๋࣭ ࣪ ˖❇ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖⊹ ࣪ ˖
It was the Fourth of July.
Obvious, really, as explosions of colors painted the sky at each booming echo that came after it. As the smell of hotdogs and hamburgers weaved through the July air as easily as the smoke that came from the grills did. As the comforting murmur of conversation buzzed in her ears as the past teammates talked energetically.
The past captain stood from the arrangement of beach towels sprawled on the sand below them.
"Let's go get some drinks and really get this party started!" At his enthusiastic words, the majority of the team sprang up, seemingly filled with the same boundless energy they had when they were highschoolers. They scurried off, too absorbed in conversation as to not pay any mind to the two that stayed seated.
She was the volleyball team's manager. Was. It felt weird to say in her head. What was the past tense good for, anyway? Besides reminiscing about the past. It seemed like yesterday she was watching them spike and set. She'd never forget the tiny rushes of adrenaline she got watching them play in tournaments, their determination rubbing off on her.
That had become her whole life. She can't imagine how empty the actual players would have felt when it was time for them to graduate.
The girl shifted where she sat, half on the towel, half on the sand that still lingered with warmth despite the long gone sun. Her legs twitched, burying her feet beneath the rocks of the beach. She was overly aware of the presence next to her.
"Pretty, aren't they?" The past setter spoke, his calm tone fond and admiring. The girl turned towards him curiously, giving Sugawara her full attention.
His face appeared to be perfectly serene at first glance, his pretty hazel eyes watching the pops of color in the sky in awe, the glaze of wonder in them reminding the manager of a child.
The air around him seemed to become oddly lighter the more she watched him. She almost swore she could feel the energy coming off him, calming and soothing but engaged.
Her eyes ran over his familiar features. Though they didn't talk that much during the volleyball season, they still considered themselves decent friends. It was hard not to be, with someone like Sugawara.
She drifted her gaze to his birthmark, the mole under his left eye. She had always been fond of the beauty mark.
The more she stared the more a slight feeling of unease washed up her spine, like the waves of the ocean some feet in front of them. The corner of his eyes seemed darker and drawn in. Was he tired, maybe?
"Yeah, I guess." The girl said with a small shrug of her left shoulder, pausing. She had never paid that much attention to fireworks, viewing them as nothing but a source of annoying sound. "Thanks again, by the way. For letting us use your friends' beach house. I hope they don't mind." She said, a slight smile taunting her lips as she put her gaze forward again, watching the shoreline and the tiny seashells the waves would wash up.
It wasn't the biggest or the nicest, but it sure was one of the homiest feeling places she knew. It was odd, the feeling she got around the brightly lit house. A sense of security. She felt as if nothing bad could happen as long as they were here, sitting in warm sand. Looking at fireworks. Even if only one of them were truly looking.
Or maybe it was just the members of the team, scattered throughout, that made the home feel like that.
Or maybe it was because the home had that same comforting vibe that Sugawara had.
"They don't mind. They like seeing it filled with life, actually. Otherwise it can feel pretty lonely." He said, and from the corner of her eye the girl saw him lean back on his elbows, a tiny shift in his abdomen, as if it were in slight pain.
"I spent so much time here growing up. I practically lived with them over the summer. We would-" the setter began but got cut off by a fit of coughing, his elbow coming to his mouth as he seemed to wheeze uncontrollably.
The girls body straightened in alert, "Sugawara are you-"
The sound of retching echoed quietly, muffled by the wind that had suddenly picked up speed.
The two were silent for a moment.
It seemed the whole world went quiet. The fireworks had stopped and the murmur of chatter could no longer be heard from the boys inside.
"Crap, I think I ate too much."
Suddenly Sugawara got up, the same time the rest of the players came back.
The girl watched in concern the whole scene. She heard the captain ask the setter if he were okay.
"Must be food poisoning."
The girl heard him mutter under his breath before he walked away.
