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"Is nobody gonna ask why Kita-san's knittin'?" Atsumu wondered aloud. "Am I gonna have to do everythin' round here?"
Suna didn't look up from his phone. "Kita-san has old people's hobbies, oh no, sensational, what a surprise."
These days Shinsuke was learning how to knit. Half of his lunchtime, which was usually empty to allow for some spontaneity, was now used to knit, and Atsumu knew this because he and Osamu tended to take advantage of that empty window of time to ask Shinsuke for pointers on their recent practice matches. Or notes, when Aran had gotten sick of them asking for his last-minute help.
He also knitted while he waited for the team to arrive. Sitting on a chair in the locker room, he used big wooden needles, and the sight of him absorbed in his elderly activity was so comical to Atsumu that he could not bear to be in the same room with him.
"If I stay there any longer, I'll make a joke," he had told Osamu later when Osamu had caught him running out of the room, "and then he'll kill me, and then ya'll be left in a Atsumu-less world." Then they had punched each other because Osamu hadn't seem too against a world like that.
Atsumu wanted to ask more, but Shinsuke picked that moment to return, a stack of papers in his hand. "Information on the three college teams we'll be playin' against," he explained as he handed them each a slip. "We'll be in Kobe for two days."
Aran shook his head in awe. "Man, I still can't believe coach managed to pull it off. His network's legendary."
"I agree," Shinsuke replied. "Considering this is rather short notice, and we won't be stayin' long, I suggested to Coach that we stay in my family's inn and he agreed."
"Nice, an inn." Atsumu blinked. "Wait, yer fam runs an inn? In Kobe?"
"Yes."
"Kita-san, ya never told us this before!"
"It's never come up," Shinsuke said. "Why would you need to know?"
Atsumu slumped. He couldn't argue with that. He just hadn't expected the Kitas to have a big business of their own. Although, he was assuming things, wasn't he? Just because they ran an inn did not automatically mean it was a big, thriving one.
So Kaga Inn was among the top five locations for relaxation in Kobe. Because of course.
The place was busy but orderly, as though everyone, the moment they stepped through the threshold, instinctively knew to behave themselves. The guests milled about, quietly conversing among themselves instead of raising their voices. The late September air was chilly but inside it was warm and dignified, decorated with traditional artworks. From the volume of people around, Atsumu suspected business was booming, yet Shinsuke's family still came out to greet the coach and his team.
Shinsuke introduced his parents and accepted their hugs. Mei and Minato were rather friendly to meet them, their eyes and hair a touch lighter than their son. Through a quick tour Atsumu learned from Mei that Shinsuke actually had two other siblings, a younger brother currently in an Osaka boarding school and an older sister who had moved to Tokyo after her marriage.
"Why isn't Kita-san living with y'all?" Atsumu asked her, curious. "Is it coz of his school?" It was odd for siblings to not start at the same junior high in the same city.
"Oh, that boy has always been thoughtful," Mei said in the tone of voice Atsumu's mom had used whenever she bragged to her neighbors about her sons. All proud mothers sounded the same. "At such an early age. He picked his school because he wanted to keep his grandmother company. How could I say no?"
Atsumu suppressed a pout, feeling Suna going through the same thing beside him. Suna'd been looking forward to extracting some embarrassing stories about Shinsuke out of his parents. Unfortunately for the whole team, though they really should've known better than to be surprised, Shinsuke was not only a perfect captain but a perfect son, brother and grandchild.
"This is so unfair," Suna complained under his breath.
"Right?" Atsumu hissed.
Aran quelled them with a raised eyebrow, and the tour continued.
The Kitas were especially hospitable toward them despite the coach's insistence that offering a free stay here was more than enough. They insisted on using a private room and cooking dinner for their son's team themselves. The whole morning of that day had been dedicated to a successful match, and upon returning, Shinsuke had rolled up his sleeves. Normally, there was no need to support the staff in preparing meals, but in this case the staff was his parents, and his good sense apparently wouldn't allow him to sit idly by.
Compelled by his example, and in Atsumu's case a sense of FOMO, the whole team moved to help. Half of them set out the table and handled the grills. Shinsuke, Atsumu and Osamu assisted his parents in preparing ingredients for the hotpot.
"What position do you two play?" Mei asked.
"Are you the shooting guard?" Minato asked Osamu.
"That's basketball," Osamu replied with a grin.
"Volleyball and basketball are different," Kita explained with a rueful smile. "I've told you this before. Atsumu's a setter. Osamu's a wing spiker."
"You two must be so good."
"We are," Atsumu said at the same time Shinsuke said, "They are," because there was no point in playing humble over a proven fact.
Mei's eyes twinkled as she gathered the freshly washed mushrooms onto a plate. "Darling, will you have time to visit your sister on Autumnal Equinox Day?" she asked Shinsuke.
"Our daughter's just moved again," Minato informed Atsumu and Osamu.
"Does she need help moving?" Shinsuke asked.
"Of course she does."
"She needs all the rest she can get."
"She has her husband," Shinsuke pointed out as he gave Atsumu a plate of vegetables. "She's independent but reasonable. If she needs help, she asks."
"She doesn't want to be a bother, dear."
"I didn't say she wants to, Mom. I said she would ask of her own accord."
"She never says anything," Minato finished with a fond sigh. "I worry for her. She's been trying for a baby for a while."
Shinsuke frowned thoughtfully. "… school's off that day, so I suppose I can go to Tokyo."
"Thank you, dear."
"We're much more relieved to have you there with her," Mei said.
Minato shook his head. "Your brother's just going to mess around all day."
"Like you," Osamu mumbled with a grin.
Atsumu elbowed the grin off of his face.
Once in bed, Atsumu was too full to sleep, too confused to keep still. He left the night-table lamp on despite Osamu grumbling. In the glowing darkness, his eyes traveled the inn's room. Massive and comfortable, a place perfect for rest. He couldn't rest. Something was off and it kept his brain up, kicking around.
"Hey."
"No," Osamu replied, instantaneous.
"I haven't said anything!"
"I don't wanna hear it."
Then the heartless bastard rolled over to the other side and continued snoring. Atsumu could not believe the audacity sometimes.
He got up and left. Outside, the inn was quiet, though there were night owls like him walking about under the soft orange lights. His feet carried him to the dining hall on the ground floor and there he found Shinsuke, knitting like a grandma at one of the many empty tables.
"Atsumu," Shinsuke greeted, his eyes a bit surprised. "Why aren't you in bed?"
"Can't sleep. I'm surprised yer here."
"Is somethin' botherin' you?"
He nodded. Shinsuke gestured for him to sit.
"Tell me," he said.
Atsumu ran his fingers over the sharp cut of his knuckles as he brooded. "'m not sure what I'm thinkin' about yet." He looked up. "Kita-san, what did you plan for Autumnal Equinox Day?"
Shinsuke blinked and put away his unfinished products. Something dark red and deep blue. "I'm sure you heard in the kitchen. I'm going over to my sister's."
But there had been a small frown between Shinsuke's brow, and a slight pause before he had spoken. Shinsuke's words were always sure. The only time they would not be was if something had put a wrench in his plans.
"Before that," Atsumu said, staring at him. "What did you originally plan, I mean."
For a moment, Atsumu expected Shinsuke would not tell him. But then he opened his mouth and said, "My favorite indie band's playing at a coffee shop near our school."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I like their drummer."
"What?"
Like?!
"I used to play drums," Shinsuke explained. "Only for a bit before junior high."
"Why?"
"My grandmother used to be in the music club back in college. I found her old set one day and she taught me a bit. I didn't plan on pursuing it seriously though. At least, not as seriously as I do volleyball. But playing an instrument is a great way to relax. You should try it out sometimes."
"Uh huh."
"What?" And here Shinsuke's face softened, amused. "What did you expect?"
He didn't know what he had expected. When he thought of Shinsuke, he thought of old people's hobbies, like knitting. The knitting bothered Atsumu so much. He had so many questions he wanted to ask: Why did you take up knitting? What are those patterns called? Is it hard? How do you find the time? Who are you knitting for?
But he realized he knew nothing about Shinsuke outside of a volleyball context. Well, maybe not nothing. Today he had learned a few new things about Shinsuke from his parents, after all.
"Yer family is a bit difficult."
The moment the words blurted out of his mouth, he straightened up, horror flooding his veins. He sounded ungrateful. Worse yet, he was being disrespectful about his hosts, who were the parents of the one sitting right in front of him.
"I'm sorry!" he hurriedly added.
Surprisingly, Shinsuke didn't scold him, nor did he descend to an uncontrollable rage. He just gave Atsumu a mildly disapproving frown. "Only apologize when you mean it," he said.
And Atsumu certainly didn't feel any remorse over what he'd just said. He only felt bad because it was Shinsuke, sitting here listening to his half-formed outburst.
Shinsuke leaned a bit, his eyes focused and sharp with curiosity. "How is my family difficult?" he inquired evenly.
Atsumu was not one to back down, especially since he was pretty sure he wasn't wrong. Quivering only a little bit under the weight of Shinsuke's attention, he proceeded to explain.
Shinsuke was a dutiful son. He called his parents once a week, and unlike most boys his age he did it entirely out of a deep affection for them. He was a good listener. Most importantly, he was always ready to provide an ear for his family's problems. Living so far away from them at a young age, he had never given them the slightest pause. His parents spoke fondly and proudly of him. His younger brother looked up to him. His older sister would buy him the newest phone model in Tokyo if he didn't stop her in time with a phone call.
They loved him, but they didn't feel it was necessary to pay much attention to someone as reliable, sturdy, self-sufficient, and wise as he.
At the end of his explanation, Shinsuke took only a moment to study him. He wasn't one for small talk. He certainly would not be blindsided by the objectively abrupt topic of conversation Atsumu had thrown at him on a random night. However, Atsumu couldn't help but feel as though he had surprised his captain regardless.
"It's not a perspective that I've been familiar with," Shinsuke said. "It's certainly a surprise to hear it from you, Atsumu."
After all, Atsumu's parents loved him and Osamu equally, which was a challenge because Atsumu was obviously much cooler as a son. They asked about his days. They remembered details about his life. They knew who his teammates were, who his captain was. The only reason he ever needed to repeat himself to his parents was when he had talked too fast the first time.
But, as he only had Shinsuke's best interest in mind, he believed he was just as qualified to provide advice on this. "Kita-san, yer words are always, ah, frank and correct'," bone-chilling and a constant buzzkill to pranks and fun, but—"It's the reason why we've all improved a lot. We can change for the better because we know what needs to be done."
In the deepest, darkest corner of his mind, he wondered if Shinsuke had really chosen to live with his grandmother out of his own free will, or if it had been from his family's expectation that he must shoulder this responsibility. Shinsuke adored her, and Grandma Kita, from the little Atsumu had heard about her, was very lovely.
So maybe he was simply overthinking this.
However, no fire, no smoke. At the end of the day, a young boy had preferred to live far away from his parents and siblings. Atsumu himself could not imagine being apart from Osamu for a week.
"Are you suggestin' I talk to my parents about this?" Shinsuke asked.
"Yes."
"They are not one to change their minds."
Which was already an answer as to whether Shinsuke had been aware of his family's attitude all this time.
Atsumu stiffened and gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry for sprouting unhelpful things. I just don't like the way they treated you today, that's all."
It might be a trick of the light, but Shinsuke's eyes were shining.
Atsumu figured no one had ever thought to say something like this to him before. With a bolt of guilt, he knew he had been one of those people, thinking Shinsuke as someone who could handle anything. The team, as well. Like Shinsuke's family, they had never strove to understand him, despite loving him very much.
Not much came out of that conversation. Shortly after that, they both went back to their own rooms. In the morning, they battled against another group of college students, and by late evening they were already in their own homes.
Nothing changed between them, and Atsumu was convinced that he was the only one to feel the weird emotions inside his chest, hair-raising and sudden and vicious, anytime he was in the same room as Shinsuke.
"I don't know what's wrong with me!" he lamented before bed.
Osamu gave him an exasperated look. "I mean, ya have always been weird about Kita-san."
"What? No!"
"You've been real invested in his knittin', and that's just off the top of my head," Osamu continued, listing with his fingers. "Ya pay way too much attention to what others say to Kita-san, apparently even his parents. Ya have not stopped talkin' about him since we got back. It's been a week. This is embarrassin'."
It wasn't embarrassing, only mildly alarming. Atsumu thought about Shinsuke and his parents often. Shinsuke wasn't one to lie, and he had always seemed perfectly content with the way his life was right now. But Aran had once mentioned how Shinsuke's first instinct was to rationalize his feelings, instead of just feeling them. Maybe he was hurt and he didn't even realize. Or Atsumu simply had too much time on his hands, pondering over his own assumptions.
Unfortunately, self-awareness did not stop him from embarrassing himself, and he continued assuming and pondering and brooding over Shinsuke all up until his own birthday, one perfectly wintery day in October, when Shinsuke had met them outside a Ministop after school to hand over their presents.
Being a setter, one would default only to hand-related gifts for Atsumu. But the gloves had been for Osamu, who often hated how the frosty air of October chilled his hands enough that it was hard for him to hold up food. The mechanical way he peeled the wraps off his sandwiches never failed to infuriate him. Atsumu, on the other hand, was prone to flus due to his absolute hatred of disposable masks. They were stiff against his skin and half of his face always felt wet when he unstuck them. With a wool scarf, however, he could weave it around his neck to keep the cold at bay and he could pile it high enough to cover his face if he wanted to. The material was breathable; all it did was gently cradling his face.
He blinked rapidly at the gift, willing himself not to cry like an absolute buffoon.
Osamu, predictably, enthused, "This will make eatin' in winter much easier. Thank you, Kita-san."
"Knew ya would say that, ya fatass," Atsumu muttered.
"Hah?"
"Thanks, Kita-san," Atsumu said, ignoring his brother's squawk. "I like this a lot."
"I'm glad," Shinsuke replied. He didn't smile, but there was a crinkle at the corner of his eyes.
Osamu waved at them. "Welp, I'm gonna head inside to buy some drinks."
He left Atsumu standing alone with Shinsuke.
"Atsumu," Shinsuke called for his attention.
He looked up. Shinsuke was much closer than before.
One fact about Atsumu: he was not interested in socializing unless it involved volleyball. He was open and shameless to his inner circle, a selected few who had earned his respect. To outsiders he put his smile to good use and turned it into a perfect barrier. He had more fangirls than friends. When Osamu had chided him for not caring that no one seemed to like him, he had said, "I don't care."
"But a social life is a requirement if ya ever want some good ol' fashioned love."
"I don't want a social life. If love wanna come, it'd better figure out another way."
Well, he had gotten what he wanted. There he stood, feeling imbalanced as Shinsuke stepped back and went home, leaving him to stand in front of Ministop. It'd been a few revealing days during which he got to contemplate someone he cared about whose life had now started being of the greatest interest to him.
As soon as Shinsuke disappeared from his view, he turned around and walked home with Osamu, rubbing the spot on his right cheek where Shinsuke had kissed him.