2014 - 2015

"Can you pass me the salt?"

"I'm sure you've got enough salt in your attitude to bake the cake with,"

"...I want a divorce,"

"Wait, we were married?!" Kei shot his head around to look Bokuto in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?!" Kei sighed and held out his hand, fingers waving him closer. Bokuto felt himself drawing near, his hand moving to intertwine their fingers together. Kei pulled him flush towards his body, their noses bumping together. Kei looked deeply into his eyes, Bokuto losing himself at the loving look. Kei smoothly brought up his hands and held the owl's face tenderly. He brought their lips together, sharing a sweet kiss that had Bokuto weak in the knees.

"Ah, you're such an idiot," Kei leaned forward to place a kiss on his nose. Bokuto giggled at the abnormally sweet action from the middle blocker. "Now get me the fucking salt," and the moment was ruined.

"You really are a salt shaker," Bokuto headed to get him the ingredient anyway. "Do you want me to cut the carrots?"

"Nah. Just throw it in the food processor. It'll work better that way," the two were busy baking a carrot cake while they waited for Kuroo to return with Akaashi and his possessions. It was moving day, after all.

"Ah, you can't believe how happy I am that Keiji is moving in. Last year was so difficult," Bokuto groaned.

Kei had to agree. The amount of times Akaashi had suddenly called up one of them late at night gave away how isolated he had begun to feel. The apartment wasn't the biggest place in the world, but it would suffice for their current needs. Downsizing was never once an issue in Akaashi's mind, as long as he could be closer to the others.

"Do you think he'll have trouble adapting to university life?" Kei brought up.

"Eh. I don't think so. The workload might be a bit of a shock, but at least I think he's sure about his degree unlike Tetsu that completely changed two weeks in," Bokuto shrugged his shoulders.

"Still, economics. I didn't exactly expect that," Kei shook his head.

"He's happy though, and I think it suites him. Kinda sucks Kozume decided on another university but I'm sure he'll still come to Tetsu for help. Some of his business courses are similar to what he had last year,"

The two continued back and forth between subjects and everyone's whereabouts. Bokuto had been quite disappointed to hear Nishinoya would be quitting volleyball as he still felt the libero was someone to challenge in the future. Also, speaking of liberos...

"Yaku actually made it into the Russian volleyball super league like... he is insane. Also, I heard from Kozume that the Russian half-ling and his sister went back to the motherland to become models or something," Bokuto shook his head in disbelief, crouching in front of the oven's small window to watch the cake bake.

"...you really are interested in where everyone ends up, aren't you?" Kei knew Bokuto was the person who kept tabs on all the graduates.

"Well, yeah. High school was a good way to see who are the good players and I want to play against them again! I like knowing where everyone is, so that I can go face off against them and see how much better they've gotten!" Kei huffed amusedly at Bokuto's resolve. He was the person who stood on a court and got the entire audience to cheer him on, whether he was the enemy or not. Bokuto brought people together and was a control tower of sorts.

It made sense that he wouldn't let any experience pass him by.

The front door flew open, the cat dragging in the newest tenant.

"Ooh what is that smell?" Akaashi wondered, removing his winter coat and hanging it up on the rack.

"Carrot cake. Tsukki was bored," Bokuto answered, moving towards them with a huge welcoming smile.

"Well, I'm liking what your boredom seems to yield," Akaashi sauntered up to Kei, wrapping his arms around the taller male's waist. Kei leaned his head down for a sweet welcome-home kiss. They pulled their faces away, but still held onto each other. Kei leaned over Akaashi's shoulder to kiss Kuroo, Akaashi doing the same with Bokuto.

"Kōtarō, how about you come help me bring in the boxes?" Kuroo questioned.

"Sounds like a plan," the two started on the process, Akaashi finding his way to the barstool at the kitchen island. He had been on his feet the entire day, packing up his last minute things.

"...I was thinking of doing some redesigning around the apartment, since these boys of ours clearly don't know proper décor. Do you have any suggestions?" Akaashi discussed with Kei who was cleaning up in the kitchen.

"Hmm I've always thought the walls in the bedroom were quite ugly, but I don't know. Yellow might just not be my colour," Kei commented.

"We should make it blue, but like with a third of the wall black. At the bottom. That'll look pretty cool," Akaashi hummed in thought, leaning his face into his hands.

"What about your study? You said you wanted to drag more bookcases in there, right?" Akaashi nodded.

"Yeah. I want to have everything organised so that it can be my place of work. I'm also going to be implementing some rules with Tetsurō and Kōtarō. If my study door is closed, then don't bother me," he huffed to himself. "The amount of times I'd study in Fukurōdani's library and Kō would rush in and mess it up was more than I'd like to admit,"

"Surely last year with Tetsu's studies would've helped in this regard?" Kei wondered.

"Sure, of course; and that was when Tetsu still had his study set up in the bedroom. Not that Kō is here throughout the day a lot, anyway. Practice hours are insane,"

"But it's fun!" Bokuto entered the scene, arms carrying a box labelled 'Books'. "It's like training camp, every week!" Only Bokuto would enjoy that much practice. "Also, did you hear? My new setter is going to be that fox Miya guy,"

"He's friends with Hinata, so I'm sure you'll be on the same wavelength as him too," Kei commented.

"Woah, seriously? Our son Hinata? That Hinata?" Bokuto placed a box down on the couch.

"Do we know another Hinata? Also, since when did we adopt a tangerine?" Kei frowned.

"Not your son, Tsukki. He's me and Keiji's son!"

"Keiji and I," Akaashi mumbled under his breath.

"Well, I'm glad I don't have custody over him," Kei just shook his head. Bokuto and Kuroo continued on carrying boxes in from the car, Kei removing the baked cake to cool.

"Say, while I'm doing some decorating, how do you want your study to look like?" Kei seemed to freeze at the question and looked to the pretty ex-setter with wide eyes.

"My study?" he repeated to himself.

"Yeah. We made sure this apartment had enough rooms for each of us to have a place to study – minus Kōtarō, of course. I can paint a dinosaur on the wall if you want?" Kei chuckled at the idea of such a childish room and how he actually wouldn't mind it. "Unless you don't want to move in with us?" Kei's eyes shot to Akaashi and he was surprised to see him completely calm, no accusation or hurt in his expression. "There's no judgement at all. We're all different from each other and yeah, moving in together at eighteen is a bit terrifying so if you don't feel ready yet then that's that. Don't force yourself to do things you're uncomfortable with. We'll support you,"

"No, no it's not that," Kei shook his hands dismissively, trying to reassure Akaashi.

"Hm? What're you talking about?" Bokuto and Kuroo came in with the last couple of small boxes.

"We're discussing if Kei wants to move in next year," Akaashi said calmly.

"What? Why wouldn't he?! Is this because I left my underwear in the kitchen that one time and Tetsu posted it on the group to shame me because if it is, then I'm sorry and I promise to never do it again!" Bokuto cried, falling to his knees dramatically. Kei huffed amusedly.

"No, it's not that it's just... my brother and I have been talking and call me a bit stereotypical, but I think I want to experience the first year residency life," Kei nervously fiddled with his fingers, a bit embarrassed to bring it up.

"Oh yeah, that's definitely an entire different domain. The residencies all have their own orientation and 'wars' with other residencies and definitely something you can miss out on if you're not in one. I heard a lot about it from my classmates," Kuroo nodded with certainty.

"...yeah, I don't see the appeal. I'm happy right here with you guys but if you want to go live in the residency then we're not stopping you, Kei," Akaashi smiled gently.

"We'll miss you, bro," Bokuto drew a heart in the air with his fingers. Kei smiled at the action.

"Just the first year. Living on campus will also be beneficial to learn the way around, especially since I'll probably be going to a different place than you guys,"

"Or if you like it, then you shouldn't leave just for us. Try it out and then decide what's best for you," Akaashi assured him, the other two already going on to other things.

"You should get a map," Kuroo offered.

"Or a falcon,"

"Kōtarō, no,"

Kei smiled to himself. What had he even been worried about again – that the relationship was a bit too rushed? Maybe it had been a bit rushed with him, the newest member, but they were more than accommodating and considerate. They loved him enough that it wasn't even an option in their mind to forcefully tie him down. He would move in when he felt it was the right time.

Kei never had a relationship before so he never had any relationship drama with it. Suddenly jumping straight into the polyamorous relationship drama had been a bit more than anticipated, but if there was one thing he could be thankful for, was that they were in a group relationship. There was no primary couple, no hierarchies within the relationship and they were all committed to each other - it wasn't an open relationship.

None of them were unicorns.

Each relationship within the unit was unique and gave the sense of being the best of both worlds – or four worlds, really. Three for each relationship with another, and the forth being the whole.

Still, he had to ask...

"Hey, do you think we'll all ever fall in love again and have a fifth?" Akaashi almost spat out the coffee he had gotten for himself; Bokuto began chocking uncontrollably and Kuroo was cackling like a hyena.

"Oh god no, we have enough. I will not be able to deal with one more person," Akaashi shook his head with a worried expression.

"We don't have enough bed space!" was Bokuto's concern.

"Before, I had been a bit wavering when it was just us three 'cause I probably knew we still had space for one more but now I'm absolutely sure we can't divide up the Lion King's song between five people," Kei had no idea what Kuroo was on about.

"Why? Do you... Kei, do you like someone?" it hurt Akaashi to ask, an upsetting frown on his forehead.

"Oh god, is it a girl? Dude, our gay asses can't handle that," Kei began to giggle uncontrollably at Kuroo's expression, the three looking towards him with surprise.

His laugh was so cute.

"No, no, you guys should see your faces! Nah, I was just making sure that we'll all on the same page here. Just because we managed to get to four, doesn't mean it's a good idea to go even higher," Kei said with a smile, amusement glittering in his eyes. All three sighed in relief.

"That's good to hear. I was worried there for a second that you didn't think we were... enough; because I really think we are. I think not only are we the right amount, but that we're the right people too," Kei found himself a bit flustered at Akaashi's words.

What's that supposed to mean?

"Aww, is that like a pseudo marriage proposal? You think we're insanely lucky for finding each other early in life in need to lock it down or something?" Kuroo teased, pulling at Akaashi's cheek. He frowned embarrassedly and swatted away the cat's hand.

"No. This is not a proposal. It's just... like, you know... I..." everyone chuckled at Akaashi's cute expression that turned even redder with the teasing.

"I love us and I love how we are now. That's enough, right?" everyone blinked at Bokuto's blatant words and beamed.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's more than enough," Kei's heart began to flutter, his mind settled a bit at ease from his past year's worries.

They loved him, they thought they were meant to be... well, was it too ambitious to say forever? It was a childish word, one used in fairy tales but he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel like he was living a fairy tale. So, for the sake of putting words to the feelings he felt, he would use and put up with the word. He could pretend in his inner most thoughts that he had been saved by knights in shining armour. Perhaps, instead of shining armour, it had been sweaty volleyball uniforms.

Did that make him the damsel in distress? Nah. He had been the evil wizard who conjured up the dragon they had to defeat first before they got to him and knighted him as well.

Kei knew he should leave the story telling up to Akaashi, but riding into a sunset with these three bastards just seemed too good to be true.

And maybe, just maybe, that wasn't a foolish dream. Maybe, forever wasn't out of their reach.

In that case, forever was a really long time. Forever didn't need to be rushed. Forever would happen when it happened; he didn't need to go looking for it.

Forever would be finding them when the time was right.

Daedalus turned to his son, Icarus, and warned him of two things: complacency, and hubris.

"Icarus, your wings are made of wax and feathers. Do not fly too close to sun for the wax will melt, and do not fly too close to the ocean for the dampness will clog the feathers. You must follow the path of light. Do not fall at the hands of hubris,"

Everyone knows how that story ends, but what you may not know is that there is another god who fell due to the temptation of hubris.

Phaeton, the son of the Oceanid Clymene and the solar deity Helios. Phaeton was challenged by his classmates to prove that his father had a relationship with the sun and Helios, promising to grant any wish of his son, was put in an impossible situation. Phaeton requested to control the sun chariot for a day. On that day, Phaeton lost control of the horses. When the horses flew too high in the sky, the Earth first froze over with ice. When the horses swung too near the Earth, a terrible scorch broke out and the world burned. In order to prevent further destruction, Zeus struck the chariot with a thunderbolt.

Phaeton died in the fall and the epitaph on his tomb read as follows:

Here Phaethon lies who in the sun-god's chariot fared. And though greatly he failed, more greatly he dared.

Hubris is an overbearing pride or dangerous overconfidence; arrogance to the point of tragedy.

Both stories are important in order to create awareness of the urgency of hubris's reign, but the key difference between Icarus and Phaeton was an important one: in your journey of selfish lusting, how many people would you take down with you?

"Do you actually think that horses were strong enough in the old times to carry the sun?" Atsumu could only blink in question toward the little demi-god. "I mean, I've never ridden a horse before, but surely they can't be that strong? I saw horses when Tobio and I went to Shiratorizawa. They looked kinda scary but they're not that tall. And it's the sun," Atsumu shook his head in disbelief, more so at the fact that Hinata equated height and the level of fright together. Hinata just gave him a look, as if his entire argument had been sound and believable.

"I mean, I don't actually think any of that really happened. It's just fun stories and idioms to tell. They're interesting, you know?" he shrugged his shoulders. "Like, we don't believe superpowers exist yet we continue to watch movies and write books about them,"

"But superpowers are real," Hinata argued. "I can fly, can't I?" Atsumu couldn't help the smile from painting its way onto his face.

"Yeah, you definitely can. In fact, I think you can fly higher than you already can," Hinata's eyes glittered.

"Hey, I made some onigiri for lunch if you want it now?" Osamu popped his head into the cluttered room where Hinata was helping Atsumu pack out his belongings.

"Food~!" Hinata was already out the room, rushing towards the kitchen. Atsumu was left following him in his wake.

Atsumu, in order to be near the Black Jackals training gym, moved to Miyagi. Osamu, not having quite yet figured out what he wanted to do with his life, decided to take a gap year and live with his brother. They had hailed from the Hyōgo Prefecture, which was on the other side of Japan. If they had driven all the way, it would've taken close to thirteen hours. That's why they bought a furnished apartment, had all their belongings shipped down and took a flight.

It was a Saturday. Hinata was only one bus stop away and came to help with the unpacking. According to Osamu, they had asked their fellow Inarizaki graduate, Suna Rintarō, to assist them since he was also moving to East-Japan to join the Eastern Japan Paper Mills. Unfortunately, the general term 'East-Japan' didn't exactly give the Miya twins a good enough geographical understanding and they thought he was nearby. Turns out, he was hours away and would not give up that much travel time for them.

Also, he didn't really care.

"I mean, you could have also called Bokuto to help if you really needed it. He's your teammate now and he doesn't live that far away!" Atsumu almost chocked on his food at Hinata's words.

"Call that big brute? No way. I knew what I was getting myself into when I tried out for the Black Jackals, but after everything you've told me about him, I feel I underestimated the situation. He's a good ace but I hope he understands that I won't be his coddling boyfriend and deal with his numerous on-court weaknesses. If he gets all sappy on me, I'm not sending him any tosses," Atsumu shook his head at the thought. "And he does he really live close?" Hinata shrug his shoulders.

"I mean, kinda. It's also in this area," he commented.

"Have you been there before?" Osamu wondered.

"Yeah. Whenever Kenma visits Kuroo, he sometimes invites me over as well to game since I'm not that far," Atsumu had heard all about Hinata's best friend from him before. He had an immediate rivalry with anyone in the setter position but since Kenma had quit volleyball, he had one less rival to deal with. Along with Kenma, Akaashi also quit volleyball and Oikawa left the country. Even both of the setters from Shiratorizawa he had encountered left volleyball. The only real setter competition he had was the Itachiyama graduate, Iizuna Tsukasa, and the little goody two shoes that would graduate within a year.

Although, maybe he shouldn't call Kageyama that anymore. In both years' Nationals, but especially in the most recent matches, it was quite clear how much Kageyama Tobio had changed. He no longer succumbed to the wishes of his teammates and no longer adjusted to their bad habits. Now, he was a ruling dictator who demanded 120% from all his spikers.

"Who's this Kuroo guy?"

"He was the captain of Nekoma two years ago. The middle blocker," Atsumu hummed in recollection. So, he's that insane blocker he had seen.

"Wait, so he's living with Bokkun? I don't remember seeing him on the Jackals' roster,"

"Oh. Kuroo quit volleyball," the reoccurring theme: amazing players quitting the sport. Atsumu almost looked to his twin but he knew he would get a scorn and a pointed look back. "He's studying economics because he wants to better volleyball marketing or whatever. I'm not too sure about it," so he hadn't completely given up the sport.

Atsumu understood people had other interests and other passions, but his completely aligned with the sport. He couldn't sympathise with the feeling.

"You think an economics degree will rack in money?" Osamu wondered aloud.

"Well, you have to spend money to make money," Osamu hummed in though, continuing with his lunch.

"So he's just room-mating with Bokuto," he commented to himself.

"And they're boyfriends," Hinata added. "That's why Akaashi also moved in last week," Osamu looked up in question, Atsumu sighing at the look.

"Apparently there's a four-way going on between the two old Fukurōdani guys, an old Nekoma man and Shōyō's current teammate," when Atsumu had first heard about it from Hinata, he did not believe it. Did things like that actually happen? More so, things like that actually happened and he was in close proximity to it? Atsumu couldn't even get his hands on one lover, never mind three of them.

How did they even manage it? Did they like have a schedule for alternating dates, or were they only really dating as a full set quad? How did the sex work? Did they all sleep on the same bed, or were they separated into two couples? Did they get jealous when they were with the others? How did Valentine's Day work? What about White Day? Were there three separate anniversaries? Sounds expensive.

"Sounds... interesting," Osamu wasn't about to question someone he was unfamiliar with and their life choices.

"It really is. They're good to go to if you need advice, since you get so many different perspectives," Hinata commented.

"Why? Do you need advice often?"

"Kinda," Hinata shrugged his shoulders in thought. "Bokuto really helped me out with volleyball during our Tokyo training camps and since he's hanging around Stingyshima a lot, I get to ask him all sorts of things! He gave me his number so I can contact him and he's nice enough to help me with anything, even if it isn't volleyball related! Akaashi is also very nice to me. Kuroo is one of those people who gives you advice about things you didn't even know you needed help on. He helped me plan the one and two year anniversaries since Tobio and I started dating. I don't think I'd ever go over to their place without Kenma though," he commented.

"Why not?"

"Since Stingyshima is there a lot. I think he gets shy about his relationship if anyone else is around, and we don't really hang out outside of volleyball,"

"Why would he be shy about his relationship? Because there's four of them?" Hinata shook his head.

"Nah. He's just a tough guy and that irritates me but when he's around them, he's all soft and lovey-dovey and he doesn't want to show that side to anyone else," Osamu could respect that. There was a certain intimacy in the side you only showed your lover – eh, lovers.

"Do you and Kageyama have something like that? A side you only show each other?" Atsumu shot his twin a look, but Osamu didn't care. He knew his brother held a moderate interest for Hinata and wished to stay away from any topic involving his current relationship.

The ginger crossed his arms in thought, thinking hard at the question.

"Hmm I guess? I don't really have friends in my class besides Tobio, and we know there's stuff you shouldn't bring to volleyball so I guess it's that stuff that no one else really sees?" one could visibly see the strain as Hinata thought about it intensely.

"Like what stuff?"

"Normal boyfriend stuff. Cuddling and kissing and things," Atsumu threw his face into the table, groaning loudly. Hinata looked at him in concern, Osamu huffing with amusement.

"Are you okay, Atsumu?"

"Don't mind him. I put spicy flavouring in one of the onigiri and wondered who would be the unlucky one to get it. Guess it was 'Tsumu. He's probably very thirsty now. Would you get him some water?" Hinata was immediately on his feet to get him a glass.

"Life is just too cruel, 'Samu," he groaned into the table. "He isn't even aware of how cute he is," Atsumu looked up to his twin with pleading eyes. Osamu just rolled his eyes.

"Don't look to me for help. My aro ace ass makes me the worst wingman. He's nice though. Although, you could try go after someone who's not in a relationship, perhaps?" Atsumu whimpered.

"I'm not after Shōyō's heart or anything like that," Atsumu answered honestly, sitting up straight. His eyes held assurance. "Can't I just have a friend that I find attractive? Hinata's pretty, and I'll tell that to him whether he's with Tobio or not. It's a fact. Tobio's one lucky bastard, and I hope he knows it. He needs to take care of Shōyō's heart. It's too precious to get broken,"

"Hey, I just grabbed a cup out of one of the boxes. I hope that's fine," Hinata returned with the glass, handing it over to Atsumu who pretended to cough from the 'burn' in his throat.

"Thanks, Shōyō," he drunk the liquid.

"What were you talking about?" Hinata sat himself back down.

"Just how pretty you are," Osamu shot his brother wide eyes, surprised at how calmly he had let that slip from his tongue. "And how lucky Tobio was must be to be with you," Hinata grinned widely at Atsumu's words, Osamu shaking his head in disbelief.

"Thanks! I think you look pretty too, Atsumu! And since you're twins, that means you're pretty too Osamu!" Osamu's eyebrow twitched at his words – he was only pretty by default? Not that it mattered. "And I don't think Tobio is lucky. I don't think luck has anything to do with it. It was just meant to be," Atsumu felt relief in seeing how much Hinata thought about his relationship.

"How does he feel about the Brazil trip?"

"Oh..." Hinata's face fell and Atsumu knew he hit a sore spot. "He's been trying to be supportive, but I also know he's been trying to passively convince me to not go this past year. I'll still be here this year and the next and I don't know if he'll give up on it. I know he wants to try and do the Rio Olympics with me and our quick and I know that two years is a long time for us to be apart but I just...I really want to do this my own way. I don't want to compromise because he doesn't like it," perhaps Hinata had been taken granted for. He had realised Kageyama's advances, trying to subtly bring up reasons why beach volleyball wasn't the only option and why leaving for another country on your own so soon was stupid.

Well, Oikawa did it and perhaps that pissed Kageyama off more than anything else. Perhaps that's the reason why he wanted Hinata to dig his feet into the ground and find another way to fly, one that didn't follow a similar path his old upperclassman followed. A path that didn't involve so much sand.

"That is actually amazing to hear," Hinata looked up at Atsumu with question, Osamu also looking on at him with caution. "That you're not letting anyone else control your life for you. You are the centremost person in your own universe and if you can't keep your own life balanced and your own system happy, then everything else will start to fall apart. You are going fly so high one day, Shōyō, that I'm already in awe just thinking about it. You're going to get there by your own means, no one else's,"

And perhaps that was the moment it solidified in Hinata's mind – the fact that he wasn't making a mistake with beach volleyball. He had begun to doubt his choices, and just needed someone to lay down the honest truth that it didn't matter what anyone else thought of his journey choice – it wasn't their lives. This was his journey and his decision.

Kageyama was just going to have to deal with it.

Bokuto turned out be someone Atsumu was able to upgrade into a shiny S-rank weapon, baring it's magnificence at the world. The Black Jackals were a bit on a losing streak but with coming years, that was bound to change as strong members piled in. Bokuto stuck to Atsumu since the moment he arrived like a parasite, befriending him without Atsumu even realising it. He heard all about Bokuto's relationship and the struggles they had at home – mostly portraying to Akaashi. University had hit him harder than they had expected and it caused some intense emotional discomfort. He pulled away from Kuroo and Bokuto whom he shared a home and a bed with and drowned himself in his studies. He wasn't getting the marks he thought he worked so hard for and it crushed him.

Bokuto, not being able to help in any way, began to feel the effects of Akaashi's pit as well and had to do some internalised re-evaluation as well. If he wanted to be stronger, mentally, then he couldn't allow himself to be affected by others. This was something Akaashi had told him long ago too, back in his final year at Nationals. If he wanted to be strong for someone else, then he needed to stop taking everything personally.

But what do you do if the person you love was suffering right in front of you, and you were helpless to stop it?

That must've been what Kuroo had felt with him years ago.

They did what they could – making sure he ate and slept well, just on the off chance he wasn't looking after himself. They would sneak in study snacks, place flowers in his study and leave notes littered around his work for him to find if he needed a pick-me-up. When Kei found out about the situation, he had been furious with the world and wished he could be with him at every step for support.

Luckily, things seemed to smooth over come second semester and Akaashi had adapted to a new method of learning. First semester had been the hardship of trial and error and getting nothing right using his old techniques. Now, he knew what to expect and could handle it so much better than he used to. Things were looking up from there on and he became quite successful in his classes.

All the while, Kuroo had his own hands full of studies. He was juggling being a second year, helping out Kenma with Bouncing Ball and keeping himself, Bokuto and Akaashi well fed. Bokuto's household chores came down to basically anything else that needed to be done around Kuroo and Akaashi's schedules: from cleaning to maintenance to the shopping. He knew his training wasn't as difficult in comparison to what they were going through and since he didn't really have anything to do besides personal training over weekends, he took on anything they required of him. He made a sport out of it, turning chores into his training.

There wasn't that many chores anyway. They were very well organised and kept things tidy as they went.

Akaashi ended that schooling year with marks even he could be satisfied with, as did Kuroo. Black Jackals were starting to get their grove back and Bokuto could only look forward to the future.

In October of 2014, Karasuno won a ticket to Nationals yet again. The current third years had been lucky to have gone to Nationals each year and this time, they got further than they've ever done before. They made it all the way to the semi-finals and lost to Itachiyama. They placed third in the entirety of Japan.

After the awards ceremony, after Karasuno's celebration, the five third-years gathered away from the flocking crows and public eyes.

Yachi Hitoka. Yamaguchi Tadashi. Tsukishima Kei. Kageyama Tobio. Hinata Shōyō.

So. It was over.

"We need a selfie,"

"Like hell did you just say that to my face,"

"Oh come on Stingyshima! Don't you want proof that you used to be on a team with the future great Hinata Shōyō?"

"What's so great about it?"

"PFFT!"

Things never change.

"Can I just say – if I hadn't join the club as a manager when I did, I don't know where I would be right now. I don't think if I would have the same confidence," Yachi had been wonderful within her years as manager, and the replacement she got for herself was just as amazing.

They were leaving Karasuno in good hands. They made sure of that.

"We should have like a reunion in a couple of years! Just the volleyball club!" Hinata offered happily. Kei scoffed.

"Not if you're there,"

"Oh come on," Kei rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps if you've made a name for yourself by then, I'll come," something glittered in Hinata's eyes. Did Kei just... acknowledge him?

"Kageyama's the only one who'll be joining a pro team now, right? Since Hinata is taking a year off to prepare for Brazil and doing independent training in that time," Yachi commented. Kageyama didn't look at Hinata as Yachi said those words and now, neither did Hinata look at Kageyama.

"Actually..." Yamaguchi trailed off, subtly pointing a finger up towards Kei. Kei's face adorned a scorn, and he turned his head away and shut his eyes in frustration.

"Whoa, Tsukishima? You're joining a pro team?" everyone besides Yamaguchi seemed to be shocked by that.

"...you should have shut up, Yamaguchi," Kei gritted through his teeth.

"Sorry, Tsukki~,"

"Ooh! Ooh! Which one? Where are you going? Oh! It's probably Bokuto's team, right?" Hinata grew excited, moving close all up in Kei's space.

"No," Kei answered sternly, Hinata looking up with question. "I don't want to be on his team. I don't know if I'll even get into division one,"

"Huh? Why don't you want to be on his team?" Yachi was the one to ask. "Oh no... is there something wrong with your relationship? Did you break up and I missed it? I'm so sorry for being oblivious!" she fell onto her knees in despair.

"No, we're still together, thank you very much," Kei sighed. "I don't want to be on a team with that beast. He'll work me to the bone. Besides, during high school he was really dependent on Keiji and it's better if we all pursue our passions independently for the time being,"

"Are you saying volleyball is your passion?" Hinata spoke suggestively, Kei growing quickly irked by the tangerine's assumptions.

"I'm going on ahead," Kei walked off, Yamaguchi left to rush after him.

"HEY! Don't walk away from me!" Hinata called after him.

"Tsukishima is going to continue playing. That makes me so happy," Yachi cheered.

"I don't know if that's really that unexpected. He's very different as a player since first year, and I think we can owe it all to those other three. He's a really good middle blocker now and I'm sure he can get on any of the lower division teams easily. He's recognised he has potential, and he's not going to waste it," Kageyama smirked. "Good to see the bastard has a brain, finally,"

Yamaguchi and Yachi were the only two of the third-years to head back to Miyagi with Karasuno, the two sitting together on the bus and sharing in a conversation about their future and their desires. It was possible that each time Yamaguchi would look away, Yachi would stare at him in awe. It was also equally likely that when Yachi would look away, Yamaguchi would stare at her.

What had the greatest probability, however, is that each time this happened: they would miss each other's gaze.

Kageyama had interviews with the press, his three years being an All-Youth candidate racking him up popularity. He also spoke with the Japanese head coach about his future; and it had been organised like this. Kageyama's sister, Miwa, would wait for his business to finish and then celebrate independently before heading back to Miyagi.

There was no way to keep Bokuto, Kuroo and Akaashi away from Kei after a bronze model had been placed around his neck. Their hands could not be kept to themselves and they too headed off for their own independent... celebration.

What Coach Ukai had not been expecting, was that Hinata would also not be joining the trip back. Hinata tried to catch Kageyama to let him know where he would be going before he was captured by the interviews. Unfortunately, in Kageyama's rush, all he did was give Hinata a kiss goodbye and a promise to talk about it later.

The celebration of Hinata's final victory in high school he spent by the side of one of his greatest supporters and friend, Atsumu.