𝟭. 𝙃𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 || 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 [✔]

Chapter 7: Tobio

𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞
#070722
•••

Aeris wandered slowly through town, taking everything in. Miyagi felt different after so many years—familiar enough to be comforting, yet new enough that she needed to relearn every street, every corner, every quiet shop she once knew by heart. Usually, Miwa or Tobio visited Tokyo during the summers. She hadn't walked these roads since she was practically a kid.

Now that she was back... it felt strange in a way she couldn't explain.

Her stomach growled loudly.

Right. There was barely any food left at Miwa's house.

She stopped walking. Should she message Tobio? She hadn't even told him she was in Miyagi. They hadn't talked properly since that day—the fight that had blown everything apart. Kaori had asked her to reconnect, and Aeris knew that sooner or later, she'd have to face him.

Why was she nervous? It was just Tobio. Annoying, blunt, volleyball-brained Tobio.

Still, her thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before she finally typed:

⤷ Aeris: Are you free? Want to eat?

She stared at the screen, heart pounding.

One minute passed.

Two.

Her phone vibrated.

⤷ Tobio: Okay.

Just one word.

Classic Tobio.

Aeris snorted and smiled despite herself. That was enough.

She found a cozy restaurant, texted him the address, then went inside and ordered—way too much food, enough to feed a small team. Aeris always ate big, and Tobio... he ate like he was training for an apocalypse.

While she waited, she kept glancing toward the door.

Did he change?

Would it be awkward?

Was this a terrible idea?

Then she saw him.

Tobio stepped inside, tall and sharp in his volleyball uniform jacket. His shoulders were broader, his posture straighter, and his expression was still that same mix of seriousness and quiet intensity. Older, yes. But still undeniably the same Tobio she grew up with.

Aeris shot to her feet and waved.

Tobio pointed at her to signal the waiters they were together, then walked over with long, steady strides.

When he reached her, she didn't hesitate—she hugged him tightly.

"Long time, Tobio."

He stiffened for half a second before his hands slowly lifted and rested awkwardly against her back. "Nana-chan..." he murmured—still using her childhood nickname.

They sat down.

"Let's eat before it gets cold. You hungry?" Aeris asked.

He nodded immediately, already reaching for the chopsticks.

Plates began to fill the table, dish by dish, until even the waiter blinked in surprise. But the two of them dug in without hesitation, eating like they always had—silently, efficiently, comfortably.

And somehow, despite the years of silence, they slipped into conversation without forcing it. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't tense either. They talked lightly, laughed occasionally, and pretended the past wasn't looming over them.

But eventually, the memories pushed their way in.

Aeris set her chopsticks down slowly.

"Tobio... about before."

He didn't look up.

The scene replayed in her mind whether she wanted it to or not.

The hallway.

Her backpack half-open, papers scattered.

Tobio marching toward her, frustration written all over his face.

"Why aren't you answering me?" he demanded. "You promised you'd stay out of fights. Why would you—"

"Tobio, stop," she whispered.

But he didn't. He just kept going, voice rising with each accusation.

"You're always doing things recklessly! You don't think ahead! And now you're getting expelled—"

"I SAID STOP!"

The shout rang sharp and loud, echoing off the walls.

Tobio froze.

Aeris stood up, shaking, anger boiling in her chest—anger she didn't even understand.

"Why do you care so much? You're not the one getting expelled! You don't know anything, Tobio! Just—just leave me alone!"

She remembered the hurt that flashed across his eyes. The way his jaw tightened. The way he swallowed back everything he wanted to say.

"...I was just worried," he said quietly.

"Well don't be!" she snapped. "I don't need you!"

Then the principal's door opened, and everything fell apart.

Back in the present, Aeris stared at her hands.

"I'm... sorry," she said quietly. "For yelling at you. I wasn't even mad at you. I just... snapped."

Tobio paused mid-bite.

"I was immature too," he said plainly.

Aeris raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not still immature?"

He answered immediately. "Yes. I'm not."

Aeris burst into laughter. He glared lightly but didn't argue.

Tobio cleared his throat. "You found a school already?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Where?"

"Karasuno."

Tobio's chopsticks clattered against the plate. "What? Why?"

Aeris leaned back. "Harumi-san has been taking care of me. But... I also think it's time to move on. To leave everything behind for a while."

Tobio still looked stunned.

"And..." he added quietly, "...you can play volleyball again."

Aeris shook her head. "Still banned."

His brows furrowed. "You'll get back eventually."

She changed the topic before his mood could dip further. "Enough about me. How's volleyball? You still obsessed?"

A small spark lit in his eyes—familiar, earnest, unmistakably him.

He started talking about Karasuno, training, his goals, the challenges he wanted to overcome.

Aeris listened with a smile, relieved—finally relieved—that the distance between them wasn't as hopeless as she feared.

Little by little, without either of them saying it out loud, the years of silence began to fade.

« ֪ ׅ ֹ =͟͞ ♡ 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗.

— sidenote:
; is it only me, or when you travel for hours and sleep? When you wake up, your body feels heavy, and you think you'll have a high fever?
; I searched it up. It's called SLEEP INERITA 😂😂
; I have to reread the manga 😂😂 for dis, i still haven't moved on from the ending tho 🫠🫠