23

Being short wasn't all bad. Especially moments like this when he can just bury himself into Kageyama. He felt like a stuffed animal while being held in his strong arms.

As always the presence of the setter quickened his heartbeat, but calmed him down.

"This still doesn't change the fact that I think you guys need me to win. I mean Daichi even said so, at one point."

"You also told me to never quit volleyball even if you can't be on my team, what happened?"

"That statement still stands," Hinata pulled away. "After the nationals, you'll have to do without me."

"I'd rather you sit out from the nationals and play next to me for the next few years than you have a finish this year. I also doubt you'll be able to do as well you expect in your position."

"The doctors have no idea what's wrong with my leg, so maybe I can't even play with you after because I'll never be healed."

Kageyama shook his head. "You can't think like that."

"That's what everyone keeps saying, but they honestly don't have anything better to say."

"I can't play volleyball without you," He looked down into his eyes again.

"You promised me you would," Hinata frowned. "You gave me your word."

"Then can you give me your word?"Kageyama urged. "Just stay here okay? Just take your time to heal."

After a small pause, Hinata looked away. "I can't do that."

"Why!?"

Hinata was shaking in either frustration or anger. "I can't just watch you guys out there, I physically won't be able to help myself."

"Hey sorry to interrupt, but Hinata you have to stay in bed." Dr. Sukodu and the nurse came inside the room.

"I told you I'm fine."

"And I told you to stop lying to me," the doctor said rolling his eyes.

"I'm gonna go," Kageyama said.

"One thing," Hinata whispered to the setter. "There's no way in hell that I'm not playing in the game."

☆☆☆

The sky was beautiful shade of orange and red. The sun was retiring for the day behind the sea, tucked away by the ocean's waves

Kageyama squinted, as the sun was a bit blinding. Hinata sat beside him. Kageyama wasn't entirely sure where they were but honestly didn't care.

"Sunsets or sunrises?"

"Hm?"

"Which one do you prefer?" Hinata said with the warm smile Kageyma hadn't seen in a while.

Kageyama pondered on this for a few moments. "Sunsets."

"Why?" Hinata looked genuinely surprised.

"Because I'm watching one with you right now," he joked.

Hinata chuckled. "No, really."

"Some days I'm just so tired," Kageyama said. "I just want to sink and let the darkness take over. And that's what the sun does, but the next morning it knows it has to rise again. But the easiest part of this process is just falling."

Hinata took this into consideration."Honestly a much longer response than I was expecting. But you know what? Me too."

"I guess sometimes we need a break from the harsh reality."

The sun slowly descended out of sight and the sky turned black. There were no stars. Typical, as the pollution in Asia was truly rising at a deathly rate.

It suddenly got quite cold, and Kageyama shivered. He was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, and shorts. It would probably for the best for them to find somewhere for shelter, or they'd both get a cold.

He didn't want to. He decided he wanted to be with the ray of sunshine beside him. Maybe he liked sunrises more. He imagined that Hinata was the sun. Bright and warm. Perhaps he should change his answer.

"I love you Hinata." He said instead.

However when he looked over to where Hinata was but he was gone. "Hinata?"

He reached to try to grab on to something but there was nothing.

"Hinata!" He shouted so loud his vocal cords were gonna burst."Hinata where are you?"

Drop.

Drop.

Drop.

The raindrops started to pour in.

A dark and faded figure emerged from the night sky. The figure was taller than Kageyama but he couldn't see their face.

"Hey Tobio."

"Dad?"

A sorrowful smile appeared on his face."I'm proud of you."

"Why would you be proud of me? I don't know what to do. Why didn't he listen to me? Now he's gone."

"There's nothing you could have done."

"There was!" Kageyama yelled out. "I could have convinced him if I was better at- you know, convincing!"

"Like I said-"

Kageyama felt his tears threatening to flow out at any second. "He can't play so why does he keep insisting that he should?"

"What if you were in his position?"

"I would stay and rest like a normal human being." Kageyama said without a single second of hesitation.

"Kageyama you're far from normal," his father said. "And that's what I always loved about you. That's why everyone else loves you too."

"But  I have common sense- I think."

"Would you really be able to stay, when volleyball is everything to you? The fact that Hinata and the rest of the team are going on without you?"

Kageyama's head felt like it was going to blow up any second.

First of all, the rain was already giving him a headache. And it was strange because all he could think of was how the man in front of him died.

"Okay so what do I do now?"

"What do you think?"

Secondly, the answers he was giving seemed weirdly real. He knew his dad wasn't there, so why did it feel so real.

"I'm pretty sure I don't know how to think," the setter muttered.

"Go play at the Nationals tomorrow," he stated.

"Alright and then?" Tobio asked.

His father blinked. "Then nothing."

"What about Hinata?"

"Do what you know. What do you know?"

"I know that Hinata is going to come and-"

"No, what do you know."

Kageyama (the younger) wasn't sure what in the world that meant.

"I know how to play volleyball," he finally answered.

His father nodded. "So be at the top of your game tomorrow. Hinata is an unstoppable force, think of him like that."

Kageyama wasn't sure if he was crying or if it was just the rain. "I just want to see him smile."

"And I'm sure want the same for you as well."

"I can't smile if he won't." The truth of the statement weighed down on him.

"Wake up."

"What?"

"Wake up, isn't today the day your going to your games?"

"Is it?"

"Tobio?"

"Hmm? Mom?"

"It's nationals today right?"

Kageyama looked over at his clock. 6:30am.

"Yeah, thanks for waking me up," Kageyama rubbed his eyes. "I had a dream about dad."

"Oh?" Mom said. "I hope it was good."

She walked out of the room and Kageyama took a deep breath and looked out the window. The sun was rising, and it was blinding. He thought of Hinata. The warmth of the sun couldn't beat the warmth of Hinata's smile.

Today was the nationals. And he intended to win every game starting now.

A/N: Anyone interested in making a good book cover for me? (boring chapter im soRRY)

Swearing warning!!

Warning!!

ok here it is