REACHING BEYOND THE NET

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The front door clicked shut behind me as I stepped into the quiet of my apartment, the weight of the day still pressing heavily on my shoulders. The echo of the court, the drills, and the constant push to be better—it all faded away as I stood in the dimly lit entryway. The scent of something savory cooking in the kitchen reached me, and for a moment, the tension in my chest eased.

"Omi-Omi?" I called out, my voice softer than usual.

"In here," came the reply, deep and steady, just like him.

I made my way to the kitchen, where Kiyoomi was stirring a pot on the stove. His tall frame was relaxed, the sleeves of his black sweater pushed up to reveal strong forearms. Even though he wasn't doing anything particularly special, just cooking dinner like he always did, there was something about him that grounded me.

Kiyoomi looked over his shoulder as I entered, his dark eyes softening when they met mine. "Tough day?"

"You could say that," I muttered, leaning against the counter. I tried to force a smile, but it didn't quite reach my eyes.

He noticed, of course. He always did. Without a word, he turned off the stove and walked over to me, wrapping me in his arms. He was taller, with a broader build that made me feel small, but in a way that was comforting, not suffocating. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne, letting myself relax for the first time that day.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through me.

I hesitated, the words stuck in my throat. I wasn't sure how to explain it—how to admit that I'd seen him. My ex. The one I'd hurt so much. But I knew I needed to tell Kiyoomi. He deserved to know.

"I saw him," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kiyoomi didn't need to ask who I meant. He just held me tighter, one hand gently stroking my hair. "How did it go?"

I laughed bitterly, the sound harsh even to my own ears. "He looked at me like I was a ghost. Or worse—a monster."

Kiyoomi pulled back slightly, just enough to tilt my chin up so I had to meet his eyes. "You're not a monster, Atsumu."

I shook my head, trying to look away, but he didn't let me. "You didn't see him, Omi. The way he looked at me—he's still scared of me. After all this time, I still have that effect on him."

"It's because you were important to him," Kiyoomi said, his voice steady and calm. "And what happened between you two—it left scars. But that doesn't make you a monster. It makes you human. You made mistakes, and you regret them. That's more than a lot of people can say."

"But I hurt him so much," I whispered, the guilt gnawing at me like it always did. "I was so obsessed with being in control, with making him mine, that I didn't see what I was doing to him. And now... now he can't even be in the same room as me without panicking."

Kiyoomi's hand moved to the back of my neck, his fingers gently kneading the tension there. "You can't change the past, Atsumu. You can't undo what happened. But you've learned from it, and you've become a better person because of it. That's all you can do."

I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. He always knew what to say, how to make the weight of my past feel a little lighter, how to remind me that I wasn't defined by my mistakes.

"I just wish I could make it right," I murmured.

"I know," Kiyoomi said softly. "But sometimes, making it right means moving forward, not looking back. You've done everything you can. Now, it's up to him to heal in his own way."

I nodded, letting his words sink in. He was right, of course. He always was. But that didn't make it any easier. The guilt was still there, lurking beneath the surface, a reminder of who I used to be. But with Kiyoomi by my side, it was bearable.

"Thank you, Omi-Omi," I said, my voice a little stronger now.

He smiled, a rare but beautiful sight, and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Anytime, Atsumu. Now, let's eat before dinner gets cold."

I managed a real smile this time, the warmth of his presence filling the emptiness inside me. We sat down to eat together, and for the first time in what felt like hours, I felt a sense of peace. The past was still there, and it always would be. But with Kiyoomi, the future didn't seem so daunting.

As we ate, I found myself glancing at him, taking in the calm, steady way he carried himself, the quiet strength that had drawn me to him in the first place. He wasn't flashy or loud like me, but he had a way of making everything feel okay, even when it wasn't.

And as long as I had him, I knew I could keep moving forward, no matter how heavy the burden of my past might be.