Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Yachi-san." he used to call me so…

The summer of my first year in High School. Joining a sports club had never crossed my mind. Yet there I was.

Karasuno High Volleyball Club

They were two and a half hot-blooded years. We lost in the quarterfinals of our first spring Interhigh. Daichi-san, Sugawara-san, Asahi-san and Kiyoko-san. Our irreplaceable third years graduated. New first years joined, and we became second years.

At the start of summer, at the Interhigh preliminary, Karasuno lost to Date Tech in the finals. Date Tech got their ticket to The Nationals for the first time in eleven years. They made it to the best 16. In the fall, we qualified for The Spring Tournament and faced Inarizaki High in the third round. Faced with The Third years Miya-brothers, we barely came up short.

In our final Spring. We made it to the semifinals and got to stand in the centre court. But we were defeated by Itachiyama and placed 3rd in the Nationals. 

Kageyama-kun was widely recruited and chose to advance to the V-League instead of university. Still a teenager, he continued his exceptional performance even in the top league in Japan. He proved that he was chosen as one of the starter players of Japan's National Team and participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics. He's planning to test himself in foreign leagues soon.

Yamaguchi-kun, Tsukishima-kun, and I all went to university.

And Hinataー

Hinata….

～＊～

Summer of 2016...

"Hitoka-chan, lunch?"

The light golden-haired young lady snapped out her thoughts, she stood up from her seat as she raised a hand, "Coming~!"

Yachi then tidied up her work desk, simply gathered the scattered papers then slipped them into the folder and put her pen back into the stationary case. A young woman who looked slightly older than her in a teal-coloured blouse approached her desk.

She smiled at something on Yachi's desk, "Whoa, isn't that new?"

The younger lady blinked in question, she soon realizes that her friend was commenting about the newly framed high school photograph on her desk. Yachi smiled in delight with a slight blush, "Yes! It was from the Volleyball club back in our last year."

The older woman squealed, "Ahh, so Kageyama Tobio was already this handsome since High School, huh? I still couldn't believe you went to the same school with THAT Kageyama. He's all over the news with the Rio Olympics hyped everywhere." She then went closer to Yachi and hugged her shoulder from behind, "You're still in contact with him right?"

Yachi giggled, "Yes, but I still won't give you his number Sato-san."

"Stingyyyyy~~" the woman choked her playfully while Yachi chuckled. "Oh! What about him? The giant megane, I bet he’s still a hottie now~"

"Ah, Tsukishima-kun? Yes, he was popular in high school too, much like Kageyama-kun. But I don't think you can talk much to him. He's… kind of unique."

The woman called Sato chuckled as she swiped open her smartphone, "Uh-huh, I like younger men who play hard to get. So what's his number?"

Yachi chuckled, "I can't give it to you, senpai. Tsukishima-kun will scold me~"

"Then don't tell him, you punk. Keep it a secret. Ohー" still holding Yachi in her arm, Sato took another focused look at the photograph, "Hey, this tangerine-head baby boy is kinda cute too. Aww, now that I remember you were both sitting so close too in the last photograph. Oh…"

Yachi was startled when the woman who was hugging her from behind gasped.

Sato smiled much like a fox at the realization of Yachi's preference, "You like this boy~"

"What..n-no!"

"Tsk tsk, that was not a question!"

Yachi didn't realize her face was burning in the shade of tomatoes, already going frantic trying to deny. But before the woman in teal blouse could tease her any longer, someone called for both of them.

A woman in a pink blouse waved her hand from the doorway, "Heeeey, are you guys coming or not? We're gonna leave you behind~~"

"Ah! Wait for uuuuuss!" Sato then turned back to Yachi, "I won't let you go. Tell me more about this tangerine baby boy."

Yachi weakly chuckled and let herself be dragged outside the office room to join a group of women in the hallway, chattering about either what's for lunch or what's the hottest gossip in the office today. At the vibration of her smartphone, Yachi distanced herself from her friends, lagging a few steps behind to see what she received on her phone. A message from her mother, which wasn't what caused her eyes to grow slightly wider and her steps to halt. It was a short message from Kenma Kozume.

From: Kenma-san

Subject: -

 

I found Shouyou.

 

It took everything for Yachi to not go limp on the spot and let her inner soul leave her body. It took everything for her to just stand there and hold the phone close to her beating heart as if she was holding onto someone dear to her. And when she was finally able to hear her breath, she gazed up at the sky, the clouds reflecting in her eyes. The emotion her hazel orbs held was a mix of longing, relief and a hint of tremor.

Hinata-kun…

～＊～

"Um ás de serviço!  Fantástico!" What a service ace! Fantastic!

A light sound of people clapping and cheering welcomed her as she entered an almost crowded large cafe by the roadside of a busy night view of Shinchong-Dong. The 60-inch television screen was showing the on-going Volleyball match between Japan and Austria. With the Rio Olympics currently happening and hyped almost everywhere around the globe, it wasn't surprising to see people stopping by at any available television screen to witness the live broadcast match. The capital city of South Korea was no exception.

A middle-aged beautiful woman in a cream sleeveless blouse was standing by the cafe counter. She made a quick take-out order of pasta dinner set for two, then took a seat at one of the empty tables near the counter.

"Uns temíveis 19 anos!  Tobio Kageyama!" What a fearsome 19-year-old! Tobio Kageyama!

At the mention of that name, the woman turned her attention to the television. At first, her face looked frustrated. Then, she looked proud, but eventually that expression mixed with a hint of bitterness. Yet, she curved a smile on her lips.

"Mam~" Someone called from the cashier.

She directed her gaze at the cashier counter. The person behind the counter smiled at her with a large paper bag containing the packed take out meals she ordered.

Summer won't let go of her warmth even at night. Along the way, she witnessed the lively night street of Seodaemun-gu district, looking like a line of bursting fireworks through her car window.

Anne Photography. Those were the words crafted on the silver wall gate where the ginger-haired woman stopped her car. It was a two-floored silver colour-themed house, with a modern yet minimalist design.  The house seemed to be functioning not only as a living space but also as a large photography studio. After parking the car into the garage, she went through a single door that directly connected the garage to the high ceiling kitchen.

"Shou-chan, I'm home." She called out in her mother tongue, Japanese. She put down the paper bag and began to unload and unpack the take-out meals and serve them properly on plates.

"Welcome home, Anzu-san." She heard the familiar cheerful voice greet her back from somewhere behind her.

The ginger-haired woman simply chuckled, her eyes still focusing on preparing the meals. "I hope you're okay with garlic pasta for dinner today. They gave me extra garlic bread and toasted baー"

There was a flipped wheelchair kept in between the gap of the refrigerator and the kitchen wall. It seemed to have been used for a long time. Near it was also a pair of elbow crutches resting near where the telephone was placed, obvious that they have been used until recently. But that wasn't the cause of her sudden pause.

There, in the doorway that connected the kitchen to the living room, was where a 19 years old Hinata Shouyo stood. He was as tall and as lean as the woman in front of him, who had just turned her body fully to his direction. There was a knee brace on his thin left leg and an ankle brace on his right one. The boy looked paler than he used to be, as if he's been locking himself away from the light for god knows how long.

While Hinata Shouyou had a gentle radiant smile on his face, the woman called Anzu had an expression similar to that of a fish gaping out of the water. Her gaze went back and forth between the elbow crutches leaning on the telephone table and to Hinata's knee, back to the elbow crutches then to Hinata's ankle. She gasped silently, shoulders tensed and fingers trembling. As Hinata started walking, each small step that he took was easily, yet still cautiously done.

As Hinata was now face to face with Anzu, and the distance between was just one step, she broke down crying and hugged the boy before her, crushing him between her arms, caressing the boy's tangerine locks desperately and lovingly like she was cradling a baby. Ironically, she is the one crying like a toddler.

While Hinata, who was supposed to be the baby between the two, kept giving the older woman gentle pats and squeezed her back with a tender laugh and giggles.

"See? I'm gonna be just fine…."

～＊～

Rio de Janeiro, mid-2018

In Kopenhagen cafe on the 2nd floor of Galeão International Airport, a young Asian man walked through. It was obvious that he had just arrived from a flight that landed not long ago. The way he dragged his small suitcase was effortlessly graceful, but when he took a seat, there was a small sigh coming out from his equally small mouth. Jetlag, there was no other word that can describe it, but that didn't stop the many pairs of eyes present in the room from getting distracted by the young man.

He was simply beautiful. Big doe eyes, small nose, small mouth, natural peach shaded lips. A baby face with an alluring look, his hair a soft shade of tangerine that reached his shoulders. The way he dressed was rather ordinary but showed that the boy knew a thing or two. His slender frame was clad in an over-sized, soft white shirt that was almost as pale as his skin, its first three buttons not being used for their intended purpose, exposing enough skin of his neck and collarbone along with a thin, silver necklace. His top was tucked inside his black, denim, almost tight trousers, showing his gracefully slim waist and thin legs.

The way he fixed his thin-framed rounded glasses before he read the menu made even the waiter standing in front of him have a hard time denying how his ear lobes were probably blushing. The long sleeves of his shirt, rolled up to the elbow, exposing one of the slender arms and a wrist adorned with a thin black leather wristwatch. It's odd how someone can look alluring just by gently flipping a menu’s page.

The young man swiped his long tangerine soft locks and tucked it behind his ear as he sighed. He smiled at the waiter as he closed the menu. "I'll just have a cup of warm tea, please?" His English was still thick with an Asian accent.

The waiter flashed his delighted smile as he mouthed certainly before he excused himself. The young man was now busy with himself, an opened laptop and a small pocket camera with a cable connecting the two devices. It seemed he was either a rookie photographer or someone who has a deep passion for the field. His hazel eyes viewed the photographs on the screen with a thoughtful look at each slide. There was a notification on the bottom right of his screen. Someone's been spamming his Kakao-talk account.

 @Nikolai_Zakharov

ー Sunny, they're still waiting. Chances like this don't just pop out everyday…

 

@Nikolai_Zakharov

ー Come on, babe. I'm betting my name on this, so please give your answer asap. Or else, I'm not the only one who'll be doomed…

 

@Nikolai_Zakharov

ー Fine, I lied. I'm not betting on anything. I understand you have an emotional issue with your mother country. But if you want to be acknowledged in this industry, take this job.

The owner of the nick-name Sunny chuckled after reading the train of spam chats on his Kakao web app. Another notification popped-up on the bottom right of his screen. An e-mail just came in, the sender id name being Kenma Kozume. There was a small pause before the young man decided to give the e-mail a double-click.

From: Kenma

Subject: -

 

They just arrived. I like your gifts. Thanks, Shouyou.

There was a picture attached at the bottom of the mail. It was a picture of Kenma holding two bottles that seemed to be liquor still beautifully wrapped with a peach-coloured cloth. Sunny smiled and typed a quick reply to Kenma. Right after he clicked the send button, the waiter approached his table with a silver tray, but not only with the cup of warm tea that he asked for, but also with a plate of frozen, colourful fruit, skewered and coated with chocolate sauce.

Sunny looked up with a confused look at the waiter, "Pardon, I don't think I ordered this one."

The waiter smiled, "It's from the gentleman at table seven."

Sunny merely raised an eyebrow in surprise then his gaze followed the direction that the waiter pointed him at. At the table near the glass wall was a Caucasian man with blonde hair in a neat, navy t-shirt and a white blazer. The man raised his cup slightly while sending a charming confident smile to him. A small amount of time passed while Sunny merely stared back, then dismissed the waiter with a small thank you. The young man shut down his laptop and closed the screen. He then picked up his cup gently, took a generous amount of time to savour his tea by inhaling the comforting scent, then took one small sip after another. Meanwhile, the blonde man across the room still didn’t take his eyes away from Sunny's table, and as if answering the dance invitation, Sunny returned his gaze to the blonde man and graced him a small smile.

To be continued....

Chapter Text

～＊～

@oikawa_tooru

ー Hey, Iwa-chan

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー What?

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー Do you still remember Chibi-chan? Karasuno's number 10

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー Uh…. Yea. Why?

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー Did he really quit volleyball?

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー That's what I heard. 

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー What happened?

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー I don't know much, and I think It wasn't a pleasant story to tell. 

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー I'm all ears..

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー Well… There was an accident, quite a horrid one I heard. He lost his parents and his little sister. After that, a relative took him and they moved overseas. That's all I know. 

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー Oh…

ー It really wasn't a pleasant story…

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー Told ya~

ー Why are you suddenly so curious about him?

 

@oikawa_tooru

ー Well, Iwa-chan. I happened to meet someone in Rio…

 

@iwaizumi_hajime

ー Oh…

ー DON'T TELL ME??!!

～＊～

Japan, 2018

Kunimi Akira was still in his comfortable bed refusing to kiss his heavenly dream goodbye when his phone kept vibrating in a persistent manner. With a 'tsk' he finally grabbed his phone and swapped the screen on, fingers ready to type the most violent post awaken rant ever thought of. But something stopped him and made him decide to rub his eyes awake so he could make sure of what he read. 

The culprit was Kindaichi Yuutarou, his ex-teammate from Aoba Johsai Volleyball Club back in highschool. His name was not what made Kunimi decide to snap himself awake however. Through the flood of bolded characters Kindaichi bombarded in his message, one particular name stood out and aroused his curiosity. 

@Kindaichi Yuutarou

ー OI! IT'S HIM RIGHT?? I MEAN THE HAIR 

ー THE ONE BESIDE OIKAWA-SAN! 

ー IT'S HINATA SHOUYOU RITE??!! 

Kunimi scrolled down ignoring his message and clicked straight to the link attached in it. The link brings him directly to his former captain's Instagram account. It appears to be a group selca taken on the beach, obviously, with the caption written as 'Holiday in Rio'. 

A picture of Oikawa with two foreign men that seemed to be his fellow teammates from the San Juan VBC, Kunimi thought, and a small woman with sunglasses right beside his former captain, said man's arm dropped on her shoulder in a nearly intimate manner. Kunimi decided to slide onto the second picture where he got to see a more clear look of the woman’s face without the sunglasses. A close-up selca with Oikawa’s face right next to her’s, both of them making goofy expressions.

Not a Her….

“No way…..”

～＊～

Schweiden Adlers’ routine was merciless but a fun kind of merciless. And it didn’t stop Kageyama Tobio from arriving earlier than everyone. He loved the feeling of having the whole locker room to himself. He loved the feeling of having the whole court to himself. It helped his head to stay tranquil at the most needed times. But perhaps, this morning would be a little bit different.

It all changed when Kageyama decided to follow Bokuto Koutaro’s persistent chat and take a look at his former senpai and rival setter, Oikawa Tooru’s instagram account. Especially when the former captain of Fukurodani threatened him that he won’t stop haunting his call section if he didn’t click the link.

It must have been quite a long time since Kageyama decided to take a seat in the locker room after he changed into his training suit. He was supposed to go to the court right afterwards as usual. But now he was still sitting on the bench, staring at his phone with a gentle sullen look. 

Kageyama didn’t even realize that Ushijima Wakatoshi, who is now his teammate and the 2nd earliest person on the team, had already arrived at the locker room. He got to see a whole new side of Kageyama, who was now covering his low-sunken head with one palm, while his other hand, which was hanging by the knee, was gripping his smartphone.

Ushijima was somehow able to read that this might not be the right time to question him. But Kageyama made no move of resistance when the taller man took his phone gently from his now loosened grip. Whatever it was Kageyama just saw on his phone, it was more than enough to make him look like he just miscalculated a fatal pass. 

He noticed Oikawa’s social media account and a picture of Oikawa being really close with a familiar tangerine shade haired person. It took no second for Ushijima to understand who it was and what was causing Kageyama’s behavior. 

A nostalgic beaming smile shone through the frames of  Kageyama’s High School memories. The school court, the sound of the ball hitting the floor, the last days of high school, their last goodbye on graduation day that should have been an exchange of promises for them to see each other again on the court.

See you later, Kageyama…

The black haired man was just now able to raise his head. He inhaled deeply and swiped his hair back. Kageyama was still sitting but at least now he had a normal composure. However, he still didn’t have enough guts to reply to Ushijima 's look. Kageyama simply stared at the gentle beam of sunrise through the window.

  Was that really you?...

～＊～

Rio de Janeiro, 2018

Ipanema Beach a few hours earlier…

“ Hands up , amigo~ ”

Oikawa Tooru merely lifted his hand slightly to catch the mineral bottle that was thrown at him while his eyes and his other hand still focused on a large banner before him. It seems there will be a big photography exhibition nearby in a few days. 

Oikawa deadpanned, " Seriously? " Then turned his still strong judging gaze despite being covered by dark sunglasses. 

The pale skinned Argentinian man beside Oikawa named Mateo didn't hide his offended look, " What? Did you just belittle the photography industry? Do you have any idea how powerful a single photo can be? "

" I bet Selma loves photography. Just like how you started to like painting when you were aiming for… umー " Oikawa turned to his other teammate.

A handsome moccachino skinned man with black curly hair named Pedro, who simply said, " Anita ."

" Right, Anita ." Oikawa merely chuckles before taking delight in his cold mineral water.

Mateo rolled his eyes, " For your information, not everyone in VBC is a volleyball idiot like you. Everyone has gotta have a hobby ." he said while proudly aiming his canon camera to capture the pleasing view of the crowd.

Oikawa didn't lose his playful mocking smile.  " At least I'm a consistent volleyball idiot. " while facing ahead as the three of them started walking again along the crowded sidewalk. 

Pedro chuckled at Mateo's face, " You change your hobby as often as you change your preference in ladies. Make up your mind ."

Still covered by his sunglasses, Oikawa was eyeing the view of the beach of Ipanema.  A breathtaking sight of a white beach whose sand sometimes glittered like pearls bathing the sunlight. But it wasn't the beach that distracted him from the banter of his two friends in the background. It was the enthusiastic view of a beach volley on the white sand. Beach volleyball was officially a double vs double game but at the Ipanema Beach, or in any other vacational beach, everyone can have fun. 

However, another thing quickly distracted Oikawa from the pleasant view of the beach once again. Not far ahead along the sidewalk seemed to be a little comotion. It wasn't enough to stop people but enough to cause uncomfortable stares for the people who decided to turn a blind eye as they passed by. As he stepped closer, he saw a cucasian brown-haired male with a small young woman with a tangerine-honey shade of hair as the center of the comotion. 

At first Oikawa thought it might be a lovers quarrel, but upon a closer look it was obvious that it was simply sexual harassment. Both of them were smiling while talking to each other,  and despite both of them having their eyes covered in sunglasses, it took less than a second for Oikawa to see how different their smiles were. She was clearly uncomfortable and defensive while the bastard’s smile was obviously creepy like he was having fun every time the woman avoided his touch and slapped his hand away. 

She chuckled coldly, “Ich habe Freunde, die am Strand auf mich warten, wenn Sie mich also entschuldigen würden.” I have friends waiting for me at the beach, so if you’ll excuse me.

The man seemed to still not be willing to let go, “Wunderbar, lass uns deine Freunde kennenlernen. Ich bin sicher, wir werden uns gut verstehen.” Wonderful, let's meet your friends. I'm sure we can get along.

Now she didn’t hide her gritting teeth behind that smile anymore, “Sir, wenn Sie nicht aufhören, muss ich vielleicht die Polizei rufen.” Sir, if you don't stop, I might have to call the police .

His smile got wider, “Wofür? Ich habe nichts getan. Habe ich irgendetwas getan, das dich verletzt hat??” For what? I didn't do anything. Did I do anything to hurt you?

“ There you are .” 

Both the man and the young woman broke their gaze and turned to the source of the interrupting voice. Oikawa curved his lips in a light smile, but beneath his seemingly casual composure, the dark-brown haired man made his appearance stand out. It was as if he radiated an unspoken command to be seen. He merely placed himself between them with a face directed at the small young woman while the caucasian man unconsciously took a step back like he was caught red handed.

" I've been looking for you .” Oikawa said as he handed his mineral water bottle to her in a friendly manner naturally.

“... I got a little lost .” She caught up with Oikawa effortlessly then slightly tilted her head to the intimidated caucasian man.

Oikawa caught up with the scenario naturally. He then turned his gaze to the slightly panicked brown haired man as he gently took off his sunglasses. He made sure he did it in a way to make it clear that he means business, his dark brown eyes thinning in a dangerous glow with a smile still curved on his lips. 

“Kann ich dir helfen?” May I help you?

Oikawa's sudden use of fluent German with the combination of ice daggery eyes and a friendly smile fatally damaged the man’s composure. Mateo and Pedro already caught up with the play as they casually placed themself behind Oikawa and created another wall to protect the young woman. Both of the Argentine athletes didn’t hide their unwelcoming stares.  

“ Nothing.. ” the man smiled despite his cowed composure, “ Have a great day. ” He finally walked away.

“ Likewise~ ” Oikawa returned, his smile intact as he didn’t break their eye-contact until he was sure the man meant to be out of sight.

“ What a freak ..” Mateo, now standing beside Oikawa, muttered.

Pedro joined them to see the direction where their prey went, “ What was that actually, Tooru ?”

The dark brown haired man sighed, “ Just like Mateo said, a freak .”

“Tooru…” she trailed, “... Oikawa...san?”

Oikawa turned his eyes gently to the young woman behind them as he heard her clearly mumbling his name in a familiar Japanese accent. The gentle breeze swayed her hair and the collar of her oversized white shirt gracefully as Oikawa almost caught himself in daze. Mateo and Pedro were both exchanging glances before raising an eyebrow at the two of them. 

The tangerine haired small woman gently took off her sunglasses and smiled. 

“Is this real life…?” she said.

Only this time, Oikawa realised she was no woman. The use of his mother tongue unlocked a train of memories of his high school days despite the beautiful slender figure being cladded in an oversized snow white shirt and tight black trousers, with a camera bag on his shoulder. 

Despite the much taller and fairer shade of skin. Despite the beautiful shoulder length strands of hair gently swaying with the breeze. Despite the graceful air surrounding this young smaller man that used to be cheerful and bouncy. 

Oikawa is still able to recognize the familiar shade of those big doe eyes that used to shine bright like a morning sunrise everytime they caught sight of a ball. He is still able to recognize that gentle smile that used to glow cherubically as he jumped high for a toss. 

“... Chibi-chan?”

To be continue...

Chapter Text

ONE by ONE

Osaka, Japan 2018

MSBY Black Jackal’s locker room was rather lively that morning. While they were usually so, this one time the members were chipper and there was a lot of snickering that they were not even trying to hide. All of their amused glances were directed at one person in the corner, who looked like his soul was at the tip of his mouth.

“What’s up with him?”

“Isn’t it because he slipped in front of everyone during the Fan Day Event yesterday?”

“What? That’s still bothering him?!”

Miya Atsumu didn’t bother to react anymore. He was the joke of the locker room that day. His mind was still in the clouds wondering why he was even born. He would suddenly grunt like he had gotten an intense stroke, and then go back to being soulless.

“What is he? A corpse??”

“I think the embarrassment keeps coming back periodically…”

“Someone really should talk to him before he goes to La La Land for real.”

The entrance of Black Jackal’s locker room suddenly slammed open. Bokuto Kotaro was seen standing on the doorway, mouth tight, eyes wide, and definitely in a composure resembling that of someone who just saw an alien and was still denying their existence. His golden eyes went scanning the locker room almost frantically.

“TSUMU-TSUMU!!” he suddenly shouted while pointing his finger at the said Black Jackal’s Setter.

Atsumu didn’t care to reply but he hadn’t even had the chance to because Bokuto already dragged him by the arm and dashed out of the locker room. They left the other members of Black Jackal confused for a brief moment, but they quickly went back to their peaceful morning routine.

Outside, where Bokuto dragged the poor soulless Miya Atsumu all the way to, the former Fukurodani’s ace simply let go of his grip. Atsumu successfully landed on a bench outside MSBY Black Jackal’s headquarters building in a comfortable sitting position.

“Bokkun… not now….” Atsumu whined weakly while letting himself lay down on the bench.

However, that didn’t stop Bokuto from grabbing his collar and pulling the setter back into a proper sitting position. Atsumu grunted listlessly when Bokuto shoved his phone screen onto his face and merely glanced at the white-grey haired man’s expression. He looked insanely desperate. Atsumu frowned as he questioned himself whether his eyes were playing tricks on him or Bokuto’s golden eyes were indeed swollen and teary.

That was enough to knock Atsumu out of his dark cloud, so he decided to grab Bokuto’s phone to see whatever it was he was trying to show him. At first, a vein popped out on Atsumu’s forehead once he saw the name Oikawa Tooru on Bokuto’s phone. A whole instagram account with a huge bot following, and to top it off, he could see a disgusting holiday picture with Oikawa and a foreigner beauty by his arm. Atsumu was ready to strangle the former Fukurodani’s captain if not for the sudden realization that he felt like he saw that shoulder length tangerine hair before.

“It’s Chibi-chan, right?...” Bokuto declared before Atsumu even finished his thoughts.

Atsumu looked at the picture again. He swiped to the second picture then got a more clear look at the person next to Oikawa. Indeed, a trace of that familiar face of Karasuno’s former middle blocker could be seen. His big doe eyes, that wide smile, his small face, as if he didn’t age a day despite the longer hair.

“It’s really Hinata Shouyou, right…” Bokuto declared again, this time his tone was more desperate yet weaker.

“How should I know~~" Atsumu replied, unconsciously rude, "Why dontcha ask the one who posted the picture? I’m sure Mr. CA San Juan’s Setter will answer a personal DM if it's from MSBY Black Jackal’s Outside Hitter.” He continued drily, not bothering to hide his little amount of dislike of the fellow setter, unaware of Bokuto’s change of tone.

Atsumu scratched the back of his hair uncomfortably and exhaled. Hinata Shouyou who disappeared for years after that tragic accident, suddenly showed up in Rio with Oikawa Tooru, the former Aoba Johsai’s captain that was once feared by Kageyama. How should he say this? Atsumu just doesn't like how it sounded.

“Anyway let’s go back before the old man chews us out~” The former Inarizaki's setter got up carelessly

Atsumu already took a few stomping steps due to his sudden change of mood, from gloomy to irritated, only to realize a few seconds later that Bokuto still didn't move from the bench and was still holding on to his phone with both hands. He looked fine for a moment but the next second Bokuto suddenly burst into tears.

"Da fuck?!" Atsumu cursed while looking startled.

His reaction only made Bokuto break down in tears even more. The 6'3 tall Outside Hitter of MSBY Black Jackal literally turned into a crying toddler. Atsumu just hoped there were no cameras around. 

"shaang goodnesss…. shang God… Hessokaay…." Bokuto mumbled between his cries.

Atsumu stuttered, "W-who?? Ye mean Shouー Urgh, get a grip Bokkun.. ye don't knowー"

"I KNOW!!"

Atsumu instantly froze in horror as the tearful face of Bokuto was suddenly right in front of him, his hand yanking his collar.

"I KNOWー hic.. I KNOW CHIBI-CHAN ANYWHERE!! IT'S HINATA-KUN! HE GREW UP WELL!!"

Bokuto was by no means a violent person. Even when he just yanked his collar with a murderous grip, his pitiful expression resembling that of a toddler was enough proof. But at the moment Atsumu was suddenly too terrified to deny his teammates' words.

"O...kay...." Atsumu carefully said, feeling a wave of relief as Bokuto finally let go.

The former Fukurodani's ace now dropped himself on the ground to sit and take a look at the phone again.

"Thank God…" Bokuto wiped his own tears, "Thank God.. he looks healthy…" he still mumbled in tears, but this time, he had a smile curved on his lips.

Atsumu finally put himself back together as he realized he was as much of a mess after being startled. He took a deep breath then scratched the back of his hair again. Atsumu kinda gets it, he knew Bokuto and Hinata's history ran deep. One training camp in high school between Inarizaki, Fukurodani and Karasuno, was enough to tell everyone's story. Back then, almost everyone was either alerted or admired the strongest decoy of Karasuno. Bokuto was especially fond of Hinata in an almost parental way. That's why, back then the sudden disappearance of Hinata was… 

Atsumu stopped his train of thoughts as felt a sudden chill on his spine. He abruptly turned his head  only to find his captain Meian Shugo and Sakusa Kiyoomi standing not far from them by the building. Atsumu instantly froze.

Sakusa and the Black Jackal's captain shared almost similar looks. It was something between highly disgusted and extremely confused.

"Hold up…" Atsumu suddenly realized that him standing tall with a crying Bokuto sitting on the ground right before his legs could cause a misunderstanding.

The Black Jackal's captain and the former Itachiyama's ace exchanged eyes for a brief moment then stared back at Atsumu with the same highly disgusted and highly flustered look. They gently took a few steps back before hurriedly turning around and leaving.

"AT LEAST SAY SOMETHING DAMNIT!!!"

～＊～

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2018

The Tijuca National Park is claimed to be the world’s largest urban forest. It lies in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the best tourist attractions in the city. The park contains a number of attractions, most famous being the colossal sculpture of Christ the Redeemer. However, for some people, the real treasure of the National Park was its well maintained ecology as part of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Preservation.

The fresh air and the green view contrasted the urban city of Rio and caused a pleasant feeling to the body and mind. Oikawa finds himself taking shelter against a large tree by the small pathside, typing on his phone. His eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, he glances up. Not far ahead of him was Hinata Shouyou, or as he just introduced himself not long ago, Sunny Lee. A professional photographer. 

Hinata already got along well with Mateo and Pedro. The three of them were enjoying themselves near the dodo bird attraction. Mateo and Pedro were never the intolerant type and had carefree souls, so it was to no surprise. But he knew his two mates were obviously smitten by Hinata; his baby face beauty, or the comforting gentle air around him, he wasn’t sure what captivated them.

Gentle…

If Oikawa was to take a look back a few years ago during his high school days, he had to  remind himself of when he first caught sight of that tangerine baby crow from Karasuno. The kid was cute, lovely if Oikawa may say, but by the time their volleyball journey collided, Hinata was annoyingly loud, bouncy, and most importantly, he was unpredictable on the court. That last part made him admit that at one point back then, he might have admired him.

However, now… Never in the world would Oikawa have thought that words such as gentle, graceful, soft spoken… and beautiful would describe Hinata Shouyou. Yet here he was, looking at the current Hinata Shouyou, standing with a dodo bird on his slim hand, shoulder length, tangerine shade strands softly swaying with the wind, smiling as the bird welcomed the gentle petting of those slim fingers. Mateo seemed more than happy to take the pictures, and Pedro behind him encouraged Hinata to kiss the bird.

His smartphone vibrated and Oikawa smiled at the text message. His former vice captain undoubtedly gave a hilarious reaction, but he couldn’t blame Iwaizumi for reacting that way. Hinata Shouyou might be unknown in Japan’s current Volleyball world, but some people, who were in the same court as him, who witnessed how high a small crow could fly,  saw a promising star mysteriously disappearing. And some of those people knew that the bird had lost its wings in the sea.

Oikawa slid his finger on the screen looking at picture after picture. The group of three became four. Hinata had never been to Rio, so knowing that, Mateo and Pedro were more than willing to show Hinata around. It's like he suddenly became the center of the group and Oikawa had absolutely nothing against it. 

The pictures were proof of how accepting the three of them were of the new member of their holiday group trip. A lot of group selcas and couple selcas, some goofy candid shots and of course a proper picture with the four of them with a beautiful green view behind them, courtesy of the kind passerby who kindly helped them take it. 

With that in mind, a tiny bell inside his head timidly started ringing. Not long ago, Oikawa posted a few photos on his Instagram account. Nothing went through his head, just the thought of sharing like everybody else. No harm in sharing your holiday picture, especially one with an old acquaintance that you haven't seen for years. Yes, no harm done.

“ Hei, Tooru~” he saw Mateo approaching him, “ How about lunch in Os Esquilos? It’s not far from here.”

Oikawa who just put his phone back into his trouser shorts simply shrugged, “ Are you sure? We know a place with better food. Tho Os Esquilos wasn’t bad. ”

“ Sunny said he’s curious about that place."

Indeed they both were smitten. Oikawa had been to Rio so many times with Mateo and Pedro that the three of them already had a regular spot to have meals and this was the first time he heard them willing to change their view for someone else. Oikawa simply shrugged again implying he'd be okay following their lead. He saw Mateo leave his side to chase Pedro ahead. Hinata was following behind quietly, until the younger male eventually stopped then got closer to the woods by the roadside.

It seemed something in the woods caught Hinata’s eyes as the younger lad carefully raised his camera with a serious look in his eyes, visible even behind the sunglasses. Oikawa might not know much about photography stuff but he could tell that the camera Hinata held was some serious gear. He did say that he came to Rio for work.

“What is it?” Oikawa approached behind him. 

“Shh…”

The former Captain of Aoba Johsai VBC found himself instantly complying with the soft command. There was a quite long brief of silence before he could finally hear the repeated tiny click sounds from Hinata’s camera. The tangerine haired lad then took a brief moment to look up from his camera. Hinata inhaled deeply while a smile took over his face. He took a moment to appropriate the view with his own bare eyes and then went back to his camera to give more clicks. Oikawa saw the smaller man still wearing that childlike beaming smile while looking at the small screen.

"Look…" he whispered, softly but with a glint of excitement.

The CA San Juan Setter seemed caught off guard as Hinata let the camera hang on his neck and suddenly reached his arm to bring their bodies closer. And no, Oikawa wasn’t startled when Hinata patted his chest before he pointed out something up in the tree. 

"Holy....shhー" Oikawa paused his cursing and now wore an almost identical beaming smile.

On a branch up on the tall palm tree was a blue macaw bird hanging and busy cracking a baby coconut with its beak and claws like it was unaware of any human beings beneath. The former Aoba Johsai's captain almost chuckled before he bit his own bottom lip, suddenly forgetting how cautious he was a second ago, afraid Hinata would realize his fast heartbeat.

Oikawa then whispered with the same hint of excitement, "Is that the real life blue bird from that Rio movie? The one with Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eissenberg?".

Hinata chuckled lightly, "You can say they’re distant relatives, the one in the movie is the Spix’s Macaw or as most people know it, the Little-blue Macaw. That’s the Hyacinth Macaw. The largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species in the world. Their wing spans go more than a meter.”

Oikawa exhaled in awe, “Great Scott. It does look big.” still having the same beaming smile on his face while looking up with Hinata.

“Indeed.” Hinata nodded, then added, “And of course highly endangered due to habitat loss and illegal trapping for pet trades.”

Oikawa instantly frowned, “Ouch…”

Hinata simply cackled amusedly, "I've never been to the Tijuca Park before… I had some expectations but this is definitely beyond it. I never saw a macaw bird outside a cage and in the wild… It’s the first time."

Oikawa shook his shoulders with a snicker, “I’ve been to Tijuca Park a couple of times and I never saw a bluebird just hanging around on the tree before. First time for me too.”

Hinata cackled lightly, raising the camera for another picture then stopping again, only to enjoy the peaceful view of the blue macaw still cracking that small coconut. Oikawa didn't change his composure still in awe and decided that maybe he should preserve the moment.

Oikawa exhaled again, "Just… wow."

Hinata glanced at the taller man beside him who was aiming his smartphone camera at the bird, Hinata then looked up again with a gentler smile, "You know, their habitats are mostly in northern Brazil, so to see one of them here in the south is… an extremely rare opportunity." 

Oikawa chuckled, "Just like Leonardo getting an Oscar." He smiled proudly at the photo result on his smartphone and showed it to the smaller man.

Hinata tsked with a slight smirk, "Not bad…"

Oikawa merely put on a cocky smile then fixed his sunglasses while looking up again. He took a brief moment and enjoyed the peaceful view of the blue macaw again. "You know…" Oikawa took a moment to exhale a light sound of breath, "I think this is a sign of good luck. I think good things are about to come our way…"

Hinata was still smiling softly at the bird while humming, "The hyacinth macaw's population is less than 5000 in the world and keeps decreasing due to the enthusiasm for exotic pet birds that lit up the illegal trapping."

Oikawa instantly frowned again at Hinata, "That's terrible."

"But I do like your perspective."

Oikawa shrugged while looking up again, "What about the little-blue macaw? Are there any chances we can see them in the forest?"

Hinata took a brief moment and bit his bottom lip with a contemplating face as he put his camera back into the bag, "Absolutely…. Not a chance."

Oikawa blinked abruptly, looking at it again just as the hyacinth macaw had taken off. The veteran setter simply whistled at the beautiful view of the macaw, expanding its wings and flying like it was carried by the wind. It was a majestic view. He then effortlessly caught up with Hinata who was already a little ahead.

"Why is that? Was the Rio movie actually real? There were only a couple of them like Blu and Jewel?" Oikawa asked, a little more than curious behind his casual tone.

"Hmm, close... The Spix macaw or the little blue macaw are considered extinct in the wild from the year 2000."

The former Aoba Johsai's captain froze on the spot. Hinata merely shrugged his shoulders at his reaction while continuing on walking. 

"... Now I can't watch the Rio movie the same way again." Oikawa stated as he was now walking side by side with the tangerine haired photographer.

Hinata curved a smile at him, "Last time I read that there are still about 86 birds living in captivity. They're still trying to find a way to return the little blue macaw into the wilds. Like in the second movie." 

"They better be." Oikawa retorted as he took another look at the sky.

Something about the clouds made Oikawa keep his gaze up while still walking, he felt light and relaxed. His gaze then went back lower to the shorter male beside him, who was now busy with the camera again, looking at the pictures one by one while strolling with him. The sunglasses did nothing to hide the tender look on Hinata's brown eyes while observing the resulting pictures of the blue macaw he took.

"Is that your kind of thing?" Oikawa asked, tone light, eyes gazing at the path ahead.

"Mm?" Hinata merely hummed without averting his gaze off the camera. 

"Wildlife photography?"

Hinata merely chuckled, "I wouldn't dare…"

"No? The way you were fascinated about that blue macaw kinda gave of that vibes."

The tangerine haired boy finally averted his eyes off the camera  "I have a friend who happened to be a wildlife photographer. She has a passionate enthusiasm for rare birds. It's kind of contagious." 

This time Oikawa is the one who chuckled, "I have to agree with that."

Hinata chuckled as well, they exchanged smiles and eye contact behind each other's sunglasses. Oikawa decided he had to break eye contact, suddenly feeling unconsciously bashful, effortlessly covering the feeling behind his confident smile and sunglasses. 

"Then what kind of photography is your kind of thing?" Oikawa lightly asked while casually fixing his sunglasses with a lift of his pointy finger.

"Erotica…"

The no breath gap between his question and the answer caught Oikawa off guard. Of all the answers he expected to receive, that one was definitely not one that came across Oikawa's mind. Therefore, even beneath that tranquil and chill look on Oikawa's face, Hinata was still able to see what most people wouldn't be able to see. He gave Oikawa an amusing light smile.

"So…" this time Oikawa fixed his sunglasses with a mild smile, still looking slightly awkward, "You take nude pictures?"

Hinata cackled, "It doesn't have to be nude." Both of them were still walking.

The way the bright haired male answered without a pause made Oikawa able to only respond with a hum, "Oh…" he casually replied. "Then.. you like the human body?"

The way Hinata chuckled amusedly, close to a laugh, made Oikawa regret his question, "I do. I love the human body."

There was an awkward silence between them or maybe it seemed that way only for Oikawa because he saw Hinata still smiling while looking ahead, like he was having a good time. A few years in Argentina and Oikawa was shaken because Hinata Shouyou casually stated that he loves the human body. It's like his sexual adventure and memories of wild nights in Cordoba suddenly never happened. Indeed Oikawa is a volleyball idiot or maybe this former baby crow just grew into a swan. 

Oikawa exhaled, this time openly throwing his confused frown at Hinata, "It doesn't have to be nude?"

"Yes." Hinata slightly nodded, his tone was soft but almost enthusiastic, "Erotica is like an appetizer before a meal. They serve to stimulate your hunger. Kind of like… foreplay before sex."

This time Oikawa hummed lightly, "Oh.." perfectly hiding his flustered face by taking a drink from his water bottle, "Makes sense…" he added after a few gulps.

"For example…"

The way Hinata spoke with that soft whispery yet almost commanding tone, perfectly caught the veteran setter off guard.

Hinata gently took off his sunglasses in a way that made Oikawa not being able to help but stare behind his own sunglasses. The young and smaller lad was now openly staring at him. Down then up with lips curved in a smile that was almost, almost flirty. Indeed the baby crow has metamorphosed into a swan. He acknowledges that the former Karasuno's number 10 has grown up beautifully, but Oikawa never thought he could look this gorgeous while taking off his sunglasses. 

"Even the way you drink from that bottle can be arousing for someone…"

With that, Hinata gently put on his sunglasses the same way he took them off. He continued his steps, casually, lightly as if he didn't mean to leave Oikawa behind. It's just that the former Aoba Johsai's captain was momentarily stunned. Again, Oikawa showed his ability to keep his composure tranquil despite everything going in his mind. 

Up ahead, they finally caught sight of Mateo and Pedro who had a sour look on their faces. They arrived by the doorstep of Os Esquilos and they had definitely been waiting for quite long to be that pissed. Of course the two of them only lashed out on Oikawa and let Hinata walk through the front desk, see the waiting list and ask for today's best seller on the menu.

" This is the hyacinth macaw. The largest flying parrots in the world. Their population is only less than 5000 in the whole world and they mostly inhabit the northern part of Brazil. So to see this here in the south is like a whole Yoda moment. Can't just pass on that ."

" Cut itー "

" You never gave a damn about birds."

A few meters behind Hinata is Oikawa proudly showing his smartphone when Mateo and Pedro had already landed a few playful punches on his guts. As Hinata had already arranged their table booking and was about to call the three of them to get inside, he saw Oikawa still persistently reciting his new knowledge and fascination for the macaw birds while Mateo and Pedro looked like they had had enough and tried to snatch the setter's smartphone. The young lad smiled. He was reminiscing about old memories he didn't mean to forget yet he admitted that he might have been trying to lock away. With that, the curve of Hinata's smile went lower.

I'll see you again, Kageyama.

Yeah, see you…

〜tbc〜

Chapter Text

『 Spätburgunder 』

Tokyo, Japan 2018

23.45 PM 

"Nasty…" Kuroo murmured distastefully, still cladded in his work suit, blazer folded nearby, sleeves rolled up to the elbow and tie loosened around his neck.

Kenma simply smirked while claiming the bishop with his queen, putting the former Nekoma's captain in a checkmate.

A Butler entered the high-ceiling modern style library that seemed to also serve as a tea room. Kuroo was too engrossed with the chessboard; he only noticed the gray haired man when the wine glass near him was filled. Kuroo mouthed his thanks to the butler with a smile. He brought the glass close, taking time to adore the scent and the color before he took a sip.

"Mmh.." Kuroo grunted, both in surprise and delight, "Spätburgunder?" He asked, then took another delected sip.

Kenma merely showed a light smile, "Best of Germany…"

"It tastes a little different than the usual Pinot Noir."

"Signature of Germany."

Kuroo let out another feastful groan after another sip, "I really need to get one of these."

"You can have one. I got a couple of them."

"Why thank you." Kuroo put down the glass gently then moved his last bishop to cover his king.

Kenma merely raised an eyebrow but it was enough to show his surprise and praise at Kuroo's move. He decided to take a moment before determining his next step while Kuroo was having what seemed like another private moment with his glass of wine. 

"Ahh, Germany's Pinot Noir indeed is the finest."

“But you’re not here for the burgundy.” Kenma stated while moving his knight away from the front line.

Kuroo also raised an eyebrow at his opponent’s move and placed down his glass, “Speaking of Germany…”

Kenma did not look up as he just moved his knight. 

"There’s been a young German photographer who recently caused a stir on the internet." The black haired man clearly only put down his glass to observe the board more clearly.

"What did he do?" Kenma had just taken a sip of the wine for the first time.

"Well, he took a picture of a local old woman sleeping in the slums of Kamagasaki as his entry in this year's Istanbul's Photo Award." Kuroo managed to defend his bishop from Kenma's knight.

While the former Nekoma's setter now raised an eyebrow at Kuroo's words instead of his move, "That's daring." Kenma instantly decided his step by moving his knight, "But I still don't think it's enough to gain your interest~"

Kuroo chuckled, "Indeed." He took a sip of his Pinot Noir, "This particular photographer was famous by name while his face remained mysterious."

Kenma merely hummed, eyes still having more interest on the board.

Kuroo was not offended however. Instead, his lips curved into a smile, "The Photographer's name is… Sunny Lee."

That exact moment was when the air around Kenma seemed to lack whatever he needed to breathe. Kuroo dropping a bomb was the only thing which took Kenma’s eyes off the game since the match started. 

"There…" Kuroo remarked.

Kenma simply tightened his eyes slightly at how Kuroo enunciated it.

The black haired man's smile now turned a little sour, "That's what interested me." He now made himself clear of Kenma’s earlier confusion.

The younger broke eye contact like he was getting out of character and returned his attention to the board.

Kuroo sighed, still wearing a nostalgic smile, "I assume he's the same person who gave you this fine Spätburgunder."

Kenma answered with a checkmate.

Kuroo sighed again, "Fine, I will say no more~" this time chuckling.

The black haired man turned his gaze to the Pinot Noir bottle. 

"How much did you find out?" Kenma finally spoke, eyes even more concentrated on the now finished game on the board.

Kuroo shrugged, "Not much." He took the finishing sip of the wine, "That Sunny Lee was actually pretty new in the photography industry. But he was also quite well known in the underground erotica genre. And he was scouted by Nikolai Zakharov himself, a three time Sony Award winner Photographer. That says something about his ability.."

Kenma said nothing and finished his wine as well.

"Of course, you know a lot more than that hu Kenma~" Kuroo shrugged while pouring himself a glass of wine.

"Know your boundaries, Kuroo."

With that, Kenma ended their conversation, as he decided to put down his glass then step out of the room. Kuroo knew better than to be offended. He simply exhaled and looked at the clear wine in his glass.

"Sunny, hu…" Kuroo muttered.

Well, back in the days he used to think that kid was a ball of sunshine, so this new name really did suit him. 

～＊～

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2018

08.05 AM

Oikawa's morning routine has always been like this. He liked to do a little jog in the early morning when the sun just rose. He liked the color of the sky that was a mix of darkness and light as he sped across the road even while he was on vacation. The Rio beaches were always a beautiful sight during dawn. Oikawa loved how challenging it was to jog on the sand, the grains trapping but encouraging his steps to be faster. The sand was cruel yet kind at the same time.

He almost forgot he was on vacation until he walked back to the hotel, still wearing his tracksuit. Pedro and Matheo were probably still asleep after so much tequila, so he assumed they wouldn't be functional until midday. And Sunnyー

Well yesterday, Hinata decided to bid them goodbye for another day after joining them for dinner. Apparently, he was a light drinker, and he had work to do in the morning. Oikawa was a rather heavy drinker but he decided to stay sane that night as he saw Hinata walking away from the three of them.

Funny though, Oikawa remembers Hinata saying see you around as if he was sure they will meet again. But none of them, during yesterday’s adventures, despite the many moments they shared in pictures, did not ask for Hinata's contact. No numbers nor social media accounts whatsoever.

Oikawa took a quick shower. Indeed Pedro and Matheo were pretty much still helpless in their beds, so he decided to get breakfast alone while taking a mental note to order something from the hangover menu for room service. After Oikawa felt decently dressed with a plain navy polo shirt and cream trousers, that did nothing to hide those broad shoulders and well-built figure of an athlete of his, he made his way to the lounge downstairs for breakfast.

The hotel corridor was still quiet, he was quickly replying to something on his phone when the elevator doors finally opened. He exchanged smiles and a little greeting in Portuguese to a couple of women in tennis shirts, not wanting to sound rude after he accidentally locked eyes with them. He didn’t want to be cocky, but Oikawa was used to girls who couldn't hide their blushing faces and giggles as they were gushing over his appearance. He is a star in the Volleyball world, but to those who weren't into the game, his handsome figure was still worthy of being celebrity material. It was obvious that by now Oikawa mastered the ability to play the unbothered and friendly prince naturally.

" Oh myー I'm so sorry… "

" It's fine, are you alright? "

A little commotion seemed to have just started when the elevator doors opened on the floor the women chose. Because they couldn't take their eyes off Oikawa, who was still standing handsomely while typing on his phone, one of them bumped into someone and dropped her racket. She was utterly mortified and embarrassed. Lucky for her, the young man she had bumped into didn't cause a fuss and instead made sure she was okay, the slender young man even picking up the racket for her. 

The two local women were now completely distracted by the other asian man. He was closer to their height, dressed in an oversized formal white shirt and cream trousers that followed the shape of his lean legs. He was attractive enough to distract them from Oikawa as they were still giggling and mouthing sorry for the last time before they walked away, of course not without stealing glances until the last moment they could.

If Oikawa was wearing glasses, he would have definitely dropped them in an embarrassing manner by now. There he was, Hinata Shouyo, right in front of him. Indeed looking as fair as the pale morning sun, he could not blame the women for stealing glances. Hinata looked surprised, but not nearly as taken aback as Oikawa who was literally frozen.

" Buenos días... " Hinata softly greeted him with a smile.

Oikawa was too far in the clouds, not noticing the sound of the elevator doors which were about to close. He did, however, notice Hinata's widened eyes as he tried to say something about it, coming back down to earth and pressing the hold button. As they were now face to face, they found themselves in what seemed to be a staring contest. 

Of Course, Oikawa was quick to pull himself together. " Buenos días~ " He smiled.

The smaller man widened his smile as he stepped inside the elevator. The situation would have gotten awkward if Oikawa failed to put his phone back into his pocket in a casual manner, so it was good he knew how to relax after almost making a fool of himself.

"Was that why you said 'See you, around' last night?" 

Hinata chuckled in an almost shy manner, "Yes and no. I assumed you guys were staying somewhere nearby because of the proximity needed when choosing a place to get wasted."

The table turned, Oikawa's trademark playful smirk curving on his lips, "... but?"

Hinata bit his bottom lip for a beautiful short moment before he chuckled again, "I did not expect that we were in the same hotel.."

Oikawa shrugged his shoulders, "Small world indeed. We're on the 14th."

"I'm on the 9th."

Oikawa gave him a stare that raised a questioning look on Hinata.

"What?"

"You serious?" 

Hinata shrugs his shoulders in a confused manner.

"14th." Oikawa pointed at himself, then to Hinata, "9th."

The tangerine haired man giggled still with a puzzled smile, "What?"

"It's my birthday."

Hinata frowned his brow with a gaped smile, "Shut up."

"14th Septemberー"

"I said, shut up~"

"Google me."

"Liar~~" Hinata refused despite his hand actually reaching for his smartphone in his pocket. 

"Google me."

"How dare you~"

"I dare you."

"Hush~" 

The elevator door opened at an unexpected time, their banter cut short when both Hinata and Oikawa were taken aback at the sudden crowd entering the cubicle. They seemed to be one family with four excited children holding animal shaped floats and other swimming toys. As he was overwhelmed, Hinata was about to drop his phone while losing his footing but thanks to Oikawa’s natural quick reflexes, both he and his gadget were caught. Oikawa instinctively brought the smaller man by the waist to the deepest corner of the elevator and shielded him from the violently over-enthusiastic children who were arguing about Iron Man and Batman, completely ignoring their mother’s shout telling them to be quiet.

Both Hinata and Oikawa exhaled at the same time. Their expressions said the same thing, “what a crowd”. When Hinata relaxed his shoulders, Oikawa returned the phone to the owner who smiled and mouthed his thanks. It was quite an uncomfortable minute, chaotic kids and their average chaotic parents on holiday.

Only then did Oikawa realize the position they were in. Hinata was quite literally trapped by him, completely towered by his height and frame, his own hands protectively on Hinata’s waist, the younger’s tiny hands on his front clothes. The tangerine haired man also barely reached the height of his shoulders, so Oikawa was already entranced by the scent of mint and vanilla coming from Hinata's hair. He just then had this thought..

Was Hinata always this small? Well that was the reason he gave Hinata the ‘Chibi-chan’ nickname in the past, for negative and taunting purposes of course. But now years and years have passed. He would have thought that Hinata’s time stopped if not for his… beautiful unexpected way of maturing. 

“Can you please stop..?”

Oikawa quickly blinked, “... Pardon?”

Hinata shrugged his shoulders lightly, “It’s jamming my ears…”

“... What?”

The tangerine haired man let out an amused smile while he whispered quietly in an almost lethargic way, “Your beating heart…”

Suddenly it felt like the cubicle had gone quiet, somebody even pushing the mute button on the frantic children with their chaotic toys. Eventually, slowly, slow music began to swipe in and linger. It was as cliche as it could be, someone deciding to put on what seemed like a ridiculous slow motion effect in his brain and play a cheesy beautiful hip-hop ballad tune like Nicky Minaj’s High School. 

Oikawa burst into chuckles, Hinata sharing almost the exact same tune of laughter and the exact same curve on his mouth. Their laughs almost got louder, so Oikawa needed to duck down to Hinata’s shoulder, the smaller man barely managing to cover his own laugh by desperately ‘shh’-ing the still snickering San Juan Setter player.

“Da fuck…”

“Zip it.”

“Snrk… 'ma beating heart' ?”

“I did not–”

The cubicle now got quiet for real. Appearently the view of Oikawa ducking his face in Hinata’s shoulder with a breathless sound as a result of desperately holding back his snickering gave a completely different impression on the family of six who shared the elevator with them. Not to mention Hinata’s blushing and smiling face as a result of his desperate attempt at holding back laughter.

“ Jesus Holy Christ! ” The mother finally shouted.

Both Oikawa and Hinata merely looked at her with unapologetic breathless smiles on their faces.

“ Just because this is a hotel, doesn’t mean you can have a go anywhere .” Both the parents were staring daggers at them.

Oikawa smoothly gave his most charming apologetic smile while still holding Hinata’s waist, “ Sorry, we will keep that in mind .”

The couple were still sputtering rude Portuguese words under their breath. The situations got awkward, but in a hilarious and amusing way for both Oikawa and Hinata, who were still holding wheezes behind the tight closed smiles. One thing they were both aware of, however, was how comfortable they were with the fact that Oikawa was still holding him close by the waist, and Hinata had one hand clutching softly on the front of the taller man’s navy polo shirt.

～＊～

Osaka, Japan 2018

23.45 PM

It was another night for Atsumu to lay down and scroll on his phone. The Black Jackal’s setter was in a confusing mood between lethargic and anxious. He was going to pretend what happened to Bokuto yesterday wasn’t on his list of interests, and yet, here he was. Scrolling down social media while using one of his fake accounts. 

Mateo Gallardo, CA San Juan outside hitter, one of Oikawa’s Rio Trip buddies. Then, Pedro Da Silva, CA San Juan middle blocker. Their accounts were constantly updated by lots of short videos, unlike Oikawa’s, which barely had a couple of pictures, most recently being one of a Blue Macaw bird. Mateo and Pedro documented everything they did on that day.  Therefore, Atsumu could see everything. And everything included the mysterious tangerine haired young man in Oikawa’s selca, who Bokuto claimed to be the lost Hinata Shouyou. 

There were so many short videos, Mateo and Pedro obviously smitten by this…Hinata. Even though he understands neither English nor Spanish, Atsumu could tell that just by the way they “slipped” Hinata into almost each of their supposed to be adoring the scenery videos. Damn right they like what they saw, Atsumu irritatedly remarked to himself. 

This Hinata is beautiful, fair skinned, golden tangerine hair swaying gently on his shoulders, wide crescent shaped smile adorned on a small face, the center of attention being his big doe eyes. His mouth was even too small when he tried to swallow the whole spoon of gelato… Even Atsumu could tell just how much of a damned good time Mateo and Pedro had whilst hanging out with him. How much they laughed and sounded excited when Hinata let out even the simplest small noise of approval of the food he tasted. But well, he could handle that, as he wasn’t completely sure that this was the real Hinata.

All it took for him to be distracted from his doubts, however, was one glimpse. A glimpse caught in one particular panorama video taken by Mateo which also happened to capture Hinata and Oikawa sharing a drink together. Or to be exact, Hinata enjoying his drink and Oikawa ducking his head to reach the straw without Hinata lifting his hand too much due to their quite significant height differences. They looked particularly intimate.

Atsumu decided he needed to stop being ridiculous. He needed to stop stalking these accounts just so he could get a better look of this supposedly Hinata Shouyou, yet his fingers wouldn’t  stop tapping and scrolling. Not until he reached another short video.

It was the one from Pedro's account. At first it was a shot of a half eaten taco, then the camera moved to Hinata who was also just taking a small bite of his own. They were talking about the food in a language that Atsumu did not understand. The camera angle then moved to a close up shot of Hinata's face. It seemed Pedro was asking Hinata about the Taco. The camera was so close that Atsumu could see everything clearly. The color of his eyes, the shape of that smile, that familiar laugh.

Atsumu remembered the day when he was visiting Tokyo while at the training camp with Fukurodani and Karasuno. He remembered the last dinner they had at the camp. He remembered Hinata sharing his meat bun with him, just to prove how delicious the Tokyo Convenience Store meat bun was.

The Black Jackal's setter decided he had enough with his phone and went to bed, needing to be awake and fresh in the morning.

～＊～

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2018

It was still a glittery morning in Rio. Hinata and Oikawa were still enjoying their breakfast and morning coffee, seeming to be catching up to one another about various topics. How Oikawa was still keeping in touch with all of his former teammates from Seijoh, especially Iwaizumi, who he claims to be the worst kind of a snake, for dating his ex-girlfriend, and still going strong until today, in fact, they plan to settle down. And God knows how many times Iwaizumi said he banned Oikawa from coming to his future wedding. Which of course, the former Seijoh Captain swore he would definitely crash in a glorious way.

That gave Hinata a good laugh, his beautiful mouth and adorable rosy cheeks radiating, making Oikawa wonder how someone could be this beautiful while getting choked by their own laughter. The living proof right in front of him gave him a feeling he couldn't quite name. It was nostalgia. The trace of the old chaotic sunshine ball that he used to know was still there, goofy laugh and wide srill reaching his eyes. 

Then the topic became serious, nevertheless exciting. They talked about how fascinating Brazil is, the beautiful conservative National Park, the blue macaw bird, the culture, and of course, the food. It was a pleasant breakfast conversation, yet Oikawa never brought up the volleyball topic onto the table, somehow his tongue and mind naturally avoiding it. Neither did Hinata. And even though the flow of their conversation appeared to be intimate, there is still not much that Hinata said about himself.

Except that he lived with his aunt, and she was a professional photographer. Therefore, she must have been the wonderful influence Hinata had to join the photography industry. They've been moving from place to place. South Korea, France, Russia, before they decided to settle down in Germany. 

Now Oikawa finds himself driving a jeep wrangler he rented that day. Both wore sunglasses and polo shirts just for driving through the roads by the coast of Ipanema Beach. Hinata was in the seat next to him, hair dancing to the speed of the wind. Suddenly they were having a field trip with just the two of them, an idea formed after Hinata mentioned something about wanting to take some good panorama pictures, and Oikawa being glad to be of help.

Nothing beats that gentle need for speed when driving a jeep wrangler on the beach. They met fellow riders with their exciting and provoking teasing for a race. Oikawa mostly ignored them without ruining the mood, especially when Hinata decided to aim his cameras at them and they were more than passionate to be on the frame. They all turned out to be beautiful pictures. 

Oikawa and Hinata had their lunch on the vehicle, with a few buns of Pão de queijo, which Hinata found to be the daring version of a fried buns, and a couple of grilled cheese skewers. The thick skewered cheese was literally grilled on a portable hand holded charcoal stove, it was called the Coalho, which they both felt odd at first yet ended with both of them laughing at how delicious they turned out to be. 

On the unofficial parking spot, they reunited again with a group of fellow jeep wranglers they raced with on the beach. They were a few college students from Argentina who were having a holiday trip together before their graduation. The look on their faces when they recognized Oikawa was priceless. 

They were gushing about him, especially the young ladies, who took turns for a couple of pictures with the sports star. After thanking them for their support, they bantered for a bit by comparing him to his teammates. When the social cue of the interaction being over was crossed, Oikawa went back to his vehicle, some of them still aiming their iPhones in their direction, even when the car finally drove away. 

"I wonder if it's gonna rain.." Hinata said with eyes looking at his phone.

"Why?" Oikawa replied, keeping the speed steady even with adrenaline rushing in his body.

The smaller male shrugged his shoulders, "The clouds look too gray at this hour."

"Well let me ask google for today's weather forecast." The taller man said as he lifted up his phone with one hand.

Hinata was looking up in the sky, his sunglasses on before turning back down to the driver beside, "Maybe we should go back orー"

There was a strike of lightning, along with a sharp thundering roar, sounding as if  the sky was ripped in half. It was so sharp and loud that Oikawa had to pull over because he was driving with one hand and looking at his phone. Bad idea. He looked at the sky and saw no good signs there, so he decided to put the roof back on the jeep.

As the roof automatically covered the vehicle fully, Oikawa picked up his fallen phone. Good news, no crack. Bad news, the weather forecast did mention something about cloudy weather. 

He was about to agree with Hinata's previous suggestion about them going back, until Oikawa found his driving partner with his head on his knees, both palms covering his ears. The camera was laying down on the floor.

"Oi, Hinata! Are you okay?" Oikawa instantly turns alert as he tried to shake the small shoulders a few times.

Eventually, Hinata looked up again, but still not quite managing to straighten himself, his sunglasses hanging on the bridge of his nose, revealing his eyes. Oikawa was not fond of that expression he saw, but Hinata was quick to distract him from the issue.

"... Do you think we can make it back before the rain pours down?" He asked. 

"I'm not sure." Oikawa worked his brain and memories, "But I do remember there was some kind of bar or hotel up ahead." 

Hinata looked like he just took a deep breath, "Sounds like a good place to stop by." He smiled. 

Oikawa found himself oddly pausing at the smile, but eventually stretched his lips upwards in agreement as he hit the gas again. Full speed while hoping that his memories did serve him right. Indeed, a few minutes later they saw a colorful neon light forming in a sign called "Buraco da Lacraia", at least there was an English translation saying "Bar and Inn". It's like those almost rundown excotic bars and inns you can find downtown. The parking lot was almost full, it seems like they're not the only ones who were trying to save themself from the storm.

By the time they reaches under the roof of the bar after running from the parking lot, both Oikawa and Hinata were already soaking wet. The rain poured down heavily almost instantly and there were still people running from their car to take shelter in the bar.

The place was already quite packed, the storm outside can almost still be heard from inside despite there being live music playing inside the bar. The taller man offered his hand and Hinata gladly accepted it, letting himself be guided between the crowd. Unfortunately, there was no sign of a vacant table or seat. Oikawa used his advantageous body height to look around, but still found no vacant spot. 

"Well, at least the dance floor isn't that crowded…" Hinata amused himself.

Oikawa was about to respond with the same type of witty joke until he noticed the smaller man's trembling body despite the light smile and unfazed expression. Hinata was literally drenched in cold and his damp cream shirt definitely did not serve the job except making his beautiful body lines more visible.  

The taller man looked around again, there was another doorway near the bar that connected directly to the inn front desk, which seemed to function as a gift shop as well. Oikawa encouraged Hinata to follow him again by a gentle squeeze of his palm. 

" We only have the triple XL t-shirts left ." Said the old dear woman behind the desk with a nearly apathetic expression on her rested face, as if already knowing what they were looking for.

Figures, they must not be the only ones who thought of buying a souvenir tee after being drenched by the rain, " We'll take two of them ." Oikawa nodded with a smile while pulling out his credit card. 

" You might wanna check-in… I don't recommend the public restroom with all the crowds… " say the woman again while giving a mere glance to the card.

" Do you have laundry service? " Hinata jumped in from behind Oikawa while giving a friendly smile.

" And a couple of pajamas with disposable underwear ."

Hinata shrugged  with a smile, " Cool ."

The woman shrugged her shoulders as she finally took the card from Oikawa’s hand, “ You won’t mind the single bed right? ”

Oikawa was almost stuttering on his answer as Hinata just turned his eyes on him to seek his consent, but thank goodness he was so good at keeping his composure. “ Not at all, we’re just gonna wash up and change our damp clothes. ” Oikawa said, his voice somehow deeper.

“ Very well .” The woman gave Oikawa’s card back with a couple of keys.

Then she was yelling something in Portuguese, not to them, but to a local teenager in a staff uniform who was smoking by the corridor while watching the storm together with a fellow co-worker. 

Next thing they know, they have arrived at a room by the far end of the corridor. They were led by the teenager who seemed to be the bellboy. He spoke broken English with a text-book smile, but he did his part well in explaining the laundry and room service. Oikawa gave him enough of a tip to make the bellboy's smile get wider before leaving.

It was a cozy bedroom with a tropical style interior. Wooden floor, wooden wallpaper, fake plants as decorations, wooden-like toiletries and stuff, but it was pretty impressive for some random motel you find downtown. But why did the bathroom have no walls? Or rather, why is the bathroom only made of white clear glass? 

Hinata's sigh distracted Oikawa from whatever direction his mind was about to go. He saw the still slightly trembling damp Hinata putting his camera bag and checking his iPhone. It seemed there was something important or crucial that he just read on his phone.

"I left my power bank at the hotel." Hinata huffed, sounding a little bummed out. 

Oikawa snapped something in his brain, "Oh, I think I left mine in the jeep. I'll go get it for you."

Hinata's big doe eyes looked beautiful when thankful, but then those beautiful eyes turned concerned. "No, please you don't have to. I'm sure the hotel can provide something."

"Nooo, it's fine." Somehow Oikawa found himself eager to get out of that room, "It'll be a quick run. You go wash up and change."

Hinata frowned his eyebrow even more in concern, "Oikawa-san, the stormー"

"Go wash up and change." Oikawa insisted while already at the door, "You're shaking and your lips are blue." With that he went out and shut the door. Leaving no room for argument. 

Outside, Oikawa still hasn't let go of the door knob. He found himself taking a deep breath and exhaling like it was a close call. No way he's staying there when Hinata takes a shower without anything separating them but a glass wall. Despite having damp clothes on, Oikawa felt warm. 

He cleared his head instantly and set his mind to that damn powerbank he left in the car. Thank goodness, it was a good reason. Being bashful in front of the current Hinata Shouyou, that beautiful little fella with a dangerous charm in his radiant big doe eyes, was the last thing he wanted to happen. 

～＊～

Tokyo, Japan 2018

11.28 AM

“It would be.. in my best interest.” Kuroo smiled, phone at his ear, "Thank you for your encouraging words, I'll make sure to see it through, mam." With that, he ended the phone call.

He was sitting alone on a table for four in a white decorated lounge. It seemed to be a fancy restaurant where Kuroo had just finished a meeting with some people but he decided to stay longer. A waitress stopped by to wonder if the gentleman would like a refill on his water, and Kuroo gave her his most charming smile as a yes.

“I would like a bottle of your finest Spätburgunder please?”

The bashful waitress smiled, “We have a 2010 Weingut Bernhard Huber, sir. It's one of our finest in the collections”

Kuroo curved a smile again that made the rose shade on her cheeks deepen. ,“Perfect.” 

The waitress then excused herself while still in daze. The gentleman in a navy slim fit suit gave her a final smile before relaxing himself again. Sipping the almost empty cup of tea, he slid his phone open again, swiping across many names in his contact list, until he reached at one name in the S section. 

Sunny Lee.

Kuroo exhaled with a tiresome yet amused smile, “Kenma’s not gonna like this…” yet he still tapped the call button.

To be continued....

Chapter Text

～🌻～

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2018

16.48 PM

Oikawa was drenched and admits that he might have underestimate the storm. On the good side, he at least managed to get what he needed, a power bank, the back up charger and airpods, all safe in his waterproof waist bag. He stood by the terrace to take off his shirt and squeeze the drenched t-shirt, amongst other tourists who were doing the same. Of course, Oikawa couldn’t undress without a few females wooing and whistling after seeing his ripped broad figure. However, he kept his cool and reacted with a polite 'Ladies' as he walked past them topless. At this point he wasn’t the only one shirtless at the bar.

"Got anything light?" Oikawa asked the bartender.

"Let's say… Bohemia?"

Oikawa was quiet before he shrugged, "Sure thing."

"Glasses?"

"Nah, just gimme two bottles of ‘em please. Charge them to room 216."

The bartender smiled, "Sure thing, dream boat." He handed the two bottles already knotted with a plastic chain for ease of carrying. 

The handsome athlete made way to leave the bar much to the bartender and a few women’s disappointment. Oikawa took a moment to make his way back to their room while using his damp clothing and a little finger power to open up a bottle. He reached the second floor before resting himself on one of the pillars to have a drink. 

After he emptied a bottle, Oikawa raised an eyebrow in slight awe. It  tasted better than he thought. He wondered if it was light enough for Hinata, however. The younger man did mention that he was a light drinker, but Oikawa thought that a small sip of booze might help them through the storm. He didn’t want to make that little crow tipsy. 

The Argentinian athlete then continued making his way back to their room. The storm didn’t seem to get any better and Oikawa noticed he passed by more people compared to when he was first making his way down. It seems more people have decided to check in, making the bar area rather less cramped. Oikawa arrived in front of his room to find a couple kissing on the door next to his. They were so deep into making out, they almost didn’t notice Oikawa.

The couple giggled either out of embarrassment or to poke at him as they got into their room, but not before the female just managed a sweet drunk smile to Oikawa, " Ciao~ " as the door shut and some grumbling noise was heard.

The Argentinian setter shrugged his shoulders nonetheless, " Ciao~ "

Oikawa unlocked the door and went inside. He put the empty bottle onto the nightstand and the other bohemia inside the mini fridge. There were a few cans of cider and redbull, not bad, he thought.

He was about to tell Hinata about the drink, only to be frozen on the spot. Oikawa cursed inside his head and wondered how he did not notice the sound of showering beforehand.

The pitiful glass wall separating them definitely did not serve its function and the steam definitely did not fog it enough. 

Never in his life would he imagine seeing Hinata Shouyou this way. Barely anything obstructing his view of him. Slender and fair, seemingly glowing under the falling of warm water, hair damped like a siren just getting out of the sea. It seemed like an image out of a vintage romance film, a little scent of erotica added to it.

Hinata was thinner than Oikawa had expected, but not to the extent of concern. He had an inverted triangular body shape and slender long legs. He could still notice traces of his teenage fitness regime during his Karasuno days. Nevertheless, he seemed smoother and had a softer impression. All gone was the roughness of a crow, leaving a quiet mysterious swan behind. 

I can totally do him…. 

Oikawa snapped himself out of the trance. He threw his gaze away and tried to keep himself distracted and cursed himself for having strange thoughts. This is Hinata Shouyou. An old friend whom he shares memories with, not some nobody he met for a quick wild night. He saw Hinata's phone laying on the bed and remembered he did go all the way through the storm for the damn power bank. 

Therefore, he took a seat on one of the bamboo chairs while plugging Hinata's phone into the charger. Oikawa then checked his own phone, a spam of messages and missed calls from both Mateo and Pedro quickly filling the screen. While there were mostly annoying cranky rants, the two were definitely worried about him, especially because of the storm. 

Oikawa texted them that he was taking shelter in a nearby motel with Hinata. He regretted mentioning Hinata because Mateo's immediate reply was 'I KNEW IT' and he definitely meant the capitalized letters, while Pedro simply sent a crying man and heartbroken emoji. Only after his phone rang did he realise how loud it was. 

Oikawa let out  a firm 'fuck' before he answered, "What?" He did not hold back his annoyed tone.

" Why the fuck is it always you who gets the real hottie. Hey, where's Sunny? "

" They won't let us out because of the storm. It sucks here~"

Oikawa rolled his eyes, "Guys, not now." Then he ended the phone call. The Argentinian athlete did not show any surprise when his phone rang again, however.

" Can I borrow your mac?" It was Pedro this time. 

"Yes, you can." he replied before hanging up. 

Oikawa had to take a moment to breathe before he answered the ringing phone again, "What?"

" Password please? "

"Rule the court, no space. Zero instead of 'O'."

"Groovy. Hey, how's Sunny? "

Oikawa then dropped his phone on the table thus terminating the call. He knowingly rested his chin on his hand while glaring at the phone. He didn’t have to wait long before it rang again.

"Netflix same password. No, for Pete’s sake, I don't have a goddamn pornhub account. Use your own credit card."

" Fuck… " it was Mateo. 

He hung up for the last time and the room was finally peacefully silent. Oikawa inhaled deeply to savour it while resting his head back. Somehow he felt tired, and a little bit cold. Oikawa forgot he was still topless. The alcohol did warm him enough before, perhaps he should have another shot. 

"Is something wrong?"

Oikawa barely kept the tranquillity on his face, "No." He smiled, locking his eyes with Hinata's across the room just so his eyes wouldn't wander around the glass wall, "The dudes are just worried that I'm out somewhere in this storm." He got up to reach the mini fridge.

Hinata was still inside the glass cubicle with the shower turned off so they could speak without a sound disturbance. Oikawa was just glad that the steam was still enough to blur his slender frame. 

"What happened to your clothes?"

And yet he was standing topless opening a mini fridge near the TV shelf, "Oh, I got drenched." He smiled and finally broke eye contact. "But no worries, take your time. I would like to have a drink for a moment."

"Okay, then…" it didn't take that long for Hinata to answer and turn on the shower back again. 

But Oikawa did feel a tremendous sign of relief, just as if he had managed to just avoid a dangerous out ball on the court. If there's any question he would like to ask, it would be how in the world did Hinata look so damn at ease while talking naked through a glass wall while he himself was topless.

Logically, probably because they're both men. Oikawa never considered himself to be limited to being attracted exclusively to the opposite sex, but he does admit that the current Hinata is the first man that he found sexually attractive. Not in a bad way, more like in an appreciative way. 

Oikawa sneezed, and even he was surprised at how loud it was. He grunted while wiping himself with some tissues.

"Are you okay?" 

"I'm okay." Oikawa immediately answered, "Just, the dust.. on the shelf." He smiled, and continued to drink.

Hinata was quiet while still holding the tap, "You know, maybe you should just get in…"

Oikawa did not choke on his drink, but he definitely needed to take a moment to calmly swallow before he gently and carefully turned his eyes back on Hinata, to make sure he did not miss hear what he said.

Hinata merely titled his head, almost innocently. He was wet and glowing, a rosy shade on his nose, cheeks, as well as his skin, but he was definitely not blushin, as if he just did not  invite Oikawa to join him in the shower.

"... what?"

Hinata shrugged his little shoulders, "If you wait any longer than that you're definitely going to catch a cold…" the smaller pointed out while still locking eyes with Oikawa, his tone was still casual and clear, in as a matter of fact way.

The Argentinian Setter took another drink to empty his can, "... Are you being serious?"

Hinata simply smiled, "Yes." Like he was just suggesting having tea instead of coffee.

They were both quiet, Hinata turning back and letting the warm shower run again, while Oikawa squeezed the empty can and threw it into the bin. He wanted to make himself believe that it was the alcohol kicking in, but he knew his high alcohol tolerance wouldn't budge after two bottles of bohemia and a can of redbull.

I'll be damned…

Back-facing him, Hinata had his eyes closed, savouring the warm water bathing him. The sound of the cubicle opening and someone stepping into the shower did not distract Hinata from the soothing effect of the water. The young man was still serene when he let himself be gently turned around, rough fingers softly touching his chin to lift his face up.

Oikawa and Hinata kissed under the shower, both pairs of eyes closed. Their faces were buried deep into one another’s, Oikawa having to duck his face low for Hinata to reach without needing to stand on his tiptoes. Their significant height differences, however, surprisingly matched Hinata’s waist to fit right into Oikawa’s hands.

Their kisses were still soft yet passionately intimate. Hinata acted like a mirror, his lips following Oikawa's. When the taller man nibbled on his upper lip, Hinata would use his small mouth to nibble on Oikawa's bottom one. When Oikawa opened his mouth, Hinata would tilt his face as if gladly welcoming him.

The slender hands holding onto his broad neck and shoulders, didn’t give the intention of dependency, but of a warm invitation for Oikawa to come closer, to hold Hinata more. So the taller man took it. Their lips connected deeper as Hinata stepped on Oikawa's feet to gain a few centimetres, allowing Oikawa to savour Hinata's tiny warm mouth even more. Holding his waist closer, there was little to no distance between their bodies. Even the water could not slip between them.

Altough Hinata was so smooth, so soft under his rough body, a nostalgic image still slipped in his mind even during the intense heat of the moment. The image of a noisy baby crow he met during High School, now in his arms, nude and beautiful. The intimacy blinded him, so Oikawa began to trace more of Hinata's body with his rough palms, the softness he was met with, a striking difference to the callouses the taller developed during the span of years of serving spikes. 

There was something Oikawa felt on Hinata's lower waist, however. He traced it gently until it reached Hinata's abdomen right below his navel. Oikawa regained a slight bit of his consciousness as he gently parted away from the kiss. He then let his gaze fall down as he carefully parted their bodies, Hinata willingly stepping away from Oikawa's as well.

Oikawa's eyes were dark and frozen. There was a long scar on Hinata's body, from the side of his waist going down to his lower abdomen. A horrid scar with stitches marks, like it was previously ripped apart. Similar scars were on his left knee and right ankle, all of different sizes.

"Do they bother you, Oikawa-san?..." a soft voice whispered close to his face.

Hinata was still looking serene, his eyes momentarily closed while Oikawa moved his dark eyes from analysing his body to gazing at his face.

Slowly, his lids parted, revealing a halcyon colour in Hinata's clear eyes, a thin smile curved on his lips, "If they do… I will not be offended if you decide to stop."

Oikawa's own pair of brown eyes darkened even more. His brows were thinly furrowed, expressing neither disgust nor pity. It was an indignation along with a desire to possess. 

The sound of Hinata's breath indicated that he was taken aback when Oikawa claimed his small lips again. Aggressively yet not violent, Hinata couldn't keep up, so he surrendered by circling his thin arms around Oikawa's broad neck.

～＊～

Tokyo, Japan 2018

Kuroo inhaled softly, putting his phone back on the table. He tapped his fingers softly on the marble table, then reached his glass of pinot noir. Just as he took a sip, Kuroo saw Iwaizumi Hajime approach his table while being led by the waitress.

"Seriously?" Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow as he took a seat across Kuroo. "Wine in the middle of the day?"

Kuroo smirked regardless, "Burgundy is for any occasion." He gave a gesture with his hand to the waitress, as she then poured the wine into the glass on Iwaizumi's side.

The Junior Trainer merely shrugged a 'why not' and gave a toast by slightly raising his glass as well. "When you said you're close by and let's meet up, I didn't expect you to be in this fancy place."

"Pray tell, what did you expect?"

"Starbucks or anything that suits the way I dress." Iwaizumi retorted while visibly looking slightly insecure with his polo t-shirt and dark training pants. 

"Oh come on, you look dashing."

The ex vice captain of Aoba Johsai merely rolled his eyes, "I don't wanna hear that from you and your Tom Ford suit."

Kuroo chuckled, he took another sip of his wine while Iwaizumi made a short order of a pretzel. The waitress then excused herself to leave them be. 

"Business is good?"

"Wonderful." Kuroo nodded, "With Volleyball being the hottest issue in the world, investors and sponsors alike are pretty much lining up to work with us."

Iwaizumi raised both his eyebrows and nodded, "Guess I need to keep up so the athletes I trained would really be worth the money."

Kuroo chuckled, "How's Mr. Utsui?"

"Great. Definitely did not disappoint." Iwaizumi smiled right after he thanked the waitress for delivering his pretzel, "But the first time I met him, I was not aware of him being Ushijima's father. Not that you don't know, it seems." He added as he noticed no reaction on Kuroo's face.

Nekoma's ex captain smiled as well, "You'd be surprised at how small this world can be."

Iwaizumi chuckled, "Can't say I do not agree to that. Still hang out with your old teammates?"

"Pretty much. Though I have to say Kenma's the only one available as a drinking buddy at the moment." Kuroo added playfully

The former Aobah Johsai Vice Captain snarked amusedly then took a sip of his wine.

"You?"

"Pretty much. We just had a small reunion last week at my engagement."

"Ah, congratulations by the way."

"Thanks, I'll be sure to send you the invitation."

Kuroo smirked playfully, "Oh boy, do we have the date?"

"Nahh." Iwaizumi chuckled sheepishly, "Kaya and I agree we will settle the date after she finishes her doctorate degree."

Kuroo raised his glass, "I'm happy for you, buddy."

"Thanks, man." Likewise, Iwaizumi gladly raised his glass.

Kuroo stretched his back backward as he exhaled, "So, did your former Captain join the reunion as well?"

Iwaizumi nodded, "Through a zoom call, yes."

"How is he doing?"

"Trashy-kawa? Great." Iwaizumi paused after taking a sip of his wine, then broke into a light laugh, an almost unnoticed cold sweat on his forehead, "It's kinda frightening how great he's doing over there…" 

Kuroo chuckled, "I always hated to have your former captain as an opponent. It really does feel like losing a valuable asset to see him shine on another continent."

Iwaizumi shrugged, yet still looked somewhat proud at the compliment, "Speaking of losing a valuable asset." He exhaled while looking at his table companion. He really did take a careful moment before spilling out the question.

"Have you… perhaps heard anything of Hinata Shoyou?"

Kuroo was surprisingly relaxed, not that there was any reason for him not to be.

Nekoma’s ex-captain tilted his head, "Why do you ask?"

It was Iwaizumi's turn to lose his hesitation and relax, "Curiosity." He took a sip of his wine again, "The kid was memorable and was my nightmare once. That jumping ability is a real talent, even nowadays. Who knows what he has become."

Kuroo nodded in agreement, but he let Iwaizumi continue. 

"Since I heard your former setter was close to that Karasuno kid, I thought you might know what's up."

The former Nekoma Captain hummed, "Well, indeed. They are still close."

"Oh really?" It took another sip of wine and a long moment for Iwaizumi to finally grasp the information, "Wait, really?!"

Kuroo sighed with a helpless smile, "As a matter of fact.." he pursed his lips while contemplating before he sighed and curved a hesitant smile, "Right before you passed through that door, I was texting Hinata Shouyou."

Iwaizumi loosened the straining straightness of his shoulders, "Oh wow…"

Kuroo finally chuckled in a more relaxed posture, "He has not replied, of course. At least not yet."

Iwaizumi was still a bit at a loss for words, "How did you… But wait, why do you.. sound desperate for him to reply back?"

"Because The Volleyball Association and the NHN network are interested in working with him."

Iwaizumi nearly spat his wine. 

Kuroo chuckled, "Things are changing for sure." He took a sip of his wine, "He goes by another name right now. And, he might be a little different than the Karasuno kid we used to know. At least that's the impression I had after all the information I received."

The ex-vice captain was still in a stunned posture as he was a little at loss at the information.

"Don't worry. Hinata is doing great." Kuroo added reassuringly, "He's a professional photographer, by the way. In Fact, his resume was pretty impressive. He was this year's runner up for the Istanbul Photo Award."

Iwaizumi was now more relaxed, as if he was relieved. "Oh…" he then managed a small smile. "That's amazing."

Kuroo chuckled, "You're a kind man, Iwaizumi-san."

The man in a training polo tee looked confused at the compliment which came out of nowhere, so he put it aside and took a sip of his wine.

"Are you curious because Oikawa-san happened to meet him in Rio?"

Iwaizumi paused before he took a bite of the pretzel, "Now you start scaring me."

"You should know that your former captain is pretty much a celebrity. It wasn't hard to put things together." Kuroo snorted, "In fact, I should be the one asking questions. Did Oikawa-san say anything to you?"

"Nothing much, all he did was send a bunch of pictures of a Blue Bird." Iwaizumi said while finishing his pretzel, "How about you?"

Kuroo looked up from his wine.

Iwaizumi huffed, "What kind of work do they have for Hinata?"

The man in the Tom Ford suit took a contemplating moment of silence with a dangerous smile, "The higher ups like what Hinata did with the German's Female Soccer League promotional campaign. So we want him to be part of the creative team. We hope he can apply the energy to our coming V League campaign. NHN Network, our official media partner, were also interested to have him on the team to cover the League."

Iwaizumi inhaled almost breathlessly, a cold sweat nearly setting in, but regardless, he chuckled, sounding taken aback yet proud at the same time, "Damn that little prick…"

Kuroo chuckled, his dangerous smirk present, "Told ya, he might not be on the court anymore, but even after all of these years, that little crow is still unpredictable."

The former vice captain of Aoba Johsai now looked more relaxed and smiled, "So.. Hinata will be coming back to Japan soon, right?"

Kuroo’s face was serene, "I hope so…" he took a sip of his wine, "I'm sure everyone who knows the kid will be happy to see that he’s well and doing amazing things on his own." 

Iwaizumi was quiet, noticing a rare expression on Kuroo Tetsurou’s face. He decided to not point it out.

～＊～

Tokyo, Japan 2018

It was the middle of a nice day with warm sunshine. Still a perfect time for Kageyama to do a bit of a sprint. He lives in a friendly neighbourhood, where people don't bother him much just because he's a celebrity. There are occasions when he is stopped him for a picture and a sign, but it wasn't at the level that he cannot handle. And somehow, the universe can tell when Kageyama wants to be left alone.

Just like today, he was resting at a gazebo by the green park of his apartment building while drinking a bottle of mineral water he purchased from a nearby vending machine. Eventually, he lowered his head to stare at his phone, deep in thought. Profoundly absorbed, his fingers occasionally swiped up and down his phone screen, yet he was stil engrossed.

The name contact, Oikawa Tooru. 

To be continued... 

Chapter Text

Rio de Janeiro, 2013

01:23 PM

Oikawa was awoken by the sound of a single thunder. He was uncomfortable opening his eyes. Hinata was still asleep in his arms, but his unconscious face didn’t signal tranquillity, as his brows were frowning and his body curled up. The thunder just now definitely disturbed him, so Oikawa pulled the blanket that had fallen off Hinata's shoulder back up, and held him closer, as if to protect him.

Hinata instinctively searched for warmth and rested on Oikawa's bare chest, the taller man feeling more than delighted to hold him in his arms, as if to tell the world that no harm shall be done, not even the sound of thunder will disturb Hinata's sleep. Their bodies were nude under the blanket.

A long long time later, Oikawa somehow managed to separate himself from Hinata. He gently sat up, while making sure his movement would not disturb Hinata's peaceful breathing. He pulled away all while his eyes were locked on Hinata in a tender way, reflecting something between sullenness and regret. He felt a tingle on his back. Oikawa looked at his shoulder and guided his hand to touch a fresh little scratch.

Hinata must have accidentally scratched him during sex. Something inside him wanted to feel proud of it, yet at the same time he regretted it. Hinata definitely wasn't a first timer. While maintaining an innocent colour in his eyes, he was versed in playing.

The young man knew how to make himself beautiful during the intimacy. The sounds he made, his breathing, the way he shut his eyes in bliss and the way he locked eyes with Oikawa during the heat of the moment, all while still maintaining those innocent traits. All of it was as if Hinata was performing.

Oikawa was the one who held and pinned him down, the one who kept Hinata's shaking thin legs to stay by his broad shoulder. He was the one who was biting his own breath while coldly looking down at Hinata who was helplessly breathless under his touch. If there was a camera, the audience would definitely have thought that Oikawa was the one in control.

In truth, Hinata was the puppeteer. The way those eyes glittered, as if knowing which string to pull, drove Oikawa to the edge. It added up his lust to the point that Oikawa was almost clouded by it. Hinata was too beautiful beneath his body, so fair, and messed up, yet no matter how much Oikawa caused Hinata to tremble and gasp, his body still arched and curled up. 

Hinata was so submissive and accepting, as if he knew that whatever Oikawa did, it was all because Hinata wanted him to in the first place.

For someone who was a puppet master himself on the court, it was never to Oikawa's liking to have someone manipulate him. Yet, while his pride was hurt, something else was bothering his mind.

The horrid scars he saw on Hinata's body and the way he reacted to thunder and the storm. Actually, he felt bad to ask Iwaizumi regarding Hinata, as it felt like talking behind his back. Iwaizumi did tell him about the accident, or at least what he heard about the tragedy that caused Hinata Shouyou to lose his family.

But all of that was because Oikawa was curious, even before he saw the scars directly. Perceiving them with his own eyes changed everything. Now, the summary he heard from his former Captain changed drastically, the meaning of it sending chills down his spine.

A sound distracted Oikawa. It came from the vibration of his phone. He swiftly picked it up from the night stand while making sure Hinata was still comfortable and deep in a dream. He saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. By the numeral prefix Oikawa immediately guessed he was being called from Japan.

He stood up and without a second thought he answered his phone. His nude frame was exposed to the air as he made quick work to put on his trousers.

"Yes?" He softly greeted the caller, realising his voice was echoing in the room.

"..... It's been a while, Oikawa-san."

It was similar to a silent alarm that only bothered Oikawa. He grabbed the t-shirt on the floor, while silently making his way out of the room. It was cold outside, yet Oikawa still clenched the t-shirt in his fist instead of putting it on while resting his bare back on the cold closed door.

"Tobio-kun." A signature cocky smirk was reflexively rising on his lips, "To what do I owe this honour?"

There was a long contemplating silence in between, " Are you still in Rio?" 

Oikawa did not lose the cold glint in his eyes while staring up at the dull ceiling of the hotel, "Yes. Why?"

Again, there was a long ruminating stillness that set in, but this time longer, even though the Argentinian somehow already had a feeling of what Kageyama wanted to say. "Did you really meet Hinata?"

A smirk, a chuckle, Oikawa almost burst out laughing if not for the silence in the corridor which would have caused his voices to be echoing all over in the hotel. "My, Tobio-kun, you have not changed at all…"

Suddenly uncommunicative, he could tell Kageyama was slightly taken aback and regretted it.

"You need to keep up your conversation game when you are a star as big as you are, Tobio-kun." That snarky playful tone was back, Oikawa felt like it was high school all over again, "Imagine calling your ex middle school Captain, ex high school rival, who you were never close with, who you had not spoken to in years… Someone you know for sure does not want anything to do with you. And you're…. What?" 

He could picture Kageyama frowning in embarrassment on the other side while Oikawa held in a laugh as much as he could. "... I'm sorr-"

"To answer your question." Oikawa cut in. "Yes, I did meet Hinata in Rio. The person you saw on my Instagram, was indeed him. We happened to be here at the same time."

Kageyama's silence was different and quick, " How is he?" The younger man did not hide the desperation in his tone, " Can he walk?? Is he okay?? W-was he still ー"

The usual Oikawa would have enjoyed this frantic Kageyama. They have not seen each other since the last bow Kageyama gave during the Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno match a few years back, but the rivalry and the bitterness was still so strong that Oikawa refused to see any match or anything that Kageyama was in. Even this phone call started tasting mucky, now getting worse. 

"Tobio-kun." The change of timbre made Kageyama feel cold, "You are still the self centred King after all…"

"... What?"

"If you ever meet Hinata Shouyou again.." Oikawa did not know where all this rage was coming from. They just started speaking, yet it felt like it was something that had been piling up for a long time.

"Keep your mouth shut."

~*~

Kageyama was flustered, he frowned his brows and gritted his teeth in disbelief at the way Oikawa spat at him. The clouds have become a darker shade of grey. It was about to rain.

"Oikawa-san, you ー"

"I'm with him right now…"

Kageyama felt his heart stop for a moment. He looked up as if Oikawa was there.

"He looked different to you, right?"

Kageyama's mind instantly went back to the picture he saw on Oikawa's social media.

"He's doing so well on his own. He did amazing things despite losing everything. You have no idea what he's been through to be what he is right now…"

Kageyama wanted to retort, he wanted to spit to Oikawa that he was the one who knew absolutely nothing, yet somehow he stayed silent and bitterly listened.

"To want to see him just to relive the past that you cannot let go of. That will be so selfish of you, little King."

Kageyama clutched his phone, "You know nothing of me…" He finally hissed.

"Am I wrong though?"

The black haired young man found himself unable to answer the question. Of course he's wrong, but why won't his mouth say anything to deny it.

"... Please let me speak to Hinata." Kageyama wanted to pull back his words and save his pride, yet somehow his trembling mouth won't say anything to save him.

"I can't…" The Japanese Setter almost chuckled. Of course he wouldn't, but the next thing Oikawa said, dropped the weight on him, "He's sleeping…"

Kageyama calmed down, he remembered about the time difference which now added more to his embarrassment and wounded ego, having called Oikawa out of nowhere in the dead of the night. This then led Kageyama to another question.

"Why is he sleeping, if you both just happen to have met?" Kageyama asked, rather innocently and thoughtlessly.

The younger man immediately condemned himself for his curiousity as he heard a faint yet typical amused chuckle on the other side of the phone.

"You’re still just a brat…" The older man sighed.

Kageyama gripped the phone.

"What do you think would happen if two adults were to share a bed in a hotel?"

~*~

The other line hung up, not surprising Oikawa at all. He took the phone from his ear and stared at it.

"Tch, boring…" he mumbled, then let his hand hang by his side.

Oikawa took a deep breath. He looked tranquil, but his head was a boiling mess. Usually he would take pleasure in bringing Kageyama's mental state down, but now he regretted it and questioned himself. Like why does he need to rub his one night stand with Hinata in Kageyama's face. It was like flaunting HInata as an object, which was disrespectful.

He stood there still, eyes closed, and inhaled deeply. Oikawa then decided to go back inside where he saw Hinata was still laying on his side, deep in a tranquil dream. The blanket slipped off his shoulder again. Oikawa shut his eyes temporarily while massaging the bridge of his nose, like he's trying to clear the clouds in his eye one last time. 

The taller man came closer to the bed only to pull the blanket up to Hinata's Shoulder, causing the smaller to comfortably sigh in his sleep. Oikawa felt a sharp pang of frustration course through his veins as his mind involuntarily conjured up memories of his highschool days playing volleyball. The image of Kageyama and Hinata, the frenzied and energetic pair, flashed before his eyes. It was common knowledge around the highschool volleyball community  that they were the dynamic duo to watch on the court. But, Oikawa, having a keen eye for detail, knew better. He had noticed something more in the relationship between Hinata and Kageyama, especially in Hinata's obvious admiration for the latter.

Oikawa found himself back in the present moment. Hinata, no longer the youthful adolescent who once trailed behind Kageyama like a baby bird, was now before him, fully grown, tranquil, and bare under the sheets they shared together.

An enigmatic expression crossed Oikawa's face as he returned to the bed, sliding beneath the covers. He moved closer to Hinata's form, who lay peacefully on his side. A moment of silence passed as Oikawa looked down at the younger man, who lay unmoving, like a doll in a deep sleep. He found himself leaning down to bury his face into the crook of Hinata's neck.

To be continue...