Four out of Six

~Chapter 2~

Everything went back to normal for about a week and a half. Suga returned, reassuring everyone that everything was okay and he just had to go to the doctor's office for cautionary care. The team fell back into their usual rhythm. The Golden Week training camp and their first practice match with Nekoma went as smoothly as they could imagine.

Soon after the test results came back. Suga missed a half day of school for when he had to return to the hospital to get them. When he returned for lunch he didn't look well. Daichi was immediately concerned.

"What's wrong?" he asked when the two of them had settled for lunch.

Suga picked at his food for a little bit.

"Suga? How was your doctor's appointment?"

He shrugged. "I got my bloodwork back."

"And? It was fine, right?"

"...cancer."

Daichi frowned. Surely he misheard him. "What?"

"..."

"Suga?"

"I have cancer. According to the doctors."

"You're kidding, right? Right?"

"I'm not, Daichi, okay? I have cancer. That's a fact."

"How bad is it?"

Suga smiled. "Honestly? Pretty bad!"

The smile was definitely forced. Trying to pull himself out of shock, Daichi said warningly, "Suga, stop. Just answer, um, honestly."

"It's manageable. Especially now. But I'm going to start treatment next week. They're making me a treatment plan as we speak, probably."

Daichi nodded. The two ate their food in silence for a bit.

"So how are you doing?" he asked.

Suga giggled. "You don't have to ask me every few seconds, Daichi. I'm not dead yet."

Daichi frowned. "Please don't joke around like that."

"What, death jokes? Come on Daichi, it'll be fine! The doctors said they can probably stop the cancer from spreading with aggressive chemotherapy."

"Probably?"

"It'll be fine , Daichi," said Suga firmly. "What's the worst that can happen?"

You could die.

The answer hung heavy and silent in the air. Daichi finally cleared his throat.

"Well," he said, "I guess all we can do is see how everything goes."

"Yeah..."

"Will you still play volleyball?"

Suga laughed. "Of course! Nothing can keep me off the court! Now hurry up and eat. Lunch is almost over."

Daichi checked the time and swore, shovelling his rice into his mouth with gusto. Suga watched him with a strangely wistful smile as he finished his own meal.