Always and Never

Chapter 4

Tooru skipped along, his feet splashing in the shallow puddles that lined the sidewalk. Iwaizumi followed behind him absently twirling his umbrella. The rain was light, providing no concerns over getting drenched.

They were walking home from their first day of the new school year, their final year of elementary. It was a harrowing thought to think that next year they would be attending some junior high. Tooru stopped, turning to look at Iwaizumi. He tilted his umbrella. Some raindrops slipped slowly off as he did so. Iwaizumi stared calmly back at him, waiting for Tooru to turn back around. "Have you thought of what school you want to attend next year?" Tooru asked.

Iwaizumi frowned at him, walking forward and brushing past him. "Not really."

"Eh! But you should!" Tooru cried out, running to catch up with Iwaizumi who had picked up his pace considerably.

"Well we've barely started this school year. It's a bit early to ask." Iwaizumi wrinkled his nose, slipping his umbrella down to hide his face. "Ah... well I guess I thought about it a little bit."

"Then where?" Tooru pressed, his face finding its way under Iwaizumi's umbrella. His eyes were wide with unrestrained curiosity. He was swatted away, chased back under his own umbrella. "Hmph."

A long sigh brushed past Iwaizumi's lips. "Kitagawa Daiichi."

"Oh! Yes, that's a very good school isn't it?" Tooru nodded to himself, pleased with Iwaizumi's answer. "Well so is Chidoriyama... Ah, then of course there's Shiratorizawa." The last school was said with a hint of bitterness.

They had faced Shiratorizawa already. It was a school that continued all the way into high school. That meant the boy they met at a tournament last year was bound to continue on into its junior high.

"Yeah... it's pretty impressive."

The rest of the walk was shrouded in a tense silence. Tooru regretted mentioning the topic at all. He just wanted to know that he and Iwaizumi were on the same page. At the very least it seemed that they were.

"Are you coming over today?" Tooru asked. They reached the corner where they usually separated.

Iwaizumi's expression turned apologetic. "Ah, sorry. I'm bringing my dad some dinner. He has to stay late today." His voice was so sincere that Tooru couldn't find it within himself to pout like he usually did.

"Okay... ah, wait. Can't I come?"

Instantly Iwaizumi's cheeks began to flush. "W-what—no way. Absolutely not." He shook his head adamantly.

This time Tooru did pout. "Aw you never let me come!"

"Because you'd want to meet every last person there. And they're busy! They don't have time to entertain some kids."

"Well I think it's just because they must have embarrassing stories about you." Tooru replied haughtily. "Didn't you say there's a guy who used to bring you snacks all the time?" He smiled wryly; Iwaizumi's face turned an even brighter shade of red, making Tooru laugh gleefully. "I'm right!"

"Shut-up!" Iwaizumi growled, though it was hardly scary with his face so red from embarrassment.

"One day I'll manage to go with you." Tooru puffed up, smug and sure of himself. "You can't keep me away forever~"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, turning to walk around the corner down to his own street. "Yeah, yeah. I'll phone you when I get back okay?" He looked back, only the tips of his ears remained pink.

"You better!" Tooru called, laughing merrily while he skipped the rest of the way home.

~0~

Tooru opened the door with little fanfare and a hand on his hip. "You can just come in you know."