effervescent (nishinoya yū)

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX / the second reunion

You helped your mom out of the house, keeping a hand on her arm as she took the steps one at a time. "Are you sure you'll be okay to drive?" you asked, pursing your lips in concern. "You can barely walk, you know."

"I'll be fine," she reassured you, trying to hide it with a smile but ultimately failing. She looked back down to the ground and murmured something under her breath that you couldn't catch, but she quickly froze in her movements as a familiar car pulled into the driveway.

"I'm glad I made it!" Your dad came out from the driver's side door with a smile on his face. "I have work off for the next few days because our division of the company finished everything it needed to for our next project."

That explains his oddly good mood, you mused. He came over to you and helped your mom, waving her off as she whispered an apology. You followed them over to the car and made sure your mom got into the car safely before coming in yourself.

"Sendai?" your dad confirmed. When you nodded, he started the car back up and pulled out from the driveway. "Alright, let's get going!"

When you got to the gymnasium, you were once again greeted by a few concerned stares as your mom struggled to walk on her own. You trailed behind them, far too lost in your own thoughts for your own good. After her appointment yesterday, your mom had said that she was almost cured, and yet she seemed as though her health had reverted back to its old state. You furrowed your brow and bit at your thumbnail, unable to quell the anxieties swirling in your stomach.

The match between Ohgiminami and Karasuno was taking place in a gym close to the entrance, so you didn't have to worry about getting lost or having an encounter with another long-lost frenemy. Still, you kept a close eye on your surroundings, just in case.

A familiar voice yelled your name as you and your parents came out into the stands surrounding the gym. You grinned and ran over to Yachi, squeezing her in a tight hug. "Oh, you look amazing in the uniform!" you gushed, stepping back so you could admire how cute she looked.

"T-Thanks!" She looked over your shoulder. "Are those your parents?"

"Aww, who's this?" Your mom had managed to hide most of her discomfort behind an easy-going smile that would fool anyone except for you and your dad. "She's adorable!"

It didn't take long for Yachi to lose her cool and go into a deep bow to hide her flushing face. "Y-Yachi Hitoka, nice to meet you," she stammered, stumbling over her words as though trying to get them all out at once.

Your parents introduced themselves to her as well, giving her far more casual bows before turning to face the court. "I haven't heard of Ohgiminami," your dad said. "Do you know if they're any good?"

Your mom looked down at the pamphlets they had handed out at the entrance, which held the basic information of the teams as well as the bracket information. "They made it past their first round earlier today," she explained. "Huh? They don't have any third-years though. Their captain is a second-year named Towada, who's a wing spiker."

"Interesting," your dad mused. You leaned on the railing and saw Tanaka running up to spike Kageyama's toss. "Well, hopefully it'll--"

"Take this, damn it!"

"Shit!" You gawked as your mom cursed and dropped the paper. "I forgot how loud that Tanaka kid is." She looked over and frowned at the sight of you and your dad staring at her in disbelief. "What? I can curse too, y'know."

"I've just never heard you do it before," your dad replied. Your mom's frown persisted even after he turned back to the game, and you saw Yachi give you a concerned look out of the corner of your eye. You gave her a comforting smile and followed suit as the teams lined up on the sidelines and bowed before dispersing into their meeting half-circles.