Need A Bandage For That?, Ukai X Reader

18 Family match

"So this is it? You'll work at Karasuno for the rest of your life?" Ukai said curiously and tossed another pebble into the river.

After visiting Ukai's old school, we walked through the village until we decided to sit down on the river bank.

"Well I don't know, I'd like to explore the world and see anything and everything life has to offer." I say dreamily up to the sky.

"Oh," Ukai says with a bit of a disappointed tone. "So you won't stay here. No, no, I get it."

"What, you wouldn't like to see the world?" I smile at him and lean back on my hands.

"No, I mean, I imagine it'd get pretty lonely, visiting all these places alone." He shrugs.

"Hmm, you do have a point there." I hum in thought. "But you could travel with me, then I wouldn't be alone." My eyes lit up at what I thought was a brilliant idea. Then I looked excitedly at Ukai for his response.

Ukai seemed taken aback by my proposal as his eyes widened.

"Um, I...I don't know...I have the store to take care of...and besides who'd train the boys if I'd just leave." Ukai stutters out.

"Well I'm not leaving now, am I? It's still a few years in the future. Maybe if the boys are good players, they'll play for other teams and travel the world and the two of us can visit them." I say excitedly, not really thinking if it was even possible.

"You're such a dreamer, you know that?" Ukai chuckles softly.

"Well, will you travel with me or not?" I sit up straight again to make my question more serious.

Ukai glances at me and then looks back toward the river and smiles. "Maybe."

"Hey! Hey! You two!" A sudden shout of some kid makes us both turn to the road.

A boy was running toward us and waving to get our attention.

"Mr. Ukai says you should get back." The boy shouts.

Now that the boy was closer, I could recognize that it was one of the boys that were training at the old Ukai's house.

Me and Ukai looked at each other as if to say 'let's go' and we both got up and made our way back to the house.

When we got back to the house, Hinata and grandpa Ukai were waiting on the porch. The other kids seemed to have already left.

"Where were you? I hope you didn't make the poor girl walk through the whole village in this weather." The old Ukai reprimanded his grandson.

"Ah, c'mon it's not even that hot." Ukai groaned like a little kid which made a small smile appear on my lips.

"Well, if you got so much energy to walk around, let's play a match. Me and Hinata against you and your little girlfriend." Although the old Ukai continued with the same reprimanding tone, I felt like his remarks were only used as an excuse to play some volleyball and show his grandson who's the boss.

And as expected, from his competitive temperament, Ukai bit the bait immediately.

"I told you she's not my girl-...ugh, whatever. Let's play." Ukai rolled his eyes and stomped past his grandfather toward the volleyball court.

What Ukai couldn't notice as he angrily walked by was the smug look his grandfather had.

I didn't even get a minute to react as this all happened so quickly. Ukai was already practicing his tosses at the court in the garden and I only looked back at the old Ukai who was still standing on the porch with Hinata by his side.

"I don't think I'll be much help." I smiled sheepishly, hoping I'd be spared of the competition.

"Nonsense, everyone can play volleyball and besides, Ukai should be able to play for both of you so that you can just stand there." The old Ukai completely dismissed my concern.

I only chuckled awkwardly and walked toward Ukai.

At first, the match went as expected and it was more two against one as the old Ukai said. However, as time went the Ukais both got into their competitive nature, even Hinata seemed to step aside and let the two relatives play.

The two were so into the game that they didn't even notice that they were basically playing only against each other.

I didn't mind taking the role of an observer at all and from what it seemed Hinata didn't mind as well.

The match was pretty equal but in the end, the old Ukai was able to score the winning points.

The old Ukai smirked and proudly rested his hand on his hips.

"So what do you say, you still have energy? You know, maybe you should stop smoking if an old man can beat you." The old Ukai said smugly while his younger relative was catching his breath and glaring back.

"We're not done, I want a rematch." Ukai says with a determined tone.

"Not happening, I'm not playing anymore and you should go back anyway. Bye Hinata, bye Ukai's girlfriend." The old Ukai took the ball and headed back to the porch.

Hinata and I looked at each other, trying to comprehend what had just happened but we decided that it'd be better to just say our goodbyes and head to the car.

Hinata was already sitting in the car and I was leaning on the car and waiting for Ukai to come. I could see him talking to his grandpa about something.

I could hear much of it but just bits of their conversation as they walked closer to the car.

"...you know, you need to teach her volleyball if she's your girlfriend..." I barely heard and then I saw Ukai roll his eyes.

It was the typical grandpa talk who sees any girl around his grandson and immediately takes her as his girlfriend so I didn't take his comments that seriously.

Their conversation stopped when they reached the edge of the porch and then Ukai walked back to the car.

He sat in the car and started driving back. The sun was already setting and as on cue, Hinata fell asleep again.

The silence of the ride was comforting as the street lights illuminated the road with a warm yellow light.

I suddenly remembered what Ukai's grandpa said.

"I want you to continue to teach me volleyball." I turn to him.

Ukai glanced at me and knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"Huh? Why so suddenly?" He murmured.

"Just because, no reason." I smiled.

"Um,...sure, if you want to." Ukai still held the same confused tone but obligingly took my request.