Monochromatic: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 16: Foothill

The sweet, arid air of mid-november morning feels nice on Fukui's skin. Skies are painted a bright shade of blue, clouds almost gone and clear. It is quiet, no noises of cicadas whirring, not when winter is slowly approaching. Even so, there's still time for perfect weather, just the right amount of warmth of the sun sprinkled onto coolness of the winds.

Fukui is alone in the rural streets of Miyagi, pavement ragged against her slippers. It's obvious that this part is the older side of the town. The only noises you can hear is the faint scuffing of shoes against cement, and a voice of the phone in her hand.

"Did you find any?" The voice asks.

Fukui looks at her surroundings, "not yet. I'm still on my way. Red roses, right?"

Oikawa pauses, then unsurely answers. "Yeah... Do you think Aya-chan would like those?"

"You can never go wrong with red roses," Fukui says, "what time is your date again?"

"At one. We still have four hours. I'm gonna make Aya-chan so impressed that she's gonna fall for me! I can feel it, Ume-chan!"

"Good-luck, school-prince. You'll be able to win that tsundere's heart in no time," Fukui reassures, quite interested that her dreams of witnessing such a dynamic pair dating just like in shoujo mangas. She listens consideringly at Oikawa's babbling about where he's going to take Ayame - to the crepe shoppe that opened recently, he said.

But then she notices that her battery is dangerously teetering at a one percent. She speaks before Oikawa gets the chance to finish his last part of the date.

"I gotta go - my phone is about to -"

The screen turns black. Fukui sighs.

The sound of footsteps comes to a stop when Fukui reaches her destination. The stationery shop - the one the girl told her about in which she got her love letter sets - however the door is closed. Fukui peeks through the little windows to see the tiny shop empty, the lights are not dimmed, but there is no one at the cash register.

"Damn. I thought they would be open today..." Fukui sighs, "just to think they might just sell flowers-"

"Oi! What are you loitering around here, huh?!"

A voice booms from across the street. "teenagers these days don't have nothing better to do but break into people's businesses?!"

Fukui is nearly about to drop and go into a coma with his loud-as-hell voice. She leans her back on the wall, pale-faced and heaving to calm her heartbeat down as she looked in horror at the man from across the street.

He wears an apron, a broom in hand and a half lit cigarette in mouth. His blonde hair is hold back with a headband, and in Fukui's eyes she knows that death is near. Ah... The girl did say that the store was right across the whatsitcalled...? The Foothill Store, she thinks. However, with the other times she has visited here, she had never thought to be caught in such a predicament as this. She gulps audibly.

"I was - uh - looking - well to buy of course not just look - um - flowers for a friend of mine... I swear I'm a good person - !! I may have forgotten to return this one library book when I was in fourth grade so it was overdue but I still returned it so -!!"

"Hey! What are you doing with my regular costumer, Keishin?"

An old lady yells from the other side of the street.

Fukui is ready to faint and go to heaven.She shakes, fidgeting as the two adults look at each other intensely with narrowed eyes. The old lady is the storekeeper in which she was looking for earlier - and well, it just happens that these two don't mix so well.

"What do you mean your costumer, Oba-san*?! She doesn't belong to anyone!"

The lady is perhaps in her mid seventies, hunched over slightly and face lined with wrinkles. Her wiry hair is rolled up on a gray tight bun,which greatly contrasted how red she's turning. Her face twists up into different shades of anger, and Fukui wants to just. not exist. just not exist and feel like disappearing right now.

"Oba-san?! I'm far from an old lady you little - !! Keishin Ukai, if your grandfather hears about stealing my costumers he's gonna flip you over like a damn sack of rice!"

"I... I'm just gonna leave if that's okay..."

Both adults turn to see Fukui, pale-faced and hands shaking on her sides. Even with the greatest weight of awkwardness, she forces a smile and inches backwards to slowly flee from them. Until,

"Go. You can have her for now, I'm closed today anyways." The old lady says hesitantly. Ukai sighs in exasperation.

But then the old lady continues with a low voice, warning and ominous, "if you scare her away from here, I'll definitely tell your grandfather."

Ukai gulps and his throat quickly runs dry. This old woman definitely knows my weak points... He thinks to himself.

When the old lady enters back into her shop, Ukai and Fukui are left alone. Ukai looks at her expectantly.

"Well? Are you gonna come or not?"

Fukui nods unsurely.