Winner [Haikyu!! x OC] (Completed)

Dear Tōru

I walk away from the Aoba Johsai volleyball gym in shock. I figured the third-years would come back to the school to have a last practice together. My initial thought was to come to the gym and join them, but on the way over, I decided that would be intrusive, and after looking in on them, I'd leave them to their practice. The bond between the third-years is really special. I wouldn't want to disrupt that.

But hearing Oikawa thank his teammates...

And seeing seven of the strongest people I know break down in tears...

It hurts.

A lot.

And there's nothing I can do to fix it.

I'm not the one who lost. I'm not a third-year. My athletic season isn't over. But the amount of pain I'm feeling for them is overwhelming.

I clench my teeth, fists, and eyes, but a tear still finds its way down my cheek. I whisper a curse.

I start sprinting— not choosing a direction, just running. If I run hard enough, the pounding of my feet will drown out the pain I feel for the third-years. Oikawa. Iwa. Makki. Mattsun. Yuda, Sawauchi, and Shido, who didn't even get to play.

I grit my teeth.

Pound pound pound.

I don't play volleyball.

I can't score points for them.

Pound pound.

I only became their manager because I didn't have another choice.

I don't even know if I'll be sticking around next year.

Pound pound pound.

I've lost matches before.

Nothing I could have done would have won that match.

Pound pound pound pound pound pound pound.

My foot catches right as I hit my full speed and I stumble, nearly biffing it before I catch myself on the wall of the building on my right. But my momentum carries me more than I can handle. My hands hit the brick and slide, my face coming to hit next. I just manage to turn in time to meet the wall with my cheek instead of breaking my nose.

I stay pressed against the cold wall as I skid to a stop, sucking in deep breaths of the night air. I ran for so long, they're more like rasps. I shakily pull myself away from the wall to inspect my hands. There's a little blood seeping out of the deepest cuts and they sting, but not too bad. My face stings worse. I run my fingers over the rough microtears in my cheek. It's only bleeding in a couple places as far as I can tell, but I won't know the extent of the damage until I look in a mirror.

Finally catching my breath, I wipe any leftover tears from my eyes and look around to find out where I am. The smell of cooking meat draws my attention to my left and I freeze. It's Oikawa's restaurant. The home of the winner's meal.

I walk back out of the restaurant ten minutes later, a to-go box of onigiri and yakitori in hand.

Now for the hard part. I've been to Oikawa's house several times, but I have no idea how to get there from here. I'll have to go back to the school first, then walk the route I remember to his house. Which means it will take longer, and I'll have to hurry if I want to get there before he does. I look both ways before crossing the street and break into a run.