ms. ushijima sighed a final time and set her free hand right where ushijima's heart was, hidden behind his clothing and skin.
"you clearly care about this girl a great deal, 'toshi. truthfully, i don't know where this compassion comes from, but it is there. just give it a chance, will you? listen to your mother for once and talk to her."
ushijima felt encouraged by his mother's words, though it was interrupted by her comment.
"i listen to you," he replied back.
"excuse me, i don't think that you do. i told you that no people could be here while i was gone unless you asked, but you still let her in my shower." ushijima averted his eyes in embarrassment. "i mean, she reorganized everything perfectly, but i noticed the little things."
"i forgot that you said that..." ushijima admitted.
"i figured you did, which is why i didn't say anything after."
eventually ushijima sat back up straight after a few more minutes of conversing with his mother about minuscule topics. when he did, his mother stared right back at him with the same loving smile that she'd worn all night.
"thank you," he simply said. "i didn't know that it was what i needed."
"of course. you know i love you, don't you?"
ushijima hummed quietly.
"i know."
-
the next morning, at the age of eighteen, ushijima wakatoshi was preparing for a day that could change the rest of his life.
he did the same thing that he did every morning, thought it was shakier with his nerves.
he brushed his teeth, losing count of the strokes multiplue times until he eventually chose to move on.
he showered, probably standing in the hot water for a little too long, and he'd accidently washed his hair again despite washing it two days ago.
when he got dressed, he had to redo his tie and he had put his uniform shirt on inside out, so he had to do it all over again, as well as find that belt that he always wore with it.
he slid on his socks and his black and shined shoes only after realizing that his socks didn't match and then forgetting how to tie the laces, and then he was off moments later.
when he walked to school, he felt like he was almost running and he nearly tripped on a crack in sidewalk.
ushijima wakatoshi, who had always followed such a strict and straight schedule, wasn't having the easiest time keeping up with it. his life was a mess because of this thing, and he never realized that falling in love could be such a distraction. but even he could admit that he liked it. he liked being able to relax around her, and all he needed was a glance, no matter the connotation, to be calmed.
he'd realized that because of the incident the day before, ushijima was going to have to start at the beginning with her and he knew that it'd take a while.
but he was strangely okay with that. there wasn't a single thing that could distract him from accomplishing his goal; being with y/n. it wasn't going to be easy by any means, but he was determined.
ushijima neared the gymnasium with his hand gripped tightly around the strap of his leather book bag. far in front of him, he heard the sound of a volleyball hitting the hardwood and then familiarly hitting the wall.
as he got closer he began to hear the private conversation between the managers and coaches.
"are you sure about this?" coach saito asked, looking up momentarily from his clipboard. "i've got to say, not the best timing."
