Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It wasn’t her eyes that gave her away, not the last name, it was how she laughed when she made a mistake and got up again. “Sugawara-Senpai” she said as she got up, her black pigtails sticking to her skin as she scraped off her knees and smoothed her skirt. “One more time! I can do it, I know I can!” God , he knew that smile anywhere. 

“HIS KID?!” Nishinoya’s voice boomed through Sugawara’s phone as he pulled it away from his ear, cleaning up his classroom.

“Yes, his kid, Noya. Jeez..” Sugawara continued picking up the childish debris from desks, crayons, papers, drawings he’d file later to give back—one of which was a rather cute illustration of him at the chalkboard—he’d gotten efficient after five years of teaching. “Why are you so shocked?”
“Not really shocked you’re teaching his kid, I’m more surprised you didn’t immediately decide to resign.”

“You make me out to be some type of coward!” Suga’s voice grew indignant as he placed everything back, filing the papers away. He could feel Nishinoya’s judgement through the phone. 

“Out of respect for you I'm biting my tongue.”

“That’s a first,” Suga scowled. “Anyways, I knew this would happen eventually… I just hoped she’d be assigned a different school somehow,” he sighed. “And even if she did get enrolled here there’s dozens of second grade teachers! It just feels like some cruel prank.”
“Consider it karma for being so distant since Kaori-Chan’s first birthday,” Suga swore he heard a bit of resentment in his former libero’s voice. 

“Well excuse me if not all of us get the fairytale romance of you and Asahi.”
“It’s more than you and Daichi and you know it,” Nishinoya said. He sounded like he was pacing now. Suga could feel the earful he was in for. “Asahi misses you two, you know? What even happened? College comes, goes, and all of a sudden it feels impossible to even get a call from you. I know a new job is stressful, Suga, but—”
“Okay, okay. Message received. Loud and clear,” Suga said, rubbing his temples as he caught a glint of something in from the window sunlight on Kaori’s desk. “I’ll try. I’m gonna have to get used to Daichi’s face again anyways,” he said, crouching down to pick up a glint of gold between his fingers. A star hair clip. His grin grew tight, bittersweet. Yachi’s work, the hair accessories she’d made in partnership with Asahi. Damn, how out of the loop was he anyway. “She forgot her hair clip here.” He added. “Is there anything else you wanna reprimand me for?” Since when was he letting Nishi of all people scold him?

“Nothing that comes to mind, jackass,” Suga could hear the concern in his voice and gave up. He knew his friend only had good intentions.

“I’m trying, Nishi, you know this. How about this—when do you and Asahi get back from LA?”

“Dunno—ASAHI!” Suga pulled the phone away from his ear again as he pocketed the clip. There was a bit of a pause. “Like a month!”

“We’ll plan something when you and him get back.”
“Including Daichi?” Noya asked. 

“If he can worm his way into my good graces.”
“If he doesn't, his kid will,” Noya said, chuckling. Sugawara rolled his eyes.
“I work with cute kids all day for a living, their tricks don't work on me anymore.”
“That’s what you think~” Suga was concerned with how much that sounded like a threat. 

“Whatever, Noya,” he chuckled. He started to pack his bag and let the silence in the line linger. “Noya?”
“Yeah?” He sounded softer than he typically did. Maybe he’d sat down again. 

“I’m sorry,” Suga started, slinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder. “For being such a shitty friend lately.”
“Yeah well Daichi’s been kinda shitty too.”
“Daichi’s been a dad.”

“Yeah, a damn good one. And piss poor at everything else.”
“You know how his folks are,” Suga started, tongue slipping into the old habit of that phrase. 

“No, I don’t,” Noya said. “Not like you do.”

The phrase hit a nerve with Sugawara as he exited the door to his classroom. “... Not like I do,” he affirmed. “I gotta head home, and you two should be asleep!” He scolded. He heard Nishinoya’s giggle and let some of the tension in his shoulders go. 

“C’mon, Suga. It’s barely midnight over here.”
“So Asahi’s heading to bed like an adult and you’re gladly enjoying the hotel?” Sugawara laughed. 

“Maaaayybe,” Sugawara rolled his eyes.
“Good night, Nishi,” he smiled. 

“Afternoon, Suga.” There was a yawn, and then the line disconnected as he put his phone back in his pocket. 

Sugawara began to walk back to his apartment, scrolling through the emails on his phone, the texts from coworkers, and all the busy work that had blanketed him lately. Maybe he was getting too warm... He pulled the little clip from his pocket and let it glint in the light. He really should at least be more in contact with Asahi. And there was the guilt wrapping around him again. 

It crept at the edges of his mind as he found his way home, conversations, memories, and promises gently grabbing at him, curling around him like the tufts of silver hair at his ears. He opened the door and put his bag down, immediately sinking into his couch. He glanced at his phone again, opening his messages to Daichi’s number, the last real conversation more than a year ago again. He stared at Daichi’s last text to him. 

Daichi: I’ve missed these conversations. 

Liar, Suga thought, swiping out of the chat. There was no need to text him, he’d see him soon enough. He kept that like a record repeating in his mind as long as he could. No need, no need, no need . And yet with Daichi there was never need , was there? There was always just want, the way you pick a patch of sun to sit at instead of a regular seat. He wondered if Daichi had ever thought of him as such an indulgence. He shook his head again, burying his face into a couch cushion. This year would be hell, he just knew it would be… 

He looked up at the living room wall connecting to the kitchen. There were only two pictures hung that tied him to high school, one Yachi had taken of the team the night before their final day of nationals. The other he’d taken of himself and Daichi, his expression caught off guard, but still happy, even bashful. The rest were plaques and pictures since he’d started teaching, his degree, his coworker parties he liked hosting, and a little letter signed by the staff he was closest to.

“To Sugawara,

We can’t imagine this school without you. Always remember that.”

He knew the handwriting of everyone who’d added their own little comments by heart at this point. Being a necessity was more exhausting than he’d realized… but worth it, for him at least. He adjusted his position on the couch to lay down for a bit before cooking, and felt a prick at his hip. He glanced down and reached into his pocket… He set the hair clip down on a coffee table and sighed. History or no… Sawamura Kaori was a good kid, and he’d be damned if he did wrong by her. 

Chapter Text

Sawamura Kaori was a kind yet loud girl, one that had a habit of getting into trouble. And with that habit went Sugawara’s plan to treat her as any other student. Doing that would be hard as he scolded her for the third time this week about yelling at other students during recess. He set her aside in the playground, the girl had an odd habit of fiddling with her pigtails as she spoke. Was it a lying tick? No, she looked more nervous. Well she was Daichi’s daughter, he couldn’t blame her for being cautious of getting scolded. 

“Sawamura-Chan, I’m not mad at you.” He could see the tension relax, though she still played with her hair. With an exasperated sigh Sugawara knelt down to be at her eye level. “Tell me again why you felt like you needed to yell. You still haven’t given me a straight answer.” He saw her grow frustrated again as she tried getting the words out.

“Kimura was being rude again! I don’t like the way she talks to my friends. Or to the boys. Or the way she calls you boring,” she definitely added that last part as strategy. Sugawara let out a weary sigh. 

“But was saying you’d make her fly across the playground really necessary, Sawamura-Chan?” He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Absolutely.” Kaori put her hands on her hips, maybe thinking if she looked assertive in her stance she’d avoid getting in trouble. Sugawara frowned. 

“I’m gonna have to tell your dad, I’m sorry. I’ve already let you off two times, I can’t let you off scott-free again, it’d be unfair to your classmates.” He explained. Kaori grumbled the way troublemaking children do, and she stomped off. “Sawamura-Chan!” Sugawara called out before he was out of earshot.

“What?!” She shouted back, confused. 

“No more threatening students!” Suga sighed. 

“I’ll stop when ugly girls stop having nasty words about my friends.” She huffed as she walked away. Suga’s shoulders sagged. Another thing to bring up to Daichi, he supposed. 

Daichi’s heart pounded as he sat in his car, forehead pressed against the steering wheel while he contemplated just scolding Kaori at home. In all honesty he was less perturbed by the fact that Kaori got in trouble the second week of school—compared to the first grade this was a vast improvement—and more so that he would have to face Sugawara for more than five minutes at pickup. Already the phone call had been a shock to his system. A part of him strained when the school’s number was followed by Suga’s voice as his own phone contact with him grew cobwebs. His voice hadn’t changed much. Neither had his tone when talking about problem students. He checked his watch. Five minutes until three… he could spare ten. He reminded himself of why he was here in the first place, and remembered Kaori’s complaints about this girl she’d told off, and his own reservations aside, he’d have to figure out how to speak with her in private, too. Somehow, thinking of his daughter grounded him. A part of him was always wandering without him knowing where it would end up, and that piece also tied him back to the world when his mind swam far away from his body. 

3:05, shit . He opened the door of the car and looked at his phone to double check. He nodded. No more hiding. If Suga and him drifted, that was his own history he had to swallow. He knew better than most how observant children would be, and he already didn’t like how grown up Kaori felt she had to be when she was around him. 

Once on campus he leaned against the door of Sugawara’s classroom, seeing his daughter sitting at her desk, posture pencil-straight. She looked so clumsily militant, it almost made him laugh. She was trying to embody Tanaka in a way that was so on point. He didn’t know if she was just that stubborn or if Tanaka was just that childish. He looked over to the teacher’s desk and swore Suga must’ve been asking himself the same question. He still had the habit of grabbing his chin with his thumb and index finger when he was deep in thought. Except now maybe his brow furrowed less. He’d gotten a hair less scary since he had to work with kids, at least from what he saw—

Daichi cleared his own throat as his eyes fluttered away back to his daughter, who looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. Sugawara’s head had snapped to attention over to Daichi. As his lips parted he was still trying to figure out how appropriate it would even be to call him by his first name anymore. 

Kaori was the first to speak. “Sugawara-Sensei, papa’s gonna start scolding me if you don’t do it first,” she said, pointing to Daichi. Daichi sighed.

“ Kaori, ” Daichi started, it took everything in Suga not to laugh. He walked over to Daichi and held his hand out, Daichi took it a second late, neither’s grip particularly strong. 

“Thanks for coming,” Suga said, smiling awkwardly. Daichi nodded. 

“Course.”
“Sawamura-Chan is a bright girl, there’s no doubt about that. Her vocabulary is already quite advanced and she’s, um… creative in her use of stringing words together.” Sugawara started, trying to find a kind way to say the little terror had made two enemies in two weeks. “Including describing exactly what she’d do if kids didn’t stop teasing her friends,” he explained. 

Daichi facepalmed. “Kaori, did you hurt any of these girls?” He asked. Suga was about to speak up but he didn’t have to.

“Ew! No! I don’t wanna touch them , what if their stupidity is contagious?” Kaori was dead serious. Daichi looked at his daughter in horror while Suga only sighed. 

“ That’s the creative word usage I'm talking about. Luckily no one’s parents know or care, I think this is just a spat between girls. But I’d rather not have this go on. I’ve already talked to Kimura-Chan’s parents over the phone and they plan to make her apologize” he added, looking a bit less kind when he mentioned the girl. “So I'd appreciate it if you spoke to her about doing her part in this if Kimura-Chan does in fact stand down.” Daichi smiled when he added that last part. 

“Of course, is there anything else you need, Suga?” He used the nickname without thinking, but any regret was washed away seeing the tension lost in Sugawara’s shoulders. 

“For now you’re fine,” he assured, turning to Kaori. “By the way, little miss, no more yelling at boys for getting first in line to sit for lunch!” He added, crossing his arms. Kaori looked wounded. She had no defense for that one. 

“They were gonna take the last spot…” for the first time this entire day the girl looked sheepish, and Daichi frowned at his daughter. Yup, definitely was going to have a long talk with her, and a longer one with Tanaka. 

Once the finer details were hashed out Daichi told Kaori she could start heading to the car, she looked more than happy to get away from more reprimands. Daichi’s smile was weary as he headed out himself, turning his head to look over at Suga. “Thanks for going easy on her,” he said. Suga’s eyes widened and he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes never quite meeting Daichi’s.

“I’m not going easy on her, I’m treating her like any other student,” he insisted. Daichi chuckled, and he swore he felt brown eyes dart to his face while his eyes were closed. 

“Of course you’re not. You’re always completely objective.”

“I feel like you’re mocking me.”
“I’m not! I’m complimenting your non-bias, Sensei. I swear.” Daichi’s nose scrunched when he acted playful, and Suga hated how he still remembered it. He took a step forward and shoved his shoulder. 

“Thank you, it’s hard being right all the time. Now go , I have papers to grade and parents to call,” he explained. Daichi nodded. As he walked out he stopped again.

“Sorry—one more question. Why aren't Kimura’s parents also here?” His head tilted to the side as he asked. Suga groaned. 

“Because they’re pains in the ass just like—” He stopped himself and Daichi’s smile grew to a smirk. “They’re just difficult.”

“Uh-Huh,” he said, his grin wide and full of teeth. “See you around, Sugawara.”

That damn laugh, it followed Sugawara twice over today. 

Daichi Sawamura was finishing washing the dishes as Kaori happily devoured her second helping of hamburger steak. He probably shouldn’t be indulging her after scolding her, but that was an issue to tackle for another day. For now he walked into his room and opened his phone’s contacts. The tone rang once. Then twice.

“ ‘Yello . What’s up, Daichi?”

“ Tanaka. ”

“ Shit —crap—what did I do—”

Chapter Text

Daichi scoffed out a laugh, rolling his eyes while on the phone. At least Tanaka knew. “I’ll give you three guesses.” He meant to sound playful, but he could feel Tanaka stiffen.

“C’mon boss, don’t make me guess just tell me what I fucked up on,” it was almost a beg.

“Tanaka, why is my child talking about beating up ugly girls who pick on her friends?”

“ She remembered— I MEAN—” The bodybuilder sounded like he had to hold back a sob. “I have no idea how she could’ve learned such poor manners! You know me, I’d never encourage violence, ‘specially not to Riri-Chan.” He insisted. 

Daichi let the silence of the call waver as Kaori handed him her finished plate. It looked damn near polished off and he gave her a silent motion to go wash her face. The girl saluted. This all took around five seconds before Tanaka Ryuunosuke—the glutton for playground politics he’d turned into—cracked. 

“But even though it’s none of my business what did happen—? ” 

“Tanaka!”
“I’m sorry your daughter’s interesting!”
“I know she is, she’s my daughter,” Daichi sighed. “I’m not mad—”

“That’s even scarier.”
“Just tell me what you think could’ve happened. Humor me,” he said, tidying up the tornado of drawing supplies left in his apartment’s living room. 

“... So Riri-Chan might’ve told me she feels scared going into the second grade,” there was no more joking or serious fear in Tanaka’s voice. Just the waiver of someone who’s watched her grow up the most, second only to Daichi. 

Daichi’s heart tightened. “Why—”

“Papa!” Kaori came out of the bathroom, no more steak sauce on her face. “Can I use your pillows for my castle?” Daichi’s eyes softened simply at the sight of her. 

“As long as you clean it up, I’ll come look at it when you’re done.”
“Oh this thing is gonna have to be huge to be papa sized.” The child felt no need to elaborate further as she wandered to Daichi’s room.

“What is that supposed to me—oh nevermind it’s pointless.” He heard a snicker from the phone line and groaned. 

“Not a peep from you, Tanaka. Now… What's this about school anxiety?” he slumped into the couch, head leaning against the back of it.

“Kaori said she didn’t want a repeat of first grade.”

“Her and I both…”
“She wants to make more friends… and to avoid any girls that might tease her again.”
“Right…”
“She seemed excited, though! But excitement doesn’t just get rid of the fear. So I did what any favorite uncle would do, I told her how to deal with bullies.”
“Ah, that explains her… methods.” Daichi scolded. Tanaka gave a nervous laugh. 

“I love that kid, okay? And the ways I can help… well they’re limited. It’s not as if I have a kid myself, y’know? But I do know what it’s like to see friends I care about not know how to stick up for themselves. I may not have gone about it the right way…” 

Daichi raised a brow as silent seconds passed. 

“But I don’t regret telling her how to fight for herself,” he said. Daichi nodded, a bittersweet grin on his face.

“I didn’t think you would.”

“Thanks, Daichi.”
“No, thank you, tanaka. I still owe you and Kiyoko big time.”

“Well you could start by filling me in on some stuff.”

Daichi didn’t like Tanaka’s inflection. “Sure?”

“Sugawara’s Riri-Chan’s teacher?! ”

Daichi sighed. He knew he didn’t like the direction of this. “First off— how did you figure this out?”

“I have my methods.”

“Noya found out who then told Ryuu,” Kiyoko’s voice cut in. Tanaka let out the whimper of a defeated man.

“Kiyoko!”

“Hi, Kiyoko,” Daichi smiled. 

“Evening, Daichi,” her voice became muffled followed by several ‘uh huh’ s from Tanaka.

“She’s gonna make a quick shop run—I can come with you! Just wait a second—she’s so stubborn,” the last part he said with admiration. “But yes, I have a man on the inside. Now tell me… what was that conference like?” There was a teasing inflection in Tanaka’s voice that Daichi didn’t like. He shifted in his seat, his face leaning into his own palm.

“It’s Sugawara—”
“Exactly. It’s Suga and you.” 

“What are you implying?”
“There’s no tension after what—when was the last time you even talked to him?”

“Sometime last February…” Something in Daichi Sawamura’s ever-sharp mind fuzzed behind his eyes whenever he thought about that night.

He had run out of options, and hated the thought of speaking with Sugawara after another month or so had passed without even passive conversation. Busy schedules, he’d blame it on. Not that Sugawara’s eyes made his chest tighten in a way he didn’t have time to linger on. Not the way his laugh left him starved and satiated. He was busy, and Suga knew that. And so their silent deal remained unsaid. And yet late at night he’d called Suawara Koushi, the man with a voice so soft it even helped Kaori fall asleep. She later wouldn’t remember or ask who the man was that stayed up with Daichi to tell stories from high school, to read books or poems from Suga’s own at-home library. She’d forgotten about bullies, about class pictures, about being scared she wasn’t smart enough for the first grade. Instead she was a giggling mess. And once she fell asleep, Daichi couldn’t even remember the last time he’d smiled so long his face hurt by 3am. 

“So over a year ,” Tanaka’s voice brough Daichi’s thoughts back to the present. “Maybe this’ll be good! I mean if I was you I’d be rooting for Riri-Chan to get into even more trouble--”

“ Tanaka .”

“Kidding! Kidding! So he was… typical Suga?”

“Typical Suga,” Daichi’s smile grew wider, there was a dangerous seed of hope taking root around his ribcage. He glanced up and saw Kaori giving daichi a glare from just behind the door frame. “Gotta go, Tanaka. My princess awaits,” he chuckled, earning a cheer from Kaori as he fully stood up and bowed towards her. 

“Alright, night, Daichi.”

‘ “Night.”

Kaori Sawamura sprinted to her father once he put his phone away. “C’mon! I made a museum!” She said, dragging him. Daichi had to crouch as she did so. 

“Did you now? The artist must be very talented.”

“She’s the best.”

“It takes a lot of bravery to put your art on display,” Daichi said as they reached her room. Kaori’s smile was shyer, but she nodded. Daichi ruffled her hair. Further scolding could wait another night. Tonight he’d make sure his daughter knew she belonged in every space she made and occupied. 

The connection cut, and even then Tanaka still held the phone away as he rolled his eyes. “ Typical Suga , come on , was he always this oblivious?” he asked, looking at Kiyoko, who had insisted he have the rest of the call on speaker. She giggled. 

“Yes, yes he was.” She started tying her shoes at the front door, and Tanaka followed, opening the door for her. 

“He pisses me off sometimes, how can a guy so smart be such a dumbass?”

“Have you forgotten how many morons he surrounds himself with?~”
“Yes but he was supposed to be immune!”

Chapter Text

One month passes, and Daichi has run into a problem. It’s apparently very difficult to keep a daughter from being perceptive. And apparently, Tanaka has a spine as strong as an above average bendy straw when it comes to his niece. Soon she is taking an interest in volleyball. Now, mind you, Daichi doesn’t mind. He welcomed the addition to the routine. He attends the gym with Kaori now, Tanaka more than happy to teach her how to receive, far too liberal when discussing their kurasuno days. They’re walking home from the gym now, the sunset giving its last warning of light before the night sky will creep from lavender to blue to navy. Suddenly, Kaori tugs on his sports bag. He looks down at her, one brow arched. “Yes, Kaori?”

“You should invite your Kurasuno friends to play,” she said while taking the opportunity to fish in the slightly unzipped bag for any leftover fruit gummies she stashed in there. Daichi smiles.

“Maybe when Asahi and Noya feel a bit less jet-lagged from their trip to the states, yeah. Noya’s actually really good, better than anyone I know at receiving I can tell you that for sure,” he starts rambling. He doesn’t bring up Asahi but that’s because he assumes he’d refuse. Simply because he’d rather tear his hair out than accidentally spike a ball that would send his daughter flying. 

“Well.. maybe them too,” she said, one hand still in the bag and while the other ran through her pigtail. Daichi didn’t like this line of questioning. 

“What? Like Hinata? Maybe, but he’s been pretty busy… same with Kageyama—oh! Or Ennoshita,” he said, a pit of dread forming in his stomach as he saw her shaking her head at every name he suggested. “Michimiya is amazing too, she was a captain just like me, did you know?" He could feel her tiny judgement. 

“What about Sugawara-Sensei?” She asked, finding the little bag and tearing the opening. Daichi’s chest tightened at the mention of him.

“I don’t know if that would be appropriate…” he said, as gently as he could. When he glanced down again he could see the start of Kaori’s annoyance settle on her face as she picked out all the oranges—she hated them and refused to eat them—into her other palm. 

“But uncle Tanaka said you guys were best friends!” She frowned, but still handed her father the unwanted gummies. Daichi shrugged as he held them.

“We were when we were young, but things change.”

“Do you hate Sugawara-Sensei now?” She asked the question like it had been on her tongue for weeks. 

“No! Of course not,” he said, it was easy to avert questions when he gave honest answers. “Sometimes best friends don't talk for long amounts of time. And then it's hard to start conversations again,” he said, popping two gummies in his mouth.

“Grown ups are so annoying,” she said in a huff. “Friends always talk, when I'm old old like you and uncle Tanaka—”
“Old old?—”

“I’m gonna have a hundred friends! And we’re always gonna talk,” she declared. Daichi’s eyes softened at her outlook of the world. 

“That's a great goal to have, Kaori,” he said softly, patting her head, which bobbed like an old doll. 

“Don’t mess up my hair, papa,” she said, all the presence of a little princess—or tyrant depending on who’s talking—giving orders. Daichi laughed and nodded. 

“Course, sorry, kiddo,” he chuckled. 

“So… next time we play volleyball can Sugawara-Sensei join us?” She was so stubborn. Before Daichi could even reply she bolted away from him. “If I win the race he has to come!” She declared, mouth filled with hastily shoved fruit gummies. Daichi groaned. There were two things causing him a disadvantage. The bag on his shoulder was bulky (he'd brought his own equipment, clothes for the two of them, Kaori’s art supplies in case she needed a break, and water bottles) and Kaori was fast . He’d noticed it a year ago and now she’d taken a turn that didn’t even lead back to their apartment. He grabbed the bag itself under his arm and sprinted before he could lose sight of her. How was she so fast? Or did he just get tired more easily now? 

“Kaori!” He shouted. 

Daichi didn’t know if Kaori wanted to race, or wanted the freedom of running around in the evening without a chaperone. The girl was so eager to be grown up and it set a pit in his stomach. 

Sugawara hated evening grocery runs. He’d rather do them on his day off, he liked the later halves of his week to be free for himself. And instead it was now riddled with adult responsibility. But now he had all he needed to try out the new recipe he’d found. He’d test run it at home to see what tweaks he’d make for Noya and Asahi’s visit. 

This was the thought pattern he’d often become stuck on now. Visitors, influence, friends, his empty apartment filled with as much noise as he could before it burst out the door. His weeks and weekends were hardly dull. Except when they were, and he finds his nostalgia biting at his heels like a pest he can’t get rid of. And now with Kaori—it was like he could always hear the name Sawamura follow him. He didn’t even know how his mind drifted back to her, to Daichi, to the way they laugh in a stubborn way—he shook his head, hands clenching grocery bags tighter. Except it wasn’t in his head right now it was… real? 

He turned to the sound of tiny sprinting feet to his left and was shocked to find the ball of energy known as Sawamura Kaori careening towards him. He backed up immediately so she wouldn’t konk her head against the bag with cans of tomato paste. Daichi would kill him. 

“Woa, woah! Kaori?” He asked, still not entirely convinced he hadn’t somehow imagined her. But then she skidded to a stop in front of her, shaking her head in a canine way like she was shaking off nerves or dirt or something Suga couldn’t see. 

“Sugawara-Sensei?” She asked, equally in disbelief. Her eyes were a mix of accomplishment and scheming. A look he wishes he wasn't so used to seeing on her face in class. “Why are you here? Do you play volleyball at night? Like a sports vampire?” She asked, making little fangs at her mouth with her fingers. Suga couldn't help but laugh, confused as he was. 

“No, no, I was shopping, see?” He lifted the bags to his side and knelt down to be at her level. “Sawamura-Chan, where’s your dad?” He asked, a little worried.

“He always wins when he races so I made it harder for him,” she said proudly, hands on her hips. Sugawara shook his head. 

“He’s gonna be worried sick, Kao—Sawamura-Chan. We’re staying right here until he finds you,” he said. “Actually, I'm gonna call him,” he sighed, pulling his phone out. Dead. “Damn…” he murmured. “Okay… new plan—”
“Does the new plan have you playing volleyball with my dad and me?” she asked. Suga just blinked at her. 

“How do you know I play volleyball exactly?” He asked, his tone soft. Was Daichi talking about him? 

“My uncle Tanaka talks about you guys all the time!” She explained. Suga smiled gently. Good old blabbermouth Tanaka… he was gonna kill him later. 

After five minutes of chatter, of Suga trying to think what the best solution would be, and Suga also promising Kaori if she learned how to receive one day he’d show her how to set, the reality had set in for the girl that her father probably got lost. Suga could see her panic set in and guided her to a nearby bus stop to sit at the bench. 

“Have you gotten lost before?” He asked, watching as she curled into a ball when she sat, knees to her chest. 

She nodded. Told him it was only once before, how she hated getting lost. Hated it even more when she knew it's her fault. The sting of her blame hit Suga's chest. She was the spitting image of Daichi, down to his guilt, his overwhelming need to take responsibility. It made a soft chuckle escape his lips. “Why are you laughing?” She asked. Suga shook his head. 

“Your dad once got really lost, too. We were in high school, it was our first year and we’d run too far from the rest of our team.. We must have spent an hour trying to get back to school,” he explained. “He was scared, too…” maybe scared wasn’t the perfect term. But he’d studied Daichi’s nervous ticks enough at that point. “He was scared that me and Asahi would think he was an idiot for getting us lost, so he apologized all the way home. His voice was a bit higher too so it would sometimes crack mid-apology,” he explained warmly. Kaori looked  a bit less worried. Sugawara wondered if she knew her father was capable of emotions such as fear. 

“You know, Sugawara-Senpai—”

“Kaori! Kaori?!” Sugawara rose to his feet the second he heard Daichi’s voice. Thank god. Kaori hesitantly got up. She was so dead.

“Daichi!” Sugawara called, cupping his hand to his mouth. “She’s over here—Hi,” he said, not expecting fluster to strike him when he saw how the sunset’s light hit Daichi’s eyes when he looked at him. 

“Hi.” Daichi stood in place for only a measure, eyes turned amber flicking from Suga to his daughter. He didn’t look angry, but Kaori looked guilty. Sugawara figured for the moment that was good enough for Daichi. “You’re in so much trouble when we get home, little miss,” he scolded, then held his hand out. She took it and hugged his arm. Daichi sighed, a defeated man, felled by his own daughter. Sugawara smiled.

“I would’ve called you, but—” he flashed his dead phone screen. Daichi shook his head. 

“Don’t worry, I owe you, big time—”

“ He owes you volleyball. Volleyball, papa! ” Kaori whispered, attempting to be the devil on his shoulder. Before Daichi could apologize Sugawara started laughing hard. If his eyes weren’t closed, he’d have seen how Daichi’s widened at the sight. Like seeing rain after a drought.  

“Sawamura-Chan! Give the poor guy a break, he can barely keep pace with a six year old,” he sighed Daichi’s lips pursed at the tease.

“Hey! You try it, see how it goes,” he said.

“I do, it’s my job,” Suga countered. Daichi rolled his eyes.

“You always have to be right,” he smiled. Suga shrugged. 

“I think I just make good points.” He said. 

There was only silence again, two old friends grinning at a much missed past time of banter. Daichi opened his mouth to speak and Suga knew he was about to start singing his praises again. 

“I better get going,” he said. Daichi nodded. 

“Right, of course.” He tried his best not to look crestfallen. When Kaori noticed they were both heading in the same direction, she suggested they walk together until they had to break up. Neither party objected.