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Their time together seemed way too fast compared to how long he had anticipated that moment, but he was happy nonetheless. They had spent the remainder of the time catching up on the small details in the days leading up to that one. Oikawa’s stories, of course, mostly revolved around practice, but he still made sure to include the study time he had thrown in at night when he was able. His tutor followed a similar, predictable pattern of stories about most of her time being related to studying or other academic preoccupations.

The atmosphere surrounding them felt different that day in general. Their usual banter was there, but the embarrassment that usually accompanied some of the physical teasing that tended to happen between them was replaced instead with quiet fluster and shy acceptance.

It had taken Oikawa by surprise when his tutor had initiated pulling them out from their shared seat, hand-in-hand still, and leading them down the road after he had offered to walk her to the station. It led to where they currently were—not too far from their destination, fingers still intertwined, and both seeming to understand the approaching end by the slowing of their pace. Oikawa took it as a silent acknowledgment that neither of them wanted to rush their goodbyes.

Yet, the extra time inevitably led to extra thinking. He had already told himself earlier he didn’t want to over think it—overthink them—or what they were both doing right now. But he also knew there were some things he just flat out didn’t want to acknowledge.

He didn’t want to think about what type of consequences he would eventually have to face later given his selfish choices today. He didn’t want to pay attention to the noticeable drumming of his heart when his tutor’s hand would sometimes tighten around his own.

He especially didn’t want to admit how much his insides stirred when their eyes met and he could find a similar warmth in her gaze. A similar yearning, even.

Ah, the insults Iwaizumi would have for him if only he were here and could read his mind. It wouldn’t feel undeserved.

Finally in front of the station, they had come to a stop, “Thanks for walking me, Oikawa-kun. I, uh,” she looked toward her feet and then back up to him again. “I liked being able to catch up with you. It was fun.”

He nodded in agreement and lightly squeezed at her hand. “Well, since you’re starting the sap fest...” she giggled at the quip, and he met her with a grin before continuing. “I wanted to thank you for meeting with me today. And for listening to me earlier. You helped me a lot, actually.”

She seemed surprised by this and then settled with a small smile. “I’m glad. I’m here if you ever need me, Oikawa-kun.”

Silence followed after and their gazes lingered. Oikawa didn’t know what the consequences of today could be, but he also knew he wouldn’t have much time to think about it once she left. Once she was gone, and once he was home, his mind could really only shift into doing one thing—preparing for tomorrow.

He couldn’t help but slightly worry about the creeping anxiety of change, though. Acknowledging the different types of change sent him down an even more dangerous path of overthinking. The uncertainty of their future in that type of decision pushed him away from looking into it too much more in that moment.

“So, when will the Interhigh be over?” Her question pulled him from his spiraling thoughts.

“Uh,” he hummed and thought for a second. “Tuesday is the last day.”

She seemed hesitant before starting again. “...Do you think that we could meet at the park after it’s finished?”

“Are you prepared to deal with my shitty mood if we meet after?”

“Are you saying you’re going to lose?” she asked with a raised brow.

“Of course not, stuuupid,” he ruffled her hair, temporarily breaking their connected hands to do so, but then just as quickly grabbing it back into his grasp after. “I just know I’m going to be an annoyingly sore winner, so be prepared for that, ‘kay?”

“Ah,” she giggled, face glowing red. “I should have guessed that’s what you meant.”

“Also, though, it might be a little late since the guys and I sometimes get ramen after.”

She nodded understandingly. “I’ll be at the school pretty late, so you can just message me since it’s nearby anyway.”

“It’s settled then,” he grinned. “And I’ll be expecting more milk bread since you aren’t able to come cheer me on at the games.”

“Hey, you know I would if I could,” she pouted. Oikawa poked at her nose and really, really had to fight the urge to pull her into any more of an embrace than their already locked hands.

“I know, my cute (y/n)-chan~” he mused.

She frowned, but in what seemed to be in reaction to the sound of the approaching train rather than his comment. “I should get going.”

“Yeah, it’s late,” he nodded, though somewhat glumly. “So, your mission now is to text me once you get home safely. Can I rely on you?”

“Sure thing, nerdy-kawa.”

“I really don’t want to hear that from you,” he chortled.

The girl stuck her tongue out at him and finally pulled away from his grasp. She paused. “Oikawa-kun. Good luck.” she held up a clenched fist to him. He smirked, returning the gesture.

She smiled at the motion and finally turned, sending one final wave before disappearing from his sight as she hurried down the stairs.

Oikawa knew what happened today would need to be something he addressed eventually, but he also knew he needed some more time to really think about what exactly their actions meant. What it might lead to. Good or bad.

But, for now, he decided to focus on her words of encouragement instead. Because with that blessing alone, he felt motivated and ready.

Tomorrow was the start of the Interhigh Preliminaries. It was as simple as remembering that fact which made him able to set off with a familiar resolve.

. . .

The preliminaries seemed to come and go too quickly, a blur of games that only seemed to slow down while standing in the court. Oikawa found that nothing threw time off for him quite like big games days. Volleyball itself was just major whiplash—everything happened so fast. You spend 90% of your time training, and that small 10% goes toward the games—the results of your practice. Thinking about it like that turned some people away, but it did nothing to sway how Oikawa felt.

The first day always passed by the fastest, though—be careful to blink or you’ll miss it type of situation—but Monday was a different story. Fighting Karasuno was a whole other game of its own. Their team just brought a completely foreign feel to the game that Oikawa found frustrating, yet exciting. Oikawa worked off trial and error with them. His team learned the weaknesses of their opponent and quickly found a way to neutralize the threat. First Tobio, then the little flying shrimp. They were full of surprises and always, always exhausting to battle.

Despite the challenge his former genius teammate and the rest of Karasuno presented, they just were not fully meshed. Seijou was fine and polished. Karasuno was still figuring out their edges. It was impossible to pass through flawlessly, but it wasn’t able to get in the way of Oikawa’s true anticipated competitor: the irritatingly amazing Shiratorizawa.

And it was Tuesday, the last day of Interhigh, where Oikawa and his team faced off against the powerhouse school. Against Ushijima.

Iwaizumi always said that all they could do was fight their hardest. Oikawa felt that would make the loss sting more, but he knew his friend was right. Despite the years of frustration Ushijima had brought him, Oikawa understood their goals were the same, and he had to stay focused. He wanted to pave their way to nationals. That’s all he really wanted.

But it was that day Oikawa got yet another reminder that, sometimes, the mere brute force of a genius can easily overcome not just ninety, but one-hundred percent of the hard work of someone without those same qualities. Someone like Oikawa.

Seijou had lost their first ticket to nationals to the infamous Shiratorizawa. Despite Oikawa’s original wishes, they would have to take their fight to the Spring Tournament in hopes of a second chance.

In the face of his broken-hearted underclassmen, Oikawa refused to show despair. He spouted the words he was familiar with, words that normally accommodated a harsh defeat. A phrase he knew all too well at that point:

We keep moving forward.

He was able to stay strong in front of the younger players. With Iwaizumi and the other third years by his side, it was easy—fun, even—to trash talk Ushijima and his stupid strength and even stupider, solemn personality. It was also motivating to focus on the future with his team—to focus on what they could do to prepare for their next challenge.

After a few more hours of banter and consoling the underclassmen, Oikawa left the dinner a bit early in order to keep his promise of meeting with his tutor, texting her as he waved goodbye to the familiar faces in the restaurant (and ignoring the obnoxious shouts of good luck from the third years). The text didn’t seem to come soon enough, though, for Oikawa found himself at an empty park.

He reserved their spots on the swing set and stared blankly at the ground below him, kicking at it as he waited. He then looked up to observe the lonely sight of a park abandoned of all but him.

The squeaking of the swing rhythmically swayed along with the slight blowing of the trees nearby. He was lost in thought, feeling as though now, in his moments of solitude, time finally caught up with him again. The preliminaries were no longer in control of the sporadic fast-forwarding of time, as it so readily displayed the last three days. He was in the present time again, and now, nothing could stop his thoughts from racing in his reflection of the games. No filter to stop the bubbling regret. No Iwaizumi to punch him out of the serious expression that no doubt marked his face.

He heard her approaching footsteps before he saw her.

His tutor approached him timidly, but with a soft smile that seemed to melt his core. She looked worried. Observant. She definitely already knew the results of today.

Oikawa tried his best to flip the switch. He smiled and opened his arms toward her. “Come here and comfort me, (y/n)-chan!” Not even a second passed before he chuckled to himself, dropping his arms and adding, “Just kidding, I’m fine. No need to look at me like you just saw a puppy get kicked...”

His sentence trailed off and he couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze again—her stare that felt more like a mirror that he just didn’t have the energy to face right now.

The crunch of shifting sand grew louder with the sudden flurry of steps and Oikawa didn’t have time to look up before he was wrapped in an embrace. Arms around his neck, and her face burying into his shoulder. He sat frozen in place, unsure of how he should move next.

“...But you’re not kidding, right?” she breathed into his ear, voice shaking, maybe from nerves or maybe from the overwhelming flow of raw emotion he could feel emitting from her. His breath hitched in his throat.

“It’s okay, Tooru...” she continued, holding him tighter.

His body melted at these words, as if she muttered just the right spell to unravel the tension in him that he had not even been aware of. His arms wrapped around her waist, recklessly pulling her closer to the warmth of his own body.

Such a heavy sense of comfort that was not new, but different, for Oikawa overwhelmed him and unlocked something within him that he had been keeping in for those long three days. In that moment, the emotions kept piling until they flowed to the forefront of his mind—pouring out in waves. Frustration at his struggle against Karasuno. Anger and despair from the loss against Shiratorizawa. Disappointment in himself, and the pain of having felt as though he had let his team down.

Oikawa understood more than anyone how focusing on these emotions for too long was fruitless and even crippling to a player. He knew this. But Oikawa also understood that these emotions were real. Real not just to him, but for any player—any person—who suffered a loss in something that they had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into.

He would bounce back, he knows. Without a doubt, Oikawa was just as skilled at moving forward in search for growth as he was at making the perfect toss for his teammates.

But Oikawa also could not deny that the support from his tutor, his dear friend, who he held in his arms was special. And above every other emotion that began to wash out of him, the one that grew stronger than the rest, causing him to embrace her so tightly, was the immense gratitude he felt for her.

Yet again, time seemed to pause. Every breath he took was of her, and their intermingled breathing mixed with the slight creaking of the swing was the harmony that danced around them as they embraced.

“(Y/n),” he muttered, a slight muffle to his voice from being pressed into her shoulder.

There was a lot he could say. The swell in his chest was evidence enough for him to no longer ignore it. Despite understanding his feelings, there was only one thing he truly wanted to get across in the moment, to this girl who he cared for so deeply.

“Thank you.”

Description

Their time together seemed way too fast compared to how long he had anticipated that moment, but he was happy nonetheless. They had spent the remainder of the time catching up on the small details in the days leading up to that one. Oikawa’s stories, of course, mostly revolved around practice, but he still made sure to include the study time he had thrown in at night when he was able. His tutor followed a similar, predictable pattern of stories about most of her time being related to studying or other academic preoccupations.

The atmosphere surrounding them felt different that day in general. Their usual banter was there, but the embarrassment that usually accompanied some of the physical teasing that tended to happen between them was replaced instead with quiet fluster and shy acceptance.

It had taken Oikawa by surprise when his tutor had initiated pulling them out from their shared seat, hand-in-hand still, and leading them down the road after he had offered to walk her to the station. It led to where they currently were—not too far from their destination, fingers still intertwined, and both seeming to understand the approaching end by the slowing of their pace. Oikawa took it as a silent acknowledgment that neither of them wanted to rush their goodbyes.

Yet, the extra time inevitably led to extra thinking. He had already told himself earlier he didn’t want to over think it—overthink them—or what they were both doing right now. But he also knew there were some things he just flat out didn’t want to acknowledge.

He didn’t want to think about what type of consequences he would eventually have to face later given his selfish choices today. He didn’t want to pay attention to the noticeable drumming of his heart when his tutor’s hand would sometimes tighten around his own.

He especially didn’t want to admit how much his insides stirred when their eyes met and he could find a similar warmth in her gaze. A similar yearning, even.

Ah, the insults Iwaizumi would have for him if only he were here and could read his mind. It wouldn’t feel undeserved.

Finally in front of the station, they had come to a stop, “Thanks for walking me, Oikawa-kun. I, uh,” she looked toward her feet and then back up to him again. “I liked being able to catch up with you. It was fun.”

He nodded in agreement and lightly squeezed at her hand. “Well, since you’re starting the sap fest...” she giggled at the quip, and he met her with a grin before continuing. “I wanted to thank you for meeting with me today. And for listening to me earlier. You helped me a lot, actually.”

She seemed surprised by this and then settled with a small smile. “I’m glad. I’m here if you ever need me, Oikawa-kun.”

Silence followed after and their gazes lingered. Oikawa didn’t know what the consequences of today could be, but he also knew he wouldn’t have much time to think about it once she left. Once she was gone, and once he was home, his mind could really only shift into doing one thing—preparing for tomorrow.

He couldn’t help but slightly worry about the creeping anxiety of change, though. Acknowledging the different types of change sent him down an even more dangerous path of overthinking. The uncertainty of their future in that type of decision pushed him away from looking into it too much more in that moment.

“So, when will the Interhigh be over?” Her question pulled him from his spiraling thoughts.

“Uh,” he hummed and thought for a second. “Tuesday is the last day.”

She seemed hesitant before starting again. “...Do you think that we could meet at the park after it’s finished?”

“Are you prepared to deal with my shitty mood if we meet after?”

“Are you saying you’re going to lose?” she asked with a raised brow.

“Of course not, stuuupid,” he ruffled her hair, temporarily breaking their connected hands to do so, but then just as quickly grabbing it back into his grasp after. “I just know I’m going to be an annoyingly sore winner, so be prepared for that, ‘kay?”

“Ah,” she giggled, face glowing red. “I should have guessed that’s what you meant.”

“Also, though, it might be a little late since the guys and I sometimes get ramen after.”

She nodded understandingly. “I’ll be at the school pretty late, so you can just message me since it’s nearby anyway.”

“It’s settled then,” he grinned. “And I’ll be expecting more milk bread since you aren’t able to come cheer me on at the games.”

“Hey, you know I would if I could,” she pouted. Oikawa poked at her nose and really, really had to fight the urge to pull her into any more of an embrace than their already locked hands.

“I know, my cute (y/n)-chan~” he mused.

She frowned, but in what seemed to be in reaction to the sound of the approaching train rather than his comment. “I should get going.”

“Yeah, it’s late,” he nodded, though somewhat glumly. “So, your mission now is to text me once you get home safely. Can I rely on you?”

“Sure thing, nerdy-kawa.”

“I really don’t want to hear that from you,” he chortled.

The girl stuck her tongue out at him and finally pulled away from his grasp. She paused. “Oikawa-kun. Good luck.” she held up a clenched fist to him. He smirked, returning the gesture.

She smiled at the motion and finally turned, sending one final wave before disappearing from his sight as she hurried down the stairs.

Oikawa knew what happened today would need to be something he addressed eventually, but he also knew he needed some more time to really think about what exactly their actions meant. What it might lead to. Good or bad.

But, for now, he decided to focus on her words of encouragement instead. Because with that blessing alone, he felt motivated and ready.

Tomorrow was the start of the Interhigh Preliminaries. It was as simple as remembering that fact which made him able to set off with a familiar resolve.

. . .

The preliminaries seemed to come and go too quickly, a blur of games that only seemed to slow down while standing in the court. Oikawa found that nothing threw time off for him quite like big games days. Volleyball itself was just major whiplash—everything happened so fast. You spend 90% of your time training, and that small 10% goes toward the games—the results of your practice. Thinking about it like that turned some people away, but it did nothing to sway how Oikawa felt.

The first day always passed by the fastest, though—be careful to blink or you’ll miss it type of situation—but Monday was a different story. Fighting Karasuno was a whole other game of its own. Their team just brought a completely foreign feel to the game that Oikawa found frustrating, yet exciting. Oikawa worked off trial and error with them. His team learned the weaknesses of their opponent and quickly found a way to neutralize the threat. First Tobio, then the little flying shrimp. They were full of surprises and always, always exhausting to battle.

Despite the challenge his former genius teammate and the rest of Karasuno presented, they just were not fully meshed. Seijou was fine and polished. Karasuno was still figuring out their edges. It was impossible to pass through flawlessly, but it wasn’t able to get in the way of Oikawa’s true anticipated competitor: the irritatingly amazing Shiratorizawa.

And it was Tuesday, the last day of Interhigh, where Oikawa and his team faced off against the powerhouse school. Against Ushijima.

Iwaizumi always said that all they could do was fight their hardest. Oikawa felt that would make the loss sting more, but he knew his friend was right. Despite the years of frustration Ushijima had brought him, Oikawa understood their goals were the same, and he had to stay focused. He wanted to pave their way to nationals. That’s all he really wanted.

But it was that day Oikawa got yet another reminder that, sometimes, the mere brute force of a genius can easily overcome not just ninety, but one-hundred percent of the hard work of someone without those same qualities. Someone like Oikawa.

Seijou had lost their first ticket to nationals to the infamous Shiratorizawa. Despite Oikawa’s original wishes, they would have to take their fight to the Spring Tournament in hopes of a second chance.

In the face of his broken-hearted underclassmen, Oikawa refused to show despair. He spouted the words he was familiar with, words that normally accommodated a harsh defeat. A phrase he knew all too well at that point:

We keep moving forward.

He was able to stay strong in front of the younger players. With Iwaizumi and the other third years by his side, it was easy—fun, even—to trash talk Ushijima and his stupid strength and even stupider, solemn personality. It was also motivating to focus on the future with his team—to focus on what they could do to prepare for their next challenge.

After a few more hours of banter and consoling the underclassmen, Oikawa left the dinner a bit early in order to keep his promise of meeting with his tutor, texting her as he waved goodbye to the familiar faces in the restaurant (and ignoring the obnoxious shouts of good luck from the third years). The text didn’t seem to come soon enough, though, for Oikawa found himself at an empty park.

He reserved their spots on the swing set and stared blankly at the ground below him, kicking at it as he waited. He then looked up to observe the lonely sight of a park abandoned of all but him.

The squeaking of the swing rhythmically swayed along with the slight blowing of the trees nearby. He was lost in thought, feeling as though now, in his moments of solitude, time finally caught up with him again. The preliminaries were no longer in control of the sporadic fast-forwarding of time, as it so readily displayed the last three days. He was in the present time again, and now, nothing could stop his thoughts from racing in his reflection of the games. No filter to stop the bubbling regret. No Iwaizumi to punch him out of the serious expression that no doubt marked his face.

He heard her approaching footsteps before he saw her.

His tutor approached him timidly, but with a soft smile that seemed to melt his core. She looked worried. Observant. She definitely already knew the results of today.

Oikawa tried his best to flip the switch. He smiled and opened his arms toward her. “Come here and comfort me, (y/n)-chan!” Not even a second passed before he chuckled to himself, dropping his arms and adding, “Just kidding, I’m fine. No need to look at me like you just saw a puppy get kicked...”

His sentence trailed off and he couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze again—her stare that felt more like a mirror that he just didn’t have the energy to face right now.

The crunch of shifting sand grew louder with the sudden flurry of steps and Oikawa didn’t have time to look up before he was wrapped in an embrace. Arms around his neck, and her face burying into his shoulder. He sat frozen in place, unsure of how he should move next.

“...But you’re not kidding, right?” she breathed into his ear, voice shaking, maybe from nerves or maybe from the overwhelming flow of raw emotion he could feel emitting from her. His breath hitched in his throat.

“It’s okay, Tooru...” she continued, holding him tighter.

His body melted at these words, as if she muttered just the right spell to unravel the tension in him that he had not even been aware of. His arms wrapped around her waist, recklessly pulling her closer to the warmth of his own body.

Such a heavy sense of comfort that was not new, but different, for Oikawa overwhelmed him and unlocked something within him that he had been keeping in for those long three days. In that moment, the emotions kept piling until they flowed to the forefront of his mind—pouring out in waves. Frustration at his struggle against Karasuno. Anger and despair from the loss against Shiratorizawa. Disappointment in himself, and the pain of having felt as though he had let his team down.

Oikawa understood more than anyone how focusing on these emotions for too long was fruitless and even crippling to a player. He knew this. But Oikawa also understood that these emotions were real. Real not just to him, but for any player—any person—who suffered a loss in something that they had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into.

He would bounce back, he knows. Without a doubt, Oikawa was just as skilled at moving forward in search for growth as he was at making the perfect toss for his teammates.

But Oikawa also could not deny that the support from his tutor, his dear friend, who he held in his arms was special. And above every other emotion that began to wash out of him, the one that grew stronger than the rest, causing him to embrace her so tightly, was the immense gratitude he felt for her.

Yet again, time seemed to pause. Every breath he took was of her, and their intermingled breathing mixed with the slight creaking of the swing was the harmony that danced around them as they embraced.

“(Y/n),” he muttered, a slight muffle to his voice from being pressed into her shoulder.

There was a lot he could say. The swell in his chest was evidence enough for him to no longer ignore it. Despite understanding his feelings, there was only one thing he truly wanted to get across in the moment, to this girl who he cared for so deeply.

“Thank you.”