Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 49: Tsukishima Kei [Extra]

[Refer to Chapter 14: Mask if you can't recall some events listed below.] The following occurred before the kiss at Sendai City Gymnasium.

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Two words to describe Tsukishima Kei: nearly perfect.Great athleticism and is academically gifted, not to mention he was fairly popular with the ladies due to his good looks. He may not be as popular with the girls as Oikawa, but he has the potential. If only he smiled more often, or initiate conversations and get more involved. Maybe if he was more amiable, extroverted, and kind.

But that is not what Tsukishima Kei is.

Other words to describe Tsukishima Kei: Pessimistic.Cynical.Aloof. His mentality of every aspect in life stands. The only optimistic point of view he has is the perks of pessimism. Ever since the incident with his brother, he came up with a rule, a golden rule that applies in everything he does:

If set your standards high, you'll get hurt in the end.

This rule was able to get him through junior high flawlessly, and not a single time he was disappointed. It was fool-proof and effective, he might be able to get through his whole life without pain if he keeps this up. Play it safe. Push people away. Don't take risks. Don't try hard. Keep your standards low. Those things are to guarantee him an easy life.

But there was one time. One time he mindlessly broke that rule. He had broken one of his biggest rules, and oh how bad he broke it.

Don't fall in love.

It wasn't even intentional. His curiosity got the best of him. And that curiosity had brought him in a world of pain. It was that one, stormy night at their first camp, that's when it happened. He realized that the seemingly strong girl he first met is actually one of the weakest and most fearful. As corny as it might sound, if you listen closely at that night she wrapped her arms around him, her eyes showing signs of fear, you can hear the faint 'ka-thunk' of the cupid's arrow hitting his heart amongst the crashing thunder. It was then he realized what that feeling is.

Question: What if he never opened the closet? What would've happened then?

The worst part is what is he supposed to do? He wanted to push these feelings away. Bottle it up somehow. Maybe it'll go away. Perhaps it's just one of those phases.

But then again it's pretty hard to push those feelings away if the girl you like sits in front of you in class.

One thing he learned, falling in love like stepping into a sinkhole: the more you struggle out of it, the more it pulls you in. Because who are we talking about? It's the Ayame Yamamoto. Successor of the Yamamoto Recording Company. She's practically known all around the globe. Out of everyone's reach. Of all the people he would fall in love, it just had to be her.

"-kii."

"Tsukki!"

The blonde finally snapped out of his trance, glancing over at the freckled boy who was walking alongside him.

"You're going the wrong way. Our houses are this way." He said, concerned about his friend. Especially since he was rarely the type to daydream.

"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima said as he turned to the right street, looking up at the warm orange sky, "metaphorically speaking...if you see a flower you want to pluck, but it's on the peak of the mountain, would you bother climbing up?"

On the outside, Yamaguchi seemed calm, but on the inside, there was a strong feeling of shock and happiness. Tsukki is finally asking me for advice?!

He glanced sideways at him, and he instantly knew where he was trying to get at, so smiled sincerely. "...And that flower is Ayame?"

Bingo.

The blonde stopped in his tracks, "...was it really that obvious?"

"It's pretty obvious to me." Yamaguchi said, kicking a small pebble. As expected, the freckled boy had been friends with him since junior high. Though he used to have a hard time reading him, now it's easier for him once he got accustomed to his behavior.

"I think it's worth giving a shot." Yamaguchi answered, who got a mildly surprised reaction from Tsukishima.

He raised his eyebrow at him, "that's Ayame Yamamoto we're talking about."

"So? Didn't she say that she hangs out with you because you treat her the same as everyone else regardless of her blood?" The freckled boy reasoned. "I don't think those kinds of things matter to her."

"I see..."

Maybe. Just maybe. I should try a little bit harder.