≪ Chapter 22 ≫

No One's POV

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The door shut as two certain teenagers headed into a home, taking off their shoes as they did so.

"Tadaima," Hikari announced, leading Tsukishima into the kitchen. "I brought Kei along. He caught a cold while we were out."

"Okaeri, nee-chan, nii-chan. How was your first day of the culture fest?" Hiroaki questioned, emerging from the door.

As Hikari poured some herbal tea into a cup, Tsukishima flopped down on a chair. The blonde was semi-knocked out, tired and a little sick.

"It was great," she answered, "and please pass this to Kei. I need to get some pills in the cabinet upstairs."

Hiroaki nodded obediently, handing the cup to Tsukishima, who took a sip.

"Arigato na, Ayu, Hiroaki," The blonde spat out, nose stuffed.

"Stop talking, you need to rest," Hikari said, heading up the stairs. "Where's kaa-chan, by the way?"

"Out with tou-san. They had this meeting that I didn't want to go to," Hiroaki yelled from the kitchen.

Tsukishima blew his nose. "Why didn't you go?"

" 'Cause it was boring, and I wanted to watch more of 'Dinosaur-kun!' " the kid explained, handing the older boy more tissues.

Hikari wasn't gone very long, and when she came back, she gave her friend a pill and some water, in hopes he'd feel better afterward.

"I'm calling your mom, telling her that you'll spend the night on the couch," she told him, and he nodded, for he was too tired to say anything more. "Take a shower, then head to the living room."

Hiroaki led Tsukishima to the bathroom, handing him a towel and some clean clothes.

As Hikari had the phone to her mouth, Hiroaki patiently waited for Tsukishima to finish, reading a picture book.

As soon as the tall first-year stepped outside the bath, Hiroaki followed him to the couch.

The little one wrapped Tsukishima in a soft, warm blanket, handing him tissues and tea every now and then. Hiroaki then took his temperature, relieved to see that the taller one was only down with a bad cold, nothing more.

When Hikari came back, she had some soup in hand, setting it down on the coffee table next to where Tsukishima was lying. The time was now in the evening, and he had now begun to regret going out after school. He thought about missing the second day of the culture festival, but he didn't want to miss it (even if he wouldn't admit it out loud).

"Your mom said to take better care of yourself and to rest. Please don't binge any more of Dinosaur-kun," Hikari told him, scooping up the hot soup with a spoon. "Here, it's hot."

Tsukishima sipped it up, rubbing his tired eyes afterward. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be, just rest. You're always welcome," she sighed, scooping up more soup.

It wasn't long before Hikari had a feeling of deja vu, blushing as she remembered that she was once like this not long ago, and someone was taking care of her just like this.

After Tsukishima was finished with the soup, he went immediately to sleep, thankfully without a fever.

Hikari had her brother go to bed in his room before she entered her own, grabbing some sweatpants and a shirt from her dresser. She then proceeded to walk to the bath.

After taking a quick shower, she threw herself on her bed, rolling around on the fluffy blanket she had spread out.

Her ears perked up at the sound of her ringtone (which may or may not have been the sound of the ten-dollar founding father rapping). The brunette adjusted her glasses and snatched her phone from her night-table, putting it to her ears.

"Hai, Ayumu desu," she said quietly.

With a telephone-quality voice, the one on the other side spoke. "How is Tsukishima?"

"No fever. He's resting," she answered, "why do you ask, K- Sugawara?"

"I heard that stuttering, Ayumu."

"Would you shut up? I'm hanging up."

"No, no wait. I was going to ask you something."

"That can wait another day. I- Wait, how'd you even reach me?."

"That can wait another day. Bye, Ayumu."

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This morning was different.

On his way to school, Sugawara walked silently with his famous blue scarf around his neck as he wore a very subtle blush on his face.

He couldn't get her out of his head, and he didn't know why. He didn't want to think of her; he was supposed to hate her.

Supposed to, anyway. Maybe that's what everyone thought. But she was just swarming his mind like ants swarming sweets.

The way she was to him— it made him confused. Her sudden outrages, her insults, her cold stares, and despite all of those she managed to act kindly and sweetly to him sometimes.

He then thought of her smile, the lovely-smelling, coca-colored-hair of hers, her deep chocolate eyes behind those glasses of hers.

Her.

Why did I hate her in the first place? Why didn't I choose to befriend her? I feel so compatible with her, I don't understand. Had I known it would be like this, maybe I never should've agreed to play the stupid game.

He sighed.

I remember why.

He grumbled behind the light blue scarf, shutting his eyes.

Sugawara thought of her once more, imagining her cold glare staring straight at him. He imagined that she had just insulted him, calling him stupid or something along those lines. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

But then crept in a thought of her sunshine smile. In his mind, she wore a bright grin, her cheeks were rosy, and her hair fell lightly to one side.

He opened his eyes.

'I need to stop. '

By the time he finished thinking, he found himself to be right at the Karasuno gates. The time was six thirty-seven in the morning.

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It was already late into the morning, and soon would certain stalls close down for lunch.

Hikari's class was already wrapping up, as the morning set of workers cleaned up for the afternoon.

The cola-haired megane clapped her hands and announced that the haunted house was closed, and her classmates shuffled around quickly to head out for lunch.

"I'm glad that we five are on the same shift this time," Ishinomori commented, earning a nod from Daichi.

"I'm not. I could live without this guy over here," Hikari disagreed, pointing over to Sugawara.

"Hika-chan, I thought you were going to be sensible for the whole culture fest. I am gravely disappointed," Ezakiya shook her head, taking her mask off.

Hikari grinned. "Sorry. It slipped."

"That sounded pretty sarcastic," Sugawara pointed out, poking the glasses-wearing female.

"Like you'd ever care," she shot back, folding her arms. "I'm going to look for Kei and Tadashi."

"Is he alright? He seemed pretty dead yesterday," he questioned.

"Who, Kei? He's fine. And, by the way, I still haven't gotten my answer."

"Answer to?"

"How and why did you decide to call?"

"Look over there, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi are heading toward us. Ooh, I'll leave you to it."

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a/n: i am so so so so sososososoososos sorry im 

it's been way too long and all i can give out it this stupid short filler

//grumbles and rolls around

hhHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHh

please forgive me

i imagine death so much it feels more like a memory

whens it gonna get me

fuywbewbcbweyvcbxiuwebcuywvbcbwecik

i promise next chapter will be so much better i promise i promise i promise 

also for those who think tsukki was being too ooc when he was sick

it wasnt being ooc, that was on purpose, bc i feel like he didnt want to have put up walls around hikari since it was too tiring to do so

besides they're practically siblings (but still arent hmhmmhmhmmmmm)

anyways, thats it 

jaa ne

nyx