𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝. | 𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮

chapter four

Atsumu heard frantic scrambling from outside the house.

Muffled curses and yelling. Just how loud were they?

Atsumu brought his hand up to ring the doorbell, but faltered.

This is it. This is the moment where he'll finally see his family after eleven years. Was he ready?

Would Osamu treat him with kindness? Probably not, he'd probably act as if Atsumu wasn't even there. Whatever.

What about his dad? God, Atsumu missed his dad. Was he still the kind soul Atsumu remembered? Or did something happen along the way leaving him mean and cold?

No, his father, Kazuki, could never be mean, even if he wanted to. Not a single mean bone in his body, his mum used to say.

Would mum be okay? They'd been running low on resources recently, would she be able to cope? And the fact that Atsumu couldn't even afford a damn phone to at least say hey okasan, I made it to Tokyo safely. Everything okay?

Tough luck.

Poor Ren was probably working herself to the bone. Without her son, she may have to pick up three jobs.

Stop. Atsumu thought, just ring the doorbell.

And so he did.

All of the scrambling that was previously heard before turned silent. You wouldn't even think that there had been chaos just mere moments before.

Atsumu heard a voice.

"Coming!"

Atsumu fidgeted. Oh God, oh God. I'm about to meet (re-meet?) my family. What'll I say? Should I be calm? Happy? Angry? Oh no.

Before Atsumu could organise his thoughts, the door opened.

There he was. Kazuki, Atsumu's father, standing in all his glory.

Kazuki aged well, Atsumu concluded. Brown hair fell over his forehead loosely, and a pair of glasses sat perched on top of his nose. Wrinkles were to be expected, of course. The man was nearly fifty-four for crying out loud! And yet, despite all of this, the only noticeable wrinkles were smile lines and crinkles around the eyes. He wore a gridded blue and white button up, and white khaki shorts. A belt was tucked in firmly around his waist.

Atsumu had one thought running through his mind and that was:

Why is a man in his early fifties wearing such fancy attire on a Sunday?

"Atsumu!" Kazuki smiled, eyes wrinkled, showing happy he truly was. "Come on in! Osamu is just getting your room ready."

Atsumu smiled, as if to say, hello there, hi. I am no threat, please do not throw your ridiculously overpriced furniture at me.

"Thanks-" Atsumu debated on whether or not to call Kazuki 'dad'. He decided not to for his own pride. "Uhm, you've got a... nice home?"

Atsumu didn't know what rich people liked. Complimenting his house should be good enough.

As if noticing Atsumu's inner turmoil, Kazuki laughed good naturally, "Atsumu, no need to be so formal. Come, come, would you like a cup of tea?"

Atsumu has never had tea.

"Sure."

"Peppermint or oolong?"

The fuck is an oolong?

"I'll take a peppermint, please."

"Alright, I'll go make the tea now. Settle in, Atsumu. This is now your home!"