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"I really missed you Y/N chan~" You could hear him sniffling, hugging your torso even tighter. "I never once forgot about you". The man you never stopped loving for years cried gently as those words stumbled out of his mouth.
How you ended up with your old flame in your arms once more with his head tucked into the crook of your neck and his hands rubbing your back, much broader than you last remembered him, was... a bit unexpected.
Thinking back on it, the chances were slim, almost obsolete really. He had made no announcement of returning home on his social media, both private and his professional accounts, he made no comment to his family or friends, minus a few according to him.
And here he was, clinging to you like a lost child, crying tears of joy in the middle of a park with the light from the giant lamp post flickering.
You beat the odds.
Making a pro volleyball player cry on his first night home was not on your list of things to accomplish before the year ended.
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"Let's go Seijoh Let's go!" you shouted enthusiastically. It was only a practice match for nationals, the high school boys needed all the practice they could get before rolling out on the big national stage in Tokyo but you couldn't help but cheer them on.
The game was tense, it was 24 to 23 with the predicted winning team being Aoba Johsai, players of both teams were desperately scrambling around to score that one decisive point.
You came to cheer on your younger brother, Haruto, a setter for the team and a third year.
After finally being able to get off work early and taking a crowded train to get to a rival school's gym, managing to overcome a mix of bad luck and inconveniences, you finally were able to come watch a game your brother was playing in for the first time today. It was only about 20 minutes away from your old high school but the amount of people you had to slip through at the station made the adventure seem more arduous this evening.
The whistle blew and everyone on the court prepared for the opposing team's serve. Seijoh's defense managed to get the ball up in the air with your little brother following through by setting a perfect arc that no wing spiker could possibly complain about and that's when you noticed... someone.
Oikawa....
but not the one you dated.
No, this Oikawa was... Takeru? Your eyes blinked a few times before they fixated on the young man, spiking the ball through the opposing team's defense with explosive power.
Since when did he get this big? How old must he be now? Was he the same age as your brother?
A smile then grew on your face, reminiscing the past and remembering fondly on the times Oikawa Tohru, your then boyfriend, would stop by your house to drop off some snacks and goodies, accompanied by none other than a tiny Takeru chan after his little tikes volleyball practice. He was such a little munchkin then.
You remembered the times Takeru would slip up about something silly his uncle would do, like walking in on Oikawa shaking his butt in front of his bedroom mirror, getting too loud while watching a volleyball match on his computer and his mom yelling at him shortly after, or how lame he was for drooling on his pillow. Typical reportings of a 6 year old.
Of course Oikawa would chastise his nephew for this, clearly embarrassed about his privacy being on blast in front of all people, his partner.
You thought back to the time you and Oikawa were out on a date when Takeru would call Oikawa's number through some relative's phone number to ask if he could play with Oikawa's psp. It was then that Takeru would follow up with "why is it pink?" and that was the first and last time Oikawa would put his nephew on speaker.
Much to Oikawa's exasperation, amongst other questions about this games and hobbies, even if you didn't say anything, you found that trivia about Oikawa to be adorable and wished he'd show you more of the side of him then.
You found the whole thing to be really cute in fact, the way Oikawa would care for his nephew, even when he would be annoyed by Takeru, yelling at him on the phone only to further embarrass himself as the people around you two would turn and stare.
It made for a good laugh, more for you than for Oikawa but you could see that it made him happy. You got a kick out of him and Takeru's interactions.
Oikawa was a sweetheart then before his insecurities revolving around the sport consumed him for quite some time.
You couldn't remember the exact argument where you had broken things off with him, there were too many where you argued about why he was so obsessed with the sport, some guy from another high school, and how prideful he was about it.
But what you did remember and regret all these years was when you raised your voice at him once, telling him to quit volleyball.
It wasn't necessarily for him to choose between you and the sport but more so that you couldn't understand his obsession, an obsession that both brought him so much joy and pain.
You couldn't fathom why he compared himself to others in this sport and still complained about not being enough, why he was so fixated on crushing certain players instead of focusing more on his supportive teammates.
For him, it was his life, for you, it was madness. It became too much for you to handle admittedly.
You bit your tongue, remembering those words, how his face changed from that of a charming sweet young man to a defensive and envious monster.
You still felt conflicted all those years, you had to speak up but ... was it okay for you to say it the way you did? Could you have told him in a much gentler manner? Were you fed up with his frustrations by that point?
Or maybe it was becaus-
The whistle blew for what seemed like too long, deafening to everyone in its vicinity and snapping you out of your trip down memory lane.
The opposing team puffed and heaved with a glum but satisfied look on their faces, the Seijoh boys won the match, their victorious roaring replacing the whistle.
.
.
.
You practically ran outside, hit by the freezing winter winds but forgoing all that to meet up with your brother after his match. Luckily, because of those white tracksuits, it make finding the Seijoh boys a lot easier in the dark evening.
"Haruto!" you shouted, taking extra long strides to reach your little brother. He and his team were waiting for the bus to arrive; waving his hands, your brother welcomed you kindly and of course standing next to him was Takeru.
He seemed smaller on the court, in fact both of the boys did, but now seeing him up close, you realized how much taller he was, almost towering over you and your brother.
"Hey! Long time no see!" Haruto remarked, "Did you escape from hell?"
"Oh shut up, it's already 8pm, isn't it past your bedtime?" you bantered back, earning a few chuckles from Takeru and the other teammates who overheard the interaction.
"Whatever, at least I'm not gonna be stuck in an office for the next 40 years like you!"
Rolling your eyes at your brother's comment, you noticed Takeru, awkwardly caught in self doubt: he looked like he wasn't sure whether to say hello or what but he seemed kinda tense. It's been over a decade, of course he wasn't going to know how he should approach his uncle's ex.
You turned and smiled warmly at Takeru, hoping that the warm gesture would make him relax around you.
"Takeru kun, do you remember me?" you chimed, also worried if he remembered you, internally praying that he did or otherwise this interaction would be getting more awkward real quick.
The look on his face brightened up, relieved that it wasn't only him who was hit with nostalgia. While trying to maintain his composure, he chirped:
"Of course I do! I remember you came to my uncle's house once and sometimes he'd take me down the long way to my house just to drop off gifts for you."
"Oh you remember that? How funny!"
Your brother popped in, his eyes wide. "You guys met?" He seemed so perplexed by the situation, had Haruto really not remembered your ex?
Before you could respond, Takeru answered him: "My uncle and them dated when they were in high school but then he got dumped".
You had to hold back your laughter, even years later, Takeru was still as blunt as ever it seems. You wonder how often he'd get in trouble for being too honest.
"Haruto do you really not remember me talking to mom about his uncle? I could have sworn you two met once?" even you were puzzled by his shoddy memory. Oikawa had never entered your home but you do remember your younger brother teasing you about him, as per usual children's shenanigans.
He blinked twice, furrowing his brows, trying his best to remember how your ex looked but to no avail.
You sighed, "Forget it, I'll show you a picture of him at the house". You turned back to Takeru, genuinely curious as to what he's been up to all these years. Clearly he must have been inspired by his uncle to pursue volleyball all this time. Takeru probably kept in close contact with him once he went pro, you thought. "How have you been, Takeru? I'm surprised you remember me".
"I've been good! My uncle wasn't the only one who missed you Y/N san, I remember I really liked those checkerboard cookies you made for my uncle one time!"
"Oh how sweet, you missed my cookies?" You almost wanted to crack up, of all people to run into tonight, you least expected to get along and catch up with your ex's nephew.
Your brother interjected, "I remember Y/N got mad at me once for eating a few of them and threw a wooden spoon at me" he grinned, too proud at his failed attempted robbery.
"Oh dude, my uncle got so pissed at me that I ate all the cookies" Takeru pipes up, his voice getting caught between the bouts of laughter.
Your eyes grew wide, catching that infectious and juvenile energy from Haruto and Takeru as your own voice raised in volume.
"Wait!" you interrupted, "Did Tohr-! Did Oikawa san never eat my cookies?"
The two paused, catching that slip up in your sentence. You stared at them intensely, warning that they shouldn't comment on it, like throwing daggers in their direction.
"Ahh... Well... no." Takeru bursted out laughing along with Haruto. "He was really mad at me but honestly I thought he had some already! They were sitting there on his desk open and everything.
"Oikawa san told me the cookies were delicious? He really lied to me didn't he?" you half joked.
"Oh probably, he always tried to save face like that." He smirked.
"Takeru shut up already..." a low voice rumbled from the dark winter night, cutting the chit chat with an intense silence, despite the Seijoh team murmuring in the background.
A tall figure appeared from the crowd and stepped into the street light's range, making it clear who he was with every step forward.
Takeru, Haruto, and you stood extremely still, slowly taking in the man before you three: it was Tohru.
"Uncle!" Takeru shouted. Your face went white, wondering if it was really him and as if on cue, the one confirmation you needed presented itself...
"Yahoo Y/N san" he waved at you, seemingly unfazed by your presence. "What are you doing here?"
Turning your attention to the taller and broader Oikawa, you did your best to remain calm and collected.
"I came to see my little brother play in today's practice of course. The better question is why are you here?"
"I just landed in Japan about 4 hours ago... I had meant for this to be a surprise but it seems you caught me first before my friends. It can't be helped I guess." sheepishly grinning, like a criminal caught red handed.
"Uncle! You didn't say anything, why didn't you tell us?" Takeru looked annoyed but also gleeful, even if his tone and words sounded rough, the smile that plastered onto his face couldn't be more obvious.
Oikawa whipped around to look at Takeru, "I just said I wanted my visit to be a surprise, were you not listening?" His brows furrowed but his smile remained as big as ever, happy to see his beloved nephew.
You noticed he had a slight stubble, likely from his long flight; his physique changed quite a bit, going from lean and fit to muscular and powerful looking. That much you could tell despite all the layers of clothing. You wondered what sort of diet he had to be on to maintain that athletic prowess. You took a deep inhale of the icy air, stopping yourself before your mind wandered... elsewhere.
Luckily, all it took was your little brother's pubescent voice crack to grab your attention to the present moment instead of ogling Oikawa.
"Dude! Your uncle is Oikawa san? The one that plays for Argentina?" Haruto squeaked. "It's an honor to meet you sir!" his voice trembled, knowing he was a huge fan of your ex. Admittedly, you couldn't help but join your brother in watching Oikawa's games after hearing the rumors of him playing for a Latin American team from other alumni.
"Oh you don't have to be polite, I remember you Haruto" Oikawa sheepishly grinned, not expecting his ex's brother to be so formal. "I would have met up with you three sooner but I got caught up in a conversation with coach Irihata." he chuckled.
Your brother turned to you, whispering loudly:
"HE was your ex?? How do I not remember him??" his voice was shaking.
"I should be asking you about that airhead!" You teased him. "I knew you two met once".
"O-Oikawa san!" Haruto yelped, unable to bring down his excitement. "Could I ask-"
"Aoba Johsai!" Irihata's voice rang. "The bus is here! Let's go home". Oikawa looked back and smiled.
"Oh that brings me back"
Takeru and Haruto straightened out their backs and sighed. "I guess we gotta go now" Takeru said, "I want to stay and talk to you uncle!"
Oikawa raised his hand and placed it on Takeru's head, ruffling his short hair.
"You did good there, Takeru! Try working on your foot work some more so you can get a better timing for your approach. A setter is gonna do everything they can to accommodate but you gotta put in some work too. I'll see you later!"
"Sure unc! Bye!" He parted ways with you and Oikawa, your younger brother following suit, and ran along with their team to catch their bus. Their voices grew quieter the further they got.
"DUDE, you never said your uncle is Oikawa!?"
"You never asked?? Besides he's still..."
You were unable to catch what Takeru said but he was probably airing out Oikawa's dirty laundry once more. When you looked over at Oikawa, you swore you saw a vein pulse for a fraction of a second.
As the kids left, it was just you two standing there with the air growing a little awkward, unsure of how exactly to approach each other after so long.
"So..." you started. His eyes grew noticeably big, awaiting your next phrase with much anticipation.
"You wanna tell me why you lied about those cookies?" you playfully glared at him, a smile erupting across your face.
Oikawa's once tense shoulders dropped as soon as you uttered those words, laughing as he did, it seemed like he appreciated that playful nature you always had more than ever.
"Hmm I guess I gotta explain myself huh?" smirking, knowing that he was cornered. His 12 year secret was finally exposed to his ex and they demanded answers. "As expected of my ex~" he sighed defeatedly.
Why did that... make your heart skip a beat?
You tried not to think much of it, it's been less than an hour that you meet in such a long time and already you want to be greedy, you want to know more about him.
Quickly, you thought on your feet. "Oikawa san, are you busy?"
You couldn't tell from his face alone but something in his eyes dimmed a little when you addressed him by his family name.
You panicked internally, it's not like you had meant to put distance between the two of you, you just weren't sure where you stood with Oikawa, it's been over a decade since you two broke up... would he misinterpret something?
Were you being the weird one here? Wanting to have dinner with your ex and catch up? Has he changed?
Maybe YOU gravely misread the situation? Has he become more foreign in the sense that he's used to more physical responses like hugs or ... kisses on the cheek?
Your face started to grow red at the thought of introducing yourself to Oikawa so... forwardly, it just felt too... romantic for you, even when you saw other international volleyball teams greet each other this way, cultures and mannerisms that seemed like a huge offense here in Japan must be so normal for him now.
Suddenly, an idea popped into your mind, one that could hopefully bring back that shine in his eyes.
"Are you hungry? You wanna go eat at that ramen shop you used to love?" You smiled fondly. That ramen shop meant so much to him, it's where he and his team went after their games, win or lose.
The glimmer in his eyes returned, cocking his head and grinning at you, as if you read his mind.
"Oh I'd love that Y/N!" He chirped before putting his hand on his mouth, his eyes wide. "Ah could I call you that? Are we still on a first name basis?"
Your heart picked up, why is your face feeling hot again? Was he feeling the same? Or is he just more open now?
You mustered up and did the best to not let your excitement break through in your voice; you tried to assume this was purely platonic, there's no way you wanted your heart broken tonight or end up disappointed. You had to set your expectations low.
"Yes that's fine, as long as you're okay with that."
You two started to walk in the direction of the ramen shop, Oikawa suggesting first heading to the closest station and getting off a couple of stops closest, proud of himself for still remembering this city route and transportation.
"Y'know Y/N, you can call me Tohru. I really don't mind".
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Dinner was delicious, maybe it was the 10 hour work day that seasoned your ramen and Oikawa's long flight that gave the food much more flavor, punching you both with its savory and salty goodness.
Maybe it was because you two chatted as if nothing happened, both of you lightly acknowledging the break up while slurping up noodles and maybe that's all it took, just a good meal to lighten the mood of the topic.
You admitted to Oikawa that your little brother was a fan of his, despite him not connecting the dots earlier and realizing who Oikawa was.
You recounted a few plays of his where he set the ball in a few crucial moments that turned the tide of the game. How Oikawa's fierce serves still made you tremble, remembering the deafening sound of the ball as it slammed the gym floor. Before you knew it, you gained an understanding and appreciation for the sport, something Oikawa definitely noticed during the conversation.
Maybe it was how chatty he was now, recounting his stories and mishaps in Argentina, living abroad, the struggles of learning a foreign language and realizing that the language textbooks prepared him for nothing.
Meeting a former rival/underclassmen of his during his trip to Brazil out of the blue was probably his most memorable story by far. He seemed proud of the guy, recounting how badly he used to play in the one year they interacted with each other during matches now kicking ass in beach volleyball.
Oikawa seemed much more... content... and less tied down by his failures and shortcomings. He focused only on the good that happened in his life since graduating.
You felt that flame light up again, wondering if he was feeling the same. If he even had room in his heart for you to visit once again or if he was open to the idea.
During the conversation, it took you aback to find out he was single, only mentioning it to the shop owner after a few prodding questions about Oikawa and his love life became overbearing, interrupting the flow of his and your dinner. It didn't help that he paid for your meal as well as his, making it more incriminating the more you two denied that it was a date.
.
.
It was well past 10pm at this point but the two of you strolled by the neighborhood, taking in all the nostalgic sights and smells of the night, retelling stories from your guy's school days and growing up in different parts of the city.
You felt like Oikawa was enjoying himself, not caring that he's fighting against jet lag. You couldn't help but wonder and interpret this as him wanting to spend more time with you, as if he didn't want to go home yet and stalled for time.
The way he patted you or would touch your shoulder set you ablaze. Again, maybe it's just a culture difference and him living abroad made him more open to this type of affection but even when you two had dated before, he was never this outwardly affectionate and attentive. Was it him flirting and subtly wanting to be around you more? Is he just being friendly? Is this a new normal for him and not realize it?
It was then his voice lulled you out of your thoughts, pointing at a familiar park with a swing set. "Y/N you remember this place? Let's go, come on." Excitedly, he gestured for you to follow him and like a moth attracted to light, you followed the brilliant warmth of those embers.
As you sat down on the swing set, you chuckled to yourself, raising your hand to try to stifle the noise but unfortunately for you, Oikawa didn't let this go unnoticed.
"What's up Y/N?"
"Nothing! It's just.." you paused, trying to catch your breath. "I think this is where we came to hang out after our first date, right?"
Oikawa froze, pondering his surroundings before speaking. "Hey yeah, no wonder this seemed familiar." His face flushed a little as he swiftly turned to you, raising his hands up. "Pure coincidence! I promise!"
"Tohru you're fine. I don't really mind at all!" you reassured him. Something about this hangout seemed juvenile to you but not in a negative way. It was nostalgic but it also felt like you two were back in 2012, reliving your high school prime, imagining that you two had snuck out of your homes to meet up by a local park. Things you do only when you're dating someone.
"Y/N" Oikawa spoke calmly, contrary to his excitement just a few moments ago. "Thank you."
"...."
".... What for?" You were genuinely confused. Did you do something just now? You were freezing from the winds blowing over you two but you still felt a rush of blood running through you. The way the sound of your name came out of his mouth just now melted you.
He took a deep breath, leaning his head back like how he concentrates for his serves in between time outs.
"Thank you for being you."
Oh now he's done it. Your heartbeat had never pounded this loudly in your ears before until now.
"You weren't someone I was planning to see when I came back but I can't say I'm not happy that I did."
There was suddenly a twinge of guilt that struck you when he said that.
He continued, "I know we haven't spoken in years but I feel so happy that we're able to have a conversation like this, and even joke about it back at the ramen shop. I don't think I can say other people would be so willing to do the same. So thank you."
You bit your lip, feeling progressively worse and worse the more he voiced his appreciation for you.
You knew what it was that kept eating at you, you knew exactly what made you feel so guilty. But how would you tell Oikawa? How are you going to tell him without upsetting him? Did that memory still haunt him just as much as it did for you?
You felt so conflicted, you wanted to tell him how much you supported him on the sidelines, with each match he was in. You wanted to tell him so badly how much you missed him, almost giving in a few times to reach out to him and unblock him from social media.
But what message would that send to him? He was living in a different world, enjoying his time abroad and living his best life in a sport that greatly rewards him. Who were you to be a barrier to all that? These stupid selfish feelings kept reappearing from time to time, in between your other exes, wondering if Oikawa would ever take you back.
Just how-
"Y/N!" Oikawa raised his voice. You hadn't noticed it but he was no longer gently swinging himself on the swing next to you, he was crouched on one knee with his hand on your forearm. His other hand reached out into his coat and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to you. "Is there something you want to talk about?"
He sounded concerned, and honestly, with good reason: from his perspective, one minute he was having a conversation with an old friend and the next thing he knew, his ex hung their head and heard sniffling, watching tears fall and stain their work pants.
You had been overthinking, a habit that had a double edge. A habit that he was keen on spotting.
Taking the handkerchief, you wiped away the tears from your face before muttering out your next set of words.
"Tohru... I'm sorry" you whispered. "I feel like... everything you just said is undeserved."
He tilted his head to the side, curious about what you had meant.
"Undeserved in what way?"
"I just.. You've said so many good things about me and yet... I said nothing but horrible things to you years ago" Taking another deep breath, you continued. "I can't believe you don't resent me."
Oikawa's hand on your forearm grasped you firmly but gently enough to convey what he's feeling. He looked into your eyes and flashed you a bright smile.
"Y/N I don't resent you at all. I'm sorry that you've carried this burden all these years."
He shifted his weight, switching knees to lean on while the other one got the blood flowing again. His other hand hovered over your knee before finally resting it there, rubbing soft circles onto it.
"I'm sorry that I got upset whenever you told me to stop being so obsessed with volleyball. I'm really sorry that you had to date someone who couldn't love himself at the time. I assume that this is what you're talking about, yeah?" His voice was sincere, almost shaking as well.
You sniffled before you could respond, not wanting to risk some water running out of your nose in front of Oikawa.
"Yeah... I knew volleyball meant everything to you but maybe... maybe I could have said things more gently then"
"But you did Y/N, at least at first. I was the one who was too stubborn to realize how badly I was doing before realizing it was too late"
You thought back to the times Oikawa would rant to you about some Ushi guy or how he enjoyed seeing the fallen look on his underclassmen’s face after a tournament. It bothered you how often he would bring it up into conversations with you, constantly seeking validation and complaining to you when you two first dated, accumulating frustration until it wasn't bearable any longer.
Maybe your anger was justified.
But the physical cringe your body made when you thought back to that one day; the day you lashed out at him to quit volleyball.
You solemnly smiled, pushing yourself gently on the swing now. "I'm so happy you didn't listen to me then". You placed your hand on top of his, and to your surprise, he didn't retract or flinch.
You looked up at him, tears running down your face now. "Tohru, I'm so sorry I told you to quit all those years ago. I felt horrible knowing that had you listened to me, you would have lived a very different life."
The winds of coming rain clouds felt sharp against the moist parts of your eyes and cheeks but the tears wouldn't stop running. You had such a range of emotions hitting you all at one: guilt, sadness, pride, joy, relief, it all overwhelmed you.
It was just as shocking that your ex still held compassion for you, for reasons that you can only guess but you couldn't be certain.
Oikawa took a deep breath and stood up, taking your hand and gesturing for you to follow and as soon as you got up on your own two feet, he went in for the kill shot:
He wrapped his big arms around you, squeezing you until you squeaked, giggling at the sound. "Y/N you don't have to apologize for anything, it's alright."
"Tohru..." your arms slowly wrapped around him too, your hands grasping at the back of his coat as you let the tears fall some more as you hid your face in his shoulder. Partly because you were in such awe at what was happening and partly because of the cold.
"I never resented you Y/N", he continued. "When we broke up.. I never felt anger towards you. I was really mad at myself for losing you." His face gradually sunk into the crook of your neck, now hiding his own face.
"I had so many reasons to fly to Argentina and you were one of them.."
"Tohru..."
"I thought to myself, ' 'This worthless pride of mine has a price, I better make sure I do my damn best to come out on top'. I had nothing to lose after I lost you Y/N".
"I... Tohru" a sense of calm took over you, finally quelling that weight that was on your consciousness after 12 years. "That pride was never worthless you know" you reassured him. “It only made you resilient and stronger. You certainly proved me wrong.”
A gust of wind slashed through you two, almost knocking you over had it not been for Oikawa hugging you tighter. As much as you two knew a storm was coming, there was something... missing. There was something that you needed to tell him.
You felt something... wet ...
But it wasn't from the sky, no it was on your neck; a few drops of tears fell from his pretty face. From his sniffling, you knew that this man broke down; his breathing hitched and heaved in an irregular pattern and his nails began to dig into you.
You knew at that moment, the break up hurt him just as much as it did you. He cried as if he hadn’t opened up for years.
Actually, that was very likely the case.
"Tohru, it's alright" you patted him, doing your best to comfort him now. Similar to the times when he'd just cry to you after losing big matches. He would never admit it to most people but you knew Oikawa was an emotional mess, a huge crybaby for sure. It was something you found so endearing about him, something that you're weirdly glad hasn't changed after all these years. The way he opened up to you and a selected few made you feel so special. All these years later and he still had that trust in you? Your heart softened.
On reflex, you turned your head to plant a small kiss on his stubbly cheek and-
.
..
...
That's when you both froze; his breathing hitched and his grasp on your coat grew tighter; his squeezing making the synthetic material screech audibly.
Did that... That was muscle memory right?
Your heart picked up the pace, drumming loudly in your ears, your body temperature rising and those cold gusts of wind suddenly started to feel refreshing instead of prickly.
"Ah! Tohru!! That was.. It was a force of habit!" you panicked. It was like those years of dating charged head on, possessing your limbs and taking action, doing what felt right. What felt like second nature.
As you tried to push yourself away from Oikawa, to your surprise, he just held onto you tighter, bringing you closer towards him and offsetting your balance to where you practically had your weight in his arms and should he let go, you would be falling to the damp sand. You had no other choice but to surrender to your fate, your life was in his hands now, quite literally.
"I really missed you Y/N chan~. I never once forgot about you" he whispered, almost too afraid to declare it, to have his heart broken again but he dared take the risk. He sniffled a bit more all the while holding you in a sturdy lock; you couldn't see his face but you knew the man you never stopped loving was bawling his eyes out for you.
Recollecting yourself after processing all the events that lead to this very moment, you lifted a hand and started rubbing his scalp, something that was also reminiscent of your time together, something you remembered about Oikawa always looking forward to after dates or even when you would pass by him in the hallways during lunch period.
At this point, it was obvious that those embers you held onto for years burned brightly tonight, reigniting themselves at that first spark from when he first appeared from the shadows back at the gymnasium entrance.
The hand that was rubbing his scalp dropped slowly, cupping the side of his face, prompting Oikawa to raise his head and look you in the eyes. Maybe it was the tears or maybe it was a genuine light in his eyes when you held him in the palm of your hand, you know something just... synced in that moment.
You smiled softly, gliding your thumb over his icy cheek and wiping away a tear. Only that in doing so, it landed on your face, making you flinch.
"Pffft" Oikawa bursted into a fit of laughter, admiring your reaction. You followed suit; his laughter ringing in your ears and enveloping you. His breath escaped and dissipated into the cold night with each giggle he let out, mixing with yours.
As everything settled down, you brought his face closer to yours and without missing a beat, you spoke softly:
"Do you want to try again?"
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