while Osamu and Suna watched everything, surprised.
"I think Sakusa has a superpower," Suna whispered in Osamu's ear.
"Yeah." Osamu made eye contact with Kiyoomi and thanked him for what he had just done, but also for giving him a bit of inspiration for his speech.
The next morning, Osamu had the speech ready on his phone; he just needed to make a few adjustments before the ceremony, and everything would be fine.
He was nervous, but seeing how happy Atsumu looked, he took a deep breath and decided to do his best. The presenter drew everyone's attention and introduced Osamu, handing him the microphone to speak.
"Most of the guests don't know this, but behind this marriage, Komori and I have always been, preventing these two from destroying each other." Scattered laughter was heard from the audience.
"So, Mori, wherever you are," Osamu tried to locate Komori, blocking the light of the spotlight that was pointing at him, "congratulations. After all the stress, we managed to make this stubborn couple settle down and realize that they're made for each other." The crowd began to applaud as Komori stood up to thank everyone. "Seriously, I had never believed that opposites attract until I had to deal with these two."
"Actually, Tsumu, I don't know what you were thinking when you chose me for the speech as your best man, but I'm really thankful for giving me the opportunity to embarrass you in front of everyone you know. Special greetings to all the V.League players joining us today." Gradually, the applause and laughter grew louder as Osamu read the text he had prepared.
"Im joking, Tsumu, I'll be nice to you just because it's your wedding day, not because Mom threatened me. Believe me when I tell you that this is the shortest and friendliest version of the speech I wrote."
"Tsumu and I have always been very competitive. Mom says our rivalry started with seeing who was born first. Unfortunately, he was the first, but that doesn't bother me as much because I can say that I'm the improved version. And things got more intense after attending a volleyball workshop in elementary school."
"I had my second defeat in high school due to Atsumu's bad luck in love. The number of dates he got in his first year was a record I could never beat. But with so many dates came several broken hearts. That's why I had to make a list of things to give him some comfort, which I called the 'Damage Control Plan.' It basically involves me making a bunch of tuna onigiri while he eats his favorite taiyaki, then watching one of his musicals, followed by a sad movie, and ending with a karaoke of heartbreak songs.”
"I remember once, right after finishing singing 'Alone Again,' Tsumu told me that his only true love would be volleyball and nothing else. But thanks to the first love of his life, he got to meet the second and last true love of his life, Sakusa Kiyoomi."
"I knew he was the right one when that plan became just Tsumu eating for free at the bar of my restaurant, complaining about his 'Omi-kun' for three consecutive years. Then one day, Kiyoomi came and told me he wanted to marry my brother, and here we are. In fact, how they got engaged is really funny, but I'll let Komori tell you his version."
"Kiyo, now I want to address you." Osamu could feel Kiyoomi's full attention on him. "Don't worry, I won't say anything embarrassing about you. Komori will do that when he gives his speech. I just want to thank you for making my brother happy and putting up with him all this time. I know it's not easy to deal with his bad cleaning habits, impulsiveness, tendency to hide the truth, his huge ego, and so on. But I know he can also be the person who motivates you to chase your dreams and want to be better every day. He can be that friend who's always there for you when you're sick or feeling down, he's capable of doing anything to help those he truly cares about because that's who he is, and I'm certain you will take care of him and love him as much as he loves you."
"Finally, I just want to give you one last reminder: once you've said 'I do' and signed the marriage papers, there are no returns. Atsumu is all yours—ALL yours." Kiyoomi nodded as he placed a kiss on Atsumu's cheek. "Okay, with that, all I have left to say is welcome to the family. And to everyone else, I invite you to raise your glasses and toast to the health of Mr. and Mr. Miya."
In the end, he approached the newlyweds, and he noticed that Atsumu had teary eyes, which immediately made him want to cry. He congratulated them once again and went to the bathroom to wipe away the tears.
When he returned to the party, he stared at the newlyweds dancing in the center of the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suna approaching with his hands behind his back and doing a little dance.
"Sam, my love," Osamu looked at him with a slight smile.
"Yes Rin."
"Guess what I got while you were in the bathroom crying over your brother." Of course, Suna knew why Osamu had rushed out after congratulating the newlyweds at the end of his speech.
"What?" Suna showed him what he had hidden behind his back; it was Atsumu's bouquet.
"I had to fight a girl for it, but I got it for you."
"How romantic." Osamu gave Suna a quick kiss on the lips, placed the bouquet on their table, and took Suna's wrist to lead him to dance. "So, are we going to be the next ones to get married?"
"Nah, I don't think we're cut out for that." Suna wrapped his arms around Osamu's waist to pull him as close as possible. "We could use the money to travel, maybe buy a house, or for you to open another Onigiri Miya branch."
"Whatever it is, as long as it's with you, I'm happy."
They had previously discussed that they didn't want to get married and that if they ever did, it would just be the two of them at the courthouse signing the papers.
From a very young age, Osamu had learned to reject the idea of marriage due to his experiences with his parents' divorce. To be honest, he thought that whoever established marriage as a happy ending deserved to get his ass kicked for inventing such bullshit.
He just hoped that at his brother's marriage, things would be different...