The Third Miya: Isuma

LIII

We're back!

After over four years of hard work and many tears, Isuma was finally in California.

She leaned back in the passenger seat, contemplating everything she'd done to get here.

College had almost been too much for her. Isuma had chosen her career path months before graduating high school; at the time, sports science had seemed like an easy option. But two months into her courses, she started rethinking her choice.

She'd barely had time to see her brothers and closest friends because she'd studied every spare moment she had. And then it DID become overwhelming for her- so much so that her professor actually ordered Isuma to take a semester off and intern somewhere, thinking that it was a good way to give her time off.

Her professor probably hadn't thought that she'd go all the way to California.

Even after her professor's input, Isuma had faced the difficult obstacle of convincing several different people. Her brothers, Suna, Hishari... the list went on. It was only until after she'd graduated that she was able to find a good internship- and that too had taken a dozen steps. It was only through connections and friends of friends' that Isuma had been invited to join Iwaizumi at his internship in California.

She never ended up taking a semester off, but it was finally decided that she'd go- after arguments that shook Atsumu's apartment's floor and caused both Hishari and Isuma to break down crying- but only if Takahiro went with her.

Why Takahiro? Isuma wasn't quite sure; yes, he too studied sports science, but he was still two years younger than her. Takahiro He flew to California a few weeks before Isuma at Atsumu's request; finally, after many promises from both Takahiro and Iwaizumi, Isuma joined them herself. It still hadn't sunk in yet- the idea that she was in California was a seemingly impossible dream merely three months ago.

But she was here. Finally.

Meeting Takahiro, whom she hadn't seen in months, registered it. He and Iwaizumi were doing their best to fill the silence, but she wasn't hearing anything.  After a few more minutes, her mind automatically tuned out his voice, and she turned her attention to Iwaizumi.

She'd only spoken with him once before, and it was a mere 'hello' at that. Iwaizumi had always struck her as the serious type, the one to reprimand anyone no matter their age. His gaze was careful as if he were memorizing every small detail he was seeing.

Isuma wasn't intimidated by him- not exactly, anyway- but he was still a mystery to her. But several people had vouched for him, claiming he was a wonderful and intelligent person. He hadn't done anything to suggest otherwise, but she still felt wary.

Her eyes went down to her hands. Isuma forced herself to first look at the ring on her smallest finger, a gift from Suna and Ginjima for when she'd been accepted into a program. Then the bracelet: yet another gift, this time from her brothers. The ring on her right hand's index finger was from Hinosa and Karu, who'd become good friends at college.

Hinosa... remembering him reminded her of Tamiko, and just thinking of him opened a box full of pain and guilt and worry. His last words to her had been like a knife in her heart. She'd hurt him- him, one of her best friends, the one who'd gotten her through college.

Isuma pushed away the thoughts and turned her attention to the last one: a delicate band on her ring finger. A wave of emotions crashed on her, overwhelming her mind. Hurt, pain, heartache, longing, desperation... all of it returned to her.

She covered the ring with her hand, trying to control herself. Her eyes were closed. For the first time in years, she had the luxury of recalling the past- and it tore at her heart. She'd thought she left it behind, that she'd gotten over him. A voice in her said reproachfully, 'If you had gotten over him, you wouldn't have kept his ring.'