Monochromatic: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 33: Family

Fukui is shivering, jaw trembling as she hugged herself tighter in the cold. She follows right behind Oikawa as they take another turn in the snow-capped streets of their neighborhood.

Night of Christmas eve is a clear dark sky, and you can barely make out the faint outline of Oikawa through the moonlit street.

She wonders, about the Oikawa she has witnessed just moments ago. It was truly... something. Fukui would never live to see the day Oikawa scolds her like that, nor get so worried over her wellbeing.

To think he was that kid that cried over spilled ice cream would grow up to be like the boy now is...Well... Fukui isn't quite certain at this point - she thought she had known Oikawa well for all this time.

There's definitely more to know about him.

Little did she know, Oikawa thought the same thing. Fukui herself has changed more than Oikawa has ever expected since childhood.

The two halt by where their houses stood. Fukui waves him good bye briefly.

"Thanks. I owe you one." Fukui says, tone flat and emotionless. Post-crying symptoms sensations weighs down on her: heavines of your stomach, light headedness, eye redness, and a headache. The cold air that enters her lungs did not help either - all she really needs right now is to sleep. Shut everybody out. Be alone.

Looking back now, it was no surprise her mother is unable to come. What made her think something like that is going to happen anyways? It's too good to be true - and from the her past experiences, Fukui knew to never get her hopes too high. She got carried away this time. Her hopes soared too high, burning bright like a giant glowering star, glittering behind her warm brown eyes.

But of course, the largest stars burn out the soonest. They soon collapse into millions of speckled stardust and rocks - a supernova. Then those materials swirl into a giant mass of pure emptiness.

Even with the weak flicker of the streetlight above them that hunch over beside Fukui's home, Oikawa can make out the dullness of her eyes prominently, tired and dim.

She gives Oikawa a curt nod - a speechless robotic thank you, before turning her back on him and walked away. Oikawa did not move.

Fingetips reaching out to her doorknob stopped cold when she hears Oikawa's voice:

"Where are you going?"

Oikawa asks, threaded with real confusion. And he's tilting his head not much of a teasing gesture, but much like a naive child.

Fukui's frown deepens, as if Oikawa's question is ridiculous. "Obviously, heading home."

That's when Oikawa looks at her as if she's the ridiculous one, brows knitting together as he jabs his thumb at his house behind him.

"You're going this way, though?" Oikawa points out.

" Wha...?"

"You're. Spending. Christmas. With.Us." Oikawa spells out slowly. "Family. Us. Christmas with family."

"That's -"

Oikawa gives her a pointed look. Fukui halts and presses her lips together to clamp it shut. The painfully freezing air around her feels a tad lighter - the burn in her lungs quietly wisping away.

Oikawa has never look this serious around her. His hands shoved at his pockets, warm eyes are firm and reassuring.

And then it hits her again. That strange tumbling sensation in her stomach.

The streetlight that flickered above them stopped blinking, and it beamed brightly on her.

At that moment - that exact moment - the corners of her chapped lips pan out to the wide grin ever in the dimness of the night. Her cheeks glowed and the faintest dimple dips down on her right cheek - did she ever have that?

Oikawa blinks a few times dumbly at her, a small breath escaping his mouth before he snaps out of his trance. He smiles back amiably and leads her to his house.

The welcoming warmth from the air heater greeted him as soon as he opened the door, sighing happily, "I'm back! Umeko-chan is with us!"

"Tooru...!" His mother gasps in horror, "your feet must be freezing!" She turns to her husband worriedly, "go get him a tub full of warm water - quick -"

"Yes, Rie." His father calmly places the newspaper in the coffee table and leaves promptly, but not without sparing Umeko a quick small smile.

"It's nice to have you spend this day with us, Umeko."

She bows stiffly and expresses her gratitude.

And so Oikawa's father leaves the living room, while his mother is still antsy about his toes, telling him to take off the slippers immediately.

When his father came back with a heavenly tub of warm water and blankets, Oikawa submerges his toes in the tub. Fukui wraps herself with a soft blanket - the scent of lemon and soap filling her senses.

Oikawa's mother is sitting at the couch now along with her husband, staring at Fukui with watchful eyes, a cup of hot chocolate in her grasp.

She has definitely grown a lot, she thinks. Taller than she predicted, and much slimmer as well. She looks just like her mother...

It is then that Rie's eyebrows rise slightly in realization, remembering that there's another supposed visitor along with Umeko. The two mothers are good friends and neighbors in Fukui's childhood years.

Pensively, Rie's eyes look down on the clouds of cream in her mug drifting around.

She need not to know why, for she knows her mother all too well.

Rie smiles sadly to her, gentle and thoughtful "I'm sorry."

Fukui looks over to Oikawa's mother with a confused glance. She completely misinterprets her message.

"Hm? Oh, don't worry about it. I'm fine, " she reassures dumbly, "I don't need a hot tub on my feet. Just a little cold is all."

"I... nevermind. " Rie chooses to drop the subject. "... Please feel at home. We don't have much to offer - but there's some food over there by the kitchen. It's the least we could give."

"Sorry, Ume-chan," Oikawa interrupts with sheepish smile, "I wasn't able to get you a present..."

"It's no problem...!" Fukui reassures with a dismissive hand wave. Oikawa in return pouts childishly, insisting that 'good-friends give-each-other-gifts' like he did for Iwaizumi. He gave him a pair of socks, fluffy and decorated with funny looking aliens. Iwaizumi grumbled, but still accepted the gift nonetheless. Oikawa thought Fukui would want a pair of socks similar to those as well.

"Like I said," Umeko repeats, "I don't want anything."

She looks around her, christmas lights glowering about the edges of the living room corners. The rich smell of chocolate and cinnamon. Crackling of wood in a fireplace. His parents lounging on the couch, looking at Fukui with an apologetic smile at Tooru's behavior.

Tooru is still pouting, toes curling and uncurling as he pouted at her.

In return, the corners of Umeko's lips tug up in the faintest smile.

Besides, she thinks to herself, you've already given me so much.