Drowning Serenade

Chapter 7: Cutting the Red Thread

(Third Person Point of View)

Matsukawa nervously ran to Oikawa, who was currently checking out all sorts of things inside Iwaizumi's office.

"Oikawa, I know this is sudden, but we need to behave to our best because Iwaizumi's dad is coming over."

"Oh! It's the king of fish providers!"

Hanamaki opened the door, huge pools of sweat forming around his forehead.

"Yes, the king of fish providers. But he is scary as fuck and with a snap of his hand, we'll be all thrown into the ocean if we don't behave."

"Eek! The evil king!"

Hanamaki and Matsukawa exchanged looks.
"Yes. Surprisingly quite right."

Oikawa spent the day playing with Hanamaki and Matsukawa inside Iwaizumi's office when he noticed a suspicious door slightly left ajar.

"Makki, Mattsun. Look at that."

Matsukawa freezes. "Oikawa, don't go there, that's where the king and the prince are having their meeting."

But Oikawa already had his ears pressed to the door.

"Oikawa---"

Hanamaki puts a finger on Matsukawa's mouth.
"Wait, Mattsun, Oikawa. Listen."

A booming voice came out of the door.
"It's about time you marry, Hajime! I want you to give me grandchildren before I die!"

Iwaizumi's voice replied, rather bored.
"Marriage is unnecessary at the moment."

"But all you do is spend time with Takahiro and Issei out to sea! I honestly thought you'd end up marrying a siren!"

Hanamaki controlled the urge to laugh, looking suspiciously at Oikawa. "Pfft---"

This time, it was Matsukawa who put a finger on Hanamaki's mouth. "Makki, sshh!"

Iwaizumi's reply came out rather stoic.
"You're implying?"

"I have met the daughter of one of our trading companies and she's really sweet. I think you will go well together. I would like for you to meet her and maybe we could do an arranged marriage? In fact, she came with me today."

Matsukawa lifted Oikawa and bolted out of the door and the three of them ran back to Iwaizumi's office as soon as footsteps were heard.

"Oh shit." was the first thing that came out of Hanamaki's mouth when they regained their breaths.

"Iwa-chan is getting married?!" Oikawa says, still processing the information he had learned.

Matsukawa contemplated Hanamaki's sentence. "Oh shit."

Hanamaki puts a finger on his chin. "Trading companies? Well, I only know of one which the Seijoh company is particularly close to, and the director of that company apparently has a daughter."

Matsukawa looks at him dumbfounded.
"You mean---?"

"Datekogyo."

"Oh shit." Matsukawa puts a hand on his forehead. "I don't really like those guys. They're so expressionless and unwelcoming. And Kenji Futakuchi is scary as fuck."

"Don't you mean Takanobu Aone?"

"No. It's Kenji Futakuchi who is scary as fuck."

"Iwa-chan is getting married?"
Oikawa insists, unsure of who this 'Datekogyo' people are.

Matsukawa and Hanamaki exchanged looks.
"Honestly? We want Iwaizumi to be married to you."

"Thank you?" Oikawa blushes, unsure of what to say.

"But---" Hanamaki was cut off when they heard a girl's voice.

"Iwa-chan!"

Oikawa gasped. "Excuse fucking you?! I am the only one who has the right to call Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan!!!"

Hanamaki, Matsukawa, and Oikawa went back to the previous door, ears pressed, after ensuring that the coast was clear.

"Iwa-chan!" the girl says again

Iwaizumi's voice was annoyed.
"Please don't call me that."

"Ha!" Oikawa says. "I told you I am the only one who can call Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan!"

"Oikawa shut the fuck up, you're going to blow our cover."
Matsukawa whispers, rather nervously.

"How have you been?"

"We're not even close."

"So mean!"

Hanamaki scoffs. "She's getting in my nerves. She sounds like an Oikawa-wannabe."

"Hajime-chan, I think you're really---"

Iwaizumi punches the table, which made Oikawa jump. Hanamaki and Matsukawa are both frozen in their positions.

"I'm only marrying the person who saved me from the sea that night. Tooru."

Oikawa felt tears pool on the corners of his eyes. "Aw, Iwa-chan. I'd love to marry you---"

The girl squeals happily. "That's me!"

"Excuse you?!" Oikawa whispers, incredulously.

"That's sounds suspicious."
Hanamaki frowns.

Matsukawa clicks his tongue.
"Shady as fuck."

"Huh?" Iwaizumi says, rather confused.

"I'm Aya Tooru! Nice to meet you, Hajime Iwaizumi-chan!"

"This and that don't fit together."
Hanamaki was still frowning.

Matsukawa hums. "I'm pretty sure sirens saved us that night."

"Yeah."

Oikawa wanted to yell, 'That's me! It's me, Iwa-chan! I'm Tooru! Tooru Oikawa!' but he knows he can't since he's bound by Tendou's contract.

"What...?" Iwaizumi was getting more confused at the moment.

"I saved you that night, Hajime-chan! It's me Tooru! Aya Tooru!"

"How--?"

"You were drowning, caused by the shipwreck when you hit a rock."

Matsukawa grits his teeth. "Correction: WE were drowning. We were there, bitch. And I'm pretty sure as hell that we didn't see you that night."

Hanamaki was about to punch someone.
"It can be pure coincidence, Iwaizumi. Please don't believe her."

Iwaizumi raises a brow. "Then?"

"You asked for my name. I'm Tooru!"

"Huh. Okay."

Oikawa sighed defeatedly. "Makki, Mattsun, if it isn't too much of a favor from you two, may you both take me to the shore? I--- I--- want to talk to my friend, Kou-chan."

"O-oh. Sure."

The walk to the shore was accompanied by a deafening silence. Matsukawa and Hanamaki were too afraid to say anything, and Oikawa was being unusually quiet.

"Will you use a boat...?" Hanamaki asks softly.

"No, it's alright. I'll swim."

"... Okay."

Oikawa removed his slippers and started walking deeper into the sea.

"You... Love him, don't you?" Matsukawa suddenly asks.

Oikawa laughs, rather painfully. "I do. I always have, I always will. But, see? If he wants to marry that girl, I have no objections, as long as he is happy. Even the king approves of it. Because he has to marry a woman, a human. Not a siren."

Matsukawa looks away.

Hanamaki awkwardly coughs. "Which reminds me! What's your name? It was always just plain Oikawa."

Oikawa smiles at him. "Tooru. Tooru Oikawa."