By Your Side (Azumane Asahi X Nishinoya Yuu)

Chapter 1

Asahi was graduating. He had gotten into a private college in Tokyo. Tokyo. The cherry blossoms were falling, a pretty sight. But it could not erase the hurt that Nishinoya felt when he knew Asahi was going somewhere else, somewhere far away. Everyone in the volleyball team was crying, waving their senpais goodbye. Tears overflowed in Nishinoya's eyes. "Promise me you'll come back to visit us?" Asahi nods quietly. Nishinoya flashes a bright smile. Asahi relaxes, smiling too.

"Beep beep. Beep beep." Nishinoya bolted up, awake. How many years has it been? He had since graduated from high school and is now in the last year of his university education. So many things had happened since then, and Asahi had not come back to visit even once. That bastard. Nishinoya looks at the clock in which displays 7am and gets off the bed, getting dressed for morning lecture.
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Nishinoya walks into the room after work, hand carrying a small boquet of flowers. "Aniki, I'm here again." Nishinoya gently places the flowers in the vase beside the bed. "Today marks that you've been asleep for one year. Isn't it enough already? Nee-san is back home with Shin-chan waiting for you." Nishinoya looks at the still figure on the bed. No response. "Aniki please." A hint of desperation is obvious in Nishinoya's strained voice. "You know Aniki, there's this guy who has been courting Nee-san recently. If you don't wake up, she might be taken away from under your nose." Upon still receiving no reaction from the man on the bed, Nishinoya gives up, sitting on the chair beside the bed, staring at his unconscious brother.

As the sky turns dark, Nishinoya stands up "Aniki I hope you wake up soon, don't let Nee-san overwork herself. I've left some magazines on your table in case you decide to wake up. I'll visit you tomorrow." Nishinoya pats his brother's hand and exits the ward.

A busy day like any other. School, work, visiting his brother, then work, study, sleep. Nishinoya heads down the street. Dark eyebags from the lack of sleep was prominent under his eyes. Big eyes that were once bright had now dimmed throughout the years. Nishinoya was once playful a long time ago, but now he had no time and no mood to fool around. He had to help his family. Shin-chan and Nee-san needed his help. Aniki's medical bills were too heavy for Nee-san to carry since she was already overworking herself by supporting him through his university education. He stops by the small church at the corner of the street. He sits in the front row of the chapel holding the small cross strung around his neck. "Lord, I know I've said this before but please, let Aniki wake up soon. Please protect Nee-san and Shin-chan too. Amen." Nishinoya sits there, looking to the front where the big cross is.

Footsteps resound behind as Nishinoya stands to leave. "Nishinoya-kun?" Nishinoya looks up and is met with familiar hazel eyes. Nishinoya's eyes widen. "A...Asahi." he softly mutters. "I...I have to work. Nice meeting you, bye." Nishinoya excuses himself and tries to leave. "Wait, Nishinoya-kun, can I have your number?" Asahi passes his mobile device to Nishinoya. "I lost everyone's contact numbers when I dropped my phone in a ditch." Asahi laughs nervously. Nishinoya accepts the phone and hastily keys in his number, passing the phone back to its owner. "I'm sorry I never came back and...broke my promise." "Hnn. Glad you know. See you around Asahi." Nishinoya waves and plasters a smile across his face before heading out.

He hurries out of the building. If he had stayed any longer, he felt that even Asahi could hear his thundering heartbeat. He covers his face with both hands. What is wrong with him? He was supposed to have forgotten... Despite that, Nishinoya had noticed that Asahi had grown more open than Nishinoya had last known him to be. The Asahi in his past was never one to instigate a conversation and speak so confidently. And also, those robes. Asahi, a priest? Nishinoya laughs to himself. "I guess time does change people." Nishinoya mumbles as he makes his way to the convenience store for his shift.