🔹🏐The Courts Calling🏐🔹- A Haikyuu Fanfiction

Rivals to the Core (Part 6)- The End of A Storm

Lightning flashes above our heads, illuminating the raging storm clouds in the sky and sending another loud clash of thunder rumbling over the earth. Rain pours even heavier around us as we turn down another street towards the train station, and I can feel the water seeping through my shoes every time I splash through the puddles in my path, not even bothering to try and avoid them. Every bit of clothing I'm wearing is already soaked, and I feel my body growing colder by the second, but my own well being is the last thing on my mind.

"Take a left up here!" I hear Kuroo's directions from behind, and I feel my feet skidding along the sidewalk as I make a sharp turn onto the next block.

We haven't been running for very long, and I'm thankful that the train station isn't too far away from Nekoma High. Still, I can't remember the way, and I have no time to learn it, so I just have to rely on the boys to lead me to the station before the 11:00 train arrives to take Shinobu home.

What am I even going to say when we get there? Let's be honest, finding her before she has a chance to leave is one thing, but convincing her to actually stay is another. Just by the note she left, I can tell that she is beyond pissed at me, and chances are, she won't even want to listen to anything I have to say. Still, I've got to try!

Time to come up with something runs out when I see the roof of the station over on the next street, and all of my other thoughts are shoved away as I focus on my main goal. Finding Shinobu.

Thanks to the many years I dedicated to track and field, my legs have become trained to run long distances, so effectively that I pick up the pace once I turn into the next block, completely leaving everyone else behind as I begin to approach the stairs leading up into the dimly lit train station platform.

I ignore the slight pain in my legs as I begin climbing the stairs, but once I reach the top, I don't even have a second to breath as I catch sight of a familiar half-shaved head of grey hair standing under one of the only few lights illuminating the almost empty station.

Her name slips from my lips before I can even stop it. "Shinobu!" I call, my voice echoing off the white tile walls of the large room.

I can see her body flinch as her head turns sharply in my direction, but her eyebrows instantly furrow when she sees me approaching from the stairs. "Don't you know how to read?" She spits, her tone poisoned with venom as she turns to face me with a deadly glare. "The note said don't follow me!"

"You seriously didn't expect us to just let you get on that train? To quit?!" I growl back, having to shout over another loud crack of thunder that sounds from above over the heavy rainfall beating down on the roof of the station.

I leave the stairs and begin walking over to where Shinobu stands, but as I get closer, I am slowly greeted with a sight that I know I will never be able to erase from my mind.

It's clear to see Shinobu left in a hurry, the back over her shoulder not even zipped and contents clearly soaked on the inside. She herself is even worse off, her entire body shivering and dripping with rain, creating a small puddle on the concrete floor under her sopping wet sneakers. She no longer wore her team uniform, instead she wears a simple T-shirt and grey sweatpants, all clinging to her body from her walk in the downpour.

Still, nothing makes my chest ache more than when my eyes finally come to her face. Her hair drips heavily of rain, soaking her whole face and leaving large droplets along her cheeks. However, it's only when I see a small droplet forming in the corner of her eye to I realize that it's not rain I see on her face... but tears.

I feel my heart clench within my chest, but as much as I want to look away, I force myself to hold Shinobu's gaze. After all, I did this, and maybe this image will make sure it never happens again.