𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝. | 𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮

chapter one

TW: Talk of prostitution, gambling and yakuza. If you do not feel comfortable with any of these topics, please leave now. If I have forgotten anything, please tell me and I'll try my best to add it right away.

11 years later...

Atsumu, sporting his usual sly smile and hooded eyes, walked into his crew's under-bridge hangout. It was a heavily graffitied area and an abandoned skate park. Despite it's slightly gloomy aura, Atsumu and his friends found comfort in it.

"Hey man!" Bokuto waved. Bokuto had an excited expression, which wasn't uncommon, but this one was slightly more proud than usual, and a grey hoodie. Across his body was a beige satchel. He wore baggy moss-coloured pants and typical black Vans shoes. Next to Bokuto was Kuroo, his best friend. Kuroo wore a black graphic tee, tucked into his beige pants and paired with a pair of black converse.

"Hey Bokkun, what's up?" Atsumu high fived Bokuto and nodded towards Kuroo.

"You would not believe what my mum dropped off today!" Bokuto wiggled out of excitement, "guess, guess, guess!"

"Well I don't know, Bokkun." Atsumu sighed, "you really can't expect me to guess."

"Fine!" Bokuto leaned in closer than a friend should, but Bokuto never had a sense of boundaries anyway. "The volleyball scholarships!"

Atsumu's eyes widened, "no shit?"

Bokuto nodded, "no shit!"

"This airhead's been going off since this morning," Kuroo chuckled, "I swear if I had a phone it'd be blowing up."

The trio grew up without money. Bokuto's mother sold her body everyday since his father had passed away when Bokuto was three. They lived in an apartment, far away from their public school. Kuroo had grown up with his grandfather, after he had been saved from his parents, who had been drug addicts and alcoholics. However, even though he was in a safer environment, he often struggled with food and water. His grandfather was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, so Kuroo had to resort to shoplifting to provide more necessities. Atsumu's mother worked as a cashier and a bartender. It was unsafe for Ren to go outside though, as she was wanted by the Hyogo Yakuza for cheating them of their money. Ren was suffering from a gambling addiction and was slowly getting better, but when things were rough she gambled her money away.

Despite these obvious flaws in their family, the three boys were close as can be. When they needed food, water or clothes, they learnt not to rely on their families and to do things themselves. They managed to wear big brands like Converse, Vans and more by stealing. At first, it was tricky and they were caught multiple times, but after eleven years of working together, they had mastered the art of thievery.

"Nah dude, only the little rich kids have phones." Atsumu constantly poked fun at rich kids. He talked about them being "brats" or "not knowing the streets", but at the end of the day, Atsumu was envious of these boys. Why were they allowed to stay oblivious to the real world when people, like Atsumu, Bokuto and Kuroo, were fighting for their lives, with nobody to turn to.

Atsumu didn't talk or acknowledge his brother. Not anymore. It wasn't fair. Why does Osamu get to live his best life in the city, whilst people like Atsumu have to scrape the streets for food. Atsumu would bet his left pinky that Osamu didn't even know the dangers of the real world.

"Guys!" Bokuto screamed, "listen to me!"

Atsumu chuckled. "Sorry, Bokkun. What were you saying?"

Bokuto brought the letters out of his satchel, and shook it in front of Atsumu's face, "read this!"