Strategize: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 75: Yoshida

Perhaps this may have escalated all too fast... To see Yoshida comply in teaming up with 'sketchy commoners' (according to him) ... The world really has gone mad, has it?

Allow me to let me show you something that led him to where his is right now first.

It was the day before the interview happened. The girl remained caged in her room, only this time, with a visitor who sat on the edge of her bed. Unlike Ayame, he possessed brown hair- in a warm shade of chocolate. His blue eyes flickered at the girl, who continued to stare out the window, cloud-gazing. A disappointed sigh escaped the boy's lips before the boy broke the silence and spoke.

"Ryuuji told me about you dating a commoner."

She laughed weakly as a reply, her eyes still fixed on the cloud, which seemed like a cotton ball stretched thin. "Yeah. So?"

Her friend lets out a disappointed sigh. "I told you about those commoners always wanting trouble, Ayame. Those people can't be trusted. That's why Papa asked you to come back."

There are many things wrong with that, Ayame thought. One, you can't simply assume other people's character based on their social status. Two, she trusted them more than she will ever trust her father in her life. Three, her father did not ask, he simply sent a one of his lackeys and demanded her to leave immediately.

Many, many things are wrong, she thought.

"I see..." Was all she said. It was then everything clicked. It took her a while to piece the remaining parts of the puzzle, her eyebrows knitting together. Betrayal stung her immensely, leaking through her whisper.

"You're the one who told him...?"

He nodded.

"It's for your own good."

Her expression darkened. Of all the people who would tell him...it had to be her friend... Anger bubbled inside her, hands that dangled down the window balled into white knuckled fists, out of the boy's vision. The girl took a deep breath to calm herself down, gaze focusing on the clouds to help her keep her mind occupied.

I can't really blame you, she thought. He genuinely meant no harm, for he is completely unaware of the hidden objectives of the man. Ignorance must be a bliss.

Silence resumed between the two for a couple minutes, though Yoshida kept scrutinizing her from head to toe. Her eyes reflected dullness and pain, he noted. He was quite surprised at how much those people had affected her, getting her in such a gloomy state. It was the girl this time who broke the silence, finally turning her head back to see her friend.

"You know, Yoshida... I sort of wished I never poured you that drink back then."

The boy was sitting on the edge of her bed, scowling at her at the bring up of the incident. "And what's gotten you to think that?"

"This may sound selfish, but I'd rather have you and I get married than some random American stranger."

Yoshida hummed, pondering a bit before replying. "A bit too late for that apology. It would've been beneficial for both of our corporations to be in partnership."

"It's all because of that stupid 'traditional values' bullcrap that's stopping us the first place. Seriously...Marriage as soon as I hit the legal age of sixteen..." She paused before speaking once more. "If I were the one in charge, I would appoint those who deserve a high position instead of just those related to you. For God's sake, it's we're not living in the past - arranged marriages never works out anyways. Take that old man's for example."

"You really need to watch that mouth of yours..."

"The vulgarity in my language doesn't make me any less of a person, Yoshida."

He raised his eyebrows slightly at her retort, not expecting a stinging reply from her. "I know that, but...rumors will start spreading again. If the press hears you say that, they'll start questioning Papa's role as a parent again."

"Good. Why do you still side with him anyways? You know that your business won't be in partnership in mine since the marriage is off. You're literally hanging around this mansion with no financial benefit whatsoever."

"That's none of your concern." He replied with a frown, crossing his arms.

It was then- just then Ayame's eyes flickered. A realization had struck her. Perhaps she may not know what gain she will get from telling him...but it will in the least release the obnoxious fear coiling in her stomach. The chains that held her back from telling him was long gone with one thought in mind:

That means he has nothing to lose.

"Hey, Yoshida..." She started, a hint of uncertainty in her tone caused the male to raise his eyebrow skeptically at her. With trembling hands, she lifted her bangs up and showed him her scar and pointed to it. "...Remember this?"

Yoshida looked at her with confusion. "Yes... If I remember correctly it was the vase accident."

"Yeah...About that..."

She told him. Everything. Not just that night, but also the story behind faint gashes behind Ryuuji's arms. The little lines on Ayame's right forearm. Those little bruises she insisted were nothing back then. Everything.

It took a good half an hour too, keeping a vigilant eye in her surroundings as she told him. It started painful at first, bringing up the past. But it began to wear off, and all the stress that built up inside her released in a series of stories and sighs. She could not care whether he believed or not at that point- as long as she felt better about it. Ah yes... She had dreamed of telling him this back then- since the trio had been close knit. He never knew the two siblings would keep a secret from him - a dark one that is.

It hit him like a brick, really. At first he looked at her in disbelief, starting to mentally question her sanity. How could such an amiable man be capable of such things? It wasn't after she provided all of the concrete proof did he began to really listen, his eyes growing dim as she continued.

"And that's the real reason..." She finished, a sigh of relief from ranting escaped her lips. It was his turn to get angry now.

"How come you never told me this before?! Do you know how much damage I've done?!" His voice roared, cracking and trembling that took the girl off guard.

"Because I didn't want you to lose your position- I know how much the partnership and sponsoring of our businesses mean to you." She said simply. The nonchalance in her tone only made him even more furious both at her and himself. How could she be so accepting about this?! It was her stupid selflessness that's gotten her into this!

"This... This is all my fault..." He whispered grimly. Right now, he feels like utter shit. There's no other way to put at it, he thought. The girl gave a gentle pat in his back in hopes to comfort him. It was then he stood up, abruptly, his hands balled into white knuckled fists.

"I'll fix this."

"What? Yoshida, I don't want you to do anything rash-"

The boy cuts her off with the loud slam of the door behind her, leaving her all alone once more. Perhaps staring at the clouds will help her calm her mind, her elbows propped at the windowsill, worried for what the boy will be up to.