Down the stars

A Day Between Lines and Hearts

/!\ No character belongs to me /!\

Do not copy or

17:25 / 9 of November of 2015 / Saturday

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The hospital had a distinctive smell, a mix of antiseptic and fresh flowers left by visitors in the hallways. Atsumu Miya had always hated that smell. It made the place feel cold, sterile, and far too clinical. But today, as he walked through the dimly lit corridors, carrying a bouquet of bright sunflowers in one hand and a thermos of tea in the other, he couldn't help but feel a sense of quiet determination.

His grandfather had just undergone a minor surgery—nothing too serious, but enough to require a few days in the hospital. Atsumu wouldn’t admit it to anyone, not even to himself, but he cared deeply for the old man. That was why he found himself visiting him nearly every day, taking time out of his busy schedule to make sure his grandfather wasn’t lonely.

Despite the uncomfortable smell of the hospital and the sterile environment, Atsumu had come to appreciate the routine of it all. The predictable sound of beeping machines, the soft chatter of nurses in the hall, the steady shuffle of footsteps. It all seemed oddly comforting, a world away from the fast-paced and intense life of a volleyball player.

As he passed Room 302, something caught his eye—a boy sitting on a hospital bed, a blanket draped over his lap, his fingers casually flipping through the pages of a volleyball magazine. Atsumu paused mid-step, his curiosity piqued.

"Is that a volleyball magazine?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

The boy, startled by the sudden voice, looked up. His bright orange hair, slightly messy as if it had been tousled by the wind or by an absent-minded hand, caught the light in a way that made him seem almost glowing. His eyes, a warm shade of brown, looked tired, but despite the exhaustion that seemed to weigh on him, there was a spark in them, something alive and undeniably determined.

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." the boy said with a faint smile. "It's the only thing keeping me entertained here."

Atsumu smirked, intrigued by the boy's casual demeanor. He stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation, as though he had known the kid his whole life. There was something about the boy—about his energy—that felt familiar, like a kindred spirit.

"Didn't think anyone here would be into volleyball," Atsumu said, his voice light and teasing. He flopped down on the chair beside the bed without much thought. "You play?"

The boy nodded, the spark in his eyes intensifying as he spoke.

"I'm Hinata Shouyou. I'm a wing spiker for my team, Karasuno."

Atsumu’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, impressed.

"Karasuno, huh? Heard you guys have been making waves lately. I'm Atsumu Miya, setter for Inarizaki." He paused, lifting the bouquet of sunflowers. "Though... I guess today, I'm just a dutiful grandson."

Hinata chuckled softly, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as a smile spread across his face. But it didn’t take long for the weariness to return, shadowing his features.

"What about you?" Hinata asked, his voice quieter now, like he was trying to shift the conversation away from his own situation. "Why are you here?"

Atsumu shrugged, not bothered by the question.

"My grandpa's in the hospital. Nothing serious, just a little surgery. I try to visit him as much as I can, you know? It's good for him to have company."

Hinata nodded in understanding, but his expression shifted slightly, his smile faltering just enough to show that there was something weighing on him.

"I have a heart condition," he said after a brief pause. "It's not serious, but they need to run a bunch of tests and keep me under observation. It gets kind of boring being stuck here all the time, but I try not to think about it too much."