Backyard Girl ∙ T. Kageyama ✓

ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀ

Kageyama glared at the ceiling as the unbelievably loud music continued. It was his new neighbour again, for what felt like the one hundredth time this week itself.

It would've helped if his neighbour had good taste in music, but why give Kageyama happiness?

The neighbour continued playing the same song on repeat, over and over again as if it was the only song on earth.

Kageyama admitted it was a good song, but after hearing it as many times as he had, he'd gotten sick of the melody. He could even perfectly sing it at this point, if you count him mumbling the lyrics in the shower while he was half asleep.

The person had moved in 3 weeks ago, and Kageyama had successfully avoided any contact. He didn't care about them, so why should he bother? It's not like they were doing anything to him.

Well, his sleep deprivation said otherwise. For gods' sake, a pro volleyball player needs his sleep!

Kageyama groaned, and turned around in his bed, slamming his pillow on his head and hoping it would block out the noise. He was disappointed as the song reached his ears once again.

He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Screw it," he muttered, getting up from his bed. He looked at his clock, its neon numericals glowing in the dark. It was 2:30 in the morning, did his new neighbour have no life?

Trying to rub the tiredness out of his eyes, he threw on a sweater over his t-shirt before dragging himself out.

"2:30 am, what kind of sh-" he cursed under his breath, opening his door and stepping outside. Immediately, the cold seized him, and he shivered.

"In this weather, that too," He stomped over to his backyard's wooden fence and looked over it.

His mouth dropped agap as he suddenly forgot what he wanted to say.

The house's new habitant had strung fairy lights all over their garden's deck, and had replaced the old dead plants. They'd laid down blankets and pillows in a corner of their deck, and were looking up at the sky with a starstruck smile on their face. A small speaker on their side was blaring the song.

Kageyama narrowed his eyes, wanting to say something; but at the same time, he didn't want to disturb the peace.

They looked beautiful.

He was brought out of his thoughts when the person moved a bit, and moved the thick blanket further over themself in an attempt to block out the cold.

He pushed away his irrational thoughts as his droopy eyelids got the better of him.

"Hey!" he yelled, struggling to make his voice heard over the music.

"HEY!" he screamed again, louder this time.

The person snapped out of it, and faced Kageyama.

"AH! H-HEY!" They yelled back, scrambling up and turning the song off.

'Sweet silence,' Kageyama thought, bliss finally sinking in.

"I'M SO SORRY!" the person yelled again, making their way to the part of the fence directly in front of Kageyama.

'I stand corrected.' Kageyama looked at the latter, annoyed.

"Pronouns?" He asked them impatiently, glaring at them.

"Oh, uh-" They seemed shocked at first, but answered happily. "She/her, please, and you?"

"He/him. D'you have any idea what time it is?" Kageyama stared into her soul, making her take a few steps back in fear at the sound of his scarily quiet voice.

"I-I am so sorry," she put her arms up in defence. "I really am, but I have an explanation."

Kageyama let out a hysterical laugh.

"I'd simply love to know why you're playing the same song over and over at volume infinity at 2:30 in the morning."

The girl's eyes widened as guilt at the inconvenience she'd caused this man sank in.

"I didn't know someone lived next to me, I swear, otherwise I'd have been careful with my volume."

"What the hell do you mean, 'I didn't know someone lived next to me''? How does one not realise someone was in the house next to them?"

"I'm sorry," she gave him a sheepish smile. "And I had come to your house a while to meet you, ya know, to be neighbourly and all, but no one answered and I never saw you after that either, so I assumed,"

Kageyama pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine, fine, whatever. I'm Kageyama Tobio, your neighbour. Please keep it down. And listen to other songs, before I go crazy."

"Sorry again, Kageyama-kun," the girl continued smiling at him, something he found quite annoying at the moment. "I'll be sure to keep it down."

Kageyama nodded curtly, before turning and leaving. Just as he was about to enter the warmth of his house, he looked back to see the girl as she turned her speaker off. She turned around, still looking up with a dreamy look on her face.

"Hey, neighbour!" he called out.

"Hm?" she answered.

"Go to sleep soon. It's late and cold."

"Of course. Thank you for reminding me."

he nodded again, stepping into his house. From the corner of his eyes, He could see the yellow glow of the fairy lights turn off.

His neighbour truly was something; but the thought of a warm, quiet night of sleep called him, and he was too tired to think about anything else.

☾

edited!