Chapter Text
“Ping!”
The little bell on the top of the front door chimed, signaling that someone had entered the small, family-run kobeni.
Keishin Ukai looked up from the magazine he had been reading to pass the slow hours of his shift, giving a quick nod to the customer before returning back to his magazine. He had a toothpick in his mouth with his tongue occasionally flicking it from the left to the right side of his mouth.
This habit was the only way that Keishin had been able to keep himself from lighting up a cigarette. Takeda, as well as his own family, had been trying to get him to kick the habit. Takeda suggested that it was better for his health and may even help Keishin get that special someone in his life. His family’s argument was that the store would smell better overall leading to an increase in customers and sales.
Ever since Keishin returned to his alma mater, Karasuno High School, to coach the volleyball team, it was a wide-spread misconception that Kenshin and Takeda were a thing . It was clear that Takeda was trying but the poor man was just a faculty advisor and probably was one of those that chose an arts club over a sports one when he was in high school.
Keishin and Takeda had definitely developed a bond throughout their years of coaching the team, especially Keishin’s first year, but the two had agreed that as much as the team joked about them being ‘mom’ and ‘dad,’ when not playfully referring to Sugawara or Daichi as such, that they were nothing more than close friends. The jokes, though lighthearted, didn’t help Keishin feel any less lonely when he would return to his small studio apartment above the family shop. He knew that he didn’t have a space large enough to entertain. He’d even considered a pet, but due to his work and coaching schedule, it wouldn’t be fair to the animal.
So here he was still uncomfortably single, working at his family store open to close, returning to his apartment to sleep…rinse and repeat day in and day out.
Sometimes he’d catch one of his former players on the TV in town or in an interview in a magazine, but those were the ones that had continued with volleyball after graduation. , He’d sometimes get an occasional text from the ones who gave it up, but he tried to maintain the boundary of coach and player, if for no other reason than to keep himself from feeling old.
While he did have a phone, he hadn’t quite gotten the hang of social media. Shoyo had made him sign up for both a photo sharing app as well as Twitter because Shoyo assured Keishin that was the easiest way to keep up with all of them after all of them graduated. Most of the time his phone buzzed with updates about the scores from a recent volleyball game or the latest crazy thing Shoyo said or posted.
His phone vibrated in his apron pocket. Sighing, he pulled it out while shaking his head and making note to ask Takeda the next time they went out drinking to help him with turning these damn things off. Unlocking his phone screen, he saw a notification that he’d not seen before:
@CaptSawamura has sent you a private message
Keishin was staring at the notification, unsure of what it even meant exactly. He did have an idea of who the message was from based on the name. The captain of his first team he coached at Karasuno, Daichi Sawamura. He’d not heard from Daichi since the former captain’s graduation, outside of a few watch parties the team held to watch the Olympics and cheer on Shoyo and Tobio.
During one of those occasions, Daichi had shared with Keishin his interest in joining the police force. Keishin assumed that Daichi had made it and that is why he hadn’t heard from the former captain.
Keishin tapped on the notification and waited for the message box to open.
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Meanwhile, a few moments earlier, on the other end of the message box, Daichi was sitting on the couch in Asahi’s living room attempting to get control of both his heartbeat and his breathing.
“Why are you freaking out over such an innocent message?” Suga accused from the other end of the sofa. “You know if you wouldn’t have sent the message, Asahi had already threatened to. You know it’s serious if Asahi says he’ll send it. I’m usually the one doing stuff like that.” Suga giggled, flashing a look over at Asahi sitting in another armchair on the other side of the couch.
“C’mon. How long have you had this crush on him and done nothing about it?” Asahi asked, placing one of his hands on top of Daichi’s, which was gripping the couch arm tightly. “Nothing bad is going to come from you saying hi and even telling him that you are moving back to Miyagi.”
“Plus we all know how oblivious Coach is to someone being interested in him.” Suga added, giving Daichi a light jab in his side with an elbow, giggling still.
“Not funny, Suga…” Daichi warned, scooting away from Suga and closer to Asahi.
“What, I’m just pointing out what everyone else can clearly see…” Suga shrugged, looking slightly offended at Daichi lashing out. “I mean don’t all of you remember when Tanaka’s sister drove Shoyo and Tobio to training camp? And how she was trying to get Coach to join her for dinner one night before she left? He just thought she was being nice. I honestly don’t think Coach dates or knows how to.”
“Suga, that’s not a very nice thing to say about him.” Asahi replied.
“Don’t try and say that you didn’t notice.” Suga argued back.
“I mean…” Asahi hedged, trying to retort Suga’s logic.
“Just stop, both of you. It’s not helping.” Daichi replied and the conversation ended there. “Now if you don’t have something actually constructive to say, leave me to spiral wondering if I just blew my cover with my crush of…many years.
“And your gay awakening,” Suga helpfully supplied.
“....and my gay awakening.” Daichi agreed like a death sentence.
“You didn’t blow your cover.” Asahi softly stated. “The message was something I would send to you or Suga if I hadn’t reached out in a while and was moving back to Miyagi from Tokyo. Strictly platonic.”
“But I don’t want to be platonic with him.” Daichi complained slightly, as the emotional side of the former captain took over the logical side, nearly tipping the complaint into a whine.
“If you rush in with everything all at once, you may scare him away. We don’t even know what team he plays for.” Suga pretended to be inspecting his fingernails while making this point. “We have yet to have any dating history on Coach, especially since we were wrong about him and Takeda-sensei.”
“Suga, not helping…”Asahi warned softly, seeing Daichi continue to spiral like so many times Asahi had done before a big game.
“I’m only speaking honestly.” Suga retorted.
“Daichi, how about we just set your phone on this end table. It won’t do you any good to stare at it. He’ll reply when he’s able.” Asashi gently suggested, holding out his hand for Daichi to give the former ace his phone. Asahi set it on the end table on the other side of the chair.
“How about I order something to eat? What’s everyone in the mood for?” Asahi stood clapping his hands together as he crossed to his kitchen to grab the take out menus for all of them to browse. Asahi knew that food could be a good distraction for Daichi. The only thing that Daichi perhaps adorned more than Coach was a good meal. “Let me know when you both decide on something. Just please agree on the place this time. It was a headache last time.”
“We are your guests here all the way from Miyagi. You should treat us as such.” Suga shot back with an exaggerated pout.
“Fine, choose what you want, but then you pay the delivery fee difference.” Asahi shot back.
Suga quietly just pouted behind the Chinese menu he’d picked up.
The three had agreed on a meal and Asahi was just about to call in their orders when Daichi’s phone pinged with a notification. Daichi jumped from the couch and grabbed his phone before returning to his safe spot on the couch. His eyes widened and mouth dropped open.
@FlyHighCoach sent you a private message
Daichi’s mouth opened in an attempt to speak before closing and then opening, letting words pass his lips, “H-he replied.” His ears barely registered what he was saying as his hands were gripping his phone even tighter afraid that he might drop it.
“C’mon, open it! I know that you are dying to see what he said.” Suga encouraged.
“Alright…I’m doing…” Daichi unconsciously grimaced as his thumb pressed on the notification and he waited for the message to load.
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Daichi:
Hey Coach,
Or at least I hope it's my old coach…
I didn’t realize you had social media. I was surprised when your account was suggested as someone I may know.
It’s been a while…like since the Olympic watch party at Tanaka’s place, right? How have you been?
As for me, the whole being a cop thing didn’t work out like I thought it would. I’m actually coming back home next week to look at options for both school and a job.
Perhaps if you’re not busy, we could catch up over beers or something? No pressure if you are busy though.
Daichi Sawamura
Keishin:
Hey Daichi,
Haha, yeah it’s me. I’m not the best at using it or knowing how it works, but I told Shoyo I’d try. He’s the one who created the account for me. I didn’t really want one, but it’s so hard to tell that kid no. I don’t know how you were able to control him and Kageyama as captain. Yeah, it has been awhile…As for me, not too much new here, still coaching and working at the family store. Oh! I did quit smoking though. It’s been something I’d been wanting to do for a bit, but never could quite kick the habit. I’m sorry to hear that your first choice of job wasn’t what you expected. You are speaking my language with beers after work some night! I’ll never turn them down! Wait…are you drinking age yet? I can’t risk getting myself in trouble drinking with a minor.
Coach Ukai