Chapter Text
College is a different atmosphere than high school. It was a new sense of freedom. Parents are finally out of your lives (for the most part) and you have to make all your decisions. Your grades, attendance, major. Your social life. Everything is your choice now and no one but you has a strong impact on it.
The college campus felt like it was overflowing as parents were helping their kids move in and new first year students were mingling and trying to make friends. The courtyard was full of student advisors helping newbies find their dorm hall or room number. Cars filled the parking lot and suitcases stacked on top of one another in various grassy areas.
The conversations were loud, everyone talking over another. They were crying parents and students, students who couldn’t love anything more than leaving home. Kids from all parts of Japan, different cultures and traditions.
Yachi Hitoka stood in front of it all. Suitcases and boxes and all. Her mom continued to unload the car of bags into a porter. Like the ones you find at hotels. Yachi felt her back pocket buzz. She set the box she was carrying on the gravel sidewalk before pulling out her phone.
You’ve got a new message from Kiyoko
The screen read to her. Her face beamed in excitement. She opened her messaging app and clicked on Kiyoko’s icon, reading over the message.
Good luck with moving day today
We should grab lunch sometime before classes start
Yachi smiled at the message, replying with a quick thumbs up before pocketing her phone again and picking up the box. The porter was finally full and Yachi’s mom started pushing towards the dorm hall. Yachi joined her mom’s side, conversing in small conversations about college.
They arrived at Yachi’s room – #157 – and Yachi pulled out her room key, having already retrieved it when they arrived. She pushed the door open and walked in, holding the door open for her mom. It was small, as most college rooms were. The other side of the room was already decorated, but her roommate was yet to be seen.
Yachi’s mom let go of the porter and looked around Yachi’s new home for the year.
“Not bad.” her mom said, walking towards the window that overlooked a grassy area. “Ok! Let’s start with the bed.” her mom clapped her hands and turned to face her daughter. Yachi smiled and nodded her head, setting the box in her hands onto the desk nearby.
After hours of unpacking, taking a break for lunch, and more hours of unpacking, Yachi was finally done. Her side of the room was on the right side. She met her roommate and she seems nice. Her bed was lofted above the ground, so it was near the ceiling. She moved her desk to be under her bed, fitting it perfectly in the gap. She had a swivel chair she brought from home and many decorations from her old room such as posters, glass antiques, and small stuffed animals. Next to her bed was a fan she brought. She tried her best to make the room feel as much like home as she could.
Her mom left a few minutes ago. Yachi cried once her door to her room closed. Her now puffy eyes were laid on her phone screen as she laid in her new bed, her mattress topper making the bed surprisingly soft.
She was scrolling through TikTok mindlessly when her roommate – Naomi something (she couldn’t remember) – walked into the shared room.
“Hey.” Naomi said as she started changing her shoes from her clogs to her tennis shoes.
“Hey.” Yachi replied. She looked up from her phone to look at Naomi more closely then when they first met. She was mixed, blasian. She had long braids with golden accessories attached to them and it was tied back in a ponytail. She wore black short shorts with an athletic dark blue tank top. She was taller than average, around 5’8. She was really pretty.
“Are you going to the first year fair at all?” She asked as she finally tied her shoes.
Yachi sat up in her bed. “Huh?”
“The first year fair. It’s just for all the first years to meet others and look at all the activities and clubs you can join. You should go.”
Yachi stared as her roommate left the room in a hurry. She thought about it for a while before getting out of bed and putting her shoes on as well. She combed through her hair lightly with her fingers before grabbing her room key and wallet (as it’s all attached to her lanyard) and walked out of her room.
After a few minutes of walking around she found the grassy area with a few tents and booths set up, students walking across the lawn, mingling. It was a bit overwhelming with the amount of students actually out. It was loud and the crowd was bustling with activities. Some kids were playing hackysack, others were talking with friends.
‘I wish Kiyoko was here right now’ Yachi thought as she stood staring at the crowded lawn. Kiyoko lives off campus, as she’s a junior, and she’s working today. ‘How unfortunate’Yachi thought. She stood still trying to assess where to go. She looked between booths to crowds of kids talking. There was a lot going on.
“Hi!” a girl exclaimed from behind. Yachi turned around to see a really tall girl towering over her. She had to be 6’0 or taller. Her hair was short, about chin length, and it was a dark black. She looked strong, her muscles revealed through her tank top and jean shorts. Despite her tall, intimidatingly strong build, she had a soft and welcoming smile.
“Are you a first year?” she asked. Her smile beamed.
“Uhh yeah I am.” Yachi replied hesitantly.
The girl clapped her hands together. “Oh yay! My name is Kanoka Amanai. I’m in my second year.”
‘Kanoka?’ Yachi thought. ‘That name sounds familiar. Why?’
“I’m Yachi Hitoka.”
“Oh! You were one of the managers for Karasuno, right?” she asked. She was practically glowing with excitement and energy.
“Uhh yeah…how did you-?”
“Oh, I'm good friends with Ryu. Have been since middle school.” she said. “I saw you guys at nationals as well 3 years ago. I played for Niiyama.”
The girl's name finally clicked in Yachi’s head. She was the girl who Tanaka was talking with during nationals – when she was a first year. Yachi knew she was tall, but up close she felt like a tower, looming over everybody. She’s taller than many guys on the lawn.
“Oh!” Yachi exclaimed.
“Yeah.” silence fell over them. Yachi looked up at Kanoka’s face to see her glancing around the lawn, a smile on her face. The awkwardness that passed over them seemed to only be in Yachi’s head.
“So, looking to join any clubs?” Kanoka broke the silence, Yachi looking back up at her.
“Oh…probably not. At least not right now. I’m still trying to settle.”
“That’s fair. Tokyo isn’t exactly close to Miyagi.” Kanoka continued to smile. She hasn’t dropped it since she ran into Yachi. “Have you finished unpacking your room?”
“Yeah I did. Just trying to talk to people now.”
“How’s your roommate-” Kanoka was interrupted by a girl calling her over. Kanoka waved before looking back at Yachi. She said her goodbyes before walking off towards the brunette girl. Yachi watched as the two girls left and then looked around the crowded lawn. The overwhelming sensation came back to her.
Before she knew it she was back in her room mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. Her room lights were off, the only light being admitted was through her very few fairy lights. She tucked her knees against her chest and opened Life360. She looked at her moms location. She wasn’t even home yet.
Yachi sighed as she turned off her phone, laying it down on her blankets, and closed her eyes. She was tired from unpacking all day and just felt like dissolving. She started thinking about her mom again, and then to her friends back in Miyagi, her cat, the old volleyball team.
Then she thought of the other former third years – especially Yamaguchi. They were all off doing their own thing now. Yamaguchi was in college in Miyagi, Tsukishima was at a college playing volleyball, Hinata left for Brazil, and Kageyama was playing with the Adlers. How she missed her friends. At least she still had Kiyoko.