apotelesma - o. tooru

un.

"You should tell her," Iwaizumi remarks, coming to sit next to Oikawa on the steps. They both watch as Iwaizumi's cousin, Mitsuha, mingles with her band club friends, linking arms with a few of the girls and giggling in happiness. They just passed the qualifiers for the A division and were heading to the district qualifiers, where they would go against Shiratorizawa Academy.

Oikawa sighs in resignation, but there's a small smile on his face. "Maybe later. She's with her friends and she's happy. I don't want to ruin that."

"You won't be ruining jack shit, Dummykawa. Just go get it over with," his childhood best friend growls, punching his arm lightly. Oikawa nudges back, whining. "So mean, Iwa-chan~"

Mitsuha turns around abruptly, laughter lighting up her entire visage, and her eyes come to the pair of them. Her smile manages to beam wider than before, and she untangles herself from her friends and dashes up the stairs, almost slipping on one. "Ha-ji-me! To-oru!" she yells in glee, almost crashing into the both of them and whacking her face on the pavement.

She lands in Oikawa's lap, her face smushed into his chest. He can't help but blush profusely as Iwaizumi gives him a glare, something which disappears quickly when she lifts her face out of his shirt and her deep eyes meet his.

Mitsuha bursts into another fit of giggles, tumbling into her cousin this time, who grumbles as her hair pushes up into his face. "Oh god, I'm so sorry," she manages to wheeze out in hurrying breaths, settling down between the both of them. She straightens out her skirt and crosses her feet, smiling widely at the bottom of them.

"I'm going to take Aoba Johsai to nationals," Mitsuha says, watching their faces turn irritated. "If you couldn't do it, then I will."

"You passed one qualifier," Oikawa grumbles, pouting as he did so. "You still have your district level ones left and-"

"And we're gonna win." The resolution in her voice is clear and succinct. Oikawa's eyebrows rise up in question, but there's no doubt that she means it. And she most likely will.

"Well we can discuss that when it happens," Iwaizumi interjects, standing up as he does so. He pulls Mitsuha to her feet and motions for Oikawa to get up too. "C'mon, I'm not missing dinner again."

"Whose fault was it last time?" Mitsuha bites back, as they descend the stairs. "I'm not the one who decided to run into the shop for banana milk!"

"I'm also not the one who thought it'd be a great idea to take a shortcut in a neighborhood we've never been in!"

They quarrel all the way home, walking ahead of Oikawa, which is great because this is one of the few times he actually doesn't want to listen to their voices.

He watches Mitsuha glare at Iwaizumi, the latter much taller and well-built than she was. Her nose is turned up at him while he stares down at her. It's like this for a few seconds until she turns her head away, huffing about some other minor altercation the both of them got into.

He likes it when she gets riled up. Her eyes are different; they seem to be alight with a different kind of fire in them. Her voice gets really high-pitched and often squeaky, and he only likes bickering with her because of it. She's smaller than the both of them but she still carries a presence.

Maybe that' s why he likes her so much. Regardless of whatever situation she's in, she always carries a presence. Mitsuha was more milder than her head-strong cousin but she could pack a punch if she wanted to. If she wanted something, she fought for it and got it. She's dedicated, hard-working, and totally career-driven that Oikawa feels telling her how he really feels about her will ruin that for her.

The last thing he wants to do is ruin things for her.

They eventually do reach their neighborhood, the more quiet ones that are quite some distance away from the town center. Their houses are right next to each, like how the three of them have always been, right from the very beginning.

The Iwaizumis stop at their gate, and Oikawa watches as Mitsuha runs up to him and wraps her arms around his body.

He reciprocates the hug, pulling her closer. He can see Iwaizumi look at him with stoic eyes.

"Thank you for coming today!" she quips cheerfully as she pulls away. The same smile from earlier, the one full of joy and glee, is plastered on her face. "Seeing you in the crowd made me feel a lot better."

I'm in pain.

"I'm glad I could," Oikawa chokes out, managing to smoothen out his voice in the nick of time before she catches on. She gives him another smile, before heading back to her gate and waving goodbye.

He waves goodbye back, feeling a sudden chill spread around where she was.

It hurts a lot.

That night, he sits in front of his monitor, attentively watching the volleyball game play out before him. He analyzes every single detail, watching as the players coordinate and make the plays they're supposed to make. Oikawa involuntarily pulls his blanket closer to his body, when a text pops up on his phone.

If you had that hanahaki disease nonsense, you'd be dead already - Iwa-chan

Oikawa can't help but let tears fall.