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~ 2014 ~

When Wakatoshi first moved to Tokyo after graduating from High School, Itachiyama’s Sakusa Kiyoomi took it upon himself to help him acclimatize, which included introductions not only to places but also to people Kiyoomi knew. It wasn’t until a year later, after Kiyoomi graduated from High School and a few months after starting University, just as Spring was ending to make way for Summer, that he was introduced to Fukurodani’s Akaashi Keiji who, apparently, went to the same University as Kiyoomi. From then on, the three of them kept each other company. Kiyoomi and Keiji navigated University as freshman students, while Wakatoshi continued to rise the ranks of Japan’s formidable professional volleyball players.

Whenever their schedules permitted, they met inside Kayaba Coffee, a quaint café in a traditional corner house between Ueno and Nippori, that Keiji discovered. They enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of the café, and had spent many days revising for exams or relaxing on zabutons with a cup of tea or coffee. Wakatoshi particularly enjoyed the tatami upstairs. It reminded him of his mother’s home in Miyagi. Keiji must have sensed his attachment and took it upon himself to arrive early every time they planned to meet up just to ensure that they could claim the sole round table upstairs.

Kiyoomi’s busy schedule between his studies and volleyball training meant that he had less free time when compared to Keiji. Thus, it wasn’t uncommon for Wakatoshi and Keiji to meet up at the café by themselves. The amount of reading Keiji did for his course astounded Wakatoshi. He had seen Keiji finish a book, then furiously type what he could only assume to be a reaction paper afterwards, then pick up a new book. The third time he saw this happen, he asked Keiji how many books he had read. To this day, he still remembered how Keiji answered, hair in disarray and his glasses perched almost at the tip of his nose, that there was no use in keeping count because after finishing a book there would be more. Wakatoshi could sympathize, after all, he himself didn’t count how many practice matches he’d been in and would still be part of.

On the rare days that Kiyoomi had time to go to the café with them, normally before exam week, Wakatoshi enjoyed watching the two quietly attack their coursework with a single-minded focus that placed everything else in the background. He had learned to pay attention, thus he took it upon himself to order food and drinks when necessary. He observed them so closely that he eventually knew their tells. Kiyoomi growled low in his chest when he was hungry. Keiji mussed his hair when his nerves frayed from lack of caffeine. Wakatoshi took these cues to wander downstairs and order their favorite food and drinks. They would always thank him profusely, with apologies for not paying him any attention. He always graced them with a fond smile while refusing their offered payment and encouraged them to focus and do their work. They made sure to make it up to him in some other way, like dinner after exams or carving out time to watch in person when he had a match in Tokyo. Wakatoshi enjoyed the silent companionship and was grateful he had these two friends.

The seasons passed like a whirlwind, scattering everything in its path. Wakatoshi spent time alone in the café. Keiji and Kiyoomi had deadlines and practice, so it would be rude to impose. Therefore, it came as a surprise to him when he found Keiji furiously typing on the round table on a random day. He looked worse for wear and the bags under his eyes told dark stories of sleepless nights and caffeine powered days. Wakatoshi sat beside Keiji silently, so as not to disturb the student’s trail of thought. He watched Keiji’s face morph from one of pure, impassive concentration to irritation to dawning realization. Wakatoshi couldn’t stop the chuckle that bubbled out of his chest, catching Keiji’s attention.

“Ah, Ushijima-san! You’re here.” Keiji gasped in surprise.

“Yes, I am here. I apologize for disturbing you. Have you eaten, Akaashi?”

Keiji’s stomach grumbled, to his utter embarrassment. His cheeks flushed a dark red that Wakatoshi found endearing.

“I’ll get you food. Finish your paper.” Wakatoshi declared in a firm voice.

By the time Wakatoshi returned upstairs with a tray of egg sandwiches and matcha tea latte, Keiji was finishing the first draft of his paper. His glasses were perched precariously at the edge of his nose, and Wakatoshi watched his own hand gently push Keiji’s glasses up to their collective surprise.

“I apologize. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Keiji blinked twice, then waved a hand loftily with a small, embarrassed smile. “No need to apologize. Thank you, I didn’t even notice.”

Wakatoshi cleared his throat in a bid to dislodge the sudden lump that formed there. “I hope you’re almost done with that, or at least have time for a short break to eat.”

Keiji shifted his gaze from Wakatoshi’s face to his laptop screen while scrunching his eyebrows in concentration. “Three- no, four. Four more sentences. Then I’ll take a break.”

Wakatoshi nodded, then picked up his ginger drink to take a sip while he admired Keiji’s task focus in silence. It wasn’t long after that that Keiji closed his laptop with a soft snap, then set it aside to eat.

“Thank you again for this, and sorry for the trouble.”

“It was no trouble, Akaashi. Now eat, you need sustenance.”

Keiji took a bite of the sandwich obediently, cheeks puffing and eyes closing as he chewed. It must have been a while since he last ate proper food, Wakatoshi concluded. The end of the year meant deadlines and exams for Keiji and Kiyoomi. Wakatoshi worried they might run themselves ragged. As for him, he was entering the final stages of the V League season, and was therefore also busy with training. He continued watching Keiji enthusiastically devour his egg sandwiches, washing them down with a green tea latte. A small voice at the back of his mind wanted to engrave this moment in his memories.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in comfortable silence. Keiji started revising his papers, which were due by the end of the week, while Wakatoshi watched a recorded game of their next opponent on his phone. They both lost track of time and only realized that the café would close soon when the lights went on. A quick glance outside revealed the last rays of the setting sun that washed everything in its path with a warm golden glow despite the cold winter air. Wakatoshi turned his head to look at Keiji, who was massaging his nape with a soft groan.

“You’ve worked hard today.”

Keiji chuckled, “Yes, I did. How was your practice this morning? Did anything interesting happen?”

“It was good. Hoshiumi mentioned that the team’s management was scouting Kageyama.”

Keiji paused, hands deep in his backpack since he was fixing his things so they could leave soon. He had a far away look in his eyes that Wakatoshi couldn’t decipher. “That’s not surprising. It’s not very common to have a first year as a starting setter for nationals. He was also invited to the All-Japan Youth training camp. Plus, Karasuno consistently qualified in spring nationals in the last three years too.”

“Kageyama would be an asset to the team.”

Keiji smiled softly as he reminisced about the two years he took part in the summer training camp with Karasuno. “He is an excellent athlete. I respect him as a fellow setter and can honestly say that his skills are the real deal.”

“I’ve only played against him once, and he has beaten us then.”

“We went to summer training camps, so I had too many matches with him.”

Wakatoshi looked genuinely surprised by the revelation. Keiji didn’t know the full details of how and why Karasuno joined the Fukurodani group’s summer training camp during his second year, but he could at least tell Wakatoshi about his experiences. In return, Wakatoshi revealed his earliest memory of meeting Tobio and Shouyou on the streets of Miyagi. It was Keiji’s turn to be surprised at such a serendipitous meeting. Keiji’s bright laughter rang in the upper floor of Kayaba Coffee after Wakatoshi offhandedly mentioned how he got in trouble for letting outsiders enter Shiratorizawa’s premises.

“Next season is going to be interesting for the Adlers, then.”

“I suppose.”

“I’m curious what Hinata would do without Kageyama.” Keiji wondered out loud.

~ 2015 ~

Wakatoshi understood that time waits for no one. The weeks rolled by, the V League season ended, and along with it came Tobio’s entrance in professional volleyball. In all the years Wakatoshi played volleyball, it wasn’t until he was in the same team as Tobio that he truly understood the nuance of what it meant to have such a formidable setter as an ally. Not that any of the setters he’d had the fortune to play with were not good. Quite the contrary, they were all good in their own way. Tobio simply had the time, opportunity, and tenacity to hone his craft in such a way that Wakatoshi could ask for a set with particular parameters and he could count on Tobio to deliver. The excitement that prickled on his skin when he realized he could open new doors and experiment with new techniques with Tobio by his side was indescribable. 

Spring also heralded the end of the current school year and a brief break for Keiji and Kiyoomi before once again diving headfirst into a new school year. Despite what should have been a relaxing break, though, Kiyoomi had been hard at work training for the Kurowashiki tournament. This reignited the friendly rivalry between Wakatoshi and Kiyoomi, prompting Keiji to be neutral to keep the peace.

By the time summer rolled in, Wakatoshi took a trip he had been considering since he graduated from High School. Keiji and Kiyoomi encouraged him when he told them about flying to California. They constantly sent him messages while he was there, asking him if he talked to his dad or checking in to see how his day went. The trip went by so fast. In what felt like no time at all, the suffocating humidity of Tokyo welcomed him back. His life settled back into routine and revolved around volleyball. He sought Tobio during one of their practice sessions to discuss the observation and suggested technique that Hajime imparted with him when they bumped into each other in California. Tobio’s consistency afforded him the luxury of adjusting without worrying too much, allowing him to focus on his form and re-learn how to spike.

Months later, Wakatoshi aligned his schedule with Kiyoomi and Keiji to meet up at the café. It was then that Keiji shared what he heard about Shouyou’s plans from Kenma during Koutarou’s birthday party.

Kiyoomi recalled how he witnessed Shouyou collapse inside the court during his first spring nationals. Keiji nodded grimly in understanding, since he was there too. Keiji admitted he admired Shouyou’s fortitude and unwavering drive to be better than he was yesterday. He told them about their time during summer camp free practice, and how he had seen Shouyou grow and evolve right before his eyes, even in the limited time they spent together.

Wakatoshi listened as Keiji and Kiyoomi discussed spring nationals in 2013 and 2014. He never harbored ill-feelings on their defeat against Karasuno. Disappointment, perhaps, but never ill-feelings. The result spoke for itself, and he knew he did his best given the circumstances. However, it was still strange to hear stories from the only nationals tournament he could not participate in. He listened silently and saw how Keiji’s eyes widened when their eyes met. Keiji must have seen something in his face, because he changed the topic at the first opportunity and continued to observe Wakatoshi with subtle glances.

Autumn brought a certain mood of melancholy. The chilly breeze that scattered dried leaves on the pavement kissed their cheeks, a not-so-subtle reminder that summer had passed and winter was to come. Their walk to the nearest train station was quiet and contemplative. Kiyoomi waved them goodbye when they reached the station, where he headed for the other platform. Wakatoshi and Keiji waved back before trudging up the stairs to get to their platform. This was routine. They had done this perhaps a hundred times in the year and a half that they had been hanging out together in the café. Therefore, Wakatoshi found himself mildly surprised when Keiji suggested they stay for a bit after Kiyoomi’s train had left on the other side.

“Ushijima-san, I apologize if the topic earlier made you uncomfortable.”

Wakatoshi widened his eyes in surprise. He felt strange while they were talking earlier, but he had not considered that perhaps he’d felt uncomfortable. “There is no need to apologize. It was in the past, there is nothing to be done with it.”

“I know. Nevertheless, if something like this happens again, I would like to know so we could stop.”

“You do not need to worry about me, Akaashi.”

Keiji graced him with a small fond smile while adjusting his glasses, “But I do.”

Wakatoshi smiled back with a nod, which seemed to be enough for Keiji. Shortly, they boarded the train together and things went back to routine.

~ 2016 ~

Wakatoshi had always done hatsumoude on his own since he moved to Tokyo. He preferred to avoid the crowds and, therefore, usually wait until the third day of January. This year was going to be different. Keiji invited him to join him in Gohyaku Rakan-ji Temple for joya no kane and toshikoshi soba. He was initially hesitant to go, but Keiji explained they limited the event to one hundred and eight people. Keiji explained further that he originally wanted to go because Kiyoomi’s aversion to crowds led him to research which temples would be feasible to visit together. He reserved two tickets weeks ago but completely forgot that Kiyoomi’s family would celebrate the new year in Sapporo. Wakatoshi accepted the invitation graciously, much to Keiji’s relief.

Keiji and Wakatoshi agreed to meet in a café just outside Meguro station. Wakatoshi timed his journey so that he would arrive fifteen minutes before their meeting time, but was not surprised when he entered the café and found Keiji languidly nursing a hot cup of coffee.

“Hello, Akaashi. I apologize for making you wait.”

Keiji shook his head with a chuckle. “Hello, Ushijima-san. No need to apologize. I was early, and I just got here, anyway. I wanted coffee before we walked.”

“I see.”

“It might be a good idea to walk now, though, if you’re up for it?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Okay, then.” Keiji then stood up to wrap his scarf around his neck and slip into his coat. 

The temple was fifteen minutes away from the train station. They traversed the quiet streets of Meguro, almost devoid of people an hour before the new year. Keiji took sips of his coffee occasionally. Their breaths formed faint clouds in front of them, a stark reminder of the cold winter enveloping the city.  The wind curled around their limbs as they crossed the Taiko bridge. Keiji swiveled his head to observe the trees flanking Meguro river. They look dead in the cold of winter, but they both knew that they would be magnificent and bathe the river in pink petals during the Spring.

“Hanami would be nice here.” Keiji muttered softly.

“Perhaps we could go after your exams.”

Keiji sighed deeply. “Perhaps. Meguro might not be the best place to go, though. Kiyoomi would never agree.”

“I have a license.”

Keiji whipped his head to look at Wakatoshi in wonder. “A drive in Spring sounds nice.”

“We could plan with Kiyoomi when he gets back.”

Keiji’s eyes crinkled in delight, the apples of his cheeks full and pink in the cold winter air as his lips curled upwards in a wide smile. “Yes, let’s do that.”

They continued their walk in silence. They took a right turn in a small alley between two buildings marked by lit paper lanterns, then walked up a set of stairs where a temple staff waited for them to inspect their tickets, let them in, and guide them where to go next.

The toshikoshi soba warmed their cold veins. Wakatoshi smiled in amusement as he watched Keiji across from him, humming softly in delight as he ate.

“Does your family make mochi for the new year?” Keiji asked after they left the dining hall to explore the grounds before joya no kane would begin.

“Yes. My mother’s family is traditional.”

“Must be nice.” Keiji mused as he stopped to inspect one of the many statues.

Wakatoshi stopped silently beside Keiji before asking, “Have you ever made mochi for the new year?”

“I have when I was young.”

Wakatoshi considered this information and came to an easy conclusion. “If you’re keen to try it again, perhaps you would like to join me in Miyagi tomorrow.”

Keiji whipped his head in surprise. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes. I will travel to Miyagi and stay for a night.”

Keiji gasped softly in distress as he started walking towards the exit of the temple. “I’m so sorry for dragging you here. We can leave now if you want.”

Wakatoshi reached out automatically to grab Keiji’s wrist to stop him. “Akaashi, it’s okay. I chose to come here.”

Keiji looked like he still wanted to protest, eyebrows furrowed in worry while biting his bottom lip.

“I already informed my family that I would leave Tokyo later than usual. If it’s too sudden, then perhaps next year.” Wakatoshi added as he watched the worry on Keiji’s face melt into fondness.

“Perhaps next year. I already promised my mother that I would visit tomorrow. But thank you for the invitation.”

“I’ll bring some mochi back for you then.”

Keiji looked at him curiously before whispering shyly, “I’d like that. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Wakatoshi stared back into Keiji’s eyes that glittered in the dimly lit premises of the temple, while his hand still held Keiji’s wrist gently. He recalled the first time he laid eyes on Keiji, Fukurodani’s vice captain and starting setter during Interhigh Nationals 2012. Keiji was quiet and reserved, a stark contrast to Koutarou, who was loud and larger than life. Wakatoshi recalled watching one of their matches in the sidelines with Kiyoomi and admiring Keiji’s tenacity and persistence. He counted himself lucky to call Keiji a friend now, and couldn’t help the fond smile that melted on his face as he continued to stare.

The temple staff announced through the speakers that the joya no kane would begin shortly and encouraged everyone to queue.

“Shall we?” Wakatoshi asked softly.

Keiji’s eyes fluttered as they blinked rapidly before he nodded his head with a shaky smile. Wakatoshi let go of Keiji’s wrist gently as they walked towards the end of the queue for the bell. They stood side by side silently in the queue, watching every person in front of them step up to the platform to ring the bell.

When they reached the front of the queue, Wakatoshi gestured with a hand to encourage Keiji to go first. Keiji nodded gratefully, then stepped forward to grasp the white rope hooked at the bottom of the suspended beam. He pulled the rope to swing the beam a few times before holding the rope slack to allow the beam to connect with the bell, then quickly pulled the rope taut again to stop the momentum of the beam. When he was confident that the beam would no longer move, he let go of the rope, then placed his hands together in prayer before finally stepping aside to allow Wakatoshi to ring the bell.

Wakatoshi stepped up and approached the suspended beam. He grasped the rope in his hands and tugged experimentally to test how much strength he should put into pulling. He pulled once, twice, to swing the beam - then a third time before allowing the beam to contact the bell. He pulled one last time to stop the beam and kill the momentum, while the vibration of the bell rippled on his skin like static. He let go of the rope, then placed his hands together in prayer. There was much to be grateful for, and Wakatoshi thanked the gods sincerely, starting with Keiji.

“Happy new year, Ushijima-san. I look forward to your continued acquaintance this year.” Keiji greeted him with a bow after they left the bell.

“Happy new year, Akaashi.” Wakatoshi returned the greeting. “I look forward to your continued acquaintance, too.”

Practice went on for longer than usual. Tobio wanted to try something new with him and Korai, and they got carried away. The Adlers staff had to literally shoo them away from the court with reprimands not to overwork themselves. The way his blood hummed at the prospect of using this new strategy overrode his other thoughts. It wasn’t until he finished his post-practice routine that he found it odd to have so many messages in his inbox. The congratulatory messages could only mean one thing: the new roster for Ryuujin Nippon had been officially announced to the public. Wakatoshi dutifully read and responded to messages he received earlier in the day, like he always did.

The group chat with Kiyoomi and Keiji had congratulatory messages too, and an insistent invitation to meet up as soon as possible. Kiyoomi suggested a few places where they could have dinner tonight, but what stopped Wakatoshi was a hesitant invitation from Keiji to his apartment where he would cook for them. Despite meeting up for years, he hadn’t visited their homes. The invitation flooded Wakatoshi’s chest with indescribable warmth. Keiji downplayed his cooking skills immediately after, but Kiyoomi seemed to have latched on to the idea and started asking for specific dishes. Wakatoshi grinned at the exchange with Kiyoomi, asking for increasingly difficult to cook dishes and Keiji begging him to stop.

Ushijima Wakatoshi
Thank you. I apologize for my late response. Practice ran later than expected.
If the invitation is still open, dinner cooked by Akaashi sounds nice.

Akaashi Keiji
Of course, it’s still open! 

Sakusa Kiyoomi
Glad to see you survived practice.

Akaashi Keiji
I’m on my way to the supermarket. If you two have any requests, please send them now.

Ushijima Wakatoshi
Hayashi rice, please.

Akaashi Keiji
Sure, I can cook that!

Sakusa Kiyoomi
So I don’t have a say in this?

Akaashi Keiji
Nope.

Sakusa Kiyoomi
You pest!

Akaashi Keiji
Don’t worry, we’ll have a salad.

Akaashi Keiji
[pinned location on map]

Sakusa Kiyoomi
I’ll be there in an hour.

Ushijima Wakatoshi
I’ll be there in half an hour.

Wakatoshi chuckled, then stepped outside the Adlers gym, looking forward to a home-cooked meal with his friends. The cold February air bit on his nose and cheeks as he walked towards the station, but that couldn’t douse the soft warmth simmering in his chest. He still had time to drop by a nearby cake shop. While he didn’t have a sweet tooth and cake wasn’t exactly part of his recommended diet, he’d like to think that tonight was special. He still remembered which cake Satori approved when he visited before leaving for Paris. Perhaps Keiji and Kiyoomi would like it as well.

Thirty minutes later, Wakatoshi pushed the button for Keiji’s apartment outside the complex.

“Hello?” Keiji’s tinny voice wafted out of the intercom speakers in front of Wakatoshi.

“Hello, Akaashi.”

“Hello, Ushijima-san. Please, come in.”

“Thank you.”

A buzz signaled that the door to the complex was now open, and Wakatoshi entered it. He made a beeline for the elevator, which was luckily on the ground floor and therefore opened with a push of a button. Once inside, he found himself acutely aware that he would shortly enter Keiji’s apartment. He checked the box in his hands nervously.

Oh.

This was something new. He was nervous. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this way. It didn’t make sense. There was no reason to be nervous about visiting a friend’s apartment.

The ding of the elevator brought him back to the present. He blinked twice as the doors slowly slid open. There was no use being nervous. He just needed to take a few steps to Keiji’s apartment, ring the doorbell, and wait for Keiji to open the door. Wakatoshi squared his shoulders and did just that. The moment the door in front of him opened, he felt his heart jump up to his throat.

“Good evening, Ushijima-san. It’s cold outside, please come in.” Keiji greeted him with a grin.

He took in Keiji with his dark wavy hair, brilliant eyes behind thick black-rimmed glasses, and a warm welcoming smile while wearing a black apron over a beige turtleneck. He gulped thickly before greeting back, “Good evening, Akaashi. Pardon the intrusion.”

Perhaps it was because he didn’t have that many friends, to begin with, much less ones he could visit. That was why Wakatoshi felt a little awkward. Keiji was welcoming, though, and that made him feel a bit more at ease. He stepped inside the genkan where Keiji gave him a pair of slippers he could use inside. Keiji opened a door and took Wakatoshi’s coat and bag to store inside.

“I brought some cake,” Wakatoshi said while presenting the box to Keiji.

“Thank you. We can have those later for dessert.” Keiji took the box gratefully, then led Wakatoshi inside. “It’s a good thing I still had some demi-glace sauce because otherwise, we would have to wait for three hours before we could eat.”

“I apologize for my unreasonable request.”

Keiji placed the box of cakes inside the fridge before turning around to stare at Wakatoshi with his hands on his hips. “I would have refused if it wasn’t possible, Ushijima-san.”

Wakatoshi blinked twice before nodding. Keiji was a pragmatic man, after all. Something that Wakatoshi appreciated.

“I still have some cooking to do, but I should be done by the time Sakusa arrives. You can just relax for now.”

“May I help you?”

“You must be tired from practice.”

Wakatoshi stood unmoving, considering what he could say to convince Keiji that he wanted to help. Keiji must have sensed his struggle because he chuckled before opening the fridge and taking out various vegetables.

“Perhaps you could help make the salad?”

Wakatoshi took the vegetables gratefully and listened to Keiji’s instructions. Since there wasn’t much room in the kitchen for them to work together, and he didn’t need to cook anything for the salad, he ended up doing work on the dining table. Keiji checked up on him occasionally, giving him more specific instructions when necessary, and at one point asked for his opinion on the taste of the hayashi rice simmering on the stove.

Ushijima wondered if this was really what it was like to have friends. He grew up in a strict and conservative family, then spent his high school years inside the dormitory of Shiratorizawa. There wasn’t much opportunity to spend time with friends in their homes.

They were assembling the salad when the doorbell rang. Keiji padded towards the intercom to let Kiyoomi in. By the time Kiyoomi entered the apartment, the table was set, and it was time to eat.

“I brought something to drink,” Kiyoomi said as he placed a bottle of champagne on the table. “One flute.” He declared pointedly at Wakatoshi, fully aware that this wasn’t part of their prescribed diet, but also unwilling to back down from celebrating.

Keiji chuckled. “Ushijima-san brought some cake.”

Kiyoomi’s eyes widened in surprise as he sat down. “Well, color me surprised. Wakatoshi-kun, are you finally entering your rebellious phase?”

Wakatoshi smiled cryptically while looking Kiyoomi in the eye.

“You’re a bad influence, Keiji.”

“How am I a bad influence? I just cooked food and made sure you had vegetables too!”

“You’ve been spending more time with Wakatoshi-kun, so obviously this is your influence.”

Keiji narrowed his eyes at Kiyoomi as he sat down beside him, right across from Wakatoshi. “If celebrating being part of Ryuujin Nippon and giving Ushijima-san room to live a little is what you’d classify as being a ‘bad influence’, then I’d gladly be one.”

Wakatoshi couldn’t stop the rumble of amusement that bubbled up from his chest up to his throat. His eyes crinkled in mirth as he chuckled.

Kiyoomi and Keiji looked at him in surprise before laughing joyfully. It had been a while since the three of them got together. This was a wonderful night, and Wakatoshi enjoyed every minute. He watched as Kiyoomi popped the champagne bottle open, then poured on three disposable flutes he brought with him. Once done, he handed one to Wakatoshi, then Keiji.

“To Wakatoshi-kun.” Kiyoomi declared as he raised his flute. “Congratulations on making it to Ryuujin Nippon! Not that we had any doubts you’d make it.”

“Congratulations!” Keiji exclaimed with a warm smile as he raised his champagne.

Wakatoshi raised his own flute and clinked it against Kiyoomi’s and Keiji’s. “Thank you.”

The three of them took a sip, then placed their flutes down. It won’t do them any good to drink more before eating. Keiji clapped his hands together lightly, then encouraged them to start eating. Wakatoshi felt incredibly grateful to see them make time and exert effort to celebrate with him. There was no use regretting missed chances in the past. He could only move forward. Thus, with every spoonful of hayashi rice he ate, he thanked his luck for the chance to have Keiji and Kiyoomi as friends.

Wakatoshi noticed Kiyoomi was comfortable in Keiji’s apartment. It surprised him because Kiyoomi was very picky about a lot of things, but when Keiji took out the cakes from the fridge and asked Kiyoomi to brew some tea, it became apparent that this wasn’t the first time Kiyoomi came to visit.

“Wakatoshi-kun, what kind of tea would you like? Black or green?” Kiyoomi asked while carrying two tin containers.

“Green tea, please. Is there something I can do to help?”

Keiji smiled in front of him as he placed the box of cakes on the table between them, “Enjoy the moment.” He then took out the cakes from the box and set one for each of them.

Wakatoshi eyed the slice of red velvet cake in front of him. It reminded him of his last conversation with Satori before he left for Paris. Perhaps that was a celebration too, but he just didn’t realize it.

Kiyoomi placed the pot of green tea on the table while Keiji brought them teacups. Kiyoomi scrutinized the slice of cake in front of him before taking a forkful into his mouth.

“This is good. Not too sweet. Where did you buy this, Wakatoshi-kun?”

Wakatoshi was pleased with the feedback. “A cake shop near the Adlers gym. I could take you there if you’d like.”

“You’re right, it’s not as sweet as I thought it would be.” Keiji’s eyes sparkled in delight.

“I never thought of you as someone who eats cakes,” Kiyoomi commented.

“I only eat cake on special occasions. A friend of mine brought me to the cake shop and insisted that we eat this before he left Japan.”

“A friend?” Keiji asked curiously.

“Yes, from high school. He was a teammate.”

Kiyoomi chuckled, “Someone from Shiratorizawa went abroad? And here I thought Hinata was gutsy. You also mentioned a setter from Miyagi who went to Argentina. What is it with you guys from Miyagi?”

Wakatoshi smiled, “Tendou left for Paris to be a chocolatier.”

“Tendou? Tendou Satori? The middle blocker?” Keiji asked.

Wakatoshi nodded his head, then took another forkful of cake.

“That’s unexpected and amazing at the same time,” Keiji said before taking a sip of his tea.

Kiyoomi gasped softly. “I think someone’s calling me. Excuse me.” He stood up and fished his phone from his pocket, and moved to Keiji’s bathroom to take the call.

“Does he come here often?” Wakatoshi asked Keiji softly.

“Sakusa? No, not often. I think this might be his third or fourth time visiting since I moved in.”

“I see.”

Keiji looked at Wakatoshi curiously before adding, “You’re always welcome here, Ushijima-san.”

“Thank you, Akaashi.”

Kiyoomi sat back down with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” Keiji asked worriedly.

“I have a paper due in two days, but my partner just called saying he will drop out of class tomorrow. So now I have to cover their part too.”

Keiji winced, “That’s nasty.”

Kiyoomi nodded with a scowl. “I can’t really blame him. Apparently something personal came up, so now he will drop all of his classes and will take a leave of absence.”

“Do you need help?” Keiji asked.

Kiyoomi chewed his bottom lip worriedly while glaring at his empty plate.

“You could stay here tonight, then we can start working on it early tomorrow morning. You only have classes in the afternoon, right?”

“Yes. There’s a lot to read, but I know you have papers of your own too.”

“Don’t worry about me. My papers are almost done, I just need to edit them. Plus, they’re all due next week. Not in two days like yours. You’ll get a free pass to complain too.”

Kiyoomi chuckled before finally agreeing with a nod.

“Ushijima-san, you’re welcome to stay the night too if you’d like,” Keiji suggested with a small smile.

“I don’t have a reason to stay.”

“You don’t need a reason to stay.”

“I don’t want to be in the way.”

“I wouldn’t invite you if you were.”

Wakatoshi felt Kiyoomi’s gaze fall on him, then move to Keiji several times during the exchange. He watched as Keiji took a delicate sip of his tea before humming.

“You don’t have training tomorrow, right? So, what’s the harm?”

Wakatoshi’s eyes widened marginally in surprise. Keiji remembered his schedule. He ran out of reasons to refuse, and it would be rude to keep refusing. He sighed softly, then gave Keiji a small nod. Wakatoshi etched the triumphant smile Keiji had on his face at that moment into his memory.

Wakatoshi and Kiyoomi worked together to clean after dinner, while Keiji worked on fixing the futons in the rooms. It quickly became clear that it wasn’t Kiyoomi’s first time to spend the night in Keiji’s apartment. Wakatoshi watched as Keiji brought out clothes Kiyoomi left some other time. Keiji shooed Kiyoomi away to take a bath first.

“Ushijima-san, do you need a toothbrush?” Keiji asked him with an unopened toothbrush in hand as he sat down.

Wakatoshi refused politely, “No, thank you. I always have one with me in my bag.”

“Okay, then. Let me know if there’s anything you need. Also, I hope you don’t mind sharing a room with me. Kiyoomi prefers to sleep in a room by himself.”

“I don’t mind.”

Conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about volleyball, Wakatoshi’s previous experience in the national team, what his predictions were in terms of their impending training regimen for the Olympics, traveling to Rio, and the potential of meeting Shouyou there. Eventually, Kiyoomi plopped beside Keiji with a towel on his head. Keiji then shooed Wakatoshi to take a bath next. He left the two of them as Kiyoomi started filling in Keiji with the details of the project they would work on tomorrow.

By the time he came out of the bathroom, Keiji and Kiyoomi had an outline written on paper between them. It sounded like Keiji had already done a similar paper in the past. Kiyoomi would still need to do the brunt of the work, but Keiji’s guidance and voracity for reading would allow covering more references. It sounded like a fine strategy for Wakatoshi.

Shortly, Keiji excused himself to take a bath himself, which left him with Kiyoomi. Wakatoshi observed his friend. He looked tired, but a little less irritated than when he got the call earlier.

“Wakatoshi-kun, do you like Akaashi?” Kiyoomi asked softly.

“Yes, of course. Akaashi is a good friend.”

Kiyoomi raised an eyebrow before asking another question, “I meant do you like him in the romantic sense?”

Wakatoshi froze in his seat. The possibility of liking someone romantically, let alone another man, was something he never truly gave much consideration. He’d had his fair share of confessions that he refused. He had also been asked multiple times about girlfriends and if he wanted to marry. He replied dispassionately how he didn’t have strong opinions of both. His world revolved around volleyball alone. Everything else was background noise. Therefore, it was with trepidation that he answered Kiyoomi’s question in all honesty.

“I do not know.”

Kiyoomi stared at him, dark eyes insistent and focused on reading Wakatoshi. After a minute, he nodded his head as if he came to a conclusion on his own. “There is nothing wrong if you are. In fact, I’d help you if you need me to.”

“Why did you ask?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Wakatoshi scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. He couldn’t fathom what Kiyoomi meant. He watched as Kiyoomi brought his hands together under his chin.

“You look at him like he’s the only one you could see.”

The silence that followed Kiyoomi’s statement was deafening. Wakatoshi wondered how he didn’t notice it himself, and what it truly meant. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, as he wondered if Kiyoomi was right.

“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?” Keiji’s voice shook Wakatoshi from his quickly devolving thoughts.

“My hair is still wet.” Kiyoomi reasoned while carding his fingers through his hair.

“I thought it would be rude to enter your room without you,” Wakatoshi said bluntly.

Keiji chuckled while rubbing a towel on his hair. “Fair enough.”

Keiji shooed them into their rooms to turn in for the night. Wakatoshi spent the rest of his time awake pondering on what Kiyoomi asked and said. It perplexed him to not have a definite answer. He liked Keiji. He was sure of that. He definitely liked Keiji as a friend. Romance wasn’t something he was familiar with, but now, as he stared at Keiji’s peacefully sleeping face nestled in the futon beside him, he wanted to give it proper thought.

Wakatoshi spent the following morning like he usually did during rest days. He walked outside for an hour, then bought breakfast and ingredients for lunch along the way. Keiji gave him a spare key he could use, and when he entered the apartment, he could hear Keiji and Kiyoomi discussing the finer points of Keiji’s discovery that they would most likely include in the paper. The two were too focused on their discussion to notice that he was back. He had to insist strongly before they finally relented and moved to the dining room for a quick breakfast. He knew he couldn’t be much help with Kiyoomi’s paper, but at least he could support them with something else. After they finished eating breakfast, he told them to go back and focus on their work, and he would take care of cleaning up and cooking lunch as well.

He could tell that Keiji wanted to protest, but he crossed his arms and gave Keiji a stern look. They all knew that every second counted because Kiyoomi would have to leave shortly after lunch. Keiji sighed and finally gave him free rein in his kitchen. To ensure that the two would not be distracted, Wakatoshi slid the door of their room shut. He heard Keiji squawk a protest from inside, quickly followed by Kiyoomi grumbling in an annoyed voice. Wakatoshi chuckled softly, then did as he declared.

Although Wakatoshi could fend for himself, his kitchen skills were woefully limited. As such, he cooked something simple: stir-fried vegetables and broiled salmon. Keiji had dashi in his fridge that he could use to make miso soup to round off the meal. While he was working on the broccoli with his fingers, his thoughts strayed again to the brief conversation with Kiyoomi the previous night. He wanted to have a proper answer for his peace of mind. However, he didn’t know what it meant to be attracted to someone romantically.

The door of the room slid open, revealing Kiyoomi, who was going on a toilet break. Wakatoshi pondered on his last thought and resolved to ask Kiyoomi when he came back. The sound of the bathroom door closing shut prompted him to turn around and catch Kiyoomi’s attention.

“Kiyoomi, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

Kiyoomi padded to him with a nod. “Go ahead.”

“How would you know if you like someone romantically?”

Wakatoshi watched Kiyoomi’s eyes widen at the question. He was not expecting that, and now Wakatoshi worried if he shouldn’t have asked.

“There is no universal answer.” Kiyoomi started, “It’s different for everyone. I’ve read books where they describe it as having your breath stolen when you look at that person. For me, I don’t think it would have to be that dramatic and in just one moment. If a person occupies my thoughts and they make me happy just for being who they are, and I could see a future of us spending the rest of our lives together, then I’d say that I like them romantically.”

Wakatoshi turned the words over in his head. These concepts were new to him, and he appreciated how Kiyoomi helped push him in the right direction instead of pointlessly going around in circles on his own.

“I have much to consider. Thank you for answering.”

Kiyoomi gave him a kind smile. “You don’t have to agonize about it too much. If it still bothers you, you can always talk to me, okay?”

Wakatoshi chuckled. “Thank you. How is the paper?”

Kiyoomi groaned. “It’s such a pain, but we’re almost done with the initial draft. Akaashi found so much material we could work with.”

“You must go back in there, then. Lunch will be ready soon.”

“I never thought I’d see the day I’ll eat lunch prepared by you.” Kiyoomi teased with a grin.

“It’s not much.”

“I appreciate it, truly.”

“You’re welcome. Now go back in.”

Kiyoomi groaned again. “Fine, that’s enough slacking for today.” He turned around then entered the room with a pout.

Wakatoshi was setting the table when Keiji and Kiyoomi emerged from the room in exhausted triumph. He gave them a questioning look, which they answered with matching grins that confirmed they had finished writing the first draft.

“You’ve worked hard. It’s time to eat.”

Kiyoomi sniffed the air as they walked towards the dining table. “It smells good, Wakatoshi-kun.”

“I hope they are to your taste.”

“I’m sure they are. Thank you for preparing these, Ushijima-san.”

“It was the least I could do.”

The three of them settled in their seats, gave thanks for the food, then dug in. Wakatoshi watched them nervously as they took their first bites. He gave a sigh of relief when they both complimented the food. Keiji and Kiyoomi discussed how they’ll edit the paper tomorrow morning so that Kiyoomi could submit it within the deadline. Wakatoshi watched the two of them interact and realized that, even though he was fond of both of them, he was starting to see what Kiyoomi meant when he said that he looked at Keiji like he was the only one in the room.

After they finished eating lunch, Kiyoomi gathered his things to leave for class. Keiji and Wakatoshi waved him goodbye from the genkan. They cleaned the table and kitchen together in silence. Wakatoshi was lost in thought, while Keiji was exhausted from all the reading and thinking he had been doing all morning.

Wakatoshi considered Kiyoomi’s statements from earlier. Did Keiji occupy his thoughts? Right now, he was thinking of Keiji. He had been thinking of Keiji since last night. But was it only last night? When did he even start thinking about Keiji so much? Wakatoshi furrowed his eyebrows as he rinsed the rice bowls.

“Is everything alright, Ushijima-san?” Keiji asked beside him with a dishtowel in his hands.

“Yes, I apologize. I was just thinking of something else.” He handed the last rice bowl to Keiji who accepted it and dried it with a dishtowel.

Did Keiji make him happy for being who they were? This one was easy. Yes, he did.

Could he see a future with Keiji? He flicked his eyes sideways and stole a glance at Keiji. He recalled how it was like to sleep and wake up beside Keiji. He looked around Keiji’s apartment. It was easy to think what it would be like if he moved here. Keiji was neat and organized, he was also diligent and calm, all of these were important characteristics for Wakatoshi. More than that though, he could see himself living here with Keiji.

His eyes followed Keiji as he wiped the dining table with a rag. It was such a mundane thing. And yet everything else fell away.

Wakatoshi didn’t have time to take it easy after the Ryuujin Nippon lineup was announced. His life revolved between practice, training, meetings, press-related work, and official matches. His schedule was full even after the V League season wrapped up. His rest days were inundated by interviews, photoshoots, meetings, and other press-related work. Volleyball took him outside Japan as part of Ryuujin Nippon, and jetlag felt like a constant companion. He barely even had time to say goodbye to Keiji and Kiyoomi before he left for Rio, he could only squeeze in an hour to meet at the café the day before his flight. They insisted that it was fine, they were cheering him on, and that they would have more time to celebrate when he came back after the Olympics. 

Weeks later, the day after he arrived in Japan from Rio, Wakatoshi was still recovering from jetlag when he woke up to more than a hundred messages in the group chat with Keiji and Kiyoomi. He chuckled as he reviewed the exchange. It wasn’t such a bad idea, to camp inside Keiji’s apartment for a few days and take it easy. He replied as much, and Kiyoomi celebrated in the smug way he usually did. He missed them. He missed Keiji.

He showed up in front of Keiji’s apartment building a few days later with his duffel bag and souvenirs from all the countries he had been to in the last few months. He rang Keiji’s doorbell, blood thrumming in anticipation.

“Hello?” Keiji’s voice wafted from the intercom speakers, beautiful despite the scratchy static.

“Hello, Akaashi. It’s been a while.”

“Ushijima-san! It has been a while. Please come in.”

The buzz of the door opening was all the prompting Wakatoshi needed.

“Thank you.” He responded before hastily opening the door and making a beeline for the elevator. It took a few minutes, but he was finally in front of Keiji’s door. Even though they saw each other briefly before he left three weeks ago, it still made him unbearably eager to see Keiji again. He pressed the doorbell and slid his hands in his pockets to stop them from shaking while he waited.

The door opened in front of him, revealing a smiling Keiji. He drank it all in with a relieved smile. Kiyoomi’s voice flashed in his mind; perhaps this was what he meant by having your breath stolen.

“Hello, Ushijima-san. Please, come in.” Keiji stepped aside to let him in and provide him with a pair of slippers.

Wakatoshi stepped inside. “Pardon the intrusion.”

Keiji led him inside, asking him what he would like to drink. Wakatoshi acquiesced to a glass of cold barley tea since the weather outside was brutal. They settled on zabutons in the spare room. Keiji asked how his day had been so far, and Wakatoshi confessed that he was still adjusting to the timezone, which meant his sleeping pattern was still irregular. Their phones were on the table and buzzed at the same time. Wakatoshi picked it up to read the message.

Sakusa Kiyoomi
I’m sorry, I won’t be able to join. My mother has kidnapped me to accompany her to Okinawa. I’ll make it up to you when I get back. Have fun.

“Geh!” Keiji exclaimed in annoyance.

“That’s a pity,” Wakatoshi said.

“Have fun, he says. He was the one who wanted this and yet he’s the one who bailed.”

Wakatoshi chuckled. “His mother must have been insistent.”

“Oh, I believe that,” Keiji muttered as he furiously typed a reply.

Akaashi Keiji
You were the one who wanted this! But there’s nothing to be done, you’re probably at the airport already. Ushijima-san is here. We’ll definitely have fun without you!

Ushijima Wakatoshi
Have a safe trip.

Keiji chuckled after reading Wakatoshi’s terse reply. “What should we do now, Ushijima-san?”

He raised an eyebrow curiously, “I thought we were supposed to take it easy?”

Keiji grinned mischievously, “Yes, we’ll do exactly that! So tell me about your trips, Ushijima-san.”

They spent the entire afternoon talking about volleyball, foreign countries and cultures, airports, getting lost, being lost in translation, getting timezones mixed up, food, and even more volleyball. Wakatoshi realized that he hadn’t talked this much in his life, but he felt helpless under the weight of Keiji’s eager gaze. He drank in every detail, asked interesting questions, and was genuinely interested in everything Wakatoshi said. It filled his heart with unexplainable warmth. 

Maybe not unexplainable, because by the time he finished his story of how he almost missed his train stop when he came back because of jetlag, Wakatoshi was finally ready to answer Kiyoomi’s question from months ago with absolute certainty.

Keiji discovered that there was a summer festival nearby and insisted they go for some kakigori to beat the summer heat. Wakatoshi indulged him, and so they walked side by side on a warm summer night until the warm glow of paper lanterns led them to where the festivities and stalls were. 

Keiji bought himself a cup of blueberry kakigori while Wakatoshi bought yakitori and ikayaki. Since the festival grounds itself was crowded, they wandered to a nearby park where they found an empty bench.

“I haven’t had kakigori in a long while.”

Wakatoshi smiled at Keiji fondly while chewing on a bite of yakitori. “I haven’t been to a festival since High School.”

Keiji’s eyes sparkled in delight, “It’s a good thing we went here then.”

“Yes, it is.” Wakatoshi agreed as he offered a stick of ikayaki to Keiji.

Keiji accepted the food gratefully while offering his kakigori in return, “Would you like some?”

Wakatoshi wasn’t fond of sweet things, but he couldn’t possibly refuse when it’s Keiji offering. The cold flavored ice melted on his tongue, leaving a tinge of blue in its wake. It was a nostalgic taste, one he had forgotten but was glad to be reminded of. He watched Keiji eat the last of his ikayaki. He found himself wanting to see this every day.

“Akaashi, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Keiji tilted his head curiously. “Okay. What is it, Ushijima-san?”

Wakatoshi was an honest man. Blunt and tactless, perhaps, but honest nonetheless. Therefore, even though he felt like there was a wild animal trying to claw its way out of his chest, he chose to be honest and succinct. He looked Keiji in the eye and in the next breath declared, “I like you, Akaashi.”

He watched Keiji’s eyes widen in surprise. But then he quickly realized that he forgot a crucial detail, and so he quickly added. “Romantically.”

“Oh,” Keiji gasped softly, unable to provide a coherent reply.

“I do not know where to go from here. But I just needed you to know that.”

“Ushijima-san, you do realize I’m not a girl?” Keiji asked tentatively.

“I know.”

“Oh, okay. Okay.” Keiji chuckled nervously before taking a deep breath then turned to face Wakatoshi with a shy smile. “I like you too, Ushijima-san.”

“Romantically?” Wakatoshi had to be sure.

“Yes, romantically,” Keiji answered, cheeks dusted with a delicate shade of pink which Wakatoshi decided was now his favorite color. “Are you sure about this?” Keiji asked after a beat.

“I’m sure about you,” Wakatoshi replied sincerely, watching Keiji’s face bloom an adorable shade of red, and amended that this was his new favorite color. The sight made him smile fondly, leading him to cradle Keiji’s face with a hand.

“I,” Keiji gasped, eyes fluttering - perhaps from embarrassment. “I’m sure about you, too.”

Wakatoshi scooted closer then tucked Keiji’s hair behind his ear affectionately.

“I was not expecting that.” Keiji chuckled nervously.

“I spent time thinking about it carefully.”

“How much time?”

“Kiyoomi asked me if I liked you romantically that time we slept over after the Ryuujin Nippon announcement.”

“You’ve been thinking since then?”

“Yes. It was unfortunate that we did not have time to meet up after that, until now. Perhaps I needed that much time to be sure. If you need more time, I’m willing to wait.”

“Ushijima-san, I don’t need more time. I already gave you my answer.” Keiji replied with a teasing smirk.

Wakatoshi chuckled in amusement.

“Does this count as our first date, then?” Keiji asked tentatively.

“It could if you want to.”

“Yes, I think this counts.”

Wakatoshi kept his eyes on Keiji and marveled at how the raging heat in his chest earlier had calmed down into a warm contented hum.

“I’d like to drink some ramune. Would you like one too?” Keiji asked him gleefully.

“Sure.”

They wandered back into the festival grounds, got themselves a bottle of cold ramune each, then walked around the grounds to check out the stalls. Most of the families with kids had already left since it was getting late, leaving the festival much calmer. They played some games, for old times sake, and ended up winning some plush toys. Wakatoshi didn’t know what to do with them, but he didn’t mind carrying them around either, much to Keiji’s amusement.

“That was fun. Did you have fun, Ushijima-san?” Keiji asked while they walked back to his apartment.

“It was fun. It made me happy to see you happy.”

Keiji’s face flushed a bright red. “That’s not fair, Ushijima-san.”

“Was it a bad thing?”

“No. Not at all. It’s just embarrassing.”

“It’s the truth. It made me happy to see you having fun.”

Keiji hid his face in his hands out of embarrassment with a muffled groan. Wakatoshi moved to peel Keiji's fingers from his face.

“Please don’t hide from me, Akaashi.”

Keiji peeked out between his fingers, face still burning, then sighed deeply before finally taking his hands off of his face. Wakatoshi traced Keiji’s cheekbones with his thumb affectionately.

“You’re warm.”

“I am,” Keiji whispered shyly.

“We should walk back to your apartment.”

“Right. Yes. We’re almost there.” Keiji babbled then started walking again.

He was glad that Keiji took his confession well, and even reciprocated his feelings. He felt nervous, though, about how they would move from here, but resolved that he would do his best to keep Keiji happy.

When they made it back inside Keiji’s apartment, he insisted Wakatoshi take the first bath. By the time Wakatoshi wandered outside the bathroom, he found Keiji inside his room reading a manga. The futons had been laid out side by side, and the temperature had dropped to be comfortable enough to help them sleep, thanks to the air conditioning. He knelt beside Keiji slowly and asked about the manga he was reading. Keiji gave him the manga and explained that it was the first of many and that he had the whole collection. Wakatoshi read the description printed on the back cover and asked Keiji if he could borrow it. Keiji grinned at him happily and showed him where the other volumes were, and declared that he was welcome to it and all of his other books too. He then left Wakatoshi to read while he took his bath.

By the time Keiji came back inside the bedroom, Wakatoshi had finished a few chapters of the manga and was now invested in the story. He said as much to Keiji, who sat down then chuckled and asked if he would like to talk about what he read so far.

Wakatoshi reaffirmed to himself that he liked hearing Keiji talk. To the uninitiated, Keiji might seem disinterested or dispassionate. But Wakatoshi knew better. Keiji’s eyes sparkled when he talked about things he was passionate about. His hands moved in subtle, graceful ways to help him articulate his point. It was fascinating to watch, and Wakatoshi loved every second of it.

Keiji dissected the events in the second chapter of the manga and answered Wakatoshi’s questions as much as he could without giving any spoilers. The grey morality portrayed in the story seemed to pique Keiji’s interest the most, and Wakatoshi filed this information in his brain for reasons he himself could not define.

The hot summer night meant sleeping without a blanket, even with the air conditioning. Wakatoshi’s eyes followed Keiji as he closed the lights and laid down on his futon. Keiji turned to his side to return Wakatoshi’s gaze, all brave and radiant even with just the faint lights of the city filtering through the glass windows illuminating the room. Wakatoshi turned on his side to face Keiji head-on, earning him a smile and a chuckle.

“Ushijima-san?” Keiji whispered.

“Mmm?”

“Will you tell me a secret?”

Wakatoshi scrunched his eyebrows as he thought of the question. He liked to think of himself as an open book. He found no use in keeping secrets, and he didn’t have anything he wished to hide from the world. “I do not have a secret, Akaashi.”

“I thought so. Do you want to know mine?”

“Yes, if you’re willing to tell me.”

Keiji smiled in a way Wakatoshi had never seen before. “I’ve never been kissed.”

Wakatoshi gulped, and his eyes immediately shifted to Keiji’s lips. He filled his lungs to their full capacity, and yet it felt like he didn’t have enough air. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss someone. What would it feel like to kiss Keiji? Would Keiji let him? Would it be improper to ask? Wasn’t kissing part of dating? Was it too soon?

“Have you kissed before, Ushijima-san?”

Wakatoshi flicked his eyes to meet Keiji’s eyes, which sparkled in a way he hadn’t seen before. “No.”

“I see.”

Wakatoshi held Keiji’s gaze. He wanted to ask Keiji about kissing but didn’t know where to begin.

“Do you want to kiss me, Ushijima-san?” Keiji whispered breathlessly like he was imparting a secret that only Wakatoshi should hear.

Wakatoshi pushed himself up and crawled towards Keiji, who turned on his back and held his gaze with a ferocity that Wakatoshi could never get enough of. Wakatoshi hovered over Keiji, supported by his elbows planted on either side of Keiji’s head. Wakatoshi smiled at him softly. Keiji was breathing heavily under him. His soft black hair splayed on his pillow, eyes trained on Wakatoshi and nothing else, lips parted by a sliver releasing hot breaths. Keiji moved both hands and cupped Wakatoshi’s cheeks gently.

“Can I take that as a yes, Ushijima-san?”

Wakatoshi smiled down at him, then grazed Keiji’s cheek with his knuckles before cradling his jaw. He sank down low until their lips were just a breath away and whispered, “Yes.”

Keiji raised his head to bridge the millimeters that separated them. Keiji’s lips were soft and warm, like fire and silk. Wakatoshi kissed him back with the ferocity of a starved man until Keiji’s head sunk into his pillow. He moved back slightly to allow them space to breathe, but Keiji wasn’t having any of it. Keiji growled low, and it didn’t occur to Wakatoshi until then how there’s no space between them. Keiji used his hold on Wakatoshi’s head to pull him closer, deeper - slowly, intimately, in a way that said he didn’t want Wakatoshi anywhere but here.

Wakatoshi lost track of time. It was immaterial, in his opinion, especially when the warmth of Keiji’s lips covered his own, when Keiji’s fingers traced abstract patterns on his scalp, and the same fingers tugged at his hair when Keiji seemed particularly pleased with what Wakatoshi was doing, when Keiji’s breath was the only air he needed. They could be kissing for just a minute, but to Wakatoshi it felt like hours, weeks, months, years, decades. He felt more than heard Keiji’s moans vibrating on his lips and on his tongue. It ignited a primal desire inside Wakatoshi. Of wanting more, of pulling Keiji closer and never letting go.

Alas, the need for breath was stronger. And so it was with hesitation that Wakatoshi broke their kiss, to allow themselves some air. Keiji’s eyes were barely open and unfocused underneath him, breaths coming in heavy gulps. His cheeks were red, reaching all the way to his ears, his lips looked swollen and plump and Wakatoshi couldn’t take his eyes off of them.

“Are you alright, Akaashi?”

“Keiji.”

“Hm?”

“I’m okay. But please, call me Keiji, Ushijima-san.”

Before any thought could enter Wakatoshi’s mind, his lips were already back on Keiji’s. “Keiji,” He whispered with every kiss, allowing his tongue to taste the name over and over again. Wakatoshi’s kisses became quick pecks, causing Keiji to chuckle.

“May I call you by your name too?”

“Yes. You can call me anything you want, Keiji.”

Keiji’s smile was brilliant. “Stay close to me, Wakatoshi?”

Wakatoshi nodded his head, then kissed Keiji again. “Anything for you.”

They arranged themselves on Keiji’s futon, limbs tangled together and Wakatoshi’s lips on Keiji’s forehead. Wakatoshi traced patterns on Keiji’s arm, slowly, randomly, reverently, until Keiji closed his eyes and fell asleep.

~ 2017 ~

Wakatoshi watched as Keiji flipped the page of the book he was reading while he sat on a blue zabuton. The sunlight that filtered through the windows bathed Keiji’s sun-kissed skin in a warm, ethereal glow. The steam of the hot green tea latte he was nursing rose in delicate curls. Wakatoshi padded slowly on the tatami towards what he would like to think of as their table, the only round table located on the far corner of the room flanked by windows.

“Hello, Keiji.” Wakatoshi greeted softly with a small smile as he slowly sat down on a red zabuton with a cup of warm ginger drink.

“Hi, Wakatoshi.” Keiji greeted him back with a dazzling smile, the one where his eyes twinkled behind his glasses and the corner of his lips turned up just that much to make the apples of his cheeks full with a tinge of pink. The kind of smile Keiji wore just for Wakatoshi.

“I apologize for making you wait.”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to worry about such things?” Keiji replied with a teasing smile, as he always did. He proceeded to close his book and laid it facedown on the table, an explicit choice to give Wakatoshi his full undivided attention, as he always did.

Wakatoshi chuckled lightly. They both knew he would not stop apologizing for making Keiji wait whenever they met up. No matter how much earlier Wakatoshi arrived, Keiji would always already be there. He once asked why, and Keiji answered that it was because Wakatoshi had done enough waiting for him already. At first, he didn’t understand what Keiji meant. But as the months passed by, as they spent more time together - adjusting their schedules and powering through deadlines or extended practices - Wakatoshi understood. Keiji was trying to make up for lost time in every way he could. 

Wakatoshi sipped on his drink to brace himself. Keiji will enter his final semester at University tomorrow. They had been dating for over a year and Wakatoshi thought it was a good time to discuss something he had been thinking of for the last three months.

“Keiji, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Is anything wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. I had been thinking about your graduation.”

Keiji curled his fingers delicately on his teacup. “It’s coming soon.”

“It is. Your mother also told me that your aunt will be back in Japan next year.”

Keiji raised an eyebrow. “She told you about that?”

Wakatoshi nodded. “She was worried because you would have to leave the apartment when your aunt comes back.”

“Mhmm. It won’t be easy to find a cheap apartment, but I’m looking. I still have time. She won’t be back until autumn next year.”

“Keiji, do you want to live together with me?”

Keiji gasped.

“We can look together. You don’t need to answer now, but please, will you think about it?”

“Are you sure about this, Wakatoshi? Won’t your mother get angry?”

Wakatoshi took a sip of his drink to calm his nerves. His mother had disapproved of their relationship and refused to talk to him since he told her about Keiji. His father, on the other hand, had been delighted and insisted that he fly with Keiji to California. He also supported Wakatoshi’s plan to move in with Keiji. “I am sure. Her anger doesn’t change the fact that I want to live with you.”

Keiji nodded his head. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

Wakatoshi sighed deeply. He looked around, relieved that there were no other customers around them, then slipped a hand to cradle the back of Keiji’s head and give him a swift kiss.

Keiji’s cheeks were tinged with a deep red when Wakatoshi pulled back and sat back down on his zabuton.

Wakatoshi and Keiji spent the last week preparing to move into their new apartment. Kiyoomi helped them box their belongings and insisted on being their first visitor by being there when they moved in. It was an exhausting day, but nothing could wipe the happy smile on Keiji’s face. It was reminiscent of his smile when he agreed to move in with Wakatoshi, barely a month after Wakatoshi asked him. They started apartment hunting immediately after, and it didn’t take them long to find one that catered to their needs. Wakatoshi was adamant that he would pay for all the move-in fees and rent while Keiji was still studying and unemployed. It caused tension between them because Keiji didn’t want to be a leech, he had savings from his years working part-time, thank you very much! It took a lot of convincing, something Wakatoshi was not accustomed to, but Keiji eventually relented when Wakatoshi agreed to let him buy groceries and other household necessities. Thus, a truce was born.

Kiyoomi was in the living room organizing the bookcase, Keiji was in the bedroom with Wakatoshi organizing their closets. Keiji decided it was the last thing they would do for today, so he ordered food and it was bound to arrive any minute now. Wakatoshi snaked his hands around Keiji’s waist from behind while hooking his chin on Keiji’s shoulder.

“May I help you?” Wakatoshi whispered in Keiji's ear.

“Mmmmm, I’m good.”

Wakatoshi stayed wrapped around Keiji, kissing his neck now and then until the doorbell rang.

“That must be the food. I’ll get it. Would you mind wiping and setting the table, love?” Keiji asked as he twirled around and rubbed his hands on Wakatoshi’s upper arms.

“Anything for you,” Wakatoshi replied with a peck on Keiji’s cheek before disentangling his arms and leaving their room.

Kiyoomi was folding up an empty box when Wakatoshi and Keiji went out of their bedroom.

“The food is probably here,” Keiji said as he went to the intercom to let the delivery guy in.

“Oh, I thought you had another guest,” Kiyoomi replied.

“You’re our first and only guest today, Kiyo.”

Dinner was a mostly quiet affair when the three of them were involved, unless Keiji and Kiyoomi found something to debate about - and, these days, they usually found something to debate about. It started innocently when Kiyoomi mentioned raisins while eating karaage. Wakatoshi watched Keiji square his shoulders and adjust his glasses with a smirk, chuckling as he thought to himself that this was going to be a ride. The discourse went on until all the food was gone and they were cleaning up for the night.

“Raisins have no business being in cookies,” Keiji argued while rinsing the dishes.

“You did not just say that!” Kiyoomi gasped as he took a bowl from Keiji and dried it with a dishtowel.

“Just because you’re an oatmeal raisin apologist-”

“Be very careful what you say next, Ji!” Kiyoomi growled threateningly.

Wakatoshi chuckled softly as he wiped the table clean.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of this conversation, Wakatoshi-kun. Tell me, where do you stand with this?”

“Wherever Keiji stands.” He answered as he walked towards them to wash the rag in his hands.

Keiji preened while Kiyoomi groaned in annoyance.

“As much as I’d love to continue this debate, I know I’m going to lose because you two are meanies with no remorse.” Kiyoomi declared as he returned the dishtowel to Keiji, then added, “And I also do not want to be here when you two start being handsy. So, congratulations on finally moving in together. I’m going to go home now.”

“Thank you, Kiyo,” Keiji replied softly.

The three of them walked together towards the door where Wakatoshi handed Kiyoomi his coat. “Thank you, Kiyo.”

“Thanks for lunch and dinner. Good luck with unpacking. And Keiji, do not mess up the books on the shelves!”

Keiji replied with an innocent smile as he handed Kiyoomi his scarf. “I will do what I want.”

“You are a thorn.” Kiyoomi retorted with the passion of a cold cucumber.

Wakatoshi still didn’t fully understand Keiji and Kiyoomi’s way of showing affection for each other. But one look at the two and he could tell that this was one of those times when their words might sound mean, but it was meant affectionately.

“Good night, and see you soon!” Kiyoomi waved as he closed the door behind him.

Keiji locked the door. For the first time today, they were alone in what they could now officially call home. Something about that thought lit a fire in Wakatoshi's chest. He watched as Keiji sauntered towards him slowly.

“So, do you want to take a bath first?”

Wakatoshi pulled Keiji by his wrist and murmured, “How about taking one together?”

Keiji gulped visibly, then nodded his head. It was all Wakatoshi needed to pull Keiji inside their bathroom.

Wakatoshi felt his heart thudding inside his chest, pumping blood to his veins. He heard it in his ears. The insistent thumping drowned everything else. His eyes focused on Keiji, radiant and flustered and burning in his lap illuminated by the city lights that strayed in their room’s window. He traced Keiji’s face with his eyes: gulped in the strong eyebrows, long lashes that framed his slender gun-metal blue eyes, the apple of his cheeks dusted with a delicate shade of pink - he adored how they became so full whenever Keiji smiled or ate, those thin lips that curled up delicately when he was amused or teasing. Keiji’s black hair looked so soft and had grown such that it curled at the ends where his ears were, and stuck to his sweaty forehead in delicate swirls.

It didn’t matter how many times they’d done this, he always found himself falling into the same trail of thought. Wakatoshi wondered how he had waited so long to experience something so exquisite when Keiji’s warm skin under his fingertips felt so right. When Keiji hummed so softly and melted like butter under his hands. When the world seemed to stop as Keiji pressed his cheek against Wakatoshi’s palm, lips upturned and eyes mere half-slits as he stared back. Perhaps it wouldn’t feel this good if it wasn’t with Keiji.

Wakatoshi found the way Keiji smelled to be incredibly disarming. He wondered, not for the first time, as he pressed his nose behind Keiji’s ear, if he would smell the same if he used the same brand of apple shampoo. He inhaled greedily and decided no one and nothing could smell the same as Keiji. Not when he smelled faintly of apples but strongly of coffee, which he gulped in cupfuls throughout the day, with undertones of something distinctly Keiji that he couldn’t name.

Wakatoshi held Keiji in his hands like porcelain. He traced the planes of Keiji’s back with a reverence that left Keiji shivering, goosebumps decorating his arms, breath rattling as it escaped the sliver of space between his barely parted lips. He carded his fingers on Keiji’s hair, tangling them between his fingers lightly as he tried to commit to memory the way they felt on his skin. He relished how his large hands engulfed Keiji’s delicate waist, his thumb rubbing placating circles in a mindless but soothing pattern.

He could never get enough of this. Not when every sight, every smell, every touch, and every taste fired his synapses with intoxicating pleasure. The way Keiji’s back arched as he sank sinuously, again and again, drowned Wakatoshi in sinfully tight heat that swelled and crested just that much to rob him of his breath in a way nothing had ever been able to. Every move and every sound Keiji made felt like an assault to his senses that pulled out a growl, a gasp, a moan from his very core. Every breath he took, every drag of Keiji’s fingers on his skin was fire in his lungs, in his skin, in his very being.

He delighted in every noise Keiji made when he ran his hands over Keiji’s strong thighs, muscles contracting reflexively under skin while nails raked over his shoulders. Keiji’s whimpers when his hands reverently slid up while counting the knobs of Keiji’s spine were intoxicating.

“More,” Keiji gasped, again and again, and again like a plea, a prayer, a thinly veiled command that Wakatoshi was compelled to follow by thrusting his hips.

The sound of Wakatoshi’s name on Keiji’s lips spilled like silk that enveloped Wakatoshi in a blissful haze of want and warmth that he never wanted to escape from. It ushered a familiar weight that roiled violently inside him, building up to a crescendo that burst into blinding white-hot pleasure unlike anything he’d ever felt in his life, causing his eyes to close and a low rumbling sound to crawl up his throat, muffled by his lips buried on Keiji’s shoulder as his hips stuttered with the force of his release.

He detached himself reluctantly to look and take care of Keiji, who was whimpering and pleading incessantly while squirming where he sat. Wakatoshi snaked a hand between them while the other splayed on Keiji’s back, then watched Keiji’s half-lidded eyes go hazy and unfocused in unadulterated bliss. He snapped his hips, pulling a surprised wail from Keiji’s lungs.

“Yes,” Keiji whined, eyes closed in delirious pleasure as Wakatoshi continued to thrust up with enough force to rob Keiji of his breath again and again until Keiji’s hands grappled on Wakatoshi’s arms, shoulders, neck, chest, anywhere he could touch. The mindless desperation was palpable and heady. Wakatoshi gritted his teeth and focused his eyes on Keiji’s face, watching his eyes roll back and lips go slack.

“Look at me, Keiji.” Wakatoshi said, gentle yet commanding, in a deep rumbling voice.

He watched Keiji’s eyes struggle to flutter open, listened to the sharp intake of breath and guttural groans that rumbled in his chest. Wakatoshi continued to move, eyes devouring every drop of sweat, every blink, every breath on display in front of him. When Keiji started babbling incoherently, Wakatoshi knew he was close. He moved his hand from Keiji’s back to his shoulder and pulled down as he thrust up.

“Come for me, Keiji,” Wakatoshi growled.

Keiji’s jaw dropped in a wordless whine and he threw his head back as if his very breath was punched out of him as ribbons of euphoria erupted between them. Wakatoshi held Keiji in his hands reverently. He drank every shudder and twitch like the first drops of rain on parched earth.

Wakatoshi knew they had to clean up before going to sleep, but Keiji was thoroughly wiped out, panting while slumped on his chest. If he had to carry Keiji to the bathroom for a quick rinse, then so be it.

“Keiji, I’m going to bring you to the shower.”

Keiji tightened his hold on Wakatoshi with a hum. Wakatoshi preened at the trust that was given to him as he moved to stand up while carrying Keiji. It wasn’t the first time that he did this, and in the year and few months that they had been together, they built up a system to ensure they wouldn’t end up hurting themselves.

Wakatoshi wondered, as he always did in these moments, how lucky he was. Keiji brought so much light into his life. He could be bone-tired at the end of a rough training session, but one look, one word, one touch from Keiji was all it took to make him feel better. Keiji allowed him to live his life at his own pace, matching it when necessary, pulling him to slow down when he was stressed, or egging him on when he needed just that last push to break through. Their dates also included playing volleyball together, and Wakatoshi’s chest swelled with pride whenever he saw how much Tobio admired Keiji.

Today was their first day together in a place they could now call home. Wakatoshi looked forward to all the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, and decades that they would spend together here or wherever the winds of fate would take them.

~ 2021 ~

Wakatoshi watched intently as Koutarou showed and instructed him to adjust the ribbons on his wrists. Koutarou waved his arms with a Japanese flag on each hand to show how the embroidered ribbons would be visible when the sleeves of his white coat were pulled back whenever he raised his arms. Wakatoshi copied how Koutarou waved his arms and got enthusiastic approval, not only from Koutarou, but from the rest of the team surrounding them as well. Kiyoomi smiled at him fondly, nodding his head in encouragement.

The voice of the staff filled the space of the waiting area where they stood. They would enter the main area of Kokuritsu in a few minutes, and so the team clapped each other on the shoulders, then stood at the ready to walk out, to give the world their first glimpse of team Japan. Tonight, he would show the world that he was Ushijima Wakatoshi: Japan’s cannon, Opposite Hitter and Captain of Ryuujin Nippon, and husband to Ushijima Keiji whose name was embroidered in the red ribbons neatly tied on his wrists. He knew Keiji was watching from their apartment, and even though Keiji didn’t play volleyball professionally, he wanted him to be here with him in any way possible.

The lights, the energy, the sound, all of it engulfed Wakatoshi’s entire being as he took step after step alongside his teammates. Koutarou grabbed his shoulder, then pointed towards the first camera they would pass. Wakatoshi nodded his head in understanding while the rest of the team allowed him to move to the side closest to the camera. When they were close enough, Wakatoshi raised his arms in a wave, eyes crinkling in a wide smile hidden by his facemask. The white Kanji embroidered on the red ribbons tied on his wrists were visible, a wordless shout of pride and joy, a way to bring Keiji with him for all the world to see.