Monochromatic: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 26: Winter

AN: Thank you guys for 10K views, I appreciate your support!

***

It is cold today. Heavy and gray, the clouds hang low.

To be perfectly honest, the rumors that are recently spreading bothered her a bit. It's a bit hurtful - she's quite conscious about what people think of her after all. However, she thinks, it really shouldn't be that much of a bother, since she has no guilt whatsoever - it's totally out of her contol on what has spread, entirely false and inaccurate. Taking action to solve it would be futile. Besides, most, if not, all people don't even believe it's true. It's something Fukui - or anyone, really -wouldn't do.

"Did you hear? Oikawa's cousin stole the watering can from class 3-2! They saw her with it during her cleaning duty with Shizuka-chan - and she fought her too..!"

"She did not! Enjel couldn't possibly hurt a flower, let alone a person-"

"You're only saying that because you like Oikawa, so you would believe that."

"Now why would you think anyone want our flowerbeds to rot?"

That shuts them up.

That is not all: some have heard other absurd, far-off rumors about her as well. It's ridiculous to the point of everyone not believing it. Nonetheless it is spread around.

It is one of those that caused Oikawa to start investigating, approaching the said person involved with Fukui.

It may be normal for Oikawa, but to Shizuka, she nearly had a heart attack.

"Yoohoo!" He tries to catch her attention from down the hallway

Shizuka thinks he is talking to someone else, so she continues walking without turning back, however -

"Hey! Girl with pigtails! Wait a second...!"

She freezes, shoulders tensed as she timidly turns around to see Oikawa. She's near to fainting - torn between fleeing or simply float away.

Did - Did Fukui-san tell him about me liking him...? Oh no... I told her it doesn't matter anyways...

Shizuka swallows the lump in her throat and looks up,"d-do you need something, Oikawa-san?"

He smiles dryly, however it is not directed at her, but rather the subject of his question,

"did Ume-chan hurt you yesterday?"

"Eh?"

Shizuka's nervousness completely fades and immediately gets replaced by curiosity and confusion. She nods slowly, "...No... Fukui-san didn't hurt me at all... In fact she saved me from getting hurt yesterday."

"Is that so?" Fukui nods; Oikawa sighs, "thank goodness. I thought that kid is going to get into a fight. I mean, she doesn't seem to be the type that does, but you may never know! After all, she's a brute and used to beat Iwa-chan at arm wrestling!"

Oikawa is expecting a chuckle from his charisma, but instead Shizuka is still frowning, "About Fukui-san hurting me -where did you get that rumor?"

The setter shrugs lightly, "I just heard it from the people around me, and this morning I saw a really huge bruise on Ume-chan's arm! When I asked about it she told me it was a long story, so I began to wonder."

Shizuka sighs, deep in thought, "I don't get why or who... She seems to get along with your fans swimmingly, being your cousin, so I just don't understand how anyone could actually oppose her..."

Oikawa notices just how troubled Shizuka seems as well: her lips are pursed ever so slightly to a frown, eyebrows furrowing as she tries really hard to review her own judgement, mumbling quietly to herself. At this, Oikawa asks.

"I - ah - what's your name...?"

"Shizuka."

"Shizuka-chan," he says with a nice ring, and Shizuka tilts her head.

"...Are you friends with Ume-chan?"

Shizuka's first instinct is to say yes, because they seem to get along just fine. They talked casually, said a quick hi and exchanged smiles this morning, however, it's nothing more or less of that. Shizuka doesn't plan on sticking around her like a tight-knit bestfriend, but it's something.

An friendly acquaintance, if that counts.

Before she answers yes, Oikawa adds,

"She has a lot of girls around her all the time - I reckon they're talking about me, right? In the morning before school, lunchtime, she's always surrounded by them, but... Even with that..."

"...she's one of the loneliest people I've ever met."

Her expression lowers and softens with guilt. Shizuka resents asking about Oikawa on the get go when she first meets Fukui at this point. What, by definition, are friends? Aren't they friends already?

This time, she looks down, fiddling on her thumbs as Fukui's words begins to slur in her mind, "I've gotten used to people just overlooking me, not that I mind."

To which remembers saying as a response: "well, we can change that."

Nervously, Shizuka looks around her before saying softly, but firm and sure. "I...I'd like to be Fukui-san's friend."

A content grin stretches across Oikawa's lips, "she'll be in your care."

"At this point," he adds, "it doesn't matter what the rumors say, right? As long as we have her back, she'll be fine!"

With a shy smile, Shizuka nods.

Today was cold; gloomy. But, to everyone's surprise, it began to snow by the end of the day - marking the start of winter. Clouds that hung heavily thins out like spread thin like mallow creme with spots of bright blues. Warmth of the sunlight felt good on Fukui's shivering skin. She looks up on her walk to work and smiles, the specks of snow softly kisses her reddened cheeks.

The start of change came sooner than she expected.