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one

tooru once more rubbed his neck, and i glared at him.

"it hurts, doesn't it?"

"iwa-chann, leave me be," he pouted, "my arm hurts too. that's not such a disaster, right? i must've been a little too enthusiastic during practice today."

"yeah. stop doing that." i softly elbowed tooru in the ribs, and he winced. i glared at him again.

"what's going on?"

"nothing, i just... i don't feel so great. my chest is a little... sore? if that even is possible."

"you be careful," i ordered, "i don't want you to have a heart attack like your grandfather a few weeks back. so watch yourself."

"pfft, as if i'm having a heart attack," he scoffed, "i'm in perfect health. except for my neck and arm and chest."

"just... take it easy, okay? call me if anything goes wrong."

"nothing will go wrong. i still have a long life ahead of me, and tonight i have final university forms to fill out. i just found out who my roommate is, actually. her name is naomi asuka, we chatted a bit. she seems nice. totally your type."

"you're my type," i grumbled angrily, kicking a rock away, "stop trying to set me up with people."

"i just like hearing you deny other people for me," he smirked, throwing his arm around my shoulders. "i looove you, and you're all mine."

"yeah. i sure do hope so," i said quietly. oikawa looked down at me, raising an eyebrow.

"iwa-chann, what's going on?"

"nothing."

"talk to me," he said sternly, and i groaned, not wanting to talk about it at all.

"i'm just not too excited for you moving hours away. sorry about that. do you have to go to osaka?"

"do you have to go to sapporo?"

"they offered me a scholarship."

"and osaka did for me."

"oh please," i huffed, "you got at least ten."

"iwa-chan..."

"i'm sorry. okay? but you're going off to this big university in this huge city with all of these amazing people and..."

"you're insecure. i get it. you think i'm not?" he asked, stopping in his tracks and turning me to him. "but iwa-chan, i love you. a trip on the shinkansen isn't going to change that for me. you're still the guy i've loved since our moms first met in the grocery store sixteen years ago."

"i know, and you are for me. but... i don't know. i'm just not so excited." i looked to the side, averting my gaze.

"can i kiss you?"

"what, in the middle of the street? what a—" but no, his lips were on mine, and i was freaked out. naturally.

when he pulled back, he was smiling. "thanks."

"oh, c'mon, i didn't say yes."

"i really don't care."

"i know."

"i'll always love you, okay? and i'm going to visit you every weekend you aren't visiting me, and i'm gonna crush you in volleyball games. so yeah. that."

"fine," i muttered, looking up at him. "i'm just stressed out about it. sorry."

"that's understandable. oh, here's my turn." he smiled at me. "i'll see you tomorrow."

"see you tomorrow, tooru." he smiled fondly at the sound of me using his first name. i tried to, now that we were together.

he quickly pecked me on the lips, whispering the sweetest of goodbyes before walking off, directly into the sunset. his chestnut hair looked more gorgeous than ever under the red, orange, yellow hues, and i wish he didn't have to go.

but he did.