Archive of Our Own ^beta

Ever since he was a child, Tsukishima Kei cherished moments of solitude, finding solace in his own thoughts. However, there was an exception to this preference—when his older brother Akiteru was around. Akiteru's enthusiastic chatter about volleyball, coupled with demonstrations of his special moves, captivated Kei's attention like nothing else. Unlike interactions with most people that left him feeling drained, spending time with Akiteru energised Kei. He admired his brother's skills and cool demeanour, igniting a desire within Kei to become a skilled volleyball player like Akiteru. It was certain in Kei's mind that he would step onto the volleyball court one day, inspired by his brother's passion and talent.

But volleyball is a team sport, and Kei has always liked to be alone.  It has always been a point of concern for his mother mainly.

“It’s not like you can live in a jungle all on your own right? It would be fine to have a companion with you.”

Companion, because Kei had sneered before when his mother tried to use ‘friend’.

Kei cherished his family — his mother, father, and Akiteru. He knew they meant well, of course. However, the idea of living alone in a jungle was a dream he couldn't help but entertain. Just imagine the plethora of wildlife, remnants of dinosaur bones, and the endless wonders the jungle could offer, all for him to explore in solitude. The question lingered, though: where would this jungle be? In Japan, or perhaps somewhere in Southeast Asia, or even further near Papua where colourful and fascinating snakes dwelled? Or maybe deep into the heart of the Amazon?

It wasn't that Kei disliked companionship; rather, he found a profound sense of peace in solitude. Being alone allowed him to recharge, unlike the draining experience of being around certain types of people—those pathetic bullies who preyed on those they deemed weaker.

Years later, Kei would come to understand introversion, realising that his need for solitude was entirely natural. It wasn't a disdain for others; he simply found solace in his own thoughts and company.

Years later, Yamaguchi Tadashi would stick by his side after Kei scared off his bullies, and he wouldn't go no matter how many mean glares he tried to emanate. Years later, despite their initial drift, Kei and Akiteru would mend their relationship and grow closer again over time. Years later, a bunch of annoying people who couldn't shut up about club activities appeared. Years later, there was special after-hours training held in the 3rd Gymnasium in his first summer year of high school, and he met Kuroo Tetsurou.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Summer 2017, Kei aged 21 

Tanaka and Shimizu’s wedding was announced during a reunion lunch in Miyagi.

Who would've ever thought? Definitely not Kei because even from his observation, Tanaka didn't have a chance. But maybe he didn't observe or care enough to actually gave Tanaka's silly crush which resembles more like a sad attempt of male bird-of-paradise mating rituals a little bit more thought. And definitely not every other member of Karasuno High's volleyball club either looking at the various levels of reactions around them.

The wedding invitation had a strikingly familiar appearance, Kei noted. Akiteru seemed quite worked up about the gold-embossed design not turning out as expected and sought their mother's advice on the best paper choice, giving Kei the impression that he was planning his own wedding. When Kei quipped about this, Akiteru clarified that he was helping a friend's brother with the invitation, which turned out to be Tanaka of all people. Despite his initial scepticism, Kei had to admit that the invitation looked impressive.

Sugawara's eyes widened dramatically when Shimizu handed him the invitation, and even Sawamura, who was usually composed, showed visible signs of agitation with a vein popping on his temple. Azumane couldn't join in the former third-year trio's comedic reactions as he was in Tokyo for his studies, needing to complete sewing his presentation for his final year runway. Meanwhile, Narita, Kinoshita, and Ennoshita kept hitting their heads on the table in disbelief.

Yachi, who had returned to Sendai specifically for this occasion, accidentally dropped her food in surprise, while Yamaguchi was the only one out of all who had enough common sense and offered a genuine and hearty "Congratulations" amidst the chaos.

Tanaka only sheepishly laughed, while Shimizu was adamant about keeping a nonchalant face, even with the constant barrage of questions from everyone in attendance.

“Isn’t Tanaka basically a child groom?” Ennoshita asked, concerned. That brought out a laugh from Shimizu. Kei internally agreed, 22 and 23 are far too young to decide who you want to settle down with. Even though Tanaka was his senior, he still felt too childlike to actually make a big decision like this.

"He's quite a catch, so I got to lock him down fast," Shimizu joked, and everyone else malfunctioned while Tanaka cried out 'Kiyoko-san!' while blushing and laughing. It was quite a sight for Kei to witness.

"Asahi would be sad that he didn't get the invitation though," Sawamura wistfully said. Suga snorted out a laugh at that, "He would probably be weeping." Yachi was about to open her mouth and say that she would deliver it to Azumane, but Kei beat her to it.

“I’ll pass it to Azumane-san, I’ll be in Tokyo next week.”

“You will?” Yamaguchi asked, confused.

“There’s an exhibition I’d like to see at the Ota Memorial Museum.”

“But, I think I’m nearer to Azumane-senpai-,” Yachi offered. Kei raised his hand and smiled amiably and said, “I’m also looking out for some fashion brands I’d like to try so I was thinking of meeting Azumane-san anyway.”

They laid it to rest after that and kept on prodding Tanaka on how and when and why exactly this came to be. Technically, it wasn't a lie. Kei did want to have a look at the Eight Dogs Chronicle exhibition. And Kei did want to check out new local brands in Tokyo that Azumane might have more info about.

But above all of those, Kei wanted an excuse to contact Kuroo to meet up. It just worked out that Ota Memorial Museum is near Kuroo's university. Kei found himself contemplating the sudden, almost impulsive idea of meeting Kuroo after Sawamura mentioned Azumane and the card. It was amusing because Kuroo wasn’t the only person he was close to in Tokyo. Besides Kuroo, there were Yachi, Azumane, Akaashi who was still in Tokyo, Bokuto pursuing his degree there, and sometimes Haiba visiting Tokyo when he wasn’t occupied with his photoshoots. They still maintained their LINE chat group for their 3rd Gymnasium training sessions, keeping Kei updated on everyone's whereabouts and activities.

However, Kei's main intention was to catch up with Kuroo. Truth be told, Azumane wasn't exactly on the way to the Ota Memorial Museum, and Kei was relieved that Yachi didn’t mention it. What he really wanted to discuss with Kuroo was the scouting offer for the Division 2 V-League. The intercollegiate league posed a significant challenge, especially with Sports Science colleges dominating the scene. Chuo had been the reigning champion for years, with Waseda steadily catching up. Kei was uncertain whether bypassing the intercollegiate level and jumping straight to Division 2 was a wise decision.

And there was also about him not wanting to make volleyball the only way to live. He loves volleyball (now) that much is true but working in a museum and conservatorship has also been his longest life dream. So, does it even make sense for him to dip his foot in both of these?

Kei slid into Kuroo's messages, realising their last conversation dated back to 2015 when Kuroo swung by for one of his matches in Tohoku. It had been two years, and Kei wasn't exactly an active participant in their chat group, usually responding only when directly tagged.

Kuroo's reply was nonchalant, a simple 'Okay, see you there,' leaving Kei pleasantly surprised by the ease of it all. Despite considering himself a decent dresser, he found himself deliberating over what to wear. He wanted to strike a balance between looking put together without seeming like he was trying too hard, steering clear of his usual training camp attire of t-shirts. Eventually, he settled on an airy linen shirt paired with chino shorts and his ever-reliable tote bag that accompanied him everywhere.

Kei brushed off any thoughts about why he took so long to decide on his outfit, filing it away in the 'Not Important' folder in his mind.

As luck would have it, Kuroo didn't have class on the day they planned to meet. Kei outlined his idea of visiting the exhibition, and they settled on meeting at Ota Memorial Museum.

“You’re a fan of The Eight Dog Chronicles?” Kuroo asked, leaning in with curiosity. It's a classic Japanese novel about eight samurai brothers who are born from a magical union between a princess and a dog. They embark on a quest to find hidden treasures scattered across Japan. Each samurai represents a sign of the Chinese zodiac and has unique abilities.

Kei grunted in agreement. He never finished the whole novel but he was intrigued by the various adaptations from the original work. Kuroo cackled, teasingly implying Kei's nerdiness, which earned him a playful glare from Kei.

“Kenma and I used to watch Message from Space until late at night,” Kuroo reminisced, referring to one of the movie adaptations based on the novel, while admiring the ukiyo-e works on the museum walls. Kei chuckled, recalling how he and his brother Akiteru also enjoyed watching campy sci-fi movies under their blankets, trying not to get caught by their parents.

“Of course you would like campy space movies too.”

“What was that supposed to mean?” Kuroo feigned offence, sparking a playful banter about their favourite campy sci-fi movies.

They took a seat at a nearby café from the museum, and as expected, Kuroo was also taken aback by the news of Tanaka and Shimizu’s upcoming wedding. Kei was accustomed to the attention he garnered when walking alone or with his team, where everyone was practically of similar height. However, the sight of two 6ft men strolling together seemed to draw more attention from others. Kei noticed a few people doing double takes, but Kuroo brushed off every look. Additionally, the fact that they were both dressed casually added to the peculiarity of the situation. It felt strange to see each other in attire other than training jerseys and volleyball uniforms.

“You mean Tanaka, the monk baldy and Shimizu, the sexy goddess of a woman high school student had to ever witness, that Shimizu?”

“Yes, Kuroo-san. I’ll relay your wonderful thoughts to the couple verbatim.”

“Man, I’m gonna shoot a text to Tora real soon cause what the actual fuck? Like Tora would think he had a chance too.”

Kei smirked at that because of course Yamamoto would definitely think that. “Is it normal for all of our lives to revolve around the people we know in high school?” He blurted this out, realising that he often shared these musings when around Kuroo. There was something about Kuroo that made him feel comfortable expressing his random thoughts aloud.

Kuroo, with a playful tap to his chin, pretended to ponder the question seriously. "Well, for normal folks, probably not. But in the world of volleyball, it's pretty common. I mean, most of the players in the V-league have known each other since middle school or at least heard about each other by then. But what's normal, right, Tsukki?"

Sipping his cheese foam strawberry latte through his own metal straw, Kei bristled as Kuroo teased him about his choice of beverage and bringing his own straw. But then he shifted to the real reason for wanting to meet Kuroo. "The fact that you took a two-hour train ride just to discuss this with me says a lot, don't you think, Tsukki?"

There was an unspoken agreement that this conversation could have easily taken place over the phone. However, Kei chose to embark on a two-hour train journey just to have a face-to-face meeting with Kuroo, finding amusement in his own decision. Kuroo, true to his nature, had a knack for reading Kei like an open book. It was as if mind-reading were one of Kuroo's secret talents, alongside his ability to rally people to play volleyball with unmatched enthusiasm.

"Most players in Division 2 juggle professional play and day jobs because matches are usually scheduled on weekends. So, you get the best of both worlds - staring at dinosaur bones in the morning and hitting the court after work," Kuroo said with a grin.

“Dinosaur bones are not the only things that are in the museum, Kuroo-san.”

“Absolutely, we just had a blast admiring some paintings,“ Kuroo laughed and just like that all Kei’s concerns flew away and he reminded himself to give the scout a call tomorrow.

“I thought 'Night at the Museum' was really cool when it came out, you know? The idea of being a guard at a museum where everything comes alive at night is pretty dope. Is that why you want to work at the museum, because you were influenced by Ben Stiller?” Kuroo asked with a grin, teasingly referencing the popular movie.

Kei responded with a look that suggested he thought Kuroo had only one working brain cell up there. “Yes, certainly, of course, I want to work where mummies come alive at night,” he replied sarcastically, then softened his tone. “Hah, no, it was actually simpler than that. I liked dinosaurs as a kid, and where better to learn more about them than a museum?”

Kuroo looked momentarily taken aback by Kei’s earnest response, his surprise quickly masked by a snort. “Why is it that I’m surrounded by nerds? There’s Kenma, then Akaashi, and now you. Like ugh, why are you all such nerds? It’s embarrassing.”

Kei couldn’t help but retort, “You’re one to talk, you’re a living, breathing, walking volleyball nerd.”

Kuroo laughed at that, but then he paused, a rare glimpse of seriousness crossing his usually playful demeanour.

“Tsukki, when you really want something, there's no such thing as 'too much hard work.'" Kei found it perplexing how someone that was only two years older from him could be a source of strength and admiration. Kuroo was in all-black hoodies, ratty jeans and his bedhead reminded Kei of the Indonesian all-black rooster and Kei couldn’t help but be endeared at the awful sight.

“You’re planning to go pro after college, Kuroo-san?”

Kuroo's expression brightened at the question. “Oh, Tsukishima-senshu, what happened to the 'just-a-club' attitude? Your question sounds so volleyball-obsessed.”

Kei almost regretted asking that question when Kuroo added that, “Actually I just signed an offer two weeks ago with JVA. I guess I’ll help people to play instead?”

Kei smiled at that, “That sounds just like you. Scamming people to play volleyball.”

"How funny, Tsukki. Even in this part of your life, someone from high school manages to stay involved. You’re not getting away from us ever.” Kuroo smirked. “Want to hear why I don't want to play?”

“Is this the part where you unveil a tragic backstory and I have to pretend to be sad?”

“Ah-ha, I wish it’s some interesting tragic backstory for a dashing hero like I am. It's pretty lame, though. When we were kids, Kenma and I snuck into a volleyball training session. I saw the spikes and blurted out that only tall people could do that.”

Kei's expression softened as Kuroo continued, trying to avoid embarrassment. “My coach, remember him? Coach Nekomata? He was there and suggested lowering the net. It was a small moment, but it stuck with me. You have no idea how happy I was when he returned to coach us.”

“So, you wanted to lower the nets for all the little Kuroos and Kozumes out there?”

“Yeah, I guess. It sounds so simple isn’t it? Just lower the net.”

“It’s not lame, it sounds just like you,” Kei said earnestly, recalling how Kuroo and Bokuto went out of their way to help him practise blocking. Everything seemed to click into place.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Spring 2019, Kei aged 23

28 seems like a reasonable age to settle down. Except Kei was a first-hand witness of his older brother breaking down while planning his wedding. Akiteru turned into an absolute groomzilla about every aspect of his wedding that Kei couldn't help but feel the growing second-hand embarrassment as the wedding date came nearer. And Saeko was the voice of reason for every silly meltdown like "yes, Aki of course the card looks great", "this caterer is fine too, their sea bream is good" and "can't wait to ravish you in that suit."

Kei didn’t know why a wedding needs to be the sort of affair where everyone is present and he hated to be reminded that soon like it or not he and Tanaka Ryuunosuke will be related to each other. And by that extension Shimi-Tanaka Kiyoko as well. Ryuunosuke had gleefully repeated again and again whenever they met and even requested Kei to call him nii-sama and Akiteru had to physically stop him from trying to throttle Ryuunosuke. Which was quite a lot considering their families were pretty hands on about the wedding preparation.

And Sendai isn’t exactly small no matter what the Tokyo kids have to say about it but somehow everyone in his family goes to the same high school and is related to volleyball one way or another.

It’s not just the Tsukishimas and the Tanakas though, even Yamaguchi who has known Akiteru since he was a little boy, was very hyped about Akiteru’s wedding. He was being more emotional than Kei was about the whole marrying Akiteru off.

“Nii-san will still be in Sendai, Yamaguchi. Even Saeko nee-chan lives here.”

“But I don’t know, don’t you think there’s something sad about your sibling being married? It’s like you’re losing them or something, I don’t know.”

Kei nodded in agreement, his thoughts drifting to the changes that would come with Akiteru's marriage. It was a topic he preferred to tiptoe around for now. The idea of things shifting unsettled him slightly— Akiteru would have his own family to focus on, and while that was undoubtedly a good thing, it also meant their dynamic would change. At 23, he felt a bit too mature to be sentimental about losing his brother to marriage, yet the thought still tugged at his heartstrings. There was so much to do so that was definitely a great distraction.

On Saeko and Akiteru's wedding day, Kuroo texted him.

💬

Kuroo (Nekoma)

Heyya Tsukki, how are you doing? I’m down in Sendai for some work. Wanna catch-up over beef tongues?

Kei sighed while pinching his furrowed forehead, he distinctly remembered that he told Kuroo that not everyone from Sendai likes to eat beef tongues back in highschool and clicked the call button.  He didn't remember if they had ever called each other like this. (Never, of course Kei remembered). Kuroo picked it up after the second ring, and that impulsive need of wanting to see Kuroo reared its ugly head again.

As an adult, time seems to warp and twist in strange ways. You realise you've only recently been in touch with someone, only to backtrack and realise it's been over two years already. It's baffling how swiftly time flies by.

“Kuroo-san, today’s my brother’s wedding. Want to come over and crash the wedding?”

“Wait-what? That’s too much information in one breath.”

“You didn’t even know half of it,” Kei sighed as he spied from the end of his eyes three tables full of people he knew from highschool. Even Kageyama and Hinata made time to go down to Miyagi to attend the wedding, especially since they missed out on Tanaka and Kiyoko's wedding two years prior. “You know everyone here anyway, so drop by if you’re free.”

Kei hung up the call and sent the location of the wedding venue, if he knew Kuroo as much as he did and his love of everything chaotic, the older man would definitely accept his invitation to crash.

Kuroo did come after half an hour in a proper three piece suit bringing with him goshugi as he smiled his way through the reception table and looked totally in place even though he had no invitation card with him. Always know how to carry himself, even in an unexpected situation.

“He’s with me,” Kei said to one of Akiteru’s friends manning the reception table. “Ah, Kei-chan’s friend! Please help yourself inside.”

Kuroo's face lit up upon spotting Kei, and he playfully mouthed 'Kei-chan' to tease him, but Kei simply rolled his eyes in response. Sporting a suit as part of the groom’s family, Kei received a playful wolf-whistle from Kuroo, who remarked on seeing Kei in formal attire for the first time.

“Looking good, Tsukki. They didn’t confuse which Tsukishima is the groom eh?”

“Nice to see you, Kuroo-san. The uniform for capitalist slavery comes in handy during times like this don’t they?”

Kuroo struggled to find a witty comeback looking at how he kept opening and closing his mouth  so Kei laughed at him. “I’ll get you for that one of these days,” Kuroo said, slinging his arm over Kei's shoulder.

Leading Kuroo to a table occupied by the former third-years, Coach Ukai, and Takeda-sensei, Kei felt a sense of familiarity and comfort in their company. It seemed natural, especially with Sawamura, Sugawara and Azumane's enthusiastic greeting upon seeing Kuroo.

"Suga-chan! Sa’amura-san! Asahi-kun!"

"Kuroo, didn't expect to see you here," Sawamura remarked with a grin, reciprocating Kuroo’s half-hug from his seat. Sugawara and Azumane warmly welcomed Kuroo to the table, followed by greetings from Hinata, Kageyama, Yamaguchi, and even Yachi who came all the way from the opposite table. Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei asked about how Coach Nekomata was doing now that he retired for real.

Kuroo's eyes widened as he realised that Akiteru's bride was Saeko, who happened to be Tanaka's sister. He burst into laughter at this revelation, sharing the amusement with Sawamura and Sugawara, who were having a blast making jokes about how Tanaka Ryuunosuke and Kei were now practically family. And of course there was Tanaka Kiyoko too. Azumane tried to quiet the trio down, but their laughter only grew louder. Meanwhile, Ryuunosuke, seated at the family table, caught wind of the teasing aimed at him and shot a fierce glare their way, causing the trio to erupt into even more laughter, with Azumane joining in this time.

Yamamoto Akane, the sister of Nekoma's former ace Yamamoto Taketora was also in attendance and she dropped by Kuroo’s table to greet him. Kei hadn't realised their connection; they didn't bear a strong resemblance after all. Coach Ukai chimed in, suggesting that perhaps Saeko and Akane knew each other from cheering on their respective teams during nationals. Kei took his place at the family’s table once he saw that Kuroo was settled in.

At the altar, Akiteru cried once Saeko said ‘I do’ and even heartless black-hearted Kei couldn’t help but be moved at the display.

It was quite amusing to Kei how Kuroo, who should technically belong 300 kilometres away in the bustling metropolis, fits in so seamlessly with this close-knit group of companions from his high school days in this very personal, more intimate setting.

During the wedding guests photo session, arrangements were pretty hard to do since most of the guests are giants and since Kei towered pretty much everyone in attendance the photographer asked whether it’d be okay for him to stand at the back row instead even if he was a family member. Kei nonchalantly agreed, despite Akiteru's dramatic protest of "Noooo," and Kuroo's enthusiastic call from the back row where he stood with Yamaguchi, Azumane, Kageyama, and Coach Ukai.

“Ugh, I’m not worthy to stand next to the King,” Kei said as he saw that Kageyama was placed next to him in the back row on his right side

“Oh, piss off Tsukishima!”

"Come on, guys. Let's flash those smiles for the camera," Yamaguchi interjected, tired of being the mediator between them over the years. Hinata, positioned in the front row with Yachi, grumbled that he also wanted to be in the back row.

Kuroo, on his left side, laughed heartily at the interaction, “How are you first years still the same even after all these years?”

Coach Ukai let out a resigned sigh. "Sounds like something my grandpa would say."

During the after party which Saeko had insisted was a must-have for her wedding, Kei found Kuroo with a kahlua and milk in his hand.

“They have that here?” Kuroo asked, amused.

“Special request from the groom’s brother,” Kei said as he brought his glass to clink with Kuroo’s.

“I just realised that the last time we met was during Chibi-chan’s debut match last year and now he’s going to be shipped off back to Brazil soon.”

"Yeah, we barely had time to chat then," Kei reminisced. Kuroo was too busy with his official JVA work of making sure there will be proper PR coverage to ease Ninja Shouyo into the JNT and Kei was preoccupied with Hinata, Kageyama and their group's post-match bar escapades. "You should visit Sendai more often."

“Me? You should come down to Tokyo more, pay respect to your elders or some shit.”

"Careful, it's still noon. Wouldn't want people to think of you as some drunk geezer." Both of them laughed at that, and Kei wasn't sure whether he was already tipsy or something else because Kuroo just couldn't stop smiling. It wasn't the manic scheming smile he always had on while they're playing against each other instead it was a soft smile.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

“Aw Tsukki, I’d never passed an invitation to crash a wedding.”

Taking another sip, Kei marvelled at how effortlessly Kuroo blended in at the wedding. "How do you manage to look so at home at a wedding you crashed?"

“Helped that there were three tables worth of people I actually know.” Both of them laughed at that and Kuroo continued, “I’m like you, we’re never getting away from the people we know in high school. Just last week, the whole Nekoma crew from our year crashed at Kenma's place for a BBQ. Fukunaga made a mean paella, and I couldn't help but think, 'Isn't this what Tsukki meant?'”

Kei smirked. "Well, at least you're not legally related to some of them."

"This isn't a competition!" Kuroo laughed, his smile infectious.

The evening couldn't wrap up without Saeko's trademark heavy drinking sessions. As the night progressed and Kuroo prepared to catch his train to Tokyo, Kei deftly made his exit. Akiteru shot Kei a playful yet mock-disapproving look, while Ryuunosuke playfully clung to Kei's leg in a bid to keep him around longer. However, with Kiyoko's gentle persuasion, Ryuunosuke was soon swept back into the merry atmosphere for another round of drinks with Saeko.

“At least help to buy hangover pills on your way back!” Akiteru screamed as Saeko downed another whiskey.

The walk to the station passed in relative silence, a welcome respite for Kei, who felt drained from all the social interactions earlier. As they walked, Kuroo playfully bumped shoulders with Kei, a mischievous grin on his face knowing it would irk Kei.

"Would you ever dash through a crowded place for someone? Like here at the train station or at the airport, or maybe even at Shibuya crossing?"

"Like in those cheesy rom-com movies?"

"Exactly like those cheesy rom-coms."

"Bokuto-san would. Simpletons like Haiba and Hinata would too."

"And you're not one to dash around like Bokuto, Lev, or Chibi-chan?"

Kei attempted to give Kuroo his most withering glare to convey his offence, but it only prompted Kuroo to burst into laughter.

Once they arrived at the Shinkansen gate in the station, Kuroo waved goodbye to Kei. Kei, with a deadpan expression, thanked him again for crashing his brother's wedding, which elicited another round of laughter from Kuroo.

"Honestly, I might. If Bokuto would join in the sprint through a crowd, it'd be more fun cause Kenma would rather die. But you know, YOLO and all that, so I might do it."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

August 2021, Kei aged (not yet) 25

After the wedding crash, they somehow fell into the habit of messaging each other random stuff on LINE. What started out as ‘Arrived safely in Tokyo ✌️’ later spiralled into sporadic random messages from Kuroo especially during the pandemic lockdown. Kuroo would bounce ideas about what contents JVA should push and even successfully roped in Kei to shoot a video of him doing basic blocking motion with frog filter on his face for TikTok. And he did it often enough that Kei now had also fall into the same routine of sending meaningless messages whenever he felt like it.

💬

Kuroo JVA

Do you want any souvenirs from the Olympics?

Is that how you think of me, Kuroo-san? Cozying up to you to get some freebies?

Why else would you put up with an old man like me?

🫥

Koganegawa has been making a fuss about how cool the Miraitowa sensor light or sth

He can’t shut up

Huh, who would've thought Mr Justin Klubb would care enough about his teammates

This tote bag is kinda your style

[image attachment]

Idk if you insist, how are you even gonna pass it to me

You guys are gonna have a practice match against Toukai right next week?

Gonna pass it over to Shibayama

We're gonna have dinner together sometime this week

And will Koganegawa get his sensor light?

Umph, fine, one tote bag and sensor light for the Frogs

Kyoutani says that he wants a Miraitowa plushie

OKAY a tote bag, sensor light AND plushie for the Frogs

Order closed - group order manager REST

It wasn't like hadn't tried to date before, he had a few flings, situationship or whatever you called it here and there but nothing really came out of it. To be fair he was too occupied in the mornings where he had his day job at the museum and then after working hours, he had his volleyball training. Even when it was off-season, there were gym schedules he needed to follow to ensure his stamina level. And to be fucking honest? Modern dating sucks, and Kei preferred his solitude instead of trying to bend backwards for other people. He couldn't even bear staying on a dating app for more than 24 hours. How do people even meet their significant others in this godforsaken app? Even a short time swiping makes Kei lose his hope in humanity.

Relationships were never a priority for Kei, it was just funny how easy that sort of stuff came to other people. Like whenever Akiteru gushed about Saeko, he would lose a few brain cells listening to his brother. Just the other day, Yamaguchi was giddy over the phone telling about a girl he met during a goukon and good for him, Kei was happy that his best friend is happy but Kei honestly couldn’t relate, like how should you know you hit it off right away? Was it something you feel in your bones, like wouldn’t you need years to even know a person on the surface?

And then, there was him and whatever was going on with Kuroo. There was also some time pinch felt about turning 25 and getting all your shit together.

It was a constant tug-of-war for Kei not to overanalyse whenever Kuroo displayed such gestures. He tried to brush it off as mere friendliness, yet his mind couldn't help but delve deeper. Kei had a knack for compartmentalising concerns during volleyball matches, but this situation left him introspective. Was Kuroo equally kind with everyone, or was their bond something… unique?

Despite his best efforts to quell these thoughts, Kei couldn't ignore the flutter of warmth in his chest or the genuine smile that tugged at his lips whenever he exchanged messages with Kuroo.

(But. He’s turning 25 soon and he should be rooted in reality where you shouldn’t necessarily end up with someone from high school even if everyone around you does and definitely not one who is two hours away on a good day and didn’t have enough time to even sit down for his own lunch.)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

September 2021, Kei aged 25

💬

Kuroo JVA

You still up?

Yeah

 aren’t you in Poland for work?

Met Ushiwaka earlier, job’s all done

Anyway you’re up for a video call?

Okay, I guess?

Alright but prepare your snotty milk Kahlua first

We’ll need that for this

Gonna call you in 15

Kuroo’s face was too close to the camera as he started their video call. He was still wearing his suits or what Kei liked to call his capitalist slave uniform while Kei was already decked in his pyjamas. "Hey, Tsukki! Still wide awake, I see!"

“So, what’s this call about?”

"I'm taking you on a virtual tour of the Polish Vodka Museum."

"Seriously? Aren't there better museums in Warsaw, like Polin?"

“But we need to find, like a middle ground. I like vodka and you like museums, so a vodka museum sounds perfect, isn’t it?” Kei couldn’t contain his amusement at that so he just laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

The museum was located in a beautiful old building that once was the actual vodka factory. Kuroo took Kei tour through the exhibitions, where bottles of vodka lined up in aesthetic encased glasses and the tour guide actually helpfully explained everything about the rich history of distillation in Poland, as well as about the traditions of alcohol consumption there. Kei was secretly glad that the tour guide didn’t look judgy at this ridiculous stunt that Kuroo was pulling too.

“This is where your snotty milk-kahlua comes in handy, Tsukki,” Kuroo said as the tour ended and he was brought to a table where glasses were lined for the vodka tasting. He loosened his tie and draped his coat over the seat. “I actually managed to keep up with Ushiwaka while he’s running, so this is a well-deserved treat for me.”

“Why don’t you just wait to talk to him after he’s done running? Like a normal person would?”

“Well, where’s the fun in that Tsukki? I also got bragging rights now - how many people can say they keep up a conversation while Japan’s cannon is running?”

Kuroo placed his phone right in front of his face so it was like they were having a drink in person. Kuroo made a pleasing hum as he took a sip of his vodka.

“Is this an otome game simulation?” Kei asked at the ridiculousness of this whole situation.

Kuroo nearly choked on his drink, impressed by Kei's unexpected reference, “Y’know about the existence of otome game? Kenma and Chibi-chan would be proud!”

Kei laughed at that and took his own sip of his milk and kahlua, an alarm sounded from Kuroo’s end and Kei was able to see how his eyes softened immediately at that.

“It’s 12 am there right in Japan? Happy 25th, Tsukishima Kei,” Kuroo said with a smile. Kei’s heart felt like it skipped a beat or two at that so he brought his own glass nearer to the screen and clink it. "Thank you, Kuroo-san," Kei said softly, feeling a warmth in his chest at the unexpected celebration with someone who understood him more than he let on.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

July 2022, Kei aged 26

The two dumbasses had returned to Sendai after their stint at the All-Star Match in Tokyo, insisting that Kei, Yamaguchi, and Yachi join them for some errands at government offices. They thought it would be less tedious and more enjoyable with friends along for the ride. Except it was on a Wednesday morning and it was too last minute for Yachi who was in Tokyo and Yamaguchi who needed a good two-weeks to apply for a leave. And the museum won’t stop operating without Kei for a day, so he submitted an emergency leave this morning and went to pick up the freak duo at Kageyama’s family house.

Instead of their usual sports attire that they consistently wore everywhere even if there was no training, both of them were in matching white button-ups, proper trousers and leather shoes and honest to God, the last time Kei saw them both looking this proper was perhaps during Akiteru’s wedding. Both of them were holding thick binders.

“Where are we going exactly?”

“The notary public office, it’s around Kitasatsuma. I’m sending you the location!” Hinata chirped from the passenger seat, while Kageyama grumbled in the back, "Can we grab lunch after this? I'm starving."

“Oh my god, we talked about this just now Hungry-yama. We need to get this sorted first because we don’t know the queue situation at the notary office.”

“Can someone fill me in on what we are doing at the notary office? Do I need to ask one by one to get some context here?” Kei asked impatiently as he keyed the location in his Maps app.

Kei felt like he was missing a lot of context, he was no stranger in tagging along with the duo for travel documentation errands because he did not trust them enough to see it through on their own and it was also for his peace of mind. Nevermind that these two were perhaps Japan’s most internationally renowned volleyball athletes, they will forever be the Karasuno first year’s dumbasses.

“Oh, guess we didn’t tell you yet. We’re notarising our healthcare decision-making agreement and also another one…what was it Kageyama-kun?”

“Inheritance rights, dumbass.”

It took a moment for the gravity of their words to sink in for Kei. “Like for both of you? Like to each other? Not separately?” he clarified, feeling a mix of surprise and incredulity.

Both Kageyama and Hinata nodded fervently. “Yup,” Hinata emphasised, putting extra emphasis on the "p," "to each other."

Kei abruptly hit the brakes at the roadside, luckily they were still in Kageyama’s housing area and had yet to enter the highway.

“What the hell, Tsukishima?” Kageyama said as he rubbed his forehead that had bumped into the front seat.

“You two dumbasses are getting a partnership agreement and didn’t have a single working brain cell to let any of us know?!!! Isn’t this basically a marriage registration?!!”

"Now Tsukki, this is where you are wrong. Same sex marriage isn't legal in Japan," Hinata looked smug while explaining, and Kageyama just had to chime in with, "Yet." And then Hinata nodded solemnly, echoing Kageyama's 'yet.' Kei resisted the urge to roll his eyes to the back of his head. God save him, please.

"And Miyagi doesn’t have any partnership system like Sapporo or Shibuya and Setagaya, so we met with lawyers last year after the Olympics to discuss this," Hinata explained patiently to Kei, as if he were a five-year-old in need of an explanation on how daddy and papa couldn’t get legally married in this country. Except Kei wasn’t even sure if daddy and papa had dated to reach this point..

Kageyama nodded and added, “They were very nice about it. They even treated us to ramen after that.”

Kei had to bite a sarcastic remark coming out from his mouth when Hinata continued, “They did say that they are banking on a partnership system to be passed by the end of the year. But it’s just for Tokyo though.”

“We’re not even gonna be in the country by that time so we’re getting it notarised now,” Kageyama continued as if that was the most logical progression of the event.

Kei felt the urge to ask, "Are you serious?" but he realised it was irrelevant. Both of them were dead serious in explaining how they reached this decision. Kei knew Hinata well enough to understand that he had likely meticulously researched the best legal route for them and Kageyama had a one track mind with doing practically everything. With a deep breath, Kei refocused and resumed driving towards the notary office.

“When did you guys even start planning this?” Kei finally asked, feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events.

“Sometime during the lockdown, I guess,” Kageyama answered as if people’s asking him about the weather. “One of Hinata’s teammate fell during a match and then we replayed it like crazy and then this dumbass—-”

“Okay to be fair, it happened right in front of my eyes. It was like ‘guwaaah’ and then a loud ‘baaaaam.’ Seriously scary and then the lockdown kind of gave me downtime to think what if that happened to me? Like, who would be able to make the decision if I’m unconscious and so on and so forth.”

Kageyama continued, “So, I say I could. Then of course, this is the most logical way to go through with it.” Again with that matter of fact tone that grated Kei’s ability to stay sane.

“So what, like, this is marriage out of convenience? Like you guys don’t need love to get married, this is all for volleyball?”

Kageyama got so worked up he stood up and slammed onto Kei’s seat, “O-of course, we l-love each other!” Hinata laughed at that and said in a mocking tone about how sweet Kageyama-kun was but he was blushing and kept vibrating in his own seat that Kei had to scream for him to stop.

“Yamaguchi and Yachi are so gonna kill you guys,” Kei remarked, scanning over the agreements he had just signed as a witness – essentially, Kageyama and Hinata's legal union. The duo was engrossed in their meal, having chosen a fancier restaurant than their usual spots. Hinata proudly announced that they were treating Kei, urging him to order whatever he desired.

As Kei shuffled through his belongings, Hinata couldn't help but notice Kei’s Tokyo Olympics tote bag slung over his shoulder. "Hey, did you get that from Kuroo-san?" he asked curiously.

“Yeah, why?”

"I heard from some JVA staff that there was a massive queue for those bags, so they ended up giving up."

"Don't they reserve them for sports associations staff?" Kei inquired.

"Not that I know of," Hinata replied with a shrug.

The process at the notary office had been surprisingly straightforward. The dumbass couple had meticulously prepared all the necessary documents with the help of lawyers. All that remained was signing, sealing, and coercing Kei into being their witness and unofficial photographer, followed by a modest payment for the certificates and seals.

Everything that happened was so jarring, Kei felt like he was in a nightmare that he should’ve woken up to by now. How could these two monsters eat normally after essentially solidifying their lifelong commitment to each other just moments ago?

“Doesn’t matter, we’re gonna have a small wedding next month,” Kageyama replied belatedly to Kei's comment about Yamaguchi and Yachi killing them, while taking another bite of his noodles.

“And when are you guys gonna mention it to me if this didn’t come up?”

“Obviously when we hand you the wedding invitation,” Kageyama replied again, making Kei’s forehead throbbed in pain and annoyance.

“We sorted the suits when we were in Italy for FIVB. There was this neat old tailor shop near Kageyama’s house and the uncle was so nice and even gave us discounts,” Hinata continued, it didn’t faze him at all that two over 6ft men were glaring at each other while eating.

A memory from a few years back in Sendai's train station randomly resurfaced in Kei's mind. "Hey, have you two ever dashed through a crowded place for each other? Like at the airport?"

Both Kageyama and Hinata froze, their faces reddening in unison.

“Holy shit- Tsukki how did you know?” and “Dumbass, did you tell Tsukishima about that time?!” were heard ringing loudly through the previously peaceful upscale restaurant at the same time.

“So it did happen,” Kei smirked at them, egging them on to tell more about what really happened.

Hinata shielded his face in embarrassment. “It was after the lockdown was lifted. I flew to Italy to meet him and when I saw his stupid face from far I felt ‘gyuuuuun’ and ‘fuwafuwa’ y’know, dashed through from the arrival gate.”

“And so did the King bend down to meet his beloved in the midst of the crowd?”

“Shut the fuck up, Tsukishima,” Kageyama mumbled. “How could I not? I hadn’t seen him in almost two years, again. It was driving me crazy.”

Hinata kept on poking Kageyama's face after that, and Kageyama retaliated by trying to bite his finger off. Kei threatened that he would vomit on them if they continued and only then they stopped.

Kei could easily imagine how the both of them would sprint to each other in a busy airport though, Hinata sprinting his best through the arrival gate and Kageyama anxiously meeting him halfway while running and caught him mid sprint as they fell into the floor like the the pile of idiots they were.

💬

Kuroo-san 🥂

Don’t tell anyone but

Kageyama & Hinata gonna have a wedding soon

??? Holy shit! Wtf what the actual FUCK

I asked, and they said, you're invited

They dragged me along to the notary office to be their witness

??? Makes sense now why they keep on asking abt lawyers last Olympic

And you couldn’t guess why?

My, my, the corporate life has dulled you

They were KIDS Tsukki

I know them since Hinata was a chibi tiny bean

He still is a tiny bean tho

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Mid-August 2022, Kei aged 26

“I’m going to throw up,” Yachi’s nerves were palpable as she paced back and forth, straightening the photo boards adorning the wedding venue. Ever since learning about Hinata and Kageyama's upcoming wedding and dealing with huge meltdown for missing the couple’s notarisation, Yachi had taken it upon herself to create a photo board exhibition showcasing the couple's journey from childhood to their illustrious volleyball careers, enlisting Kei's help due to his day job.

With dozens of easels, foam boards and cans of spray mounts in hand, they had finally set up the boards earlier that morning. However, Yachi's anxiety persisted as they waited for more guests to arrive, seeing that Kageyama and Hinata's families who were already at the front archway were welcoming others.

"Relax, Yacchan. They're grown-ups now," Yamaguchi reassured her, though his own nerves were evident as he kept wiping his temples with a handkerchief.

"I don’t think we need to worry about them," Kei chimed in, taking in the beautifully decorated garden venue with fresh flowers. Hinata and Kageyama had already handled everything, securing the venue from Ushijima's family since there were no LGBTQ+ friendly venues nearby.

"The closest venue we found was in Tochigi Prefecture, like a good 3 hours away. So, I suggested Kageyama ask Ushiwaka if his rich family had a spare mansion. And of course, he did!" Hinata explained when Kei inquired about the venue.

Kei stood by the guest book table, watching the wedding guests arrive with a mixture of excitement and nostalgia. For two people who have made connections all over the world, Kei wondered why they were adamant about hosting the wedding in Miyagi but then he saw Coach Ukai coming with his grandfather, Shiratorizawa’s Coach Washijou, Takeda-sensei and Karasuno Neighbourhood Association members in attendance then he understood. They wanted to hold a ceremony for people who had helped them from the beginning to where they were now.

He couldn't help but smile as he observed Hinata's middle school friends laughing at his photos, and Kindaichi and Kunimi earnestly examining Kageyama's childhood pictures, with Iwaizumi playfully scolding them for their scrutiny. The Karasuno group huddled together, their infectious energy filling the venue with so much warmth it transported Kei back to his high school days where he lamented about volleyball being just a club.

Bokuto, Akaashi, and Udai arrived together, their lively presence announced by Bokuto's exuberant calls to Kei, Yachi, and Yamaguchi even before they reached the entrance. Koganegawa bounced in excitement at seeing Kei as if they didn't see each other almost every day. The entire Nekoma team of their cohort had been invited, Kei could hear Yamamoto and Kozume fighting about what they should wear to a wedding. Apparently they managed to wrestle Kozume out of his ratty t-shirt to wear a casual button up instead for the event.

“Shouyo wouldn’t care!”

“He wouldn’t but it’s common sense Kenma!” Yamamoto said exasperatedly to Haiba and Yaku’s cackling.

Amidst the familiar voices of banter and laughter, Kei's attention remained fixated on Kuroo who was dressed in of course three-piece suits as he entered the venue accompanied by his strays. He stopped by to greet Bokuto and Akaashi first before moving on to greet Sawamura, Sugawara and Azumane.

As Yamaguchi and Yachi mingled with the guests, Kei found himself rooted in place by the guest book table, his eyes never straying from Kuroo's approaching figure. Did it make sense for his heartbeat rate to pick up faster than it would be normally? No, but Kei didn’t know how to stop it.

It was as if time had slowed down, each moment stretching out in anticipation as Kuroo drew nearer. The familiar warmth in Kuroo's voice as he greeted Kei sent a wave of longing and nostalgia through him. "Tsukki! How long has it been?"

Too long,  Kei mused internally. It had been a little over three years, a span of time that felt both infinite and fleeting. He couldn't help but recall Kageyama's story about meeting Hinata after a long absence, understanding now the ache of separation that drove such impulsive reunions to dash through an airport. “We only see each other at weddings it seems,” Kuroo continued with a cheeky grin that Kei couldn’t help but think he missed seeing in person.

After the travel ban had been lifted, Kuroo went into full force at work to make the All-Star match a reality and he was flying to every corner of the world to recruit the players that he wanted. Also simultaneously, he was handling the media and PR for volleyballs during the Olympics so there was no down time for him to even eat properly over the course of these two years.

Their daily sporadic messages had helped to bridge the physical distance, yet seeing each other face to face was a different realm altogether.

Before Kei could even respond to Kuroo, Natsu, Hinata’s sister, gently interrupted, reminding everyone of the impending main event. Flower petals and confetti were passed around, signalling the start of the ceremony. Kuroo, in his excitement, nudged Kei towards the gathering crowd at the front, where the grooms were about to make their entrance.

As the doors swung open, the sight of Hinata and Kageyama, hands tightly clasped, clad in matching light grey-beige sleek suits with vibrant orange corsages, was a breathtaking moment. For the first time ever, Hinata’s hair was slicked back neatly but his curl patterns were still visible while Kageyama’s hair was styled as comma hair cutting an overall dashing figure, a complete contrast to how he usually looked like.

Kageyama's face contorted into a comical blend of determination and despair, or his trademark scary face, Hinata would say, trying his best to hold back the impending tears threatening to ruin his stoic facade. Hinata, always quick to notice Kageyama's inner turmoil, couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the sight.

"Come on, Tobio, you're not fooling anyone with that face," Hinata teased, playfully nudging him as he wiped away a stray tear. The absurdity of the situation broke through Kageyama's facade, and he let out an exasperated chuckle amidst his attempts to maintain his composure.

With a mock glare, Kageyama shot back, "Shut up, Shouyou," but the corners of his lips wobbled upward despite himself. Hinata, sensing the need for reassurance, pulled him close, their lips meeting in a tender kiss sparked cheers, wolf whistles, and playful teasing from the guests.

Kei couldn't help but blurt out, "What the hell?" which elicited laughter from Kuroo who had his arms slung over Kei’s shoulder. Yamaguchi cooed, cooed in the way Hinata and Kageyama were now on a first name basis. The guests, caught up in the joyful atmosphere, enthusiastically tossed flowers some more than others towards the grooms, who were now sharing infectious laughter. Yachi, with a hint of nervousness, watched as Ushijima, who now held the basket of petals and confetti, surprisingly handled them with gentle care while scattering them over the newlyweds. Meanwhile, Hoshiumi appeared overly eager, scattering them with a bit too much enthusiasm.

26 seemed like a magical age to get married.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kei noticed many guests shedding tears, from Takeda-sensei's heartfelt bawling to Coach Ukai's efforts to stifle his emotions. Azumane's tears were met with laughter from the Karasuno group. Akaashi, too, couldn't hold back a sniffle at the touching moment. Bokuto's boisterous laughter echoed through the air, contrasting the subdued tears of the volleyball player Miya, who appeared particularly mournful, drawing a curious eyebrow raise from Kei.

“Atsumu had a big crush on Chibi-chan,” Kuroo supplied. Kei's expression involuntarily twisted in distaste at the revelation. "It's a secret," Kuroo added with a playful wink, prompting Kei's heart to flutter in an unwelcome manner.

“Ah to think that I was the same age as these two when I started coaching Karasuno, time flew by so fast,” Coach Ukai said when they lined up to take the group photo with the groom. Funny, Kei chuckled internally at how he used to see Ukai as an all-knowing adult at 15, only to realise there was still much to figure out at 26.

Just like Akiteru’s wedding, there were a lot of people in the back row considering the bulk of volleyball players in attendance. Among them were Ushijima, Kindaichi, Bokuto, Sakusa, Hyakuzawa, Koganegawa and Aone. Coach Ukai and Yamaguchi stood in the second row below them for the photo this time around. Kuroo remained on Kei’s left side, just like three years ago, and Kei couldn’t help but feel secretly pleased at that, grateful for the Tsukishima genes that made him tall. It was another wedding with both of them captured side by side in the picture.

“Smile kids, this is not your volleyball team profile picture,” Kuroo joked, earning a laugh from everyone. Kei glanced over, noticing Ushijima's almost robotic forced smile, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern about how Kageyama would come across in the photo. Leaning forward, he curiously checked out Kageyama's expression.

“Tsukki, the photographer is snapping now,” Kuroo said and as the shutter clicked, Kei was looking to his right at a smiling Kuroo instead of the camera lens. Kageyama’s lips wobbled in the picture instead of a normal smile but it all worked fine in the end and Hinata even said that was really Kageyama’s best attempt at smiling.

After the ceremony, Kuroo slid into the seat beside Kei. “You’ve been like an overbearing mother-in-law all day,” he teased. Kei retorted, “Can’t help it with those two being dumbasses.”

There was a beat of silence before Kei steeled himself to ask the question that had been on his mind for so long. “Kuroo-san, do you think a long distance relationship is feasible?”

“For?”

“Those two idiots, of course,” Kei quickly answered, a little too fast for his liking.

Kuroo paused thoughtfully before responding, “During my trip to Rio to visit Chibi-chan, Kageyama would call him during lunch because that was when his practice ended. And before Kageyama went to sleep, Chibi-chan would call him because that was when his practice ended as well.”

Looking directly at Kei, Kuroo added, “It’s not really about whether it's feasible, but more about whether you want it and then find a way to make it work.”

Kei took a deep breath, nodding in understanding. Of course he knew that too, Hinata and Kageyama had ridiculously one track mind about the thing they wanted and they would do anything to make it possible, different time zones and continents didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of their ambitions. Felt like he was 15 again and Kuroo was 17 and he was waiting Kuroo and Bokuto’s response on why they were so gung-ho about volleyball when it was supposed to be just a club.

“Tokyo and Sendai, on the other hand, are only 300km apart, y’know,” Kuroo suddenly continued. The statement shocked Kei so much, he got a whiplash from turning his head too quickly. “And there’s also the shinkansen? Amazing, wonderful technology, long live Japan Railway Group. Best innovation ever that allows me to get to Sendai by 2 hours top.”

Kei’s eyes widened at that. Was this going— no, it couldn’t be.

“We’ve actually done the test runs, haven't we? We tried that out when I was travelling all over for the All-Star Match.”

It couldn’t be.

Kei's voice trembled slightly as he responded, "I-it’s not the same?" His uncertainty was evident, his words sounding more like a question than a statement. Kuroo responded with a warm smile, his sincerity tugging at Kei's heart in ways he couldn't quite decipher.

"Who said it isn’t?" Kuroo stood up, reaching over to ruffle Kei’s hair affectionately. "Too bad, I have to head back to work soon. Take some time to think about it, alright?"

Kei couldn't help but notice that Kuroo had missed the liveliest part of the ceremony—the moment when Kageyama and Hinata playfully tossed a volleyball decorated with flowers instead of the traditional bouquet. Akaashi, surprisingly nimble even among the taller guests, managed to snatch the ball to everyone's delight.

As Kei sat with a slightly melancholic air, Yamaguchi slid in beside him, catching on to his subdued mood. "You seem a bit off. Everything okay?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

“Was it that obvious? Hope those idiotic grooms didn’t realise that I’m putting a sombre mood on their wedding,” Kei replied, trying to inject a bit of his trademark snarky humour but Yamaguchi  knew him better than that.

"You've been more upbeat lately, you know," Yamaguchi remarked. “Y’see I don’t want to pry if you don’t want to tell. But c’mon Tsukki, we’re here for you. We always are.”

“No, of course I know that,” Kei replied with a touch of solemnity. He hesitated for a moment, feeling like he might just die of mortification, but if he couldn't share this with Yamaguchi, then who could he talk to? “Say Yamaguchi, are you still with that girl you met during the goukon?”

“Wha-why so sudden-ah. Oh. Oh. I see, it’s the matter of…heart.” Yamaguchi was itching to tease or make a comment about Kei's newfound willingness in his deep black heart to discuss romance of all things, a stark departure from his usual demeanour. However, Yamaguchi understood Kei better than anyone else and knew that pushing the subject could cause him to withdraw. So, he decided to wait until Kei felt comfortable enough to broach the topic on his own terms.

“No, we ended up parting our ways after a few months of talking. It seemed like we weren’t a good fit. But ah. This is still in the early stage really, but I’m seeing a fellow colleague now,” Yamaguchi said sheepishly while scratching his head.

Kei paused a while listening to that and thought, finally, someone who was actively choosing not to be involved with people they know in high school.

“How do you know when it’s not working? And when you say…talking, like what does that mean? Is it literal?”

Yamaguchi struggled to suppress a smile. It was a rarity (or actually never when Yamaguchi thought it thoroughly) that Kei would actually ask for help. He had always been very smart and cool since they were kids and he always knew what to do so he really couldn’t be blamed at how happy he was for Kei actually asking for help.

“It’s going to sound stupid really but I feel like it always is when it comes to the matter of heart. When you know, you know. I know it doesn’t sound helpful but you can feel when the vibe’s off? Like, I guess that time when you wanted to try basketball and it didn’t work out? Something like that.”

“Okay I am offended that you are using a sports metaphor as if I’m Hinata or something,” Kei started.

“But thanks, I guess that makes sense,” Kei quipped, a faint smile playing on his lips. Yamaguchi beamed at that and patted Kei’s shoulder.

"And about 'talking,' it's basically the process of getting to know each other. You might be texting them random things on a Monday or trying out new restaurants, learning about each other's preferences and dislikes - that sort of stuff," Yamaguchi elaborated, noticing Kei's eyes widening at the explanation.

“And Tsukki? I know that being cool is your whole thing but I guess, I know you’re going to cringe when I say this but. Love. Is all about being pathetic and vulnerable and it’s totally out of your control.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

3 weeks after, Kei (still) aged 26

This was the longest they went without texting each other in recent times, Kei assumed that Kuroo was giving him some space to really think. He wasn't unaware of the implications of what Kuroo hinted at about the distance. Maybe Kei had subconsciously understood it long ago, but he had pushed the thought aside for various reasons.

Well, firstly, there was the distance but of course if he mentioned that to Hinata and Kageyama who are continents apart that would be a cruel joke instead even coming from Kei. Kei was never the type to really venture out, he likes living in Sendai, and he likes working at Sendai City Museum and playing with the Frogs. The idea of moving, especially to a bustling city like Tokyo, didn't appeal to him.

And did Kei need to talk about how much Kuroo loves Tokyo and his Nekoma strays that would frequently meet each other for catch ups and dinners? Plus, there was nothing more important to Kuroo than his job of lowering the nets for everyone in Japan. Both of them wouldn’t give up the place and job they loved more than anything else.

Of course there were moments where Kei couldn’t deny that there was…longing to meet Kuroo but he had done an excellent job of staying in touch and keeping Kei updated. So, the distance wasn't a major issue as long as communication remained constant. It could be managed, but Kei couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be resentment or challenges arising from it. Kei couldn't help but think of penguins, who mate for life and often return to the same nesting sites year after year to reunite with their partners.

And then there was the matter of sexual preference. How would Kei even begin to know that Kuroo could be interested in him? He had heard Yaku joking about how Kuroo would deliberately choose the opposite of Yaku in everything, including girls, just to piss him off. How could Kei be blamed for not knowing he would have an interest in guys too? Especially when Kuroo is…nice. Kuroo could shun the nice guy label as much as he wanted, but he always was nice and considerate, always went beyond and above to help others.  And try as Kei might, he couldn’t get the virtual tour of the vodka museum during his birthday, out of his mind.

“It’s not impossible, it’s just hard,” Akaashi once mentioned to Kei, recounting Bokuto's words during a tough match. Simple yet profound. It could be done, he had seen it done. Kageyama and Hinata are fine, and even if those two idiots could settle on a solution, why couldn’t he?

It wasn’t like Kei settled down for an easy life as well, he juggled his day job with pro volleyball and then there was the fact there was constant training and physical management done on a daily basis where most people couldn’t even fathom.

If Kei were stranded in a jungle alone today, he wouldn't mind having Kuroo by his side.

On the 22nd day of no contact with Kuroo following his usual morning run, Kei braced himself to compose a text message to Kuroo. As he scrolled through their previous conversations, he noticed that it was typically Kuroo who initiated their exchanges. It was a rare occurrence for Kei to take the first step in reaching out to Kuroo; usually, it was Kuroo who extended his hand first. As Kei wrestled with what he wanted to convey in his message, unexpectedly, a new message popped up from Kuroo.

💬

Kuroo-san 🥂

My coach just passed away

There was no need to ask which one, it was Nekomata. There was only one person in the world that Kuroo would refer to as ‘my coach.’ The absence of any news about Nekomata's health or hospitalisation suggested a sudden passing, leaving Kei gasping for air. His fingers trembled as he read the message, prompting him to dial immediately.

"Where are you?" Kei's voice was urgent.

"I'm on my way to the funeral home," Kuroo replied calmly. Kei expected to hear a wavering tone, but Kuroo sounded unnervingly composed, as if discussing the day's weather.

"Can you send me the location? I'll be there in a few hours," Kei's words surprised even himself. He needed to inform his supervisor and his coach about his absence today and then rush to the Sendai station to catch the next Shinkansen to Tokyo.

There was a pause on the line, followed by a rustling sound, likely Kuroo nodding. A sigh mingled with static, and then Kuroo said, "Okay, I'll send you the location. See you, Tsukki. Take care."

"You too, take care," Kei replied before reluctantly ending the call. His heart ached for Kuroo, who still managed to express concern for him amidst this devastating news. Taking a deep breath, Kei hastily grabbed any black attire from his closet and got dressed. There wasn't even time to dry his hair before booking a cab through Japan Taxi to reach Sendai station.

Upon arrival at the station, Kei dashed to the Shinkansen gate. Having already mapped out the routes to the Aoyama Funeral Home, he purchased the next available ticket for the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, planning to disembark at Tokyo Station before transferring to the Red Line towards Ikebukuro and then alighting at Aoyama-Itchome Station.

After two hours, Kei finally reached the funeral home. Despite the early hour, many people had already gathered. A sign board indicated the room where Nekomata's funeral was being held. The scent of incense permeated the air, signalling the solemnity of the occasion. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Kei turned to see Kozume looking uncertain, torn between calling out to Kei or not.

“Tsukishima, you’re here for Coach’s funeral?” Kozume asked, to which Kei simply nodded. Kozume then led him to the reception area. Kei felt somewhat out of place, he had no direct ties to Coach Nekomata apart from the numerous matches Nekoma and Karasuno had under his guidance. There was a degree of separation that made attending the funeral seem odd.

Kei respectfully bowed to the grieving family at the reception, handed his offering and signed the guest book. Upon entering the main hall, he approached the altar, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply. Taking a pinch of burnt incense, he brought it close to his face, bowed again, and then placed it in a bowl, repeating the ritual thrice before bowing for the final time.

As Kei entered the gathering area, he was taken aback to see Takeda-sensei, Coach Ukai, and his grandfather already present. Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai appeared surprised by his arrival, while Ukai’s grandfather sat solemnly, his gaze fixed on the black and white photo of Nekomata displayed in the centre of the main hall, adorned with a garland of white chrysanthemums. Although his eyes were red, there were no tears; instead, he tapped his fingers on the table in a repetitive motion.

It struck Kei that he should have anticipated their presence if he had thought more clearly, sparing himself the frantic journey across train stations. Despite the initial surprise, Takeda-sensei warmly welcomed Kei and made space for him to sit with them.

Looking around, Kei spotted familiar faces from Nekoma, each coping with their grief in their own way. Yamamoto wept quietly in a corner, Fukunaga and Nobuyuki sat motionless, and Inuoka tried to stifle his sniffles. Shibayama with red eyes nodded at Kei, acknowledging his presence. Kei didn't attend as many funerals as he did with weddings. But every time he did attend one, the pain on their faces was something indescribable by word.

Kozume, approaching Kei's table with an awkward smile, spoke in hushed tones. "Tsukishima, please help yourself to the refreshments. Kuroo is arranging thank you gifts with Coach's family," Kozume informed him. Kei nodded, understanding that just as he consulted Yamaguchi, Kuroo sought solace in Kozume's company. From up close, Kei noticed Kozume's swollen eyes, likely from a combination of his work and the sudden loss of their beloved coach.

“There’s a saying that life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but comedy in long-shot,” Ukai’s grandfather began, his voice catching in his throat. “I found it funny that I was the one who was often hospitalised, yet he would go ahead of me,” he continued, his words tinged with sorrow as he sighed deeply. Coach Ukai lowered his head in silent acknowledgment, and even Takeda-sensei, usually adept with words, remained quiet. Who among them could truly comprehend the loss of a friend they had known for over 60 years?

At that moment, Kuroo, clad in black suit and a few others entered the room to distribute the thank-you gifts, and his gaze met Kei’s. Despite the sombre occasion, Kei couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his heart at the sight of Kuroo again. Although fatigued, likely from managing the arrangements, Kuroo approached Ukai’s grandfather with a soft smile as he handed out the gift bags. “Thank you for coming,” Kuroo said sincerely, acknowledging their shared loss. “I’m incredibly sorry for your loss, Kuroo-kun,” Takeda-sensei added with genuine sympathy.

“Tsukki, wait around an hour or two; I’ll come get you when everything’s settled,” Kuroo whispered to Kei, who nodded in understanding, knowing that Kuroo would help smooth the funeral proceedings.

Just then, Haiba burst into the room with a loud sob, tears streaming down his cheeks. The sight of such a tall man crying was poignant, stirring emotions even in the most stoic individuals present there. The Nekoma team quickly gathered around him, offering comfort in a silent group hug, their shared grief palpable in the air.

“Yaku’s still in Russia so he couldn’t make it, and luckily Lev had a shoot in Shibuya so he’s really close by,” Kuroo mentioned as they strolled towards his apartment building. Kei’s mind was still in a fog about the day's events, feeling like everything was surreal and it wasn’t even 3pm yet. Despite the early hour, Kuroo expressed a desire to change out of his suit, feeling a bit stifled in it Kuroo’s place, a 1LDK in Shinjuku, was quite spacious and surprisingly Kuroo kept it neat and clean.

“Feel free to make yourself at home, there's juice in the fridge,” Kuroo offered before vanishing into his room to change. Kei took a moment to breathe and glanced into the fridge, finding it nearly empty except for some juice and beer. Having skipped breakfast earlier and feeling little sustenance from the refreshments at the ceremony, Kei wondered if the sombre mood had dampened his appetite.

Returning in a t-shirt and shorts, Kuroo’s appearance tugged at Kei's heart and he felt his nose soured at that. When was the last time he saw Kuroo in such relaxed clothing? Noticing Kei's shifted expression, Kuroo moved closer, concern etched on his face.

“Hey, hey, hey - what’s wrong?” Kuroo’s voice was soft as he leaned towards Kei, who sat on the couch. Without thinking, Kei hugged Kuroo’s waist, resting his head against Kuroo’s torso.

“Are you okay, Kuroo-san? You’ve been running around non-stop today,” Kei's concern mixed with a hint of frustration, reflecting the weight of the day's events.

On any other day, Kuroo might tease Kei for his worry, but today was different. He sighed softly and stroked Kei’s hair as he spoke, his words carrying a sense of disbelief and acceptance. "It still doesn’t feel real. I keep expecting to hear his voice if I dial his number, like it's all just a bad dream."

“But y’know, it’s not like there’s anything I can do except helping out and running around, he gave me so much and I’d continue to lower the nets as long as I live. He gave me a purpose. Life goes on, I guess and perhaps my grief too will come in waves. I don’t know, that’s what they said anyway,” Kuroo reflected somberly, his eyes briefly flickering with raw emotion.

Kei looked up to Kuroo and somehow his heart ached at that admission, “Thank you for telling me,” Kei said, his voice wavered slightly. Kuroo chuckled and ruffled Kei’s hair, easing the tension. “I can get used to you being this pliant though,” he said as he nuzzled the top of Kei’s head. Kei playfully pushed him away, a smile tugging at his lips despite the heaviness of the day.

“Oh, now you’re shy. C’mon let’s order some takeaway, I couldn’t be bothered to go out again.” As they waited for their food, Kuroo picked out some clothes for Kei to wear. They were about the same size, making it easy for Kei to fit into Kuroo’s clothes. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t believe what happened today, his heart tugged thinking about how he was now wearing Kuroo’s clothes and how Kuroo was only a few metres apart from him.

Kuroo was plating out the takeaways that had just arrived, and Kei wondered if this could be his future. Their future. Eating at home, lounging around in the same space wearing casual clothes, perhaps watching campy sci-fi movies together and planning what to eat for lunch. It was startling how easy it was.

“I did it,” Kei suddenly said as he slid on the chair at the dining table. Kei didn’t really notice but he had a habit of fiddling his thumb when he was nervous and he was doing it now but Kuroo was too busy serving out the dishes to actually notice.

“Hmm? You did what?” Kuroo, engrossed in serving the food, asked absentmindedly

“I dashed across a few train stations to get to the funeral home as fast as possible,” Kei sighed as he split the chopsticks that he opened from the plastic wraps. “It didn’t make any sense really, especially when I saw Coach and sensei there. Like of course, I could just carpooled with them instead of running like an insane person but when I got your text, I just wanted to see you.” That was probably the longest rant that Kuroo had ever heard coming from Kei.

Kuroo suddenly covered his face and made a loud frustrated grunt. “Y’know, I’ve imagined this so many times, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m hallucinating this but I didn’t imagine this would happen in this kind of situation,” Kuroo said looking anywhere but Kei. “Tsukki, I’ve been waiting for you for so long,” Kuroo said earnestly. Kei felt like his increasingly fast beating heart would go out of his ribcage as Kuroo finally looked him in the eyes.

“I’m sorry that it happened this way, but I’ve been…how to say this in a nice way, courting you in a very measured pace,” Kuroo exhaled as he said this. “Like you know, the tale of the boiling frog? If I immediately act out my feelings you would definitely run away. But if I gradually heat up the water-”

“Please don’t use frogs as a metaphor to describe me,” Kei rolled his eyes, Kuroo must have thought he was being so clever with the analogy. “Of course, you would say that,” Kuroo laughed nervously. He continued, “Okay don’t interrupt me anymore, this is a big moment for you and me.”

“So, I’ve been planting seeds and leaving crumbs since you don’t like the frog analogy. Sorry, I couldn’t think of any dinosaur related metaphor but this is all I’ve got,” that got a smile out of Kei. “You are definitely not moving out of Sendai and then I’m not sure what do you think of bisexuals and I feel like you’re the type who needs to understand it on your own pace instead of being forced to see things in front of you so I just…waited and make sure you understand that all of this is possible.”

“It’s just hard,” Kei continued Kuroo’s speech. Kuroo laughed at that completely knowing where the reference came from, “Yeah, it’s just hard. Bokuto really had his shining moments here and there, didn't he?”

Kei stood up from his chair and moved towards Kuroo who was seated opposite of him, let Kuroo rest today from boiling him measuredly, let Kei take over this god awful long years of courtship.

“Let’s stop from talking about Bokuto-san, shall we?”

Kei's words lingered in the air, carrying a hint of exasperation.  The events of the day had truly left Kuroo emotionally raw, yet Kei's presence acted like a soothing balm, soothing the turmoil within.

As Kei approached Kuroo, the air crackled with anticipation. Kuroo's eyes widened slightly, his breath catching in his throat as Kei's determined steps closed the gap between them. There was a silent agreement between them, a mutual understanding to cast aside past uncertainties and dive headfirst into the intense emotions that had simmered beneath the surface for far too long.

When Kei's lips finally met Kuroo's in a tender yet determined kiss, it was as if a floodgate had been opened. It was a kiss filled with pent-up desire and unspoken confessions, a culmination of years of unspoken words and hidden emotions. Kuroo's hands instinctively reached out to hold Kei close, his fingers tangling in Kei's hair as he deepened the kiss.

Their bodies pressed against each other, moulding together as if they were meant to be intertwined. Kuroo's heart pounded against his chest, the rhythm matching the intensity of the kiss. In that moment, everything else faded away—the doubts, the uncertainties, the fears. There was only the warmth of Kei's lips against his, the softness of their embrace, and the overwhelming sense of rightness that washed over them.

It was a kiss that spoke volumes, a silent declaration of love and longing.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

June 2023, Kei aged 27

If Kageyama and Hinata would wait a few months more before getting their agreement notarised, they could send their application for the Tokyo Partnership Oath System, that was passed on November 2022. And if Kei would reach out more to other people aside from Kuroo in the 3rd Gymnasium group chat, he would know that Bokuto and Akaashi had been juggling over 500 km Tokyo-Osaka long distance relationship for years instead of compressing the impossibility of it all.

Well, all’s well ends well, or something like that.

“You ready, Tsukki?” Kuroo whistled appreciatively as Kei emerged in a suit.

“This is not your first time seeing me with a suit on,” Kei said dryly, remembering all the weddings they have attended together. Kuroo laughed at that and leaned in, planting a quick kiss on Kei’s cheek, sparking a shy grin from Kei. Despite nine months together, Kei's nerves around Kuroo still lingered, Kei would blame it on the long distance and how seeing each other this much was still a novelty.

“But, we weren’t dating at that time, I couldn’t ogle you openly and I was in the process of slowly boiling frogs-,” before Kuroo could even finish his sentence, Kei pushed him to move towards the door because knowing Kuroo, he would beg for a mile after gotten an inch. “We’re gonna be late if you’re gonna go on another frog related rant. I actually want to see Bokuto-san’s cartwheel during his entrance, please and thank you.”

Bokuto and Akaashi chose an upscale hotel for their wedding, conveniently located within walking distance of Akihabara. Kei reflected on the limited options for LGBTQ+ friendly wedding venues in Tokyo and even worse for smaller cities, a fact he hadn't considered until Hinata brought it up during his own wedding planning. The chandelier at the lobby was inspired by the Milky Way, it glistened beautifully in the dim lighting and Kei thought, how fitting.

At the reception table, Kuroo joyfully presented their first goshugi as a couple to the attendants. Kei had brought his own, but Kuroo insisted on handling it, expressing his sincerity in a way that tugged at Kei's heartstrings.

They stumbled upon Nekoma at the door, who as usual came together like a collective stray and Yaku had a heart to sneer at Kuroo once seeing the both of them, “Well, well, well. Look who wanted to come separately once he had a partner and leave us single strays to come together.” Nobuyuki calmly held Yaku from attacking Kuroo. Kuroo, effectively triggered by Yaku, intertwined their fingers together and brought it aggressively in front of Yaku’s face, “Not my fault that you’re still a single loser lacking in docosahexaenoic acid!”

Kozume casually shrugged off the whole situation and made his way to greet Tsukishima, a slight awkwardness colouring his approach. Kei couldn't help but empathise with the mix of emotions that come from seeing your best friend being grossly affectionate with their partner, a sentiment that often crossed his mind when observing Kageyama and Hinata together. Shibayama also enthusiastically greeted Kei - congratulating him for the Frogs promotion into Division 1, unlike the time where he was wary when he had to pass the Olympics tote bag to Kei.

Of course their seat inside was just opposite most of Karasuno who were seated together at one table. Despite the potential embarrassment, Kuroo and Kei had agreed to sit together, especially since Nekoma's table was full. The ballroom was a sea of familiar faces, Sakusa and the volleyball playing Miya and the rest of the Jackals were seated together. Then there was the Adlers on another, coupled with the other Japan National Team members being seated randomly in a few tables. The room felt like a reunion of sorts, with old acquaintances from summer training camps and interhigh nationals reminding Kei how intertwined his life was with high school memories.

Hinata and Kageyama had been aggressively whispering to each other when they saw Kuroo and Kei enter together, which was never a good thing. Yachi was unsuccessful in her attempt to make them stop, and Azumane could only laugh nervously. Including Kei, only five of them could make it to the wedding due to the distance and also it being held on a weekday. Kei had a mind to think how almost the entire Karasuno had filled Ryuunosuke and Kiyoko's wedding back then.

“So, what's the King and his concubine been plotting since I arrived?” Kei asked with a snarky smile as he took his seat while Kuroo went around greeting and passing his business cards to everyone he knew in the room. Kei could distinctly hear an exasperated growl coming out from Hinata’s mouth as, “I am not his concubine!”

“He’s not my concubine, he’s my husband," Kageyama retorted seriously and Hinata almost choked on air due to the embarrassment and Yachi made an out-of-body dissociative expression upon hearing that. Azumane kindly diffused the tension albeit nervously, perhaps sorely wishing for Sawamura's or Yamaguchi's ability to smooth things up, "Now, now, let's ask Tsukishima the question that you all have in mind."

Yachi timidly ventured forth, her kind-hearted nature shining through as she mustered the courage to ask, “Um Tsukishima-kun, Hinata saw you and Kuroo-san h-holding hands when he was using the lobby’s toilet.”

“I told you Tobio, back when I saw the tote bag! Something is definitely going on,” Hinata remarked with furrowed brows, his suspicion clear from the start. Had Hinata come closer during their time at the reception table, he would have picked up on more obvious hints, like Kuroo and Yaku's interactions.

“Whoa, whoa Hinata-senshu. What are you doing accusing my boyfriend like this?” Kuroo chimed in, Kei’s gratitude evident as he swooped in to rescue Kei from further interrogation by their close friends.

"B-boyfriend?!" Yachi asked, eyes almost popped out, and Azumane looked like he was malfunctioning. Hinata looked at Kageyama as if telling him 'I told you so’ with a very betrayed face but Kageyama looked so unbothered about the revelation that it was kind of funny even to Kei. “When will you ever tell us if I didn’t see that with my own two eyes?” Hinata wailed dramatically.

“Chill out Shoyou, they were only holding hands,” Kageyama replied dryly and earned a glare from his husband and truly? For once in his life, Kei would like to agree on something with Kageyama.

It wasn't as if Kei had purposefully kept it a secret, he had actually confided in Yamaguchi face to face about what was happening between him and Kuroo. But the question remained: how was he supposed to broach the topic with everyone else? He didn't even know where to begin, how incredibly awkward it would be to just one day popping up in the Karasuno groupchat and suddenly drop the bomb, ‘Oh btw, I’m dating Nekoma’s Kuroo-san now.’

“I’m very sorry if our questions forcibly made you two come out to us, oh no, I should just keep my curiosity in check, what have I done forcing Kuroo-san to out himself and Tsukishima-kun when he’s not ready? I think I should just disappear to compensate for everything,” Yachi mumbled under her breath ominously, spiralled in less than 3 seconds and Azumane stopped in his track that was about to text the other former Karasuno third years groupchat, “Is that what it is? Are we- are we, forcing you to come out?”

Kuroo burst into laughter at the diverse reactions coming only from four of the Karasunos, there will never be a dull day with the crows around. “Seriously Tsukki, you can’t shoot them a text or something?” Kuroo joked, his laughter still evident in his eyes.

“Oh, Tsukishima-kun is really bad at texting though,” Yachi said, pausing in the middle of her self-deprecating monologue. Hinata went on, “Actually sometimes I think he was even worse than Tobio, like it was a deliberate choice, Tobio is just technologically challenged.” He paused, blinking uncertainly, "Did I use 'deliberate' correctly?" Hinata glanced at Yachi, who chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Oh-ho? Tsukki's bad at texting?" Kuroo teased with a mischievous grin, earning a glare from Kei, who silently urged him to take a seat. That was a conversation that should be reserved for later and definitely not to happen in front of his nosy friends. Fortunately, the wedding event began at that moment. Komi, the libero from Fukurodani during Kei's first year and now was an actor, took centre stage as the master of the ceremony and signalled the entrance of the grooms.

As Bokuto burst into the spotlight with his signature exuberance, executing a breathtaking cartwheel and a series of playful acrobatics, the guests erupted into a symphony of cheers and applause that reverberated through the venue. Kei couldn't help but have a fleeting concern about the durability of his wedding suits, given Bokuto's energetic performance. However, amidst the whirlwind of excitement, Kei's attention was drawn to Akaashi, who, despite his usual tired appearance from his demanding job in recent years, looked absolutely radiant today. His face glowed with joy as he watched his husband's spirited display, embodying the radiance of a star shining brightly.

Hinata let out an enthusiastic noise, clearly impressed by Bokuto's cool moves. "Ace of the court and the ballroom!" exclaimed a voice that sounded remarkably like Atsumu Miya, adding to the lively atmosphere. Kei chuckled softly, his amusement and fondness evident as he observed Bokuto's antics. "Ah, he never fails to steal the show," Kuroo remarked to Kei, who shared his sentiment with a grin.

After the delightful display, the ceremony unfolded beautifully, marked by a Western-style vow exchange that deviated from the traditional Japanese wedding customs. Bokuto and Akaashi's vows resonated deeply with everyone present, with Akaashi eloquently expressing how he saw Bokuto as a star from the moment they met, and Bokuto declaring Akaashi to be his entire world. Their heartfelt words evoked both laughter and tears among the guests, particularly those seated at Fukurodani's table, who were visibly moved by the sincerity of the couple's love.

As the couple exchanged rings and sealed their vows with kisses, the room erupted into loud cheers which really made Bokuto happy. In that magical moment, bathed in the soft glow of the Milky Way chandelier above, the couple seemed to embody the essence of a star and its world.

The celebration continued with a joyous group photo session. Couples and friends clustered together, Hinata and Kageyama who finally stood side by side in someone else's wedding photos besides their own.  Just like four years ago at Akiteru’s wedding and roughly a year ago at Kageyama and Hinata’s wedding, Kuroo remained steadfastly at Kei's left side. And this time around there was no longer confusion on what they were and what they could be and endless what ifs.

Amidst the bustle of the group photo session, Kei subtly reached out, intertwining his fingers with Kuroo's in a silent gesture of shared understanding, hidden from view yet deeply felt between them. Kuroo's expression lit up, a pleased bounce evident in his demeanour, though he tried to mask it with a composed grin.

In that moment, as they posed for the photo, Kei felt a profound sense of completeness wash over him. There were many things in this world that Tsukishima Kei found distasteful. He despised the clamour of crowds, the superficiality of forced pleasantries, and the hollowness of empty gestures. Yet, in that moment, surrounded by familiar faces of people he knew since high school, he found solace. He found comfort in a very good friend he had known since he was young, that took his time to text them in the group chat wishing them had a good time while doing his overtime, two dumbasses he had grown to care for deeply, and the gentle smile of a timid yet caring friend, and in the fulfilling routine of his dual occupations.

And most of all, he found joy in the arms of the person who had shown him that volleyball could be more than just a game—it could be a source of joy more than once in a blue moon.