A Thousand Cranes for a Wish (USHIJIMA X OC)

Smile for the Camera

"It's cold. The water is cold" Umeko shivered then scooted over in a different position so more of her body could be warmed by the sun's rays. She put down her paddle for a second inside the boat as she squeezed the excess water out of her hair. Now that her hair was wet it went from ringlets to being almost perfectly straight. As it just so happens, her wet hair straightened out to touch her shoulders.

Dylan burst out in a hearty laugh. "Looks like the missy got soaked first. I had my lots on the pretty boy."

"I am pretty, aren't I?" Oikawa hummed and nodded in approval. "Did you hear that Iwa-chan? I'm pretty."

Iwaizumi groaned and splashed water into Oikawa's face. He had enough of listening to his 'I am pretty' spiel. Iwaizumi knew that Oikawa could go on for hours and he didn't want to hear it. "If I had a volleyball, I'd throw it at you right now." He knew that Oikawa was pretty. He had known this since they were kids, but was Iwaizumi going to tell Oikawa that? Of course not! He didn't need to feed Oikawa's ego any more than it already has been.

Before Oikawa would even retaliate the guide spoke up. "Y'alles row! We got another drop comin' up!"

Umeko hastily picked up her paddle and started helping the rest of the group. The raft moved rapidly down the white water in a chaotic path, hurtling between rocks and spinning them to face any direction. The water spray was constant, reducing their vision to just a few feet. Somehow this rapid seemed to last longer than the first one as they paddled tirelessly to keep the raft under some semblance of control.

Dylan cackled like a maniac as he held his paddle above his head. "Hands up n' smile for the picture! Whooooooo! Now row!"

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The whole group was tired by the time they reached flat water. Umeko however was the only person who was visibly catching her breath. Unlike her companions she was not an athlete. In fact, Umeko was pretty sure she would never be.

"Whoeyyyyy. Missy you gotta work on your stamina."

Ushijima furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Ume, we can run in the mornings together if you'd like."

"No, I'm fine." Somewhere her pride took a blow, but she had already come to terms with her lack of athleticism. "I can draw people running, I don't run." Once she caught her breath she looked up to Ushijima and gave him a weak thumbs up. "Thanks though."

Ushijima nodded. "The offer will always be open."

Oikawa went to grab his paddle with the intention of violence. "Uh..." He looked around confused when he couldn't find it. I could have sworn I had it a few seconds ago.

"Did you lose another paddle?" Umeko deadpanned with an eyebrow raised.

"No way! I held on tight to it this time, Aki-chan!"

"Whatever you say" Umeko teased playfully.

Oikawa leant to the side just as the raft suddenly shook. Predictably, Oikawa fell face first into the still water with a squeak. He scrambled up and bobbed back above the water, his brown hair had flopped down and covered his left eye as he gasped for air.

With what seemed almost like practiced movements Iwaizumi took the right shoulder strap of Oikawa's life jacket, Umeko took the left and the pair grunted with effort as they managed to yank Oikawa back into the boat and on top of them. The trio lay dogpiled in the center laughing. "Somehow I'm not surprised you fell first" Iwaizumi managed to force his words out through chuckles.

Ushijima had never seen Umeko so relaxed around people. He observed her smiles and felt this squeezing feeling in his chest. While she had warmed up to the team, the Umeko now had a completely different atmosphere surrounding her. She seemed more at ease. That's not to say she was tense around the team, but she just wasn't as open.