a small gap in the middle | Akaashi Keiji x Original Character

ページ21: 感知

- Page 21: Perception -

Saturday, the 2nd week of August.

The dark sky looms over the land as rain threatens to fall anytime soon. It's surprising because, two days ago, it was still hot and sunny, that anyone can hear the cicadas. Now, they're quiet as they wait for that inevitable moment of rain.

Inside a simple, neatly-arranged room, Keiji packs up a few shirts, his varsity jacket, and other essentials inside a medium-sized dark blue duffel bag. He wears his Fukurodani Volleyball Team uniform under another varsity jacket, its colors reversed from the original. Today, he has volleyball practice with his teammates in preparation for the Spring High preliminaries.

"Keiji? Keiji! Could you come down for a second?" Calls his mom from the first floor.

"Yes! I'll be right there," he replies in a slightly increased volume for her to hear.

The male-headed setter packs up the last of his stuff, closes the zipper of his bag, and leaves the room to go downstairs. He makes his way to the dining room, only to be met with a number of packed food in thermal containers aside from his usual lunch bento. His eyes, then, trail towards his mom, who was busy packing some sliced apples in a plastic container. The insane amount of food that she's packing kind of surprised him.

Mrs. Akaashi notices her son from the living room, so she looks at him with a smile. "Oh, sweetie, there you are. Can you help me pack those in a bag?"

"Are you going out with dad or something? I thought that you were just picking him up from the airport," Keiji asks, lowering his bag onto the couch before approaching the dining table.

"His flight got delayed but I have to go to the office for a meeting," she replies, settling the small box with apples on the table before approaching her son to kiss him on the head. "We might be back a bit later tonight, too."

"Okay, but why are there a lot of cooked food? It's not for us since we have a budget for our snacks and meals today," he inquires, putting the sliced apples last inside a cream-colored woven bag. "It's not a good day to have a picnic, as well."

"Oh, those?" She hangs her apron on the side of the refrigerator. "They're for Yuuki-chan."

"Eh?" He stops tying the bag close when his mom mentions his friend. "For Yuuki-san?"

Over at the other side, Mrs. Ennami sits on Yuuki's bedside with a worried look in her eyes. Her obsidian-colored orbs look at the slightly high temperature reading on the thermometer before looking at her one and only child.

"I think we should just cancel our trip, dear," she says, holding onto her child's warm hand. "We can always reschedule with the investors."

"No, mom, it's an important client for you and dad," the honey blonde girl replies with a slightly flushed face because of her fever. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to rest the whole day so that I can recover."

"Yes, you say that, but I'm still worried about you, dear."

Then, Mr. Ennami appears by the doorway and knocks on the open door. "Mika, Mrs. Akaashi is here along with Keiji-kun."

"Oh, perfect timing. I can always rely on Nana," the black-haired woman said with a sigh as she looks at her husband. "Wait here, okay?"

"Okay, mom. Take your time," Yuuki smiles under the face mask she's wearing, settling down the book that she was reading. Her eyes smile faintly despite feeling under the weather.

Mr. and Mrs. Ennami walk out of their child's room and descends the flight of steps to meet Akaashi Nana and her son, Keiji. The neighbors were waiting by the front door. As soon as the two females' eyes meet, smiles pull up from their lips as they approach one another and give each other a hug.